Ebony White (A Snow White Tale)

Handsome Princes

The dwarves were uneasy when they woke up the next day and they all agreed something was going on within the inside of the mountain and were worried for Ebony. They agreed that Five would stay behind this time and keep watch.

Ebony thanked them all for looking out for her and wished them luck as they entered the tunnels.

Hours passed and Ebony couldn't get Five to talk to her. He was just too shy so say anything to her except to blush at everything. So Ebony had an idea to help the dwarf become relaxed so he wouldn't be so terribly shy.
   "Why don't we go outside? Out there we can talk under a nice shady tree instead of inside this dark cavern."

Five nodded his reply and shyly hid his face behind his hands as he walked with Ebony closely until they reached the hidden stone door.

With strength of ten men Five grabbed hidden notches in the stone and pulled. The door slowly was pulled out of its resting place and slid out. As the door rumbled aside letting the sunlight flood the dark small tunnel, Ebony breathed in the fresh air and smell of wild flowers.

She grabbed Five's hand gently to not spook him and lead him outside. Forgetting to close the door behind them.

Together they watched from a sunny little clearing the butterflies and birds of all different colours fly to and fro. Five was shy to it all and kept hiding behind his hands or his braided beard or the flower Ebony gifted him because she saw how much he liked them. And when it was getting late and as they were starting to walk back to the mountiain they both stopped and listened to the beautiful singing that had suddenly started.

For a moment the woods were filled with this sweet but deep voice and then seemingly from out of nowhere a handsome Prince riding a white horse rode passed. His golden crown shone brightly in the afternoon sun and his lovely voice sang to them.

Five his behind his beard and blushed extravagantly. Ebony thought the Prince was beautiful as well. When the Prince spotted them he trotted over on his horse and said to them,
   "Would such beautiful creatures like yourselves be so kind as to come back to my castle with me?"

Ebony turned away with a rosy blush creeping into her cheeks, though when she looked down on Five she saw how he blushed and twisted his braided beard around a stumpy finger.

   "I would love to see your castle Prince but I must decline your offer. I have to get dinner ready. However, my friend here would love to go with you."

The Prince looked down at the dwarf and with a kind smile he held out his hand. Five was unsure. But when Ebony told him it would be rude to deny the Prince twice the dwarf held out his own stubby hand and was lifted into the white horse with ease.

Together the dwarf and Prince rode off through the woods promising to be back by nightfall.

The moon was shining in the sky when the dwarves returned home looking beat and worn to find Ebony pacing by the entrance. When One asked where Five was she told them he had been taken by a handsome Prince to his castle and was supposed to be back by nightfall.

One told the other dwarves all to grab a torch and follow him. The dwarves left the caves and Ebony to search for their lovesick friend.

Ebony was quietly working over the fire cooking dinner when the dwarves returned and it was obvious they had all been weeping. Two told her they had found their friend abandoned and stabbed through the heart. Though the death was gruesome, Five had been wearing a shy smile.

Again the dwarves collected precious materials for their friends coffin, blue sapphires and gold because Five had found beauty in those. They placed him inside the coffin, sealed it up tight and placed him with the other two decorated coffins and their friends. The dwarves said heartfelt goodbyes before trudging back.

That night the remaining dwarves ate dinner slowly and separate while Ebony wove flowers into a blanket for herself by her waterfall.