The Fairy and The Ravenstag King

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Calling Hannibal's home a mansion seemed to be a bit of an understatement.

The ride took them much deeper into the woods than Will had ever been before, It was both nerve wrecking and thrilling considering the reasons he was going there. He and Hannibal had exchanged some small talk during the first two hours of the trip, but gradually lulled into a comfortable silence further accentuated by the classical music coming softly from the radio.

Will felt comfortable, far more so than whenever he and Hannibal had lounged in his living room during the past week. It didn't help that the ridiculously comfortable car seats were heated either, They made his wings lax against his back from the alien warmth. A glance into the back told him that Winston had already succumbed to the travel exhaustion. Will's own eyes had started to droop closed as well. But, not wanting to be a bad guest, forced himself to stay awake during as much of the trip as he could to keep Hannibal company. If his travel companion was tired, he didn't show it.

Maybe he's just a night owl.

The sun had just started to peek over the grey horizon when they neared the large mountain that made up the Lecter residence. Will would feel his jaw drop at the sight of just how vast the estate truly was. He had heard rumors sure, but nothing could have prepared him for seeing the real thing.

Holy shit, this place is a fucking castle.

The very structure of the place seemed as though it couldn't decide to be Victorian or Baroque in nature, large cobblestone walls were complimented by large marble roman columns on either side. The roofs were curved and painted black, same as the rest of the place, with tall, intricately designed stained glass windows that reflected soft yellows and inks in the morning light. It reminded Will of the Collinwood Manor from that old 'Dark Shadows' show he used to watch as a kid. He would have laughed in disbelief if he wasn't so exhausted. Strangely, the backside of the manor seemed to be partially submerged into the rock of the mountain just behind it, like someone had scooped a chunk of the land away and plopped the estate into the space that remained, he suspected that there was much more to the building that had been carved into the rock. Around them were the tallest trees Will had ever seen, possibly redwood, with dark branches that reached and sheltered the manor from the rest of the world. It was the most beautiful building Will had ever seen in his life.

"Hannibal... This is..." Will trailed off, unsure what to even say in a situation like this. His anxiety had grown side by side with his amazement upon seeing a real-life miracle of architecture. It was overwhelming, intimidating, and enamoring all at the same time. A look at his host told him the man was immensely pleased with his reaction.

"Amazing, isn't it? My Father's father had this place made out of love for his late wife. Every stone and plank carries the heavy burden of a lost love that has withstood the passage of time."

Hannibal's voice was somber when he spoke, as though he had told this story many times over the years.

"You lived here your whole life?"

"Yes, I was raised with intricate knowledge of every aspect of this place. As a young boy I had a hobby of wandering the grounds in my free time. Even still, there are many secrets here that even I am not aware of." Will smiled, envisioning a much younger version of the doctor wandering the macabre estate. It faltered momentarily at the thought of him doing it alone however.

"Were you alone often during your explorations?"

"For the first few years, yes, but then I started taking Misha recently once she was old enough to walk."

The car slowed to a stop in front of the grand entrance, waking Winston at the noticeable change in speed. He poked his head up to nudge a cold nose to Wills arm, he affectionately patted his head in assurance before he caught Hannibal staring.