"And not long, she opened her eyes,
lifted the lid of the coffin and stood upright
and was alive again."
- Brothers Grimm -

The countless candles cast dancing lights on the cave's rock walls with the smooth-hewn stone. Their flames danced in the breezes coming in through the long hallway that flowed into this bandit-made tomb.

Up here, so near the top, it was freezing. No glass coffin awaited him; Leander had to admit that the block of ice in which they had bedded the girl was impressive. Although all this represented nothing more than a farce to attract foolish princes and knights with full pockets, it truly set off the precious treasure in the ice.

Leander had his arms folded behind his back as he approached the icy coffin. The candlelight crept golden yellow across the ice, making the damp walls shimmer like liquid gold. 

"Hair black as ebony, skin white as snow..." he murmured, eyes scanning over the delicate face, the rosy lips, and long lashes. Bending over her, his fingers touched the doll-like face, filling him with hot, expectant tingles. Yes...she was perfect. She would be his queen, beautiful and obedient, as a well-behaved, willing puppet should be.

"Everything is ready," announced Grim, whose face the shadow crept even deeper into the scars.

Leander tore his gaze away from the sleeping beauty and let it slide over the bound bandit, whom his friends had chosen for the occasion like cattle for slaughter. He pulled and tugged at the ropes but failed to free himself from the grips of his cronies. He screamed desperately against the filthy gag in his mouth - in vain.

When Leander drew the long knife with the curled blade, his eyes widened in agony. The jerk of the knife made his body tremble and quiver under the force of the cuts. Crunching and smacking, tearing ligaments, and breaking bones sounded again from the walls like a sinister melody as Leander raised his voice and spoke the black words. The air seemed to grow thicker, each breath heavier, and the crackle and flicker of magic made each breath and heartbeat richer.

The flames of the candles trembled, struggling against the darkness that filled the room all at once. It was easy for him to reach for the strings of magic as warm blood flowed over his hands. Under the ritual sounds of his words, he strode to the coffin of ice with the fresh, just throbbing heart in his hands.

Blood dripped to the ground, setting ruby red drops on ice and stone as he stretched it in his hands. Whatever blessing had lain upon the poor child, whatever curse had ended her life or spun her sleep as well - now he reshaped the threads of that spell, snatched it to himself, and imbued it with the darkness of his black power. Like an invisible crescendo, the ghostly shadows and shadows swirled in the tomb, making even the bandits tremble fearfully under the control that spilled over into them from worlds unknown, manifesting in the streaks of magic that now took over everything in the cavern. Like ink falling into the water, drop by drop, everything seemed... darker.

Leander's fingers dug into the blood-soaked muscle, pushing out the breath of life with force and magic... and three drops of blood tumbled down onto the pale lips of the sleeping beauty amid the icy cold.

The black prince could feel his threads wrapped around her soul and will. He was grasping the little light, binding and tying her. With her, this kingdom would be his... once they had cleared the last obstacle: The Queen.

Leander couldn't resist reaching out and spreading the beautiful red on the lovely lips with his thumb...

'Lips as red as blood,' the dark prince thought delightedly as the ruby drops rolled into the slightly open mouth. Then he leaned down, and with the last, sinister words, his breath caught in the kiss of death and life.

As the long lashes fluttered and she took her first, heavy breath, the prince grinned with satisfaction. 

His puppet had awakened.