Tales of the Big Bad Wolf: The Red Riding Hood Arc (A Fairy Tale)

Chapter Seventeen, Parts A &B: A Circle of Light

Chapter Seventeen:

A Circle of Light

Mrs. Winchester’s wisdom was like a knife, cutting through the various mysteries and confusion that permeated the ordinary lives of her townspeople and leaving behind both structure and purpose. 

Her morning warning was not intended to devalue the unresolved feelings and matters of personal importance for both of her favorite young persons.  However, she could not ignore the yet to be explained danger that the reclusive Count had brought to her door.

Her granddaughter was silent as she rode in the coach that would take her to the man who had that  premonition of unspecified trouble.  The count’s servant, Giles, was draped in ungainly fashion in the seat across from her; he was uncharacteristically quiet as he stared up at the ceiling of this contraption he called the “leather coffin.”  The carriage moved too slowly for his taste, commanded by a sleepy looking servant who he called “Charles.”  But he had not pushed aside his substitute. His fingers had begun to ache and tremble -- a sign that the effect of the medication prepared for him by Hastings under Wolfram’s orders was beginning to wane.

Elanore was not cognizant of the subtle deterioration in the state of her companion.  Her mind was elsewhere, contemplating both the stern words of her grandmother and the strange and sometimes unreadable demeanor of Edmund.  He had always been open and transparent in nature, but at times she felt him closed off to others.  This perception that the distance between them was increasing troubled her. 

As for the stern words from her grandmother, Elanore knew that the scolding had been rightly administered.  In fact, both the lady and the gentleman sitting in the coach were acutely embarrassed that neither really could express to the Mayor what caused the Count to be afraid.

Chastened by their ignorance and tired from the previous evening, both parties did not pay heed to their surroundings.  They did not see the pale woman who passed their coach as she walked along the treeline near the road.  The woman --an odd bundle of furs and accessories-- was heading north, back towards town.

Due to their lateness in setting out, they did not cross pass with the hunters who had followed the ridiculous mess of tracks in various circles before stumbling on the road, irritated and annoyed. “The blasted thing was playing,” was the disgusted conclusion of the guildmaster  before he led his men away to look at the odd circular clearing full of wolves tracks nearby.  By the time the Count’s coach approached his estate, the hunters were already well west of the bridge of the guardian lion trekking deeper into the woods west of the Northern Highway.

These hunters passed quite near the Count’s estate but did so largely unobserved; the usual guardian was not at his usual post. Even if he had observed them and had ridden out to meet the large party, he would have had little to say that would mean anything to them. Strange woodsmen had wandered into towns like Winchester in the past, telling stories of elves and strange creatures; none had seen evidence for themselves and would care little for such stories or warnings.

And what of the Count this dreary morning? 

Wolfram waited for the arrival of Miss Redley and Giles, standing still at a window along the staircase that led down into the hall.   He watched from his vantage point as their coach made its way around the windy drive, observed the girl as she was helped down from the coach by a rather pale looking Giles, and stared as a stone lion broke off from the pedestal and ran around the girl in greeting.  

She laughed and reached out to the creature with her fingers.  Like a tame dog, it sat before her on its haunches, its tail flickering erratically.   They appeared to be conversing, for he could hear her light tones contrasting with strange windy sounds that signified that the beast was saying something in return.  He did not have much time to wonder exactly what their conversation was about for it was all but two minutes before the young lady and his coachman turned their heads to look in his general direction.