I finally found the time to update this story.

As always, I only claim ownership of the words written here and not the characters or locations.

Chapter 15

Ella spent the next three days sitting by James' bed changing his bandages. When the bedding became too soaked in blood she had the kitchen maids help her transfer him to a cot so she could change the bedding. She swore them to secrecy because the Kingdom had just buried one King; it would throw everyone into turmoil if they believed that they might have to bury another. The king was dead and Prince James should have taken his place as ruler of the kingdom. Yet he had been given some enchanted potion by the Evil Queen Regina and now the heir to the crown was in a state of limbo. He was not dead, he was just not consciousness. In some ways she envied him because when he did awake would learn the heartbreaking news that his beloved Snow White was dead. She was another victim of the Evil Queen Regina. Snow White had witnessed a scene staged by Regina to make her believe that her beloved Prince was having an affair with Regina. Believing that the virtue of her beloved had been compromised Snow White had eaten a poisoned apple rather than live with a broken heart.

Prince Thomas stood in the doorway and watched his beloved as she tended to the wounds of one of his oldest and dearest friends. His heart swelled with love for her, but at the same time his heart broke for his friend.

"How is he?" Thomas asked.

Ella jumped. "He is much the same. I have never seen wounds such as his. They refuse to heal." She sighed.

Thomas embraced his love and Ella leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I believe that he does not suffer from an ordinary wound. I think it is an enchanted malaise from which he suffers." Thomas explained.

Ella looked shocked, "Witchcraft!" She exclaimed. "Do you think Regina is responsible for this as well?"

"I don't know, but I have been asking around and I think I know how to heal him once and for all. The waters of Lake Nostos is said to have miraculous healing powers." Thomas explained.

Ella's face lit up like a child on Christmas morning.

"You must go to Lake Nostos and bring back some of the water." She stated happily.

Thomas did not share her enthusiasm. "I don't want to leave you. Besides it might not work and I might return too late. I don't want you to have to face this alone." Thomas indicated James.

Ella gave him a loving kiss.

"Thank you for trying to spare me from this, but James is not going to die. If there is any chance the water can heal him, you have to try." Ella pleaded. "Think of it as a wedding gift for me." She added quickly and then gauging his reaction.

A look of pure delight crossed his face. He had asked Ella to marry him a few weeks earlier, but she had seemed reluctant to give him and answer.

Thomas took another look at his friend and nodded his head in agreement.

Thomas kissed Ella tenderly and went to prepare for his journey.

A couple of hours after her left Ella heard a groan coming from James. She figured it was time to change the bandages again. She carefully approached his bed and was surprised to see that his eyes were open. He was blinking against the light of in the room. He tried to talk but his mouth was too dry. Ella gave him a sip of water and he was finally able to gasp out one word. "Snow!" he called out urgently.

"It's me Ella." His friend corrected him.

He tried to focus his eyes, but the light was too bright. All he knew was that he had to get to Snow. Finally he was able to stand the light and he realized that he was in his room at the palace.

"How did I get here?" He asked. The last thing he remembered was being held in a dungeon after he had helped Charles and Robert escape to safety with Snow. That meant that she had to be safe, but he felt sure that her life was in danger.

"We think that Regina brought you here." She informed him "What do you remember?" She asked.

"I came back here to see my father and pay my respects to his body. Snow and I were in the grand chamber when we were attacked by men wearing black helmets. Charles and Robert took Snow to the Northern outpost." He replied.

"Snow came back for you and Regina poisoned her with an apple. We think Regina also drugged you because you have been unconscious for three days." Ella informed him.

So, he had been correct and Snow was in danger. He tried to sit up, but the room started to spin.

"You need to rest." Ella insisted. "You have a terrible shoulder wound. I can't seem to get it to heal."

He remembered. Snow had shot him by accident with an enchanted arrow.

"The wound is the result of an enchanted arrow. Where is Snow now and is she okay?" He asked anxiously.

Ella refused to look him in the eyes.

"James, I just told you Regina poisoned Snow. She is gone and they have her lying in state at the Summer Palace. I am sorry, but they are burying her tomorrow." Ella tried to infuse her voice with comfort, but she knew he was bound to be inconsolable. To her surprise he remained absolutely calm.

"Ella, I need you to find something to bind my wound so it will stop bleeding enough so I can ride to the Summer Palace. I must get to Snow." He pleaded.

