Red Riding Hood: The Ruby and The Shadow

Chapter Eight: Careful, Miss...

"And that's obviously not what your doing here in these dark woods... All by yourself." He reported back at me, and I swallowed once again. He chuckled at my nervousness, and brought get his face dangerously close to mine. "You're terrible liar miss."

I averted my eyes quickly as I turned my head away from him to avoid his suffocating stare. I could feel my body growing hotter for some reason, the clothes on my back intensifying in a rather sudden warmness. My cheeks followed suit as I felt my face grow hot too.
I didn't know if it was from being caught in the middle of a lie, or the fact that I was standing less than a foot away from a rather attractive (but completely nerve wracking) mysterious man.

"Oh, it seems like a bad liar is not all you are. You're also an open book. I can read your thoughts as if you were projecting them on your forehead." He chuckled as he suddenly lifted my chin with his own hand and stared at me head on. His eyes were so dark and ravenous that I felt like I was being undressed, piece by piece.

I slapped his hand away and backed up considerably. A sudden yet alarming thought ran through my head. 'No matter how alluring and charming he seems to be, don't fall for it!'

I had suddenly snapped back to my senses and pulled up my hood and clutched my basket with nervousness. "I'll be going now. And just so we're clear, I hope this is the last time I'll run into you. I don't know if you have been following me or not, but next time I'll make sure to bring a man with me."

A look of malice ran through his eyes, but he shook it off faster than he could put in his signature smirk. "Leaving so soon Miss..? But you haven't even given me your name."

"Trust me, I don't think you'll need to worry about that, seeing how we won't be seeing each other anytime soon." I started walking around him, not feeling too patient anymore. I figured he won't move willingly, so if have to go around him.

He suddenly burst out laughing, and I looked at him with confusion. "Funny that you should say that Miss..." He smiled mysteriously, and I glared at him slightly. "Funny how exactly?"

He turned away from me quickly, but turned his head slightly to shoot me one last smirk and a playful wink. "You shouldn't worry yourself over it too much Miss. We'll see soon enough."

I frowned as I felt my agitation with him grow even more. I quickly turned in my heel and started walking away quickly. His voice suddenly rang out through the crisp air, and almost stopped my dead in my tracks once again. "There are worse thing out there, Miss..."

"Wha-?" I turned around to question him, but by the time I had a chance to look around, he was already gone. My eyes widened as I blinked several times ad looked around. But he was completely gone by then, disappeared into the darkness around us.

If I dint know better, I would say that he was even part of it. With goosebumps rising on my skin once more, I turned around and began walking home quickly. The sooner I got out of the forest, the better. Mostly for me though. And after a few minutes if walking, I finally saw the gates and sighed a long breath if relief.

Tomorrow I will definitely ask Charles if he could escort me to Grandmother's. I wouldn't want to have another unfortunate run-in to 'Shadow.' Something about him definitely trifled me more than I'd like it to. I guess that's why I saw him as a threat. Although he carried no weapons, and didn't seem to want to hurt me, something about him still heightened my senses.

The gates opened, and I was once again greeted by the ever so the happy-go-lucky Charles. He wore a playful grin in his face, and it couldn't help myself from smiling once I saw him too. His smile was cheerful, but however my smile was one of exhaustion and relief.

"Hey Robin... What's wrong..? You look more tired than usual today." He approached me with a slight concerned frown on his face. I just kept smiling, and shook my head dismively. "It's just... You know how it is getting up early in the morning... That's all."

"Well only crazy people get up so early in the morning by choice. And I'm not crazy, I have to do it, so no, I don't know." He playfully grinned at me, and I rolled my eyes as I looped arms with him. "Yes I suppose you're right. Did anything new happen?"

"No, not really. Being the Captain of the Guard isn't as exciting as everyone in the village makes it out to be. It's just giving a bunch of orders." He sighed, and I nodded my head understandingly. "Oh, I just now remembered!" Charles suddenly stopped and turned towards me, a sly grin in his face. "Close your eyes."

"What?" I asked with a raised eyebrow and an amused smile. "Are you trying to have a repeat of last night..? Except last time you didn't ask, you just went straight for-"

Charles's face instantly went red and he covered my mouth before I could say the next part, earning some stares from guards that were passing by us just then. Some of them snickered and the rest just stared at him as if he grew a second hand. He took his hand off my mouth and cleared his throat loudly. Giving the guards a stern nod, making them hurry along to their posts.

I chuckled to myself as I watched Charles glare at me. "First day in the job and look what you made me do!" I couldn't contain my laughter anymore, and he just pouted angrily. "Anyway, just do it already."

"Fine, fine." I closed my eyes and I felt Charles pull both my hands out and flip my palms up. I waited for a moment, and then a slightly heavy object landed in my hands. My eyes opened naturally by themselves as I looked down into my hands, which held a black pouch that was tied at the top. "What's this..?" I asked curiously as I looked up at Charles.

He smirked proudly down at me, and nodded his head. "Go on, open it."

Like a child on Christmas, I quickly opened the pouch by untying the strings at the top. The corners fell down and a large number if pence laid in a huge pile, and I gasped at the amount. This was the most I have ever seen in one amount, and Charles just chuckled in amusement."

"Charles... You... How much is this..?!" I kept looking from him back to the pile of pence, and he scratched his head shyly. "It's nothing much, but the raise was too much, and I figured I should share it with you... At the least. It's 75 pence."

"Wh-!" I almost cried from joy as I looked up at Charles with teary eyes. "75?! Charles... This could feed my entire family for a whole month! Thank you!"

I stuffed it into my basket and threw my arms around Charles. He hugged me back and I looked up at him in wonder. "Charles... Are you sure it's okay? Isn't it too much?"

"Like I said, it was too much. I still have enough for me and my father, so everything will be fine. Keep it. I know you need it more than I do."

I smiled up at Charles, and he smiled right back at me. Past tear fell from my eye and I quickly wiped it, a heavy feeling suddenly sighing down in my heart. I have never experienced so much kindness from one person before.

Arthur's words filled my head again, and it sent an even heavier feeling in my heart. Was he really serious when he said I should marry Charles..?