Mary Anne Gruen - The House of Red

The woman Scarlet went visiting that day was not the sister Ruby that she remembered from long ago. That foolish little girl who had been in love with clothes and boys was barely even a memory now. As a child Ruby felt eclipsed from her mother’s love because she poured all of her energies into attaining Kingdomhood and planning the succession. Ruby’s father died when she was so young, that she couldn’t recall him at all. And as for Scarlet, Ruby grew up jealous of her because she was so confident and so obviously favored by their mother.

Scarlet was right. Ruby had worked and schemed to steal Henry from her. But not because she wanted to get over on her sister. Oh, no. She’d fallen madly and completely in love with him. Henry was a tall handsome blond officer in their mother’s army. The sound of his laugh could melt her. His smile blazed like the afternoon sun. And when he finally switched from Scarlet to her, she glowed under the endless gifts and flatteries that he heaped on her. Ruby was glad when Scarlet ran off with Josiah. It gave her everything she wanted, the throne, Henry, and her mother’s attentions. But all these wonderful things turned into curses, like the proverbial wishes made on a dragon dung bean.

Henry’s interest in Ruby cooled almost from the moment they said “I do.” Right from the honeymoon, it became obvious that his first love was himself and his second love was the army and his main hobby was women. He immediately stopped being attentive. He went on long excursions with the military, which his mother-in-law placed entirely under his command. And there were long absences that always went unexplained. After her mother’s death, things got even worse.

The populace of the Second Kingdom was just as captivated by their new King as Ruby had been before she married him. And then, when the Magic War started and he won victory after brilliant victory and kept the Kingdom safe from Mazarin, his popularity soared even higher. He became the ruling monarch in the eyes of the people. And Ruby became the consort. She even gave birth to little Red the Third in an attempt to bring both her husband and her subjects closer to her. But neither was impressed. Henry became more open about his mistresses and the people cheered him even louder for giving them an heir.

Ruby couldn’t divorce Henry because of the overwhelming adoration the people had for him. And she couldn’t take a lover because of the double standard that was so prevalent. People winked and smiled when they discussed King Henry’s attractiveness to women. But they would have labeled Ruby an evil adulteress for doing the same thing.

So, Ruby had taken another route. She held her daughter close to her, instructing her strictly in the proper demeanor of a queen. She made great inspection tours around the country to get closer to the people she would never get close to. And she took out her anger on the part of the populace that seemed the easiest to attack ... The wolves.

In truth, the girl Ruby no longer existed. There was only Queen Red Riding Hood the Second. And she was an extremely bitter and unhappy woman. She was younger than Scarlet and had she lived a life of luxury and ease. Yet, she looked so much older. And the lines on her face had been made by frowns, while Scarlet’s had been made by smiles.

When Scarlet arrived to see her sister, she got many disapproving looks at her clothes. But she was escorted directly to the Queen.

“I’ve been expecting you,” the Queen said.

“Ruby!”

Scarlet reached out her hands to her sister, but the Queen turned away with a swish of red silk.

“Don’t call me that. I am Queen Red Riding Hood the Second.”

“I know. But you are also my sister, Ruby.”

“Not anymore.”

“Remember how we used to play dress up in mother’s ball gowns and how you always toppled over when you tried to wear her riding boots? Remember how angry Nurse Evelyn got when we spied on her and her beaus?”

“No.”

Scarlet lowered her head like the supplicant she was. “I guess you’re angry with me for not contacting you sooner. I should have done it right after mother’s death.”

“I would have been perfectly happy never to see you again.”

“I don’t blame you for being angry. Look. I’ve brought you a gift.” Scarlet took the talisman off her neck. “It’s a piece of the ancient Mirror of Truth.”

“I don’t want it.”

“Oh, but nothing should be more important to a queen than truth. I’ll leave it here for you.” Scarlet placed it carefully on a high table by the open window.

The Queen’s green eyes were unmoved and the deep lines in her face unbroken. “I know why you’re here. That half-animal son of yours was sent home from school today.”

“How did you know I have a son?”

“I was told you have three actually. And a daughter. Or should I say, you have three he-wolves and a she-wolf.”

