The Poisoned Princess: A Snow White Retelling (The Skazka Fairy Tales)
The Poisoned Princess: Chapter 34

A year later

DIMITRI

“What do you mean you can’t replace her?” My whole body has gone cold. I’ve been planning this day for weeks, making sure everything is exactly in its place. I guess I should’ve made sure Ivanka was too.

“Don’t panic,” Kostya says, in that ever calm tone of his. He’s been acting as Ivanka’s adviser. To be honest, the role suits him better than anything I ever had him do. But right now, I don’t need his calm. I need him to tell me where she is.

“I’m not panicking. I am…simply stating my concern for the fact that we cannot replace the queen!”

“Oh, he’s definitely panicking,” Maxim comments. I throw him a glare that he ignores—as usual. I turn to Arseniy, who was in charge of replaceing Ivanka and bringing her to the garden.

“You have no idea where she could be?”

All of my bogatyrs have been working at the castle. No one wanted to leave her—or me—to our own devices. Igor is her captain of the guard, torturing—um, training—the soldiers and having far too much fun doing it. Arseniy and Yasha both work as ambassadors, basically taking care of any of our social events and outings. Their personalities are perfect for the role.

Pavel has been ruling the kitchen, right along with Tetia Alla. They butt heads all the time, but they do make the best food together.

Maxim is the only one not currently working. Instead, he is studying. When we left for our mission, he was nearly finished with school and despite how mischievous as he is, he actually really enjoyed it. Ivanka found him the best tutors, and they’ve been working together on his education. I love her so much more for taking care of them the way she has.

“You know her best,” Kostya says, holding my gaze. “Where would she go?”

It’s true, I do know her best. And yesterday was a stressful day for her. She’s been trying to negotiate some new trade terms with one of the human markets, and they weren’t budging for a long time. She made them budge eventually, but it was taxing…which means she needed to recharge. And there is one place that always helps her feel better.

“I know where she is.”

The men don’t hesitate to follow me. We saddle our horses and are at the cottage in no time at all. It’s much faster than traveling by foot, and we take the direct route. I dismount and am rushing for the door before I’ve come to a full stop. Inside, I’m greeted with quite the sight.

Pavel, Tetia Alla, and Ivanka are all in the kitchen, a dusting of flour covering every possible surface.

“You’re not doing it right!” Tetia Alla exclaims, pointing her flour covered finger at Pavel.

“What do you mean? I’m doing it exactly right,” Pavel responds, looking appalled. Anytime they’re in the kitchen together, this is what happens. But I pay them no attention as my eyes land on Ivanka.

The three of them glance up at me in surprise, and then Ivanka yelps.

“No! Get out! Out!” She rushes toward me, pushing me back out the door, barely bypassing Kostya, Arseniy, and Maxim as they walk into the cottage. I hear their laughter as the door shuts between us.

“Mind telling me what’s going on, Highness?” I ask. She exhales, removing her hands from my chest. She’s wearing the blouse and trousers I got her a year ago, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Her hair is in her signature braid, which is already falling out of it as usual.

“I wanted to surprise you,” she says, ducking her head a little so I have to crouch down to catch her gaze.

“How? By giving me a heart attack?”

She stands up straight at that, her eyes big as she gazes at me. “What?”

“What, what?” I chuckle, raking a hand through my hair. “What did you think was going to happen when I couldn’t replace you?”

“You were supposed to be in a meeting. It says so on your calendar.”

The calendar that I specifically didn’t update to make sure she didn’t know what today was really about. The one time I try to be sneaky, it backfires.

“Actually, something came up.”

She looks up at me, her eyes full of love, and I realize something. I wanted to make this as big as possible because she deserves nothing less. In one of her letters, she wrote about how she wanted the most outrageous proposal. But that was written by a lonely teenage girl. Ivanka and I aren’t flashy like that. What we have is precious and ours and…I suddenly have the best idea.

“Come with me.” I reach over and untie her apron, tossing it near the door. Taking her hand in mine, I lead her to one of the barrels and then let her wash and dry her hands before I reach for her again. She’s not asking questions, just following as I lead her into the forest.

We walk slowly and silently, enjoying this moment of tranquility between us. As a ruler, Ivanka is always busy, but we make sure to spend time together every day, even on the craziest days. Having this moment alone in the forest that brought us together feels like the perfect place to do this.

But as usual, this tranquility doesn’t last. Sokolko runs past us at full speed, with Kroshka hopping along right behind him. Ivanka and I share a look, then she takes off after them.

