The Poisoned Princess: A Snow White Retelling (The Skazka Fairy Tales)
The Poisoned Princess: Chapter 11

DIMITRI

I can’t believe we’re actually doing this. I must have said the words out loud because suddenly Arseniy is beside me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

“Don’t look so glum, Dimitri. Mushroom picking is one of your favorite boring activities.” I elbow him in the stomach, and he drops his arm but doesn’t move away.

“I’m not glum.”

“You are. Your broodiness is on full display.”

“I’m just tired,” I say, because it’s only six in the morning, and I slept like a sack of potatoes. All lumps and weird positions.

“You could’ve taken the bed. I offered.”

“And I declined because you won that spot fairly.” Just because I lost my bed, doesn’t mean I’m going to take someone else’s. Stretching my back a bit, I twist to the left and to the right, waking my muscles up a little. We stop to wait for the others.

Typically, we reach a central location and then scatter in all directions. Mushroom hunting is particularly fun in the early morning when the dew is still fresh. The scent that fills the forest is very peculiar and something I enjoy. But right now, I kind of wish I’d stayed behind so I could take a nap—in a bed.

“I have a proposition.” The bane of my existence comes up beside us, and I turn to offer her happy face a scowl.

“It’s too early for whatever this is.” I wave a hand in the general direction of her face, and she grins wider.

“You’re going to like this proposition.”

“I doubt it.”

She narrows her eyes but is clearly undeterred. Not that she would be deterred when Arseniy is clearly encouraging her to go on.

“You said that you play for your beds,” she begins, and I perk up immediately. Not that I show it. I’m still looking out into the forest as the rest of the men gather around.

“Well, I want to play for a bed. I feel bad having so much space, when two people could share it.” I glance at her, and I can tell she’s keeping her eyes off me like it’s suddenly her job. The image of the two of us sleeping side by side nearly takes me out where I stand. I turn away abruptly, reining in whatever this madness is. I swear I can feel someone’s eyes on me, and I have a feeling it’s Kostya, but I don’t check.

“How do you suggest we do that?” Igor asks. He enjoys our games, and I can hear the interest in his voice already.

“Since everyone might not want to play, we can see who’s interested in changing their bed assignments and then we make a list of prizes. Our goal is simple. Whoever replaces the most mushrooms wins. The top two get the big bed, and then we go down the line from there. If I win, I get to keep the bed to myself and not feel guilty about it.”

“I second this idea,” Kostya speaks up immediately—the traitor. He and Maxim have been sharing the upstairs loft, but by the way they both perk up, it appears they both want the bed.

“Are you that tired of Maxim?” I ask, making sure to glare at Kostya when he turns to me.

“Nyet. He’s a great bunk buddy. But you know what would be nice? Not having to climb up and down the ladder anytime I need something…like the bathroom.”

“Oh, that’s a good point!” Maxim exclaims, bouncing on the heels of his feet. “And we could both play for the bed. First and second place, right here.” They slap hands together as if they’ve already won. I roll my eyes.

“I’m good with the plan,” Arseniy speaks up.

“Really? You’d give up your bed?” Yasha asks.

“Only if I lose,” Arseniy replies. The rest of us chuckle.

“Then it’s decided?” Ivanka asks, her hands laced in front of her chest, a hopeful expression on her face. It’s Igor who answers.

“It’s decided. First and second place will get the big bed.”

“Third will get the small bed,” Kostya continues. “And fourth and fifth will get the loft?”

Pavel, Igor, and Yasha have no interest in giving up their beds. I can see it on their faces.

“How about I bake a pie for whichever one of us get the most?” Pavel turns to the other two, just as a chorus of protests rings out loud. “Hey, you get your beds, and we get dessert.”

“Not fair!”

“That’s life.” Pavel ignores the rest of the protests as he shakes hands with Igor and Yasha. I try not to look at Ivanka, but she’s nearly shining, her smile is so bright. It probably helps that she slept in a comfortable bed last night.

