CONTINUED...

The full force of the halberd landed on Ruby's chest. The sheer power behind Sir Happy's strike sent her flying off her mare, bowling down some soldiers, and finally, ending up, winded and unable to breathe on the cold icy ground. For a moment, all she could hear was the sound of herself suffocating, gasping for air that wasn't entering her lungs.

About her, the battle raged on. No one finished her. She was Sir Happy's mark, and as the sea parted for Moses, the terrified foot soldiers parted for the towering knight with the murderous glint in his eyes.

His sabatons shook the ground where she lay. Soon, Sir Happy was upon her, pulling down his visor so she could see his face. See his sneer. His loathing. He stepped over her with a scowl. His legs on either side of her.

His sword ready in his hand. He watched her struggle to breathe. "So a pitiful thing like you is to kill Snow White?"

Ruby gasped, her chest opening enough to allow a gulp of air.

"You're supposed to be the saviour of the realm? There are wee lads that fight better than you. Or did brother, Bashful, not trained you well enough?"

Ruby wheezed, spluttering up blood. The blow from his halberd hadn't pierced her armour, but it had certainly done some damage. She was broken and bruised inside.

Ruby's mind reeled. Panicked. I'm going to die.

"What a waste of so many men you are, but that ends now with your death, Princess." Sir Happy raised his longsword above Ruby's throat, ready to plunge, fully taking advantage of the fact that she was exposed; defenseless. Her helmet had flown off upon her landing, and so had Ripper.

Nor were her people around to save her.

Sir Happy cried out, "For Snow!" as he drove his sword down upon his victim.

The moment slowed for Ruby. She crossed her arms over her face, strangely aware of the icy wind nipping at her cheeks, at her exposed ears.

This was it. This was her last moment.

'Shield!' a strange, yet familiar voice—a whisper in the wind—commanded in her ear.

Sir Happy's sword met with her one gauntlet, and the force that met him in return blew the knight off his feet. Ruby-Rose had indeed thrown up a shield. How, she didn't know, but a strange iridescent glimmer hung above her, like the glimmer of a bubble so easily popped. 

Sir Happy sat up, helmet-less himself, holding a sword that was shattered about him. Only its hilt remained in his grip. His beguiled eyes landed on Ruby-Rose, who had somehow managed to not only repel him but blow his beloved sword into pieces.

"What is this sorcery?"

Ruby wished she knew, but whatever it was, she ordered it to 'stay', and it obeyed. The shimmering shield that looked as fragile as a bubble, wrapped around her body like a sheath.

She pushed up onto her elbows and slowly to a crouch. Her breathing was still pained. She spat out some blood from her mouth and looked for her sword. Ripper had to be nearby.

As she spotted it, a few meters from her, within a thicket of feet, she felt a hit on the back of her head. A hit that merely glanced off the shield once more. When she turned, Sir Happy stood with a shattered mace in his hand, splintered down to its reinforced wooden handle, and a look of pure disbelief on his now-terrified face.

"Impossible."

"You look a little rusty there, brother. How about you fight with someone your own size? Or are you too afraid you'd embarrass yourself?"

Sir Happy and Ruby turned to see Sir Bashful standing before them, looking as if he'd taken a dip in a river of blood. From his head to his toes, he was red.

A smile crept upon his face as he held an intact sword. "Take your sword and go, Princess."

Ruby nodded and scuttled over to retrieve Ripper. Her shield protected her from the men on the field, who upon realising who she was, either gave her way, fought for her, or tried to attack.

Once Ruby's hand was on Ripper, a sense of safety and belonging came over the girl. The sword sang in her hand like it had been made for her. The patterns of folded steel upon its blade seemed to dance like waves upon the ocean.

"Protecting the girl when you should protect the queen you swore an oath to? What would Sneezy say, dear brother?"

"That you're fighting on the wrong side, brother?" Sir Bashful sneered at his older brother. "Go!" Sir Bashful yelled to Ruby, causing her to startle.

With a last glance at the two brothers fighting each other—to death, Ruby assumed—she rushed up the knoll. Something there was calling to her.

'Come find me, Princess.'

