Girl in the Red Hood

by Brittany Fichter

  The next day was the dance, and it was quieter than ever around the big house. Only Ilsa seemed to speak, barking out orders at everyone she came across.

  "Fight or no fight," she had threatened Kurt and Bernd, "I won't have all of Weit thinking I leave the men around here looking like buzzards." For the first time in his life, Kurt was given a sharp haircut and a set of clothes without holes in them. Liesel had nearly broken her silence when Ilsa was through with him. The even cut of his short hair chiseled his face even more, and made his golden-brown eyes stand out brightly. The dark shirt and pants he was assigned fit him becomingly as well, making his wiry figure look even taller. It took all of Liesel's strength not to stare, so it was a good thing when Ilsa shooed Liesel to her own room to get ready.

  "There, that's the first smile I've seen in days," Ilsa teased her as she sat back on her heels and looked up at her work. Liesel smiled a little more in spite of herself. The dress her grandmother had made for her was lovely. The deep green velvet skirt gave a dull shine when she turned. The sleeves and collar were white, and the bodice was made of a darker green. It all made her red cloak look even more vibrant when she wore it on top.

  Despite the dress, Liesel felt miserable deep down. The conversation from the night before weighed heavily on her shoulders, and every time she tried to meet his eyes, Kurt looked away. And as foolish as it seemed, she wanted so much to hear what he thought of her new dress. She didn't miss the way his eyes widened when she walked out in it for the first time. That brought at least some satisfaction, but not enough to erase their sharp words from the night before, as evidenced when Kurt quickly looked away and mumbled something about getting the horses.

  It was a long, silent ride to the wedding. Liesel tried to feel excited for the evening. She was going to see old friends, she reminded herself, and after the wedding, there would be dancing, food, and wine back at the bride's home. The family had already agreed that if someone asked where Liesel had been, they would answer that she had moved to Tag and apprenticed under a healer. The spell would at least allow for that much to be shared honestly.

  The church was even busier that evening than it was on Holy Days. The service brought little joy, despite Liesel's attempt to be happy for the new couple. The bride was surrounded by her family and friends, where her mother cried and her father looked gruff and cleared his throat often. The groom looked as though he might pass out, but when he saw the bride, his fidgeting stopped and his eyes followed only her. And Liesel wanted it all so much for herself that it hurt.

  She snuck a glance at Kurt a few times during the ceremony, but he gave nothing away, simply staring at the ground the whole time. Her grandfather glowered at ceiling. Ilsa was the only member of the family who managed to look reasonably happy for the young couple. In spite of Liesel's best efforts, it was impossible to even pretend she was enjoying herself. After the ceremony was finally finished, Ilsa had sharp words for the lot of them.

  "Now remember, all of you," she turned and pointed her finger at them each in turn before entering the house where the festivities were being held. "Unless you want questions that we can't answer, at least try to be civil to one another."

  It wasn't long before the dancing began. Planks had been laid out upon the ground to create a level dancing floor in the space behind the house. Dozens of people swirling arm in arm all around brought back with strange clarity the night of her one and only dance with Kurt. He had been so nervous. And yet, his eyes had shone with the hope of youth. That had been the first time she had been close enough to feel his magic. Suddenly, Liesel longed for that once again, and in spite of all their recent fight, she suddenly felt a fierce hope rise up within her that Kurt would ask her to dance tonight. When she turned to him, however, all thoughts of dancing fled as she recognized with horror the blank look on his face.

  "Your betrothed hasn't asked you to dance yet?" Liesel jumped at the man's voice. Turning, she saw Manny. He had trimmed his red beard, and his hair was slicked back. He looked even bigger in his blue trousers and clean white shirt than he had a few days before. The look on his face as he stared at Kurt was one of disgust.

  "Kurt...isn't feeling well," Liesel stuttered, racking her mind for something to distract Manny's obviously competitive curiosity. He had been that way as a boy as well, Liesel suddenly recalled, always needing to have the upper hand.

