By Request (Fairy Tale Friday, just a little late!)

In December I surrendered a Fairy Tale Friday post to return to a favourite fairy tale of a blogging friend, Snow White and Rose Red. Following that post a few of you wanted to know what happened next and I guess I did too.

So here is the end of Snow's tale and what became of the stranger in the night, Sorry it took me so long to find the happily ever after!

Snow White and Rose Red, The Happily Ever After

The days began to lengthen and winter gave way to spring. On this particular morning Snow White and Rose Red were tending the garden and planting seeds ready for the summer crops. Snow looked up and to her surprise the stranger who once spent a night with them by the fire was there, standing at the edge of the forest. Her heart leapt, for in the months that had passed not a day had gone by when the stranger hadn’t crossed her mind.

“Hello Sir” Snow greeted him; “We hadn’t expected to see you again.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t usually return to the same area, let alone anyone who has helped me. But for some reason I was drawn back here.”

There was something familiar in the stranger’s eyes that Snow couldn’t quite place. As they stood there drowning in each other’s eyes his grew darker.

“What troubles you so?” Snow asked.

“I shouldn’t have come here. I have put you and your family in such danger. I just haven’t had a meal in days and was close....I thought....No I’m sorry, I will leave.”

He turned to leave, “Wait, don’t go. At least have something to eat before you set out again” Snow said desperate for him to stay a while longer. “We were just about to prepare some lunch any way.”

The stranger hesitated, “Please, come” Snow whispered and stepped forward to taking his hand. Gently she pulled him towards the cottage.

While Rose continued with the chores outside, Snow and the stranger prepared lunch. They talked, mostly about the life Snow and her sister led, although Snow managed to find out that he was called Will.

That afternoon Will helped the sisters continue to prepare the garden for the coming season. They laughed and talked all afternoon whilst working and before they realised the sun was setting in the sky and dusk was upon them.

“Please stay the night” Snow begged Will, who was insistent that he must leave. “Father has not been well; some company may brighten his spirits”

The sky was clear, it was going to be a cold night and eventually the sisters managed to convince Will to remain with them for the evening. Will was humbled for a second time by the families trust and selflessness.

After dinner the girls regaled their Father and guest with tales of old; of fairies and dragons and other creatures of magic. During one particular story of a conniving dwarf there was a strange and unworldly howling from the forest. Will seemed to be worried by the sound but a moment later the stress was wiped from his face by Snows words and the noise abated soon after.

The next few days sped by in a haze of contentment as Will helped the family with chores in exchange for a spot in front of the fire. He almost forgot about his plight.

That night was a full moon and there was a strange feeling in the air. As Will watched the pinks of the sunset streak across the sky he dropped the tools he had been carrying and realised he had made a terrible mistake.

Snow sensed that something was wrong and also stopped.

“Will, what is it?”

“I fear I have put you in grave danger.” Will said

“Why do you say that?”

“I need to tell you a story. I need to tell you my story.” Will explained.

The pair sat down on a tree trunk that was used as a bench. “It all began many moons ago when an unassuming man of small stature came to the door on a winter’s night, a night which was very similar to the night I first met you. He was cruel and bitter and continued to ask for more and more which my parents eventually said no to. This enraged the little man who cursed me and my brother to a life wandering the lands. A life where we cannot settle, we cannot love for when the moon is whole we become monsters the likes of which you have never seen. I should not be near you when that happens, for in those moments I may not be able to control the beast.”

“Oh, Will” Snow exclaimed, “is there no way to end the curse?”

“There is, the man who is responsible for the curse must die under a full moon. I have tried many times and failed. I must leave now to try and get far enough to keep you safe. I will return to you, you have my word”

“Please don’t leave again, I don’t think my heart could stand to feel so empty.”

In that moment the words didn’t mean anything, in that moment Will fell to the ground and began to turn and contort in many different ways. He was becoming the one thing he feared most and all Snow could do was watch, feeling her heart break for the pain this was causing him.

There before Snow was indeed a monstrous creature. It was twice her height and resembled the form of a great bear. However Snow was not afraid of the creature before her, its fur was the colour of Will’s hair; its eyes were the same warming hazel and full of sadness and shame. He was there still, locked within. Snow stepped toward Will, making to touch his muzzle but he shied away from her touch and bounded towards the woods. Snow fell to her knees; she had found the missing piece of her being only to have it ripped away so suddenly.

Rose came rushing to Snow’s side, “what is the matter sister? Are you hurt? Where is Will?”

“Gone” was all Snow could whisper.

Snow added guilt to the mix of sickening emotions she was feeling as she sat uselessly watching her sister do all of the evening chores. After they had eaten their evening meal the sisters sat before the fire as usual, however there were no sweet and melodic notes this evening. Suddenly there was a loud hammer at the door to break the silence.

Snow leapt from her spot and flew to the door thinking it could be Will seeking refuge, throwing open the door she stumbled and only just stopped herself from falling onto the small man who stood  in the door way.

“Good evening young miss, I wonder if I may trouble you this fine evening for a spot of water? I have been travelling for many days and my canteen is empty.”

Snow didn’t know why but she didn’t trust the sincerity in his voice, “I’m sorry sir, I cannot help you this evening. There is a stream a ten minute walk across the pasture, the water is pure and you can easily take your fill from the banks.”

With that the man’s eyes became thunderous and he screamed at her “you are all the same, no one is kind to anyone who is different to themselves.” He grabbed her arm and dragged her onto the path.

“Is this what you covet beast?” he growled into the forest, “is this what you returned for? By the time the sun has risen in the sky she will be gone, a tasty snack. Then I will return for the other two!”

There was a rumbling and then an almighty roar from the trees and Will came bounding, in his bearlike form. One swipe and Snow was thrown to the ground, free from her captor’s grip. The fight seemed sure to be over in minutes; the beast against such a weak man. But then the man pulled something metallic from beneath his jacket and in a swift and nimble movement sliced at Will’s stomach.

“No” screamed Snow as Will crashed to the ground, blood seeped from the wound, steaming when it pooled on the frosted ground.

She was about to run to him when the man turned his eyes on her, “Thank you. I needed him to become attached to someone or some place in order to catch up to him. And now he is finally dead the kingdom’s riches will be mine.”

Snow felt at her belt for her mother’s dagger. Her father had given it to her as protection in the forest for her and her sister, until now she had never needed to even touch it. But now she touched it in anger, in rage. The man started to make his way to where she was on the floor and as he bent to grab hold of her once more she buried the blade up to the hilt in his chest, removing the blade, as her father had taught, to maximise the inflicted wound.

“What the...?” he gasped, falling backwards against the garden fence and crashing through it.

Tears were streaming down Snow’s cheeks as she raced to Will’s side. The beast was retreating and leaving a very naked Will in its place.

The wound in his stomach, although quite deep, was not fatal, and with Roses help Snow cared for Will over the coming days.

“Why?” Will whispered a few days later, “Why didn’t you just run?”

“Because I was taught to fight for what you love.”

The two were married and Snow’s father was well cared for in the light of Will’s considerable wealth. And Rose? When Will’s twin brother returned from his cursed exile the four part puzzle was complete.

"A powerful force that seemed to connect all these tales. Hope" Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz - Once Upon a Time

We all hope for our happily ever after, will we recognise it when it arrives?