The Princess and Snow

Alicia rose from the soggy bed of leaves to relieve herself and wondered for the first time on this dreary day when she would find her way back to her castle. She folded her white veil one time at each new dawn. Sixteen folds. How was she able to sleep, amid the dark, damp, and scary woods?


Earth’s sunburst promised new hope. She found a dry, rotting stump, sat down, and breathed in deeply. Unlike the doubts before dawn, her eyes and mind were now clear. She must find Snow immediately, then a critical workable plan for the near future. The spirit of Grandad swirled around her being. Her body warmed fully after the wet night on the leaves.


Alicia longed for Nottingan’s protective walls. Her room, the highest in the castle, had a majestic view of the mountains. Snow took her to the highest peaks of those mountains, even as the accepted belief is that unicorns don’t fly. Snow proved that belief wrong. Her Nan, the Queen Mother, would be sick with upset mind and soul, the weight of her absence noticeable. Her mother, the Queen, would declare Alicia had run away and so be it.


Her thoughts quickly dissolved from home and family into a wailing utterance,


No! My precious Snow!”


Her racing thoughts reviewed this outing with blurring speed. Her four strong legs brought her to this place. Fearlessly she forged through the raging storm to this landing point for the fleet of white horses. The tale of the white horses was true. She had known it all along. She was free, free like the wind aboard Snow. She was lulled into a dreamlike state. Her head slowly drooped onto her chin, and it was off once again to the land of dreams.


Happy memories of the day she walked into Grandad’s woods, and there standing on the banks of the Bonney River, was Snow. Less than a year old, Snow was a perfect match for Alicia. She was strong. The tenacity to reach out to Alicia, even before the Queen's decree, spoke highly of Snow's allegiance to Alicia. He would be responsible for carrying her wherever she desired. What Alicia wanted, Snow would try to provide.


Nuzzling Snow’s soft neck, the sound of armor clinking brought her fully awake again. She stood in place, squinting up at the tallest man-at-arms she had ever encountered. He held his great heaume in the crook of his right arm and fixated his blue eyes upon hers.


“Princess Alicia, I have found you. Come now. Your Nan is distraught. We must go and tell the others.”


“But Snow? My unicorn is missing! She let me down here sixteen nights ago and I fear for her safety.”


“Worry not, Princess. I will find her and bring her back to you.” He gave her some water and instructed her to sit still under the warmth of the midday sun. “I shall be back before dusk falls, Princess.”


Alicia was relieved. Thankful to Nan for sending out searchers. Thankful she would soon be nuzzling the same soft short neck of her beloved Snow. Most of all she was enchanted by Sir Dave, her knight in shining armor. She watched and waited for them to return.