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Marianne Red hood
As the sun crept up to meet the land on the horizon, the towns' people awoke with the first rays dancing upon the hills that surrounding the small town of Snowfall, situated just under Snow White Castle. Everywhere you looked life was bustling about. Merchants were busy setting up their goods in carts to take to market and housewives were just starting the laundry while the cool morning air lasted. Children played and giggled on the cobblestone streets throughout the town, their smiles shining brighter than an ember. Everywhere the sounds of everyone going about their lives happily could be heard. Everywhere, except in my room in the east wing of Snow White Castle. Here, the curtains were still drawn, shutting out all but a sliver of light from penetrating the darkness in the room. No sounds could be heard but the faint rhythmic ticking of the ornate clock on the wall. The room had become my mood, exuding gloom and despair. And why shouldn't I despair? Here I was, lying in a bed that was not mine, albeit a comfy one, awaiting a fate I sorely wished to escape from. Ever since her mother, The Queen Red Riding Hood the Third; ruler of the second kingdom, had informed her of her imminent betrothal to King Wendell, I had been an inconsolable mess. Why should I have to marry a man I had never met and leave mylife in Red Hood Castle behind? I had known this day would come of course, it was the duty of a Red Hood to marry a man chose by their mother ever since great, great, great, however many more greats grandmother Red Hood had been eaten by a wolf. Its not like she had DIED or anything, honestly I think she over reacted. And even so why was I set to marry a man responsible for pardoning the wolves? 'What a great idea, mother' I seethed. Everywhere in all the kingdoms, King Wendell's decree was being mirrored and celebrated, all but the second kingdom joining in the pardoning of the wolves. The second kingdom would never stop fighting the wolves, not after years of hate and aggression. Constant fighting had been occurring between the Sister Hoods of Red and the wolf tribes as it had been for centuries and the Red Riding Hood Forest was in a bigger state of upset than ever as it is the home of the wolves who have grown bolder since the pardon. Perhaps that is why my mother sent me to marry King Wendell. Make the king happy, and he turns a blind eye to a few extra fur coats coming about… I sighed in frustration. I guess for the extinction of the wolves, I could put SOME effort into getting out of bed to meet the man who would be my husband.
I forced my feet to the floor and stood with a yawn. Walking into the bathroom, I drew myself a bath and turned to look in the mirror on the wall. With my long raven black hair and forest green eyes, I was a run of the mill Red Hood. Nothing special there. Just then my handmaid Vivel waltzed in and the contrast between us was painful. She had sweeping red hair and dazzling blue eyes the shade of the ocean in a storm. Her body had filled out much nicer than mine had though we were the same age. Still I harbored her no ill will, in fact she was the best friend I had. "good morning, my lady" She curtsied low before standing with a smug look in her eyes. I rolled my eyes at her. Never does she call me my lady. As soon as I rolled my eyes she came to stand next to me excitement radiating from her every pore. " This castle is so much different than back home. They hardly have any red at all! The Sister Hoods would be beside themselves trying to change their color scheme" she giggled loudly to herself. " Couldn't you just imagine Madame Pru chasing the interior decorator around with her wooden staff?" Madame Pru was the oldest and most devout of the Sisters and could whack you harder and faster than you would think possible for someone of her age but then again she was a sorceress like me. I had come into my powers as a babe and only a handful of people knew since most sorcerers are viewed as evil ." I seem to remember her chasing us about when I convinced you to magic her flowers white" I winced at the memory of that. " Another of your brilliant ideas" Vivel laughed at the pained look on my face. " Oh don't be such a stick in the mud, my ideas are golden" I could not recall a time when I and Vivel were not together thus she knew all about my sorcery. And how to manipulated it to her plans.
I step into the warm water and scrub my body quickly. Vivel, already bathed and ready, stands ready to attend to me. I finish cleaning and exit the bath where Vivel wraps me in a red towel and I dry off before going to my dresser of clothing. I open the first to find all my red hoods I had brought with me. I took one out and laid it across the top of the dresser to put on over my normal clothing, which would be a red and black shirt and blue jeans. Some might ask why everything I own is red in some shape or form. It is a very simple answer. Wolves hate the color red, it blinds their sense of smell, their most prominent sense, allowing us to sneak in and incapacitate them. And its such a nice color with the black of my hair. I felt at ease as I slid the familiar red cape over my attire, the only comfort I was liable to have today. I turned to Vivel who smiled encouragingly and we both walked toward the parlor where I was to meet King Wendell.
