Snow paced back and forth in her grand bedroom, her long white sleeping gown floating with her as she moved. It was a few hours past midnight but she couldn't sleep.

The new Queen took a seat on her large plush bed and laid back. She closed her wintergreen eyes and tried to make herself fall asleep yet again. There was much she had to do in the morning. An entire country full of pressing matters awaited her. She needed the rest, but rest wouldn't come. And, the absence of her husband's warm body next to her only made her restlessness worse.

Footsteps echoed against the marble floor in the hall outside of her room. Snow's eyes shot open as she sprang up into a sitting position. Taking hold of the cherry wood bed post, she looked toward the door, hoping that the clicking sound was a sign that her husband was finally home from hunting.

The footsteps became louder and louder against the marble until they stopped in front of her closed door. As the door knob slowly turned, a happy grin spread across her face like wild fire. The door opened fully and her husband entered.

Not seeing her up, he walked in slowly and dirtier than ever. His usually light brown hair was now a mud caked brown against the candle light. He gently took off his leather jacket and linen shirt, and placed them on a nearby chair, dirt crumbling off of his bare chest as he did. As he untied the front of his leather trousers, he caught his wife's open eyes and wide smile. She let out a girlish giggle and was met with her husband's heart stopping grin.

"What are you doin up at this time of night, lass? Shouldn't you be gettin your beauty sleep?" his deep Scottish voice questioned.

"I can't sleep. I missed my husband," Snow teased.

"Aye. I've missed you too, my Queen," he bowed.

Snow grabbed a pillow and threw it at her husband who easily dodged it. "Don't you, 'my Queen' me, Eric. I've told you time and time again. I'm your wife. You needn't call me that."

"Aye, love." Taking a few slow strides, Eric stood in front of his royal wife and bent down so they're faces were at the same level. "Why else do you think I call you that than to get your wee undergarments in a bunch."

Snow jokingly stuck out her tongue in response. Eric grabbed his wife's chin and took her tongue into his mouth, opening hers with his. She groaned against his deep kiss.

Pulling away, he looked deeply into his wife's eyes. "I have missed you so much, my love."

"Me too," she smiled.

Eric gave her a sweet peck on her thin lips again before standing back up.

"Did you catch anything for the feast tomorrow?"

"Aye. I caught a few deer, two boars, a couple wolves, some pheasants and rabbits, a basket of fish, and...," he thought for a moment. "A bear."

"Impressive."

"Well, they don't call me The Huntsman for nothin, lass," he winked as Snow rolled her eyes and smirked.

Eric headed over to his cupboard full of clean clothes. "So, what has my love up at this time of night, other than the absence of her strikinly handsome husband?"

"Just a few things that occurred today," her smile faded as she twisted a strand of her raven hair around her finger.

Eric noticed his wife's change in attitude. "Anythin you want to talk about?"

"Perhaps in a little while. But right now, I just want to hold you," she stated, reaching out her hand to him.

"Alright, love. Let me get cleaned up. I wouldn't want to get you and those lovely new sheets dirty," he chuckled.

"Eric, come here. I want you just as you are. Dirt, sweat, and all."

"Are you sure?"

"Always," she said as she reached out her other hand.

Eric obeyed. Dropping the fresh clothes, his bulky frame moved forward and sat next to her on the bed. Slowly, he leaned his head down and caught her thin crimson lips in his again. He had missed the taste of her.

Snow's hands caressed his neck and cheek softly. Eric broke the kiss and with his eyes closed, he touched his forehead to hers. "I love you," he whispered.

"Oh really?," she whispered back. "I might love you too. Just maybe."

"Just maybe, huh? Looks like I'll have to give you more of a reason to." Eric took her lips in his again, but deepened the kiss. He massaged her tongue with his as he slowly laid her back on the bed. He broke the kiss and moved down her neck, nibbling on her shoulder.

Snow gasped with ecstasy. "Ok. I love you too," she breathed out.

Eric lifted his head and smiled victoriously. "I thought you did." He leaned down again and lightly kissed her. Laying his head on her chest, he listened to her heart beat. "I love this sound."