  "Why don't you dance with Manny while Kurt recovers himself," her grandmother said loudly. From the expression on Manny's face, he couldn't have been more pleased with the suggestion. Grateful for a reason to distract the nosy young man, Liesel stood and smiled.

  "If you were my betrothed," Manny whispered as they headed toward the dance floor, "I wouldn't let you out of my sight even if I was on my deathbed." Liesel gave a nervous laugh, wishing very suddenly to change the subject. She didn't have to worry, however, as the musicians picked up the pace, and everyone joined arms for a group jig.

  As the jig began to move her into the arms of other partners, Liesel began slowly to enjoy herself. The smiles and laughter of her old neighbors and friends were delightful as word spread that Liesel was back. The music gave little time for chatting, but that was fine with her. The recognition in their eyes was enough. Manny soon muttered something about being tired of the movement, and excused himself to get a drink, and it wasn't long after that the partner dances began again.

  After Manny left, Liesel realized with some guilt that she was truly having fun. The men continued to line up to partner with her for dance after dance, and Liesel couldn't help but wonder if this was what her life would have been like had they never left. If she'd been given the chance to be the Summer Maiden like her mother had, would she already have been married to one of the young men that now politely asked for a turn with her? How would he have proposed? Liesel imagined something romantic, perhaps out on her grandfather's vineyard, or on the porch under the stars. Anything would have been more romantic than the deal she had struck with Kurt.

  Liesel didn't realize how long she'd been dancing until the church bell tolled the hour. Withdrawing her hands from those of another would-be suitor, Liesel tried to find Kurt. Guilt and disappointment warred within her when she saw that his chair was empty. Part of her felt sorry for allowing so many men to seek a dance, but a deeper part felt hurt that he didn't even try cut in. There was no way his blank spell had lasted that long. Was he so angry he was done with pursuing her completely?

  "I need some air," Manny spoke into her ear above the din. "Keep me company?" Though the question was posed, he gave her no choice, grabbing her above the elbow and pulling her outside with him. Rather than make a scene, Liesel let him take her. After seeing the empty chair, she suddenly needed a bit of cool air herself.

  The night was clear, which meant they weren't the only two people in the gardens. Liesel made sure to stand far enough from her old friend, however, to ensure no one could suspect them of the same kind of engagements others in the garden were participating in. There was a bonfire a ways away that someone had lit, and a number of men stood around it smoking pipes. The sounds of the music wafted out of the yard towards them, but it was more muted out here. The branches of the apple trees were heavy with fruit, hanging down by their faces. Manny picked two and offered one to Liesel as they wandered. They walked without speaking for a few moments, which suited Liesel just fine. When Manny finally did speak, however, his words were unexpectedly kind.

  "It wasn't the same after you left, 'Leese. Some said your father had gone seeking a fairy for your mother. Others said she'd died and he'd lost his mind. I never thought it was fair that they took you though, no matter what your father sought." Liesel stayed quiet, remembering all too well the real reason they'd gone.

  "I always knew you'd be beautiful," he mumbled. "I just never imagined you'd be as beautiful as this." Liesel felt herself blush.

  "That is...very sweet of you...,"she stuttered. She made the mistake then of meeting his eyes. They were suddenly burnin
g, reflecting the light of the distant fire.

  "What do you see in him?" His voice rose to match his eyes. His sudden change of manner was not lost on her.

  "He's a good man," she said, suddenly defensive. She couldn't help but wonder how much of Manny's boldness was due to the drinks he'd been consuming. It was one thing to catch up with an old friend, but it was quite another to try and steal another man's betrothed when he wasn't there to defend himself. "He cares for his family and works hard to protect them."

  "I could be a good family man if you gave me the chance," Manny grumbled.

  "I think I'm going back inside to find my family," Liesel turned, an uneasy feeling boiling in her stomach.

  "Wait, Liesel." He tried to take her hand, but she pulled free. Not to be deterred, however, Manny grabbed her arm just above the elbow and held fast. "Just listen to me!" His face was open, pleading, but his meaty hand gripped her arm so tightly it hurt. Pulling her close, his whisper grated on her ear. "I could love you if you gave me a chance!" For the first time, Liesel smelled the ale on his breath. Memories of her father's drunken nights on the floor flared in her mind, and with the memories, her temper flared as well.

