Just for you Lift The Wings! Thanks so much!


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"How much further?" Rhoswen called up to Fawkes again and smirked at his back. Fawkes growled and mumbled under his breath, refusing to answer the question. Rhoswen looked down at Bry and saw his beady eyes open and taking everything in, "Fawkes! How much further!"

"Would you knock it off!" Fawkes shouted back at her and looked over his shoulder, "You are so annoying!"

"I have a lot of missed time to make up for!" She called back and then laughed as she looked down at her feet. They had been climbing the side of the mountain, heading for the peek, a few hours now and still they had not reached it. There hadn't been any green lightning bolts or sudden bursts of green flames or even the terrible screaming, but Rhoswen believed that the evil was changing its game plan. It knew they wouldn't back away now that they both knew it was all a trick.

"Alright! I give up!" Fawkes called back to her and stopped his march. He sat down on a rock and looked back at her, "You win! It's a trick. How do we get past it?"

"The only way I can think of," Rhoswen started and sat down beside him. She looked over the mountain and then at the peek, "Is to go under. Come up inside of the barrier."

"What?" Fawkes turned and stared at her, "Under?"

"These mountains belong to the dwarves and dwarves have their very own class of magic. Much like fairies. Maleficent can form a barrier on top, but underneath the dwarves have the power." Rhoswen explained to him and looked around the parts of the mountain she could see, "There should be an entrance into the mines somewhere close by."

"Back in the woods." Fawkes spoke up and stood from the rock, "You probably even passed it when you found me."

"Hm. I didn't see one." She commented and stood up as well, "Lead the way."

"I will." Fawkes replied and started down the path they had trekked up along. It didn't take them too long to hit the woods again and once in it wasn't too far of a hike to the entrance. Once there the two stood before it. Rhoswen wasn't convinced it was an entrance at all.

"That's an entrance?" Rhoswen asked and stared into the dark cave. There was fallen tree in front of the mouth of the cave that was held up diagonally by two other trees, "It looks more like a cave with a tree fallen in front of it."

"That's what it is. It's disguised." Fawkes replied and walked past her. He stood before the fallen tree and looked back at her, "Coming?"

"Yeah, yeah. Into the creepy cave the went and were never seen again." Rhoswen narrated and stepped into the cave. Fawkes followed behind her and gave a laugh.

"You're the one who suggested this." Fawkes pulled something from his pants pocket, "And ten the older, more wiser, and better looking sibling said, 'let there be light'."

The tunnel they were in was suddenly illuminated as though the sun itself was in the cave with them. Rhoswen looked down at his hand and spotted an orange-pink crystal. She knew it instantly.

"Where did you get a sunstone?" She asked and walked behind him.

"Took a whole lot from you before I left the cottage." He replied and gave a small shrug as though it were nothing. Rhoswen halted and closed her eyes, jaw clenched.

"You're the one who stole my crystals?" She asked and opened her eyes. Fawkes looked back at her and nodded, a smirk falling onto his lips, "After we have the kingdom back I'm sentencing you to be hung up for a week by your big toes."

"Ah yes. I can hear it now. The people shall call their queen, 'Rhoswen the Utterly Ridiculous'." Fawkes replied and shook his head. He turned around and continued to lead her down the tunnel. The tunnels went on forever it seemed like to the two. Rhoswen every now and then would look down at Bry in her arms and feel sorry for the little bird. She too knew that he would never fly again.

"Halt!" A voice shouted out from the end of the tunnel. Suddenly the sunstone went dark and left the three in darkness, "Who is it that comes this way!"

"My name is Fawkes. My sister, Rhoswen, follows behind." Fawkes called out, to whom they assumed was a dwarf, and held a hand out to his side. A signal that they shouldn't move any further down the tunnel yet.

"You cannot come further into these tunnels!" The voice shouted back, "Only dwarves dwell here!"

"Please, we must!" Fawkes started, " We need to get to-"

"I don't care where you need to go! You're not getting' there through these tunnels boy!" The dwarf shouted back and went silent.

"Boy? I am a Beastmaster from the ei-"

"Oh, please good and humble dwarf! We must pass through." Rhoswen cut Fawkes off and laid a hand on his arm. She moved past him and squinted her eyes down the dark tunnel, "We have a helpless bird with a broken wing and a royal sword in need of sharpening."

"A royal sword, you say?" The dwarf asked, his tone changing, "Royal sword from where?"

"The Sword of Truth!" Fawkes and Rhoswen replied in unison, but the dwarf scoffed back at them.

"What're you tryin' to pull?" The dwarf replied as the siblings listened closely to the little pitter-patter of footsteps as they approached. The crystal in Fawkes hand lit up again and they stared down at the dwarf before them, "The Sword of Truth went missin' ages ago. Everyone knows that."

