In Which Briar Rose and Snow White Converse:

"She's gone; there is no need to hide it now," Snow White said as she reclined back in her throne, "I knew the second I met you."

 

"I have no idea of which you speak," was Briar's only reply and she averted her eyes to the door through which Mulan was led, now guarded by two of the diminutive guards which seemed to be the only residents of the keep, besides the Queen herself.

 

"Oh, come now. We can tell our own; you knew what I was the second you laid eyes on me. There's no need to voice it, what's important is that you know. But does she?"

 

"Mulan? Yes, she is my former hunter."

 

"Ah, those are the sweetest, are they not?"

 

Briar could only look at the Queen with confusion.

 

"Come," Snow White motioned to the empty throne next to where she was sat, "rest your legs."

 

Unwilling to question royal hospitality, she sat stiffly on the throne. A curious image assaulted her mind, one which had not entered her thoughts for years: that she was meant to one day sit on a throne not at all unlike this. In this image she sat back slightly, making herself more comfortable.

 

"There, much better," Briar heard from the direction of her companion. "It must be difficult, leading such an active life, and only one one from which to feed."

 

The only reply the Queen got was a quiet confusion from the throne next to her.

 

"She's a friend I travel with," Briar said, suddenly stiff again, "she is above living the life of cattle for such an unholy thirst as mine." She felt a grin of mirth from Snow White, without even looking -- the same feeling she had gotten upon meeting her. She corrected herself, with a whispered "Us."

 

A sudden sympathy washed over the face of Snow White, something that was painfully genuine. "Oh no," she said, and she moved over to place a gentle hand on the woman's shoulder, "You don't regret your change, do you?"

 

"I do not know," was the only reply Briar could muster. "I do know, that if I had the choice, I would undo what has become of me in a moment; I can barely stand the hunger, and the wait before I can quench it."

 

"And this friend never offered to give herself to your discomfort, for all that you give at the price of yours? Is her blood such a high price that days under that cloak in the sun do not buy you even enough to stave off starvation?"

 

"How can I ask her life for my own curse? She means more to me than a sacrifice for my hunger."

Snow White smiles softly and shakes her head, moving back to her throne, and says "My dear, how little you know of the gift that was bestowed on you; let me show you."

 

She raised a hand and snapped her fingers, the two lethargic guards at the door looked at their queen, "come over here," she commanded and they instantly came.

 

"My guest requires sustenance, see that she has her fill."

 

Before Briar could ask what Snow White was talking about, one of the shrunken guards knelt next to her thrown and presented her with a scarred wrist exposed from a loose sleeve. He stayed in that position with his head bowed.

 

"I hope you're not questioning my hospitality," the Queen said, her gentle voice suddenly with a hard edge. Her full blood-red lips had turned into a thin line, which looked like a wound on her ghostly-pale face.

 

"Not the hospitality, just the situation. Why do they do it? They simply allow you to take their life-blood?"

 

"Of course. Is it still the curse you think it is?"

 

"Yes, now it's worse. You strip them of their will, and use them for nothing more than cattle."

 

The hard edge vanished, and her dark eyes widened with amusement. "Are they something more? Our speed, Our perception, Our strength, Our intelligence; our skills of transformation; your ability to command vermin will one day mature into what you see before you. Does all of this put you on the same level as mortals? Tell me that they are our equals, and I will set them free, even though none of them wish to leave."

 

Briar was about to speak, but could not find any words. She looked towards the arm still obediently held before her, and felt her fangs begin to itch. After months of half-dead bandits and goblins, this wounded wrist looked exceedingly appetising, and the slight throb of the channels was painfully like how Mulan's throat would look after exertion mixed with her unholy hunger.

 

"See?" the Queen's voice broke through her starved trance, "you already know the answer."

 

In confirmation Briar took the wrist into both her gloved hands and sunk her teeth into the flesh, feeling the warm, living fluid spill into her mouth, and she swallowed down all that she was given greedily.

 

She had never fed from a still living man, the heart beating and pulsing the blood around the body, to the small breaks in the surface, and out into her mouth. This feeling was one she would be terrified of, were it not feeling so wonderful. No meal as a mortal filled her with the energy and power that this one act was giving.

 

Eventually, the arm became heavy, and she released the wound from her mouth to notice the dwarf barely clinging to consciousness, a sickly expression on his now pale face.

 

Panting she didn't even think to wipe her dripping mouth as the blood ran down her chin and neck. She was sated in a way that she had never felt before, and though her blurred eyes she looked over to the Queen, holding the wrist of her servant, the way any other royal would hold a goblet of wine.

 

"You poor dear, you must have been starved!" The Queen laid a soft kiss on the her servant's wrist, and turned back to Briar, the charitable smile returning. "Another?"

 

"No, I shouldn't," she began, but her hunger had only been awoken without fully being laid to rest, she had gotten so used to the feeling of emptiness that to have moved above it was intoxicating. In her head she rationalised it as merely taking something another was already taking. So, with a gentle smack of her lips she had no conscious control over, she said "yes, please."