Snow White by Jenni James Page A

where men come and bargain for the women they fancy. Nay, the girl I marry will come to me freely because she wishes it as greatly as I do. Because we are equal partners first—in love, in station, in life.”
    “Thank you,” Raven whispered. She had never felt her heart so warmed before.
    “I see you are amazed at what I have said.” He tugged her hand. “I will wait until you trust these words, until we are both willing to go further.”
    Not sure what else to do, but completely overwhelmed by his goodness and patience, Raven leaned forward and surprised herself by kissing him in reply.
    ***
    WHEN SNOW AWOKE THE next day, it was nearly mid-afternoon. She felt the faint warm breeze caress her cheek as her eyes fluttered open to the brightness. Slowly she was brought back to reality as she observed the foliage around her. The birds chirped merrily above her head as the leaves rustled with the breeze, making it sound as if she were near a river. Snow turned upon her back, looking up at those tall branches above her and then squinting as the sun peeked through them while they swayed.
    This was not such a bad place. It seemed peaceful and completely the opposite from the horrors it appeared to be in the dark. She stretched and felt her taut muscles protest. She had never run so fast and so far in all her life, and her body most certainly felt the brunt of her escapades from the night before.
    Goodness, she was so stiff.
    Her stomach growled. Apparently her limbs were not the only thing protesting—she was famished. But to lie here a moment longer would feel so wonderful. She stretched again.
    She contemplated rising and finding some summer berries to eat when suddenly a bright spark popped before her eyes. She blinked and then sat up when it darted away.
    What was that?
    Scanning the area, she found the spark of light again, this time about ten feet from her in a bush. It quickly dashed away and then reappeared right in front of her. Startled, she fell back on her elbows and watched, fascinated, as the little twinkling light came toward her. It flitted around her face for a few moments before zooming upwards, where it flickered high on a branch above her.
    “Hello?” Snow called up to it. “What are you?”
    Just then another spark of light caught her attention in a shrubbery about five feet in front of her. She sat up and had brought her knees in to stand up when that light began to sparkle and bounce toward her.
    She froze.
    Its luminosity increased into a much larger spark than the other one. Entranced, Snow smiled as the light came all the way up to her, growing in size until it was about a foot tall and then resting upon her knee.
    “Hello?” she asked again as she noticed yet another bright spark pop to life a few feet on her right. And then another and another.
    Slowly, the one before her dimmed and Snow caught her breath when a tiny ethereal woman in a flowing pink gown stood before her. She had beautiful lavender slanted eyes with long lashes, a thin nose, and a small pink mouth. Her lavender ponytail caught the breeze and flowed around her shoulders briefly before settling behind her back again.
    Snow was amazed that she could not even feel the weight of the woman’s dainty feet upon her knee, and then she understood why. The lovely being unfolded the most alluring gossamer wings upon either side of her shoulders. They fluttered and glittered in the sunlight, their iridescent colors changing from yellow to pink and then back again.
    “You are a fairy!”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
    THE FAIRY GRINNED AND bowed her head. “Yes, I am. And you are the fairest Snow White.”
    “How do you know who I am?” Snow asked, not taking her eyes off the pretty creature. Never before had she dreamed of meeting one up close.
    “We have always known who you are, which is why we have been searching all night for you.”
    “We?”
    “Yes, my sisters and I.”
    Snow watched each flash of light transform into a beautiful fairy