Joselle - The Great Grey Wolf and Little Ruby Riding Hood

“But Ruby you can’t,” Jasmine gasped.

“Jasmine!!!! I hate it here! I hate how everyone makes decisions for me, and I despise that no good piece of $*%# Piper! I need to get out of here!!!” Ruby screamed at Jasmine, more tears rolling down her face.

“Why should I help you?” asked Jasmine nastily.

“Because, Jasmine, if I am gone you will take my place in the marriage!!!”

A small smile crept across Jasmine's face. “Fine, what do you want me to do?”

It was a bright summer day and Jasmine and Ruby were in the greenhouse.

“Jasmine,” Ruby called as she ripped off her bonnet.

“Yes?” Jasmine replied to her sister’s call.

“Do you have it?” asked Ruby, as she began to change from her green and blue plaid dress into her pants and shirt.

“Yes,” said Jasmine as she pulled out a glass jar containing a single light blue flame inside.

“All right, do you know what to do, Jasmine?” asked Ruby as she put on a common cap to finish the look.

Jasmine looked down at the ground and mumbled, “No...”

“Jasmine, how many times have I told YOU!!! Take these little bits of meat and bone and throw them on the ground like this.” Ruby began to take the bits of meat and bone scattering them on the ground while Jasmine watched. “Now you take my dress and put it over the meat and bone. Jasmine do you even know why I’m doing this?!?”

“Yes, I understand, Ruby.”

“Good. For a moment there I thought you never listened to me!” Ruby said that as Jasmine tossed Ruby’s clothes on the ground. “Now give me the blue flame.” Jasmine handed Ruby the jar. “Now before you go you know what to say?”

“Yes. I’ll tell father that one of the peppered-blooms caught fire early this year. And it went out of control, trapping you inside.”

“Perfect. Now if you would rub some of the soot on yourself so it’s a bit more convincing,” Ruby ordered.

“But I’ll get dirty!!!” whined Jasmine.

“Do IT!!!” With that Jasmine grabbed some soot and began rubbing it on her face. “Now, for your safety, get to the door.”

Jasmine walked over to Ruby, giving her a hug. “Good luck,” Jasmine said as she walked out the door.

Ruby walked to the middle of the room and opened the jar. The flame burst out like an explosion. Smoke began to rapidly fill the room, blocking out all sources of light. Losing sight of the door, Ruby slowly began to feel around, the smoke burning her eyes and throat. Quickly Ruby began to run out of air. The temperature of the room was rising every second. Ruby stumbled around and found the door, just as the flames began crawling up her heels. Ruby gasped, breathing in the glorious fresh air. Remembering what she was doing, Ruby quickly grabbed a small bag of items and clothes, then ran off into the forest.

King Riding-Hood slowly let out a happy sigh. Everything was perfect. Today he didn’t have any meetings, so for once he could relax. His daughters were in the greenhouse enjoying the flowers. Yep, everything was perfect. Just as King Riding-Hood began to doze off in his blood red throne in the throne room, one of his servants came running into the room.

“Sire! Sire!!! Oh Something HORRIBLE has happened.”

Sensing something very serious had happened, the king responded, “WHAT!!! WHAT HAS HAPPENED? ARE THE GIRLS ALL RIGHT???”

The king’s servant slowly shook his head. “No I’m sorry...”

“I DEMAND TO KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTERS!!!!!” the king screamed, now shaking the poor man whose face had gone white with fear.

“There --- there was a-a fire in the --- the green---- house, S-Sa---Sire...” the man said, trembling.

“And how did this fire occur ~ Milton?” the king growled, still holding Milton by the collar of his shirt.

“The- the pe-pep-pepper ba-ba-blooms caught f-fire early thi-this year. Princess Jasmine made it out in time. But---” Milton stopped seeing the look in the king’s eyes as he realized Ruby’s fate. He slowly backed out of the room.

“Wait Milton,” The king said plainly before Milton could get out the door.

“Yes Sire???”

“Bring me Jasmine... She's all I have left now.”

Silas quietly sat under the old oak tree he used to play in. Such happy times those used to be... Silas thought to himself as he wallowed in his own self pity. It had been a whole month since that horrible night. And for all this time Rose kept trying to find out what was bothering him. But he couldn’t tell. He would never let a soul know. Just then Silas’s sixteen-year-old brother Tino ran into the clearing with a look of such great joy that already others started gathering around him. Alex came forward to Tino. “What is it, Tino?” he asked. “Yeah, what is it?” agreed Mike.

“First get Papa!!! He has to know!!!” Tino shouted excitedly. Cara ran and got Cassin and Mama. “Mama! Papa!!! Look!” said Tino, handing Cassin a copy of the Second Kingdom News, which read:

News Flash!!!
Princess DEAD!!!

It seems that recently Princess Ruby Riding - Hood passed away. Early yesterday Princess Ruby and Jasmine were in a greenhouse when a pepper-bloom did an early burning this year, catching all of its surroundings on fire. Princess Jasmine made it out just in time. But unfortunately our beloved Princess Ruby was trapped inside the blazing inferno and sadly died. There was no body found in or around the greenhouse. But specialists have identified small pieces of bone, now coming to the conclusion that our glorious Princess Ruby was indeed cremated.

