New Snow White

The following is my work for Storytelling Strategy class in my freshman year. We are using this assignment to practice the basic elements for a dramatic story, like driving need, objective, obstacles, etc. I had a lot of fun, but there are still so many things to learn. Please ignore my silly grammar mistakes and unglamorous vocabulary. 

Once upon a time, in a land far away, there is a kingdom ruled by the kind and generous king and queen. They have a beautiful daughter. Lips red as blood, hair dark as night, skin white as snow. And her name is Snow White.

Being a princess is not easy. Throughout her entire life, she feels like being trapped in a cage. Everyone is telling her what to do, what not to do, and how to be a proper princess. Apart from that, she can easily get whatever she wants in the world. So the thing she aspires the most is love because it can’t be brought, and it also gives her something to live for. Luckily for her, she is already in love with a farm boy named Tom. Whenever she has the chance, she would use a secret doorway and disguised as a peasant to meet him in his barn. Of corse, her parents never know this underground love affair, but it does make Snow White intently happier. But everything is about to change. 

It starts as a usual morning. She gets dressed, and comes downstair to have her breakfast. “Good morning my darling! Do you like these presents?” says the Queen. Snow White finds out that there are piles of delicately wrapped presents in the lobby, look like a small mountain. “That looks nice. May I inquire after the occasion?” She says this a bit sarcastically, as if she really cares, and sits down to pour herself a glass of orange juice. “It’s your engagement presents of course! People are really excited about your wedding!” “Engagement?” Snow White drops her knife, “To whom? When did this happen?” She stands up, furious. “To prince Edward from Andalusia, our neighbor. He fell in love with you at the first sight. It’s quite a compliment, you know.” “Edward? I have only met him twice! How can you let me marry a complete stranger?” “Don’t you dare talk to me like that young lady! I am still your mother.” “Ah…Not again.” Snow walks toward the window, looking outside, as if this world no longer means anything to her. The Queen sends away all the servants, and sits down on one of the chairs. “Sit down my dear. Let me tell you the reason.” She sounds really serious, and kind of guilty. Snow reluctantly sits down, looking at the other direction. “You probably don’t know this, but our kingdom is coming to an end. We are on the verge on bankruptcy. ” Felling so shocked, Snow forget her anger and turns to her mother. “Our gold mines are depleted. Your marriage is the only thing that can save us all. When this strong mutual bond is established, we can share resources with Andalusia. Everything will remain the same for our people. So you see my darling, this is why you can’t say no. ” The Queen tries to remain calm, but Snow can’t. She is already covered in tears. “But, this is so unfair……” She becomes even sadder thinking about never be able to see Tom again. The Queen holds Snow’s hands, “The life of a princess, from her birthday is defined. Everything comes at a price, my love. We live in this grand palace, enjoying the luxury that no peasants can ever imagine. Our responsibility is the price we must pay. Do you know why I married you father in the first place? Because that’s the only way to stop the war against my country. But as you see, you father and I are in love now. You can be just as happy as we are. I can see Prince Edward loves you very much. Trust me, love will come to you my dear.” “I will marry him mother. But you won’t understand.” Snow White runs upstair into her room, locks the door, and starts crying on her bed. In her mind, the future has never been darker. 

