Once upon a time, in deep winter, a Queen was admiring the falling snow when she saw two flowers blooming in defiance of the cold: a Rose and a Harmonic.

The rose looked miraculously red. The Harmonic looks magnificently white. The Queen gazes at the flower, then bends down.

Reaching for them, she pricked her finger and three drops fell.

And because the red seemed so alive against the white snow, she thought 'If only I had a child as white as snow, lips as red as blood and hair as black as a raven's wings and all the strength of a rose or a child with eyes as blue as ice, lips as pink as the Harmonic's tips, hair as white and black as the flowers petals and all the strength and beauty of a Harmonic'

Soon after two daughters were born to the Queen and called them 'Snow white' and 'Ender Black'.

They were adored throughout the kingdom as much for their beauty, Snow's defiant spirit and Ender's unbreakable soul as for their beauty

Young Snow White, Young Ender Black and a their companion William ,all 7 years of age, were walking about near the woods when Young Snow spots a wounded magpie twitching in a puddle of water.

"Pick it up William" Young Snow White told her companion but before he could. Young Ender Black crouched down taking it in her small hands "careful Ender it could hurt you" Young William said, Young Ender Black rolled her eyes in return

"come on lets see if mother can help" Young Snow White said.

Young Ender runs cupping the wounded bird to her chest, Snow White and William dashing after her.

"Hurry, William! Hurry!" Young Ender Black called.

Young Ender Black and Young Snow White burst in to their parents chambers. The King and Queen turn from the window to look at their daughters. Young Snow White was to young and preoccupied to notice the two Physicians but Young Ender Black had. Young Ender narrowed her eyes but turned to her Mother otherwise "We found it in the woods" Young Snow said.

The Queen takes the wounded magpie from Ender Black. The King looks on sadly as the Queen pulls a ribbon from Ender's hair and carefully binds the magpies wing. Ender frowned as she watches her mothers face noticing how frail and unhealthy she looks, The magpie flapping gradually calms, its pain easing.

"It will heal in time" The Queen said wisely as she smiled meekly at her two daughters. Snow Whites eyes were fixed on the small bird while Ender's eyes were fixed on her mothers face laced with concern and wonder.

"We'll look after it" Snow White said while Ender remained quiet still staring at her mother. The king watches his daughters, hiding sorrow behind his smile. So does the Queen, holding back tears.

"you two posses a rare beauty, my loves. In here. Never lose it. Hold it dear you will need its strength when one of you become Queen one day" the Queen said pressing her head against her daughters hearts. Snow White smiled happily at the thought of becoming Queen but the thought did not interest Ender.

The next day Snow White, Ender Black and William, with a small toy bow strapped to Ender and Williams back, climbing the branches of the apple tree in the cloister gardens, Snow White watching from the ground.

William picks a distinctive red and white apple and offers it to Ender. Just as she comes to take it he pulls it way and takes a huge bite himself, grinning. Ender shoves him off the tree with the help from Snow and they all fall to the ground.

The King and William's father, Duck Hammond, watching from the throne room balcony.

"My daughters will need your son's friendship more than ever, Duke Hammond. As I will yours."

"We are here to serve you, your Majesty." As the King watches his watches his daughters with sorrow.

The next winter was the harshest in memory and Snow ad Ender's mother passed away.

A year want by but the King was inconsolable. Taking advantage of his grief, dark forces gathered on the kingdom's borders.

"from what hell comes this army?" Duke Hammond asked as he gazes over the vast shadow army of faceless warriors who look frozen.

"A hell they'll soon revisit!" the King answered as he let out a blood cry, kicks his horse and rides forward with blind courage, no longer caring what happens to him.

The unholy army was defeated, leaving King Magnus with the spoils of victory.

A Caged Prison Wagon. Odd. Not even sure how it got there king Magnus moves towards it, with a little trepidation. When he's close he gets off his horse, walks closer and dares to look inside.

Inside the cage a women cowers, her face hidden behind a veil. King Magnus stares at her through the prison bars, then with a mighty blow of his sword shatters the lock and enters.

"you are now free. you have nothing to fear from me." the King reassured the women. The Duke watches from outside the cage, a bit wary, as the King kneels beside the terrified women.

"what is your name, my lady?" The King asked.

Slowly, the woman turns. For a moment the King wonders if it's his beloved Queen behind the veil. Gently, he lifts her veil. It's not his wife, but the most beautiful woman he's ever seen.

"My name is Ravenna, sire." The King is speechless now, gazing upon the face of an angel.

So struck by her beauty was the King, that he forgot, for the first time, his broken heart.

