Tea entailed a generous spread of seeded breads and soft cheese, fruit crackers and tangy preserves. Marmalade poured herself a measure of whiskey before taking a seat by the fire. Penelope declined the offer of one for herself, and Marmalade set the crystal decanter of amber liquid on the table. Marmot sat in front of the fire encircled by crumbs, his tail tucked neatly about his feet. He pushed a ready-made cup of tea towards Penelope as she sat in a stuffed velvet chair. “Thank…Continue Reading “Ch 10 – Marmalade’s Love Potion – Pt 1”
To view this content, you must be a member of Sarah’s Patreon at $3 or more Unlock with PatreonAlready a qualifying Patreon member? Refresh to access this content.
Behind the staircase leading to the upper levels of the tree was a second, narrower set of spiralling stairs leading downwards beneath the earth. Having described the way, Marmalade gave Penelope a gentle push towards the passage, promising tea and rest after her bath. The stairs were faintly lit by glowing, moon-coloured stones pressed into the clay walls. The stairs soon gave way to a smooth, sloping path of moss and stone curving gently downwards, with several smaller passageways forking away into the deep. Arriving…Continue Reading “Ch 9 – Hope & Sea Stars”
Marmalade’s tree was warm and filled with the soft, golden light of glowstones. Penelope kicked off her borrowed boots, setting them by a haphazard stack of others in the entryway. Emptying the pockets of her borrowed coat, carefully stowing the fate token in the pocket of her skirt, Penelope hung her coat and scarf on a hook by the door. Marmot shrugged off his own pack, setting it on the floor with an alarming rattle of its contents. Opposite the cosy entryway was a set…Continue Reading “Ch 8 – Marmalade’s Tree – Pt 3”
Marmalade set a brisk pace that both Marmot and Penelope struggled to match as they followed the small witch along a snaking path of teal quartz through the mauve underbrush of the Faewood. The sky was dark as velvet and filled with the cold glitter of rising constellations. The teal crystals crunched underfoot. Faintly luminous, the quartz allowed the three to tread the path without stumbling. The surrounding forest was further lit by the dim, lunar glow of small mushrooms and star-shaped flowers clinging to…Continue Reading “Ch 8 – Marmalade’s Tree – Pt 2”
A young Princess Penelope sets off to find the mysterious baker of the Faewood…
To view this content, you must be a member of Sarah’s Patreon at $3 or more Unlock with PatreonAlready a qualifying Patreon member? Refresh to access this content.
“You,” Marmalade hissed at Penelope. “Explain.” “I have no idea what happened! I didn’t wish for that!” Penelope protested, hoisting herself to sit upright. “What did you wish for? Exactly?” “I… I saw a vision of my future. I saw my family reach out to embrace me… and then I was dancing with a prince… I think. I only wished for a way to ensure that future for myself. I just… I only wanted the love of my family back. Grimwood’s Dark Moon ball is…Continue Reading “Ch 8 – Marmalade’s Tree – Pt 1”
To view this content, you must be a member of Sarah’s Patreon at $3 or more Unlock with PatreonAlready a qualifying Patreon member? Refresh to access this content.
