Chapter 2

22 years later...

It was a burst of fantastical violence. Rose Red stocked above the scene on a tree branch stalking like a feline. This had not been the first battle their small army had been in facing the queen's men; but it was the first time the strategies had been her own and the first time the odds seemed to be in their favor. The redhead crossed herself with one hand all the while keeping her other hand on her sword. "By the grace of God let this be the battle to end all other battles." She prayed.

"Gabby behind you!" Snow fired an arrow from across the way as it beamed a guard behind her making him loose his footing. At this Gabrielle jumped down from the tree sword in hand. With footing of a woman's grace and the quick hand-eye coordination skills of a man the fiery beauty was off. She seemed not to run but to sore through the forest as steal clashed against steal. Anyone with eyes could see that this woman was born to have a sword in her hand and a glint in her eyes. Dirt came flying up under her boots as she sashayed to match her component's step and best him in the end. Her breathing becoming shallow. Little knowing that she was being led into a trap.
Soon she was in a clearing; the sight of the man she was chasing gone. This aloneness made all her senses suddenly acute and heightened she turned on her heel swiftly with sword pointed. After the slightest sound of a twig snapping she was surrounded and suddenly brought to her knees by an overwhelming source of magic.
"Rose Red!" a voice, dripping with evil rang from the shadows. Gabrielle tried in vain to lunge upwards but failed resulting in the laughter of the evil queen. Gabrielle struggled under the invisible restraints. "You are insane if you think you are going to win!" she spat. "Love and goodness will always triumph. Besides, I am way more experienced in warfare than all of your men put together; I can lead our people threw anything you throw our way! "

Regina threw her head back in laughter. "A brave little idiot. How sweet." Her fist than plunged threw the red haired warrior's chest to claim her heart and withdraw it. Gabrielle watched her own heart rest in the woman's gloved hand beating steadily. The fingers of the queen's slowly began to crush and burry in the pulsating organ, Gabrielle choked back screams of agony. Her entire body seemed to be on fire; air ways closing….

"Your majesty." Intruded a guard hesitantly. Regina stopped abruptly, turning with annoyance apparent on her face. "What?" she demanded.
"There is truth in her words. None of us expected the attack." At this the evil queen straightened glaring at her knight. "What are you suggesting?"

"Give Rose Red her life in exchange for her tactics. She is like a sister to Snow White what better revenge than to have family turn on family? Willingly!"

"Never!" Gabrielle choked out. "Never will I betray Snow!"
Regina chortled kneeling down cupping the girls face. "Oh you will." She hissed. "I am going to send you to a place so miserable you will beg for my favor. A place where you will be branded as insane…a land without magic!";

- France 1661-

The sun heatedly kissed her eyelids and her arm flung across those shut lids to shield them from the streaming light. She grunted and flipped to her side nuzzling the pillow gently. Her other hand fell lazily to the floor to feel fabric against her fingertips; as she cracked an eye open she saw the brown of her trousers and the red of her tunic. She shot up right in bed and glanced down at her bosom only to find it adorned with a cream colored nightgown. She gasped to see a perfectly red scar upon the bare flesh above her heart; she pressed her hand to the place where her heart was meant to be. Regina had given it back however she had bigger problems

The cottage was dark and dank as the sun shone through the windows you could see the dust particles looking for a resting place. The furniture was make shift to say the least but still functional, she hadn't remembered sleeping that well since her youth. It may have been a cabin for the loggers or the Queen's hunters there were very few comforts for a woman to enjoy. The floors were dirt and the wash basin had a water storage, the wind created such drafts throughout the house that a candle had to be shielded from blowing out. No pictures on the walls or vases for flowers not even a few pieces of china to display on a shelf. The only creature comforts was a low smoldering fire in the fireplace and some water in a bucket next to the fireplace to make tea. In short; this was not a cottage she knew. "Oh dear god." She thought. "Where I am I now?"
With that thought in her mind, the young Gabrielle undid her sword from her belt that was still attached to her pants and hesitantly made her way to the door and opened it slowly before jumping out pointing her sword left and right; unaware of the three men watching her from downstairs.

"Is that her?" one whispered

"Yes." He replied. "That would be the girl my son brought home."
"Pretty girl." Remarked the man next to him. "Not quite sure what she is doing with a sword though."

"I know what she could do with my sword." Remarked the third man.
"Shut up, you perverted old fool."
"There is only one way to find out." the man stepped to the bottom of the stairwell and called up. "pardonnez-moi, mademoiselle, parlez-vous français?"

The voice caught her off guard; Gabrielle turned her face slowly to look over her shoulder with great caution. "Oui." She replied shakily. "Oui, it is my second language." Hesitantly she made her way to the top of the stairs and placed her hand on the rail looking down.
Her whiskey colored eyes scanned over the three faces with amusement. "Hello beauty; I am Porthos." The first was a portly man with a coarsely shaven face and broad mustache a ruddy pink tint from the fluster of life and drink. His bulk and strength where apparent even through his flamboyant garb, from looking at him he looked as if he would latch on to a bottle of Port or a woman or even a brawl with equal enthusiasm. Clad in his rich clothing highlighting a hidden grace and a love of life that could not come his way fast enough.
"Porthos please step aside, so I may have a word with our most beautiful and brave guest."
He spoke with a smooth confidence and a lilt that even made her weak in the knees. "I am Aromas." He introduced himself. "Here to serve you on your quest." "Surely you can relax the hand on your sword while you find out whether we are friends or foes." Very tall was he with a full head of brunette hair streaked with a few strands of silver in both his head and mustache. A strikingly handsome man that was obviously very religious and very dangerous too, and judging by his cohorts he is more than likely no stranger to female company or a glass of rum.

Athos may have been a few years younger than the other two, maybe 47 or 48 with dirty blonde hair and a velvet blonde beard that framed blue eyes that watched her with question and recognizable authority;. His quietness could both woo the young women and cause an uneasy fear amongst men. He was clutching a book of poems in his right hand and his sword rested on his right hip; he was definitely left handed. He stepped forward to introduce himself. "Athos my lady, retired member of the Kings Musketeers." a smoky low tone was heard in his voice. "What is your name mademoiselle?"
"Gabrielle. But most call me Rose Red."

"Rose Red." Repeated Porthos. "It is an unusual name."
"I am an unusual girl." Gabrielle crossed one foot behind the other and gave a curtsy; sword still in hand. "it is a pleasure. Now that pleasantries are out of the way; would you care to tell me what I am doing here?"

"My son found you on the road and brought you here." Athos answered

At this Gabrielle nodded carefully thinking of the next question to ask; they seemed harmless enough but could she be sure. "Tell me, who is the queen of this land and is she allies with Queen Regina?"
There was a dead silence as the three men looked around in puzzlement resulting in her arching an eyebrow. "Are you allies with Queen Regina?"

Athos gave a look of reassurance and simply said "no"