Snow White is not the only one who is upset. The Evil Queen Melissa, step-mother of prince Edward, is furious in her secret chamber. She is looking at Snow White through her magic mirror. “Oh, so this is that little forrest rat, who think she can steal my throne. I worked so hard to get this crown and I will not let anyone to take it from me!” She smashes a cup, but it does not cease her anger. “Come down, my dear queen. We both know how hard it was to kill that silly king.” The mirror says so with such contempt. “If I didn’t poison that moron, how can I be the only rightful ruler of this land? But right now, my step-son is going to ruin everything by marrying that girl. I shall destroy her, if it is the last thing I do.” “Oh, don’t get ahead of yourself my dear queen. Trust me, you don’t want to kill her right away.” The Magic Mirror says with such mysterious tone that it’s hard not to be curious. “Save your riddles before I smash you too, Mirror.” “Okay okay, there is no need to be so tense. Do you happen to know, your majesty, that Snow White has the purest heart in this world? This means, if she dies with a broken heart, full of desperation, her heart shall contain the darkest magic in this world. Consume that heart, you shall be invincible. After that, you don’t even need this throne to rule this land. But, the only difficulty is, she must be willing to die.” “Fascinating,” the queen says, “And what do you propose to be done?” “I will give you the last hint, your majesty, that girl is in love, with a farm boy. Be careful, my queen.” “Oh, don’t start your nauseating talk about true love’s kiss, I know what to do.” The Evil Queen puts on her red cloak, and finally smiles. 

That night, Snow White secretly went out as usual to meet Tom. She gives him her most precious diamond necklace as a reminder of their love. In fact, every time Snow White visits him, she always bring little presents like jewelry and gives them to Tom. But this diamond belongs to her grandmother, and is Snow White’s favorite. “Have it Tom, please. Just like my heart, which will always belong to you. ” She tries so hard to pretend that this is just another normal day, but she can’t stop her tears pouring from her eyes. “What happens Snow? Why are you saying things like that?” Snow White then explains to Tom about her engagement as well as the reason behind it. “I will always wait for you, my dearest Snow.” They spend the next few hours doing nothing but holding each other. By the time when she has to go, Snow White runs as fast as she can. Because she knows that if she turns her head to look at Tom, she would never have the courage to leave again. But she never notices that undetectable happiness hidden beneath Tom’s seemingly sad face.

It’s a very comfortable autumn night, because it’s neither too cold or too hot. But staying in her extravagantly furnished room, Snow White has never felt colder before. Suddenly, a beam of light is coming out of the window. It’s her fairy-godmother. Snow White starting crying in her arms. “I know I know, my dear. That’s why I am here.” The warm voice of her makes Snow White feel calm and safe. “Mother, please, find someway to end this. I love him so much. ” “I’d love to my dear, but you must not forget your royal duties. You can elope with him of course, but what about this nation, what about the people you love so much? You can’t sacrifice their happiness just to be with Tom.” Snow White sits down on the ground, depressed, “Even you cannot help me.” “Don’t be upset now my dear. Twelve month after your wedding, you are allowed to go home. You can see Tom then. It’s not like you can’t see him forever.” “Really? Is that true?” Snow seems cheer up a little. “Of course! When have I ever lied to you? Now, my dear, I am here because I have a gift for you.” Fairy-godmother takes out a beautifully crafted wooden box, and hand it to snow. “Do no open it until you are truly desperate. It offers you a salvation. Now, my dear Snow, go and fulfill your duties. I truly wish the best of you.” Fairy-godmother then fly out of the window, leaving Snow White alone in her room. Snow White would never know, that after this fairy-godmother land on the ground, she turns into the Evil Queen. “I hate this stupid fairy-godmother costume, makes me so fat.” She then puts on her red cloak, and smiles again.

Snow White and Prince Edward’s wedding is the grandest of its kind. People from both kingdom come and witness their happy ending. Stepping up along the aisle and wearing the wedding dress made by fairies, Snow White feels that she is walking from one cage into the other. She can’t breath, can’t scream, and can’t alter her fate. But she must pretend to be happy because her people is counting on her. 

For Prince Edward, however, it is the happiest day of his life. Ever since his father died and his step-mother Melissa became the monarch, he also feels like being trap in a cage because Melissa won’t allow him to do anything. She is afraid that he may take over her throne. But after this marriage with Snow and if they had a boy child, Melissa would have to abdicate. This would sets him free. But more importantly, Snow White is the love of his life. Throughout his entire life, countless women have been throwing themselves at him. To Edward, they are all vulgar and greedy. But not like Snow. He has never seen someone who is so pure and so beautiful, as if she doesn’t belong to this world and comes from heaven. He would do anything to make her smile.

