Not so little Red Riding Hood - Ruwansha Galagedara (books to read now txt) 📗

felt that she was safe from the wolf. But something worried her mind. The woman had some threatening aura around her. Not that she was ugly or cruel looking, but behind her decent looks she felt something sinister.

Red examined her appearance. She’s definitely a witch.  She wore a pointed hat on her head and her clothes were black in colour. She was good looking unlike the old, ugly witches in fairy tales.

“Are you a witch?” Red asked.

The woman gave a toothy smile. “Call me Hanna-Hanna the witch.”

“Why did you save me?” Red looked at her suspiciously.

“Can’t a good witch save a poor girl from the bad wolves?” Hanna grimaced. “Well, you are correct. I’m not a good witch.” She stated. “I’ll get directly to the topic. I need to get something done. Anyway you have no choice other than helping me. I’ve got your wimpy little sister.”

Red gasped. “You have got Mary?”

“Right, you are brainy one. Is that her name? Mary? She was hiding near the wolf’s house when I found her. She was eavesdropping on what’s going inside. So, I took her safely to my hands and caged her in a nice little room where wolf cannot find. But that stupid child is making a fuss, crying and shouting like a little monster.” Hanna pouted.

“Tell me what do I have to do? After that you will let go of us, won’t you?” Red retorted.

“Hey, why are you in a rush? Let’s go to my cottage and have a nice meal first. And let me heal you. You will need strength for this job.” Hanna sneered pulling Red by her hand in a strong grip.

They walked few miles before entering a clear meadow and the sun had begun to set. The witch waved her wand muttering something inaudibly.  Blue sparks flew from the tip of the wand and little by little a small cottage appeared before her eyes. Red wondered how a wooden stick can do all those magical stuff. It had healed her bleeding shoulder in a blink.

The witch opened the thick wooden front door and Red entered following her.

“Red! Red! You came to save me!” A shriek came from a corner. Mary was locked up in a small cage made with huge wooden bars.

Red ran to her hurriedly. “I’ll get you freed somehow. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Enough!” Hanna roared. “If you want to save the child listen to me carefully. I’ll tell you what to do while having dinner.”

“You should find something for me from the ruins of the Dwealith castle.” Hanna stuffed a large piece of roasted duck’s breast. “You should escape from the monster guarding the castle gate and spells the white witch had performed to protect the castle. You may find other barriers as well.”

“Why can’t you go by yourself?”

Hanna looked distastefully at her. “That foolish witch had performed a spell at her deathbed to make the kingdom invisible for me.” She gritted her teeth. “Aria was full of herself. She dared to use magic before I killed her.”

“What do I have to get you?”

“A crystal. It shines blue in daytime and white in night. So, go and sleep now. You have a long day tomorrow. If you fail, it’s the end of this little birdie.” She laughed thunderously.

Chapter5

Red looked at the huge gates in front of her. She knew that behind those massive walls there has to be the lost kingdom of Dwealith. She had heard the legend of Dwealith in her childhood. But she never believed it. But now, in front of her eyes there it laid majestically.

“Can’t you see this wall?” Red asked with wide eyes from the witch who stood without any awareness of what is in front of her.

“So, you see it?”  Witch grinned. “The gate opens once in three days. Fortunately I met you yesterday. It’ll open with the sun rise. You have to pretend like you are lost. The villagers will welcome you. Within three days you have to get the crystal and bring it to me. Unless...” she paused and bared her teeth evilly. “Your sister will have to suffer.”

Red didn’t want to say that she was not her sister. She felt sick at the stomach. She wondered what her mother must be thinking and how grandma would wonder why no one came to see her for days. Now, she had to spend three more days to go to see her grandma.

“It is opening. “ The witch said, her eyes were on the rising sun. “Go!”