Ella stood and looked around the room. There was cloth and water. She had spent many hours with the healing woman and she knew how to bandage a wound.

"Of course I will help you anyway I can. There is nothing you can do for Snow tonight. I will patch you up enough so that you can put in an appearance at your Father's funeral. Tomorrow you can take the carriage and make it to the Summer Palace in time for Snow's funeral. I will even go with you." She promised.

James shook his head in the negative.

"Ella, I loved my Father, but there is nothing I can do for him now. He is dead, but Snow is not and if I do not leave for the Summer Place this minute they will bury her alive." He insisted as he tried to sit up again.

There was no doubt in his mind that Regina and King George intended to bury Snow that evening while everyone else was distracted with King Leopold's funeral.

Ella gave her friend a worried look.

"Snow is alive, Regina put her under a sleeping curse and I am the only one who can wake her. Ella you have to trust me. You have to help me." He begged.

She looked towards the window. "I wish Thomas were here." She stated wistfully.

"It is just you and I though and you can help me save the woman I love or I will hold you personally responsible for her death!" James threated.

Ella bit her lip, "Stay here." She ordered.

She came back in a couple of minutes carrying a bowl. She used water to clean his shoulder and then applied something sticky to the wound.

"What is that stuff? It smells like the forest." He wrinkled his nose.

"Pitch, or tree sap if you prefer, it gets all over the hearths in the kitchen and we have a horrible time cleaning it up. It should stop the bleeding." She stated as she wrapped bandages around his shoulder. "James, what makes you so certain that Snow is still alive?" His friend asked.

He did not hesitate for a moment before he answered.

"If Snow were truly gone I would feel that sorrow in every fiber of my being. She is still alive Ella! Also, I saw a book of magic in Regina's room and it contained a spell for enacting a sleeping curse. I am sure that is what Regina used on Snow." He pointed out. "Mostly, I just have faith that this is not how Snow and my story ends." He sated with feeling.

Ella was stunned, "Regina is a witch?"

James laughed. "Practicing magic is the least of her crimes. She is a murder. She killed my mother and she killed Snow's mother and if I don't get to the Summer Palace she is going to have Snow buried alive. I am pretty sure that Regina and King George plan on having Snow secretly buried tonight while the rest of the leaders of the surrounding kingdoms are busy with my father's funeral." He breathlessly informed her.

Ella gave him a worried look.

"If King George fails to attend your father's funeral it will be an act of war. As the leader of an allied kingdom he is required by law to publicly acknowledge your father's death. Regina has to attend the funeral as well, otherwise she forfeits any claim to the crown." She quickly informed him.

"Does that law apply to me?" James asked.

Ella gave him an exasperated look. "James if you would just read the book you would know that you are not yet the leader of a kingdom." She sighed.

"Thank you." He stated with feeling and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I have to get ready to leave." He informed her.

"So do I because there is no way I am letting you go alone." She stated firmly.

Ella figured that if James was right and Snow was really alive than all would be well, however if her friend was delusional and his beloved really was dead he would need all the help he could get.

Ella insisted that they take the carriage, but as a compromise she agreed not to insist on any stops. It was nearly sundown before the carriage arrived. James barely let it come to a stop before he tried to jump out. Ella put a restraining hand on his arm.

"A girl could get used to traveling by carriage." She remarked as James helped her down.

"Thomas has a whole stable full of carriages." James stated.

Ella leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I know he does, now go find Snow White and I will make sure that are horses are stabled." She promised.

James barely heard her as he quickly ran up the steps to the Summer Palace.

He ran to the main ballroom and there he saw Snow White laid out on a raised platform. She looked so beautiful and venerable that his heart nearly broke. Light from the setting sun bathed her body in a celestial glow and James was reminded of the way she looked that day she had collapsed when they were children. It was that day that he had first realized that he loved her. Through the years his love for her had only grown stronger. He solemnly approached the platform and tried to keep the tears from spilling from his eyes. He leaned over to gently kiss her lips and stood back and expected a miracle to happen. Instead, her eyes remained closed and he could detect no breath on her lips. Tears slid from his eyes and gently dropped onto her cheeks. Only then did he feel the wave of pure love that coursed through his body like a tidal wave. It threatened to knock him off of his feet and it overwhelmed all of his senses. Snow's eyes fluttered open.

