Blood Red

Chapter One

Present Day:

Inknaught was a strange little place, no one ever knew what to make of it, and the only people that knew about it lived there. Castles and cottages, magical creatures and fantasies were drawn to the place. People there only knew each other, and the outside world was never even a thought to them. They lived there, and they were happy.

Well, happy for the most part. There was strife and loss like any other place, but things like that never happened often. When it did happen, the word spread more quickly than you could ever imagine. It was nearly impossible to keep a secret.

Unless you were good at it.

Red lived with her mother, or at least 'adoptive mother' as regular folk would call it. The cloak she kept when she was young, she finally was able to grow into. Despite her mother taking her to see witches and warlocks, or magical potion brewers of the like, she was never able to regain her memory. But the thing was, Red didn't really care all that much. She was much too busy playing about, even as she grew older.

Her Grandmother was sick, though, causing her mother to constantly worry and run food back and forth to her. It was a long journey, on the other side of their land, and as Red grew older, she knew her mother couldn't keep travelling such a long and dangerous path each day.

"I can handle it. I'm eighteen, mother, please. Children run about without problem." she said, a whine edging into her voice as she aimlessly followed her mother around their wooden cottage.

"Bad things happen to anyone, even children. It's a long ways, Red, I can't have you getting lost or hurt." her mother responded, giving an exhausted sigh as she continued to dust a few wooden carvings her husband had made for the house. Red never questioned where he went, not wanting to upset her mother anymore than she seemed.

"Yes, but bad things can happen to you too. Just because you're older than I doesn't mean you're invincible. And you go back and forth all the time, I can ride Speck there and stay on the path. I'm sure I'll be alright." she insisted, offering to ride their horse, Speckles. It was Red's favorite steed, a completely black mare with a few white splotches on his nose, as if someone had dripped wet paint on him.

After arguing back and forth until the sun had finally set, her mother caved from complete aggravation and exhaustion, and decided that Red could make it there on her own.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Red set out as soon as the sun had risen the next day with a basket full of food and medicine. Pulling her red cloak over her head, she waved goodbye to her mother, and rode off on the stallion. Her mother didn't stop waving until the vibrant cloak was out of sight.

Speckles's hooves tore up the dirt path beneath them, Red's hair flowing behind her as the wind hit her face. It would be about a day's trip, so she knew she would be home by nightfall. Red smiled as she passed her neighbors: a talking bunny that left eggs full of candy, two plump children that seemed to always be indulging in sweets, a boy playing his horn, and a few mermaids laying out on the rocks by the water.

Her mother warned her several times before she left, since her Grandmother's house was so far away, about going through the Dark Forest. As the name suggested, more gruesome creatures lingered there, but they could only harm you if you travelled off the protected path. Red didn't think it was that big of a deal, but agreed to stay on the path so her mother wouldn't fret while she was out.

The sun dimmed as Red rode along, nearing the Dark Forest. The trees' barks were seemingly black instead of brown, the white path the only thing clearly visible through the grim attire. Entering between two twisted branches overhead like an arch, she began riding through the forest.