Ruby-Rose stood in front of the biggest set of doors she'd ever seen in her life, and she'd seen quite a few big doors in big old palaces and castles. Her mother was a renowned historian and restorer, and Ruby and Robbie had had the pleasure—or rather, the displeasure—of being dragged across the globe with mummy dearest for her work. Yes, growing up, Ruby had never felt she'd belonged anywhere, nor that she had close friends or love for any place long enough to say it made an impact.

Ruby, in her in-tow travels around the world with her history-obsessed mother, had seen exotic, remote, old grand palaces. She'd seen French, English Isles, Spanish forts and castles, to the grand, intricate darbar of the Mughals, but never in her life had she—nor her mother—seen such a door in their mere mortal lives.

The door Ruby stood bewitched by was made of wood she had never laid eyes on. A dark green tinge seeped through its grain; near-blazing white, intricate veins, as if patterns on a fabric, laced the span of its surface, ebbing and glowing—breathing. Images of what Ruby could only explain as men and womenfolk flashed across the surface as flames of the torches danced from the brackets on the walls. Scenes of a nomadic village life in a world she didn't know.

Ruby peeked above her, trying to see where the door ended as two guards stood either side of it. There seemed to be no end to the door; no end she could see. It went up into the dark recesses of a dark, unseen ceiling.

Before her, Sir Happy, whom Ruby had already dubbed 'Mr Grouchy Pants,' in her head, stood tall in his military regalia. It made her think of the question Millie had asked earlier. "Why are the knights so small?"

Well, this one definitely wasn't.

If this world existed—Snow White's world and her knights, who Ruby thought were supposed to be dwarves—existed? Ruby stared at the back of the knight's head, a knight who was clearly an entire head taller than her lanky, near-six-foot, stinky-breath, lazy-butt brother. If he was so tall, she wondered—do the other six knights exist, and if so, are they just as tall, or is he the only one who defied the story she'd grown up with?

Ruby hadn't realized she'd been staring at the back of Sir Happy-in-name, sour-in-disposition until Millie jabbed her freakishly pointy index finger somewhere about her left kidney.

It made Ruby jump—obviously. So sharp was the finger on her assailant.

"Eyes ahead, Princess," Millie whispered beside her ear. Warm, soured breath hit Ruby's nose. "And whatever you do, don't look the Queen in the eyes."

Why? Will she turn me to stone, like Medusa? The thought flitted into Ruby-Rose II's mind but before her snappy brain voiced it, the enormous set of doors glided open impossibly silent on the hinges and before them lay a long, quiet hallway that seemed to go on forever.

"Presenting Princess Ruby-Rose Mabel Florentine White, and her handmaiden, your Majesty. Permission to enter." Sir Happy stepped into the hallway and disappeared in the mirage that rippled before Ruby's very eyes.

Ruby took a shocked step backwards, only to be braced by her handmaiden.

"It's just a magic veil, milady. An enchantment that only allows certain, trusted people in, by Queen's own design." Millie pushed her forward instead. "And remember, don't speak."

Ruby hesitated. "You mean, Snow White's a witch? She can do magic?"

Millie couldn't help but throw a look at her pretend-Princess. Everyone in the Enchanted World knew only royalties could do magic. That's why they were called blue-blooded. Their blood, seeped with ancient elf magic—the last remaining remnants of a once powerful folk long extinct—indeed ran with a blue tinge. When they bled, they bled blue.

"What is a witch?" Millie pushed against the reluctant girl again. She seemed to be made of muscles, more than Millie could handle. Ruby-Rose II was not at all like her frail, weak Princess who could be easily manipulated into the bathtub, folded into her clothing, or pushed through the veil with ease, but not Ruby-Rose II.

"You said she enchanted this door!" Ruby bit back quietly upon hearing echoes of phantom feet on marble floors heading back towards them from the veil.

"Of course. How else are they meant to protect themselves from others? They are royalties. Not idiots. If they can't do magic, who can? It's in their blood! Now go. Before Sir Happy walks back out here and drags you by your pretty little head, and fairy-forbid, mine with it. Forget the gallows tomorrow!"

