Demonic Apple 1

In a snowing courtyard, a woman was sitting next to a white rose bush.

"How I wish for a child to call mine. One with hair as dark as the night sky, skin pale as snow, lips red as a rose, and eyes as bright as a forest." She said before getting up.

Her hand brushed against the rose bush and one of the thorns cut in her arm. The blood turned a white rose into a deep red color.

"Honey, you need to be mindful of your health." A man came running out of a door, into the courtyard. "Come inside before you catch your death of a cold."

The woman was always ill and she wanted a child before she fades from life. Seven months later after her wish, she gave birth to two small boys. One had black hair with bright green eyes and the other had red hair with dark green eyes. She passed away shortly after giving the names of the two boys. Snow for the dark-haired one with snow pale skin and Basil for the redhead with the dark green eyes.

The boys lived a happy life with their father. However, when the boys turned seventeen, the father remarried to a beautiful woman. She did not like how beautiful they were with their green eyes and flawless pale skin.

"Brother, I wonder why our new mother always hides away in this room at night," Basil asked Snow as they were hiding in a hallway.

"I don't think we should disturb her privacy."

"She could be evil and planning on killing us! Or she plans on destroying the forest to create a wing for herself!" He carried on with each idea crazier than the one before.

"She could be doing her makeup in there and it is impolite to spy on a woman during her private time."

Basil convinced his brother to join him on taking a quick into her special room. Basil has always been the more adventurous of the two as Snow preferred to tend to the garden and help injured animals. However, Basil only dragged Snow along if he knew he could protect him. Due to being born early, Snow's health was almost as fragile as their mother was.

They walked silently into the room and saw a few large closets with a large vanity in the center of the room. The mirror looked old but clean.

"I told you she uses this room to get ready for the day." Snow pointed out.

"I was hoping for something with some more adventure." He replied right before they heard footsteps coming towards the room. "Quick! In the largest closet!" He whispered loudly.

They quickly scrambled into the closet and got the door almost completely closed as the main door opened up. The boys stayed silent as they watched their stepmother walk up to the large mirror. She cleaned the already clean mirror before leaning forward. She touched a small wrinkle, under her eye, no bigger than a needle.

"I need to find a way to stay young. My spell is starting to unravel."

'Spell?' The boys mouthed to each other.

"Mirror, mirror, using the words of the tongue, how can I stay forever young?"

The mirror fogged up and a face could be seen within it.

"To turn back the hands of time, one must take youth right before it disappears for good." The mirror said to her.

She continued to stare at the mirror until the face faded away then she smiled.

"The boys! They are turning eighteen later this year. That is the time when childhood youth disappears forever." She started laughing. "I need to drain their life right before their birthday and then I will never age again."

She walked out and they did not move until they heard the door close. Then, they slowly climbed out so they would not make any noise.

"I told you so," Basil whispered and Snow smacked his arm. "You didn't believe me when I told you that she was planning on killing us."

"It doesn't mean you should rub it in. We should run away while we still can."

Snow grabbed his brother's hand and they ran out together. They ran out of their home without looking back. They went into the nearby dark forest and didn't stop until Snow fell to his knees.

"Brother, we have to keep going until we are at a safe distance before she finds out that we are gone," Basil said as he leaned towards him.

"Just give me a few more seconds to catch my breath." At his last words, he fainted.

Even though Basil is the stronger one of the two, it was not by much. It took him a while to drag his brother's passed out body to a tree trunk. He leaned on the tree, right next to his brother. Within seconds, he fell asleep with his head on Snow's shoulder.

******

As they slept, two huntsmen were arguing nearby. They were following the poorly hidden trail that the boys made.

"Vlad, I still don't like this. The queen asked you to do an insane task." The taller one told the nicely dressed huntsman.

"Leaf, I am a royal huntsman. I cannot say no to any orders from the queen. I will not just lose my position but my life as well. You can be picky with your hunts, I cannot anymore."

"I still don't like the idea of hunting children."

They both froze at the sight of the sleeping boys.

"It does seem cruel to hand them over to the queen when they are about to become adults."

"I told you so."

"Oh shut up and help me move them to a safe place." Leaf glared at his friend. "To our cabin or do you want nature to kill them before the queen does?"

"Good point," He leaned down to pick up Basil, "pick up the paler one. I think you can handle their smaller size."

"Hey! I am not that weak!" He whispered as he picked up Snow.

Neither boy woke up the whole journey, but Basil did curl his head into the crook of Leaf's neck. Leaf spent the whole walk denying his growing blush to Vlad. When they made it to their cabin, they put the boys in their rooms.