Chapter 69: Red Riding Hood (Part 1)
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"Sangfroid, w-where are we?"
King Leron's demeanor changed and the smile went off his face. He looked at himself. "What's going on? Why am I wearing this?"
Sangfroid's eyes widened. This..... Is this really the true Prince Leron that entered his dream, or is this another trick?
His blue eyes were mixed again with a green haze. "That was not a trick. I'm just letting you know that this test.... Is a combined performance. Right now, I am transferring Prince Leron into his own dream scenario. If you do well, yet he doesn't, you still do not pass the test."
The stakes are higher now. Prince Leron himself is in this creature's grasp. Besides passing his own test, he also needs to hope that Prince Leron passes his own since there is no way to help him while they are simultaneously being 'tested'.
Just what is this creature, and how powerful could it be? How will they defeat it?
"Who are you?" Sangfroid gritted his teeth.
"That is not the main question of the test here." He smiled. "The main question is: Who are you? And am I wrong in the identity that I assumed for you?"
His scepter twirled into green strings of light that swirled around Sangfroid. "Let's find out, shall we?"
---------------------
Sangfroid woke up and found himself standing by the balcony of a new palace, watching murky black drops of rain falling from the foreboding clouds. His hands were reached out in the pouring rain to wash away the familiar, thick red liquid.
He looked at the for a while, then shook it once, twice.... three times. He was wearing a hood that seems to be his old one back when he was still the Chief Huntsman, but it was now red. Or perhaps it was also soaked in blood, since he saw deep dark puddles on the floor as he walked.
He ignored the puddles and went straight to King Leron's chambers.
"Your Majesty. Your food is ready." He said gravely with the same emotions as the dead.
King Leron looked up from the novella he was reading while leaning on his bed. "Oh. Call my wife and children then, Rider. I'm looking forward to what you have prepared for us today."
"Yes, Your Majesty." He bowed, and went to the rooms to knock on the doors of the other members of the royal family.
".....And the little girl lived with her grandmother happily ever after."
"My Queen, the food is ready."
A beautiful woman with a delicate face and an emerald gem circlet on her head closed the book she was reading. Beside her were two children with black hair and blue eyes. "Thank you, Rider. But um..... Has any of the servants caught you looking like that? "
"No, my queen."
The woman nodded. "Good, good. I know of your stealth and keen eye, but it would not be good for our reputation if they find the commanding general traveling around like this, you know? There had already been rumors of a Red Riding Hood going around and abducting virgins to be sacrificed to evil gods."
This is Queen Veridia, and her twin sons Zander and Zavier.
The two princes looked completely unidentifiable from one another, and they wear the exact same clothing to confuse and challenge the servants in a game of 'Who is Zavier? Who is Zander?'.
Somehow, Sangfroid always wins this game, much to their dissatisfaction. But this also made Sangfroid their most favorite servant, and they're still waiting for the day where they can figure out how he does it and manage to confuse him, at least just once.
They happily jumped up from their beds where they were just listening to a fairytale story when they heard about food.
"Is it a male virgin or a female virgin!?" They went to Sangfroid and asked, sniffing the blood on his cloak.
"I want a female virgin, they're softer and easier to eat!" Zander said.
"I want a male virgin, they're meatier and chewier!" Zavier said.
Sangfroid patted their heads. "I prepared both for the two of you, Your Highnesses."
Their eyes brightened and they immediately hugged this big man in a red cloak. "Thank you, Uncle Sangfroid!"
Queen Veridia gently pushed them about, beckoning them outside the door. "Now, now. How many times do I have to remind you not to call him by his real name? We have talked about this, former Ilvedians might recognize him."
"But there's no one around anyway, Mother." The twins argued.
"Even so, it's better to practice it both in public and in private so there would be no slip-ups. Go wash your hands and prepare yourselves for dinner. Do not bother Rider anymore, he must have a long day from all the riding and hunting."
"Is he not joining us for dinner?" Zavier and Zander turned to Sangfroid exactly the same time, pouting and pleading with their big blue eyes.
"I think Rider would not want to. Am I right, Red Riding Hood?" Queen Veridia eyed him with that sharp green eyes of hers.