I really am bitter about this. I take my sleep very seriously.

“Okay, then, everyone has a basket. On we go!” Maxim exclaims, before turning on his heels and rushing off into the forest. The rest follow immediately, leaving Ivanka, Kostya, Igor, and me still standing.

“I don’t think you should wander off alone,” Igor says, looking at Ivanka. “You don’t know this forest the way we do. Or maybe you do?” He asks it in that way that’s both curious and inviting. We’re all curious about her past, but no one has asked any direct questions.

“Nyet. Not even a little,” Ivanka replies, and that’s all she gives us. “I definitely don’t want to get lost around here.”

“Great,” Kostya exclaims suddenly. “Then you go with Dimitri. He’ll keep you safe.”

With that, my ex-best friend tugs on Igor’s arm, pulling him away from us. The older man doesn’t even hesitate to follow! Kostya throws one very mischievous grin my way, and suddenly, Ivanka and I are alone in the forest. Seriously, I expected this behavior from Arseniy or Maxim, but here we are.

I glance down at Ivanka, who looks a lot less sure of herself than she did a minute ago. Her hair could really use a good brushing. She’s been braiding it, and it falls down her back all the way to her waist, with strands falling out and curling around her face and shoulders. She also needs a new set of clothes, something I hadn’t thought about when I bought her shoes, which she’s wearing now.

When she glances up at me, I don’t look away. I expect her to, but she surprises me by holding my gaze for one long moment. Then, she steps forward just a tad, rising on her tiptoes to appear closer.

“You’re going down,” she says, then she turns and takes off in a direction no one else went. I stand there for a moment, dumbfounded, before I shake my head and follow.

IVANKA

Truthfully, I did not expect them to agree so readily, but I’m glad they did. Dimitri and I may not be friends or even friendly, but I do feel bad about him sleeping on the floor. And what I said about the bed is correct. It’s big enough for two people to share comfortably with space between them.

I’d be lying to myself if a certain image didn’t come to mind when I voiced the idea, but I’m not dwelling on that mildly insane moment. Clearly everything I’ve been going through has had some effect on my capacity to think rationally. That’s the only explanation.

I can feel him moving behind me, and I’m fully aware of him, even though he’s a few meters back. Gripping my basket handle between both hands, I try not to let his proximity—or the fact that we’re basically alone—get to me.

When I made the suggestion for a competition, I may have overestimated myself a bit. I’ve never picked mushrooms before, and now, looking at the forest in front of me, I have no idea how I’m supposed to win any of the beds. I guess, even if I get last place, I’ll end up in a bed. But not trying seems worse than asking for help, and since I’m not alone, maybe I can just—

“Do you even know what you’re doing?” Dimitri’s voice comes from behind me, making me stiffen immediately.

“Of course. I’m a professional mushroom hunter,” I reply immediately, not bothering to turn around, in case he can tell I’m lying. I guess I can’t ask for help now. But his tone gets to me—always so high and mighty.

“Are you sure about that, Highness? Because I’m pretty sure you just walked by a couple of perfectly good-looking tsar mushrooms.”

“What?” I spin around immediately and replace him watching me, an amused expression on his face. He’s leaning against a tree, arms crossed over his chest. This is probably the most relaxed I’ve ever seen him. I can’t help staring.

He raises an eyebrow, then points to a tiny clear patch between the trees. There, right in the middle of the open patch, are two round mushrooms. I gasp in delight, dropping down and reaching for one, when suddenly, Dimitri is beside me, grabbing my wrist.

“Come on, Highness. Admit you don’t know what you’re doing before you ruin a perfectly good mushroom.”

“Excuse me. I do know what I’m doing. And I thought mushroom hunting was called silent hunting.” I cock my head to the side. We stare at each other for a long moment before I realize he’s still holding my wrist. I tug it back, and he immediately lets go.

