I Hate When They Call Me Snow White

"I can’t believe this,” Blaine muttered for the umpteenth time.

I was laying next to my new friend, scratching her belly and smiling at her wagging tongue and tail.

“Why,” I said lazily, “Because you weren’t able to swoop in and save me?”

Blaine didn’t respond but I heard him grunt, what I can imagine, was a rude response.

“Believe it or not, Huntsman,” I sneered, “I am not just some damsel in distress waiting for some glorified knight to come save me from the treacheries of this dangerous world. I can take care of myself.”

“That’s a lovely thought, Princess,” Blaine said lightly, “but if you’re so invincible, why was capturing such an easy task?”

I stopped rubbing my hound and sat up to glare at the injured idiot.

“You had Dopey at knife point,” I said angrily.

“Dopey,” He scoffed, “Who names anyone Dopey? It’s bizarre even for dwarfs.”

“It’s not meant in cruelness,” I defended.

“It never starts out that way, but people always tend to forget the things they do with good intentions after time,” Blaine said, “Things that were done in the most innocent humor can turn callous and evil under the same mind that thought it up.”

His voice took on an edge and his face twisted in one of anger and disgust.

“They are not like that,” I said stubbornly, “You don’t know them. They are good men.”

“They’re not men. They’re dwarfs,” Blaine scoffed back.

The hound by my feet seemed to sense my anger and whom it was directed at for she came to stand by my side, growling at the man on the ground.

“They are noble and kind,” I said through clenched teeth, “They are strong, and they are wise. You are a man with no cause, no independent will, and no insight to what is important in this world. Do not dare to ever speak ill of them. They granted me salvation when none would. They saved me.”

My voice cracked on the last part. I loved the dwarfs. When I thought of family, I thought of them. They protected me when I lied about my identity, and even when the truth was revealed they continued to put my life ahead of theirs. I refused to allow anyone, not even the man who was basically in charge of my mortality, speak against them.

Blaine remained quiet. He was still on the ground with a wounded leg. If I didn’t want to kill him myself, I would be concerned about the blood.

“I’m sorry,” He said.

I said nothing in response, so he continued.

“You’re right. I do not know the dwarfs. They obviously cared for you, and they took great measures to protect you, and for that I am grateful.”

“Grateful?” I said without thinking.

Blaine’s eyes widened, as if he too spoke without fully thinking it through.

“Yes, grateful,” He paused to clear his throat, “If you hadn’t been here, I probably would have been mauled to death by this beast here.”

“She’s no beast,” I said, trying to ignore the blooming heat in my stomach.

I reached down to pat my hounds head.

“So she’s a she?” Blaine said, moving a bit, “Explains the nasty bite. Women always know where a man is weakest.”

I tried to contain my smile at his ridiculous statement, but laughter bubbled through my lips.

“I’ve got to give her a name,” I said pensively.

“You’re going to keep her?” Blaine said.

His eyebrow were raised in surprise and once again I forgot that this wasn’t an adventure. This was a kidnapping, and he was deciding whether or not to take me to the Queen.

“I’ll keep her with me as long as I can,” I said.

Blaine stared at me carefully before nodding.

“While you’re thinking of names could you pass my satchel?”

I walked over the the satchel, picking up the few things that had tumbled out. I couldn’t help but smile at loyal hound who followed close behind me.

Blaine noticed my expression, and his own eyes softened as a small smile graced his face. Again, I watched as the once prominent scar disappeared behind the stormy light in his eyes.

“I need to have a good look at her before I name her, and it’s too dark now,” I said awkwardly.

“Right,” Blaine nodded.

I watched as Blaine dug through his satchel and found the purple flask that he used for the venom. I blushed slightly at the memory and watched as he carefully pulled the cork from the bottle and poured a bit of the liquid of the wound.

It smoked slightly and Blaine cringed quickly before his whole body relaxed in relief.

“We should get to bed,” I said softly.

Blaine groaned slightly and stood up carefully.

“I’ll make a fire,” He said.

Uh-oh.

“I may... have dropped the box of matches in my haste to save you,” I said sheepishly.

Blaine opened his mouth, but I cut him off.

“And I did save you,” I reminded.

“You could’ve just whacked it with the stick,” He said exasperatedly, pointing to the hound at my side.

“That would’ve made things worse,” I snapped.

“Yes, getting the violent beast away from me faster would have been worse,” He retorted sarcastically, before continuing, “How did you know I had matches?”

“I didn’t,” I said, shrugging.

Blaine’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“So I was being attacked by a bloodthirsty beast and you were hoping to find matches in my satchel?” He said hotly.

“She’s not a beast,” I said angrily.

“She just about tore my leg off,” He snapped back.

“And rightfully so,” I said while glaring at him.

“Women,” He muttered and turned away.

“Men,” I shouted after him.

I rubbed my hounds head.

“You’re a good girl,” I said softly.

She licked my face in response.

I watched as Blaine walked around pulling sticks to the center. I looked around and finally found two stones. I made my way over to the pile and without a word I began to strike the stones together just as Sleepy had taught me many month ago.

When a small flame jumped out, I blew softly on it.

“You have to nurture the flame, as you would a small child,” Sleepy said.

The flame quickly spread and I sat back to admire my work.

“Impressive,” Blaine said softly.

I looked up with a satisfied smile, but it faltered when I saw his expression. His sharp features were cast in a dark glow from the light. He looked intensely earnest and as if he was on the verge of confession.

“You are quite unlike anything I imagined you to be,” He said. His voice deep with sincerity.