"It's you." She said softly.

James' eyes glistened with joyous tears and he stroked her face gently. He was surprised when she pushed his hand away and sat up with anger in her eyes. Then she slapped him hard across the cheek.

"You are a bastard! You are a toad! Don't touch me ever again" She seethed.

James took a step backwards in shock and nearly tumbled off the platform.

"Snow, it's me James! I woke you with true loves kiss" He argued.

"Who said I wanted to be woken up? Now get out!" She declared with anger in her voice. "If I ever see you again I will order my guards to throw you in the dungeon!"

"You heard the lady. It is time for you to make like a tree and leave mister."

For the first time since he had entered the chamber James became aware that they were not alone. All 7 of the dwarfs were there. They had probably been there all the time, only he had been fixated on Snow and hadn't noticed. Now the little men were pushing him towards the door.

James sat on the steps to the grand chamber with his head in his hands. He was in shock when he heard a voice behind him that could only be described as grumpy.

"What did you do to her?" The expression on his face was pretty sour as well.

"I have no idea. Grumpy, you know me. I would never do anything to hurt her, at least not anything on purpose!" James responded wearily.

"Whatever you did it had to be something really bad because I have never seen her that angry." Grumpy stated.

"I thought she would be happy to see me." James sighed sadly.

"Did you get her pregnant?" Grumpy accused the young prince.

"What? No of course not. We have barely even kissed." James replied defensively.

"Maybe you are a really bad kisser." Grumpy suggested.

"I'm a good kisser." James replied softly.

"Had a lot of practice lady killer?" Grumpy countered. If looks could kill, the kingdom would have been planning another funeral.

"No, I mean enough to know I am an ok kisser. Why are we having this conversation?" James stood up and looked towards the grand chamber door.

"You really don't know what you did to hurt her so badly?" Grumpy gave him a sympathetic look.

"I have no clue, did she say anything after I left." James tried to keep the worry out of his voice. He was concerned that Snow was suffering some kind of personality altering side effect of the sleeping curse.

"No, she just started bawling her eyes out." Grumpy shook his head sadly.

That was good because it meant that she still had feelings for him.

"Look, all I know is that I was with the Queen and then I slept for 3 nights and then I woke up and Ella told me about Snow and I rushed over here." James explained.

"You slept for 3 nights, is that normal?" Grumpy gave him a sideways glance.

"Not for me." James replied under his breath.

"Sounds like a curse and since the Queen was the last person you saw…"

"Ella was the last person I saw." James corrected him.

"Who's Ella, your girlfriend?" The question was an accusation.

James was getting tired of playing cat and mouse with the dwarf.

"No, she works in the kitchen of my castle. She's my friend and she is the one who found Snow." James gave an exasperated sigh.

"Then let's get Ella over here and see what she has to say about this situation." Grumpy suggested.

"She is tending to the horses." James replied.

"I'm here." Ella replied. She saw the look on her friend's face and instantly because concerned. He was turning white and she was certain that his wound was bleeding again and he was just ignoring it because of his obvious grief over Snow.

"How bad is it?" She asked.

"It is horrible. I kissed her and she woke up and then she slapped me and threw me out of the room." James lamented.

"Snow is alive? What wonderful news." Ella declared.

"No, it is horrible news because she hates me and I have no idea why." There was panic in James' voice.

"It is probably because she saw you in bed with the Queen and thinks that the two of you are lovers." Ella reluctantly admitted.

Grumpy slugged him "You slept with the Queen?"

James nearly passed out, he felt the room spinning. He slumped down on the hard steps. His whole body felt like it was on fire.

"She is my stepmother, she is 15 years older than I am and I'm hopelessly in love with Snow. Of course I didn't sleep with the hag."

"I know that, Gus and Jaque saw the whole thing. She drugged you and then she tricked Snow into showing up by showing her a letter you had written." Ella explained.

"Ella, when were you going to tell me about this?" James asked. His words started to slur and perspiration was trickling down his face.

"He needs to see a doctor." Ella informed Grumpy.

The dwarf nodded in agreement.

"We need to bring Gus and over here to talk to Snow. Are they guards? Why have I never heard of them before?" James asked.

"They are mice and they live in the kitchen." Ella admitted.

Grumpy burst out laughing, "Your star witnesses are mice? You are sunk." He told James in a serious tone.