Red walked towards the opening gates. There were no guards anywhere to be seen. She entered without looking back at the witch, whom she knew, must be watching her. It looked just like any other village she has seen, with women making pottery and men collecting hay. Horses were in a far away stable and everybody seemed busy with their work. Red walked among them unnoticed until a girl came running from behind and patted her.

“Hey, where have you been? I was looking...” she trailed off. “Sorry, I thought you are Helen. I haven’t seen you before, are you new?” she frowned.

“I... lost my way. I got caught to a big wolf and escaped, but now I’m lost. I want to go home. Where am I?” Red put a miserable face.

“Oh! So, you are from the “out”. I’m sorry; I think you won’t be able to go home soon.” The girl said in a worried voice. “The gates open only once in three days.”

“Where am I?”

“You are in Dwealith.”

“Dwealith? It’s just a legend! Dwealith of ‘Dwealith and the wicked witch’?”

“Yes. It’s not a legend. By the way, I’ll take you to meet my family. They’ll help you. Oh! Forgot to introduce myself, I’m Ellyn.”

“I’m Red.”

 They walked through the busy village fair with many people selling vegetables, fruits and various metal wares. She heard the sound of a gushing river nearby as she walked away from the fair. The scenery turned beautiful as they walked away from the noisy events. Deep as they went, through a pine forest they entered to hilly grassland with random houses built with their own stables and large gardens.

“That’s ours.”Ellyn pointed towards a house made of wattle and daub thatched with straw.

“I know for what you are up to, Red.” A male voice warned in a whispery voice from behind. Red sprang startled. But nobody was there.

Chapter6

“This is my parents Anna and John Black.” Ellyn introduced. “And this is Red. She has lost her way and ended up here. The big wolf had caught her, but she had escaped.”

Mr. and Mrs. Black looked bewildered. “You escaped from the big bad wolf? How’s that? You must be very clever then. Nobody had escaped alive ever,” Mrs. Black said “Unless someone helped you.”

“They kept me for their breakfast as they already had two hares. By midnight all of them fall asleep and I freed my hands.” Lying was not something Red was expert at. But they believed her.

Rest of the day passed quickly meeting new people including Ellyn’s two younger brothers and her two best friends. Villagers were friendly enough and Red found it easy to mingle with them. Not that everyone approved her short dress, but being isolated for a long time, they thought her costumes were the kind outer world wore. Nevertheless Red had not forgotten what she came for. At the dinner table of Black family they asked Red her whereabouts. She told everything genuinely. Then came her chance to ask why their kingdom lay hidden and about the legend.

“Our kingdom was once thriving and rich. People lived happily in peace until one wicked witch came,” explained Mrs. Black. “She was very powerful and she wanted to kill the royal family and rule us. Everything went according to her plan until she tried to massacre everyone inside the palace. The king’s witch performed a magic to make our kingdom invisible to her. She made a prophecy that someday a boy carrying a jade pendant will kill the witch and become our king.”

Red felt bad. She didn’t want to let Hanna to do this. But there seemed no solution. Next morning she went to see the ruins of Dwealith castle with Ellyn and her two brothers. The castle lay on the large rocky boulders surrounded by tall green grass and rocks. Hedges have grown into huge trees and flowers covered the lawn. The huge stone walls proved its splendour in old days. Red tried to imagine the lively palace in her head with king and queen and knights and soldiers.

They walked around the ruins of the castle gates and strolled inside. Red was in a dilemma. She didn’t know whether to look for the crystal or not. “Whatever!” she muttered to herself. She had decided to hunt for the crystal. Behind others’ backs she went wandered deeper and deeper inside. Inside the collapsed buildings there were little light. Mosses have covered most of them and it was humid inside.

“Hey!” A boy about their age emerged from behind a wall. He had brown hair and grey green eyes. ‘Quite a handsome’ Red thought examining his appearance. His skinned was more tanned compared to other villagers. “I’m Philip.” He gave a stunning smile. “And I know you are Red.”

Imprint

Publication Date: 02-15-2014

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To B. M. D.