"Chase, I don't think there's a woodsman coming. You have to go cut that wolf's stomach open," I tell him.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"We just killed the woodsman. You have to go in there and cut it's stomach open without cutting the people inside. If you don't soon they'll be digested!" I don't like that I'm making Chase kill another creature today but they're evil, right? He studies my face and I suppose the pleading in my eyes convinces him.
Luckily I don't think we're changing the story too much. Chase is already kind of a woodsman. He has an ax, he sets snare traps, he's a man in the woods. I'm scared of the cosmic consequences that may come from changing too many fairy tales.
Chase stands, swings the ax once for practice, then marches into the house. I duck behind the window, unable to watch, and Nicholas does the same. I cover my ears, squeeze my eyes shut, and bury my head into Nicholas's shoulder. I try my best to resist imagining the graphic scene that's taking place in the cottage. I also try my best not to think about how much I owe Chase for making him do this.
Time moves at a strange pace as I block out all my senses and try to clear my mind. I'm not sure how much later, probably not more than a few minutes, I feel Nicholas's hand on my shoulder, gently shaking me back to reality.
"I think he's done, I hear people talking inside," he says softly. I nod and stand up. The front door is wide open and inside the house is a blood bath. Little Red Riding Hood and her grandma sit on the floor, hugging each other. Chase stands above them, rather intimidatingly.
They're covered in slime and blood but Nicholas doesn't seem to mind because he immediately rushes to kneel by them, placing a reassuring hand on the grandmother's shoulder, and asks them how they are.
The wolf lays in between Chase and Red Riding Hood, stomach cut open and blood seeping into the rug. The wolf's body is huge and looks like a furry deflated hot air balloon.
The grandma is visibly shaking, her eyes still wide with fear. Little Red Riding Hood, though very young, is impressively brave. She pats her grandmother's arm and says, "We're safe now Granny."
After spending a little too long taking in the situation I decide I should help a little bit. "Let us help you clean up," I offer. "I'll run a bath for you and we'll get rid of this wolf and rug, okay?"
"Are you sure? You've already done so much for us," the girl says.
"We can't expect the two of you to clean this all up by yourself," Nicholas says. "Let's start that bath and find you some clean clothes."
I quickly move to begin boiling water. Busying myself with a task will distract me. I fill all the pots in the house with water from a pump outside and place them over a fire. Chase disposes of the wolf's body, placing it far from the house so coyotes can eat it but don't come here looking for dessert. Nicholas stays by their side the whole time, asking questions and making sure they feel safe.
As it turns out, Little Red Riding Hood is named Rosalind and she's only eight years old, which is much younger than I imagined when I read the story. She's quite brave and clever for such a young girl, and obviously independent if she walked to her grandmother's, who we find out is named Mary, by herself.
By the time I'm done with the bath Mary has calmed down. We give the two of them some privacy while they bathe but Nicholas takes their clothes and washes them in cold water to get the blood stains out. I decide that there's no saving the rug so I roll it up and throw it out. Chase cuts them some wood.
When Nicky is done washing the clothes as best he can -he's not very experienced being a prince and all- he gets some fresh clothes and asks me to bring them to the tub.
"Hi, do you mind if I bring you some clothing?" I ask tentatively, standing around the corner so I won't see Rosalind and Mary unless they say it's okay.
"Not at all ma'am, come in," Little Red Riding Hood invites. I come up to the bath, which is thankfully full of bubbles so I can't see anything below their armpits.
"Can I just say, you two are so brave. I'd be freaking out if I were eaten by a wolf," I say, sitting on the steps that lead up to the tub.
"Thank you ma'am. We were very lucky you and your friends were nearby," Red Riding Hood says.
"Oh, call me Violet. No need to be so formal."
"Well there is use in formality dear," Mary says, pursing her lips and scanning my outfit.
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you're referring to," I say flatly, sure that this woman is about to offend me with her old fashioned views.
"Well first of all, your outfit is completely improper for a lady. It's both slutty and very unattractive. And polygamy! My word, I've never seen something so offensive." Welp, I was right.
"As long as I like my outfit then nothing else matters. And I'm not dating either of my friends, our relationship is strictly platonic."
"Please, spare me your lame excuses. You are traveling with two good looking boys and not matter what you think you will develop feelings for them and they will develop feelings for you. No matter what happens you're not going to stay friends with them in the end and I'm sorry but it's just the way these things work. You ought to act more like a lady. Traveling is a man's job. Wearing pants is a man's job. Your job is to cook and clean so you ought to go back home and let your 'friends' handle whatever you're setting out to do," she says with a huff.
"I need to leave before I say something I'll regret," I tell her. "I know everything I'm saying will be lost on you but I still need to tell you that I am a strong woman, just like your granddaughter is growing up to be, and I will dress in what makes me comfortable and I will not chase men because I don't need a man!" With that I storm out of the bathroom, tossing the clothes I was dropping off on the floor.
