Liz Parker and the Seven Humans (AU, M/L, Teen) 1/1
Author: Zanity
Summary: A Dreamer version of Snow White
Rating: Teen
Disclaimer: I don’t own anything.
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful Queen named Nancy who gave birth to a beautiful daughter whom she named Liz before she passed away do too complications with the childbirth.
King Jeffery was devastated at the loss of his wife and sought comfort in wine and women for the space of a year; until he met the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He then married her for her beauty. Tess was very beautiful, but so proud and haughty that she could not bear to be surpassed in beauty by anyone.
She possessed a magical mirror which could answer her when she stood before it and queried, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest one of all?"
The mirror answered, "You, my Queen, are the fairest one of all."
And the Queen was contented, because she knew the mirror could speak nothing but the truth.
But as time passed on, little Liz Parker grew more and more beautiful, until when she was seven years old, she was as lovely as the bright day, even more lovely than the Queen herself, so that when Queen Tess one day asked her mirror, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest one of all?"
It answered, "You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But Liz Parker is a thousand times fairer than you."
The Queen was horrified, and from that moment envy and pride grew in her heart like weeds. Year by year Liz Parker grew more beautiful and the Queen grew more bitter, and the evil in her heart grew stronger. Until one day she called a hunter and ordered, "Take the girl away into the woods and kill her, for I can no longer bear the sight of her. And when you return bring with you her heart, so that I may know you have obeyed my will."
Michael dared not disobey the Queen in fear of his own life, so he led Liz Parker out into the woods and raised his hand to blast her, but when the time came the girl's beauty and innocence touched his heart with pity, and he could not bring himself to take her life. So he told her to run away.
Then as a wild boar came rushing by, he killed it, took out its heart, and carried it home to the Queen.
Poor Liz Parker was now all alone in the untamed forest. She was so frightened that she trembled at every leaf that rustled. So she began to run, and she ran on and on until she came to a house. Tired from all her running she went in to rest.
In the house everything she saw was clean and organized.
Upon a white-covered table stood seven plates and upon each plate lay a spoon, besides which there were seven knives and forks and seven goblets. Against the wall, and side by side, stood seven beds covered with white sheets.
Liz was so hungry and thirsty that she took a little food from each of the seven plates, and drank a few sips of wine from each goblet, for she did not wish to take everything away from one. Then, because she was so tired, she crept into one bed after the other, seeking sleep, but one was too long, another too short, and one was too hard, and one was too soft, and so on, until she came to the seventh, which suited her exactly; so she said her prayers and soon fell fast asleep.
As day turned into night the owners of the house came home. They were seven humans, scientists and doctors who worked to improve the living conditions of everyone.
They turned on their seven lights and then saw that someone had been to visit them. The first one questioned, "Who has been sitting on my chair?"
The second one demanded, "Who has been eating from my plate?"
The third, "Who has taken a piece of my bread?"
The fourth, "Who has taken some of my vegetables?"
The fifth, "Who has been using my fork?"
The sixth, "Who has been cutting with my knife?"
The seventh, "Who has been drinking out of my goblet?"
The first looked round and saw that his bed was rumpled, so he asked, "Who has been getting into my bed?"
Then the others looked round and each one cried, "Someone has been on my bed too?"
But the seventh saw Liz Parker lying asleep in his bed, and called the others to come and look at her; and they cried aloud with surprise, and crowded closer so that they might see her better, and they were so pleased with her beauty that they let her sleep on all night.
When the sun rose Liz awoke and was frightened at first when she saw the seven humans. But they were very friendly, and asked what her name was. "My name is Liz Parker," she answered.
"And how did you come to be in our house?" questioned the humans.
Then she told them how her cruel step-mother had intended her to be killed, but how the hunter had spared her life and she had run on until she reached their house. And the humans said, "If you will take care of our house, cook for us, and make the beds, wash, mend, and knit, and keep everything neat and clean, then you may stay with us and we shall make sure that you shall want for nothing."
Liz thanked them from the bottom of her heart and agreed to their terms.