Thus begins their marriage life. 

In the first few weeks, Snow White is still pining for departing Tom, yet she chooses to hide her feelings. So she treats Edward with an overwhelming politeness. Edward feels so hard to get into her heart.

He begins to pick the freshest flowers for her every morning before she gets up, and put s them besides her bed. After knowing her favorite flower is water lily, he construct a green house during the harsh winter, and uses fountain water far away to grow waterlilies. These flowers do make Snow White a bit happier. She tells him that she loves them because waterlilies are “stubbornly beautiful”. They are grown out of filthy mud, yet they always remain so pure, so unstinted, so free. She can never be like that. He tells her that he thinks that she has the purest soul in the world. She smiles, “You still don’t know me enough, Edward.”

She then catches a very serious disease. Her fever continues for several weeks. The doctors are desperate because they have never seen anything like that. She could die, and only a rare blue flower shaped like a bell grown on top of Mountain Lia could save her. But that mountain is covered in snow, has dangerous beasts, and is insanely difficult to climb. He leaves without hesitation. 

Snow White is saved. After knowing it is prince Edward that saves her, she rushes into his room and confronts him: “Why can’t you just let me die??” To her uttermost surprise, she finds out he is full of bruises on his body, and breaks his arms. She later learns from the servants that in order to pick up that flower, Edward climbs up a cliff and fell. Luckily a tree catches him. When he returns, he himself is dying too. The doctors cure him, but he can never use his left hand again. Snow White is covered with tears. She sits beside him on his bed. “You fool…” She uses hot towels to carefully clean his wound, “I am not worth saving. Why can’t you just let me die?” He tries to hold up his right hand, and touches her face, “Because I love you.” She feels like being stroked by lightning, “Why?” She asks. “You can’t ask why about love.” Edward replies. 

Later that night when lying on her bed, Snow White realizes something in her heart is changing. She is falling in love with Edward. “No, that’s not love. What I have with Tom is love. Don’t mix gratitude with love.” She tries to convince herself. But then she wonders, when she was with Tom, they were just having fun. Tom never offered her any promises except that sentence: “I will always wait for you.” Yet, Edward is willing to die for her. No one has ever been so kind to her. No one has ever give her such warmth. Her heart is confused.

Only after a few weeks, Snow can returns to her kingdom and visit Tom again. So she tries her best to convince herself that only Tom is the love of her life, and treat Edward only as someone who saved her life. Waiting to see Tom is the only will that makes her strong enough to get through those days. 

The day finally comes. Snow White puts on her disguise costume as usual, and runs toward the barn. When she was there, she is shocked to find out that everyone is gone, except a young teenage girl, who is curling around the corner, shaking. When she sees Snow White, she crawls towards her, and desperately shouts in a hoarse voice: “Save me princess, save me!!” Snow White jumps back a few step: “Stay where you are! How do you know I am the princess? No peasant is supposed to know how I look like.” “I…I saw you in a painting.” “Liar! Portraits of royalties are strictly prohibited in this kingdom.” “Give…give me some food and money, I swear I will tell you the truth.” Looking at how terrible this girl looks, Snow White feels pity for her and starts to loose her defense. She gives her a piece of bread that she uses to feed the pigeons, and give her some money. The girl swallows the bread without chewing. “I know how you look because every time when my brother is fooling around with you, I always peek a little. So I remember your face.” “Fooling around? What do you mean?” The girl suddenly kneel down and beg for her mercy: “Your highness, promise you will spare my life, and I will tell you the truth. Promise me!!” “Of course, I promise! Now, tell me what happens. ” Snow White learns from this girl that Tom is only using Snow White as a way of making a living. Every piece of jewelry she gave him was all sold by Tom to get some money. He then would spend the money on drinking and playing with other girls. “I warned him, but he just won’t listen. When you told him that you are getting married to the prince of Andalusia, he was very happy that you won’t return, because he won’t need to act anymore. So he tried to sell that diamond necklace. But the police arrested him for stealing because that necklace is one of a kind. Only royalties can have it. He explained to the police that ‘The princess is my girlfriend. Let me talk to her and you will understand!’ Of course, no one believed him, and called him crazy. He was hanged the next day. My parents died out of sorrow, and I am all alone now. Please, your highness, please don’t kill me! I don’t want to die! ” Snow White is speechless, and utterly shocked. The man she thinks she loves is only using her.

