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“I wouldn’t. I’d cut her into bits and make a potion of her.”
“Oh yes, and we’d all drink her….”
“Indeed. She’d make us beautiful and young again.”
“We’d need a raven’s—”
“Feather and the heart of a dove—”
“Of course, and don’t forget—”
And they all said, “A lock of her dead mother’s hair.”
Snow grasped the arms of her chair in fear. Her eyes grew wide and her lip began to quiver. She stood up and backed away from the sisters as far as she could. And then, to her great relief, Verona reentered the morning room.
“Ladies, your room is ready. I can show you now, unless you are still enjoying your tea and cakes.”
The three sisters stood as one, bowed to Snow, and followed Verona to their rooms where their trunks were waiting for them.
The sisters surveyed the room. “Nice enough.”
“Yes, this will do.”
“We can unpack ourselves. You may leave.”
They giggled as Snow darted past their room with her hands covering her face. Verona caught a glimpse of Snow and quickly excused herself to follow the girl, but caught some of the sisters’ chatter as she left.
Lucinda said, “Do you think we should take Snow—”
“Into the forest? Yes.” The sisters looked at each other with wicked smiles and took to their high-pitched laughing again.
Snow was in a panic and making little sense when she tried to recount to her mother and Verona what had happened during the tea.
“Oh, I think they were just teasing you, darling. They are rather eccentric,” said the Queen.
“Wicked senses of humor if you ask me, my Queen, weaving tales of potions,” Verona said, looking horrified. “Snow, did they actually say they were going to cut you into pieces?”
Snow nodded, frowning terribly.
“Well, I don’t think they meant it seriously. They couldn’t have. Perhaps Snow can dine with you tonight, Verona, so I may have dinner with these interesting ladies myself and get a gauge of their natures.”
And she looked to Snow. “I will tell them, my dear, they are not to tease you so cruelly; I won’t have it. Don’t you worry, little bird.”
Snow looked relieved.
Verona asked the Queen for a word, and the Queen obliged.
“Snow may be but a frightened child, my Queen, but I also heard the sisters talking among themselves as I left their chamber. They mentioned taking Snow into the woods. Given what Snow has already told us of them, I would advise we keep a close watch on the sisters, for I do not trust them.”
The Queen sighed heavily.
“Thank you, Verona. I appreciate your loyalty and the love you have for my child.”
That evening, in the smaller hall, the Queen had arranged for a splendid dinner for herself and the sisters, while Snow dined with Verona. The women ate sparingly, picking at their food like birds. They said nothing most of the evening, until Ruby broke the silence. “I fear we frightened Snow with our teasing.”
Martha continued, “We can get rather carried away sometimes.”
And Lucinda said, “Oh yes, we didn’t mean any harm, you see.”