She kept the house neat and clean for the humans, who went off early in the morning to search for cures and new ways to make food grow better, and who expected their meal to be standing ready for them when they returned at night.
All day long Liz was alone, and the good humans warned her to be careful to let no one into the house because her step-mother would soon discover that she was living there.
The Queen, believing, of course, that Liz Parker was dead, and that therefore she was again the most beautiful in all the land, went to her mirror, and asked, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest one of all?"
Then the mirror answered, "You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But Liz Parker is a thousand times fairer than you… Over the hills and far away, with seven humans she does live today."
How angry she was, for she knew that the mirror spoke the truth, and that the hunter must have deceived her. She thought and thought how she might kill Liz Parker, for she knew she would have neither rest nor peace until she really was the most beautiful lady in the land.
At length she decided what to do. She mindwarped the image old peddler-woman, so that no one could recognize her, and in this disguise she climbed the seven mountains that lay between her and the humans' house, and knocked at their door and cried, "Good wares to sell very cheap today!"
Liz peered from the window and said, "Good day, good wife, and what are your wares?"
"All sorts of pretty things, my dear," answered the woman. "Beads and trinkets, shampoos and skin creams of every kind," and she gave Liz a mental nudge.
"Surely I might let this honest old woman come in?" thought Liz, and unbolted the door and bought a skin cream.
But as she applied the cream it became hard to breathe and she fell down upon the ground as though she were dead. "Now," said the Queen, "I am once more the most beautiful lady in the land." And she went away.
When the humans came home they were very grieved to find their dear little Liz lying upon the ground as though she were dead. They quickly checked her pulse and finding her still alive but barely, they began to apply their trade. Soon they had found a cure for the poison.
After Liz awoke they asked her what had happened and she told her tale. When the humans heard all that had happened they said, "The peddler-woman was certainly the wicked Queen. Now, take care in future that you open the door to no one when we are not with you."
The wicked Queen had no sooner reached home than she went to her mirror, and asked, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest one of all?"
And the mirror answered as before, "You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But Liz Parker is a thousand times fairer than you… Over the hills and far away, with seven humans she does live today."
The blood rushed to her face as she heard these words, for she knew that Liz must have some how survived.
"But I will manage to put an end to her yet," she said, and then, she used her powers to make a poisonous comb.
Again she disguised herself, climbed the seven mountains, and knocked at the door of the seven humans' cottage, crying, "Good wares to sell very cheap today!"
Liz looked out of the window and said, "Go away, good woman, for I dare not let you in."
“Surely you can look at my goods," answered the woman, and held up the poisonous comb, and gave Liz a nudge with her mind. Suddenly the comb pleased Liz so much that she opened the door and bought it.
"Come, let me comb your hair in the newest way," exclaimed the woman, again with a mental nudge, and Liz let her have her way, but no sooner did the comb touch her hair than the poison began to work, and she fell fainting to the ground.
"There, you model of beauty," said the wicked woman, as she went away, "you are done for good!"
But fortunately it was almost time for the humans to come home, and as soon as they came in and found Liz lying upon the ground they guessed that her wicked step-mother had been there again, and set to work to find out what was wrong.
They soon saw the poisonous comb, and drew it out, tested it and gave Liz the antidote and almost immediately she began to recover, and tell them what had happened.
Once more they warned her to be on her guard, and to open the door to no one.
When the Queen reached home, she went straight to the mirror and demanded, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest one of all?"
And the mirror answered as before, "You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But Liz Parker is a thousand times fairer than you… Over the hills and far away, with seven humans she does live today."
When the Queen heard these words she shook with rage. "Liz Parker shall die," she cried, "even if it costs me my own life to manage it."
She went into a secret chamber, where no one else ever entered, and there she made a poisonous apple with a poison that had no antidote, and then she midwarped a disguise for herself as a peasant woman, and climbed the seven mountains and went to the humans' house.
She knocked at the door. Liz put her head out of the window, and said, "I must not let anyone in; the seven humans have forbidden me to do so."
