The guard halted a few feet away from where Red had stood. A wolf now stared at him. It's eyes flashed in the torchlight. It let out a haunting howl that pierced into the night. It looked at him and snarled. He put his hand on his sword. It crouched its hind legs. He took a step back and tried to draw his sword, but the wolf was quicker. It lunged at him, jaws opened wide. Then the wolf disappeared.
The wolf reappeared in a large room, finely furnished. The wolf tried to move, but it was held immobile by magic.
"Now, really. Did you think I would let you run around loose in my palace, killing my guards?" The Queen walked out of shadows, a smirk on her face. She circled the wolf lazily, her long, black dress trailing behind her. "You were foolish to come here, although I suppose you were a bit...desperate." She smiled an evil grin.
"I know you were looking for this." She held up Red's cloak in her hand. "When my guards brought it here, I almost banished them for their uselessness. Until I realized it was magic. Then I figured I could use it for a bit of leverage." She dropped the cloak on the back of the wolf.
The wolf transformed back into Red, who was rather confused. As she pieced together what was going on, The Queen stood with her arms crossed, looking smug. Red tried to get up, but she was still held by magic. Her head was the only part of her that would move.
"Now," The Queen spoke up again, "I want you to bring me Snow White."
Red's eyes widened. "There is no way I would ever do that," she replied.
"You do realize I could kill you on the spot."
Red's heart slammed in her chest, but she forced her eyes to send daggers at The Queen. "Then do it. It'll keep me from hurting anyone else, and I won't help you."
The Queen chuckled. "Oh, but you will. If you want to keep that cloak of yours. The one that's going to stop you from hurting anyone?"
"And if I don't?"
"Then I destroy the cloak, and you go back to maiming villagers and howling at the moon."
Red pursed her lips, but didn't respond. Helping The Queen get Snow was out of the question, but so was letting the wolf free to hurt anyone else. She didn't know what to do.
The Queen seemed to enjoy her frustration, but quickly grew impatient. "All right, here's how this works," she broke the silence. "You have one day to bring me Snow White. If you're not back by nightfall, I destroy the cloak. I'll be back in the morning to free you." With that, she turned on her heel, and strode confidently from the room. "Sleep well," she called back without looking, just as she slipped out of Red's sight.
Red, obviously, did not sleep well. She didn't sleep at all, due to her uncomfortable position on the floor, and the even more uncomfortable dillema running circles through her head. She hadn't been able to think of an escape or a way to save both Snow and herself. As the morning light began to brighten the room, Red waited with dread in her heart.
The Queen appeared soon after, striding in just as confidently as she had left. "Well, don't you look terrible," she said, and smiled. "Ready to cooperate?"
Red refused to look at her, until she felt the cloak being lifted from her shoulders. The Queen dangled it from her fingers as if toying with a pet. Red's look of disgust only seemed to please her more. Then, rolling the cloak up around her arm, she said "Time to go."
The Queen waved her hand, and Red found she was able to move again. She stood with a grimace, pain from being in one position all night coursing through her. She straightened fully, and faced The Queen with a hard expression and silence.
The Queen, clearly waiting for a reaction, raised her eyebrow. Almost before Red knew what she was doing, she rushed at The Queen, one hand intending to claw her face, the other to retrieve her cloak.
The Queen didn't react at all except to wave her hand. A purple smoke swept up around Red, and she was gone from the room.
Red found herself a ways from the castle, on the main road leading out of The Queen's forest. She still hadn't figured out what to do, but she started walking. Leaving the road after she fully exited the forest, she backtracked the way she had come yesterday.
Stopping at a small stream to get a drink and wash her face, she stared at her reflection. She did look terrible. Her eyes had dark cirlces under them, and her hair was in a tangled mess. Her reflection's frown deepened as The Queen's smirk came to mind. She splashed the water with her hand in frustration.
Red would not help her. She would have her life ended before she ended Snow's. But she would find Snow. She had a right to know what had happened. Although she tried to supress it, Red had a small hope Snow would think of another solution to the problem.
Red continued to backtrack. Although they had not agreed upon a meeting place, Red was confident Snow would also head back, in case they might meet up again. About midday, she reached their former camping spot, and found Snow hiding in a tree.
"Red!" Snow hastened down, and ran to hug her. "You're alive! Are you okay? What happened?"
Red pulled back from Snow's embrace, happy to see her friend, but hating that she had to tell Snow of her failure. They sat, and she related the previous nights events slowly, finding the words hard to speak. Snow reacted with shock, then anger, then sadness.
"Oh, Red. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you." Snow looked at her with true remorse.
"I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you. If I'd just been stronger, and faster, and, and, not a wolf..."
"And if The Queen didn't want me, you wouldn't be in this terrible predicament."
"Snow, I won't give you up to The Queen. I won't betray you."
"I know." Snow smiled in a sad way. Red's hope faltered at that smile. Snow's usual optimism was gone, just when Red had wanted it most. "To be honest, even if you did give me up, The Queen would probably kill you too." Snow looked up at Red and seemed to regret her words. "I'm sorry. That was bleak."
Red shook her head, then stood. "I appreciate your candor. Now I know I have nothing left to lose. I'll face The Queen, and try one last time to retrieve my cloak. If I don't succeed, then no one will ever have to deal with the wolf again."