Chapter Text
It was good to know that there were still some people in the town next to the dark forest who had trust in your grandmothers medicine.
You lived with her inside the dark forest since the day your parents had died by the hand of a vicious creature. Since then she had taken you in, in her little wooden home inside the dark forest, that no one from the little town next to it, dared to enter after nightfall.
Of course the reasons of it were the tales. Not only was it believed that a big bad werewolf was occupying the dark nature, which was not true, probably. Since you have never met him over all those years you lived in that forest, you didn't believe those tales to be true. But the other reason why people also were suspicious of you and your grandmother was definetly true.
There was a rumour making its round, since way before you were born, that your grandmother is an evil witch. Wouldn't she be the one to find you first after your parents death, the church would have made sure that she would never see you again and that you would completely forget her.
But there were still some people in the town, that rolled their eyes at the tales and rumours and smiled relieved when you arrived in the town each morning with some medicine that your grandmother had prepared for the sick and old.
With the winter approaching quickly, people were always praying every night that she hadn't forgotten them and would send you out the next morning with something to cure the sick or help them through the winter, which she always did.
The fishermen were most thankful for your arrival. The cold wind always surrounding them at work and if they would fall off their boats or were pulled off shore by a really strong fish, they could only rely on your grannys potions.
Her being a witch would made her an outlaw and she would instantly get hunted down by hunters, but since she was a witch of nature, no one had told on her. The church had called for many hunters over the years, but many left after only staying one night at the fishers inn, that belonged to, as the name already revealed it, a fisherman, who always vouched for your grandmother in being a good woman.
Even this time as you entered the inn, where most people would wait for your arrival, you spotted some new faces in there, which was not unusual, since the town was build in between two bigger towns which were a whole way apart and people tend to rest here. But what made your gaze linger on the two individuals was their equipment.
They were definetly hunters and it looked like they were some of the more experienced ones. Not the usual type, since they didn't have any crosses visible. The church must have been reluctant of calling for them and it didn't look like they were here for you or your grandmother.
The more tanned and older one was wearing two guns, which were partly hidden by his long black cloak. You could also spott a crossbow on his back, but only after you took a closer look, since he was standing with his front to you and was partially hidden by the other man, who had his back to you and was sitting, whilst his partner was standing and pointing at something on the table.
The one with his back to you was also wearing dark colours, just like his partner. You couldn't see what weapons he had on him, as half of his body was covered by some kind of scarf. Something about him made him stand out in this inn and you soon figured out what it was. It was the dark cowboy hat that he was wearing. It wasn't usual for someone from the colonization to find all their way back to France.
You looked back at the man who was standing and instantly looked away as your gazes met and walked over to a table, where the innkeeper was sitting and already waiting for you.
"I know. The church called for them once again" The innkeeper said as you reached him.
He seemed to have noticed your little disorientation as you had walked into the warm housing.
"Is it about my grandmother again?" You asked, as if you haven't just checked out their weaponry.
"Not this time I think. I have already tried to talk with them yesterday, but they didn't seem to be interested in a witch hunt" The old man said and offered you a plate with a warm meal. Fish of course. But warm non the less.
"Did they slip anything else?" You asked as you thanked him for the meal with a small nod.
This was not part of the payment, but the inn keeper had some time ago started to make sure that you never left hungry. Maybe it was your grandmothers doing, but you never asked. Just thanked him and dug in.
"Not really. Just told us to stay inside and not go into the dark forest at nightfall" The man said and you couldn't hold back a chuckle.
"As if you ever did go in there" You commented and washed down the meal with some water that had also been served to you.
"Well then, i will make my rounds and soon leave before nightfall" you made sure to stress the last word and got up soon.
"I will chime in beforehand, don't worry" you told the inn keeper who was about to stand up to recieve the medicine for his men.
"I don't want to walk around with my payment from door to door" you said with a small wink and soon made your way out of the warm house.
Since money had no great value for you, you traded your grandmothers medicine for goods instead. The inn keeper always made sure to give you a bucket of fish on your way back home. And since they smelt pretty badly, you didn't want your customers to close their doors on you instantly.
So you would come back to the inn later, after making sure that the children and elder people of the town got the medicine they needed and in return paid you in food or other things.
It did take a bit longer this time than usual, with more people catching the same disease these days and not knowing how to prevent it and this making it easier for the disease to spread around the town.
But even for this occurance, your grandmother had send you off with more than enough potion for the towns people.
With still half of your basket filled with little phials and glass containers, you made your way back to the inn, where more fisher men had arrived, waiting for you.
