The first night, Grumpy camped at the edge of the forest nearest to Snow's castle, making sure to stay quiet. He settled down and pulled out his bedroll after making a fire pit. He had traveled a long way after flashing forward, and he was tired. But it wasn't the sort of satisfying tired that he felt after a hard day of mining or farming at home. Without the brothers around him, he felt empty and lonely.
When he pulled out some of the bread that Happy had made for him, everything that had happened in the past few days hit him. Tears slipped out of his eyes as grief and pain and loneliness nearly swallowed him whole. He cried as he ate the bread, which tasted like home, and he got a bit of comfort from it. Snow brushed his mind tentatively, and Grumpy swallowed.
"What?" he thought to her, scrubbing at his eyes.
"Is everything okay?"
"I shoulda done more fer ya. Shouldn'ta left ya. Now look at the mess we're in!"
"Oh, Grumpy. If I could, I'd give you a hug. In fact, I'll give you one when you fall asleep."
Grumpy snorted and swiped at his eyes as he finished his bread. Then he crawled into his bedroll. He told himself he was going to sleep because he was tired, not because he wanted a hug, and he heard Snow laughing as she caught his thoughts. But when he got to her in the dream world, he didn't fight her embrace. She plucked his hat off and kissed his head, and he accepted it with only a grumble.
That night, he and Snow worked on her magic again as Grumpy slept. She was happy for the company, and he enjoyed teaching her. As she learned, blades of grass and small flowers began to bloom farther and farther into the darkness, and the habitable part of the land grew larger. After a long lesson, Grumpy sat down with a heavy sigh.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Jest…" Grumpy shifted. "Jest thinkin'."
"About what? I can't hear your thoughts while you're here."
"Other things I've made a mess of."
"You aren't to blame for this situation. I am," Snow said drearily.
"No, ya ain't."
They both stared at each other then looked away.
"Guess we ain't gonna agree, eh?" Grumpy said.
"I suppose not," Snow said.
Grumpy felt the stirrings of his body, and he began to fade. "Guess I'm awakin' up."
"Be careful, Grumpy."
"I will," he promised. And the world faded into the early light of morning.
After eating breakfast, Grumpy slung his pack on and began to wind his way through the woods, sending out feelers for any signs of magic. He knew it would be in the woods, perhaps a hidden place where he'd find the entrance to a tunnel or stairwell, and he'd be able to feel it. He found the tunnel, and it had a small creek running out of it. But there was a buzzing sense of magic that sent a shiver up his spine. He hefted the pack higher and peered in. He heard and saw nothing move, so he formed a ball of white fire in his hand and snuck in.
The tunnel stretched for a couple of miles, and he had to make the water solid enough to walk on to get through after only a few feet in. Padding down the center of the water, walking as if he were on dirt instead of liquid, he took it slow and careful, on high alert for any kind of magical disturbances that would signal a trap. He met nothing dangerous, and he finally came out of the tunnel into a huge stone room. He couldn't believe how cocky Grimhilde was, not even a single trap along the whole way. Stepping onto solid ground, he peered around, pursing his lips. A pulse of magic confirmed that he was deep under the castle. He'd made it. Now he just had to figure out where the witching room was.
Using his magic to search for any signs of black magic, he followed an uneasy feeling deeper into the dungeon. Then he heard a soft noise, and he stopped and peered around.
"Please," a soft, hoarse voice said.
"Who's there?" Grumpy demanded, grabbing the hilt of his knife.
The noise repeated, and Grumpy turned to see a thin man in a barred cell. He looked like a man who had once been much larger, but he'd obviously lost a lot of weight in a short time. Grumpy hesitated then stepped over. The man looked too weak to move much, but there was desperation in his eyes.
"What d'ya need?" Grumpy asked.
"Water. Please…"
Grumpy walked over to the barred door of the cell and shook it. He didn't really care to look for a key, so he put both hands over the lock and flexed his magic. The lock burst open in a spray of green sparkles, and Grumpy hurried over to the emaciated man. Shrugging out of his pack, he pulled out a full canteen and gently held the man's head in his lap as he helped him to drink. The man swallowed great mouthfuls of water and drained the whole canteen before settling back and closing his eyes.
"Thank you," he croaked.
Grumpy grunted and pulled out a loaf of bread and some cheese. "Hungry?"
The man's eyes popped open and he reached up quickly. Grumpy held it out of reach.
"Hang on!" Grumpy ordered. The man froze. Grumpy softened. "Don't go gobblin' it down, ya hear? Could make ya sick if ya eat too much after not eatin' fer so long. Take small bites and don't push yerself."
The man nodded and took the bread. Grumpy watched as he nibbled on it. "What're ya doin' down here?"
"The Queen is punishing me," the man said softly.
"What fer?" Grumpy asked.
The man hesitated then a gleam of defiance lit his face. "I refused to kill the princess for her. I let her run. And I don't regret it!"
"Yer the one who saved the princess?" Grumpy asked in surprise. "Yer the huntsman?"
The man froze and stared at him. "Have you seen her? Is she alright?"
Grumpy looked down. "I'm helpin' her. At the end of it she'll be alright. But not right now. But I needs ta know about Grimhilde's witchin' room."
The huntsman paled. "You're trying to help the princess?" he asked after a moment.
