Hey there! Here is the next chapter! A little interaction between the Bad Wolf heir and the Charming Princess. Might be OOC :) I hope you enjoy it!
It was the afternoon, and at the Hood's cottage everything was very peaceful, Red was at the kitchen and Ramona was enjoying herself chopping wood. Meantime Darling and Cerise were competing, at speed Cerise had the upper hand every time, it was at strength the tables were turned. They tried different sports and finally settled at an archery contest.
Cerise took her shot and missed by little, the sound of the chopping was very distracting for her.
"How much longer can you do that? At this pace you will cut down the whole forest in a week" Cerise said.
"A week is six days more than I need to accomplish the task"
Now it was Darling's turn. She pointed, inhaled and stayed still to finally release the arrow and have a clean shot "Bull's eye" she said content.
"Keep the score" Cerise warned.
"Well there lil' princess, that better be a useful skill if you are seeking to be the hero"
Darling knew Ramona liked to tease, and that she was one of the main reasons she was able to stay at the house, and that it was her way of having fun and embracing the Bad Wolf legacy, but some days it sure felt like she was plainly picking on her.
"I sure hope that when you call me princess it's a compliment and not a nickname to annoy me"
"Whichever glass slipper fits you, Cinderella" she chopped another log in half.
Darling knew then she was really pressing her buttons. She huffed indignantly.
Cerise approached her, laying a hand on her shoulder "It's not personal, she means well. That's how we...play? It's a wolf thing. If you want to earn respect you have to beat the leader. It's how cubs play and how adults settle hierarchy"
"Beat the leader?" she repeated "I might just try that, and in her own game"
She walked towards the Bad Wolf heir.
"What's up, Charming? already tired of the competition?"
"On the contrary, I would like to challenge you"
Ramona looked up and laughed instantly, she didn't meant to, but it was truly funny.
"Come on there, lil' princess, I am a Bad Wolf and you met my dad, I don't think I am the girl you want to face off. My sister has a sense of sportsmanship, I grew up on the other side of the forest"
"If that's the case, it shouldn't be a problem defeating me"
"Well princess, I heard you were tough, they forgot to mention reckless. Lets hope that pride of yours heals fast, or you will be sore for days"
"I've been warned" she replied confidently.
"What's the challenge?"
Darling raised an eyebrow gazing at the ax.
"Oh really?" Ramona chuckled "Very well then" she put the log in position and with one blow smashed it in half "Well princess, your turn" she handed her the ax.
Darling weighted it in her hands getting used to it "Ok..." she then brought it down with might, but the metal barely made it half way through.
"And well?" Ramona asked with arms crossed.
"I need to get used to it first. I can use swords, but this is a very different gravity center"
"Whatever you say, Charming"
Darling then put all her strength to take it out, but her grip slipped and she ended up falling backwards to her embarrassment.
Of course Ramona laughed, ever Darling found her own situation amusing, but she was determined to earn some respect. Cerise helped her up "You have her attention" she said dusting her off.
"Ready for round two, princess?"
"Oh!, it's on like fairy tale song"
"Now where have I heard that?" she eyed her sister smiling.
Darling took the ax again "ok, use your back, make the energy come like an arch, from down and up and let the gravity do the rest with impulse" she told herself.
"What now?"
"Just wait and see" she smiled swinging the ax with ease and strength. At the end she managed to cut it in half, just barely.
"Very well, let's see how you manage to keep up" she smiled truly enjoying the fierceness of the platinum haired girl.
For several minutes they went on with the competition, Ramona could accomplish the task with little effort, Darling struggled every time. She was getting tired, but she never lost focus or her charming smile. Once more she brought the ax down for the twelfth time, but the ax got stuck at the surface, she tried to remove it, but her arms were too sore to be of any help. She pulled again with little results.
Ramona gently pulled her away "I think I will call it" she removed the ax easily. Darling felt a little defeated by that "I will give it to you, you have spirit" she laid a hand on her shoulder "let me tell you a little secret. A family secret for happiness if you will" she smiled "don't ever mind how others call you. Not me, not your friends, or enemies, not even your family. What they call you is not what you are. You be what you want to be. If anybody has a problem with that, just show the same determination you did back there" she pointed at the wood "If you are a hero, then show them all you are the best hero ever" she patted her shoulder "but don't expect me to drop the lil' princess, that's how I call the ones I care about. Got it from mom's side of the family" she walked to her sister "Just ask this little hood" she pulled her signature cloth all the way down to her chin to blind her.
Cerise laughed fixing the hood while Ramona walked inside the house, then she eyed her friend "Do you feel like you earned her respect now?"
"I don't know" Darling smiled observing the ax "but she earned mine"
Thanks for the support once again! I will see you friday with the next update!
