Fairytale Part 4 - Orders

(See here for part 3)

The Queen had just put down "The Prince's Deeply" as Yakovarol proudly marched in. 

"Huntsman," she began, for she never could get the new employee's name right. "I've just finished reading a very interesting fact." She stood and began to pace. "It concerns my stepdaughter, Snow White. According to the Prince in the Well, my dearly lost froggy-prince hero, she has surpassed me in beauty. This cannot be. The Human Resources manager, who appears to be very knowledgeable in all matters, assures me that since I am her stepmother, I must be more beautiful. As this is apparently not the case, he informs me that I must have Snow White driven from the castle." Here she paused, and turned to Yakovarol, who stood quietly confused at attention. "Huntsman, what are your thoughts right now?"

Yakovarol was about to answer "I've something stuck in my tooth" when a question plopped itself in his head. "Your majesty, if Snow White goes, Rose Red, her sister, is sure to follow. One cannot be separated from the other. What of this?"

"Very good point, my huntsman." The queen for a moment thought, then rang a bell. In came Napoleon D.,  the Human Resources manager. "Napoleon, Rose Red will not abide here if Snow White departs. What does the book say?"

Napoleon reached into his carpet bag-like pocket, and drew forth a book, whose title Yakovarol knew to be "How to Run an Evil Castle for Dummies." He thumbed around for a moment before responding. "My queen, it appears that she shall then also be driven from the place."

The queen was obviously very touched by this, for she loved her stepdaughters rather dearly. However, she knew that her position, as described by Napoleon, dictated her to behave in certain ways. She could not be benevolent and run an evil castle, could she? And she still had three years left on her employment contract. "Very well. Huntsman, may you please escort the princesses out of the castle. Don't forget to give them enough food and resources to get as far as the magical woods."


Yakovarol bowed deeply, and departed. He was unsure of how to proceed, so he sought the assistance of the second eldest brother, Leper Khan (You see, many years before, Khan had gotten leprosy, but this version of the disease primarily affected his follicles, and resulted in his hair turning completely red. Thereafter, he was known as Leper Khan). After a brief consultation, the two brothers tramped to the princesses' room, and hesitatingly knocked on the door. Rose Red answered the door.