“Ivanka!” I shout, running after her. We weave in and out of the trees, rushing after the two magical creatures. I swear if that bunny would just leave my dog alone for five minutes, I could actually get through this day as planned. Well, maybe not as planned, but some semblance of it.

But then we burst through the trees and suddenly we’re back at the meadow. It’s blossoming again, this time with bluebells, fawn lilies, and chamomiles. A whole bouquet growing around us.

Sokolko and Kroshka are sitting right in the middle of the flowers, looking very satisfied with themselves as they stare at us.

“Oh my,” Ivanka exclaims, her eyes scanning the clearing. I shake my head at the animals before I walk forward, pulling her with me. We come to about the middle of the meadow, around the area where we had our first date. She’s watching me as I tug her to a stop and come around to face her, taking both of her hands in mine.

“Hi, Zvyozdachka,” I say.

She grins, cocking her head to the side. “Hi, krasavchik.”

Her smile is infectious and even though handsome is a simple compliment, whenever she says it, it does something to me. I lean down, stealing a kiss for courage.

“What’s going on?” she asks, wrapping her arms around my neck so I can’t move away. “You’ve got a serious look on your face.”

My hands land on her waist, tugging her closer, as I stare into her beautiful face.

“Did you know that you are my favorite person ever?” I ask, and she nods.

“Of course. Kostya tried to fight me for that title, but we all know there’s no competition.”

I chuckle, stealing another quick kiss. She melts into me the moment our lips touch, and even though all I want to do is pull her closer, I need to get through this.

“Do you remember when you asked me why I have different nicknames for you?”

“Yes, and you repeatedly dodge the answer, while coming up with other random nicknames to throw at me,” she replies, narrowing her eyes.

“Well, I think it’s time I told you.”

“I’m all ears.”

She’s looking at me in a way that makes my whole body stand at awareness. I can never get over the fact that I get to hold her in my arms, that I get to walk through the forest with her holding my hand.

“Well, it should be no surprise that Highness is for everyday use,” I begin, lacing my fingers behind her back, as I look into her eyes, “especially when you look incredible and fierce and royal all at once.”

“Which is always, so shouldn’t that be my nickname all the time?” She’s trying not to smile, but I love the confident woman she’s become. She’s still kind to a fault, but a fire, just beneath the surface, fuels everything.

“Maybe. Or maybe you’re Zvyozdachka when my whole heart feels like it’s ready to jump out of my chest. You’re my guiding star in the darkest night, a sparkle of beauty and goodness, and always there, so I’m never alone.”

There are tears in her eyes, her fingers making small circles at the back of my neck as she holds herself completely still. Almost like she knows what I’m doing. I wouldn’t be surprised if she did. She can read me like no one else can.

“But there’s one more nickname that I have only ever used in my head, and I think it’s time I told you about it.”

“Yeah?”

My fingers flex around her waist again as I force air into my lungs, nearly shaking with anticipation. Looking directly into her eyes, I say,

“For all the days from now until forever. On the days we win and on the days we lose. When we’re smiling or we’re crying, when we’re fighting or we’re laughing, I would count it an honor to call you my wife.”

She inhales sharply, tears spilling over her cheeks, as I kneel down slowly, reaching for the ring I’ve been carrying in my pocket for months. It’s a simple silver band with a large sapphire the color of the Skazka sky at the center and a frame of diamonds circling it. I lift it slowly, presenting it to her.

“What do you say? It’s a good nickname, right?”

“Only if I get to call you husband.”

I think my whole world is reborn hearing that word on her lips. A whole kaleidoscope of butterflies suddenly bursts out of the flowers, circling us in a dance. Ivanka gasps in delight, clapping her hands as the butterflies change colors in the sun, leaving streaks of sparkles in their wake. Rising to my feet, I capture her lips in a kiss that puts all of our best kisses to shame. She wraps her arms around me, pulling me closer, her hands in my hair. There’s no time to breathe or think or do anything, as we completely lose ourselves in each other.

“That was a yes, right?” I ask against her lips as we come up for air.

“It was a yes,” she replies. She’s as breathless as I am. I move back just slightly, so I can place the ring on her finger, and then I kiss her again. Sokolko starts barking, and we glance over to see him to our right, with Kroshka hopping in place beside him. The whole meadow is alive with butterflies, the otherworldly sparkles following the beat of their wings. Ivanka and I laugh at Sokolko and Kroshka’s enthusiasm before another noise catches out attention.

We both turn just as a gamayun appears in the sky, landing carefully on a tree at the edge of the forest. Immediately, the meadow is silent.