With Ripper in her hand, Ruby had walked away from the battlefield, towards the opposing camp. None had noticed the princess walking off all alone. None had seen her enter the darkened woods, where despite the daylight on the battlefield, it was a deep, moonless night in the forest.

Snow and leaves crunched beneath her feet. Her mail clinked quietly, sloshing about her body. The forest was lifeless. No birds or animals lingered about. They knew better than to be near the evil that was eerily calling to Ruby from the dense forest.

'Come find me, Princess.'

Like a Siren's call, only it did not enchant Ruby. Instead, she was driven to find it, and end it. It being Snow White.

She tried not to think about all the things Millie had told her about the queen, the things that had almost humanised the witch. For she was a witch, was she not, delving into the dark arts the fairies dare not touch—her kind, their kind, dare not touch. Ruby couldn't think of Snow White as that innocent girl from her fairytales, tales written by silly humans who had known nothing of the truth. Ruby couldn't think of Snow White as her mother, the woman who had brought her into the world. No, that woman, whether she ever loved her child, had abandoned her—exiled her into another realm.

No, Ruby couldn't think of the woman behind that terrifying mask. Or she would never be able to do what she must.

She marched on ahead. Through the dark day. Towards what? She knew not.

Until she arrived at another army camp not too dissimilar to the one she'd called home for the past week.

There, she saw the one tent she knew she'd find Snow White in. How could she not? It was by far the largest, most grandiose tent.

Determined and fearless for once, Ruby marched on ahead. "Let's finish this!" She called as she entered Snow's world.

Snow White twirled around, clad in a raven black dress, whose hem looked like it was soot and smoke. Her piercing blue eyes glimmered, and Ruby swore she spied a hint of a smile upon those deathly lips.

"And you think you can beat me?"

Ruby squared her shoulders. "I can certainly try. You never know, I could surprise you. Mother."

Ruby couldn't have seen it in that dark space, but the word 'mother' thawed a bit of Snow's icy heart. Heart made ice on purpose, for emotions hurt too much to feel.

Outside, the clouds became a smidge less foreboding.

Swords of ice grew out of Snow's hands. "I've waited a long time for this."

"What? No welcome home parties?"

"A ball can wait." Snow sneered. "One should not celebrate victory until it's won, after all."

"ENOUGH!" a voice, eerie and resounding, boomed. "Waste your time further, Snow, and you shall regret it. Bring the beastly thing to me already so that I may be free!"

"You can try!" Ruby yelled, charging at Snow White with her Ripper, knowing she stood no chance against the Queen's two large ice swords. But they were only ice. She could break them easily—or at least, that was the hope.

Snow threw a sword at her as if it were a spear. The impact hit her left shoulder and sent Ruby flying out the front of the tent. "Don't mind if I do." She followed her daughter out.

"You shouldn't have come here." She threw the other sword at Ruby, still prone on the ground, recovering. "You shield may keep you safe for now, but what happens when I wear it down?"

The second swords hit Ruby with a force that pressed her against the ground.

Then a whole barrage of ice spears rained down upon Ruby-Rose, who simply concentrated on maintaining her shield and wait out the storm.

Let your opponent spend as much of their energy before you wield a mighty blow—had been one of Sir Bashful's teachings. Hopefully, Snow was one who tired easily.

"Why aren't you returning fire, Ruby-Rose? Did we teach you nothing?" Millie's voice broke in through the barrage.

Ruby looked up to see Millie standing beside her, wearing her iconic red hood. Her ever-present leaf brooch missing from the lapel.

A new sense of determination flooded Ruby at the sight of her friend. Millie extended a hand. "Rise, Princess. We have work to do."

"Get behind me, Millie." Ruby stood, trying to shield her friend from the ice spears, but she need not have worried. A spear went straight through Millie, barely touching her.

Millie smiled. 'I'm not here.'

"What are you looking at, dear girl? Seen a ghost?" Snow grew a javelin in her hand, taking great pleasure in watching the girl struggle. "I was told you were my end... that you shall end my terrifying, dark reign."

Snow advanced upon Ruby, the hem of her black dress dancing over the ground like smoke. "All I see is a child unprepared."

When Ruby glanced back at Millie, she was gone.

