Ebony White (A Snow White Tale)

The Depths

The following day the dwarves didn't want to enter the mines or leave Ebony on her own. There was an unknown danger lurking around the mountain. However, the dwarves needed to work. So with grimm faces they went back into the mines while Four stayed behind with Ebony.

Ebony watched them go as they stomped down into the tunnels. Only three dwarves left and it made her remember how joyful the dwarves had been when all seven of them had been around.

After an hour of mending clothes by her waterfall, Four sat silently beside her and held out a worn piece of parchment paper. Without his tongue he couldn't speak, but the squat dwarf could still write to communicate.

She sat down her needle and read the message Four had written her. He asked if she wanted to go swimming? She was delighted by the request.

Quickly she finished with the clothes and stitching that needed done and went with Four as he lead her down more tunnels she'd never been to. Then he turned into a wonderful enormous cave with a lake that went from one side to the other. It's beautiful blue green surface was still and surrounding the lake were clusters of crystals that provides multi-coloured light.
   "This is so beautiful Four. Thank you for bringing me here." Ebony thanked the dwarf and together they swam the length of the lake and back.

When they were both back where they started Ebony wanted to show Four just how good of a swimmer she was.

She called to him and once she knew he was watching she took a deep breath and dived below the surface. When she reached the bottom she stayed there for a moment before swimming back to the surface.

Four nodded happily and clapped his hands when she swam back. When she was sitting beside him again he pointed down into the lake than back to himself.
   "Do you want to try?" She asked.

Nodding, Four got up and once he knew Ebony was watching he dove into the water. She watched him swim until he got too deep to see clearly. Then he was at the dark bottom. And she waited. And waited. And waited some more. But Four never came back up.

When the dwarves came back earlier than usual they found Ebony sitting by the tunnels entrance wet and cold. One asked her where she'd been and where their friend was?
   "We went into a cave with a wonderful lake and Four was showing me how he could swim and he never came back up. I couldn't find him."

While Two lead Ebony to her waterfall the others searched for the underground lake. When they entered the cave they found Four floating on the surface.

With leaden hearts they pulled their friend from the water and carried him back to the others. And again they built another coffin. This one made from amethyst and jade. Fours favourite colours combined. And again the remaining dwarves carried the coffin to where the others rested and placed it beside their fallen friends.

That night it was late before the dwarves ate by a roaring fire, singing songs of their missing friends while Ebony sung her own tune by the beat of her waterfall.