Her face was gentle, but there was malice in those eyes.
Sangfroid knew that Queen Veridia never liked him. His Majesty had informed her of his past affections before New Ilvedia was established and was under their rule. So it's understandable that she would have a little bit of jealousy and skepticism around the King's vanguard.
The reason why she didn't want him to be called Sangfroid, and just be called Red Riding Hood or Rider was not for his own safety, but because she doesn't want Leron to be reminded that he is a human, a former friend..... and an admirer. She doesn't want people to treat him as more than a lapdog that fetches food for them.
That is the degree of her disdain for Sangfroid, but like her husband, she is good at hiding it behind a kind face. They do match each other well, and are suited for the Dark Gifts.
It's alright if she dislikes him. Sangfroid never did see her beyond a woman who happens to wear the queen's crown. To him, she is not even a human, just a placeholder for a title. A title that only matters because King Leron puts importance on it.
He only respects her because he respects the King. But his loyalty and self-sacrificing remains only for the King, and perhaps his children.
So he doesn't allow this woman to go beyond the line he set for her. He said with that stone-cold face of his: "Actually, I would very much be delighted to join you for dinner, Your Highnesses. If His Majesty would allow me to."
"Yay! I'll show you my favorite body parts and what sauce I like for each of them!" Zavier held on to his right hand.
Zander also held on to the other with a bright smile. "I want to sit beside you, Uncle Sangfroid, so you could break the bone for me. I like bone marrows a lot but sometimes it's hard to break them out, and Mother could barely break them even after she transforms."
"It's simply because I do not want to damage my nails or injure my fingers. Do you children have any idea how hard it is to maintain them?" Her delicate eyebrows began to scrunch a bit.
The twins were completely unaware of this and just walked by the hall while holding on to their Uncle Sangfroid, who showed signs of a slight smile while they continue to talk about random topics like how their day has been or what's the best way to scoop the eyes out of the socket.
------------------
At the dead of the night, they all gathered at the dining table unattended by anyone besides the royal family and for the first time, the red-cloaked Sangfroid. The other servants only knew that this is a monthly tradition and even if they have doubts about the credibility of that excuse, they kept their mouths shut and simply slept in their chambers.
Before dinner officially started, King Leron was already waiting inside with jasmine tea in hand. The two children rushed in with Sangfroid who had now changed his clothes to not look unseemly in front of the King of New Ilvedia. He was wearing a plain white frock and black slacks, but even with such plain clothing, his great body had managed to still make him look appealing with it. It caught King Leron's attention since he never really saw Sangfroid outside that grimy blood cloak nowadays.
"Father! Father! Uncle Sangfroid wants to join us! Can he!? Can he!?" The twins giggled and jumped up and down to where their father was seated, dragging Sangfroid with them.
"You want to join us, Sangfroid?" King Leron set down his cup and smiled. "That's new, but I have no reason to not allow it. You're very much welcomed to, you have prepared the Feast in this very table after all."
Queen Veridia flinched when she heard him say 'Sangfroid' instead of 'Rider'. She became even more crossed when he smile and welcome him just like that, her own nails that she cherished so much digging on her palms.
"Uh, husband. Have you not considered that Rider would not be able to partake in the Feast anyway because of his diet?" She went closer and placed and hand over King Leron's shoulder. "Wouldn't it be too unfortunate and inconvenient for him? He could only stand and watch since he could not eat anything."
"Eh? Uncle Sangfroid wouldn't eat?" The twins asked.
Queen Veridia made a triumphant smile and nodded. "Yes, because he is a human, and humans do not eat humans."
She tried hard not to smirk, but she just relished gaining the upper hand that it's hard not to. "If one of us doesn't eat, then that would be very awkward indeed and might spoil the Feast, and we only have this once a month. Don't you think so, darling husband?"
King Leron rubbed his chin and nodded. "Yes, you do have a point, my queen."
Her smile even widened at this. "Then it is better for Rider to join us in another time when we are eating regular human food---"
Sangfroid finally spoke up with the most determined tone and serious face:
"Who said I would not eat humans just because I am one? I would even consume only human meat for the rest of my life if His Majesty asks me to."
