Snippet #1372855

Grimhilde's long skirts swished across the ground as she walked slowly and gracefully in a manner which befit her status as Queen. She wished to inquire a thing or two from the witch, Maud Skeleton, and the chambers of the aforementioned women were directly where Grimhilde was heading. A small girl trailed behind the Queen, holding in her arms a tray filled various spice-filled bottles. The girl took careful steps, trying her best not to falter too far behind the Queen, lest she get a whipping. The little girl did not want to be there, but she was too young to understand exactly what was awaiting her.

Grimhilde held up her mirror as she walked and smiled coyly at her own face reflected back at her. The mirror knew that she preferred to see herself rather than speak to it and refrained from making its own face appear until the Queen actually asked it something. She admired the smooth curve of her own jaw-line and the way her skin shone, smooth and flawless. The Queen smiled and lowered her mirror, satisfied for the moment by her own perfection. She was perfect. Her looks were perfect. She was beautiful and utterly flawless and if anyone dared to disagree...that would be a most unpleasant topic to dwell on. In her mind the Queen was the fairest of them all. Woe be to the one who said otherwise. Woe and much pain.

Grimhilde came to a halt in front of the witch's door and gave it two sharp knocks. "Maud? 'Tis I. I wish to speak with you." And then she opened the door, as she was the Queen and she went wherever she damned well pleased.

"I've brought you a lovely morsel," Grimhilde said, gesturing at the young girl who held the tray, "I knew not if you wished some spices with the dear, so I brought many a sample for you to partake in at your leisure." Grimhilde glanced over her shoulder at the young girl and smiled warmly, beckoning the child over to Maud in a fake-motherly gesture.

The trembling child inched closer. "She's a plump little thing and has been fed well, think you not so?" Grimhilde reached out a hand and patted the girl on the top of her small head.

[edit: crap! Meant to put this into 'The Palace' section. My bad!]