Snow - By Deborah M. Brown Page 0,12

saw him lift his eyes to the dais where Anais sat watching, and his expression made Snow White shiver, but whether from fear or wanting, she could not tell.

He led her back to her seat and bowed over her hand. Snow White thanked him with a cool nod, hiding the uncertain thudding of her heart. She could feel Kaliko’s eyes burning into the back of her neck. She could feel the huntsman’s gaze caressing her through her heavy silken gown. She could smell the wildness in him, and the danger. He had power over her because he knew things that she did not. Things her stepmother and most other women in the court knew. She followed Anais’s eyes as they feasted on Rui. Saw the hunger in them. A hunger laced with fear. If she was to have a hope of controlling him, then she needed knowledge, and thus she turned to the only ones she could ask. The only ones she trusted in this cesspit.

“Teach me how a woman pleasures a man.”

She and her dwarves were sitting at the table in her private apartment eating supper. Kaffion spat out the mouthful of wine he had swallowed, coughing. Eyes watering, he turned to Ander, who put down his own goblet.

“Princess?” he asked carefully.

“I need to know,” she said. “I am going weaponless into this battle.”

“You are scarcely without weapons, my princess,” said Shyla wryly. “You have only to look to see how they watch you.”

“With the eye in their cock, not the eyes in their heads,” sniggered Hiram.

Gault fixed a dark glare upon Hiram, who flushed, ducking his head.

“Your pardon, Princess,” he mumbled.

“Will you teach me?” she demanded again.

“Why?” said Kaliko roughly. “So you can fuck him? The queen’s huntsman?” His eyes looked very dark in his pale face.

“I have no intention of…” She made herself meet his eyes. “No. But if I am to play the game, then I must know enough of the rules to survive.”

Ander gazed at her thoughtfully before running his hand over the dark stubble on his head. “Will you let us think upon this a while, Princess? Decide how best we might accomplish it?”

“Don’t look to Kaliko to show you, Princess.” Hiram sniggered again. He waggled his fingers in front of Kaliko. “This is the only way he knows to pleasure a man, that man being himself.”

“Whereas all Hiram knows is how to pleasure a bitch in heat,” Kaliko hissed. “Dog fucker.”

“Enough,” barked Ander. “You forget yourselves.”

Kaliko stared at the table, his mouth set in a stubborn line.

Snow White rose to her feet. She met Ander’s eye, and he nodded. She tried to catch Kaliko’s eyes, but he wouldn’t lift his head. With a sigh and a nervous flutter in her stomach, she left them to their discussion and returned to her sleeping quarters.

It was several hours later when a rap came at her door. She opened it to find Ander standing there, an oval mirror clasped in his hands. He entered on her invitation and stood before her a moment, a frown creasing the smooth, golden skin of his brow. Then with a sigh he handed her the mirror. The frame was chased silver. Heavily embellished, it felt warm against her fingertips.

“Look into the mirror, Princess. In one hour’s time. I trust you will learn something…” His voice dropped. “But remember, this is not a sideshow. Everything that is done is done with love. And you must not speak of it, to any of them, especially not to Gault. We will do this for you because you are our princess and, as you say, you need every weapon you can possess. But do not demean what he offers you by questions. Look. Learn. And keep silent. Can you do that? Will you do that?”

“Yes,” Snow White whispered, her fingers tightening about the mirror.

She placed it on a chair before her bed after Ander had left, curling up against the pillows to stare into its cloudy surface. She could feel her heart beating rapidly, and her palms were damp.

Despite her nervous anticipation, she had begun to doze off when a soft, sweet chime sounded, startling her awake. The mirror’s surface began to clear, and she found herself gazing into a room. Ander’s room. She recognised the painting, one of Shyla’s, hanging over the bed. The room was lit by candlelight, enough for her to see clearly. And she could hear too. Heard the bedroom door open and saw Ander enter, followed by Gault. Ander