Elsewhere Chronicles: Grimm (DISCONTINUED)

0.1: Of Grey Ears and Red Hood

All was well at the Blackwood Estate; a quiet afternoon was in order for this isolated haven. The noble son of the estates master sat by the window as his favourite servant served him an afternoon snack. He sips from his cup the sweet tea that she just poured him and with a satisfied sigh, he complimented the tasty beverage.

(Heir of the estate, Dietrich Blackwood): "This tea is delicious, Sasha."

(Daughter of the head maid, Sasha Thornfield): "Thank you, master. I've been practising."

(Dietrich): "Oh? Did you brew it? Last times you've brewed anything, you somehow managed to set the kitchen on fire."

Flashback

As Sasha finished platting the last of the snacks that she planned to give to the staff during their break, she smelled an awful acrid smell. she turned around towards the stove and, not only was the pot of tea boiling over but the stove had caught fire as well.

(Sasha): "Oh dear..."

Flashback end

She let out an embarrassed laugh. She had hoped that he hadn't remembered that specific blunder.

(Sasha): "I-uh... I learned my lesson... hopefully."

He let out a crystalline laugh.

(Dietrich): "You know I'm just teasing you, Sasha. I mean only to jest."

He sat forward to pat her on the head.

(Dietrich): "You did a good job."

(Sasha): "Please stop treating me like a child, sir."

Despite her saying that, her tail wagged from side to side rapidly. she blushed as she held her tail still. He stopped treating her like a loyal pup and slouched in his chair. He loudly exhales.

(Dietrich): "You know... I wonder how my sister is doing."

(Sasha): "I'm sure we'll get a letter from her soon, master."

(Dietrich): "I hope she hasn't gotten herself into some stupid situation. AGAIN."

(Sasha): "She probably has, let's be honest."

(Dietrich): "Yeah... probably."

Sasha's ear lifted up as she heard a noise coming from the kitchen.

(Sasha): "I apologize, sir. I'm needed in the kitchen."

(Dietrich): "Go then, Sasha. I won't hold you any more than necessary."

With a curtsy, she's gone. Although she snatched some of the snacks before leaving. During most of the day, Sasha had done nothing but chores. Doing the laundry, putting it up to dry, helping in the kitchen, and so on. It's only in the late afternoon that she decided to take her break. Even then she kept on working. 

In her room, she was folding her freshly laundered clothes while daydreaming. Her mind always wondered when she didn't have much to do. From stereotypical "brave heroine saving the day from some evil dark lord" to "a young upstart adventurer doing adventurer stuff with their friends". She knew it was corny and unrealistic but she always loved it when her mother would tell her tall tales of her own adventures before she settled down. She looked over at the wall in front of her mother's bed, where an elegant axe and a slightly worn but still in good condition hooded red cape rested. The red hood meant a lot to her mother, it was her signature when she was an adventurer. Sasha often imagined her mom doing cool stuff, like fighting huge monsters and helping people out. Like a hero from her comic books or from those old-world fairy tales. She couldn't help but stroke the worn fabric of the cape; despite its worn and torn, the cape was soft. On the other hand, the axe always creeped her out. The axe was made of finely crafted steel and was almost unnaturally clean. Maybe her mother oiled and sharpened the blade at regular intervals, but if that was the case then Sasha assumes that her mom must be really secretive about it because she never saw her do it. But the oddest and creepiest thing about the axe is the smell. It perpetually smelled like blood and ash despite its cleanliness. She checked her watch, her break is over, time to get back to work. But something was off.