Picture Prompt 1: Mirror Mirror on the wall!

"Thank you The Book Club, Rubina Ramesh and Devika Fernando for this opportunity to try something new."

I looked at the Queen. She looked very beautiful despite the blackness in her heart. Superficial that I am, I replied to her query, “You are the most beautiful of all in this world, O Queen!” I think it made her happy. Alas! Did that make her spread joy around? Of course not! 

Some years later, I watched Little Snow White grow up to be a dazzling young lady. Her beauty shone from within and was of way better quality than her step-mother’s. Snow White was thirteen when the Queen came to me and asked, “Who’s the fairest of all?”

I remained silent, not knowing how to lie. I know she’d hate it if I uttered the truth. That’s when the Queen lifted a stone vase in her hand and threatened me, “Are you going to answer that or shall I destroy you?” 

She never noticed the silent tears pouring out of my frame as I replied, “Snow White is the fairest of all.” The Queen hurled the vase as I hurriedly put up my hands to save my face. Luckily, it had been at the wall across. Phew! It was getting too dangerous in the palace. 

I heard talk that Snow White was living in the forest nowadays. My heart knew it as I was aware that she was still the loveliest of all, but I never enlightened my wicked mistress. Till she asked me the cursed question yet again, “Who’s the fairest of all?” This time, her fury spelt the death knell for two footmen working in the palace. I watched on in horror as she stabbed them to death in this very room. 

I could read the Queen’s mind as she planned to poison Snow White. I couldn’t just hang on the wall and do nothing. I did have an ace up my frame that she wasn’t aware of. 

I saw the poisoned apple sitting in the basket on the table nearby. The queen had gone to the bedroom to disguise herself as an old woman. I put a hand out and lifted the apple from the basket and replaced it with one that contained a strong sleep draught. I sure hoped that I managed to save Snow White’s life that day. 

I could sense the triumph in her bearing when the evil Queen entered the chamber late in the evening. It was obvious that she believed Snow White was dead. She stood in front of me to ask the inevitable, “Who’s the fairest of all?”

I did the only thing left for me to do. I crashed to the floor and turned to dust, never to answer the question again. 

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