Mirror Mirror

Chapter 11: Puppet Strings

"Of...course I'll marry the Queen. Nothing would make me happier." He lied.

(Y/n) beamed with happiness. "Oh, this is wonderful. I must go tell the Queen immediately."

She rushed off down the hallway, when the Prince called back to her.

"Wait, (Y/n)! Where's Winter?"

(Y/n) paused and looked back at him with a confused expression.

"Who?"

...

Winter and the dwarves all sat at a long picnic table just outside the hut. Winter was enjoying himself, laughing and talking with them, but he couldn't help but glance into the forest every few seconds.

He was worried about (Y/n). She went out to get firewood a few hours ago, and hasn't returned. As he was starting to wonder if he should go out and look for her, Half-Pint came stumbling through the trees.

"Hey!" He called as he bumped into a tree. "Who put that tree there?"

"Oh boy..."

Half-Pint drunkenly stumbled up to the table, completely out of breath. "Hey, listen! You guys are never going to believe what I heard at the...pub."

"What?"

"What?"

"Shhh! The Queen is getting married." Half-Pint said.

"What?"

"Again?"

"Not good."

"What's on the menu?"

"Who's she marrying? The Baron?" Winter guessed.

"No! She's marrying the Prince!"

Winter furrowed his brows in confusion. "Seriously? Why would he do that?"

Half-Pint shrugged.

"Could someone pass the potatoes, please?"

"Wait, wait, wait! I'm not done!" Half-Pint said. "I have more news. (Y/n)'s alive!"

The dwarves all gave him weird looks.

"Uh, yeah, we kinda already knew that." Grimm told him.

Half-Pint shook his head. "No, no, no, no, no. That's...that's not what I meant. The whole town doesn't think she's dead anymore. Apparently she's working back at the palace."

Winter slowly set his cup down and stared straight at Half-Pint. "What?"

"I know right? Apparently she's saying she was kidnapped by bandits and managed to escape or...something. The Queen was so happy she was alive that she made her the maid of honor. But if you ask me, I think the Queen only did that cause she doesn't have any other friends." Half-Pint rambled.

"When's the wedding?" Winter asked, his voice breaking slightly.

"Tomorrow. Down at the lake." Half-Pint muttered, seeing his hurt expression.