I storm over to Chase, who's now chopping wood into fourths. I'm not entirely sure why I chose Chase to talk to. Nicholas is a better listener but Chase hasn't been raised on tradition like Nicholas.
"Ugh!" I groan when I reach him. "That Mary is getting on my nerves."
He gives me a slight crooked smile. "What happened?"
"Well she said I dress badly and I'm slutty for traveling with you and Nicholas," I fume.
"Who cares what she thinks?"
"That's what I said!" I exclaim.
"Then why are you mad?" he asks, chopping a log in half.
"Because you can't change the minds of people like that."
"So you can't change her mind and she can't change your mind. It all seems a little pointless to care."
"I knew I should have talked to Nicholas," I mutter under my breath.
"What?"
"Nothing. I just feel like sometimes it's important to care a little bit. You know?"
"I guess." He swings his ax down again and cuts another slab of wood in half. I can't help but marvel at his strength.
"Anyway, she said it was improper of me to travel with two boys since polygamy and that makes me mad too. Who says I need to date anyone? Right now I'm focused on helping my sister."
"So you aren't interested in romance right now?" he asks. I can't explain how but his voice sounds different. Like he's pretending he's still disinterested in what I'm talking about but really I've caught his attention.
"Nope. Do you mind if I try cutting the wood?" I ask, wanting to prove I can handle what Mary would call a "man's job".
He gives me a crooked smile. "Go ahead." He places half a piece of wood on the stump he's using as a table.
I take the ax and raise it over my head, like I just saw Chase doing. With as much force as I can, I swing the ax down hard, successfully splitting the wood. One piece is significantly larger than the other but I'm still pleased.
"Wow, nice. You've got the strength to do it but you just need to work on your aim a little bit." Chase replaces the wood with another half-log. Then he moves close to me so my back is touching his chest. He guides my hands back up above my head and then guides them slowly back down so that the ax touches the wood right down the middle. He does it again, this time faster.
I try and concentrate on what he's showing me but my breath is quickening and my heart pounds in my chest. I grit my teeth, focusing hard on my form but every few seconds my mind drifts back to the feeling of his arms around me.
Finally he steps back, allowing me to try by myself. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Then I swing the ax down, looking at where I want it to land on the wood. It easily splits in half and I break out in a grin. As distracting as his teaching method was, it worked well. I replace the half-slab of wood with a full one. "I think I'm ready to cut a full log now," I say. Chase nods. I swing the ax down again, splitting the wood into nearly perfect halves. "I'm really good at this," I tell him.
Chase chuckles. "Yeah, for someone who didn't leave her house for seventeen years you are very good." I smile and bow. I'm about to cut another piece when I see Mary by the cottage giving me a dirty look. Is she mad that I'm doing a manly task or scoffing at me for how I'm acting with Chase? How much did she see? Why do I even care?
I'm staring back at her, refusing to let her think that her opinion means anything to me, when Nicholas comes out from inside the cottage and starts talking with her. She crinkles her nose at me before turning to talk to Nicky.
I split the rest of the wood and Chase starts stacking it on the porch. When we're done we walk up to Nicholas, Mary, and Rosalind, who has joined their conversation.
"I think we're all done here, unless you need help with anything else," I hear Nicky saying.
"No, you've done more than we could have ever asked of you. Let me pay you for your help."
"No need ma'am-"
"I don't have much but it would make me feel better if you just took the money," Mary says, hobbling into the house.
"I asked her how to get back to the traveler's road," Nicholas informs us while we wait. "We should get back on the road soon, we've lost a lot of time."
"Rosalind, I know you're a smart girl so you stay safe out there," I tell Little Red Riding Hood. "Less than two hours ago I got attacked by a half-giant. Try not to travel alone and don't talk to strangers, okay?" She nods dutifully.
Mary comes out of the house and puts a few coins in Nicky's hands. Then she turns to me. "You remember what we talked about, alright?" She smiles charmingly, as if she gave me good, motherly advice.
I grit my teeth and force a smile back. "Of course Granny. I hope you stay safe out there. We won't be around to protect you."
"I hope you stay healthy and don't catch anything from your... hobbies."
"I hope-"
"We'd better go," Chase says, interrupting our passive-aggressive battle.
Rosalind and Mary thank us again for saving their lives and we walk away. Nicholas directs us to the road and as we walk I catch him up on what Mary was saying to me. Within half-an-hour we've found our horses and are back on the road.
It's been dark for a while once we reach the inn. We eat a small dinner and fall asleep quickly. I hate to admit it but for some reason what Mary said is really bothering me. Not the part about how I dress but the one about how I won't be able to be friends with Nicholas and Chase in the end because we'll all develop feelings. Nicholas has already confessed to me and Chase is being awfully intimate, though that could be because he's so emotionally stunted that he doesn't realize the way his actions are coming off... or maybe I'm just overthinking this.
I force myself to stop overthinking things as I always do and fall into an uneasy sleep.