Chapter1

“Mother, may I go and see grandma?” Red riding hood said in an appealing voice.

“No” her mother replied shortly without even bothering to look at her.

 “Please,” she asked with the best puppy dog eyes. “I’m not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself.” She added.

“How many times do I have to say ‘no’ to you? You know why I do not allow you to o alone. If not that wood cutter you would have ended up as a delicious meal on the wolf’s plate.”

“But mother, you know that now I will not get distracted by beautiful flowers and singing birds like before. I know about the wolf’s traps very well now, and grandma is quite old and weak. She really needs someone to take care of her things.”

“Hmm…” her mother thought for a moment and turned wearing a dubious look on her face. “Let me think.” She tapped her chin with her finger. “Promise me you will be careful.”

“I promise. I do promise, mother!” Red Riding Hood jumped happily.

She combed her long red hair until it was sleek and shiny and wrapped her favourite red scarf around her face. She painted her lips in a glossy red and wore her favourite short red dress and black see through tights along with high heeled boots. Her green eyes shone with excitement. Mother had never allowed her to visit her grandma alone for the past ten years. She knew that the dark woods were frightening and deadly. She knew it had the creatures that outer world never believed to exist. She knew there were dark things lying in the deep forest where no one was brave enough to set their foot.

Her first and only memory in the woods was terrifying. It was not her boldness which gave her the strength to go there again, but her curiosity. Though she could remember every minute detail about her fearsome trip to grandma’s she dared to risk her life. She bore the size of the wolf in her mind in case of emergency.

The woods were dark and silent. Not a single leaf moved, although she could feel a mild breeze dancing on her skin. She felt a sudden change in the temperature. She looked back to see the last house of the village border. But it has already covered by a thick layer of emerging mist. She put a step forward courageously wrapping her scarf tightly.

“Okay, I’m not scared.” She mouthed a little loudly. “All I have to do is to walk on the path without looking around.”

She quickened her steps keeping her eyes on the winding trail, too nervous to look around. She did not want to get distracted this time. Her valour had faded a little as she entered the deep forest with taller and wider trees. The earth was wet and she could hear water drops dripping from leaves. She shivered with the cold that was piercing to her bones.

“Please, is there anyone to help me?” a childish voice rang through the forest.

Chapter2

Red Riding Hood swept her glance across the dark woods hoping to catch anything out of place. The forest has gone silent again. She waited for a moment listening hardly. Nothing came except the water dripping noise and random sounds of far away birds. She remembered how beautiful the woods were ten years back. There were sweet smelling flowers coloured in attractive hues and pretty butterflies dancing over them. Birds sang merrily and rabbits ran everywhere. She quivered at the thought of the change it has undergone. Now, the woods stared menacingly at her warning about the dark things it had hidden behind the thick covers of trees and mist.

She stepped forward. “Please, help me! Mama, where are you mama?” The sound re-emerged.

 Red Riding Hood put her basket aside and walked cautiously towards the voice. She could see something gold in colour moving between the bushes.  It was the head of a little girl about the age of five and she was snared in a trap made with thick vines. The girl looked pale and was shivering with cold.

“Wait, let me get you out.” Red Riding Hood said to the little girl who looked at her with surprised big blue eyes. She tried to break the strong vines pulling them as hard as she could. But her efforts were futile as the vines were too strong. She considered her alternatives and came up with a brilliant idea.

“Hold this vine away from your legs as much as possible,” she told the girl handing the end of the vine tangled her legs. After digging up into her pockets she found a matchbox and flamed the vine which burned slowly with a heavy scent.

“Who are you?” the little girl asked wiping her sore limbs, “I’m Mary by the way.”

“Call me Red Riding Hood. Tell me, how did you come here? ”

“I live in that big brown house nearby.” She said pointing upward the path. “I was playing hide and seek with Jack. I wanted to hide in a place where he cannot find me. But then mist was everywhere. I couldn’t find my way back.” Mary’s voice became heavy.

“I can take you home. I’m going to my grandmother’s. I’ll take you with me. We can find your home.” Red Riding Hood assured hugging the little girl.

In no time she found that she had found an ideal companion. Mary was very much talkative that neither girl felt tired or afraid. She told her many things about her pet Sam, the dog and her next door kid Jack. They ate the sandwiches under a nice big tree and sang on their way.

“Aaaargh!” A loud yell escaped from Red Riding Hood’s lips as a huge woody cage trapped her.

“Red! Red! What should I do now?” Mary began crying and tears streamed down her cheeks. “Red, how can I get you out of this?”

“Shhh.” Red riding Hood silenced the girl hastily. “Do you hear?” She listened for a moment before shouting: “Run! Hide behind that big tree as fast as possible.”

Mary ran and ran until she got safely behind the tree and when she looked back Red Riding Hood was not there.

Chapter3

Red Riding Hood opened her eyes. She felt so tired and uncomfortable. She tried to stand up but found her tied up to a timber post in a dimly lit room. Flames flickered in the stove giving mild warmth. She scanned the room with her eyes. A pot was boiling on the stove and a broom was placed in a corner. The shelves consisted of various types of bottles and on the table she could see two large hares skinned. It was obviously a kitchen.

