Once upon a time in Ventralli

The Scarlet Mask

Note: I write in Spanish. I made my best to translated it but it's not going to be perfect. It's so easy to read another language, but to write... not so much. You can ask anyone lol. But if you want to read the original in Spanish, it's on my profile. Thanks for being awesome and reading my story!

Once upon a time in Ventralli there was a girl named Ruby. Her cheeks were always flushed in such a lovely way that red became her favorite color. Therefore her grandmother gave her a beautiful scarlet mask and she liked it so much she didn't want to use any other. It had a beautiful golden embroidery, forming a path of leaves and branches intertwined with each other.

Ruby became a very kind young girl, but also very naive. Her mother kept reminding to her to be careful every time she left.

"Don't talk to strangers" the woman demanded. "And never give them information."

Ruby assured her that she had nothing to worry about, but her mother wasn't so sure.

The young girl loved to go to visit her grandmother, who lived on the outsides of Rintiero, almost in the limit with the Paisel Mountains. The walk was one of her favorite activities, enjoying the beautiful colors around her.

That day wasn't different. She took a basket full of typical food of the kingdom prepared by her mother, adjusted her red mask and left home.

Before leaving, her mother warned her again:

"Don't talk to strangers" she said very seriously. "And never swerve from your safe path."

Ruby rolled her eyes in exasperation at the insistence of her mother. It was the same story every time she left and she was tired of hearing it.

She started walking without any rush, enjoying the sunlight. The weather was perfect: not very cold, nor too hot. She loved Ventrallan weather.

Finally, she reached the first line of trees and crossed the step that led her to the deep forest. A path of stones was clearly marked on the floor, leading her directly to her destination without possibility of getting lost. Sometimes she picked up one of those rocks, when some of the colors had called her attention.

The trees were far enough apart that the sunlight was seeping without any trouble. At least that was on the path, for she had never dared to get out of her way.

She recalled the warnings of her mother and annoyance invaded her again. It bothered her that she didn't trust in her, especially because she had never given her reasons. Sure, she could believe the stories of people like a complete innocent girl, but still, she had never disobeyed her or anything similar.

She was a big girl now, it would be good to give her a little credit, she thought. And it's not as if she couldn't remember the path that she should take.

When she reached the center of the forest, she felt the hair in the back of her neck rising. There was never anyone around, but she had the unmistakable feeling of being watched. She confirmed it when she heard a deep voice.

"Why is a girl so beautiful alone in the woods?"

Ruby stopped short, turning to the place where the voice came. First she saw a shadow and then a young man came to light. He wore a dark mask, hairy, elongated in what appeared to be a snout and a pair of pointed ears. A wolf.

His dark eyes stared at her in such an intense way that made her blush.

"Who are you?" the girl asked, before realizing she had just broken the first rule of her mother.