After Ever After

Chapter 3

Once upon a time in a land far, far away a little girl swung her basket around happily as she hurried to her grandma's house. The woods were buzzing with chirping birds and crickets and the smell of early winter precipitation filled that air.

Her red cloak flapped in the wind behind her and she hummed a happy tune.

Soon enough, she reached the small stone path that led to the old front door. She creeped the door open and set the basket on the kitchen counter.

"Grandma! I'm here!" she shouted, draping her cloak over the couch.

"Come on up dear!" Grandma yelled.

Red Riding Hood jumped up the stairs and turned into her Grandma's simple bedroom. The comforters were quilted and there was a nightstand with a glass of water and a lamp.

She sat at the foot of her Grandma's bed.

"Grandma, there is bread, cheese, apples, and rolls downstairs in my picnic basket."

Grandma's head was shadowed by a large pink bonnet and she nodded her head.

"It's good to die on a full stomach." Grandma growled and swung off the bonnet.

This wasn't Grandma at all!

Instead of the wrinkled old skin that would always smile back at Red, shaggy grey fur veiled the whole entire face and Red realized her Grandma was gone.

The wolf's beady red eyes scanned Red Riding Hood and it's teeth bared.

Red Riding Hood ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her to gain some time and slipped down the stairs. She grabbed the basket and the cloak off of the counter as she fled out the front door. She ran as far as she could outside as it started to heavily snow.

Her cloak whipped the air and it made the sound of blowing wind. The snow was starting to soak her chestnut boots and she shivered madly. Finally, she threw the basket onto the top of a large oak tree and scaled the branches.

Red Riding Hood curled up into a ball and watched as the snow fell even harder. The sky darkened with a dark navy blue veil and Red Riding Hood rocked herself, back and forth on the balls of her curled up feet, until she was asleep.

Red Riding Hood woke up to a shining sun that made her squint as she looked through the window.

Where was she?

Her boots were neatly stacked in the corner of the room right next to a desk that displayed the small picnic basket full of food. She threw off the plaid covers and remade the bed.

She quickly slipped into some bunny slippers that were laid in front of her bed and walked out the door.

The small corridor was filled with paintings of fruit and random antiques that have the house a warm look. The wood floor creaked under her feet as she entered the kitchen.

A small dining table stood in the middle of the room where a little girl in a black dress with a turquoise collar and a black braid.

She was eating what looked like porridge and peaches with orange juice. A woman with light brown hair that came to her shoulder hustled around the kitchen placing random pots and pans around to catch the dripping water that came from the ceiling.

"Good morning dear." the woman said.

"Where am I? Who are you?" Red asked hurriedly.

"Calm down. Your safe" the young woman whispered, patting her on the back. "I'm queen Elsa of Aerondale. This is Anna."

"Oh yeah! Then why are you living here? Why not a castle?" Red almost shouted. She hugged her cloak closer to her, the only thing that comforted her.

"Dear, I prefer a cozy life. I don't like the idea of a label such as queen, being something that shows the difference between rich and poor." She said as she set some breakfast and water in front of Red."I was walking through the woods, for some peace at night. I was about to turn back and go home when I heard crying! I immediately turned back around and stared in bewilderment. That is when I realized the crying was coming from the tree above me. I carried you home through the snow and, here we are."

"Thank you." Red stated.

Red slowly picked up the spoon and dug into the oatmeal and peaches. The oatmeal was piping hot and almost burned her tongue. She reached for the glass of water.

As soon as her fingers had touched the glass, a crystal like substance creeped up the glass cup and slowly made its way to the water. The water solidified instantly and expanded over, onto the table.

Anna shrieked and Queen Elsa turned on her heel. Her face turned paler than the frozen water and she looked down at Red who was looking at her hands which now had a silver pattern on them.

Queen Elsa took a seat next to Red Riding Hood.

"Your a special little girl. You share the same burden as me." Queen Elsa whispered. "When I was little, I ran away from home because my parents didn't like the guy I loved. I'm glad I ran away because I am living a very happy life with him now."

"You mean, you have ice powers too?" Red asked.

"Yes, I do." Queen Elsa said, taking Red's hand. "You are welcome to stay as long as you like, but won't your parents worry?"

"I don't have parents." Red said with a sad smile on her face.

"Well then your mine now." Queen Elsa said with a kind smile."Meet your sister Anna."

Red looked across the table to a smiling Anna who came and sat down right next to her.

"Will you call me Elsa?" Red asked, softly.

"Sure." Queen Elsa said with an even bigger smile one her face."But never forget that you are always Red Riding Hood."

***
I watched my book turned its pages and a small quill kept writing her continuing story.

"So you are my sister?" I asked Ann.

She gave a nod of her head and put the book back on the shelve.