A Hansel and Gretel Story 05

With the older woman having come to the door with such a warm welcome Hanz made no hesitation to guide his Darling Verena inside of her humble home. He didn't see how the older woman could be dangerous, and he was steadily sure, he could protect his petite love interest from most anything.

"Come inside, come inside." She chirped and moved aside, granting them entry. "Help is here, help is here." The grey haired elder purred as she shut the door behind them.

Verena took a deep breath looking around her cottage in awe. There were small mountains of food covering what seemed to her, to be every available surface. Huge platters piled with cakes and heaping towers of cookies and bon bons. The large table centered in the middle of the cabin, was overflowing with plates of delicious looking, and smelling, treats. She swallowed hard and placed her hands over her flat stomach. Verena did wonder why this old woman needed all this food, first and foremost it seemed a tad strange to her. So much for just one person.

There was a large hearth and kitchen towards the back of the large room. She looked at the enormous oven and stove top. She was boiling pots of water and making sauces and cremes. The smell of the cabin was intoxicating and heady making her mouth water. Verena glanced just to their left, at the two closed doors that were there. There were a few windows, but not much else decorated the walls save the overflowing shelves of spices and confectionery ingredients. She smiled just a tad, as she heard Hanz' stomach growl.

He put a hand over his own belly, thinking of the last time he'd eaten, the morning previous. He couldn't ever remember missing a meal or going without a snack. Though because he was always active, Hanz had never put on much weight.

"We're a little lost." Verena started. She couldn't help shake the uneasy feeling that unsettled her deeply. Of course she didn't vocalize any of that,

"Ahhh, that is not a good thing for you my Dearlings." The older woman said as she pulled out two chairs at the table. "Come and have something to eat, rest a while. Tell me, where are you from?"

"We're from...well my estate isn't too far from here. It couldn't be more then a few miles. " Hanz said as he eagerly took a seat, Verena hesitantly followed his lead.

"Help yourselves." She smiled warmly and moved to the kitchen. Verena frowned, noticing that she used a cane to get around. Her eyes were a little cloudy and it became obvious to her that she must not have been able to see very well, which was so sad considering she lived all alone.

Hanz grabbed a clean plate and heaped it full of rich savory meats and heavy, buttery, noodles and piles of steaming baked potatoes covered in cheese and butter before he started vigorously eating. Pushing each overloaded forkful into his mouth, with no sign of slowing his pace. Verena watched him for a few moments never having seen him eat when he was so hungry. His healthy appetite mad her smile.

She chewed her own lip, still not trusting of all of this. Something was most certainly 'off' about all of this, at least in her mind. Verena's grey eyes scanned the mounds of food. She hadn't eaten anything substantial in a few days, though she had never before had so many choices. Verena hesitantly reached for a small piece of bread and ripped it into a few bite size pieces. She glanced back to Hanz who's attention was on still on his plate and cleaning it.

She watched as he moved on for seconds, his small belly pushing just over the hem of his pants. Verena smiled a little, finding Hans absolutely adorable.

"So my Dear, What are your names?" The woman asked from the kitchen carrying a large jug of liquid towards the table. Verena set down her piece of bread and stood to help her, but Verena's movement seemed to catch Hanz' attention and he quickly set down his fork and plate, and shyly wiped the creamy sauce still smeared on his lips. He swallowed hard getting down what he'd been working on so he could speak. With his cheeks lightly pink, he cleared his throat, "Excuse my poor manners." He said standing up and briskly walking to their gracious hostess, "Here, let me get that for you." He said taking the jug from her gnarled hands.

"Thank you, young man."

"Oh, I'm Hanz. This is Verena." He said with a small gesture as he set the jug on the table having found just a little room. Hanz walked back over to his seat, and resumed eating, a little slower, as he was more conscious of his manners, that and the edge to his hunger wasn't as sharp.

"Hanz, Verena, wonderful to have you. I'm Gryselda." She smiled, her nose wrinkling up as she did so. "Now, you two, enjoy your snack, I have to go out to the garden to gather some small things, just a few herbs." She said, as though she knew they might insist to help if it may be something the old woman could hack.

Hanz nodded, "Thank you for your generosity. Please call if you need something." He paused from his second plate of food. He had noticed that Verena had yet to actually take a bite of anything.

Gryselda could not see any of this of course. She smiled and headed to the door. Her mouth moving silently as she counted the steps so as to not get lost. She shut the front door behind her and hobbled out into the yard.

Verena finally felt free to speak without insulting their hostess. "I don't know if this is a good idea..."

"What?" He asked a little confused as he pushed a large hunk of meat into his mouth, taking a very short while to chew, if you could call it chewing. "Why?" he asked frowning, also noting she still wasn't eating. Her plate was bare.

"Oh, because...what is this old, blind woman doing in the woods all by herself? Why does she have all this food, hot and ready? It's just strange Hanz." She frowned touching his cheek.