Scarlet’s face began to harden. “You can call them whatever you like. They are still my children.”

“And how many others does your wolf mate have by other women?”

“Wolves mate for life. I am the only mate my Josiah has.”

The Queen gave a sour laugh. “That’s what he tells you. Do you really believe it?”

“Of course.”

“How naďve! You’re even stupider than your offspring.”

“Look,” Scarlet said, dropping all attempts at being nice. “I don’t care what you think of my family. There are a lot of people here who would agree with you.”

“I know. The mayor told me how unhappy they are about having you and your brood of animals so close to the town limits. They know their livestock and children would be much safer if you were gone.”

“Too bad. I’m not leaving.”

The Queen looked at Scarlet in disgust. “You’re a disgrace to the House of Red, do you know that?”

“The House of Red?” Scarlet laughed. “Is that what you’re calling our family now? Fine. You can give it all the great names you want. But you’re the one who’s disgracing it. How can you undo mother’s ruling on education?”

“It was a stupid ruling. I am Queen now. I make the laws.”

“I see.” Scarlet tapped the sole of her soft boot on the ground. “Well, you also agreed to be part of the ruling body of the Council of the Nine Kingdoms. Did you not? You signed their charter, which I believe covers this issue. How are you going to explain this change to them?”

Flames of anger started rising to the Queen’s forehead. Even the spit curls so meticulously fashioned there couldn’t cover it. “I am Queen here!” she shouted. “I signed that charter to give us protection in war. Otherwise I will do what I want. You are nothing but a subject, a peasant in peasant clothes who lives with animals. I don’t even know why I’m talking to you. Get out of here!”

Scarlet stood her ground and raised herself up to her full height. It was clear now where her heritage lay. She had the royal bearing, the pride, and the authority. Queen Red the Second looked at her sister and knew that if Scarlet had been the one who had taken the throne, she would have been a great queen. Perhaps even greater than their mother. No one would have overlooked her. No man would have been allowed to wrong her. And whatever the populace thought of her personally, they would have given her their unquestioning respect. No one looking at Scarlet could doubt whose daughter she was.

“I AM Queen Red Riding Hood’s daughter. And though I abdicated the throne to you, I am deserving of your respect. My children are also deserving of your respect. And if you do not reverse this ruling at once, you will leave me no choice. I will go to the Council of the Nine Kingdoms. And I will announce to them who I am and claim succession rights for my children.”

The Queen’s mouth opened in horror. “No! My daughter. She has the right of succession. She MUST be queen!”

By this, Scarlet knew her sister’s weakness. “Fine. I don’t particularly want my children in line for succession. I didn’t like what the obsession for power did to our mother. And I don’t like what it’s done to you. I don’t want my children tainted by this. If you reverse your ruling today, this conversation will remain between us. Your daughter will have no opposition for the throne. And no one will even know we exist.”

The Queen’s eyes narrowed. “You haven’t told anyone here who you are, have you? The mayor didn’t seem to know.”

“No. I left that life behind me. Even my children don’t know who they are.”

The Queen turned away and said, “Very well. It seems you leave me no choice. I must surrender to your blackmail.”

“Good.”

“But it is late in the day now. I will send the notice out to rescind my order this evening. You can send your child to school tomorrow as usual. But understand that I never want to see you again.”

“Believe me. Nothing would please me more.” And with that, Scarlet left.

As soon as her sister was gone, the Queen crossed to the talisman and picked it up. With a scream of rage, she threw it against the wall. But it didn’t break. For it could only be crushed by tremendous strength or burned. The Queen didn’t notice as the sliver turned itself subtly over so that it could view her more clearly.

“Your Majesty!” her lady-in-waiting called as she rushed in. “Are you all right?”

“No,” the Queen said. “Bring in the Princess at once. And send for that fool of a mayor.”

“Of course, your Majesty!”

The child who would one day be Red Riding Hood the Third walked into the room on the hand of her nurse.

