Prompt

Adapt a fairy tale with your choice of lady love.

Once upon a time, there lived a young woman who lived in a village beside the Brecilian Forest. One winter, she went to visit her grandmother delivering presents as she was wont to do.

The winter was long and cold, darker most days than the summer nights, but Leliana wasn't worried for herself. Her grandmother lived in the middle of the woods, alone now her Grandfather had passed on. The young woman liked to visit her grandma at least once a week, keeping her company and bringing sweet fruits and other gifts to keep the old lady's spirits up.

In the past, Wynne, her grandmother, had been an expert mage, beaten by no one but time itself. Now, though, she was bedridden most days, moving slowly whenever she had to get up. Her old magic was still there, but the effort to reach it seemed infinitely large, too much for the little frail old lady to gather.

Leliana didn't mind, though, it meant she had an excuse to visit, and she used it as much as she possibly could. She always shared stories from her past, stories of her mother, and the wars she had fought in. It was bittersweet, but Leliana lived for it.

She had gathered a large basket of fruit today, larger than she usually gathered, and a rather generous pouch of tea leaves. The more tea, the longer Leliana would stay.

The path to her grandmother's home was dark and dismal, winding through the Brecilian Forest until it would finally snake back to the outskirts, reaching the small cabin. It would take her a few hours but that was nothing for young Leliana, she was excited.

She pulled her favourite red coat on, pulling the overly broad hood up and over her head, smiling to herself as she imagined how she looked. She was a vain woman, she would be the first to admit, but she would also admit how cute her jacket was.

Humming a quiet tune to herself, she took the first step, ignoring the large shadows that seemed to move around her. Trees began to block out the dim winter sun, and before too long it was dark. Reaching into her pack, Leliana reached for a small torch, lighting it with a flint and steel before holding it before her and screeching in shock.

A dark figure stood just outside the light, its bright eyes glowing yellow in the shadows as a giant predatory grin shone brightly. "Oh little red riding hood, what are you doing alone in the dark, dreary forest?"

"I'm sorry," Leliana lilted. "I can't see who you are, my friend."

"Ah, but of course," the voice softened, turning down from the grim gruff growl of an angry beast to the warm, gentle singing of a fellow Orlesian woman. "I'm sorry too, my pet, I can't step forward just yet. I suffer from something, you see."

"Ah, but of course, mon amie," Leliana smiled warmly. "Then stay where you are comfortable of course."

"Thank you, sweetling," The voice swayed with an unseen rhythm. "But you didn't answer my question, hmm. Why are you here?"

"I'm visiting my poor old grandmother," Leliana answered. "I must be off, my friend, I'm sorry, but I shan't be late. You understand, yes?"

"But of course, sweetling. Perhaps we may run into one another again, no?" The voice began to quieten as the bright eyes dimmed. "A word of warning, stay on the road, my pretty friend, there are hunters around, and we can't have them mistake you for the wolf, no?"

"A werewolf?" Leliana gulped. "Thank you for the warning!" She called out, but her only reply was the whistling of the wind.

She crept forward, hoping the person had gone, as she didn't want to disturb them, and fortunately they were no longer there. Away into the darkness as a shadow.

She continued on, picking up her brisk walk to an even faster one, hoping to never meet this werewolf that she was warned about. The thought of running into a werewolf in even the light was terrifying but in the dark, grim forest, that thought sent chills down to her spine. Leliana was not excited for that.

Shaking her head, Leliana began to sing an old dalish song her mother had taught her as a young child. Letting it lift her spirits as the forest shadows covered her. She bgan to lose herself to the song, and it almost seemed as though the trees themselves began to sway and dance with her. Either the magic of the wild elves was more potent than she had ever imagined or Leliana was slowly losing her mind. Either was as plausible as the other.

Before too long she realised she was before her grandmothers wooden cabin. The sun shone dimly behind it, their already fw hours of sunlight retreating as the sun descended to the darkness behind the cabin.

Leliana smiled to herself as she walked up the small cobblestone path to the cabin, stopping before the warm wooden oak door.

The smell of cooking overwhelmed her as she stood outside, the smell of spices and vegetables slowly boiling into the stew, and no doubt grandma would be adding the meat soon.

She knocked once waiting for an answer that didn't arrive.

She knocked twice waiting for an answer than didn't arrive.