She takes care of the girl by sending her to a nice family and leave quite some money to support them. She then returns to her home at Andalusia, crying in her room. 

She fell in love with a illusion she created for herself. This illusion is what holds her up for so long. Now it is shattered, Snow White feels that her heart is shredded into pieces. “How can you be so stupid, Snow White! You never saw the presents you gave him again, he never cherished them, how can you be so unobservant and so blind?” She keep blaming herself for being a fool. Betrayal hurts so much. The love she has always been craving for is only a lie. She feels so desperate, so painful, and has no idea how to stop her misery. 

She suddenly remembers the wooden box that fairy-godmother gave her. She takes out the box from the drawer, and opens it. Inside the box, is a beautiful red apple. And there is a note besides it: “One bite, it will end your pain; One bite, all your troubles will go away; One bite, you shall have your happy ending. ” Covered in tears, she bites the apple without hesitation. The moment her lips touch the deadly apple, she becomes unconscious, and fell to the ground. 

“Finally! ” The Evil Queen comes out of the closet, and take off her red cloak. “Such beauty, such pure heart,” She lowers her body and touches Snow White’s face, “And I can already sense that beautiful wickedness in your heart, my dear, dear, Snow White!” She takes out a dagger from her sleeves, admiring its luster, “You should know, my dear, love is weakness. When betrayal comes, it hurts, doesn’t it? That desperation would just eat you alive, is it not? Now, my dear Snow White, out of your dead body, shall rise my victory!”

Just before she cuts out Snow White’s heart, Edward bursts into the room. The Evil Queen is so surprised that she drops her dagger. “Edward!” “Mother?” Edward is confused, and when he sees the dagger, his face turn dark, “What are you doing, Melissa?” “Oh, nothing dear, she just fainted and I was helping her.” Edward runs towards Snow White. “She is pale.” “She is fine, my dear, she just need some fresh air.” “And she is not breathing.” Edward turns to Melissa, and pushed her against the wall, “What have you done, you wicked witch! I knew you poisoned my father!” “Really my dear? You should have told me earlier, then we won’t need to pretend to like each other anymore. Look at her! You think she loves you? That’s a lie! She is having an affair with a farm boy. She never loved you. She has been playing with you all the time.” “No, it can’t be, it can’t be…” Edward knells down, staring at Snow White, and Melissa starts laughing, “Oh, betrayal hurts, doesn’t it, me dear Edward?Love is weakness. You should always remember that. ” The clocking is suddenly striking. It’s midnight now. “Hahaha, after that clock strikes twelve, you can never save her again. She will be dead! ”

“Don’t leave me, Snow. We shall have our happy ending. I love you.” Edward closes his eyes, and kisses Snow White.

The clock finishes striking twelve. Nothing happens. The Evil Queen laughs.

Suddenly, bright light is shining through Snow’s body, and Melissa starts to screaming, “NOOOOOOOOOO!” She bursts into ashes, leave nothing behind except her red cloak. That’s the only thing that can protect her from true love’s kiss, because it’s the most powerful magic in the world.

Snow White’s face is slowly turning back to normal color. She wakes up, staring into Edward’s eyes. “You saved me, again.” “No, my dearest Snow, you saved yourself. True love’s kiss would never work if you don’t love me back.” 

It is at that moment Snow White realizes that the love of her life has always been there for her. Only she is too blind to see it. How ironic it is. She is constantly seeking love, without realizing love is always by her side. She will never let it go again. 

And so, they both lived happily ever after. 

THE END