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 red head 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 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.

“Rock, paper, scissors on who gets the couch and loser gets the floor.” Vlad said and he won.

“I swear that you cheat most of the time.”

“How does someone cheat at rock, paper, scissors?” He pointed out before going to the front door. “Keep an eye on the boys as I try to figure out an excuse to hide them.”

“You won and you are not even going to use the couch?”

Vlad walked out and one of the boys started screaming. Leaf ran into his room and grabbed the red head’s arms.

“Calm down boy, you are safe here.”

He was shaking in Leaf’s arms.

“Where is Snow? Where is my brother? Where am I?”

“The other boy is resting in the other room. We found both of you in the woods dead asleep. Once you calm down enough, I will take you to your brother.”

He took many deep breaths before nodding his head.

“My name is Basil, what is yours?”

“Leaf, and the one that carried your buddy is my cabinmate Vlad.”

Leaf helped Basil out of the bed. They slowly walked into Vlad’s room and Snow was still sleeping in the bed. He looked peaceful and Leaf leaned over to touch his forehead.

“He has a small fever. Stay with him while I make some medicine for him.”

“Thank you but why are you helping us?”

“Because I have a heart. I cannot leave two boys alone in the woods and still have a great afterlife. The reason we found you, you can ask my brother when he gets back.”

He walked away before Basil could ask any questions.

****

Vlad was thinking about how to lie to the queen, during the walk back to the castle. Then, he got an idea to steal some of their drying clothes and then kill an animal to make it look like they died by nature.

When he got to the castle, he noticed a maid hanging up some of the clothes to dry.

“Working hard as always, Sara?” He asked with a slightly flirty tone as he moved closer to the laundry basket.

“You are a terrible flirt.” She said before turning away from him to hang up some more clothes.

He quickly grabbed some clothes and hid them behind his back.

“I try my best.” He waved her off before darting back to the forest.

When he got deep enough into the forest, he could not see the castle. A twig snapped nearby and he turned his head to see the source. A injured deer was dragging their back leg.

“You poor thing, killing you would be a mercy.” He whispered as he pulled out his hunting knife.

He did a quick slice across the neck to cover the clothes in blood and to kill the deer. He did not want to waste the meat so he prepared it for travel. Then he started tearing up the clothes to make it look like an animal tore them. Then he took the damaged bone and smashed it into pieces over some of the rips.

After he was finished, he picked up the ruined clothes and walked back to the castle. He found the king first and told him the fake news. The king took the clothes and walked into the castle. He bowed to the king before leaving.

****

Leaf started to pull down all of the herbs that he needed for Snow’s fever and to let him rest until it was gone. After crushing them, he poured hot water and a few drops of honey to create the tea.

He took the steaming mug of tea and brought it to Vlad’s room. Snow was awake and Basil was rubbing circles on his brother’s back. Snow’s pale face was hidden under the pink of fever.

“Are you allergic to anything?” They both shook their heads. “This should help bring down the fever and I added honey to make it taste better.”

“Thank you kind sir for helping us.” Snow said in his quiet voice.

“Just rest up young princes.” The two boys jumped when he said the last part. “My buddy is one of the royal huntsmen. He is currently trying to find a way to fake kill you until we can find out why the queen ordered to hunt you down.”

Before the boys had a chance to explain, the front door slammed open.

“Honey, I’m home!” Vlad shouted as he walked in.

“In your room, you crazy bastard!” Leaf shouted and he followed the directions.

“There is no reason to bring up my father’s sleeping habits.” He walked into the room. “Oh! I see that the two of you are awake! The name’s Vlad or as Leaf put it, crazy bastard.”

“Snow.”

“Basil.”

Leaf left to refill the cup of tea and then Basil took a deep breath.

“Our step mother wants us so she can kill us for our youth.” Basil spoke fast as Snow started drinking the tea again. “I think she has some spell that makes her stay young as she steals from others.”

“Well, there is no reason to worry!” Vlad pointed out. “I stole some of your clothes and then covered them in deer’s blood to make it look like wolves ate you.” Then he jumped up at his last words. “That reminds me, I brought dinner, or should I say Deer-ner.”

Leaf smacked himself from that bad joke. The boys tried to hide their giggles.

****

The boys stayed with the huntsmen for two weeks and then they started to get worried. Snow and Basil's birthdays were getting closer and they were still afraid of their stepmother finding them.

Basil was looking for herbs to help Leaf make the healing tea for Snow. He would push his hair out of his face every few minutes. He was carrying a large basket that had almost all the herbs he needed.

“One last piece, but it grows close to my old home.” He said to himself as he looked at the list Leaf gave him.

He stayed out of sight as he found the herbs under a tree, right by the wall. He huffed as he pushed his hair out of his face again.

“You poor boy,” Someone said right behind him and he jumped in fright, and turned to see an old lady, “I am sorry, it just looked like you were having trouble with your hair. I have the perfect comb for you.” She held out a red comb. “It can blend with your red hair as you work.”

“Thank you.”

He took the comb and set it in the basket. He turned to wave goodbye and the old lady disappeared. He walked back to the cabin and then stopped because of his hair getting in his face again. Then he picked up the comb and slipped his bangs back to hold them in place. As soon as the comb was settled, his body collapsed and his vision faded to black.

****

Leaf looked outside, as he worked on the medication, and noticed that the sun was almost fully gone.

“I wonder what is taking Basil so long.” He mumbled to himself.

“Are you worried about your lover?” Vlad asked and he had to dodge the knife Leaf threw.

“I am a natural worrier, which is how you managed to stay alive all these years,” He put his tools away before continuing, “I should go look for him.”

He walked to the front door, attempted to open it, but something jammed the door halfway. He looked through the opened part and noticed Basil collapsed body blocked the door. He ran to the nearest window and climbed out of it.

“Vlad! Get your fat ass over here!” Leaf shouted as he picked up Basil’s body.

“What’s got your underwear all twis-” He stopped mid-sentence when he opened the door.

Leaf ran inside and Vlad picked up the fallen herb basket. He carefully put Basil on the couch. He started swearing under his breath as he searched for Basil’s pulse. But, he could not find what was not there at all.

“Okay, just breathe. If I panic, then it would be worse,” Leaf told himself, “See if there is anything different that could show that he has been poisoned or attacked.”

“That is such a pretty comb, I wonder where he found it.” Leaf froze at Snow’s simple words.

Snow had to point out where the comb was at because it blended in with his red hair. He pulled the comb out of his hair and Basil shot up as he took a deep breath. Vlad was holding his chest as if he had a heart attack.

“What the hell just happened?” Vlad asked with his voice sounding out of breath.

“The comb was cursed to kill him, so I took off the curse,” Leaf said before griping Basil’s shoulders, “Where exactly did you find this comb?”

“By the castle wall, a kind old lady gave it to me.”

The rest of the group stared at Basil then Snow walked over and lightly tapped him upside the head.

“They took us in because our stepmother wants to use us as ingredients for a spell. So you took a comb from a unknown old lady. It could have been her in disguise!”

This was the first time they ever saw Snow as mad as he was always the quiet and calm one.