"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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(A/n this chapter is gonna be kinda different. flashbacks/mentions of sexual assault)
—A shaft of light pours through the cave roof high above, bats circling. The dwarves move effortlessly down the labyrinth but Harry, Dylan, Zayn, and Louis have to squeeze through the cracks. Harry, the huntsmen, and Louis emerge from the cave to see a shimmering landscape of glistening moss and sunlight. It's like a mirage. The air is filled with specks of pollen and a strange humming noise echoes like music. For Harry, it's the most beautiful sound he's ever heard. Next to him, Nion snorts.
"Blasted fairy music," he complains, "Wish I had some wax to stuff my ears."
Gort scoops up a handful of moss and mounds himself some ear plugs, sticking them in his ears. Harry is still mesmerized by the fairy music and the shimmering haze.
Harry was suddenly in a drunken dreamy state, "What is this place?"
Dylan, Louis, and Zayn look just as dazzled.
"They call it Sanctuary, my prince. The Enchanted Forest. It's the home of the fairies." Gus confirmed.
Slowly the hazy curtain gives way to an enchanted forest, as different to the dark forest as one could imagine. Life grows everywhere—lush grass, proud trees covered in butterflies, bubbling streams, moss covered tortoises, foxes and rabbits side by side, exotic flowers and everywhere the life-giving pollen. Harry sees tiny figures flying behind the trees, almost too fast to spot, the pollen following them in long trails.
"Fairies." Dylan said in a dreamy tone.
Gort scoffed, "Pests are more like it."
Of the other dwarves, only the blind Muir seems to appreciate the beauty around him, enjoying the vibrations on his face.
"Let's set up camp." Beith ordered.
At the stone ruins, the sun sets. Hearty, soulful singing. Seated among the ruins, the dwarves sing a Celtic ballad as old as time, Gus playing the fiddle. Coll and Duir sit away from the others, gazing out with the thousand yard stare of hardened war veterans.
Coll smiles, "That song takes me back to the battle of Tylweth Gate. A small horde versus an army. Pickaxes against swords and spears."
"Then were the days." Duir agreed, "What happened to your quailing cough?"
Coll shakes his head, "dunno". The two of them smile then join in the singing. A drunken Gort takes a swig of ale and staggers over to Gus.
"Play louder, you whey-face, I can still hear those harpy fairies." Gort said.
He takes another swig and sings at the top of his voice, out of tune, trying to drown out the humming of the unseen fairies. Harry and Zayn look on at the dwarves. Everyone is content and satisfied, and Harry wouldn't have it any other way. They look to see Louis chatting to Dylan, but he just stares at the fire, ignoring him.
