(Chapter 1) A Request
Red glanced over at her mother as she stood up. Her mother was very pregnant, soon to have the baby yet she insisted on continuing to work around the house. Red sighed and stood up with her mother quickly, yet silently, moving to her side. She grasped her mother's arm, helping her stand.
"Oh, thank you sweetie, but really I'm not that fat yet" her mother said amusement and gratitude in her voice.
Red shrugged, keeping her hand on her mother's arm until she was steady. Red hardly ever spoke, her parents were used to it, they understood her perfectly.
Her mother shook her head "alright then, if you want to help so badly, go help your father finish with the wood while I finish diner".
Red released her mother reluctantly, watching her walk until she was satisfied her mother would be able to walk herself without harm. She turned on her heel and moved toward the back door. Grabbing her cloak from the pegs beside the door she wrapped it's red fabric around her shoulders before opening the door and slipping out quickly.
It was a beautiful winter day. Snowing lightly and adding to the piles already settled on the ground. The sun was setting on the other side of the house letting a giant shadow freeze this portion of their land. Red wrapped her arms around herself under the cloak as she made her way around the house. Her father was chopping firewood before dark and he liked to have more than enough. If Red helped him they would get done just in time for diner.
She rounded the corner instantly reaching a hand toward the spare ax leaning against the wooden cabin, her father had known she would come out. Looking up she assessed her father's work. He had made a decent pile of nicely chopped logs at the side of the house. A smaller pile lay closer to him, bigger rougher pieces yet to be split.
Crack
Her father's ax came down on another bark covered victim, neatly slicing it in two. He was the best at that, dead center every time, always one strike only. She moved toward the pile of yet to be chopped logs and grabbed one to replace his previous one as her father moved the two new logs beside the house. Noticing her presence he nodded, she nodded back placing the rough log down. Drawing back her ax she brought it down.
Crack
Almost as deadly as her father her log fell in two. They settled in a rhythm. One worked at chopping for a few minutes letting their partner move the logs and cool off, then when the axman got to hot they switched. It was a long used pattern, almost as natural to them as breathing and completely voiceless.
By the time the sun finished setting they were done. They each grabbed as many sliced logs as they could keeping their axes with them. When they managed to get through the door back into the warm house they stomped their feet, snow shaking loose from their boots. Setting the twin axes by the door they deposited their armfuls of logs by the fire, placing a few on top of it.
Red's mother peeked out from the kitchen "oh, good, you're just on time, as usual" she finished almost sarcastically. She disappeared back into the kitchen as Red and her father grinned at each other and at her mother's almost sarcastic remark. Her father made his way to the kitchen as Red tuned back to the door. She whisked the cloak of her shoulders shaking it out before hanging it back on the peg. Her father didn't have to do this because he didn't have a cloak, he didn't need one. Really neither did Red, most of the time, but it appeased her mother, at least that was the story.
Red took a deep breath, letting the smells and warm spread through her body. She could smell the fire and the scent of food from the kitchen, but she could still smell snow on herself. She dusted her clothes of starting at her black long sleeved shirt and then making her way down her gray skirt before once again stomping her black-booted feet. Finally she shook out her shoulder length black hair, half melted snow flakes flying free of it.
She sighed enjoying the freedom of her ski and the warmth in her bones. She made her way to the kitchen where dinner was already set out. Her parents were talking to each other seemingly working out a problem.
"Hunny you know how old she is, maybe you could just go and check on her" her mother said trying to reason with him "it would only take a day or two".
Already her father was shaking his head "not leaving you". The simple answer was expected, Red got her silence from her father and the lack of other human contact, they lived far from any town.
Her mother sighed, eyes flicking about like she was hoping a solution would appear out of the woodwork. Her eyes settled on Red, who was taking her seat. "What if Red went dear" her mother asked, hope in her voice.
Red's father looked from his wife to Red. Red felt a small need to smirk, she buried it fast. Her father couldn't help but doing whatever her mother wanted when she had that small bit of hope in her voice. Her father still hesitated, giving his wife a questioning and worried look.
Red's mother understood "you've taught her so well and my mother's cottage isn't that far, if she takes her knife and ax she'll be fine".
Her father's face crumbled to a smile, Red inwardly crowed in triumph. Her mother gave her husband a quick kiss as thanks and they all started on the meal.
….
Red sat on the ground in front of the fire facing the two chairs also in front of the fire. Her parents sat in the chairs, by far the most comfortable in the cabin. They were going to talk her through what to do to get to her grandmother's cottage, what she would need to take, and a long list of what not to do.
"An extra set of clothes and food for yourself" started her mother.
"Food and provisions for your grandmother" her father toned quietly.
"Oil and fire starters with extra tinder and a bedroll, and blankets" her mother chipped in again.
"Weapons" her father said, eyes flicking over to the axes by the door.
"Stay on the path no matter what" her mother said "There's nothing worth the risk of getting lost and dying, we need you here, I need your help when the baby comes, what would I do if you never came back".
Her father grabbed his wife's hand before she could get more worked up "just use common sense, your a smart girl, You'll be fine". She smiled at her father happy to have his trust.
It didn't take long to gather the needed supplies and then it was off to bed. Her father would get her up in the morning, extremely early. She said goodnight to her parents and went to her small room reclining under her heavy covers she let out another sigh.
The woods were powerful and secretive, they always had been. Tomorrow she would dig out their secrets and make that power her own.
Red Ridenswood let herself drift off to sleep dreaming of snow covered trees and flowers that bloomed in the winter.