“As are you,” I said softly.

He smiled crookedly.

“Like that,” I pointed to the anomaly that was his smile before continuing, “You’re THE Huntsman. When I first met you, or before I even met you, I thought you would be this brooding, quiet stone of a man.”

“And you still don’t think I am?” He said, still smiling.

“Not at all,” I said, “You’re actually quite irritating.”

He laughed loud at this.

“Well it’s more about fear in a name. It provides me with extra protection, if men run at the sound of my name,” He said pragmatically.

“Hmm…” I said while nodding.

“It also helps with the women,” He said casually.

I snapped my head up to stare at him incredulously.

“What?” I exclaimed.

“Well in my own personal experience, I’ve found that women tend to feel a sense of excitement seeking the attention of the dreaded Huntsman. They all want to provide me with the comfort I so obviously secretly desire and give me a much needed hug,” He said mockingly.

“What you need is a good slap,” I retorted.

He smiled again.

“I never understood the appeal of the dark brooding hero,” I continued, “It might be a romantic prospect, but the reality of it must be so tedious.”

“Women like to believe that they can heal me,” He said.

“It’s not just a belief exclusive to women,“ I snapped.

“I don’t think men attempt to fix women. That seems like a trying experience,” He said idiotically.

“Oh, really?” I said sarcastically. “And men, for your own self-flattery, attempting to save feeble women solely for the sake of heroism and absolutely no need for glory? What’s worse is the lot of you deeming any women capable of saving herself as different or strange. You would most likely mock or ignore any women who refuses to satisfy your own perceived sense of superiority.”

“Good lord,” he said softly, “You don’t give in, do you?”

“Not to your bias viewpoint.”

“Then why do we try to fix each other? Men and women?” He said,

I was quiet for a while before speaking.

“It’s because we, as humans, like to do things that satisfy our innate sense of importance. Attempting to fix someone is just how it starts. If one finds that they cannot fix someone, they try to break them.” I said carefully, feeling a brief sense of sadness.

“You have very decided opinions.” He said.

“I’ve had a lot of time to think.”

My face became pensive as I stared at the fire in front of me.

“So what are you, princess?” He said, “Fixed or broken?”

I pursued my lips as I thought deeply of my anwer.

“I’m free. I’m not broken, and I don’t need someone to fix me.”

I looked up to find his smile focused on me.

“Yes, I can see that,” He said softly.

I returned the smile and neither of us spoke for a few moments. I began to feel warm, and I was getting the vague sense that it was not a cause of the fire in front of me.

My hound next to me whimpered slightly and curled closer to me. I patted her head.

“We should sleep,” He said.

I looked back at him and nodded. I scooted back and settled down next to hound, leaning my head on her back.

“Good night, Blaine,” I said quietly.

There was a pause and all was silent. I heard the static tempo of the fire, the heavy breathing of my hound below me, the sounds of the forest around me, but I paid attention to the steady breaths across the flame.

“Good night,” He said, pausing slightly, “Arabella.”

****
I woke up to a squirming pillow.

My hound wriggled free of me and dashed off into the woods.

I shot up awake.

“Where is she going,” I said.

“Probably to relieve herself,” Blaine said, his voice deep with sleep.

I looked over at him and shivered as I took in his disheveled form.

His hair was sticking up and his eyes were still heavy from slumber. He took off his vest sometime in the night, so he was only wearing a green shirt underneath that showed the top of his chest. It was tan and smooth with a slight dusting of brown hair.

I turned my attention back towards the woods and tried to distract my wandering mind. It wouldn’t do for me to start blushing like an idiot when I no longer had the protection of the night. I slowly got up only to realize a cloak had been draped over me in the night. I looked at Blaine with curious eyes, but he was busy packing.

I stood up and stretched out my heavy limbs. I scratched my head as I yawned.

I was about to call out for my hound when I heard her heavy steps racing towards us. As I watched her bullet towards me I could understand a sense of apprehension. She was even more massive in the day.

She got closer and when I thought she was going to run right into me, she lurched to stop not two inches from where I stood.

My eyes, which had instinctively closed, looked down at my new friend.

I reached to pet her, not having to go far because her head reached my waist.

“She needs a bath,” I said, attempting to smooth her mangled fur.

“Another women needing another bath,” Blaine sighed.

I turned and glared at him.

“Okay, you’re right. I take it back,” He said, raising his hands in surrender.

“Will we pass a stream or something of its likeness?” I asked.

“Probably.”

I nodded, as I continued to pet her head.

“Have you thought of a name?” Blaine asked, as he put his satchel on his shoulder.

“Yes,” I said, still looking at my hound.

“Is it a secret?” Blaine asked awkwardly after my pause.

I grinned in response.

“No, it’s not a secret,” I said sarcastically, “Her name is Armie.”

“Armie?” Blaine said slowly, clearly perplexed, “As in an army you lead to war?”

“As in the name I adopted when I first met the dwarves,” I said, “I was just like her. Hungry, dirty, alone, and terrified. I was hiding from my fate and just wanted a family to love me as myself.”

Blaine didn’t respond and I didn’t look to see his expression. I was either yelling, crying, or confessing things around him, and I had no idea what compelled me to do so.

“Armie is a good name,” He finally said, “I like it.”

I looked and smiled at him. His eyes were soft again, like clouds after a brutal storm. Content. Light.

“Off we go?” I said, walking closer to him.

“Off we go,” He said warmly.

And the three of us set off into the day.