She knocked thrice and finally an answer arrrived.

"Who is it?" A grumbling voice replied, her grandmother.

" It's me Little Red Leliana, Grandma!" Leliana giggled. "Let me in, I have some goodies for you."

"Ah yes, Leliana!" Her grandma coughed. "Let yourself in, deary, the door's open."

Leliana pushed the door open and was hit with a wall of warmth and spices. It was a perfect welcome to the small wooden cabin.

Her grandmother lay in the bed on the far right of the cabin, opposite the roaring fire with a large pot upon it. Leliana peered in, smiled to herself as she realised she had guessed its contents correctly from outside.

"Something smells good, Granny!" She laughed, "where's the meat?"

"Oh, I'm just about to prepare it!" Granny growled. "Why don't you come here and help."

"Grandma, are you ok? Your voice sounds strange!"

"Oh just a cold, sweetling," Granny coughed.

Leliana crept closer, staring at her grandma in the dim light of the fire. "My, Grandma, what big eyes you have!" She gasped as she saw how bright and large Wynne's eyes had become.

"All the better to see you with, my pet," Granny smirked as she pulled her drooping hat up.

"My, Grandma, what large ears you have!" Leliana gasped as two huge ears popped out.

"All the better to hear you with, sweetling!" Grandma smirked a wolfish grin.

"My, Grandma, what big teeth you have!" Leliana gasped again, staring at the large fangs inside her grandmother's mouth.

"All the better to eat you with!" Grandma roared, diving out the bed and revealing her true identity.

A giant werewolf descended upon the hapless girl, but whilst Leliana might have been naïve, she was never defenceless. A tiny dagger was hidden in her jacket, and Leliana produced it as she began to scream for help. Perhaps her grandma was out back, working on her small garden. The other truth was too horrific to bear.

She slashed wildly with her small blade, waving it as frantically as she possibly could but the wolf just began to laugh. "You are a foolish young thing, Leliana. You think that blade makes you as dangerous as me? Bah! You are merely a nightingale compared to my fierceness!" The wolf roared, jumping in front of the door as Leliana backed off towards the fire.

A howl from outside made the wolf turn its head, and Leliana darted behind the bed, putting an obstacle between her and those large, dripping fangs.

"Halam sahlin!" A voice roared from the garden and before either wolf or woman could react someone dived through the large front window.

A small, muscular woman rose from the floor, ignoring the broken glass she had just caused and shaking her head, causing her gorgeous, braided, red hair to flow around her pointed ears. In one hand she carried an intricately designed axe, and the other a similarly designed sword.

"I have hunted you for months, beast," the woman growled. "You will not hurt another soul."

"Too late!" The wolf roared. "I have already eaten one meal today, this young thing will be an excellent dessert!"

The wolf screeched, charged at the new mystery woman and slashing at her beautiful yet sturdy dalish armour. Her claws merely bounced off the ironwood, and the woman retaliated in kind. Slashing her axe up across the wolf's stomach, slicing it open.

Blood, guts, and finally a little old woman fell from the wolf.

The wolf howled in pain as it fell backwards, shifting back to its human form as a brunette lay where the wolf had died.

"Granny!" Leliana delighted, jumping over the bed towards her the old lady who had fallen from the wolf. "You're alive! How?"

"I was always better with restoration than with offense, my love," Wynne smiled. "Thank you, Huntress, you have saved my granddaughter and me."

"It was my duty, falon," the elf smiled.

"Please, stay for dinner," Leliana gasped as she stood. She stepped towards the cute elf, catching her heart before it leaped out of her throat. "You saved us, and we don't even know your name."

"Lyla Mahariel," the elf blushed. "And you?"

"Leliana," she lilted. "A hero deserves a reward, no?" Leliana stepped forward and bent her head down, capturing her saviour's lips in her own, kissing her with all the passion in the world.

"Ahem," Wynne coughed behind after what seemed like a lifetime passed by.

Leliana stepped back, her stomach backflipping as she saw the blush spread from Lyla's cheeks to the tips of her pointed ears.

"Staying for dinner seems like a good idea," Lyla giggled. "Ma serannas, vhenan."

Translations

Halam Sahlim – This ends now

Falon – friend

Ma serannas – Thank you

Vhenan – Heart (massive term of endearment)