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"Sangfroid, w-where are we?"
King Leron's demeanor changed and the smile went off his face. He looked at himself. "What's going on? Why am I wearing this?"
Sangfroid's eyes widened. This..... Is this really the true Prince Leron that entered his dream, or is this another trick?
His blue eyes were mixed again with a green haze. "That was not a trick. I'm just letting you know that this test.... Is a combined performance. Right now, I am transferring Prince Leron into his own dream scenario. If you do well, yet he doesn't, you still do not pass the test."
The stakes are higher now. Prince Leron himself is in this creature's grasp. Besides passing his own test, he also needs to hope that Prince Leron passes his own since there is no way to help him while they are simultaneously being 'tested'.
Just what is this creature, and how powerful could it be? How will they defeat it?
"Who are you?" Sangfroid gritted his teeth.
"That is not the main question of the test here." He smiled. "The main question is: Who are you? And am I wrong in the identity that I assumed for you?"
His scepter twirled into green strings of light that swirled around Sangfroid. "Let's find out, shall we?"
---------------------
Sangfroid woke up and found himself standing by the balcony of a new palace, watching murky black drops of rain falling from the foreboding clouds. His hands were reached out in the pouring rain to wash away the familiar, thick red liquid.
He looked at the for a while, then shook it once, twice.... three times. He was wearing a hood that seems to be his old one back when he was still the Chief Huntsman, but it was now red. Or perhaps it was also soaked in blood, since he saw deep dark puddles on the floor as he walked.
He ignored the puddles and went straight to King Leron's chambers.
"Your Majesty. Your food is ready." He said gravely with the same emotions as the dead.
King Leron looked up from the novella he was reading while leaning on his bed. "Oh. Call my wife and children then, Rider. I'm looking forward to what you have prepared for us today."
"Yes, Your Majesty." He bowed, and went to the rooms to knock on the doors of the other members of the royal family.
".....And the little girl lived with her grandmother happily ever after."
"My Queen, the food is ready."
A beautiful woman with a delicate face and an emerald gem circlet on her head closed the book she was reading. Beside her were two children with black hair and blue eyes. "Thank you, Rider. But um..... Has any of the servants caught you looking like that? "
"No, my queen."
The woman nodded. "Good, good. I know of your stealth and keen eye, but it would not be good for our reputation if they find the commanding general traveling around like this, you know? There had already been rumors of a Red Riding Hood going around and abducting virgins to be sacrificed to evil gods."
This is Queen Veridia, and her twin sons Zander and Zavier.
The two princes looked completely unidentifiable from one another, and they wear the exact same clothing to confuse and challenge the servants in a game of 'Who is Zavier? Who is Zander?'.
Somehow, Sangfroid always wins this game, much to their dissatisfaction. But this also made Sangfroid their most favorite servant, and they're still waiting for the day where they can figure out how he does it and manage to confuse him, at least just once.
They happily jumped up from their beds where they were just listening to a fairytale story when they heard about food.
"Is it a male virgin or a female virgin!?" They went to Sangfroid and asked, sniffing the blood on his cloak.
"I want a female virgin, they're softer and easier to eat!" Zander said.
"I want a male virgin, they're meatier and chewier!" Zavier said.
Sangfroid patted their heads. "I prepared both for the two of you, Your Highnesses."
Their eyes brightened and they immediately hugged this big man in a red cloak. "Thank you, Uncle Sangfroid!"
Queen Veridia gently pushed them about, beckoning them outside the door. "Now, now. How many times do I have to remind you not to call him by his real name? We have talked about this, former Ilvedians might recognize him."
"But there's no one around anyway, Mother." The twins argued.
"Even so, it's better to practice it both in public and in private so there would be no slip-ups. Go wash your hands and prepare yourselves for dinner. Do not bother Rider anymore, he must have a long day from all the riding and hunting."
"Is he not joining us for dinner?" Zavier and Zander turned to Sangfroid exactly the same time, pouting and pleading with their big blue eyes.
