Astrael had first met her when she was a child, in her family's palace in the north of the continent. The little blonde was only six years old then; she wasn't supposed to meddle in family rituals, and when she opened the door to a forbidden room, she found herself facing the demon Astrael, furious with the humans who wanted to imprison him.
The little girl knew no danger in her home at the time and had played with him: although the demon detested her as much as he did her family, he had never reached the point of wanting to kill her and make her disappear. Strangely, she intrigued him, because that little creature didn't think like all humans; she seemed innocent but also gifted with great acuity. The little girl's intelligence had become clear the day she asked the demon why he had never hurt her. Even as young as she was, she was aware of the danger. It could be the fault of the family she lived in.
A family that knew no love, only power and control.
Astrael smiled smugly, thinking back: making a pact with a human of that caliber could be a source of pride for him, a bit like a proud owner of his imposing and charming steed or his beautiful dog. Astrael would never admit to himself that he felt even the slightest bit of compassion for the woman, because demons were far superior to humans, and that would never change. That said, he would keep his promise, and who knows, maybe he would even enjoy spending time with the young Grimilde.
"Just one look at her will be enough for me to understand the seriousness of her condition."
Astrael gave Grimilde a serious look, which silenced some of the queen's anxieties, still convinced she had made the most desperate choice she could think of. The queen admitted to herself that she had also acted impulsively, but usually her instincts were geared to defend her and protect the people she cared about. It was peculiar, but she felt she was doing destined choices. She could only hope that her choice, this time, would have a positive outcome.
They finally reached the wing of the castle where the princess resided, and the palace staff, seeing the queen arrive with the unknown man, immediately stepped aside. Near Snow White's room stood one of the doctors and one of the princess's maids, Rachel. Grimilde didn't announce her presence, but spoke immediately:
"Clear the room; I'll have you called if needed."
"V-Very well, Your Majesty." The doctor stammered and lowered his gaze after giving a small bow, quickly walking away. The maid, however, looked at the queen, biting her lip, and hesitantly stepped forward: "Your Majesty... you can save her, right?"
"I would even go to the Abyss, if I have to, to bring her back to the world of the living." The queen didn't even look at her, but answered her clearly, before entering the room, followed by Astrael. Rachel wondered what the queen meant by that statement, but the solemnity with which she spoke made her understand the importance of her words. She returned to Mariella to check on her.
Meanwhile, Grimilde was in the princess's room and watched her from afar, holding her breath: she looked so enchanting lying on her bed, her skin certainly pale, but that didn't take away the charm she was known for, and she seemed to have a serene expression on her face, as if she were in the midst of a pleasant dream. Grimilde hoped so, with all her heart.
"Oh, the girl certainly lives up to her name. Now I understand why you are so infatuated... it's like being in the presence of a precious creature. There's something about her that attracts even a demon. Could it be her innocence or perhaps her soft features?" Astrael walked slowly toward the princess, and Grimilde immediately moved to stop him: "Can you break the curse? How serious is it?"
"I think I can loosen the seal, then it's up to you to open it."
"What are you talking about?" the queen asked, her eyes moving from Astrael to Snow White. The demon was smiling, but his eyes were determined and focused: "As I said, a kiss would mean the death of the poor hero... or heroine in this case." He winked and walked around to approach the sleeping beauty. He looked at her for a moment, listening to her breathing.
"Apparently Edgar wanted to get rid of that naive young man too... Poor deluded man."
The demon knew he was driving the queen crazy with his behavior, but it was satisfying seeing her emotional when most of the time she acted like a statue of ice.
Astrael reached out to the princess under the blonde's apprehensive gaze and caressed the skin of her pale cheeks.
"She's having peaceful dreams..." he whispered, continuing to admire the human. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers, and a wine-colored light leaped from his fingers, falling onto the princess's skin and flowing beneath it.
"What have you done?" Grimilde snapped, but Astrael grabbed her arm, stopping her:
"I loosened the seal. Now it's your turn."
Her bright blue eyes widened. "What should I do?" And with that, she knelt beside the bed where the sleeping girl lay.
"This is the part I like best... you can do whatever you want. Listen to your hidden desires and dig deep... there lies the answer."
Astrael's voice hissed, and Grimilde's shivered: "You must keep the pact, Astrael!" She raised her voice, but the demon sneered at her, his eyes now red and bright narrowing:
"Getting worked up won't solve anything. Call my name if you wish to speak to me..."
And with that, he vanished into thin air, enveloped in a cloud of black smoke. The smell of ash lingered in the air, but it was soon countered by Snow White's sweet, inviting scent.
Grimilde was confused and frightened, but she could clearly see that the girl's skin had returned to its natural color. She began to approach her slowly, leaning her torso toward her, and grabbed the hand lying on the covers, clasping it in her own and bringing it to her chest.
"Snow White..." She whispered in pain. She called her again and again, moving toward her, as if she were her magnet and the two ends needed to connect, fit together, and surrender to the attraction. The queen didn't even realize she was inches from Snow White's face; she had fallen under some spell: her hands, like her lips, trembled, longing for forbidden contact, something that shouldn't have happened, but which needed to be subjugated.
"My dear, I ask your forgiveness, for I am human like others, a victim of passions and sins."
And she concluded solemnly, lowering her head to the princess's. Their mouths met: Snow White's lips were indeed cold, but soft, as the queen had always imagined.
The girl wasn't awake; she wouldn't have known what had happened, yet Grimilde was certain that that day had marked a new beginning and everything would change, from their relationship to their life in the castle...