Grimm Fantasies: Little Red

Karen was quiet as Mara led her outside a gun pressed to her back leading her forward and out of the compound into the forest. Mara said nothing as well, there was no need to say anything Karen was going to be dead soon anyway. She’d be left to rot as all the others have been.

There was no need for comfort or mercy, Mara had learned long ago that these things were monsters. Nothing more nothing less, it was a simple matter of keeping people safe. She learned tough lessons when children her age were still wishing upon stars and trying to stay on the nice list of old Saint Nick.

As tradition Mara took Karen out into the forest, to die like an animal death. Mara shoved Karen to her knees. She dropped down almost willingly. Mara aimed the gun to Karen’s head and was completely prepared to pull the trigger.

When It stopped her, gripping the handle of the gun and shaking her head,

Ignoring It was always best. Her father told her what to do,

Ignore It.

Ignore It.

She needed to ignore It but she couldn’t.

Dropping her aim, Mara walked around to face Karen and removed the blind fold. Karen looked up at her with a calm even stare. No fear played on her even features as she took in Mara’s scars with a raised eye brow. With a tilt of her head she met Mara’s gaze as her eyes changed color.

With a quick gasp Mara dropped her gun, “You’re-” The fairy continued to stare at her with those black soulless eyes. It kept nagging at her so she removed the gag quickly. “You’re a fairy.”

“Not a wolf.” Karen said simply her eyes shifting back to the bright human blue.

“But, my father said…” Mara stumbled with her words as her entire world came crashing down as It rejoiced, Mara quickly squashed It down and glared at Karen, “How?”

“Humans lie.” The fairy answered with a quick up turn of her lips, not exactly like a smile but something close to it but so far from it at the same time. “Humans want power, they are a greedy species.” The fairy’s eyes scanned Mara’s body again, going over every inch of scaring on her exposed skin.

“They want power that they will never possess; knowledge. They of course right it off as things like Manifest Destiney or religious awakening. They want the forbidden fruit.” Karen leaned forward some and spoke in a hushed voice. “You should understand, Wolf Child.”

“Enough!” Mara shouted as she paced and placed her hands on her temple. “Stop talking, right now.” The fairy said nothing more but continued to watch Mara slowly fall apart. “You’re a wolf, my father said so. He showed me the marks.” The fairy laughed at that though the sound held no humor, typical of a fairy.

“The lines on my back have nothing to do with a Lycan. You’re father knows nothing if he cannot distinguish a bite mark from the surgical removal of wings.” Mara stopped dead in her tracks and slowly turned to look at the fairy.

“Only fairy queens have wings, their like ants.”

“Have you ever seen a female fairy without wings?” The fairy questioned with a tilt of her head.

“Yes.” Mara said quickly.

She knows she has.

They’re everywhere; in fact she’s pretty sure male fairies are rarer than female. The fairy stared at her silently, “Are you seriously saying the only female fairies are the queens and all the rest all the girl fairies I’ve ever met were cross dressing?” A sly smile spread across the fairies lips as she tilted her head the other way.

“What are you doing playing a human?” Mara questioned.

“I’m working for my mother, a noble quest of glory.” She said raw excitement bubbled up in her words. Mara just stared at her for a long moment when she remembered she was supposed to kill her.

However it was against the rules to kill a fairy. The fairies were the most powerful beings in existence. Even with all the hunter factions combined they could never dream of taking on the Fairy Courts.

They’d all die before even one fairy was so much as scratched.

Glancing back to the compound Mara grabbed Karen or the fairy, whatever it was and shoved it forward as she took a shot at a random tree. The fairy complied to Mara’s silent orders willingly keeping up with Mara shoving her through the thick brush. Mara didn’t stop until they’d made it to her home in the city.

No one was home; they were all at the compound still. Herding the fairy down the stairs leading to the basement Mara shoved the fairy into the small bathroom there and shut the door.

“You know,” The fairy said once the door was closed and Mara was half way up the stairs.

Mara froze in place.

“Humans may not be bound by rules like the inability to lie or forced into a partnership with a wild beast but there is nothing special about them other than that. Absolute free will, you could say their cages are open.” There was a pause long enough for Mara to wonder if that was all the fairy had to say. It was long enough for Mara to turn around and head back over to the door.

“You could say that they never had a cage to begin with. But what’s so special about freedom if they only use it to build themselves a cage to hide in?” The fairy finished as Mara grabbed a chair and sat down by the door. They both sat in silence for a long time until Mara finally got up the nerve to ask.

“What do you suggest I do?” Deciding to cut her losses and choosing a side she was pretty sure she’d later regret.

“Forgiveness and acceptance is all I can offer. I may have all of my mother’s memories and knowledge but I can’t be of more help on your journey.” The fairy told her. Mara let out a sigh and leaned forward. “I was only following orders, when it all happened…” She looked down to her scars. “I’ve only ever been following orders.” The anger in her voice was surprising even to herself.

“You walk the line of a razors edge, one foot in both worlds and baring the weight of both cages.” The fairy said. Mara looked at the door quietly as the fairy continued. “Do you know why Jace is called Haven?” Mara frowned at that.

“What?”

“I know you heard me wolf child.” The fairy said almost sounding disappointed.

“Uh…No, I don’t know why.” Mara said looking down at her hands still frowning. The fairy was silent for a long time as well as Mara. Both just sitting in silence, neither bothering to say a single word until the fairy took a breath.

“I believe it’s because he has a pure soul, one that brings joy to the clouded hearts.”

“Is that why you’re pretending to be his sister?” Mara questioned.

“Yes and no.” The fairy answered without elaborating. Fairies may not be able to lie but they didn’t have to say anything, with years of practice fairies eventually learn how to creatively and cryptically tell the truth or just out right dodge the question. “How long will you keep me here wolf child?” The fairy asked after another bout of silence.

“I’m not sure; I don’t know how to tell my parents that you’re a fairy and not a wolf.” Mara replied truthfully, it was only right since the fairy was bound to tell the truth.

“The girl is not a wolf but a fairy.” Came the fairy’s reply.

“It’s not that simple.” Mara argued.

“But isn’t it?” The fairy questioned. “Or are the human social laws different than the fairies?” Mara bit her lip but said nothing in return, giving a clear answer to the fairy. With more silence a question stirred up in Mara’s mind with the help of It. Mara let out a sigh of defeat, “Is the wolf I’m chasing…” Mara paused not sure if she wants to know the answer or not.

“Yes.” The fairy said. “He is.” Mara looked at the door but said nothing.