"What happened to you?" the green-eyed boy asked, looking at the beautiful broken man before him.
"I was left in the darkness, so darkness is what I became."
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—Finn speaks to a group of people assembled by his men.
"The Queen demands the services of someone to navigate the Dark Forest."
The villagers stay silent, shaking their heads.
An old woman speaks, "No one goes into the Dark Forest."
Finn nods, unhappy. He bribes them, "You will be compensated."
Still no takers. An old-timer stares right at Finn, stepping forward. "There is one man." he says. "Lost his entire family."
"Where might I find him?" Finn asks.
"In the Inn. Drinking."
The sound of smashing wood grabs everyone's attention. They turn to see...
Zayn flying through the Inn's wall, landing in a heap on the ground.
"Appears he's finished." the old-timer says with a light chuckle.
Zayn, drunk, tries to focus as Broch strides through the same hole. He stands over him.
"You owe me money from my pocket and money for the girl!" Broch exclaims.
Zayn slurred, "I have it right here in my pocket. If you'll just help me up."
Zayn holds his hand out, waiting for him to take the bait. Broch walks over, suspicious. When he's close, Zayn grabs his arm and kicks with both feet in Broch's chest. Broch flies back, then strides to Zayn and kicks him in the side.
He yells again, "I want my money!"
"Actually, I seem to have drunk it all. You're welcome to it when it comes out again." Zayn drunkenly laughed.
Broch hauls him back up to his feet. He takes a swing but somehow the drunken Zayn dodges the blow, swinging back at him. Everyone has come out of the Inn to enjoy the fight. Zayn lands a body blow to Broch, who doubles over. Zayn comes in for the kill, winds up and swings. Hands lift him and drop him in a horse trough. He's underwater for a few seconds before he comes to and lifts up his head, eyes still closed. He laughs loudly, throwing his head back.
"I told you not to get decked-over," Dylan said, eating a piece of warm bread with butter he managed to steal during the fight from a table in the Inn.
Zayn hiccups, "If I hadn't, you wouldn't have that bread in your mouth."
They both suddenly smell a faint scent of perfume. Zayn opens his eyes to see Finn gazing down at him.
"Royalty." Dylan scoffs, shoving the last bit of bread in his mouth, "That explains it."
Finn takes a breath to calm himself, "The Queen demands your presence."
Zayn smirks, amused, "Can't you see I'm having a bath?" Dylan snorts with a loud laugh.
Two of Finn's men yank the drunken man from the trough, and Dylan's hand hovers over his hatchet, ready for a fight.
