“You tried to kill your daughter!” The prince screamed.

From my throne he looked like an ant. “Of course I did. For her own good.”

“Good? How is sending her into the forest with an assassin ‘good’?”

The bedraggled prince was bound and I motioned to my guard to bring him closer.

“It all began some time ago, when I married the love of my life and had my very own happily ever after…

“I didn’t know he was a widowed king until the wedding, that was some gift - a lovely girl who was in the spotlight from day one. Her mother was beloved, and I was evil just for sitting where she sat.

“The king would not be swayed by rumours, and I tried to connect with Snow White, but it hardly helped. Because the king was sick.”

“You killed him.” Hissed the prince. I nodded sadly.

“It was the coughing sickness. He was in such pain, I could hardly bear to see him in that way… one drop of venom and he went in his sleep, leaving a kingdom to me.

“Then Snow White grew up. She was naive, so I set about being sure she was protected. The king loved her, as did I. So I sent her into the woods with a hunter and instructed him to fake her death, make it seem by all accounts that I was some evil jealous hag.

“It worked for a while, then word was sent that she had been spotted being held prisoner by dwarves.”

The prince glared. “Lies.”

“Maybe, but she was cooking and cleaning for them with little respite, taking all day to animals while unable to leave. Sounds like she was captive to me.

“I devised a plan to free her. I pretended to sell corset laces, in a clever disguise. One good pull and she fell unconscious. Then I heard those wretched dwarves come back and knew what it would look like.”

“You tried to kill her with a poison apple.” The prince sneered.

I gently smiled.

“No, I just wanted to be sure she was eating well, so I came by again with fresh fruit. She was so hungry that she took a big bite and fell down. I tried to revive her, and even carry her away to safety, but she was too heavy for me, and I was caught by those true villains, so I ran again. Then I received news that she was in a clear casket, so those perverts could look at her corpse!”

I’m glaring at him now and the prince looks frightened.

“Why were you trying to take her body? Hasn’t the poor girl been through enough? I haven’t killed anyone deliberately, but once I heard of what you tried to do, I believe I may become a true evil queen… and snuff. you. out.”