"Yep," Grumpy replied.
"The Queen spent time over in that direction. She came down from a ladder, but it's gone. There must be a hidden door in the ceiling."
Grumpy's eyes lit up. "Thanks." He paused. "Do you need any more help?"
"I think I'll be alright for now."
Grumpy nodded then set aside his pack. "I'll be back."
The Dwarf strode over to the blank wall then looked up. He could sense a dark protective spell on the ceiling. Reaching his hands into the air, he sent a bolt of magic up to the ceiling. There was a whistle then a sound like shattering glass, and shards of the broken spell rained down, tinkling as they hit the ground before melting into thin air. The huntsman watched this in astonishment, and he was suddenly aware of a trap door that he'd never seen before. Grumpy didn't even spare the man another thought as he used his magic to make a silver ladder, which he climbed up.
He pushed the door open and found himself smack dab in the center of Grimhilde's witching room. He shut the trap door and peered around. A flash of black dove toward his head, and he ducked and threw up his hand with a freezing spell. He turned to see a raven suspended in midair. Grumpy crossed his arms and squinted at the bird before he caressed his ears and mouth, green light following each movement.
"I s'pose yer her helper. Why is it always birds?" he grumbled. The bird glared at him and chittered its beak. "I don't care much what ya want ta do ta me. But yer gonna answer some questions."
The bird squawked defiantly.
"Naw. She won't hurt me. She cain't. She's dead."
The raven chittered its beak again.
"Yep. She's dead. So there's no use in ya tryin' ta protect her secrets. I'll let ya go once ya answer some questions."
The bird tilted its head, and Grumpy barred the window with a flick of his hand then unfroze the raven. It fluttered over to a perch and adjusted its feathers, giving Grumpy a baleful look.
"Shouldn't have attacked me. It's yer own fault. Now, what did the Queen do ta the princess? What potion did she use?"
The bird continued to preen until it was satisfied then it flapped over to a book and pecked at it. Grumpy walked over and pulled it off the shelf, heaving it over to lay it on the desk. He opened the cover and stared at the runes. They weren't in common speak, but that didn't matter. He could read runes thanks to Calida's unwillingness to actually stop and teach him about his own magic when he was younger.
'What's it say then?' Snow thought to him.
"Vengeance Potions," Grumpy muttered. He looked up at the raven. "Which one?"
The bird pecked at the pages then ruffled his feathers. Grumpy nodded then began to slowly, methodically flip the pages of the book. The raven stared at the words, its head tilting this way and that as each page went by. At last, it made a noise when it saw one particular page. Grumpy stopped, and the raven pecked at the page.
"Mm. Sleeping Death, eh?" Grumpy asked, squinting at the page. "Poisoned Apple…" He read the words again and again then looked up at the bird. "Anything else?"
The raven tilted its head again then leaned down to peck his hand. He flipped through the pages again, turning several before the bird squawked again, pecking another page. Grumpy's heart leaped into his throat as he read the words.
"Yes!" he barked, hitting the table. "That's what I need!"
Turning, he pushed the window open before waving at the raven. "Get outta here. Ain't nobody comin' back here. Go be a bird instead of a companion."
The raven clicked its beak, studied Grumpy intently, then bowed its head and fluttered its wings. It flew to the windowsill and watched Grumpy descend the ladder and shut the door. The raven stared for a moment then turned and flew toward the forest.
Grumpy got to the bottom of the ladder before making it disappear. He looked up at the door, thinking hard. Then he raised his hands and began to weave a spell.
"What are you doing?" the huntsman asked. He was sitting up and staring intently at Grumpy.
"Makin' sure nobody gets in," Grumpy said. "If'n nobody knows it's there, they won't go pokin' around and find black magic."
"Don't you want to get in?"
"What fer?"
"You're using magic," the huntsman said. "Don't you need more?"
Grumpy let out a frustrated grunt. "Confound it, not all magic is black magic! If more people knew that, I wouldn't be slinkin' around and hidin' from the only Dwarfs that've ever called me family!" A burst of green light flooded the room, and the huntsman looked away. When he looked back, Grumpy stood staring up at what appeared to be a normal stone ceiling. He looked defeated.
"I know magic is fer bad people," he muttered. "But I know someone who ain't so bad that knows magic. And I don't like seein' her hurt."
"Is there a difference?" the huntsman asked.
"Eh?" Grumpy turned to look at him.
"Between what you did and black magic."
Grumpy shrugged. "Yeah. But it don't matter. Magic is fer bad people. And that's that."
The huntsman considered him then staggered to his feet. "You are helping the princess?"
"Hm? Oh, yeah. I'm helpin' Snow."
"Tell me everything."
"Why?" Grumpy asked suspiciously.
"If you truly are helping the princess, I shall go with you. I must make restitution for even agreeing with the Queen to harm her. If you truly are helping her, I will assist you in whatever you ask."
Grumpy considered this then slowly nodded. "Sit down. It's a long story."
The huntsman did so, and Grumpy pulled out a bit of bread for lunch as he began to talk. The huntsman hung on every word. The huntsman's respect for him grew as the tale was told, and Grumpy knew that he wouldn't be traveling alone to find Florian. He'd never admit it to anybody, but he was glad to have even a stranger as his companion.