"Please look." Rhoswen handed Fawkes Bry and took the sword from his pack. She moved closer to the dwarf and knelt before him with the sword on her hands. The dwarf's eyes went wide and he ran a small hand over the smooth side of the blade where an inscription laid.

"In truth lies justice, fortitude, and valour." The dwarf read and flipped the sword over to see the rest of the inscription, "A sword to defend with such great scalar."

The dwarf went silent as he stared down at the sword with wondering eyes. He ran a hand along it again and looked back at Rhoswen.

"I was one of the dwarves that forged The Sword of Truth for King Philip when he was still a prince." He commented and cracked a smirk, "It really is it. How did you find it?"

"My brother found it in Maleficent's ruined castle." Rhoswen spoke and looked down at the sword, "He washed away the evil that had tainted it, but I'm afraid that it's dulled from her wickedness."

"Well it's of no use anymore. She's dead and the kingdom is in ruin itself." The dwarf turned away and began walking down the tunnel. Rhoswen looked back at Fawkes and silently asked him what they should do, "Are you commin' or not?"

"Yes!" The twins replied in unison and ran after the dwarf. Fawkes watched the dwarf carefully, "Why the change of heart?"

"That chicken in your arms." The dwarf spoke up, but did not turn around.

"He's a gyrfalcon." Fawkes corrected and the dwarf waved it off.

"His wing is shattered." Rhoswen looked down at Bry in Fawkes arms and then looked away, "He'll never fly again."

"Oh yes he will!" Th dwarf snapped and spun on his heels to face them, "What would your mother think if she 'eard you talkin' like that?"

"My mother?" Rhoswen asked and looked to Fawkes. The dwarf sized Rhoswen up and then wagged a finger at her.

"She'd smack, you she would. Queen Valora didn't raise no faithless hooligans. So stop behavin' as such." The dwarf snapped and spun on his heels again, "Don't worry about the chicken. I'll 'ave 'im fixed in a jiffy."

The dwarf led them into another tunnel that seemed to stretch on forever, but a light up ahead quickly shot that from the twins minds. They approached an exit into the core of the mountain and walked into the large cavern. There were several tables set up in random spots and in the far back was a cot. Rhoswen looked up at the cavern ceiling and saw it sparkle with tiny little fragments of quick silver.

"These are the silver mines." She commented and looked over at the dwarf. He nodded his head and then motioned for Fawkes to hand him Bry.

"Be careful with him." Fawkes ordered and handed Bry to the dwarf.

"Stop worryin' 'bout your chicken. He'll be as good as new in a few moments." The dwarf walked towards a table and set Bry down, looking over his wing.

"Fawkes!" Rhoswen shouted out as she stared down upon something leaned against the back wall. Fawkes looked in her direction and then looked back at the dwarf.

"He's a gyrfalcon!" Fawkes shouted at the dwarf, who just waved off the correction again, and walked to his sister. Rhoswen ran out from behind a large stalagmite.

"Fawkes hurry!" Rhoswen shouted and grabbed a hold of his arm, dragging him behind her. She ran them back to where she had been standing and pointed down at the object leaning against the wall, "He's already found it."

Fawkes looked from her and stared down at the shield that laid against the cavern wall. It was an elegant shaped shield with silver trim. The main face of the shield was a white almost ivory color with the families crest; a tiger on the left and a wolf on the right, both facing an iris flower. Around the shield was an inscription; In Virtue Lies Righteousness, Charity, and Hope. A Shield To Defend Within Great Scope.

"But how?" This was all Fawkes managed to say as he read the inscription over again. He stared down at the shield, open mouthed, arched eyebrow, and trying to form an explanation.

"I went out for a walk one day and found that sittin' on the top of this 'ere mountain. Apparently that witch went up there to die. Had a difficult time pullin' that out of from her barrier." The dwarf spoke up as he walked around the stalagmite. He walked to the shield and stood beside it, grinning up at the two, "Made it look like new just for you deary."

"Thank you so much." Rhoswen smiled and picked up the shield. She looked to Fawkes and mouthed 'dwarf magic' to him with a smirk. She looked down at the shield, amazed at how it was the lightest thing she had ever held. It covered from her shoulders to the beginning of her thighs, held up by two leather straps in the back. She looked back down at the dwarf with a smile, "What is your name, master dwarf?"

"Iero." The dwarf replied, "Iero Gemender, your highness."

"Thank you Iero Gemender." Rhoswen gave a small bow of her head and looked to Fawkes, "What?"

"Where's Bry?" He asked and looked down at the dwarf. The dwarf gave a shake of his head and pointed up. The twins looked to the ceiling and spotted Bry gracefully sliding around, "How?"

"I created the greatest sword and shield of all time. I think I can manage to create a wing for a chicken." The dwarf chastised and looked back up at Bry. Rhoswen gave a small laugh and watched as Bry dove from the ceiling, landing softly on Fawkes shoulder.