Millie gave Ruby a mighty nudge and nearly toppled through the veil herself, right at the heel of her fake-princess.

Sir Happy did not look at all very happy to have the two maidens fall through the veil in a disheveled appearance. He sneered at poor Millie and growled. "You have one job, maiden. Fix her up and present her in front of the Queen every morning for inspection. If you shan't do this right, I will have to find a suitable replacement."

Sir Happy's narrowed eyes made Millie's insides twist wickedly.

"Shall I fetch your younger sister, pray tell?"

Millie immediately shook her head and set upon the poor girl before her, whose crown had come undone and lay at Millie's feet.

"I'll fix her up right away, Sir. Right away."

When Millie picked up the crown reverently and held it high, reaching towards Ruby's head, the alignment made Ruby glimpse another image—the crown sitting atop Millie's head, like it belonged there.

The image vanished as soon as she had seen it, but the feeling remained burning in Ruby's heart. Something was off here.

The heavy crown weighed upon Ruby's head once more, and Millie gave her a rueful smile. "Please, don't let them dismiss me. I shan't disappoint you again."

Ruby shook her head and held her shoulder wide. "Disappoint me? No chance of that, girlfriend. What are we doing after this? Do we have to be somewhere else?"

Millie shook her head. "No, milady. The day is yours to do as you wish, as long as you don't step out of the palace grounds. The Queen doesn't trust your life with anyone else."

Ruby squared ahead at Sir Happy, waiting to escort her through another set of doors—gilded gold. The long hall had indeed been an illusion. Where they stood now was only an anteroom.

"Let's get this done, then. I have plans for you." Ruby smiled warmly. "Go present me. And if the Queen asks me a question, you may let her know I have a sore throat since last night and I've lost my voice."

Millie straightened her dress out with a beaming smile. "Of course, milady. Right this way."

Ruby felt an odd sense of purpose that morning, following Millie's footsteps. Something told Ruby this woman was not a mere handmaiden, but important to the entire tale somehow. But how? There had been no mention of a handmaiden in Snow's story.

But then again, was this really Snow's story? Or was it her own, Ruby-Rose?

Or was it Millie's, who seems important somehow?

The image she'd glimpsed oh-so-briefly played in Ruby's mind as she followed Millie through a set of thick doors, into a dark room, lit only by the glow of much candlelight.

Sir Happy did not follow them in.

When her eyes adjusted correctly, Ruby was staring at a large, aged-with-a-patina, gilded mirror resting on the wall of a round, windowless room. Another door stood opposite them, and it opened just as quietly as the silence before a storm.

There was no one else in the room with her beside Millie, yet Ruby felt a presence enter it before she ever laid her eyes on the dazzling golden-green hem of a dazzling dress, upon a dazzling woman. Her white face, glowing like snow; her raven dark hair, cascading to the floor like water of a dark river. Her lips red, as if she'd colored them with fresh blood itself.

The woman before her rendered Ruby truly speechless, picking her jaw off the floor.

Snow was nothing at all like the innocent images in fairytale books. None of the pictures did her justice, nor could they ever, even if they tried.

Queen Snow White was no 'damsel'. Definitely not the Snow White Ruby had grown up picturing. She was more otherworldly than Ruby could attempt to describe.

'No wonder she was the prettiest of them all!'  Ruby's obnoxious mind reeled, for she had never seen a woman quite like this before, nor was she ever likely to again.

Word count: 1451             TWC:  6731

[A/N: I've really enjoyed writing this twisted version of Snow White so far. I have no idea where the story is leading as I'm a pantser but I am so excited to discover it alongside you. How are you finding the story so far? Good, different, wtf? 😊 

I'd love to hear if this is somewhat of a story you expected when you read the prompt and the retelling bits, or if this is a completely new story in a way. Basically, I want to know how you are finding the story (and that I haven't fudged it up yet).]