Present day. Still as a statue and even more beautiful as cheeks are powdered, eyebrows plucked and lips painted by several sets of hand. Her eyes stare straight ahead, unblinking, her mind elsewhere. Attendants are preparing Ravenna for her wedding to the King.

"You're so beautiful..." Snow White said.

Ravenna snaps to and looks into the face of Ender Black and Snow White, reverential, standing a few feet away. Ravenna's face softens as she looks at the face of Snow White and Ender Black. Ravenna beckons to them with a look and then holds out her arm "Come."

As Snow White and Ender Black step forward, the handmaidens withdraw until only one is left, weaving beautiful flowers in Ravenna's hair.

"That is kind, child. Especially when it is said that you two is the face of true beauty in this kingdom." Ravenna said Snow White doesn't quite know how to answer this. Ender Black just stares at her in curiosity, Ender could tell something was not right about her but said nothing of the thought not even to her sister.

"Would you like to be dressed up like this and married one day?" Ravenna asked with a warm smile Snow White nodded while Ender narrowed her eyes at the to be Queen.

Ender didn't like the thought very much she liked to think of it to be called: Becoming owned to a man. But she had never experienced love and did not plan on it either.

"I hope you'll invite me?" Ravenna said Snow White smiles and nodded again, enchanted by her new friend while Ender tried to gather thoughts and glue them together.

"I know it is difficult, child. When I was your age I, too, lost my mother." "you did?" Snow asked but Ender just ignored them until Ravenna said something else.

"Yes. A King tore me from her arms, dressed me in lace and stole my innocence." Ender was infuriated as to why she would tell Snow that although Snow's smile died a bit: confused.

"I can never take your mother's place, but I feel that you and I are bound. I feel it here." Ravenna said placing her hand over Snow's heart. Ender glared at her still infuriated about before.

Snow White mimics, touching her own heart, and smiles at Ravenna. It should be a touching moment but something in Snow White's face ,the way her smile lights up the room, gives Ravenna pause ,Ender eyeing her curiously.

Ravenna, in a stunning dress,.walks down the center aisle. All the nobles in the land are present. Ravenna looks at them, on either side of the aisle. They are all smiling, nodding appreciation.

But they aren't really looking at Ravenna. She follows their gaze to Snow White and Ender Black, behind, holding the folds of silk from the wedding dress.

Snow White looks up, adoringly, while Ender glares ,heatedly, at Ravenna. As the bride and groom reach the altar, King Magnus turns and smiles, the happiest man alive.

Ender Black once asleep now lays on her back staring at the ceiling in confusion and hatred. Ender rolls to her side when she hears the lone sound on feet curious Ender quietly gets out of bed ,grabbing her coat, opens the door quietly before walking out following after the noise not noticing the light from her fathers bed room. Normally she would but she was to curious about the sound.

Ender walks down the stares an wary bad feeling fluttering in her stomach. Ender Black sneakily walks to the front entrance peeking out to see Ravenna in a night gown, walking bare footed, towards the front gates.

Ravenna walks out of the castle. More curiosity struck through Ender so she followed her through the courtyard quickly hiding behind a barrel when she saw something move out side the courtyard.

The portcullis opens and dark figures emerge from the shadows entering the castle, leading them all was a tall pale-eyes looks at Ravenna devotedly.

"Welcome, brother." Ender gasped Ravenna turned sharply hearing her, "come child do not be afraid" Ravenna said Ender stood as Ravenna bekond her but she did not move.

"come child" She continued to beckon Ender took a step forward when the attack Bell rung.

"get her!" Ravenna cried as Ender Black stepped back in shock.

Without a second thought Ender ran missing the multiple hands that tried to grab her.

Ender ran and ran not stopping until she collapsed to the floor sobbing her chest rising unevenly while she tried to breathe.

Ender Black let out a scream of betrayal and continued to sob know she could never go back.

With the memories of that dreadful night. Ender Black never returned. not knowing if her father or her sister alive or William.

Her spirit kept her alive through the cold winters and her soul kept her sain but the one thing that kept her alive was her heart ,with the memories it held not leaving anything wanting to leave everything behind.

Her heart and mind kept everything and everyone. Her father. Her mother. Her sister. William. Duke. everyone she cared about until...it was gone. And so she lived her life of pain not knowing why. But hopes to.

The spell Ravenna's mother placed on her gave her the ability to steal youth and beauty, and indeed all things good, for her own evil purposes. But for every life there must be a death, for every gain, loss, and under the reign of Ravenna nature turned on itself and people turned on each other.

And all this time, she kept Snow White in a cell in the north tower. And all this time she did not know were Ender Black went or if was still Alive.