We stare at the gorgeous creature, unsure what to make of her and I remember the first time we saw her. We thought back then that she was a bringer good tidings. As we watch, she glances down at the ring on Ivanka’s finger, looks at us, and gives us a simple nod.

Then, she uses her massive tail to take flight, disappearing as if she were never there. Ivanka and I turn to each other a little in shock, before Ivanka grins and the meadow explodes in activity once again.

“I’d say Skazka approves of my answer.”

IVANKA

I feel like I’m floating on air as Dimitri and I make our way back to the cottage. I could’ve stayed out in that meadow for the rest of my life, but I know better than to leave Pavel and Tetia Alla in the kitchen alone for longer than absolutely necessary.

“What’s this?” Dimitri asks, and I realize there are more horses now tied to the post.

He opens the door, letting me step inside first, and I freeze at the sight in front of me. The cottage is filled with various arrangements of flowers, and the table is set for a proper dinner, but best of all, every one of my bogatyrs is here.

“Pozdravlyaem vas!” everyone shouts at once. Dimitri and I don’t even have a moment to breathe as we’re surrounded by everyone, offering their individual congratulations.

“How did you know?” I ask Kostya after the man sets me back down on the floor.

“That Dimitri would abandon his perfect plan for a proposal and take you to the woods?” Kostya asks, and that’s a piece of information I file away for later. “I know you two, if you haven’t noticed.”

I grin up at the man, before I’m picked up again and hugged hard. That’s when I realize my papa is here as well. He’s sitting on the couch, watching it all with a big grin. He’s recovered well since his ordeal, but walking is still incredibly difficult for him. I make my way to him, noticing Kroshka has made it back before us and is now in her basket beside him while Sokolko jumps around the men. I settle on the couch beside my father. Papa reaches out to hug me, holding me carefully to his chest.

“I’m so happy for you, Ivannochka. He is more than I could’ve ever dreamed of for you.”

Tears fill my eyes once more as I hug him back.

“Thank you, Papa.”

I am so grateful that Pelageya’s crazy plan required her to keep my papa alive. We may never know what magic she used or how she got it in the first place, but everything that happened has led us here to this moment. And this is a moment I am overwhelmingly grateful for.

“It’s dinnertime, dorogii.” Tetia Alla claps her hands together, and I stand, carefully pulling Papa with me. I lead him to a chair at the table, before walking over to hug Tetia Alla.

“Thank you for not killing each other while I was gone,” I tell her, looking at Pavel for a minute.

“The day isn’t over yet, dorogaya, and children need discipline,” she replies with a little pat on my cheek. I can’t help but laugh. As far as I know, Pavel’s mother passed away when he was still young. Tetia Alla has apparently decided to take on the role. But with her signature tough love approach.

I shake my head and move to help her serve when she slaps the back of my hand lightly.

“What are you doing?” she asks.

“Serving. Just because I’m a queen doesn’t mean I don’t serve. It means I serve even more,” I say.

Tetia Alla just shakes her head. “You can be whatever you want to be somewhere else. But in my kitchen, I serve, and you sit down next to your husband-to-be and enjoy.”

“Your kitchen?” Pavel asks, coming up to grab a pan of potatoes. He ducks his head immediately at the look Tetia Alla sends him, and I hurry to obey her instructions. Dimitri pulls me down beside him, with Kostya on my left. Igor is at the head of the table, on Dimitri’s right and Papa is across from us. I glance around the table, to Arseniy who sits next to my father, to Maxim, Yasha, Pavel, and the place left for Tetia Alla.

My family. My friends. My world.

Dimitri’s hand wraps around mine on my lap, and I hold onto him with everything I have. I think that this is what true magic feels like. Being surrounded by the people I love, doing something as simple as having dinner together. I make a mental note to remember this moment forever and to cherish every single one that comes after it.

Maxim’s voice jolts my attention back to the table. “Have you ever seen a flying monkey?”

Arseniy groans. “Don’t tell me you’re back to the monkey talk.”

“You didn’t even look at the book I gave you, did you?” Yasha asks Maxim, and the young man scoffs.

“It was about plants. Why would I care about that?”

“The oldest tree documented in Skazka is over two thousand years old in human years,” Kostya says, before taking a bite of his food.

“I bet monkeys could scale that tree no problem.” Maxim isn’t to be deterred. It’s never mattered what random conversations they’re having. I’m just happy I found them when I needed them the most. They are mine, and I am never letting go.

Dimitri lifts our joint hands and places a soft kiss to the back of my hand, almost like he can read the direction my thoughts have taken me. As I look at him, I see the love I feel reflected back at me, and I know in the depths of my soul that I am home.