“A white mushroom, what we call the tsar of all mushrooms, must be cut off at the root so you don’t damage its mycelium. They should also be carefully checked for worms.”

He reaches into his pocket, producing a small switchblade, and leans over to study the mushroom. Then he flicks the knife open and makes a clean cut across the top of the soil. Immediately, the smell of the mushroom and the earth around it intensifies, and I inhale, closing my eyes briefly. But it’s not just the forest that fills my senses. It’s him.

I open my eyes just to have them clash with his. They’re still the blue I’ve come to know, but there’s something else I hadn’t noticed before. Only I can’t decide if it’s wisdom or a burden that’s buried in those ever-watchful eyes.

Dimitri smells of the forest and a storm brewing, the freshness of a day after rain and the heaviness in the air once the clouds descend. He holds me captive with just his eyes, and I wonder if he can see all of my secrets just by looking at me. I have to be the one to break first. I have to regain control of the situation.

“Are you sharing your mushroom knowledge with me freely, or will I have to pay for it later?” I ask, keeping my voice low, as if I don’t want the rest of Skazka to hear me. For a second, I almost expect him to break into a smile. He’s never directed one of his smiles at me before, and I hold my breath in anticipation.

“This one is a freebie,” Dimitri replies, his voice deeper than I’ve heard it. It does something to me. A tiny tingle starts at the back of my neck, rushing down my spine. I roll my shoulders back the slightest bit at the sensation. Dimitri doesn’t miss the movement—he never seems to miss anything. There’s a moment of stillness between us, and then he breaks it by reaching down and cutting the other mushroom as well.

He places one in my basket and one in his, before he stands. Clearing my throat, I stand as well, stepping back to put some distance between us. Suddenly, it feels like Dimitri is taking up all the air in the forest. My head is spinning.

“Any more mushroom tips?” I ask, keeping my voice light.

“You only get one freebie.”

“But I thought you like to win fair and square.” This feels better—the bickering.

“Smooth. Are you sure you’re not a politician?”

The question hits a little too close to home, but I shrug, keeping my face impassive. At least, princess school taught me that much. I give Dimitri a little smile—since I know how much he loves those—and spread my arms in the direction of the forest.

“I’m giving you a chance to win your bed back. I think that should earn me at least another freebie.”

There’s that almost smile again. It feels like a win. He stands beside me, before he places his hands on my shoulders and turns me around. His body is close enough to my back that I can feel his body heat. He doesn’t remove his hands from my shoulders, as he leans close to my ear.

“It’s the season for chanterelles, so be on the lookout for small ginger tops. They like to grow together in little colonies. If you replace one, you can pick a lot in one place.”

His breath tickles my ear and the hairs at the base of my neck, while his hands add a pleasant amount of reassurance to my shoulders by simply holding me and I fight every response of my body as I try to focus on his words.

“Look for birch trees, because they’re where you’ll replace podberezoviki. Pavel loves those, because he can marinate them for later. And if all else fails, look for opyatas. They grow around stumps and fallen trees. You can usually sniff them out, and they smell deliciously like mushrooms.”

“Don’t all mushrooms smell like that?” I ask, hoping I don’t sound as breathless as I feel. I swear Dimitri inhales like he’s doing it intentionally, holding himself there for one long moment, before he replies.

“Some more than others. Once you replace them, you’ll be able to tell the difference.”

I’m not sure why he’s being nice to me, when only a few minutes ago, he seemed determined to keep up his stoic exterior around me. I turn my head slightly to the right—he’s still there, his face inches from mine.

“Do I get to say thank you now?” I ask, because he never seems to wait for those words from me. He grunts a little, or maybe that’s a laugh, before his eyes flick over my face and then back to my eyes. He removes his hands from my shoulders and I miss their presence immediately.

“Just bring your best skill to the game.” He hands over the small knife, before stepping back. “I like to win.”