The Wolf's Den

Path 3: Tilli, Chapter 8: Part 2

        Tili was awake long before Heinrich, and Red even before them. It was the smell of breakfast that woke her, and when she left the room to find out what it was, she smiled sheepishly to Red, who seemed to still be in pajamas. Apparently, it didn't matter if she was in pajamas because Heinrich was still asleep. She, however, was in the same dress, but there was little she could do about that.

        "Good morning, Red."

        "Good morning, Tilli. Did you sleep well? I'm glad there wasn't more than one human with you, he would have used the couch if he were human right now."

         "I'm sure we'll find his princess soon. It would be nice to have him meet his princess, he could be happy with her."

        "You still want that to be you, but you're no princess. You're a piglet, I think, if I have your story right."

        Sitting at the small table in the kitchen, she watched Red set food down, a hum softly. "I think that's the term, yeah."

        "Well, make it your mission to do that, aside from rescuing your sisters and Snow White. That's the main objective, isn't it?"

        "Mhm, I need to give Miss Snow a better life."

        "You'd need to convince her husband to leave with her, because that Dwarf... Ugh."

        "What's his story?"

        "He's all seven dwarfs, and he's the Wolfe's main mercenary. Brute strength, a mean gaze, a vicious streak, rather violent when asked to be... He's horrible. I've only met him once, but the Wolfe never has issues with me. I'm not truly helping you, so he can't send the Dwarf after me."

        "Would he have sent the Dwarf after Rapunzel and her children?"

        "If you hadn't freed them, yes. Luckily, they left. Lucky to have met you, I would think. Rapunzel was downright miserable. In her tower, she was happy, on the ground, she was miserable, but you gave them hope. In the real world, they have a place, but here? No one has a palce here, we're just all stuck here."

        Starting their breakfast, they ate in silence until Heinrich got assistance to sit on the kitchen table while they ate. He'd gotten his own form of breakfast, yes, but he still stared longingly at the food the girls were eating.

        "Good morning," he said.

        "Monrin', Heinrich. Sleep well?"

        "I would say so, Miss Red, did you?"

        "Mm."

        "Miss Red, may I ask something of you?"

         Red nodded.

         "Where is the center of the labyrinth?"

         "I can't tell you, you need to figure it out yourselves. I wish I could show you, but I'm not allowed to. If I help you, I become a good character and I'm not supposed to."

           "Then...?"

           "The form of your alignment can change depending what you do, yes."

           "Thank you, Miss Red. That explains why you said I was becoming good."

           "No one knows how it works, it just does." A shrug, she stood, taking the empty dishes. "I have something you can wear, Tilli, before you leave. You can keep it, alright? I don't mind, it's too large for me, but it would fit you. Just keep doing what you do best."

             "Thank you, Red," Tilli said.

              Upon their leave, they left with an increased mission and a location to find, waving to Red cheerfully. And now, in her new dress, she felt clean again.