"What sound?" Snow questioned as she played with Eric's greasy hair.

"Your heartbeat. It's my favorite sound in the world. There was a time when I couldn't hear it. But now that it beats, I'll never take advantage of that beautiful sound again," he stated.

"It beats because of you, my love." Snow smiled and kissed his head. Eric caressed her side, kissed her heart, and lifted his head so he was looking into her eyes. Snow continued to play with his hair, as she usually did.

"So, what is it that is on my love's mind tonight," Eric asked, taking her free hand and stroked her soft fingers with his own hard calloused ones.

"Many things. But, the main issue is...," she sighed. "That I don't know how to decorate the smaller room next to ours," Snow stated.

Eric looked up from her hand to her eyes again. "Really?," he laughed. "That's your biggest problem? I thought perhaps someone wanted to start a war or maybe taxes on chocolate had to be raised."

"I would never tax chocolate. Women throughout my kingdom must be free to buy cheap and delicious chocolate at all times," Snow smiled.

Eric chuckled. "A very wise decision that I'm sure all their husbands appreciate." Eric lightly kissed Snow again.

"As they should," she giggled.

"So the room. Why is it so important for you to decorate it?" he asked as his focus went back to her slender fingers.

"Well. We're going to be having a special visitor in the near future, and it can't remain the way it is now."

"Why not?"

"It just can't."

"...Alright then." Eric knew better than to question his wife's insanity. "Well, your highness. I don't know how an adviser, such as myself, can help with these types of matters. I am after all more of a battle adviser, not a room decorator."

"But, you can help me rule out some ideas at least."

Eric let out a tired sigh. "What are your ideas thus far?"

"I was thinking of decorating it with some gold and green trinkets. Or perhaps some subtle pastel colors, like blue or pink. What do you think?"

"I don't know. Maybe a forest green trimmed with some gold? And then I could always spruce it up with a lovely deer head or wolf coat rug."

Snow let out a small laugh, "That may be a bit much. Our visitor may find the deer head and wolf skin a bit too frightening."

"Well, who is our visitor so I may make better judgments?"

"Our visitor doesn't have a name."

Eric looked up at his wife again in complete confusion. "No name? Is it a man or a woman?"

"I'm not sure."

Eric sat up on his elbow. "So this person has no name and we are unsure if it is a man or woman."

"Correct."

"This is one of your riddles isn't it? You want me to guess," Eric chuckled.

"Correct again, sir," Snow smiled.

"Alright. What is the importance of this person coming to the castle?"

"They will change all of our lives forever."

"Sounds like quite a person. Change us in what way?"

"In all ways."

Eric sighed. "Can you just give me a straight answer, woman? It's a bit late for guessing games, love."

"No. This is too much fun," Snow laughed.

Eric groaned. "Alright then. When is this 'special' person joining us?"

"In about 7 or 8 months. So we have plenty of time to decorate," Snow stated. Her attention on her husband became such, as if she were waiting for a candle to be lit in his head.

"Okay...so this 'special' visitor is unnamed, could be scared of my kills, will change our lives forever when they arrive in 7 or 8 months, and..." Eric stopped mid-sentence. He sat up fast and looked down at Snow.

The candle had in fact been lit.

Eric's mouth was agape while he connected the dots and computed this new information.

"Snow...please tell me I'm not dreamin. Please tell me that I'm thinkin what I ought to be thinkin," Eric stated as his sapphire eyes grew wider.

Snow's grin grew as tears puddled in her eyes, "And what are you thinking, my love?" she teased.

Eric let go of her hand and laid his across her flat abdomen. "That there's a little prince or princess lyin here with us. And that's the visitor of which you speak of, joinin us in 8 months time."

"I knew you'd figure it out," she grinned as she took his face in her hands and stroked his cheeks.

Eric caught her lips in his once more for a deep kiss.

"Oh, Snow. I love you so much," he whispered. "You evil tease of a queen."

Moving a strand of his dirty hair behind his equally dirty ear, Snow adoringly replied, "Yes. But, I'm your evil queen."

Eric smiled down with the same adoring look. "Aye, thank the heavens for that."