She tried to recall what happened. Suddenly her eyebrows creased in a frown. “A large wolf?” She asked herself. She remembered seeing a pair of bulging yellow eyes and a set of fierce teeth before she fainted. The wolf has been so big that at first she couldn’t recognize it. Fear crossed her mind making her sweat like she was under the blazing sun. “Oh! What should I do now?” She tried to pull the ropes as hard as she could. But they were strong. She needed something sharp.

Before she think anything else, the door opened with a creek and the massive wolf came inside followed by three little cubs. The “little” cubs were of the size of full grown normal wolves.

“Finally you are awake.” The large wolf bared its teeth and growled. “Tomorrow we will have a decent meal, kids.” He said to the cubs. “You can make my innocent motherless children happy for a day.” The wolf turned to Red Riding Hood.

“Father, this smell is different from the one I found.” A cub sniffed her. “That one had a nicer smell.” He growled. It was the smallest of the three.

“No, this woman was alone in that big trap I set. You must have confused. You’ll learn to set traps better soon.”

“I really want to eat the human now. Let’s have the hares tomorrow.” Another with a thick black coat came sniffing her way.

“Me, too. Why don’t we have the party tonight?” The third sauntered towards them. “We even don’t have to skin her. That redness of her coverings makes my mouth water.”

Suddenly the black coated wolf sprang at her shoulder in a flash. His sharp claws dug into her flesh making her cry loudly. Blood oozed from the wound and collected on the floor creating a pool. Red Riding Hood screamed and screamed unable to bear the pain.

In a blink, the large wolf was on the top of the black one. He snarled angrily exposing his long canines. “You are wasting food!” He roared. “We are having the human tomorrow. Don’t waste her blood.”

That night Red Riding Hood pretended as she was sleeping. But she was wide awake. Her plan was to get free from the ropes somehow. The wolves seemed like they didn’t need sleep. After having dinner they played in their own way. They chased each other biting playfully.

She woke startled by the feeling of the rope tugging.

“Shhh... Don’t make any noise.” A girly voice warned her.

“Mary!”

“I warned you not to shout.” The voice muttered angrily, “I’m cutting the ropes.”

Red Riding Hood looked at the sleeping wolves. They are deep in sleep. After releasing her hands she turned to her saviour. Her jaw dropped. It was not Mary.

Chapter4

“I can heal your shoulder.” said the woman in her girly voice showing a full set of perfect white teeth. They had come about a mile from the wolf’s house and Red felt that she was safe from the wolf. But something worried her mind. The woman had some threatening aura around her. Not that she was ugly or cruel looking, but behind her decent looks she felt something sinister.

Red examined her appearance. She’s definitely a witch.  She wore a pointed hat on her head and her clothes were black in colour. She was good looking unlike the old, ugly witches in fairy tales.

“Are you a witch?” Red asked.

The woman gave a toothy smile. “Call me Hanna-Hanna the witch.”

“Why did you save me?” Red looked at her suspiciously.

“Can’t a good witch save a poor girl from the bad wolves?” Hanna grimaced. “Well, you are correct. I’m not a good witch.” She stated. “I’ll get directly to the topic. I need to get something done. Anyway you have no choice other than helping me. I’ve got your wimpy little sister.”

Red gasped. “You have got Mary?”

“Right, you are brainy one. Is that her name? Mary? She was hiding near the wolf’s house when I found her. She was eavesdropping on what’s going inside. So, I took her safely to my hands and caged her in a nice little room where wolf cannot find. But that stupid child is making a fuss, crying and shouting like a little monster.” Hanna pouted.

“Tell me what do I have to do? After that you will let go of us, won’t you?” Red retorted.

“Hey, why are you in a rush? Let’s go to my cottage and have a nice meal first. And let me heal you. You will need strength for this job.” Hanna sneered pulling Red by her hand in a strong grip.

They walked few miles before entering a clear meadow and the sun had begun to set. The witch waved her wand muttering something inaudibly.  Blue sparks flew from the tip of the wand and little by little a small cottage appeared before her eyes. Red wondered how a wooden stick can do all those magical stuff. It had healed her bleeding shoulder in a blink.

The witch opened the thick wooden front door and Red entered following her.

“Red! Red! You came to save me!” A shriek came from a corner. Mary was locked up in a small cage made with huge wooden bars.

Red ran to her hurriedly. “I’ll get you freed somehow. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Enough!” Hanna roared. “If you want to save the child listen to me carefully. I’ll tell you what to do while having dinner.”

“You should find something for me from the ruins of the Dwealith castle.” Hanna stuffed a large piece of roasted duck’s breast. “You should escape from the monster guarding the castle gate and spells the white witch had performed to protect the castle. You may find other barriers as well.”

“Why can’t you go by yourself?”

Hanna looked distastefully at her. “That foolish witch had performed a spell at her deathbed to make the kingdom invisible for me.” She gritted her teeth. “Aria was full of herself. She dared to use magic before I killed her.”

“What do I have to get you?”

