Eventually he was slumbering so deeply that she felt it safe to slip away. He stirred as she moved, but did not follow. Night had fallen while they had been talking, so she ended up working by candlelight.
As she pulled her new cloak around her shoulders, the moonlight began to spill into the room, illuminating the scarlet fabric. It was long enough to swath her entire body. That was how she liked it. It was just like her old red cloak had been, when her grandmother had first made it for her.
~~~
Fleurine was very anxious. No one had seen her young cousin since her strange argument with Cheyne. Marguerite had disappeared before, but she was always home by nightfall. When she heard knocking she was sure something horrible had happened.
But when she threw open the door; the girl herself was standing before her. Rather than seeming worse for wear, she was bathed in smiles. In fact, she looked happier than Fleurine had seen her in a long time. Abruptly, the older woman found herself pulled into an embrace.
“I just wanted to thank you,” said Marguerite. “You’ve been so good to me, and I haven’t always been in the mood to appreciate it.”
Fleurine stood dumbfounded as the girl brushed past her. Marguerite began to race around the house, collecting her belongings in the huge brown bag around her waist.
“What brought this on? What are you doing?”
“I’ve finally decided that staying in the village isn’t going to make me happy. I just wanted to let you know before I left.”
“But you can’t just go. Sweetheart, I know you’re mad at Cheyne right now…”
“This has nothing to do with him. I think I was always meant for something else; I just needed one last push. Besides, everything I’m not taking is already packed away. I can’t see any reason to wait.”
Fleurine followed her cousin back to the door.
“Marguerite you can’t just wander off all on your own.”
“But I’m not alone. I have Freki,” she said, smiling more brilliantly than ever.
“Who..?” But the words died in her throat as she caught sight of the enormous black creature lurking outside her house.
“Freki, this is Fleurine. Her mother and my mother were sisters.”
“Greetings,” said the wolf.
Fleurine had to lean against the wall as all the colour drained from her face. She was forced to watch mutely as Marguerite disappeared into the woods.
“That wasn’t very nice,” said Freki, once they were out of earshot.
“I know, but I couldn’t resist. Now at least one person has to believe me.”
They walked along together, forging a path through the snow. Freki brushed against her side.
“That’s a lovely cloak by the way,” he said.
“Thank you. I thought you would like it.”
He sniffed at the pack. “Did you bring the old one?”
“I’m not sure what you mean,” she replied, demurely.
He sat in the snow and glared up at her.
“Fine,” she sighed.
She pulled it out of the pack and handed it to him. The moment he had it in his jaws he pranced away with it, leaping gracefully despite his sore leg. She laughed at him as he shook the rag, playfully.
“You are so cute,” she told him.
He looked like he would protest, but his mouth was full. Marguerite just sniggered again as she adjusted her hood so she could feel the soft fabric on her cheek. As the sun broke through the trees, Freki capered in circles around, the red cloak streaming behind him like a banner proclaiming their delight.
Spoiler! :
I love the characters -- they were very well built. It was a creative take on Red Riding Hood and felt very fresh -- who would have suspected! Freki is the cutest wolf ever and Marguerite is the most realistic Red Riding Hood that I have read about. Cheyne got what he deserved, the end leaves opportunity for the imagination to rove and the whole thing was very well written. Your style is good.
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