He frowned a little deeper, swallowing what was in his mouth already. He gently pulled Verena onto his lap. Her hands resting on his doughy belly which was distended from his gorging. She gently stroked his stomach, rubbing away some of the tightness, her hands pressing into his soft sides. "I think...you're worrying just a little to much." He leaned up and kissed her hoping to grant her some assurance that everything was fine. He figured she was just traumatized from Ubel chasing her with an axe. He should have know she would have been a little off.

Verena kissed him back, grinning against his mouth as she noted how he tasted like everything he'd just eaten. She continued to rub his belly, sliding her hands up to his chest and shoulders, as her lips slid against his, tongue flirting with his.

Hanz grunted his approval, his hands resting on her hips, as he pulled her closer, he lithe form fitting perfectly against him.

Verena broke the kiss, hugging him tightly. She knew he was still feeling ravenous and with some of her fear assuaged, she slipped off of his lap letting him resume making up for those three meals he missed since yesterday. Verena picked up the jug of what appeared to be chilled tea and poured Hanz a tankard full placing it on the table for him.

Hanz forked a portion of food onto her plate from the vast about piled before them. "Verena, eat something please..." He frowned at her, "I hate to see you hold back like this...I know you have to be starving my Love." He said softly watching her waif-like form.

"Oh, I'm..." She smiled at him warmly. "Thank you Hanz...for looking after me."

He chuckled a little and shook his head. "You have my Love Verena."

"I love you too." She said as she picked up a piece of chicken and pulled it apart into tiny chunks before she started eating.

Hanz continued to gorge himself, his waistband getting a little tight, he was soon very sated. He looked towards Verena's plate noticing that she really only ever ate maybe a handful of food. He'd have to change that soon, as soon as they got back home, he would make sure she was better taken care of. "I'm stuffed." He sighed a little, wish his pants were a little looser.

Verena looked up as her name was called from the garden. Gryselda must have needed help with something. She stood up and gave Hanz a small kiss. "Let me go assist her, mh, you relax, I'll be right back." She said, hopping up and heading outside.

Hanz watched her go, his eyes on her slender hips swaying as she went on her way. He grinned and sighed reclining in the chair a little. Despite what felt like an endless amount of food he'd gorged on, Hanz hadn't even  made a dent on the mountains of food piled on the table.

Several minutes passed and Hans glanced towards the door, wondering if Verena could handle whatever Gryselda had needed. Hanz grunted as he pushed himself to his feet, he figured he'd go see if he could help.

As Hanz stood up to go outside, the front door swung open. Verena was standing in front of Gryselda, the older woman holding her firmly, her walking stick across Verena's slender neck. Hanz cursed and took a step forward.

"Stop!" Gryselda shouted firmly, her warm tone having melted away. Hanz froze, wondering what was up. "Now Children, let Oma Gryselda make herself clear." She cleared her throat smiling. Verena was silent, a little to weak to fight the surprisingly strong old woman.

"Let her go." Hanz growled, he would never want to harm an old woman, but he couldn't just allow her to hurt his Verena.

"Silence." She spat. "I am going to keep one of you alive...to help me around the house. The other of course...." She smiled, revealing a missing tooth or two. "Will be a delicious meal for me. I could never stomach any of this fodder." She frowned making a sweeping gesture to all the food. "But such is the diet of a witch." She laughed heartily, watching Hanz' horrified expression.

"You're going to eat us?" Verena shrieked in horror, and despite her weak state, started to fight, Hanz moved to help her but Gryselda would have none of it.

"Hanz stop right there or I will snap her pretty little neck before you take another step." She hissed, sloppily spitting as she dragged Verena over to the first of the two doors to their left. With her freehand she pushed the door open to reveal a large dome cage, similar to a bird cage, with thick big bars. "So who will it be? " She asked pointing towards the cage.

"Me." Verena said quickly, unwilling to let Hanz die. But Hanz felt just the same and had zero intention of letting that happen.

"Gryselda, Verena has more domestic experience then I do, I don't think I'd be able to complete any of the tasks you'd ask of me. I'll go." He said firmly.

She pondered this for a moment and grunted, "Fine. Get in the cage, boy." She frowned at him, holding Verena tight.

Hanz walked passed them, his soft blue eyes eating up the sight of her in case he wouldn't see her again. Verena looked heart broken watching him head towards the cage. She couldn't live without him and now she was watching him seal his fate. "Hanz..." She choked up, as she reached for him.

He shook his head, hoping she knew better then to try to stop this. It was inevitable.

Gryselda tugged Verena to the cage, and closed the door, locking Hanz inside with the key she pulled from the pocket of her apron. "There we go." She smiled, her nose wrinkling as she did so.

Gryselda pulled Verena out into the main room before throwing her haphazardly into a corner. Verena bounced against the wall, and stayed slumped their, her grey eyes, pouring tears like a rain cloud.

No doubt Hanz could still hear the old witch talking from his confines. "You little brat, are going to help me with the chores and taking care of Hanz until he's plump enough to eat. Now I'm sure that won't take too long." She sneered. Verena was grateful she couldn't see her crying.

The old witch, hobbled into the kitchen with her cane leaving Verena to cry by herself, her mind stuck on Hanz as she worried for him.