'I'm in the queen's tent, Ruby-Rose. I must free the being so we may send it back to where it came from. I know who she is. But I cannot defeat her alone. I cannot let her touch me. Or she will poison me, corrupt me as she corrupted herself. I need you to come to my aid when the time comes. Princess.'

Ruby nodded, gripping Ripper tighter in her hand. I'll be there.

"A child who is so out of her depth. She's come to a swordfight holding a tiny knife. What are you going to do, kill me with a thousand paper cuts?" Snow's laughter echoed.

Ruby pulled in a breath. All my essence.

She held Ripper in front of her face, anchored her feet to the ground. I must use all my essence.

Snow threw her javelin.

Ruby cut it down as easily as if it were butter.

"I am Earth!" she muttered, and her sword rippled and grew larger in her hand, adapting to her need. "I am Fire." Flames licked the length of the blade.

"I am Water and Air!" Ruby's body rippled, her shield becoming one with her core. "You can try, but you cannot hurt me."

Snow's eyes grew wide in terror as Ruby stood before her, an ethereal being.

Behind them, they heard a scream. Glass shattering. Snow closed her ears at the screech. A howl of pain emanated from the tent.

"No!" she screamed. "Not yet. You cannot free her yet!"

Snow turned on her heels, desperate to enter the tent where Ruby's friend was freeing the being imprisoned within the mirror beneath a veil. As she marched, she grew scythes in her hands.

Scythes to cut Millie down.

"Your fight is with me, mother! You're scared a child is going to beat you, so you're running away with your tail tucked between your legs?" Ruby yelled after Snow. She knew it was a long shot, but she had to provoke the woman; get her to stay out of that tent. "I'm not sure I would have liked you as a mother, anyway. The one I have now is a thousand times kinder and more beautiful than you can ever be!"

Snow roared in anger, and in that anger, she threw her weapons at her child. A child she had wanted to keep away from the shadow in the mirror. The same shadow that had lingered over her life, ruining it. It was the reason she'd forced the child out of her tent when she'd entered, so the being couldn't see her, harm her, get into her mind.

Ruby, in defence, did the only thing she could too. She had to injure Snow somehow, end it all before Millie got hurt. She threw Ripper at the mother she might have wanted to know once if she hadn't turned pure evil.

Ripper sang in the air as she flew. Like a darling ballerina with a perfect landing, she lodged herself in Snow's chest. Rendering the queen, unable to draw any more weapons.

Snow staggered back, shocked and surprised. Flames still licked the blade, and its heat thawed the ice queen. She fell to the ground, gasping for air. As she did, a smile spread on her lips.

"What are you laughing at?" Ruby stared, astonished. It was not the reaction she'd expected.

Before her, Snow White, the Dark Queen, the Ice Queen, thawed. Her soot-colored dress changed to pure white, now stained with red across her chest. Her hair, raven black, lightened till it was the same colour as Ruby's, her eyes, once icy blue, now the colour of baby blue. Soft. Her lips, once blood-red, turned rosy.

"You freed me, child. One has to celebrate that." Snow gurgled and struggled. "Come closer. Please. Let me see you..."

Ruby knew not why she obeyed the woman, but she did. She crouched by the queen—who touched her face with warm hands—so different to the first time she'd touched her, icy cold.

"You look just like him." Snow caressed Ruby's face, her eyes brimming. "Your friend is in trouble. Go. Help her. Do not let that thing touch her, or she will be lost as I was."

"What is that thing?"

Snow coughed and gurgled, unable to speak. Ripper was doing her job. The cut she'd made on Snow's chest was spreading slowly.

"You can't die yet!" Ruby pulled out the sword and placed her hand upon Snow's chest. "Close."

The wound sealed before their eyes, allowing Snow to take a breath.

"Who is it in that mirror?" Ruby asked again, pulling Snow to sit up, leaning her against a tent's pole.

"She's the very first Evergreen. The one who refused to believe she was a mere guardian of the Well. She wanted to prove she was the essence all life came from."

Snow clutched at Ruby's hand as Ripper's wound opened back again. Blood pooled about Snow's mouth. "I haven't much time. You must get to your friend before she turns her. An Evergreen has access to more magic than fairies; she will be more fearsome than I ever was. I tried to keep her locked away as long as I could... which is why I sent you away."

