Three days later in the late afternoon, the brothers came marching back, and Snow was there to graciously let them in. The house was especially clean for their return, and Snow began to fret around them, asking how the trip was and how the delivery went.
"It went fell, erm, well," Doc said.
"They brought a human jeweler there," Sleepy said, making a face.
"Rowan?" Snow asked.
"Naw. 'Nother fella," Happy said.
"Whatever for?" Snow asked, perplexed.
"Ta make sure the jew'lry was good enough," Grumpy said from the top of the stairs.
"Now Grumpy, don't presume," Doc said as Grumpy came down. "Perhaps they just, erm, wanted to show off?"
Grumpy noticed the question and scowled at Doc. He wasn't fooled. They'd wanted to make sure the Dwarfs weren't trying to cheat them. It made him angry to think that humans felt that way about these brothers, who were as close to family as he'd ever known. They were honest and hardworking and would never cheat anybody. But they were also foolish. They knew little about humans and their real thoughts about Dwarfs. They were so positive. But he didn't say a word as he passed by Doc and went to Sneezy.
"Ya get what I asked?"
Sneezy shrugged out of his pack and nodded. "Don't know what fer. Sleepy says this ain't good fer nothin'."
As he spoke, he handed a bolt of cloth to Grumpy, who shrugged. "I gots a use fer it," he said simply.
As he turned, he met Snow's gaze and she understood at once that it was for her rags. Grumpy had specifically asked for cloth for her use, and she was overwhelmed with affection for him. The others seemed oblivious as to what he'd gotten it for. Even Doc looked perplexed.
"It won't make comfortable clothes," he said slowly.
"Ain't fer clothes," Grumpy replied, then turned and carried it upstairs, leaving the brothers staring after him, bemused.
Snow was infinitely grateful for Grumpy's discreetness in the matter, and she set about to unpack the nonessentials out of the packs.
"Let us help," Happy said at once.
"Oh no. You must be tired. Rest!"
"Nonsense, my leer, um, dear," Doc replied. "We'll get it done much faster if we all do it."
Grumpy came back downstairs to see them unpacking everything, and he went to put on the kettle for tea. Snow looked up and met his eyes, her smile bright. She nodded gratefully at him, and he raised his eyebrows and shrugged. It was nothing for him to help Snow, and a few coins didn't matter as much as her comfort. He plopped down at the table and watched as the brothers hurried to put everything back in place. When they were done, they settled down by the fire to relax.
"Geez, I'm exhausted," Sleepy muttered, leaning against his hand.
"Me, too," Happy said. "I hate goin' ta the city too often."
"Too many people," Bashful agreed. "And they stare at us funny sometimes."
"You think everybody stares at ya," Sneezy said.
"But it's differ'nt like that. I never feel that way when we're with Dwarfs. Yeah, they stare, but it ain't the same."
Grumpy said nothing as he poured the tea and passed out hot mugs. He knew what Bashful said was true. But he didn't want to ruin their naivety.
"Did humans always stare at you like that?" Bashful asked Grumpy after a pause.
"Mmhm."
"Why?"
"Cuz I'm a Dwarf," he replied shortly.
"So?"
Grumpy looked at him and shook his head. They didn't understand because they refused to think negatively about humans. What could he possibly say to change their minds?
"Is it cuz we're shorter than them?" Bashful asked hopefully.
"Ya 'member when ya found me the second day?"
The smiles on the Dwarfs' faces turned into grimaces as Grumpy's panic, pain-filled face came to mind. The Dwarf had been terrified of them, convinced they would do terrible things to him because he had no treasure to give them in exchange for his food and healing. He'd fought through nauseating agony to try and flee, and he'd only relaxed after they'd all promised him they wanted nothing from him. He had been raised by humans, and he'd gotten his beliefs from them. And all of a sudden, the brothers understood some of the more hostile stares they received from humans. It made them distinctly uncomfortable.
"Not every human feels that way," Bashful said softly, but his eyes were unsure.
"Course not," Grumpy said. "But more do than ya think."
"But why?" Sleepy asked. "Dwarfs have helped humans in ev'ry war for the last three hundred years. At least in our kingdom."
"Because they don't understand Dwarfs, so they're afraid of you."
There was no sound in the house as every head turned to look at Snow. Grumpy couldn't help but smile at her observation, but the other six seemed puzzled by her words.
"Afraid? Of us?" Sneezy asked incredulously.
Snow nodded, her hands busy at a piece of sewing. "People are afraid of what they don't understand. I heard stories growing up of how awful Dwarfs were supposed to be. But I came here and you've all been incredibly kind to me. I realized that I thought that way simply because nobody taught me any different. But fear was behind every story. Fear of the unknown. I didn't know Dwarfs, so I was afraid of them. But now I know better."
"I do, too," Grumpy said, sipping his tea. "Took six crazy Dwarfs holding me against my will ta find it out, though."
The brothers couldn't help but laugh at that. It was kind of true. Grumpy hadn't wanted to be there, and they'd had to chase him down the day after he'd woken up in their house, injured and disoriented. It must have certainly felt like he was held against his will until he'd gotten acquainted with them and realized that his fears were unfounded. But they'd had no idea that Snow was afraid of them. Grumpy was the least surprised, but the thought hadn't crossed his mind. If it had, he would have immediately known it was true. But Snow had seemed fearless that night they'd found her in their beds.
"How do we make 'em see we ain't nothin' ta be afraid of?" Bashful asked.
"One person at a time," Grumpy said.
"That's impossible," Doc argued. "We'll never talk to every human in the kingdom, let alone the world."
"Yep."