"I think Rider would not want to. Am I right, Red Riding Hood?" Queen Veridia eyed him with that sharp green eyes of hers.
Her face was gentle, but there was malice in those eyes.
Sangfroid knew that Queen Veridia never liked him. His Majesty had informed her of his past affections before New Ilvedia was established and was under their rule. So it's understandable that she would have a little bit of jealousy and skepticism around the King's vanguard.
The reason why she didn't want him to be called Sangfroid, and just be called Red Riding Hood or Rider was not for his own safety, but because she doesn't want Leron to be reminded that he is a human, a former friend..... and an admirer. She doesn't want people to treat him as more than a lapdog that fetches food for them.
That is the degree of her disdain for Sangfroid, but like her husband, she is good at hiding it behind a kind face. They do match each other well, and are suited for the Dark Gifts.
It's alright if she dislikes him. Sangfroid never did see her beyond a woman who happens to wear the queen's crown. To him, she is not even a human, just a placeholder for a title. A title that only matters because King Leron puts importance on it.
He only respects her because he respects the King. But his loyalty and self-sacrificing remains only for the King, and perhaps his children.
So he doesn't allow this woman to go beyond the line he set for her. He said with that stone-cold face of his: "Actually, I would very much be delighted to join you for dinner, Your Highnesses. If His Majesty would allow me to."
"Yay! I'll show you my favorite body parts and what sauce I like for each of them!" Zavier held on to his right hand.
Zander also held on to the other with a bright smile. "I want to sit beside you, Uncle Sangfroid, so you could break the bone for me. I like bone marrows a lot but sometimes it's hard to break them out, and Mother could barely break them even after she transforms."
"It's simply because I do not want to damage my nails or injure my fingers. Do you children have any idea how hard it is to maintain them?" Her delicate eyebrows began to scrunch a bit.
The twins were completely unaware of this and just walked by the hall while holding on to their Uncle Sangfroid, who showed signs of a slight smile while they continue to talk about random topics like how their day has been or what's the best way to scoop the eyes out of the socket.
------------------
At the dead of the night, they all gathered at the dining table unattended by anyone besides the royal family and for the first time, the red-cloaked Sangfroid. The other servants only knew that this is a monthly tradition and even if they have doubts about the credibility of that excuse, they kept their mouths shut and simply slept in their chambers.
Before dinner officially started, King Leron was already waiting inside with jasmine tea in hand. The two children rushed in with Sangfroid who had now changed his clothes to not look unseemly in front of the King of New Ilvedia. He was wearing a plain white frock and black slacks, but even with such plain clothing, his great body had managed to still make him look appealing with it. It caught King Leron's attention since he never really saw Sangfroid outside that grimy blood cloak nowadays.
"Father! Father! Uncle Sangfroid wants to join us! Can he!? Can he!?" The twins giggled and jumped up and down to where their father was seated, dragging Sangfroid with them.
"You want to join us, Sangfroid?" King Leron set down his cup and smiled. "That's new, but I have no reason to not allow it. You're very much welcomed to, you have prepared the Feast in this very table after all."
Queen Veridia flinched when she heard him say 'Sangfroid' instead of 'Rider'. She became even more crossed when he smile and welcome him just like that, her own nails that she cherished so much digging on her palms.
"Uh, husband. Have you not considered that Rider would not be able to partake in the Feast anyway because of his diet?" She went closer and placed and hand over King Leron's shoulder. "Wouldn't it be too unfortunate and inconvenient for him? He could only stand and watch since he could not eat anything."
"Eh? Uncle Sangfroid wouldn't eat?" The twins asked.
Queen Veridia made a triumphant smile and nodded. "Yes, because he is a human, and humans do not eat humans."
She tried hard not to smirk, but she just relished gaining the upper hand that it's hard not to. "If one of us doesn't eat, then that would be very awkward indeed and might spoil the Feast, and we only have this once a month. Don't you think so, darling husband?"
King Leron rubbed his chin and nodded. "Yes, you do have a point, my queen."