"Sent me away. What does this have to do with me?" Ruby clung to Snow desperately as they heard a scream from the tent and Millie yelling, 'Why won't you die?'

Ruby shook Snow White desperately. "Tell me quickly. What does this have to do with me?"

Snow smiled. "When I asked the fairies to protect you, to save your life, I didn't expect they'd make you a conduit to the Well."

"Yeah, so?"

Snow's smile got wider. "A conduit works both ways, darling girl. You can pull the energy of the Well directly, or you can send something back. You're a bridge."

Snow started laughing then, manic laughter of a woman losing her mind. "If I had realised that earlier, I would have never sent you away. We would have rid ourselves of that thing years ago. Perhaps your father would still be alive. So go. Go, Ruby, so that you may save your friend."

"How?"

'Ruby-Rose, I need you!' Millie cried from the tent.

"The thing always wanted to access the Well, thinking she'd be able to take over all that power herself." A calm came over Snow. The calm that comes over someone who knows they are at the end of their road. She smiled. "So send her where she wants to go. The Well gives, and it takes. She's just a drop in the ocean. It is the ocean, and far mightier than she is."

"Just look at what it gave me." Snow caressed Ruby's face one last time. Her warm hand cupping her daughter's cheek. "Now go, do what it made you for."

Ruby followed the order. A strange feeling having gripped her chest. "I'll come back for you."

With that, she rushed into the tent in time to stop Millie from being devoured by a shadow that had grown as big as the tent. The only thing keeping it at bay was the red hood about the girl.

"You will not touch her!" Ruby shielded her friend and watched the shadow shiver.

"The child." The shadow took the shape of a woman, faceless. "If you're here, I take it, you killed your own mother after all. Poor, poor Snow White. Tragic life."

"Shut up!"

A cackle echoed around the tent.

Ruby gave Millie a hand up. "You okay?"

Millie nodded. "I tried to use the magic granny gave me, but I can't end her."

"No one can end me, you foolish girl! I am older and far stronger than you'll ever be." The shadow danced about in front of them. Floating over broken pieces of mirror on the ground. "No one can end me. I am eternal. Immortal."

"You're just an Evergreen that thinks she is God." Ruby blurted blankly. She didn't have time or energy to entertain this thing. This thing that had taken her mother from her. That had threatened countless lives. That had ruined any chance she'd ever been normal.

"You want the Well, then go ahead. Take the well." Ruby sheathed Ripper in its scabbard and extended her gauntlet-free hand forward. "Take my essence if you can."

Millie pulled Ruby back. "What are you doing, princess?"

Ruby stood her ground. "What I was made for."

The shadow laughed at Ruby's hand. "And how would your essence give me the Well?"

Ruby stood proudly. "I am a conduit. The only one in existence. You want the Well, then let me send you to the Well. I'm the bridge you need, am I not? After all, even the Evergreens are only mere guardians of the Well. You're not the life source itself. Besides, you don't even know where the Well lies beneath these lands. I do."

For a moment, the shadow flickered, as if in contemplation.

'Ruby-Rose, what are you doing?' Millie's voice echoed in Ruby's mind.

'You're the one who said tap into all of me, Millie. All of me is the Well. So trust me. I'm sending her back to where she came from. Into the ocean.'

"And you'll simply let me pass through you?" the shadow asked.

"If it means all this ends now, then yes."

The shadow suddenly pounced on Ruby with a stomach-curdling cackle. "Foolish girl! You will live to regret this. The Well is all I've ever wanted and you're giving it to me!"

As the shadow absorbed into her body, Ruby swayed. She closed her eyes and she could see it. A Well beneath the grounds, deep, resounding. With no other way in. And she heard a scream. 'No. You fooled me...'

The last thing Ruby would remember from that day was the arms that braced her so she would not hit the ground.

WC: 3313                 TWC: 36, 580

[A/N: Holy moly. Can't believe I got through that chapter. It was one of the hardest chapters I've written to date for this story, or ever. So if you're still reading and enjoying this story, I really appreciate it. Truly.

Phew. Finally, that is done, I am happy to tell you the next chapter is in fact an epilogue. I'm so close to finishing this story. I've had a blast writing it. It's so different from what I normally write. Alas, one more chapter to go! I hope you stick around.]