A Promise Binds Me to Her

Over her panting and Snow White’s sobs Alexandria could hear the muffled cries from the men. Which men, she could not tell. A small part of her hoped that the Huntsman was not hurt, but the majority of her conscience hoped the opposite. Snow uncurls from her position and pants heavily,

“Do you feel better now?” Alexandria asks placing a loving hand upon her sisters slightly arched back, Snow gives a small nod. Alexandria returns the nod and then turns to look for a way out of this wretched forest. Instead of seeing that she sees a figure and a hand is clamped over her mouth. Her first instinct is to thrash and punch, the last time someone did this to her was during her entrapment in the castle.

The figure pushes Alexandria backwards causing her to pin Snow White to the large root she was sitting on. Snow is too busy regaining her breath to scream, if her lungs had been full of air then she would have done so. She looks frightened at her sister and watches her calm demeanour, how can she do this, how can she remain so calm?

“Quiet, alright?” he says staring into the brunette maidens eyes, they were very blue but concealed green flecks in them that you would not seen if you were at a distance. He blinks and comes back to reality, the Alexandria's face wearing a confused expression, that changes all too quickly.

Alexandria suddenly bites down on the Huntsman’s hand and snatches a knife from in his belt. The Huntsman seethes and throws his hand back whilst Alexandria drapes her arm protectively behind her; making sure that Snow White did not move. The hand that held the knife went up and she stood her ground, strong and stubborn as her father had once said. She wished badly that she could hold her bow and arrow once again, but they had been burned along with any remaining memory she once had. She watches the Huntsman’s stance as he staggers backwards, he doesn’t look like he’s out to harm them; but she would not risk her and her sisters safety,

"Hey! What the hell's going on?" He asks his voice rough and gravelly. Snow hears more though, she hears the very same voice her sister uses to mask pain and loneliness. The Huntsman steps closer but Alexandria slashes the knife narrowly missing his throat, he decides on a different tactic, "who are you? Why does the Queen want you both dead?" he hisses, rolling his shoulder; wearing a pained expression,

"She wants everyone dead, all of us!" Alexandria shouts her voice a concoction of venom and spite. Snow new this to be true in fact if her sister had not said it then she certainly would have,

"Oh yeh and what makes you so damn valuable?" he seethes his tone matching Alexandria's, Snow flits her eyes from her sister to the man squaring up to them both,

"You should know..." Alexandria's voice is soft but hollow, "you're the one hunting us," she hisses bringing the knife back up to his throat.

Alexandria pauses when she sees the tiredness in his eyes. She sees a reflection of herself. He too had lost someone close to him; his wife. She heard Finn say so before the fight broke out. Without a word she silently drops the knife and pushes the Huntsman away with a strong arm. He groans and touches his left shoulder, he manoeuvres his hand under his shirt and hisses when he pushes down. When his hand comes back out his finger tips are covered with blood. A pang of guilt runs through Alexandria and she awkwardly steps about not knowing what to do with her feet.

Snow White had never seen her sister so agitated before. The way she kept stepping from side to side her hand jiggling the knife, her head never moving. She felt guilty. Snow could read her sister easily because of the blood they shared, but sometimes even her sister defied her expectations,

"Forget it," the Huntsman sighs angrily, ready to leave them both in the deathly forest. Snow White was sure her sister would survive no bother, but she was most likely to aggravate her sister or get herself killed. He grabs his axe, which he had burrowed into a nearby tree, and starts walking away, "I should have never got involved in the Queen's business. What did I get in? Stupid…" he ranted, stepping over a large and thick root.

Snow took the chance, while her sister was not on guard, to push away and reach out to the Huntsman,

"Wait...! Where are you going?" she asks, one of her arms outstretched as if she were going to grab the man. Alexandria stayed anchored to the spot, her eyes focused on some far off object. The Huntsman turns sharply, and Snow White flinches backwards slightly, he shushes her and then looks over at Alexandria who stood in the same place still, a placid look on her face,

"Getting away from you, your trouble is what you are!" he snaps, looking down upon her,

"Have care how you speak, Huntsman!" Alexandria hisses, her face had returned to its stony ways. It shocked both the Huntsman and Snow White how easily she could turn it on an off. The Huntsman's face flattens and he turns away once more. Determined to get her sister away from this place Alexandria storms forward, "We must get to Duke Hammond's castle, there is an army there," she states as calmly as she can, when the Huntsman does not turn she forcefully grabs his injured shoulder and pulls him round to face her, "did you hear me?" She hisses her fingers threatening to stab into his wound,

"Aye," he smirks, he lets out a loud and scornful laugh pushing Alexandria's hand away, causing Snow White to frown, "Bunch of farmers and milkmaids with pitchforks" he tells them, "I know sheep that have more fight in them" Alexandria scoffs. He was not wrong, the girl's father's army had depleted during the time of their fathers last days, she had woven her way into his mind and poisoned him. Snow pushes forward again,

"We're valuable," she pleads, her eyes bright and full of worry, "That's why you're here, isn't it?" Snow asked, the Huntsman started walking away again Alexandria in pursuit, before she could reach to him again Snow White piped up, "If you return without us, you're dead" She continued softly, Alexandria and the Huntsman stop slowly, "If you leave us, I'm dead," Alexandria snaps her head round, her body following, and shoots her sister a hurt and angered look.

A sigh emanates from the Huntsman's slouched body and he turns back around,

"Just for argument sake, how much reward?" he asks; raising an inquisitive eyebrow. Hope bubbles up and runs through Alexandria's body, but she tamed it knowing not to get her hopes up,

"However much is enough," she states her eyes connecting with his,

"At least thirty gold pieces…" the huntsman trailed off,

"A hundred," Alexandria persisted stepping forward, ignoring the strange feelings the man before her was causing her,

"Each," Snow added shooting her sister a reassuring smile, Alexandria's mouth twitched and she returned it,

"Who are you?" the Huntsman asks harshly,

"Maybe you should have asked the queen that," Alexandria replied smoothly, a smug look on her face, she had won the argument,

"I don't trust you...either of you," he continues, pointing his axe at both of the girls,

"Our word has been given," Snow states calmly and soothingly; as if she were soothing an angered beast,

"I still don't trust you...but you have a deal," he agrees, spitting in his hand and the holding it out to the girls. Snow cringed and stepped back a little, she was new to such an unusual custom; unlike her sister who spat in her hand and, with a smile plastered on her face, shook the Huntsman's. Snow, after her sister giving her a grudged look, too shook his hand.

The huntsman was about to start walking when he turned back, grabbing the knife from the brunette, "Give me that, before you lose a finger" Alexandria shoots him a playful smirk and then let's him lead on.