Her smile even widened at this. "Then it is better for Rider to join us in another time when we are eating regular human food---"
Sangfroid finally spoke up with the most determined tone and serious face:
"Who said I would not eat humans just because I am one? I would even consume only human meat for the rest of my life if His Majesty asks me to."
"Sangfroid, w-where are we?"King Leron's demeanor changed and the smile went off his face. He looked at himself. "What's going on? Why am I wearing this?"Sangfroid's eyes widened. This..... Is this really the true Prince Leron that entered his dream, or is this another trick?His blue eyes were mixed again with a green haze. "That was not a trick. I'm just letting you know that this test.... Is a combined performance. Right now, I am transferring Prince Leron into his own dream scenario. If you do well, yet he doesn't, you still do not pass the test."The stakes are higher now. Prince Leron himself is in this creature's grasp. Besides passing his own test, he also needs to hope that Prince Leron passes his own since there is no way to help him while they are simultaneously being 'tested'.Just what is this creature, and how powerful could it be? How will they defeat it?"Who are you?" Sangfroid gritted his teeth."That is not the main question of the test here." He smiled. "The main question is: Who are you? And am I wrong in the identity that I assumed for you?"His scepter twirled into green strings of light that swirled around Sangfroid. "Let's find out, shall we?"---------------------Sangfroid woke up and found himself standing by the balcony of a new palace, watching murky black drops of rain falling from the foreboding clouds. His hands were reached out in the pouring rain to wash away the familiar, thick red liquid.He looked at the for a while, then shook it once, twice.... three times. He was wearing a hood that seems to be his old one back when he was still the Chief Huntsman, but it was now red. Or perhaps it was also soaked in blood, since he saw deep dark puddles on the floor as he walked.He ignored the puddles and went straight to King Leron's chambers."Your Majesty. Your food is ready." He said gravely with the same emotions as the dead.King Leron looked up from the novella he was reading while leaning on his bed. "Oh. Call my wife and children then, Rider. I'm looking forward to what you have prepared for us today.""Yes, Your Majesty." He bowed, and went to the rooms to knock on the doors of the other members of the royal family.".....And the little girl lived with her grandmother happily ever after.""My Queen, the food is ready."A beautiful woman with a delicate face and an emerald gem circlet on her head closed the book she was reading. Beside her were two children with black hair and blue eyes. "Thank you, Rider. But um..... Has any of the servants caught you looking like that? ""No, my queen."The woman nodded. "Good, good. I know of your stealth and keen eye, but it would not be good for our reputation if they find the commanding general traveling around like this, you know? There had already been rumors of a Red Riding Hood going around and abducting virgins to be sacrificed to evil gods."This is Queen Veridia, and her twin sons Zander and Zavier.The two princes looked completely unidentifiable from one another, and they wear the exact same clothing to confuse and challenge the servants in a game of 'Who is Zavier? Who is Zander?'.Somehow, Sangfroid always wins this game, much to their dissatisfaction. But this also made Sangfroid their most favorite servant, and they're still waiting for the day where they can figure out how he does it and manage to confuse him, at least just once.They happily jumped up from their beds where they were just listening to a fairytale story when they heard about food."Is it a male virgin or a female virgin!?" They went to Sangfroid and asked, sniffing the blood on his cloak."I want a female virgin, they're softer and easier to eat!" Zander said."I want a male virgin, they're meatier and chewier!" Zavier said.Sangfroid patted their heads. "I prepared both for the two of you, Your Highnesses."Their eyes brightened and they immediately hugged this big man in a red cloak. "Thank you, Uncle Sangfroid!"Queen Veridia gently pushed them about, beckoning them outside the door. "Now, now. How many times do I have to remind you not to call him by his real name? We have talked about this, former Ilvedians might recognize him.""But there's no one around anyway, Mother." The twins argued."Even so, it's better to practice it both in public and in private so there would be no slip-ups. Go wash your hands and prepare yourselves for dinner. Do not bother Rider anymore, he must have a long day from all the riding and hunting.""Is he not joining us for dinner?" Zavier and Zander turned to Sangfroid exactly the same time, pouting and pleading with their big blue eyes."I think Rider would not want to. Am I right, Red Riding