THAT AFTERNOON
After falling into a fitful sleep Snow awoke groggily and groaned. His throat felt like there was fire embedded in it, his dazzling green eyes were sore and bloodshot and his head pounded out an erratic beat. 'So this is to be my life a permanent cycle of depression and angst?' he mused to himself. He shivered and his eyes cut towards the window that he had so foolishly left open. The sun was beginning its departure behind the moon and the whole sky was blazed with the most dazzling array of reds, purple and blue hues. 'Such a beautiful scene and yet in my melancholy I cannot enjoy it' he sighed to himself.
Rather than hiding in his chambers and admitting cowardice Snow garnered up his courage, and washed his face in preparation of meeting the evil wretch and putting on a good show if not for his father than for the people who would one day serve him.
Snow opened the door to his room slowly and peered out anxiously expecting to be accosted at any moment. When no one appeared to be lurking in the shadows to jump out at him he made his way silently to the staircase and descended quietly. Snow felt more like an intruder within his own home than he did an inhabitant, every last one of his senses was going haywire as he got nearer and nearer to Jasmine. He felt more like a deer that instead of running away from danger he was moving steadily towards it.
When he finally made it to the bottom of the stairwell he began venturing down the hallway. 'God' he thought ' I feel as though I am walking towards my execution'. It seemed to take an age before he reached the end on the corridor and get to the door to which he knew the festivities would be taking place. He took a deep breath hoping to steady his heart before he entered the throng of guests and slowly turned the door.
His eyes flickered briefly over the guests who had frozen from whatever tasks they had been doing to cast their gazes upon the surely prince. And then the hackles on the back of his neck rose a mile into the air as he felt her presence. Without needing to turn his head he immediately knew that she was watching him, he could feel her eyes boring into him. He shivered as a chill descended down his spine.
Taking another steadying breath, he made his way through the silent and stationary courtiers, to the High Table where his place beside his father stood vacant. Time stood still, as he walked the sound of his shoes could be heard echoing on the stone floor. Finally he made it to the table and no sooner had he taken his seat did the merriment continue as though the deathly silence had been none other than a product of his over active imagination.
For the courtiers the feast was a wondrous event, the laughed danced and enjoyed each others company immensely. The servers made sure that the guests were met with a constant supply of drink and food, that every wish and whim was taken care of. For the King however, he could neither hear no see anyone other than Jasmine. Though he consumed the food and wine, his body and soul feasted solely upon every eye lash fluttered, every shy grin or melodious laugh that Jasmine made and of that he was certain he could never tire nor be full of.
For the Prince every morsel of food tasted like ash and burned as it made its way down his throat. His stomach turned and rolled causing a nauseous feeling that threatened sickness at the very table. The music and laughter ringing through the hall pounded in his ears, it made his heart race and his chest constricted painfully as his breathing shallowed. Silently he prayed for the night to end but as he cast his eyes towards the subjects so gay in their merry making he did not hold out hope for a swift termination to the evening.
FINALLY
The guests retired to their rooms for the night, for a while the halls and rooms were abuzz with the excitement of the coming morning. There was to be a wedding and then the ceremony in which each guest blessed the union that was to take place between the King and his bride would be a rich union. That they would be blessed with many heirs and that their reign be a long and prosperous one.
Soon however with the aide of soft feather mattresses and heavy laden stomachs eyes closed and soft snores ensued from the many chambers within the castle. All slept except for Jasmine, she paced the length of her room whilst she silently raged about the Prince to her bodyguard Sven.
"That... That beast of a boy will ruin my plans" she hissed "I see how he looks at me with distrust and suspicion. How dare he! Who does he think he is to look at me with such.. Such distain?! I who control the winds and the seas. I who can get the very trees to do my bidding! I who know magic and sorcery as old as the dawn of time. No this cannot be allowed, I will have to ensure that the boy does not hinder my plans. That old fool Saul is not completely under my control and any interference from the boy could prove to be detrimental to my plans.