They were man and wife. Prince and princess. And they would live happily ever after.

‘I think we should keep it,’ the prince said. ‘As a souvenir of how we met.’ He stroked the glass coffin on the back of the cart.

‘Technically, we didn’t meet that way,’ Snow White said. ‘I wasn’t exactly there. But if it has sentimental value to you then why not. I love that the dwarves made it for me. That they didn’t bury me.’ She smiled at Grouchy. ‘You saved me, really.’

The day was getting hotter and after a quick wedding breakfast at the inn, the dwarves were getting ready to say their farewells and head back into the forest. Dreamy wasn’t looking forward to it. It had all happened so fast and now Snow White was heading off to live in a completely different kingdom. It was for her own good, he knew, but he wished he and Grouchy could stay too. Not that it was possible. Dwarves belonged in the mines, and if they didn’t return the rest of their team would suffer.

‘Here,’ the prince reached into his money pouch and pulled out several gold coins. ‘To replace your cart and pony. If you don’t mind us taking them.’ He stroked the pony’s mane. ‘She’s worked hard. She deserves a good retirement.’

‘Then you take her,’ Grouchy said. ‘You’ll give her a better life than we can.’ The prince pressed the coins into Dreamy’s protesting hands. He could smell sweet apples on the metal from where they’d shared space with the crone’s cursed gift to Snow. Was this now poisoned money, he wondered. Why did that thought give him such a chill? He shook it away. Grouchy was right. He spent far too much time with his head in books. His imagination was getting too able to carry him away.

‘But we should buy ourselves some horses to ride home on,’ the prince said. ‘I can’t walk back into the castle. I need a proper horse and mine is lost.’

‘Let me get changed first,’ Snow White said. ‘I want my normal clothes on.’ She reached up and kissed her husband on his nose. ‘Wait here.’ The prince blushed and Dreamy felt better. Money could be washed. There was nothing tainted here.

The prince had bought her several fine dresses from the seamstress, but when she emerged she was wearing her riding breeches and white shirt, and her hair was pulled back in an untidy knot. Natural beauty shone from her and she took the prince’s hand and dragged him to the horse merchant. The prince looked surprised at what she was wearing, but it made Dreamy smile. It was her, their princess, earthy and passionate and back with them again.