"It's all the same to me," answered the peasant woman; "I shall soon get rid of these fine apples. But before I go I'll make you a present of one."
"Oh! No," said Liz, "I can not accept."
"Surely you are not afraid of poison?" said the woman. "See, I will cut one in two: the red half you shall take, and the white half I will eat myself."
Now, the apple had been so cleverly made that only the red half contained the poison. With a mental nudge from Tess, soon Liz longed for the delicious looking fruit, and when she saw that the woman ate half of it, she thought there could be no danger, and stretched out her hand and took the other part. But no sooner had she tasted it than she fell down as dead.
The wicked Queen laughed aloud with joy as she gazed at her. "Beautiful and foolish Liz Parker," she said, "this time the humans cannot awaken you."
When the humans came home shortly after Tess left they found Liz lying upon the ground. They lifted her tenderly and sought the poison which was the cause of her current condition. When they discovered the toxin they bemoaned the fact there was no cure. They still could not let her die. They put forth all their combined talents and worked all night and built a stasis pod that would keep her safely beyond the boundaries of time. For with out time to work the poison could never kill her. Then and all seven of them sat round about it, and wept as though their hearts would break, for three whole days.
When the Queen got home and asked her mirror, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest one of all?"
The mirror at long last once again answered, "You, my Queen, are the fairest one of all."
So her envious heart had peace, at least, so much peace as an envious heart can have.
The humans made sure the pod was transparent so her beauty could be seen and they wrote her name upon it in letters of gold; also they wrote that she was a King's daughter. Then they placed the pod upon the mountaintop, and took turns to watching over it. And all the animals came and wept for Liz, first an owl, then a raven, and then a little dove.
For many months Liz Parker lay in the pod, but her form did not wither; she only looked as though she slept, for she was still as beautiful as ever.
Then one day a King's son, Max came into the woods, and went to the humans' house, meaning to spend the night there. He saw the pod upon the mountaintop, with Liz Parker lying within it, and he read the words that were written upon it in letters of gold.
And he said to the humans, "If you will but let me have the pod, you may ask of me what you will, and I will give it to you."
But the humans answered, "We would not sell it for all the gold in the world."
Then Max pleaded, "Let me have it as a gift, I pray you, for I cannot live without seeing Liz Parker, and I will prize your gift as the dearest of my possessions."
The good humans pitied him when they heard these words, and so gave him the pod.
As Max was leaving he asked what had killed her so young with out marring her beauty. When they told him she was not yet dead but merely poisoned with toxin which had no antidote, Max’s eyes went wide and he immediately ordered them to wake her. The authority in his voice was too much for the humans to deny so they did his bidding.
As Liz opened her eyes, Max formed a connection. He delved his mind deep into her body and altered the molecular structure of the toxin to render it harmless.
"Where am I?" Liz cried, and the happy prince answered, "You are with me, my dearest."
Then he told her all that had happened, and how he loved her more than all the world, and begged her to go with him to his father's palace and be his wife. Liz Parker consented, and went with him.
The wedding was celebrated with great splendor and magnificence as it was combined with Max’s coronation as his parents stepped down and turned over the kingdom to the next generation.
Liz’s wicked step-mother was bidden to the feast, and when she had arrayed herself in her most beautiful garments, she stood before her mirror, and asked, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest one of all?"
And the mirror answered, "You, my queen, are fair; it is true. But the young queen is a thousand times fairer than you."
The wicked woman uttered a curse, and she became so frightened, so frightened, that she did not know what to do. At first she did not want to go to the wedding, but she found no peace. She had to go and see the young queen. When she arrived she recognized Liz Parker immediately, and terror seized her.
Just before the new king and queen retired to their wedding chamber. Max passed judgment on the wicked woman.
Upon his departure with his beautiful bride, his men invaded Tess’s mind and forced her to perform an erotic dance for the remaining guests. She fought their control with her mind but it was no use. Tess danced until both mind and body gave out and she collapsed to the ground dead.
THE END