Wynter (A Snow White Retelling)

The Deceiver

Lucinda let out an exasperated sigh as the guards closed the throne room doors behind the last peasant. "Their demands are so tedious," she said to her son as she rubbed her temples.

"It's as if they think kings and queens are genies who grant them their every whim," said Andrew.

"This is what you will have to deal with when you're king."

Andrew laughed at his mother. "There is no way I am putting up with this once a month! They can go see someone else. I will be too busy expanding the borders."

"You realize that expanding the borders means taking another king's land, don't you?"

"Don't patronize me, Mother. I know how wars are started, and more importantly, I know how to win them." Andrew placed his hand on his sword hilt. "I can give the people what they want."

"And that is exactly what we will do," said Lucinda.

She heard voices outside of the throne room's main door, and they began to get louder. Lucinda motioned for one of the guards to check on it. He opened the door, and the old man slipped past him, almost hitting the guard with his wooden staff. The other guard, who was shouting a moment ago, ran after him.

"What's going on?" said Lucinda.

"My apologies, Your Majesty," said the guard. "This man demanded to see you, and he wouldn't leave when I told him to come back next month."

"I never got my answer!" the old man protested.

The guard grabbed the man's arm, but Lucinda raised her hand. "I will answer him." She looked around to the guards still in the room. "You all may leave."

"But, Your Majesty—" the guard began.

"Go!" the queen shouted. "Wait outside."

All four guards bowed and left the room.

Lucinda waited until the last door was closed before turning her attention to the old man. "What do you want?" she snapped. "I told you that I would get your payment to you later."

"But later is such a vague term, Your Majesty," the old man said, grinning mischievously.

Lucinda rolled her eyes and reached into a hidden pocket inside her dress. She pulled out a brown leather sack of coins and tossed it to him. He caught it with ease, which surprised Lucinda given his slender frame.

The man weighed the sack in his hands and shook his head. "There are only twenty-three gold coins in here. We agreed on thirty, and I think my performance deserves the amount we agreed on, if not a little more."

"What performance?" Andrew asked.

"You don't really think the people hate the princess, do you?" The old man starting laughing, and it quickly turned into a coughing fit. He recovered and then continued. "Everyone loves her, but it only takes one person to protest before others follow. My act fooled you." He pointed at the confused look on the prince's face and laughed again. "But don't let their reactions fool you. They just got caught up in the moment. They will be back to loving the princess by tomorrow morning."

"Then what's the point?"

"The point, Andrew, is to plant seeds of doubt about Wynter in the minds of the people," Lucinda answered.

"Why would it matter if we're going to ki—"

"Just pay the man," said Lucinda, preventing him from finishing his thought. She didn't need that loose cannon of an old man knowing that they were going to have Wynter killed. She didn't particularly want another dead body on her hands.

"Me? This was your plan!"

"Give him his seven gold coins," said Lucinda. "Or do you not want to be made king?"

Andrew glared at his mother as he reached inside his pant pocket. He pulled out some coins and counted off seven as he dropped them into the old man's hands.

"Perhaps you'd care to tip?" The old man gave them a cheesy grin and held out an empty hand.

"Get out!" the queen shouted as she jumped up from her seat. "And if you ever come back asking for more, or if you ever tell anyone where those coins came from, you will be missing a lot more than thirty gold coins."

The old man bowed low, seemingly undeterred by the threat. "Understood, Your Majesty." He turned on his heel and hobbled back out the way he came.

Lucinda dropped back down on her throne. "Remind me to never make a deal with him again."

"Well, maybe if you had included me in your little scheme I could have stopped you the first time," Andrew snapped.

"Don't take that tone with me, boy," Lucinda said, wagging her finger in his face. "I am doing all of this for you so that you can be king!"

"I'll believe that when Wynter is dead and I am sitting on that throne." Andrew pointed to the king's throne. "But until then, no more charades, Mother."

"Do you think I am playing some sort of game? All of this is part of ruining Wynter." Lucinda stood up again and waved out her arm. "Look around you. They all adore Wynter. It's like she can't do anything wrong in their eyes." Lucinda felt heat rise up to her face at the mention of the little brat. "Killing her won't stop that. It hasn't stopped their love for her father. Even now they still sing songs about the king's greatness. We have to destroy them in the eyes of the people if we ever hope to be rid of them both." Lucinda looked Andrew in the eye to make sure he was paying attention to her. "We have to make them doubt her so that they will believe she is capable of killing her father."

"Fine. I will go along with your schemes for now, but you have to include me before it happens."

"If that's what you want," said Lucinda.

"It is," said Andrew. He stepped down from the throne platform. "I have to go. Don't do anything rash while I'm gone."

"I will wait for you."

Andrew nodded and left the throne room, and two guards entered after him, one stationed on the inside of each door.

"I wish to return to my chambers," Lucinda told them as she descended the steps. She left the throne room, and they both followed closely behind her without a word.

Lucinda laughed to herself. Her son was so naive to think that she would include him in all of her plans. She couldn't tell him everything, and it was for his protection. He would see that after everything was finished. She wouldn't stop until Andrew was crowned king with her at his side as the royal adviser.