And that was all Grumpy said. They sat and relaxed, sipping tea and resting. Snow mended several clothes while the brothers discussed the treasures they'd given and the price they'd gotten from Rowan for the pieces. It had been a handsome price for a handsome collection of perfect jewels and gold, refined seven times in the Dwarfs' forge to the highest degree of purity. It had been exhausting, and now they finally had a chance to rest and recuperate.
"Snow?" Bashful asked as she set aside another shirt that she had mended.
"Yes, Bashful?"
Bashful hesitated, turning pink. "You told us the first night that you were in love."
Snow paused. "Yes. And?"
"Who is it?"
The others sat up in interest as Grumpy glanced over. He was curious about her answer.
"His name is Florián," Snow said, her own cheeks flushing as she shyly looked away. Grumpy snorted, unable to help himself. She really was in love. He could tell.
"What makes ya feel that way?" Sleepy asked, his tiredness melting away at the promise of a story.
"He's from a neighboring kingdom. He's a prince, the son of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. When my father was alive, we'd sometimes visit their kingdom for some kind of talk he would need to have for peace or whatnot. I was too young to understand. And Florián and I would play with each other. We'd play chase and hide and seek and make mischief. He was fond of me because I was so clever, more clever than any of the boys, he said. The last time I saw him, I was seven. My father died soon after we visited, and Grimhilde did not care for peace with Ferdinand. I never saw him again. Until…"
"Until?" Sleepy asked obediently, his eyes alight with interest.
Snow flushed and her eyes grew dreamy. "He was curious, you see. He was curious as to what happened to me. He was turned away by my stepmother when he asked for me. But she had not said I was dead. So he would ride around the castle to try and see if he could catch a glimpse of me in the windows. And he heard me singing. And he climbed the wall. I was so ashamed when he saw me in my rags, but he stayed and convinced me to talk."
The brothers' smiles faded. They were puzzled by her stating she was in rags. But they didn't want to interrupt the story. Grumpy alone knew that Snow had been a princess in name only in her own castle, that she had been treated as a servant by her stepmother. He studied her with bright brown eyes, taking in her story as she continued.
"We talked for several hours. He told me that he would come back for me, that everything would be alright. That he would take me away to be with him in his kingdom. He would find a way for me to leave my stepmother and be away from that horrid place forever. She would never strike me again for dropping a dish or spilling tea. She would never starve me for days for a stray word of complaint. She wouldn't lash me for things I can't control. Never again, he promised. and I believed him."
The brothers were sitting bolt upright as Snow spoke in a faraway voice, but they were absolutely horrified by the things she was describing in such a careless way.
"Wait!" Doc said when what she had said registered. "Wait! I don't… I don't understand. She struck you? She starved you? She lashed you?"
The tinge of horror in his voice snapped Snow out of her story, and she looked at him. Bashful was frightened by the dead look in Snow's eyes as she replied in her sweet, innocent way, "Of course she did. I was bad. I still am."
Silence reigned in the house. Grumpy watched the brothers struggle to comprehend what she had just said.
"Snow, you're not bad," Doc said, shocked by her words.
Snow stared at him, tilting her head. "But I am."
"What makes you think you're bad?"
Snow met Grumpy's eyes and he looked away. She looked back at Doc. "Because I am."
And that was all she said on the subject. The brothers sat there in stunned, horrified silence as they tried to grasp the torturous existence that Snow had lived in her own castle. They didn't understand. Bashful watched her face as she picked up another shirt to patch.
"She lashed ya?" he asked faintly.
Snow looked at him then turned around and reached back to pull down the back of her dress to reveal the top of her scars. "'A lash for every fault and a strike for every mistake,'" she quoted, her voice monotone.
She turned back around and continued her sewing as the brothers looked helplessly at each other.
"How many would she give ya?" Grumpy asked curiously.
"How many what?" Snow asked.
"Lashes."
"Grumpy!" Doc gasped. "That's not the kind of question you should flask, uh, ask!"
"No more than ten at a time," Snow answered calmly.
"Huh. They gave me thirty-nine all at once. Dern near killed me. Was bedridden fer weeks."
The brothers looked ill and shifted uncomfortably.
"Hm. That's unfortunate."
Grumpy grunted. "Yep. Didn't even deserve it. Didn't steal the derned thing."
"You mentioned that before. What was it, exactly?"
"Human-made em'rald necklace. Belonged ta a noble woman who was visitin'."
"Visiting?"
"Randwelt. I'll never go back there."
"And she wasn't even grateful?"
"Nope. Left town that same day. Didn't care a whit that I was almost dead. Bastian took care a me. Only one who did. There was blood everywhere. None a the doctors wanted ta even touch a Dwarf, let alone one that was lashed ta the edge a death fer theft. He managed ta stop the bleedin' somehow. Nearly bled ta death that night."
"Stop!" Doc screamed, his hands dashing up to cover his ears.
Snow and Grumpy jumped at the shout, and they looked over to see the brothers all gazing in abject horror at them. Tears were streaming down their faces, and Bashful was doubled over and sobbing quietly.
"Hey, it was a long time ago," Grumpy said, his gruff voice infinitely gentle. "I'm okay."
"Why would they do that to you?" Doc asked helplessly.
Grumpy shrugged. "Like Snow said. Because we're bad."
"I think it's lime, erm, time to start supper," Doc said shakily into the thick silence that followed. He stood up and walked over to grasp Grumpy's shoulders. "And you're not bad. Neither of you are," he added, turning to Snow.
Snow smiled and Grumpy snorted. Neither of them believed him. They knew that if Doc and his brothers knew they had magic, his mind would change in an instant. After all, magic was for bad people.
