A week had passed since that meeting and Biancaneve still wanted to talk to Queen Grimilde; above all she wanted to see in person this magical mirror she had spoken of. At the party she would take the opportunity to talk to her. That evening her birthday would have been celebrated: Biancaneve finally turned18, she was adult and ready to take on her responsibilities as princess of the kingdom of Arran. Obviously she would not have had the same influence as Queen Grimilde, wife of the deceased king, but she could make a difference by making an effort.
Snow White knew she looked like a silly little girl, but she had always been committed to studying books on politics, history, literature and had a keen interest in the arcane arts, such as alchemy and magic. During the years of growth she hadn't been able to do much to occupy her time other than studying and cultivating her passions. She had been a crystal princess all her childhood and now she wanted to change that. The first step would be to win his stepmother's friendship. She could have used her stepdaughter title to get close to her and her court advisors, but hardly anyone in the palace valued that artificial kinship. After all, both the servants and the castle guards had always observed the Queen and Snow White separately, as if there was no link between them other than the old regent. By now he was dead, as an old man, and that bond was broken. As far as the palace employees knew, Snow White and Grimilde were two strangers who only shared the same palace.
But returning to the party, which was to be held in the rooms of the majestic and luxurious palace of the regents, Snow White found herself spending the whole day with her maids, preparing for her birthday.
"Oh how beautiful it will be tonight!" Mariella had chirped, the maid with reddish hair and freckles on her face. Snow White considered her a friend, even though they were at court and she was a princess. She didn't care about the difference in their titles, she didn't even consider the hierarchy, for her the world was inhabited by equal creatures and it would have made no sense to consider herself better than someone else.
"How many young people will fall in love in your opinion?" asked the other handmaid, named Rachel. She too was friends with Snow White, but the girl found her character too impetuous and often found herself scolding her. Rachel was ultimately a good girl, but she was inexperienced when it came to relating to court.
"Everyone of course!" Mariella and Rachel continued to talk and hum as they dealt with Snow White. They prepared her a perfumed bath, then helped her get dressed in her wonderful blue dress, combed her beautiful long black hair, made up her face, accentuating the red color of her lips and applying clear pink powder to her cheeks. Once the preparations were finished, it was already late in the afternoon, and Rachel and Mariella stopped to observe their masterpiece: Snow White would really make everyone at the party fall in love!
The young woman looked at herself in the wall mirror of her room, her thoughts returning to Queen Grimilde's words and her eloquent gaze when she told her that she was the fairest of all. It couldn't be possible, Snow White thought, Grimilde has an ethereal, edenic beauty, something far superior to mine! She wanted to see with her own eyes, hear with her ears, when the magic mirror would give its answer again.
"Girls?" She called her maids who fell silent to listen to her: "In your opinion... who is the most beautiful in the kingdom?" Snow White continued to observe herself in the mirror, batting her eyelashes at her image. She reached out to her reflection, breathing deeply. She remembered the queen's soft touch against her skin and blushed.
"Obviously you are the most beautiful!" Mariella affirmed, smiling. Rachel looked curiously at Snow White's expression in the mirror and parted her lips to ask what she was thinking: "Is something wrong, princess? Is there anything you don't like?"
"No... I was just thinking that the queen will be really beautiful tonight..." After those words, Rachel and Mariella went back to chatting happily. "Of course! I have spoken to the Queen's handmaids and have been told that she will be wearing a dress imported from abroad, something extraordinary!"
"It's going to be really expensive. I can't wait to see it!"
Soon it was time for the feast to begin: the nobles of Arran and its allied kingdoms rode in their festive carriages to the gates of the royal palace. Snow White watched their arrival from a large terrace on the second floor, which overlooked the large palace gardens. Snow White was agitated, she wanted at all costs to capture the queen's attention to be able to speak to her in private, but it wouldn't have been easy with all those nobles. Maybe after the birthday speech, she'd get a chance to get closer to her.
"Princess?" Rachel joined Snow White to lead her to the party room. Shortly after Snow White found herself in front of a large smiling crowd, who wanted nothing more than to celebrate and take the opportunity to make friends and find love. Snow White was forced to accept numerous invitations to dance from nobles, even princes of other kingdoms, and she no doubt enjoyed herself, but that was not what she wished to do at the moment. She wanted to speak to the queen, who hadn't yet shown up for the party. Was it possible that she would not have come? But just as she was wondering, Grimilde appeared in all her beauty: she entered through the huge doors of the main hall and the royal guards announced her presence, taking all the guests by surprise. Snow White held her breath: she was just wonderful. The queen wore a long red dress, decorated with lace, chains, precious stones, and wore her crown. At that point the princess realized she wasn't the only one to have held her breath, even the rest of those present seemed unable to resist Grimilde's regal charm.
"Just like they said... the queen is wonderful!" Whispers spread in the crowd and glances with renewed energy, just for the arrival of the beautiful and young queen. Snow White stood a few meters from the stairs leading to the balcony where announcements were usually made. Soon she would be walking up those marble steps, accompanied by the Queen, for her birthday speech. They were simple noble practices, etiquette, but for Snow White it seemed something extraordinary: in all those years she had never had the opportunity to celebrate her birthday with the queen, but that day would have broken the traditions of the past.
Queen Grimilde soon joined Snow White, walking with sedate elegance, and she seemed indifferent to the gaze of the crowd that filled the hall. As she got close to her stepdaughter, she watched her in silence, allowing herself a sincere smile before returning to mask her emotions, as was required of her important role. Snow White continued to observe her with a look of admiration and did not even realize that she had already reached the end of the staircase and found herself at the queen's side. Grimilde had a goblet in her hand and there was no need to call everyone's attention: no one had stopped following her with their eyes. "I want to thank you for your presence. This is a very special occasion: our beloved princess is finally turning eighteen." The nobles applauded to congratulate Snow White, then fell silent again when Grimilde began to speak again: "Snow White, you have reached a very important milestone today. I wish you many years to come filled with happiness and achievements. May fortune and beauty never leave you..."
Snow White smiled in front of the mass of nobles, but her mind stopped on the sensation she had perceived at the queen's words. Had she been sincere in her wish? Or was it just a duty for her? The young girl with snow-white skin soon returned to the party, but within an hour she was able to retire from the hall, taking the opportunity to ask for an audience with the queen. Unfortunately she had learned from the guards that Queen Grimhilde had already retired to her room, but Snow White did not stop: that night she would have clarified her doubts.