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King Wendell White
A loud bark woke King Wendell from his peaceful sleep. Why he had insisted on keeping the mangy flee bag in his room again? Obviously a mistake on his part. "Quiet Prince or I shall have you changed human again" Prince stopped with a low whine. I would have to have one of those "muzzles" Antony told me about made for him. With a glance at the clock on the wall, I hurriedly rose from bed, stretching contently. I left my room for the bathroom, my bath already drawn by Lestin, my newest man servant, who stood against the wall silent as the grave. I stepped into my marble tub I had had Antony get for me from the kingdom of "New York". It was of course nice to have servants (I had so missed them as a dog) but sometimes I wish they would let me do things myself. Like choosing my own bride, for instance. I seethed furiously at the idea of meeting my bride to be. Only six months have gone by since my coronation and already they bicker at me like dogs. And I would know right? Prince chose this moment to accent my thoughts with a bark, and I laughed at the irony of it. My advisors had set me up with Ms. Marianne Red Hood, heir to the Second Kingdom, because it had always been Lady Snow White's dream to see the 2nd kingdom healed of their prejudice which was the real reason he had pardoned the wolves. But lets let wolf think he did that, poor man needed some sort of achievement under his belt and I doubt he could get it alone. It has fallen to him to bring Snow White's dream into reality. No one had forced me I reminded myself, I chose to take this burden onto myself. I took a deep breath and let it out. He would marry this woman. I looked down at my hands to see them pruning and gasped in horror. It would not do to meet my future bride at less than my utmost. I rushed out of the tub before it could do more damage and Lestin was waiting with a towel, coming toward me to dry my off. I stopped him with one raised hand. " I can dry myself Lestin, I'm not a child". He shrugged his rather large shoulders and handed me the towel before walking away. I smiled at my small independent act, but sigh as I know it will probably be my only happiness of the day, for surely this Marianne would be like all the other women I had met over the course of my life, excluding virginia; Spoiled and power hungry. I will never understand why Antony feels the need to bed them all in a vain attempt to keep one, when by now he should know all they want is his status. Though I had never understood the desires of simpler men, so I was unbothered. As if on cue, there is a knock on my door and in strolls Lord Antony of the harlots. " Hello Antony. I do hope you don't plan to wear that to meet my future bride." He looked down at his Hawaiian print shirt he had gotten from home and his khaki pants, a confused expression on his face. "this is what all the rich men in movies wear. You just don't understand the style of my world". He smoothed his shirt out with a smug smile. I turned back into my bedroom and found my armoire of clothes and chose a white ruffle sleeved shirt and a black bow tie with my usual black dress pants. And as an added touch, I donned a red rose in the small pocket on my shirt. That is when I turned back to Antony to find him shifting in impatience, obviously bursting to tell me something. I wearily ran my fingers through my dirty blonde hair and acknowledged him. "What's her name?" he grinned broadly and began to tell me everything about his new women. Her hair color, the way she smelled, what she wore, what she didn't wear… I am not ashamed to admit I stopped listening at this point and began fixing my hair. Antony's stories could continue for hours before he realized I was listening. Honestly I think the man just liked to hear himself talk. A knock on the door interrupted his story though and I was all the more glad for it. " come in" The young maid I had charged with taking care of Marianne opened the door and curtsied. " Lady Red Hood awaits you in the parlor, Your Highness. And so it had begun." thank you, you may go". She closed the door quickly and Antony let out a low whistle and looked back to me. Too late to run, huh?" he laughed boisterously at that but I didn't understand it though and he stopped to look at me funny. "because men- oh never mind you won't understand". I doubt Antony was ever funny in his world but I did not wish to offend his small self esteem when he so longed for my acceptance. I just smiled and gestured toward the door "shall we meet the bride?" he nodded and walked out with me behind him, heading to meet the mysterious Marianne Red Hood