Little Red Riding Hood

"Red? Little Red? Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and tried to take a huge breath. I looked around to see where I was, still groggy.

"Good, you're awake," a cheery voice said. I turned to see who the owner of the voice was. Little freckles dotted his childish face and adorable wild red hair. 

"Peter? What are you doing here?" I mumbled. "Am I back home?" I stretched and could feel my joints pop.  I was pretty disoriented.

"Robin asked me to care over you in his absence. He refused to leave your side for days, not to eat, drink, sleep, or bath. Us hunters had to drag him out and force him to care for himself. We are delighted to see you are awake and fine."

I smiled at the sweet boy. "Who carried me back?" My memory was blurry after what had happened. I could only faintly remember the eyes of the blackbird. Clearly, he was not just a wolf, but I didn't think he'd be in his human form so close to the gate.

"It was I who found you. I called for the other hunters to carry you home. You looked out of breath and weak. I was terrified! You looked like you'd seen the dead, and your cloak was all torn and ripped up. Are you alright, Red?"

I immediately grabbed for my hood and felt comfort at the touch of the cloth over my head. "I-" I remembered what the blackbird wolf had told me, the story I was told to weave. "After I met grandmama, I met with a thick forest of thorns. My cloak and clothes were all torn, but I am alright. Sorry to have worried you lot," I tried to feign a smile.

"Ah, is she alright?" a dainty voice asked from outside. Who was that? It definitely was not Mama's, whose voice was gruff and strict. In walked a daint lady, her hair and orange red. It was the lady Robin had introduced to me before. Mary or something similar.

"I'm glad to see you are doing fine, dear. Robin darling was so worried." Robin- darling? I was sure my face showed my thoughts but the girl was either blind, oblivious or ignoring me. "Here, have some soup. It will help you regain your strength." She shoved forth a spoon of hot soup to feed me. 

I awkwardly backed away and took the spoon and bowl hesitantly from her hand to feed myself. She stood by my bedside patiently. After I was done, I reached for my pink handkerchief gifted by Robin, when she eagerly lent me her orange one instead. Again, I was reluctant to use it. I examined it as I wiped my mouth. It was similar to the one I own, but with a small embroidery that read "Robin x Marian". I wanted to faint again.

After Marian left me with Peter, I collapsed on my bed, pulling the hood over my nose and mouth. "That's Robin's sweetheart, Marian. The two have been inseperable as of late."

Perhaps that was during the time I was in the blackbird forest. Maybe this was why Robin had encouraged me to leave. He wanted some alone time with his new lover. I was happy that Robin had found someone, but I was also envious. Growing up, Robin only spent time with me, Even with hunter friends, he'd make sure I was within his sight and was protective over me. Now, he would do the same for another girl who was not me. I expected this to happen, but it didn't mean I was ready.

Peter seemed to read my mood and placed a hand over my the top of my hood. "Just because Robin has found his other half, does not mean he will forget you. After spending all that time with you, he cannot forget and replace you so easily," he assured. I thought about it, but I'd heard too many stories go around town, where a man would leave his family to start a new life of his own, forgetting his past family.

~~~~~

Robin came to check on me as soon as he could. Peter had excused himself and left the two of us alone.