"At last you thought about us, little red" One of the fishermen said as he spotted you come inside and you were instantly pulled over to their table and checked on their health and gave them the potion they needed to get better.
They had started to call you by that nickname a long time ago, as your grandmother had gifted you with a red cloak.
"It will make you look a bit more alive. Wearing some colour doesn't hurt, dear" she had commented.
She was always a bit reluctant when she saw you wearing only dark colours, with you trying to defend yourself with telling her that it will match the forest and bad creatures might not detect you at first.
She had let you have it your way for a long time, before she had finally brighten up your warderobe with the red cloak after your old black one had been damaged by a potion going wrong.
And since then many people in the town had started to call you little red. Some didn't even know your real name, but that didn't really bother you.
As you finished, you finally recieved your smelly bucket from the old inn keeper, who grinned at you as you pulled a face after recieving your payment and soon made your way back out in the cold world. It was only noon, but it was still really cold outside.
You remember spotting the two hunters still at the table they had been at before as you had entered the inn, but as you were leaving, they haven't been there anymore. They must have probably left during your check up with the fishermen.
But you decided to not think much about it and made your way over to the huge gate of the town. You nodded at the two swordsmen that were guarding it, who nodded back at you and wished you a good and safe way back home, to which you thanked them.
You were really glad for having the fishermen vouching for you and helping you to find more acceptance in the town. Every time you visited it, there were always more people than the last time seeking out your help.
With a soft sigh and a small smile on your lips, you walked over to the edge of the dark forest and wanted to enter it without a second though, but were stopped by something hard poking your back.
"Stop right there darling" A thick voice soon chimed in.
But it didn't sound like a threat, more like a warning.
"Why do you want to enter the dark forest? Didn't the innkeeper warned ya from doing so?" The voice added.
You could only guess who it was as the voice didn't sound familiar to you and the person clearly didn't know who you were.
You slowly turned around as the gun wasn't resting against your back anymore and looked in the face of the man who stopped you and you were right.
It was the hunter with the cowboy hat. It startled you a bit to finally see his face, as he had been showing your back to you in the inn and even the second time around you didn't get to see his handsome face. The facial hair hugging his tan face in just the right way. Making him look intimidating but also really breathtaking.
"I-... I live there" You finally managed to get out after finding your voice once again.
You just noticed the weapon he had been pointing at you, as he dropped it and holstered it.
"Oh so you are the witch the church keeps whining on about?" The guy asked as he shamelessly checked you out.
"Hmm should have noticed it. You don't seem like one of the ladies in the town to stay at home with their children and cook for them" He said as his eyes found your gaze soon after roaming your apperiance.
"No... I'm not the witch you are thinking about. That's my grandmother. I'm just her... apprentice" you finished as you held the eyecontact.
His eyes were so beautiful, brown and warm. But also filled with so much experience; and you weren't sure, but something lit up in the man's eyes at the word apprentice.
"Hmm a second witch, I see" he murmured, what made you slightly uncomfortable.
"I hope you know that we mean no harm. You have probably heard this before. But we are nothing more than witches of the forest. Herb witches? We are just trying to help where we can while expanding our knowledge" you said, hoping the hunter wouldn't pull out his gun once again.
"No worries, miss. I have seen your intentions and your work in the town. We are not here for you" He said with a small chuckle as he noticed your sudden distress.
"Even though you live in that forest and know it better than anyone else, give me a promise and stay on your path, would ya. Your surroundings might not be as safe anymore as they used to be" he said and you raised your eyebrows at that.
"Is it why you are here? Something bad occupying this forest?" You asked and he smiled half heartly.
"I have already said too much, darling. You should head home before the darkness arrives. And stay inside during the night. I would not want you to get into any great danger" he said and tipped his hat, ready to leave.
"Expressing your concerns over a witch, mister hunter?" You asked with a cocky grin, which made him actually smile.
And boy did he look good with that smile on his face.
"Even though our worlds collide, I want to believe that your intentions are only on the bright side" he said and took a few steps back before turning around and walking back to the gates of the town.
And you couldn't help but let your eyes take in his back. But before he could turn around as his instincts kicked in, telling him that he was being watched, you had already entered the dark forest and made your way back to the wooden house in the heart of the dark place, where your grandmother was already waiting for your arrival. You made sure to follow the hunters instructions and stayed on the path, just like he had told you.
You suddenly felt a bit sad that you didn't ask for the handsome man's name and thus hoped that whatever was keeping him in this town, would stay for a while longer and letting you run into the man once again. Hopefully without a weapon touching your back this time.