Seanwhite: A BoyxBoy Retelling of Snow White

Short of Breath

The king was infuriated. "That servant boy tricked me." he muttered. He stood and stormed fro the room, throwing the heart into the fire.

Quietly he made his way into the dungeons to the secret room he practiced his magick. "I'll have that boy's head tomorrow," he hissed looking into a huge book. " But now I have to think of a way to kill Seanwhite."

The book showed him many different methods however each had an antidote or way to prevent it. After what seemed like hours he found one that suited him.

*  *  *  *  *

Seanwhite and the others stayed up most of the night talking. Apparently the elves he was staying with were the ones that put all the color into the world. They could even change the colors of other objects at will.

"This is fascinating." Seanwhite said with a yawn.

"We should rest."Orange said softly. "We have so much to do tomorrow what with the leafs changing colors."

Each said their goodnights as they made their way upstairs. Rouge and Orange were the last to go up.

"Orange," he called up to her, "I just remembered, a young man promised to come looking for me when he could. If you see him would you tell him where to find me?"

Rouge scowled putting his hand at her waist. "Of course your highness." she replied with a smile. "I'll leave you a list of things you can do if you'd like."

Seanwhite thanked her and crawled into bed. He fell asleep almost instantly.

When he woke he couldn't be sure of the time. He got up and saw that it was nearly five o'clock. Hurriedly he started his chores for he had about forty-five minutes before the elves came home.

He was halfway finished with his list when he heard someone outside.

"Fine wares for sell!"

It was an old man's voice. He opened the shutters of a window and saw the man. His hair and beard were long and silvery white. He was dressed in ragged clothes and held a basket on one arm and a stick in the other. His back was hunched.

"Could I offer you something my boy?" the old man asked when he saw Seanwhite looking at him.

"I'm afraid I have no way to pay you." Seanwhite replied. "I would if I did have money sir."

"Well, a nice sit and something warm to eat would be payment enough for me." the old man said.

Seanwhite, kind as he was, let the old man inside while he warmed the leftover soup from the previous night.

"It's very kind of you my son." the old man said as he ate. "Now go on and pick out something you like."

Seanwhite looked into the basket and saw several items, but a small vile caught his eye.

"I would have picked that for you myself." the old man said. "It's a lovely perfume made of an extremely rare flower. Go on and try it on."

Seanwhite uncorked the vile and dabed the liquid on his finger before smearing it in a few strategic places it could be smelt. No sooner had he done this than the scent overwhelmed him and he fell to the floor as if dead.

The old man laughed as he pulled a dagger from his cloak. "Now who's the fairest?!"

He raised the dagger over his head but heard someone singing. Grinding his teeth he ran from the house. He wanted the boy's heart but knew that whoever was coming to the house would think him dead.

"He'll be buried alive and suffocate underground." the king thought. "Just his death will make me fairest again."

Once the king had disappeared the elves arrived back at te house and found Seanwhite lying on the floor.

"He's dead!" Rose exclaimed.

Orange knelt and put her ear to his chest. "His heart is still beating." she said. It was then that she noticed the vile. She picked it up and held it to her nose before turning away from it. "Essence of poppy. It must have been the king."

"Go out and see if you can find him." Rouge said. "Bleu and I will try to revive him."

The others ran into he woods to search while Rouge and Bleu tried to think of what they could do.

"If putting it on did this to him," Bleu suggested, "perhaps washing it off may undo it?"

"It's worth a try." Rouge replied heading for the kitchen. He returned with a wet rag and began wiping Seanwhite's face and neck. He started breathing deeper as Rouge continued wiping the scent away. Seanwhite was awake when the others came back.

"What happened?" he asked. "Where's the old man?"

"It seems that old man as you call him was your stepfather." Rouge said. "He used the perfume to try to kill you."

"But how did he find me?"

"He is practiced in magick." Violet said. "He must have a way to know."

"You must be more careful." Jaune said helping him up. "Don't let anyone or anything in the house."

*  *  *  *  *

When the king arrived at the palace, he ran into his chamber and dressed in his finest clothes. Then he stood before the mirror and asked, "Magick Mirror on the wall, who now is fairest of them all?"

The perfume is destroyed and the boy is now clean. It is he who is fairest and you ugly and mean.