“A crystal. It shines blue in daytime and white in night. So, go and sleep now. You have a long day tomorrow. If you fail, it’s the end of this little birdie.” She laughed thunderously.

Chapter5

Red looked at the huge gates in front of her. She knew that behind those massive walls there has to be the lost kingdom of Dwealith. She had heard the legend of Dwealith in her childhood. But she never believed it. But now, in front of her eyes there it laid majestically.

“Can’t you see this wall?” Red asked with wide eyes from the witch who stood without any awareness of what is in front of her.

“So, you see it?”  Witch grinned. “The gate opens once in three days. Fortunately I met you yesterday. It’ll open with the sun rise. You have to pretend like you are lost. The villagers will welcome you. Within three days you have to get the crystal and bring it to me. Unless...” she paused and bared her teeth evilly. “Your sister will have to suffer.”

Red didn’t want to say that she was not her sister. She felt sick at the stomach. She wondered what her mother must be thinking and how grandma would wonder why no one came to see her for days. Now, she had to spend three more days to go to see her grandma.

“It is opening. “ The witch said, her eyes were on the rising sun. “Go!”

Red walked towards the opening gates. There were no guards anywhere to be seen. She entered without looking back at the witch, whom she knew, must be watching her. It looked just like any other village she has seen, with women making pottery and men collecting hay. Horses were in a far away stable and everybody seemed busy with their work. Red walked among them unnoticed until a girl came running from behind and patted her.

“Hey, where have you been? I was looking...” she trailed off. “Sorry, I thought you are Helen. I haven’t seen you before, are you new?” she frowned.

“I... lost my way. I got caught to a big wolf and escaped, but now I’m lost. I want to go home. Where am I?” Red put a miserable face.

“Oh! So, you are from the “out”. I’m sorry; I think you won’t be able to go home soon.” The girl said in a worried voice. “The gates open only once in three days.”

“Where am I?”

“You are in Dwealith.”

“Dwealith? It’s just a legend! Dwealith of ‘Dwealith and the wicked witch’?”

“Yes. It’s not a legend. By the way, I’ll take you to meet my family. They’ll help you. Oh! Forgot to introduce myself, I’m Ellyn.”

“I’m Red.”

 They walked through the busy village fair with many people selling vegetables, fruits and various metal wares. She heard the sound of a gushing river nearby as she walked away from the fair. The scenery turned beautiful as they walked away from the noisy events. Deep as they went, through a pine forest they entered to hilly grassland with random houses built with their own stables and large gardens.

“That’s ours.”Ellyn pointed towards a house made of wattle and daub thatched with straw.

“I know for what you are up to, Red.” A male voice warned in a whispery voice from behind. Red sprang startled. But nobody was there.

Chapter6

“This is my parents Anna and John Black.” Ellyn introduced. “And this is Red. She has lost her way and ended up here. The big wolf had caught her, but she had escaped.”

Mr. and Mrs. Black looked bewildered. “You escaped from the big bad wolf? How’s that? You must be very clever then. Nobody had escaped alive ever,” Mrs. Black said “Unless someone helped you.”

“They kept me for their breakfast as they already had two hares. By midnight all of them fall asleep and I freed my hands.” Lying was not something Red was expert at. But they believed her.

Rest of the day passed quickly meeting new people including Ellyn’s two younger brothers and her two best friends. Villagers were friendly enough and Red found it easy to mingle with them. Not that everyone approved her short dress, but being isolated for a long time, they thought her costumes were the kind outer world wore. Nevertheless Red had not forgotten what she came for. At the dinner table of Black family they asked Red her whereabouts. She told everything genuinely. Then came her chance to ask why their kingdom lay hidden and about the legend.

“Our kingdom was once thriving and rich. People lived happily in peace until one wicked witch came,” explained Mrs. Black. “She was very powerful and she wanted to kill the royal family and rule us. Everything went according to her plan until she tried to massacre everyone inside the palace. The king’s witch performed a magic to make our kingdom invisible to her. She made a prophecy that someday a boy carrying a jade pendant will kill the witch and become our king.”

Red felt bad. She didn’t want to let Hanna to do this. But there seemed no solution. Next morning she went to see the ruins of Dwealith castle with Ellyn and her two brothers. The castle lay on the large rocky boulders surrounded by tall green grass and rocks. Hedges have grown into huge trees and flowers covered the lawn. The huge stone walls proved its splendour in old days. Red tried to imagine the lively palace in her head with king and queen and knights and soldiers.

They walked around the ruins of the castle gates and strolled inside. Red was in a dilemma. She didn’t know whether to look for the crystal or not. “Whatever!” she muttered to herself. She had decided to hunt for the crystal. Behind others’ backs she went wandered deeper and deeper inside. Inside the collapsed buildings there were little light. Mosses have covered most of them and it was humid inside.

“Hey!” A boy about their age emerged from behind a wall. He had brown hair and grey green eyes. ‘Quite a handsome’ Red thought examining his appearance. His skinned was more tanned compared to other villagers. “I’m Philip.” He gave a stunning smile. “And I know you are Red.”

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 15.02.2014

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