Once upon a time in the darkest woods Prince Charming was depressed as he rode on his great and gallant steed. The past few months in the magical kingdom had been depressing, highlighted by violence and increased poverty. It was not simply that the Queen seemed so preoccupied that she had ignored the needs of her people, nor was it the sense of hopelessness that prevaded the land. It was a combination of both.

The Prince had just returned from the burning of  a witch in a nearby town. This particular evil witch had been discovered deep in the forest where a scene of unimaginable horror presented itself to the sheriff. Living in a house made entirely of baked goods, she had been luring children, capturing them, and then in a ritual of utter depravity, consuming them. The two latest victims, a brother and sister who were abandoned by their parents, had put up a fight, but to no avail. They were discovered in the oven, cooked and grotesquely posed with apples in their mouths. The overwhelming sadness of their fate was almost more then the Prince could bear. Somehow, even seeing the villain burn, did not make the Prince feel any better.

It seemed to the Prince that all happiness had left the kingdom. Every day seemed to bring another tragedy. Even this day, as he rode homeward, he heard news of a young girl who stumbled into the lair of three forest bears only to be discovered by the beasts and mauled to death. There simply seemed to be no good news to be had.

His purpose in this trip was to visit the Queen, to implore her to divert her attention back to her kingdom and in doing so, perhaps save it. The Queen had ignored her realm for over a year now, seemingly obsessed with petty rivalries and dark thoughts. No one really knew what it was that troubled her, what dark secret clouded her thoughts. Perhaps, the Prince thought, he could convince her to change her thinking for the good of her people. If there was a chance he could help, he was willing to take it.

The sun had barely risen as the Prince approached a large cobblestone cottage covered in a thatched moss-encrusted roof. He dismounted and approached the front door. Before he could reach it, the door swung open and three small men, each no taller than three foot, came running out.

"My prince, it is so good to see you. Horrible, horrible news. Our fair Snow White has died. We think she has been poisoned, and I am sure that that vile queen is responsible. All is lost, all is lost!"

The prince fell to his knees, "When will all these horrors end? Snow White, was she not the step child of the queen? Why would the Queen wish her harm?"

"Because she is evil!" The oldest dwarf cried out, "She's a horrible creature and now our beloved Snow White is gone." He began to sob.

"I find that hard to believe. Why would she kill her out of spite, she was not a rival? No I'm certain you are wrong. When did this happen?"

"Four days ago, we have her body out back in a crystal coffin. She looks like an angel."

A shocked look came over the Prince's face. "You have not buried her? You've not put her soul to rest? Why?"

"We could not bring ourselves to. She is as lovely in death as she was in life. Come, follow us. See for yourself." The three dwarves turned and began to walk around the cottage. The Prince followed.

At the rear of the cottage, on a table that stood above a flower bed of roses and pansies, was a crystal coffin. Within the transparent enclosure, the motionless body of Snow White laid solemnly. Around the table the other dwarves sat in silent vigil. There was a profound sadness in the air. The Prince approached the coffin and looked down at the unfortunate Snow White. She was beautiful and he could not help but think that she appeared as though she were merely sleeping. The tragedy of such a young death was almost more than the Prince could bear.

"There has been so much death," the Prince said, almost to himself, "so much pointless death."

One of the dwarves stood up and approached him, "Perhaps you should kiss her, my Prince."

The Prince looked at the dwarf in disgust, "What is wrong with you? This poor girl has died and you want me to kiss a corpse. She's been dead for four days and deserves to be buried so she can proceed to heaven. Gather your brothers and go dig a suitable grave. I will sit here and pray until you are done."

It was late in the day when the dwarves completed digging the grave. The Prince helped lower the coffin into the ground. He addressed the seven dwarves standing around him.

"There is nothing I can say to make this easier or to make sense of it at all. A sweet soul has been taken from us. The  soul of our kingdom is suffering as well. We pray Snow White finds peace in heaven and that she will be able to look down upon us and know we have done what we can to bring peace, prosperity, and tranquility back to her home. I am going now to speak to the Queen in the hopes that I can convince her to once more help her realm. I will carry the memory of this poor girl with me."

The seven dwarves silently filled the grave and placed a marker with Snow White's name into the ground at its head. No one spoke. After a time, they escorted the Prince back to his horse and wished him well. He rode onward without a backwards glance. The sun set sadly over the wounded Kingdom.

The Prince had never formally met the Queen. He had been brought up in a different part of the kingdom, on his own Lands. He was surprised when she finally entered the throne room to greet him. The Queen was a formidable woman, quite beautiful, yet regal. She seem tired and had a forlorn look on her face. Her expression seemed overly severe. She approached him and held out her hand.

"Prince Charming, I've heard quite a bit about you. I am, of course, quite pleased to see you, yet curious as to why you're here,"

He looked her in the eye, "I come on behalf of the kingdom, to speak with you about the problems which we face. It is a sad time, there is much death. As a matter of fact I just buried your stepchild. Are you aware that she died?"

Her face softened, and the hint of a smile passed across it. "Buried her you say? I was not certain she died, though I've heard rumors of such. It is terribly sad, poor girl."

The Prince looked carefully at the Queen. It was as though a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She seem to stand straighter and a flush filled her cheeks. Her smile grew and she clasped his hand even firmer.

"I am glad you came. I know that I have ignored my duties as queen and for that I'm sorry. I hope that with your help, I can again bring prosperity to my kingdom. It has been a dark time for me. I can do nothing but apologize, but I've been driven by feelings of which I am ashamed. Please forgive my appearance as well, I've had very little sleep and must seem quite the ogre."

The Prince looked into her eyes and smiled, "Please, your highness, don't be ridiculous. I've been to many lands and seen duchesses and Queens and I can assure you that you are the fairest of them all."

The Queen's smile grew as she responded in a hushed tone, "I am now."

Over the course of the next few months there was a miraculous change in the Queen. She found a new purpose in her life and with the help of the Prince she began a series of reforms within the kingdom that would eventually lead to a new prosperity. Little by little, her subjects were lifted from poverty and the state of their lives improved. With their brighter lives and hope once more within their grasp, other aspects of life within the kingdom changed. Crime and violence decreased and once more the sounds of laughter and joy filled the air.

The people, who had once feared and hated the Queen, came to love her. But they were not the only ones. Prince Charming, who worked so carefully with the queen in instituting the reforms, came to love her as well. It was not long before their marriage was announced and the people rejoiced. Little mention was made of Snow White or the suspicions that had once been cast upon the Queen concerning her fate.

The Queen and Prince were married on a beautiful spring day in a field of lilies surrounded by her loyal subjects. The dwarves did not attend. Yet despite the few dissenters, it was a day of jubilation. The Queen and the Prince would see to the welfare of the kingdom for many years to come. They lived lived happily ever after, because sometimes goodness does not win and sometimes evil does not last.