The Boy in Red

A Genderbent Fanfiction

By Violindance7

Chapter 11: The Village United


"We claim sanctuary!"

"Oh but you can't. You're not on holy ground yet." Father Solomon then reached out and yanked the arrow out of Henrietta's shoulder. "And this belongs to me." Henrietta gritted her teeth against the pain and clasped her hand over her shoulder to try and stanch the bleeding.

As he tried to hold her up, all Val wanted to do was look into the wound to see what was inside her that could radiate such goodness. His skin crawled as he heard it again.

"Val." He turned around to face the Wolf, towering over them with two soldiers dead at its feet.

Solomon looked up at the blood moon, paling in the rising sun. He grabbed Val by the hood and yanked him back. He set his sword against his throat, using him as a human shield and leaving Henrietta to bleed to death on the ground.

"You want him alive, don't you? Well we will stall until daybreak."

The Wolf glared at Solomon, and then looked at the fading moon. It knew it didn't have much time before it became human again. Inside the churchyard, Val saw the villagers gawk at the scene before them. They then backed away as the Wolf slowly walked towards the church. Val knew it was plotting something, but wasn't sure what it was, until he noticed Solomon was shaking. His bloodlust was devouring him before the Wolf had a chance to. He threw Val to the side and charged full force at the Wolf with his sword raised. The Wolf anticipated his attack and leapt over the sword and crunched its massive jaw onto his wrist. The hand fell heavily onto the snow, bitten clean off. The silver-tipped fingers still clenched the hilt of the sword and gleamed in the rising sun. Father Solomon moaned in agony and staggered back towards the church. A bowman shot arrows at the Wolf, but the Wolf easily dodged each bolt. Using the distraction, Val pulled Henrietta through the gate onto sacred ground while the Wolf attacked the bowman. The Wolf charged towards the gates, but was too late to stop them. It reached a paw over the gate, and immediately snatched it back as its paw started to catch fire.

"You can't hide from me. Step through the gate or I'll kill everyone you love. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

"See how he talks to the Wolf!" screamed Solomon.

Both of them ignored him. "Make your decision. You know that though I cannot hurt them now, you don't know who I am and I can still hurt them all once they leave this church."

"If I go with you, will you spare this village?"

"If you go with me, we'll never see this place again."

Val thought of all the people around him, of Henrietta. A few hours ago, many of them condemned him to death. But they were flawed and perfect in their humanity. None of them deserved to die. He was not afraid to die, because the part of him that mattered was already dead.

"I won't let you destroy my home. I'll go with you. To save them."

He took a step forward, until a movement from the crowd made him stop.

Roxas walked towards him. "I won't let you make that sacrifice." He then stepped between him and the Wolf. Ross stepped beside him and said, "Neither will I." Priam then stepped forward. One by one, other villagers surrounded him, until they all stood as one against the Wolf. For a few serene moments, the center of the universe was right there in the village churchyard.

The Wolf was furious. "I will be back for you. And you will be sorry." It then charged into the fading darkness as the sun rose over the horizon. The villagers cheered, aware that for the first time in decades, they had truly defeated the Wolf. In the celebration, nobody was aware of Solomon limping towards Val. Before he realized it, Solomon struck him on the side of the head, and he fell hard against the stone wall.

"You will still burn." He raised his fist again, only to be jerked back as a bull whip wrapped itself around his remaining wrist. Solomon was shocked as the Captain came towards him.

"Under the blood moon, a man bitten is a man cursed."

"My daughters will be orphans."

"My brother had children too." He then drew his sword as Father Solomon made the sign of the cross.

"Forgive your lost sheep Father. I meant only to serve you, to protect us from darkness…"

The Captain plunged his sword into Solomon's chest, piercing his heart. Val watched with satisfaction as blood trickled down his forehead. The world grew dark. Before he lost consciousness, he kept thinking, "Where is Petra?"


He woke up at Grandmother's. Val looked over and saw Grandmother, sleeping by his side. It should have been Lucius. Where was he? Gone. He would always be gone.

Grandmother opened her eyes. But they were dark, too dark. And too big.

"What big eyes you have, Grandmother."

"The better to see you with my dear."

Her ears peeked out from beneath her hair, strangely pointed.

"What big ears you have, Grandmother."

"The better to hear you with my dear."

She smiled. And her teeth looked longer and sharper than usual.

"What big teeth you have, Grandmother."

"The better to eat you with my dear."

Grandmother lunged…


Val woke. He was in his own bed, with Roxas asleep beside him. Roxas was not Lucius either. He sat up and saw Suzette in the kitchen.

"Darling, I've made you some porridge, your favorite." Val pulled on his boots and settled his red cloak around his shoulders. He put a basket of fruit together and placed a handkerchief over it. "Val? What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving now." He swiped a knife from the table and hid it from view.

"Leaving? Where to, darling?"

"To Grandmother's. I had…I think she might be in danger." He also needed to find Petra and Henrietta.

"Val, you don't always need to take care of everyone. I made porridge, your favorite. You're safe with us."

"Goodbye Mother." And then he was gone.


He walked through the village as the snow fell around him. The evening was fast approaching. He passed the iron elephant, lying on its side with the door hacked off.

He saw a figure on a steed approach him, with Solomon's soldiers following behind. He felt fear in his heart, until he saw the figure atop the horse was Henrietta. She looked proud. For the first time in her life, she had a purpose. She had finally found her place in the world. She stepped off the horse and hugged him.

"You're a warrior." He smiled as he pulled back, then frowned when he saw her face. "What is it?"

"No one has seen Petra. If I find her, I'll do what I have to." She then climbed on top of the horse and she and the soldiers were gone. Val looked on as she rode away. He had chosen someone else over her, yet she stood by him. She sacrificed herself to protect him. He was indebted to her. But more importantly, he knew what was inside his heart. He could have had a life with her. A life that was steady and secure. But as much as he wanted to, that life was not for him. That knowledge left him feeling hollow.


He just had to make one stop. He returned to the churchyard. A few hours earlier, so much had happened here. But now, it was empty. He found what he needed and left for the forest.


He was walking through the forest. He knew Grandmother's house must be near, but the path seemed different. Everything was all turned around. It was like he was swimming through oil. He could feel something behind him, approaching him. It was coming closer. He turned. It was her. Petra, stalking after the boy she loved.

"Val, thank God you're all right." She moved towards him. "I have to leave. You won't be safe with me. I just needed to see you one last time."

He knew it was possible she was the Wolf. But he also knew that whatever she was, she loved him. And he loved her. They gave in to each other, their bodies fitting together. He didn't care if she was the Wolf or not. He was hers, and she was his. They stood together, sharing kisses, as the wind blew around them. Black and red in a dark forest.