"They can talk." Ella added.

"You are saved, brother." Grumpy slapped James on the back and the young prince fell over. Ella and Grumpy noticed the pool of blood in the stone steps.

"I'll go get Doc!" Grumpy said urgently.

Ella made sure that Doc was looking after James and then she made her way to the grand chamber. It was dark now and Snow was sitting on raised platform.

"Snow!" Ella called out.

The princess looked up and Ella noticed that he white gown was streaked with blood. It had to be James' blood she figured.

"Ella, if you are here to argue James' case you can save your breath. I know what I saw." She stated firmly.

"What you think you know is all a lie. James would never betray you. He is the only reason you are able to sit there and pass judgment. King George and Regina were going to bury you alive, Snow. James risked his life to come here and revive you because he had faith in your love. He also missed his father's funeral because he was worried about you!" Ella pleaded.

"What do you mean when you say that James risked his life?" Snow asked.

Ella didn't answer; instead she took Snow by the hand and led her to a mirror where she could see her own reflection. Snow looked at the blood on her dress.

"What is that?" Snow asked in shock.

"That is James' blood. The damage inflicted by that enchanted arrow you shot at his isn't healing. He is dying, Snow!" Ella stated urgently. "Unless we can find a way to save him, we will lose him for good."

Snow couldn't tear her eyes away from the image staring back at her in the mirror.

Snow repeated the words that Rumplestilskin had said to her when he had given her the arrow head, "this arrow head is magical. It will slowly drain the life from the heart of whomever it pierces."

It was true, however it was draining the life form the man she loved and it was all her fault.

"Where is James?" Snow asked. Anguish showed in her eyes.

"The dwarfs took him to one of the bed chambers." Ella informed him.

"I can heal him with True Loves Kiss." Snow stated firmly.

Ella shook her head in the negative.

"When he kissed you it didn't help him. He bled all over your dress." She pointed out. "I sent Prince Thomas to Lake Nostos for water. That might save James, but Thomas isn't back yet and he will probably go to James' castle first and we are running out of time." Ella stated frantically.

"I want to see James!" Snow demanded.

Ella took her to the room were the dwarfs had taken James. He was laid out on a bed and the first thought that went through Snow's mind was that it was exactly like when he had been attacked by the dragon saving her life. Only this time he was deathly still. Snow threw herself on her knees and leaned over to kiss him. Several tense moments passed and everyone held their breath, but nothing happened. His eyes didn't open. Snow started to sob. She rested her head on James' chest and could barely discern his breath.

"He has lost too much blood." Doc announced to no one in particular. "If there was some way to give him a transfusion of blood he might have a fighting chance."

Snow looked up with tears in her eyes that were spilling over her cheeks.

"Take my blood and give him a transfusion." She pleaded.

Doc shook his head in the negative, "It is too dangerous." He insisted.

Snow put out her arm.

"As your future queen I demand that you do it!" Snow commanded with a fierce look in her eyes that no one in the room was willing to disobey.

"I will need some kind of tubing and a needle." Doc declared.

Everyone started to look around the room.

"Stop!" A voice cried out from just outside the room.

Ella turned to see Thomas standing in the doorway holding a jug of water.

She hugged him fiercely. "Is that the water from the lake?" She asked urgently.

"Yes and you would not believe what I had to go through to get it. What do we do with it? Do we get him to drink it or pour it over the wound?" He asked.

Everyone started to talk at once.

"He can't drink it, he is unconscious!" "We need tubing to pump it into his body."

Snow grabbed the bottle and dumped it over James.

The room was filled with gasps of astonishment.

"I had to fight a siren to get that water!" Thomas exclaimed angrily.

"I hope you didn't just waste it!" Doc exclaimed.

When James opened his eyes a few seconds later he saw Snow smiling.

"Are you going to have me thrown in the dungeon?" He croaked.

"Never!" She joyously proclaimed and then she kissed him long and slow until they were both out of breath. Everyone crowded around James until Doc demanded that they all leave the room so he could examine the patient. Snow refused to leave his side. Only after Doc had proclaimed his miraculous healing did Snow allow Ella to take her away and help her dress in a clean gown. Even then Ella and Thomas had to pull James and Snow apart. After they had declared that they loved each other at least a dozen times and shared at least that many kisses James and Snow reluctantly parted and Snow let Ella lead her out of James' room.