There will be the burial of the ashes on July 22. It will be held for the public at the east side fence of the palace. Also Princess Jasmine is in stable condition.

For a moment every one was silent. But this was interrupted by Cassin. “Oh we must celebrate to night! Oh Tino, Tino, Tino. You Will have a third serving tonight. What a magnificent find you had!” Tino beamed with pride. “Now all of you get going and bring back at least four things for tonight’s feast,” ordered Cassin.

As Silas turned to go, Rose grabbed his shoulder. “I’m so sorry Silas.”

Ruby happily walked down the side of a creek. “Oh what a lovely day,” said Ruby. Finally she’d be away from all royal life. Well I’d better find some food, Ruby thought to herself.

She slowly looked around, walking through the brush. She found a bee hive... Oh honey would be so good right now... she thought. But how to get it? Ruby had heard stories of young boys stealing bee honey easily so it couldn’t possibly be that hard, could it? Ruby walked forward and found a long stick, and began poking the top of the beehive, causing it to fall to the hard ground. But instead of the honey Ruby expected, a swarm of bees came out. And the swarm of bees began quickly heading in her direction. Ruby gasped, turning and beginning to run. She hurried through the thick and thin brush until she didn’t see the swarm still following her. Her lungs sharp with pain, Ruby began to look for some sort of shelter.

Ruby walked through the brush and found a clearing. Walking around, she found some berries that didn’t seem poisonous. “This place is perfect to stay for the night,” Ruby said to herself. “Now all I need is some food and a fire.”

Ruby began to slowly gather dried branches and leaves, put them in a small pile, and began to try and make fire.

“WORK, DAMN IT!!!” Ruby yelled at the pile of branches. She'd tried for the past hour to cause friction by rubbing two sticks together. Full of frustration, Ruby threw the two sticks at a tree. “Now what am I going to do? Oh!!! Maybe I should go home...” Ruby considered for one small moment but a picture of Prince Piper came to her mind. “No! I’m not going back,” Ruby said as she sat on the ground and folded her arms. Slowly she drifted off to sleep.

“Silas, please tell me what’s wrong,” Rose asked sincerely.

Silas glumly replied, “Only if you promise not to tell anyone, Rose...”

“Silas you can trust me, Wolf’s honor,” replied Rose reassuringly.

“When I went to Ruby’s birthday... I... I... raped her...”

Rose only stared. “Silas I-I’m so sorry...”

“Well what’s done is done... Nothing can change that now...” Silas said as he walked off leaving Rose alone.

Ruby slowly opened her eyes to see a new day. Her eyes got wide as she thought of Silas. Silas, that’s it, he’s here in the woods. Somewhere... “Oh only if I could find him,” Ruby said to herself. “But I don’t know where exactly he is.” Why don’t you try and find where he is? Oh yeah that’s a great IDEA!!! But guess what, I don’t know where he IS!!! Well go and try and find a nice little town and look! Great Idea thanks! Don’t mention it darling! With that, Ruby brushed herself off and headed into the woods.

Rose slowly walked through the brush when she smelled something... What was that smell? Some of it was familiar and some of it wasn’t. The trouble was it seemed to be human but was a little bit wolfy. Maybe it was one of the - as Papa called them - “FILTHY” halfbreeds... Well whoever it was, Rose was going to find out. She slowly walked through the brush without making a sound, following the trail. She followed the trail till she reached the edge of a stream and there it stood. A boy... Rose sniffed the air once again. No it wasn’t a boy, it was a.... girl! Rose, deciding there was little the girl could do, stepped out of the brush.

Ruby bent down as she slowly began washing her face. She was going to find Silas no matter what! Just as Ruby began to let out a sigh, something behind her moved. Her once calm self quickly became full of fear as she turned around sharply to see a WOLF!

Rose smelled fear coming from the girl. This just kept getting better and better. “What are you doing in my father’s territory, you FILTHY half breed!!!” demanded Rose.

The look of fear on Ruby’s face became confusion. “Wha-what do you mean by filthy half breed?” Ruby asked shakily.

“Don’t try and fool me GIRL! YOU - ARE - A- FILTHY - HALF-WOLF!!!!!!” Rose screamed angrily.

“You think I am a half-wolf? Whatever gave you that idea?” asked Ruby.

“Because you smell LIKE IT!!!” replied Rose.

“Well I will go right now if you want...” Ruby said.

Suddenly in Rose’s mind it clicked.

“Hold it - tell me who you are and why you are here. I promise I won’t hurt you,” ordered Rose.

“My name is - is - Ruby... Ruby Riding-Hood... And I- I’m looking for someone... Perhaps you’ve heard of him... His name is Silas Huntington...” replied Ruby shakily.

“Oh my gosh!!! You have the right Silas but his name isn’t Huntington... It’s Greyson.”

Ruby let out a gasp. “How do you know this?”

“Because I am his older sister.”