Iridescent and serpentine, the dragon coiled upwards into the sky, fanning out its streaming veil of tails as it rose. Penelope felt strangely weightless. Whether from fear, or the aura of power which surrounded the dragon, Penelope couldn’t say. As the dragon rose higher into the sky, Penelope’s senses returned. She heard the churning of the waves as the waters of the Tears thrashed about the boat. She heard Marmot’s squeals of fear as he clung to Marmalade’s leg. She heard Marmalade shouting for Marmot…Continue Reading “Ch 7 – Crossing The Tears – Pt 2”
Marmalade stirred the last of the frayfern into her simmering cauldron, turning to her recipe with satisfaction. Just an hour more to brew and a day to decant— Splash. Crash. A familiar squeaking told Marmalade this couldn’t be anything good. Almost afraid to turn around, Marmalade spun to find Marmot upside down in the hearth soot, and her almost perfect potion turning a rather alarming shade of red. “Marmot!” Marmalade cried, unhooking the cauldron and upending its ruined contents into the sink. “For the last…Continue Reading “Clockwork Companion”
Penelope passed the time staring out the cabin windows as Marmalade’s boat coasted down the river, occasionally passing other merchant boats along the way. Marmalade had given Penelope a thick wool coat, fleece gloves, a knitted scarf, and a pair of mushroom leather walking boots, as there was some distance to cover on foot to reach Marmalade’s home in the woods. The shoes were narrower than was strictly comfortable, but otherwise fit reasonably well. Penelope felt more calm now she was properly dressed again. Before…Continue Reading “Ch 7 – Crossing The Tears – Pt 1”
Marmot hastened to smooth the woven grass table mat into place. Lady would be home any moment now with her basket of berries and apples and all the things Marmot hated to eat. Since Marmalade had taught him to bake, he had only set their burrow on fire twice. Yet Lady had not been impressed when their den had filled with smoke, and had chittered angrily at him as they waited on the hill for the fumes to clear. She had been even less impressed…Continue Reading “Marmot In Love”
Penelope woke to the comforting sound of hot liquid being poured into stonework. She was enveloped by a cosy warmth, and imagined for a moment that she had drifted off by her hearth fire, and one of the Sisters was pouring tea. This notion was dispelled by the loud slurping and gulping that followed. Penelope sat up with a jolt. Marmot was wrapped in a thick woollen blanket clutching a steaming mug of cocoa, his snout ringed with chocolate. Marmalade smiled, holding out a second…Continue Reading “Ch 6 – The Lights of Darkwood”
Deep within the forest stood a hollow red tree. It wasn’t the tallest, nor the prettiest, but it was the perfect home for wood witch Marmalade. Airy chimes rang amongst the boughs as an autumn draught fanned the flames of her stove. Sugar pies were stacked atop muffins atop towers of shortcakes. The wafted scent of baking bread enticed all manner of creatures to Marmalade’s tree for sweet treats and a place to rest their paws. Each morning, Marmot would scurry up to Marmalade’s kitchen…Continue Reading “Marmot & Marmalade”
“No!” Penelope shouted, chasing after the bushy-tailed creature as it scurried across the road, weaving through the traffic, and then fled down a narrow lane. “Wait, Penelope!” Steph called as he chased after her. Penelope ignored Steph as she darted between horses and carriages, sprinting towards the lane. “C’mon! I can run faster than this!” Penelope growled as her legs grew more leaden the faster she tried to run. She clenched her fists into tight balls as she ran, making sure not to drop the…Continue Reading “Ch 5 – Princess of Pennies – Pt 2”
Penelope made her way back to the garden fountain with just a little time left to spare before she was to meet the Sisters. Strolling through the garden to pass the time, Penelope turned her fate token around in her fingers, squinting at the intricate copper design embedded in the glassy obsidian. Her attention absorbed in the token, she caught her foot on a loose stone and almost dropped the coin in the snow. Shaken, Penelope withdrew her purse and placed the token in with…Continue Reading “Ch 5 – Princess Of Pennies – Pt 1”
The shop was dimly lit. Penelope peered into the darkness until her eyes adjusted. The first thing she noticed was a garden in the centre of the room, ringed by a stone pathway. The garden was filled with white daisies, glowing ever so faintly, like moonlight, and rippling as if caught in a breeze, though the air in the shop was quite still. A small wishing well made of mossy stone sat in the centre of the garden. Other shop patrons were walking barefoot along…Continue Reading “Ch 4 – The Enchantress of Daisy Lane – Pt 2”
Aware that her time was growing short, Penelope cut directly across the concourse, skipping between carriages and striding through the garden on her way towards the laneway that Abel had pointed at.
Penelope followed Abel Whistleweather around the shop counter and towards a small door obscured by a heavy velvet curtain. Behind the door was a tight spiral of stairs, which led up to a small landing and another door of old, dark wood. This door creaked as Abel gestured Penelope across the threshold into a large, brightly lit workshop. There was an enormous glass sphere which filled most of a platform in the back corner of the room. Supported by a broad base of wood, the…Continue Reading “Ch 3 – Whistleweather’s Emporium – Pt 2”