The Tale of Snow Uni: Part Three

by Shidi

Dondria sniffled as the Wizard showed the sad scene of King Mycros neighing in grief as Queen Phially lie stiff and still beside the bewildered newborn Snowflake. She couldn't believe how sad this story was turning out to be, and crossed one wing over her heart in a silent prayer that there would be a happy part coming soon.

The pets and Shidi all bowed their heads a moment in silent respect for that long ago death, and the Wizard himself took a deep breath before continuing in a less somber tone.

"The years passed, as years are known to do, in relative happiness. Though the King's heart grieved for his lost love, his beautiful daughter Snowflake filled many of the empty spaces with her laughter. She grew from a gangly colt into a graceful young Uni, her silken mane glistening like the purest of the winter snows."

Gaelan smiled at the illusion of young Snowflake that the Wizard conjured next. Why weren't there any girls like -that- at his training school? Emorali noticed his brother starting to drool on his own coat, and nudged him slightly. Gaelen snapped out of it as the Wizard continued.

"King Mycros was a lonely Uni, as far as love went, however. He decided that, since 15 years had passed since his Queen's death, he should seek a mate. All of the eligible Unis in the kingdom tried to catch the King's eye…but he found none that could compare to his long lost Phially."

Nowne frowned, feeling sorry for the poor king as the Wizard's illusion showed him walking through the kingdom looking sad, and barely noticing all the lady Unis that were trying to talk to him. She brightened a bit though, as the illusion showed Snowflake giving her father a comforting nuzzle.

"Then, on a moonless night, King Mycros met a mysterious figure standing in the shadows of the castle. He could barely make out the darken visage of a winged woman with long ebony tresses, that seemed to be cloaked with blackness itself."

Even Grylf shivered a bit at the sinister caste of the illusion as the dark winged woman crooked a slender finger towards King Mycros, beckoning him into the blackness. "Nooo, don't go in there!" Nowne cried, and hid her head beneath her wings.

"King Mycros approached the dark figure cautiously... and there, in the shadows, was the most beautiful fairy he had ever seen, with long black hair, and shimmering shadowy wings. Her face was so lovely that Mycros did not notice that her sweet smile did nothing to warm the coldness of her eyes."

The Wizard's illusion showed the fairy of darkness smiling, though her eyes remained calculating, and sly. "She's pretty mean looking…" Dondria said with a scowl. "King Mycros better watch out!" Grylf somehow doubted that the Uni king would avoid trouble from the love-struck look in his illusionary eyes as the Wizard shifted the spell a bit to show the king's point of view.

The Wizard continued, imitating the fairy's sinister drawl… "'My name is Myranda, and I know you are lonely, good king' the fairy said, wrapping one arm cloaked in shadow around the king's shoulders. 'I can make all the pain go away…' King Mycros wanted to stop grieving… he wanted so badly to be able to love again, that her words touched his heart, despite their insincerity. He wickeder softly as she petted his mane."

"They were married within the year, and though all his friends warned him of the dangers of marrying a darkness fairy, Mycros insisted that Myranda had a heart of gold. Unfortunately, King Mycros should have listened to his friends. He never made it back from their honeymoon cruise - a tearful Myranda told Snowflake that her father had fallen overboard during a terrible storm. The young Uni princess was heartbroken."

The Wizard adjusted the illusion to show the young princess mourning, her soft white fur wet with tears. Nowne sniffled, "Poor princess Snowflake." Grylf snorted slightly, "Bah. King Mycros was a fool. He should have known better."

"The Darkness Fairy, Myranda, was now the ruler of the Uni Nation. She was a harsh ruler, who demanded that all citizens pay homage to her. On the wall of her bedchamber, she had a large full length magic mirror, with which she would consult every day on various topics, or devious plots. Each question had to be in verse, and the one query she repeated daily because of her own insecurities went something like this: 'Magic mirror, without hesitation - show me the greatest beauty in the Uni Nation'. The mirror would shimmer a moment as if searching, then return to displaying her own reflection, saying 'My queen, as dark as a dying star, none is as lovely as you are'. Satisfied with this, the dark queen would smile coldly, then begin to ask her other questions."

The Wizard of Aus's illusion focused on the mirror, and Myranda's smiling, cruel face. The pets, for once, were silent, each enthralled by the story. Shidi seemed to frown a bit, perhaps sensing evil things to come as the Wizard continued the tale.

To be continued...