  "Get off me!" Liesel brought her free hand around in a fist and bloodied his nose upon contact. Without hesitating, she followed the first blow by bringing her knee up as hard as she could. The large man doubled over in pain. Liesel whirled around to run, but before she got three steps, he'd reached out and twisted her arm. She let out a cry of pain as he yanked her back towards him.

  A snarl ripped the air as a gray blur launched itself between them. Liesel was knocked to the ground, but not nearly as hard as her attacker. Manny screamed as the wolf stood over him with hackles raised and teeth barred. Manny was drunk and cruel, but he wasn't a boar, and if Kurt killed him, Liesel knew it would haunt him for life. She tried desperately to find her voice.

  "Kurt." Not loud enough. She wet her lips and tried again. "Kurt!" The wolf continued to growl down at the man it held pinned, but the man flipped his head to stare in disbelief.

  "This is him?" His voice cracked with incredulity. The wolf snapped his jaws just an inch from Manny's face, returning the drunk man's attention back to himself. Unfortunately, he drew the attention of others as well. Those milling in the garden who hadn't heard Liesel's cries of pain now heard the snarls of the wolf.

  "Quick! Bring a light!" Someone yelled. Liesel could hear others begin to echo him, and knew they only had moments before the entire wedding was after them.

  "Kurt! Leave him be! We have to go!" She shouted now. The voices of men shouting grew closer as they searched the trees and bushes for the animal. Upon her shout, however, Kurt did not run, but instead, turned to her and snarled. Liesel froze. Slowly, he stepped off of the man and began to make his way towards her. Liesel began to crawl backwards, pleading as she went, praying for him to remember. But his eyes remained glazed and his fur bristled as he crept towards her. Inches from her face, Liesel could feel the heat from his muzzle. His growls vibrated in her chest, and his red gums seemed to grow larger as he curled his lips back even further. "Please," Liesel whimpered. "Remember who I am."

  A howl interrupted her pleas. Liesel turned to see Johan hidden in the shadow of the house, still howling at his friend. To her great relief, Kurt began to retreat, slowly at first, and then he broke into a run, following Johan. As soon as she could get her legs to work, Liesel was up and chasing after them.

  "So that's what it is!" Manny yelled from behind her. She could hear the people gather around him as he still sat on the ground. "She's cursed! That wolf has cursed her!" Liesel rounded the corner of the building to find Johan and Kurt. Kurt was breathing hard, back bent with his hands on his knees. Johan was already taking off in the direction of the stable where they'd left their horses. Liesel nearly collapsed with relief when she saw that they were in human form, but the look Kurt gave her when their eyes met was doleful. She couldn't think of anything to say as Johan returned with the horses.

  "How much did they see, Johan?" Kurt asked, still not breaking his gaze with Liesel.

  "Just enough to give spirit back to old bedtime tales. I set fire to one of the trees to buy us a few extra minutes though," Johan muttered as he handed them the reins of their respective horses. "But we need to go now."

  "Go?" Liesel looked first at Johan and then at Kurt as Johan's words sank in. "No...No, I'm not ready to go! I can't!" Her breaths began to come in and out too fast, and the world no longer looked exactly level. "I'm not ready to live without the sun!" Liesel knew her words were hysterical, and her voice rang with an odd pitch, but all she could think about was the life she had been pretending didn't exist for the last few weeks.

  "We only have three days," Kurt said tersely. "I was hoping tonight...," his voice trailed off as he watched her sink to the ground and fall to pieces.

  How had she lost such track of time? Liesel sat in a daze, tears streaming down her face as Kurt and Johan gently lifted her onto her horse. Somehow, she managed to stay upright, though she wasn't sure how exactly. More shouts rang out as the crowd drew near, but all she could think about was leaving. She would never see her grandparents again. She would never be able to tell her grandfather she was sorry. She would never rest in her grandmother's embrace. She would live a life without sun, watching Kurt lose himself to the animal, and dying before she was gray.