“Little Girl,” the Queen said, for she always called her that. She’d never given the child a proper name. Everyone else called her “Princess” or “Your Majesty” or “Your Grace.” It would be sometime before Leaf Fall would call her “Red.” “Come here,” the Queen ordered. Red the Third came at once to her mother, holding her head up high as she’d been taught to. This was hard because she was already being forced to wear heels and she sometimes tripped on her shoes or her long red gown.

The Queen picked up her daughter and sat her on the table where the talisman had lain just moments before. “Now. What is the most important thing in the world?” she asked.

“To be queen,” the four-year-old answered at once.

“Good. Being Queen is the best thing in the world. Don’t share it with anyone! And what do you do with anyone who threatens your power?”

“Cut them down!” the child said energetically.

“Excellent!” The Queen patted the Princess’s hand approvingly. “You just remember that, Little Girl. And no one will overlook you. Or cheat on you. Or try and black mail you. And remember about men. Don’t trust them and don’t allow ANY of them to be king over you.”

“No, your Majesty,” the child answered.

“Good.”

“Excuse me,” the lady-in-waiting said. She had been waiting in the doorway for an opportune moment to speak.

“Yes.”

“The mayor is here as you requested.”

“Nurse,” the Queen said, beckoning to her daughter’s main caretaker. “Take the Princess to her room and tidy these ruffles. They look bedraggled.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“Now you can bring in that fatuous mayor,” the Queen said.

The mayor came in bowing and scraping all the way. His hair was slicked back again and he stank of cheap hair oil. “Oh, yes, your Majesty,” he said as he bobbed. “And may I say how lovely you look today.”

“Thank you.”

“So, what can I do for you, your Majesty? Have you changed your mind about attending that little entertainment tonight in the town square?”

“No. I have an important matter of state to discuss with you.”

“Indeed your Majesty?” The mayor looked at her with the eager eyes and panting mouth of a hungry animal.

“You remember that aberrant wolf-woman we were talking about yesterday?”

“Oh, yes, your Majesty.”

“She was just here.”

“No!”

“And she threatened me.”

“No, no!! I will gather some of the men together and we will have her arrested and sent to the King immediately.”

“We could do that, of course. But I really don’t want to involve King Henry or make it public knowledge that I was threatened. If that happened, the King might insist on my discontinuing these little inspection trips.”

“For your own safety, yes.”

“He’d prefer it if I stayed cloistered up in the castle and never came out. Then I would be out of the way and not stealing his ovations. And he wouldn’t have to work so hard at hiding his mistresses from me.”

“Your Majesty?” the mayor said.

“Well, I can’t bear that. I don’t want to be a prisoner in my own castle. So I want you to deal with this problem quietly.”

“Of course, your Majesty. How?”

“You said the head of your night guards was a trusty and loyal subject. And you said these local wolves don’t know their place anymore. Well, from the way this woman acted today, I’m sure she and her brood are quite dangerous. The only way to guarantee the safety of your people is to get rid of them.”

The mayor’s eyes became crafty. He knew he was being asked to do something very questionable. Guile and graft had gotten him into his job and he figured graft was something he could get plenty of from a queen. “How do you propose we do that?”

“Can you get one of your local herdsmen to claim that some of his lambs were slaughtered by this particular family of wolves?”

The mayor thought. “No. There are only two herders around here. One handles sheep, the other goats. Neither of them likes wolves. But, unfortunately, both of them are honest.”

“Then you’ll have to get someone to make it look as if there had been a wolf attack and claim to have been a witness to it.”

“I can do that,” the mayor said nodding. There was local man who handled most of his underhanded work. He could be relied on to kill a few spring lambs and do some lying. “But if I do this, what do I get out of it?”

“I beg your pardon,” the Queen said drawing herself up.

“I said, what do I get out of it. The price of silence is often high.”

The Queen’s green eyes became filled with fury. For the second time today she was being blackmailed. “And what is your price?” she asked, trying to keep her hands from shaking.

“An assignment at court.”

The Queen relaxed. “Excellent!” she said. Once she got him to the castle it would be easy to trump up an offense against him and hold him for questioning in the dungeon. Once in the dungeon, he could merely be forgotten. “I could use a man like you at court. Consider it done.”

“Then you may consider that other little matter done, your Majesty.”