Hi! So, I was rewatching Red Riding Hood last night, then I thought of this. Like, what if, really? What if Valerie's grandma did this? Then I wondered how this would affect the other characters, then BOOM. Here's the story, hehe. Hope you enjoy, and please R&R! Your feedback will be very much appreciated.
Summary: Valerie's grandmother discusses her suspicions of Cesaire to Father Solomon. What would the outcome of this action be, and what would it mean for the residents of Daggerhorn? Would things still be the same?
Disclaimer: I don't own Red Riding Hood, sadly. If I did, Peter would be mine :3
1.
She grew suspicious once Henry had mentioned the smell of musk. She knew for a fact that it could not possibly come from her. She prided herself in the flower oil she used on her skin every night. No, the smell of musk was not hers, but she knew where it could come from.
As she stepped out of Henry's workshop, she glanced to her left and saw Cesaire there. She froze for a moment. Two choices immediately came to mind: head back home and think over this revelation, or confront him about it. She chooses neither of the options and instead, she nods at him politely.
"Good afternoon, Mother. What brings you here?" Cesaire asked her blankly.
She kept her face composed. "I came by to give Henry some biscuits. He could have been family, after all."
Cesaire hummed in response, eyes glancing at her. "Well, take care on your way home."
"I will, Son," she managed to smile at him, patting his cheek before heading off in the direction of the gates. She nodded at the soldier guarding the gates and chanced a glance behind her. Cesaire was nowhere to be seen. Her heart pounded slightly. This was ridiculous, she began to think. Her son - a werewolf? It was preposterous… preposterously probable. She released a shaky sigh as she turned back and discretely made her way to Father Solomon's temporary residence.
The priest opened the door for her with a curious look. "What can I help you with, Milady?"
"I… I have something I would like to run by you, if that's alright," she said shakily. He let her in and led her to a seat in front of a desk. He took his place behind the desk and gestured for her to begin.
"I," she began, taking a deep breath before steadying herself. Was she really going to do this? She was only acting on a hunch, but would she really do this to her son and his family? What if she was wrong?
Father Solomon seemed to see the conflict in her. "You can tell me anything, you know. You don't have to be afraid."
"I… am not certain about divulging this," she began. "It's merely speculation about this… werewolf business. I feel that if I say this without having confirmed it, it would lead to trouble."
Father Solomon nodded. "I see. However, any information would be very helpful in finding out who the werewolf is. It would also be better if we confirmed it together, no? It's much safer that way, don't you think? If you are right, then it would be dangerous to investigate that person on your own, hm?"
He had a point and she knew that. However, it was her son. He was the boy she raised, the boy she watched grow up, and the boy that smelled of the musk Henry had described. Only one other man had smelled that way as far as she knew - her husband, and he was long dead. Henry could be wrong, but he was so adamant about it. His voice and reaction to her accusation was enough to convince her that he could be right. He could have been only imagining it while hiding from the werewolf, but he was so sure.
Slowly, she began to nod. "I… I suspect my son, Cesaire."
Father Solomon blinked before leaning towards her in interest. "Oh? Do tell."
She inhaled sharply before sharing her suspicions: what she had heard from Henry, how that smell could have came from him - she didn't know anyone else besides her deceased husband who smelled the way Henry had told her, and how her had looked at her oddly when she had exited Henry's workshop. She did tell Father Solomon of her worries: how she may be wrong, how she may simply be overreacting and acting impulsively, but he calmed her down by taking her hand.
"Milady, I understand your concerns, yes, but this could be a lead. Whether this is proven right or wrong, it would not hurt to be sure, yes?" he asked her.
She nodded. "What would this testing entail, then?"
"We will merely strap him to a chair in the center of the village. I admit, this is quite the testing - he could be easily eaten by the wolf should it appear. Nevertheless, I promise you that my soldiers will be at the ready to defend your son should he not be the wolf, and should the wolf find him a target. On the contrary, should your son be the wolf, well… We will not inform your son of the whereabouts of the soldiers, but we will tell him that they will be present, if only to ease his mind about this." Father Solomon explained to her.
It seemed like a smart idea to test. If Cesaire was the wolf, then at least, he wouldn't harm anyone, as they would be safe inside their homes. On the other hand, if he wasn't the wolf, then she would be damning her family: Suzette would lose a husband, Valerie would lose a father, and she herself would lose a son.
It was a difficult decision.
"Perhaps you would like to discuss this with the other members of the family?" Father Solomon offered. "I find that it would be difficult to talk to Cesaire about this - if he was the wolf, it would be dangerous if he found out that he was suspected."
She nodded. "This will be a difficult test to carry out. I do not know how to convince Cesaire to be strapped to the chair. Suzette will be against it - so will Valerie. There must be some reason we can propose to have Cesaire agree?"
Father Solomon nodded. "Perhaps. I advise that you discuss this with the daughter… Valerie, yes? If it were the wife, it would be tricky. The daughter… she may still be convinced, I think. Tomorrow, I shall try to come up with a solution to this - a reason for your son to partake in this test. For now, I suggest going back to your son's home. Dangerous, yes, but it would be more dangerous to return to your home outside of the village, hmm?"
She nodded again. "I understand. Thank you for listening to me, and for volunteering to do this. I…"
He looked at her with understanding eyes. "I know. Go back to your home, Milady. Prepare yourself… and your granddaughter."
"Yes, I shall…" she shakily sighed. She had made her choice; there was no turning back. With a stronger resolve, she walked towards her son's house.
Me: And that's it for now! It's gonna get really exciting after this, I think, hehe. See ya soon!