The Princess in the Red Cape

Chapter Eleven

The whole thing was just too much for Red to handle, so she ended up doubled over and laughing. 

 "Ha- Has anyone told you you look like Hunter the Huntsman?" she mimicked, in between snickers.

 "What's she laughing at?" Rump asked.

 "Usually me." Hunter answered, but he didn't seem mad.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Red said, standing up again. "That was rude."

"You've never seemed to mind being rude before." Hunter said.

"I wasn't apologizing to you, I was apologizing to our host." Red glared at him, getting nothing but a smirk back.

"Oh, I like this one." Rump said. "Where'd you pick her up?"

"The Gardenia palace." Hunter smirked.

"The Gardenia palace? You have so much to tell me." Rump said.

"But first," Hunter broke in. "Food please?"

"Yeah, yeah ok." Rump said. He waved his hands, and by magic, the three of them were suddenly standing in a living room. There was a short table in the middle, and pillows to sit on. On the table there were steaming bowls of something or other. All Red knew was that it smelled delectable.

They sat down and Red endured an extremely awkward dinner where she consistently felt like an outsider. Rump and Hunter seemed to have known each other for years. They had so many shared memories. And Red, though she'd never admit it, kind of missed being the center of Hunter's attention. Rump also kept bringing up Hunter's ex-girlfriend, Cindy, which really rubbed Red the wrong way, although she couldn't exactly put her finger on why.

It was for those reasons, that as soon as she finished her food. Red excused herself from the table to go to bed. Rump gave her directions to her room, and Hunter told her he'd be just across the hall.

Red shuffled down the hallway to her room, only just then realizing how tired she was.

When she got to her room, she stripped her tights off and took her braids out. Her wavy hair framed her face in a way that she thought looked almost cute.

She laid down in bed, but after tossing and turning, she realized that something felt wrong. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, until she remembered that she hadn't slept in her room alone since Hunter had traipsed into her life. As much as she loathed to admit it, she needed Hunter there.

So she tramped down her pride, and went across the hall.

Before she knocked on the door, though, she realized that she could hear voices.

"She's a pretty one." Rump was saying.

"Yeah, she is." That was Hunter. "She could probably take me down, too."

"You always did like the feisty ones." Rump chuckled. "Are you planning on doing the ol' Hansel Dash?"

"I don't think I am."

"You must really like her." Rump said.

"I really do. I like her more than I liked even Cindy."

"Even Cindy, huh? You know, we were all surprised she could marry someone who wasn't you. Even if that someone was a prince."

"I'm glad she married someone who could take care of her. I'm sure I never could. I don't know that I'd even want to after meeting-"

Red leaned a little bit too hard on the door and the whole thing swung open, revealing that she was standing there.