Hood?" Queen Veridia eyed him with that sharp green eyes of hers.Her face was gentle, but there was malice in those eyes.Sangfroid knew that Queen Veridia never liked him. His Majesty had informed her of his past affections before New Ilvedia was established and was under their rule. So it's understandable that she would have a little bit of jealousy and skepticism around the King's vanguard.The reason why she didn't want him to be called Sangfroid, and just be called Red Riding Hood or Rider was not for his own safety, but because she doesn't want Leron to be reminded that he is a human, a former friend..... and an admirer. She doesn't want people to treat him as more than a lapdog that fetches food for them.That is the degree of her disdain for Sangfroid, but like her husband, she is good at hiding it behind a kind face. They do match each other well, and are suited for the Dark Gifts.It's alright if she dislikes him. Sangfroid never did see her beyond a woman who happens to wear the queen's crown. To him, she is not even a human, just a placeholder for a title. A title that only matters because King Leron puts importance on it.He only respects her because he respects the King. But his loyalty and self-sacrificing remains only for the King, and perhaps his children.So he doesn't allow this woman to go beyond the line he set for her. He said with that stone-cold face of his: "Actually, I would very much be delighted to join you for dinner, Your Highnesses. If His Majesty would allow me to.""Yay! I'll show you my favorite body parts and what sauce I like for each of them!" Zavier held on to his right hand.Zander also held on to the other with a bright smile. "I want to sit beside you, Uncle Sangfroid, so you could break the bone for me. I like bone marrows a lot but sometimes it's hard to break them out, and Mother could barely break them even after she transforms.""It's simply because I do not want to damage my nails or injure my fingers. Do you children have any idea how hard it is to maintain them?" Her delicate eyebrows began to scrunch a bit.The twins were completely unaware of this and just walked by the hall while holding on to their Uncle Sangfroid, who showed signs of a slight smile while they continue to talk about random topics like how their day has been or what's the best way to scoop the eyes out of the socket.------------------At the dead of the night, they all gathered at the dining table unattended by anyone besides the royal family and for the first time, the red-cloaked Sangfroid. The other servants only knew that this is a monthly tradition and even if they have doubts about the credibility of that excuse, they kept their mouths shut and simply slept in their chambers.Before dinner officially started, King Leron was already waiting inside with jasmine tea in hand. The two children rushed in with Sangfroid who had now changed his clothes to not look unseemly in front of the King of New Ilvedia. He was wearing a plain white frock and black slacks, but even with such plain clothing, his great body had managed to still make him look appealing with it. It caught King Leron's attention since he never really saw Sangfroid outside that grimy blood cloak nowadays."Father! Father! Uncle Sangfroid wants to join us! Can he!? Can he!?" The twins giggled and jumped up and down to where their father was seated, dragging Sangfroid with them."You want to join us, Sangfroid?" King Leron set down his cup and smiled. "That's new, but I have no reason to not allow it. You're very much welcomed to, you have prepared the Feast in this very table after all."Queen Veridia flinched when she heard him say 'Sangfroid' instead of 'Rider'. She became even more crossed when he smile and welcome him just like that, her own nails that she cherished so much digging on her palms."Uh, husband. Have you not considered that Rider would not be able to partake in the Feast anyway because of his diet?" She went closer and placed and hand over King Leron's shoulder. "Wouldn't it be too unfortunate and inconvenient for him? He could only stand and watch since he could not eat anything.""Eh? Uncle Sangfroid wouldn't eat?" The twins asked.Queen Veridia made a triumphant smile and nodded. "Yes, because he is a human, and humans do not eat humans."She tried hard not to smirk, but she just relished gaining the upper hand that it's hard not to. "If one of us doesn't eat, then that would be very awkward indeed and might spoil the Feast, and we only have this once a month. Don't you think so, darling husband?"King Leron rubbed his chin and nodded. "Yes, you do have a point, my queen."Her smile even widened at this. "Then it is better for Rider to join us in another time when we are eating regular human food---"Sangfroid finally spoke up with the most determined tone and serious face:"Who said I would not eat humans just because I am one? I would even consume only human meat for the rest of my life if His Majesty asks me to."