"I don't know how we can ever repay you for what you've given us, Iero." Rhoswen spoke up and looked down at the dwarf.

"Don't worry your pretty little head Princess." The dwarf replied and looked between the two, "Will you go home now? Save the kingdom?"

"I hope s-"

"No." Fawkes cut Rhoswen off.

"What?" She snapped her head to him and narrowed her eyes.

"I'm going home. You have to find the outsiders." Fawkes shook his head at her and licked his lips. Rhoswen went to argue but suddenly a loud siren went off and startled the three of them. Rhoswen looked up towards the ceiling that shook and then to Fawkes in question at what was going on.

"You 'ave to get out of 'ere!" Iero shouted above the noise and ran towards the stalagmite. He turned back at them and waved them over.

"What's going on?" Fawkes asked as Bry gave a small chup.

"There's intruders in the mines. If the other find you your dead. They don't care whether or not you're royalty." Iero explained and then pointed to a tunnel back by his cot, "Go through that tunnel there and at the first fork go right. It'll lead you back up top."

"Thank you." Rhoswen gave him a smile and then ran towards the tunnel with Fawkes. They quickly ran through the dimly lit tunnel and stopped at the for,k, "He said right."

"I know but look." Fawkes pointed at the cave in down the right tunnel and looked back at her, "We have to go left."

Rhoswen groaned and followed after him down the left tunnel. It too was dimly lit and Rhoswen swore she smelled dragon's blood, but that couldn't be. They weren't anywhere near Dragon Mountain. She continued after her brother and followed him down another tunnel. They ran and ran through the darkness, the sirens long gone, and ran until Bry gave a loud KAAK in a signal of danger. They halted by the end of the tunnel they were in and waited, staring at one another.

"Giving up hope was the right thing to do." A rough voice spoke up from around the corner, "It may be slowly, but I always get what I want...Where's the dog? The one called Prince. Where's the girl?"

"Go to Hell." Rhoswen's eyes went wide at the familiar voice. She heard a knife unsheathed and carefully crept past Fawkes, who tried to grab at her, peeking around the corner. She clung to the tunnel wall and stared at Tony on the ground amongst rubble. On his neck, pressed firmly to his skin, was a dagger. The man who held it was the Huntsman.

"I'm not gonna ask again. Where are they?" The Huntsman asked again. Rhoswen pulled herself back and looked to Fawkes. She noticed something sitting in a cleaved out part of the tunnel and looked around him. There sat Prince, wagging his tail, "You will tell me. I'll cut it out of you if I have to."

"...Rose no..." Fawkes whispered as softly as he could when Rhoswen peeked around the corner again. She didn't listen to him and rounded the corner with the shield. She bashed the Huntsman in the head and pushed him off of Tony.

"Rose!" Tony called out and looked up at her, but she ignored him and watched as the Huntsman stood up. He pulled his dagger from the ground and stared at her hard. He went to slash at her, but was hit in the forehead by a rock. Rhoswen snapped to look behind her and stared wide eyed at Virginia, who was panting. Fawkes stepped out from behind the corner with Bry on his shoulder and nodded his head.

"Nice throw." He commented and looked down at Virginia. She looked up at him and gave a small smile before looking at her father.

"Get up dad." Virginia ordered him and walked closer. Tony shook his head at her.

"I can't. My back, it's-"

"Not broken. At least not anymore." Virginia replied and knelt down beside him. Fawkes walked further into the little cavern and up to the Huntsman. He was knocked out cold.

"Damn..." He said under his breath and looked to Rhoswen, "She throws better then you do."

"Yeah, cause it's so hard to beat me." Rhoswen rolled her eyes and looked down at Virginia, "Looks like you have a new admirer."

"Yeah, yeah. Dad get up." Virginia ordered again and pulled on his arm. Tony slowly sat up, preparing for the most horrible pain, but none came.

"Wha...how?" Tony asked and stood up from the ground. Virginia tried to hold back a grin and looked from him to Rhoswen.

"I found the most beautiful place in here. Come on." She dragged her father behind her and back into the tunnel she had come out of. Fawkes and Rhoswen followed behind closely as she led them to a cavern of snow and ice.

"It is pretty." Rhoswen commented when she saw Virginia's disappointed expression, "It reminds me of home. All the ice crystals. I love it."

"No! She was here." Virginia snapped and walked further into the cavern. Prince trotted around and sniffed the snow.

"Who?" Fawkes asked and walked up behind her. Virginia looked to him and slowly shook her head, dejected. Fawkes looked back at Rhoswen, who arched an eyebrow at him, and then quickly looked away.

"How about a way out of here?" Tony spoke up and looked around at them all.

"Over here!" Prince barked, calling the other to attention. Rhoswen walked over to him and looked down the tunnel he stood at. She listened closely and heard rushing water.

"He found it!" She shouted back to the others, "I think there's a river at the end of this tunnel!"