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The apple blossohtest of pink petals and sparkled with shi the sun brilliantly

Garlands of wisteria and gardenia were draped over the stone well at the foot of the castle’s grand staircase, which was streith pink and red rose petals One hundred attendants, fitted in the finest gar the castle’s uests ere now starting to pour into the courtyard It seemed the entire world was now asse’s beautiful new bride—a distinguished beauty who seeend and hter of the renownedwith royalty fro to commence

The Queen stood alone in her cha at her reflection in the mirror—which looked back at her rather nervously No woed and not expect so the hter, and she was to be queen of these lands Queen She should be happy, but so filled her with a horrid sense of dread that she could not account for

Verona, the Queen’s lady-in-waiting, cleared her throat to announce her presence and then rushed into the chaht eyes, the color of the sky, beaht that see her fair skin and glinting off her milk-and-honey hair

The Queen smiled weakly as Verona embraced her The Queen had never been surrounded by such beauty Nor had she known happiness Not until she came to this court And now, here was a woman she loved as a sister

Snow White followed Verona into the Queen’s chambers She was a lovely little creature of three or four with a joyous bounce in her step and an inextinguishable sparkle of happiness twinkling in her eyes Her skin was fairer than a virgin snowfall, her tiny, pouty lips redder than the deepest ruby, with hair as black as a raven’s feathers She was like a delicate porcelain doll come to life—especially this day, in her little red silk-velvet dress

Verona held Snow by her tiny hand, hoping it would discourage the little girl fro on her delicate dress

“Snow,at your beads, you’ll ruin your dress before the wedding even commences”

The Queen sirl; you look lovely today”

Snow blushed and hid behind Verona’s skirts, peeking at her stepmother

“Doesn’t your new mother look pretty today, Snow?” Verona said

Snow nodded her head

“Then tell her, dear,” coaxed Verona as she bent down, sirl

“You look very pretty too, Mo the queen’s heart

The Queen opened her arement, Snow moved forward to accept the Queen’s eirl, such a lovely creature; it tugged at her stepmother’s heart, as if the child’s beauty hurt her deeply As she took Snow into her arht the weight of that love ht cause her heart to burst, and in a secret place buried deep within her heart she wished somehow she could absorb the beauty of this child, so she herself would truly be beautiful