  "Liesel!" Kurt's voice broke through her reverie. He was calling to her over the din of approaching crowd. Liesel came to her senses just in time to see the mob encircle them. Torches had been lit, and weapons of all sorts had been made out of farming tools, whatever could be found on such short notice. Liesel winced at the scythes in particular as it dawned on her just how many people now surrounded them. After frantically searching, she finally found the distressed face of her grandmother hidden deep in the rowdy crowd. But where was her grandfather?

  "After all these years," one man stepped forward with a torch. Liesel thought she recognized him as one of the city council members. She had been good friends with his daughter when they were little. "You've returned to bring a curse on us?" Before Liesel could even think of an answer though, a small popping sound was heard. Immediately, the circle began to fill with a thick, noxious smoke. People began to cry out as it filled their eyes and burned their noses. Liesel briefly had time to recall her grandfather telling her about such oddities he'd found in the east, when a rough hand grabbed her horse's reins.

  "Liesel," her grandfather's voice was urgent.

  "Grandfather!" Liesel's eyes grew even wetter as she began to cry in earnest. Gently, he laid took her cheek in his hand.

  "Help him find his peace!" His voice was low and compassionate. "You were right, and I'm sorry for being so hard on you. You're his only hope now...so go!" With that, he slapped her horse and she was off.

  It was surprising how fast the two horses and the wolf made their way through the coughing, gagging mob. As they galloped off into the night, Liesel turned to look behind her once more, but she could see nothing above the smoke balls her grandfather had lit and the torches enveloped in the thick cloud of smoke that continued to cling to the ground.

  ***

  They didn't stop running for a long time, and then, only long enough for the horses to rest before taking off again. Thankfully, the moon had come out, and it made the world around them glow blue. Liesel was aware of the concerned glances Kurt kept throwing her way, but she didn't meet his eyes. She couldn't believe they had failed. As much as she'd felt the pessimism rise up within her during their time at the vineyard, she only now began to realize how much she had truly still clung to hope as long as they were away from the forest.

  Instead of following the road, they moved into the wood's fringe as soon as they could see it, continuing the rest-run pattern even after the sun rose. Liesel knew she was hungry, but she really didn't care. She drank when Kurt told her to at brooks and streams, but not of her own choosing. By the time they fi
nally stopped that night, she still hadn't been able to speak a word. Kurt built a fire, and Johan took the first watch while Liesel sat and simply stared at the tongues of flame licking the darkness. She was aware that Kurt sat across from her, but she didn't look at him. After a long stretch of silence, Kurt finally spoke in a low voice.

  "I'm aware that I'm being a hypocrite, saving you from a fate with him only to force you into one with me." His voice broke a bit. "I just don't know what else to do. I don't want to hurt you. But I can't let my people die. We tried, Liesel. We did our best." With that, he stood and walked away. "I'm going to get some firewood. I'll be back," he mumbled.

  "Don't let his duty fool you." Johan, back in his human form, sat on the log Kurt had just left. "He hasn't been the same since the first time you left. Tortured himself for years over what to do about you." Staring down at his pipe as he lit it, he quietly added, "And don't mistake his sense of duty for indifference. He could never be indifferent about you."

  Liesel didn't reply, simply continued to look into the flames as though they held the answers she was seeking. As the hour drew late, though, she began to grow fidgety. A look at Johan confirmed her suspicions.

  "Should've been back by now," Johan stood. Liesel stood with him, although she wasn't sure why. It wasn't as if she could be of any help. Johan disappeared into the thick brush, but Liesel began to pace. The longer they were gone, the worse she felt. Finally, she heard two sets of human footsteps approach.

  "Thank goodness you're back!" She began to push through the leaves. Instead of seeing Kurt or Johan on the other size of the brush, however, Liesel was shocked to find herself staring right into the face of Lothur.

  20. MORNING GLORY

  It was a long moment before either of them spoke. Liesel thought about running, but dispelled the thought before it was even complete. She knew all too well how fast the wolves were.