Anger and Death
Gertrude was not allowed to see her mother. However, she heard the story of what happened. She was beyond angry with Horatio. She loathed his very being, she loathed her father for being able to put her mother in the dungeon. However her anger only intensified when she heard the sentence--death.
She locked herself in her room for the rest of the day. Horatio tried to visit her many times and she sent him away. She sent everyone away, until she hear the quiet timid knock she knew to be Snow White. She let the girl in. Though she was only 7 she was a kind soul, full of sympathy and empathy. Gertrude didn't want her to believe that she was angry with her.
"What's wrong?" those innoccent eyes beamed through Gertrude's defenses.
"Your daddy hurt me. He took my mom from me" Gertrude said honestly.
"Then I don't like Daddy" Snow White said puffing out her cheeks.
"I don't want that, he's a good dad and loves you" Gertrude said.
Despite Gertrude's efforts, after that conversation Snow White decided she wouldn't talk to her Dad. Though being only 7 this isn't a decisions she would hold to long. Snow White didn't stay long before leaving to go get a meal. The next day she was escorted by guards out of her chambers, for her father would have no more of this pouting over a crinimal. He used THAT word to describe her mother. It sickened her, but she bit her tongue. He may force her to leave her chambers but he could not make her speak.
That day was the execution date. Gertrude was sat next to her father as they looked down on the guillotine. He said it was their responsibility as the royal family to show that the condemn the evils of sorcery. Gertrude remained the silent obedient princess he wanted. As the guillotine began to come down she allowed herself to blink. However, when she opened her eyes while she was way to far above the guillotine for it to be her mother's blood was dripping on her dress. She turned to look at her father who's head had mysteriously fallen off. Horror tremmored through her body. Then she remembered what her mother had said the night before she was arrested, her father's fate was tied to her mother's. In killing her...he had killed himself.
The next days were filled with the nobility trying to decide what to do because of the queen's treason. No one seemed to care about the fact that she was ophaned in the matter of one day. Horatio tried to care, but noble's had decided that he was to be regent until they married where he would be crowned king. Gertrude was as unnoticable able as a ghost in the palace. "Family" dinners were silent as neither Gertrude nor Snow White were talking to Horatio at the moment.
Finally Horatio could take the silence no longer.
"I know that you're in pain, I know you blame me, but you had no right to turn my daughter against me!" Horatio yelled across the table.
"I did no such thing. If you knew me at all you'd know I want her to have a relationship with her father. I told her to talk to you. I told her you're a good dad." Gertrude paused and looked at Snow White and lowered her voice that was beginning to raise. "Could you give us a moment? If you go finish your dinner in your room I'll send a treat there shortly" she said kindly.
Snow White rose from her seat and carried her plate to her room. Gertrude whispered to a servant who was entering the room and she went to go get Snow White's treat.
"You may be a terrible person who just cost me both my parents because you couldn't keep your mouth shut, but you care about Snow White. All I ever was to my father was a bargain chip to sell to you. I want more for her. You want to know what my mom was doing that night that you caught her? Protecting me. Loving me. I'm not ready to get married, certainly not now, not that I get a say. All she was doing was making a potion that makes cold men like you and my father listen that I just needed one more year! It wasn't evil, it was love! I suppose I just signed my death warrent too didn't I regent? I knew what my mom was doing, I didn't say anything when I found you. Go ahead kill me!...I want to die...except I don't want this for Snow White, and you proved you will be him. The man my mom was scared when she was a girl like me so bound her fate to her husbands to use as a bargaining chip for her life...I bet the only reason she didn't use it was to somehow protect me again--not that I got the chance to ask. All that woman ever did was love. Love me. Love our people. So go ahead, call her evil, but she's not the evil one I see." Gertrude poured out all the anger and pain she'd kept bottled up.
Horatio sat silently next to her. He hung his head. Gertrude dared not to cry, she couldn't let her weakness show in front of anyone--not Horatio. Any love she felt for him was gone.
"You once said you wanted me to feel safe in this marriage. If you ever meant that...wait the year my mom and I wanted to wait" Gertrude said.
With that she left to her chambers and wrapped herself in her mother's blue cloak. Gathered her composure just long enough to check that Snow White was okay, and tell her to talk to her father, and this time Snow White agreed to forgive him. Then Gertrude returned to her room wondering if Horatio would honor her request.