Are They Planets or Nuts....

My bloggy BFF is having a baby.........(pause because I still get excited for her when I mention it).......In the mean time she is going through what all mums do; Baby Brain. Why this isn't an official clinical condition I don't know!! So during the course of this debilitating condition, where she will be surrendering as many functional brain cells as possible to her developing child, the only known treatment is to limit multi-tasking. You can read more about how the treatment is going here where you can also hear about her call to share our nuts at the same time! You ready for my nuts??

Prince Charming Conundrum

I spent most of my childhood imagining and dreaming about the day my Prince Charming would ride in and sweep me off my feet. The day when I would be special; the centre of someones universe. I had the wedding dress planned even before I fell for the Other Half, which is some feat given how long we have been together.

Are we all waiting for our Prince to ride in on his steed? Is this what every girl wishes on the stars for? Do we wish for love and to be the centre of someones universe? Will we ever get it?

The reality? Your prince may arrive but he is the centre of your universe too and you end up spinning around each other. There are compromises to be made. The things you do are for mutual benefit. Then your universe experiences it's own big bang and your planets  re-align. They begin to spin not around each other but on the same orbit around the infant planets that have just been born.

Life and love take work and Prince Charming doesn't exist. This is a life lesson that we need to learn. You will never be the centre of someones universe because you will want to light theirs too. So why do we still swoon over films where the boy gets the girl? Where the boy sweeps her off her feet and they live happily ever after? Do we still secretly wish on a star that we could be whisked away?

Did Disney set me up for disappointment at an early age? Or is the definition of Prince Charming more flexible than we are lead to believe?

So, join the fun and share your nuts ;-) link up here or at Kicking Corners.

The colour of sadness

So Deb at Kicking Corners set a challenge this week to create a new colour. In all seriousness she put out there a great writing exercise; giving us all the same set of words, pictures and music she sent us out into the world to see what we could create. The theory being that no two people could create the same thing, even when given the same ingredients. Have you ever noticed that no matter how closely you follow the instructions in a recipe book yours never turns out looking like the picture? 

I digress, here is what I created whilst listening to the celtic/fairytale music and all before the track ended (shhh, don't tell anyone the track is an hour long, sounds better if when you don't know that!)

I have highlighted the 3 words I chose to use and this is the image that stuck in my mind when I cam to write.

link to original here

“I’m not strong enough for this” Delen whispered through her tears, looking down at their intertwined hands.

“Yes you are. You are the strongest person I have ever met.” Bryce replied using his finger to pull her chin up and force her to look him in the eye. “You are the first human in a millennia to be strong enough to find us.”

“That’s different. I’m not strong enough to live without you.”

“You have a life that needs you Delen. I will not let your story end just because ours has reached its conclusion. I need to know that you have lived.”

“But you are the piece that has been missing, why do you have to be taken from me just as I found you? How will I know that this was all real and not a dream.”

“Kira, look up. What do you see?”

“Our stars.”

“Every time you see the stars you will know what we had was real, you will feel me in your heart. And in that way I will live on, inside you always.”

The village horn sounded, the end was near. Bryce stood and pulled Delen into his arms, one final embrace before he would watch her walk away. They looked into each other’s eyes, their lips met for the last time, the taste of salt bitter on their lips. The Delen pulled away, if she didn’t do this now she wouldn’t go.

“I will always remember you Bryce” Delen whispered, their fingers keeping contact as she backed further away. When their arms could stretch no more Bryce pulled his fingers away, Delen felt her heart lurch. She drank in her last view of Bryce; trying to remember every last detail, cataloguing it for future use. And then she turned and began to walk.

As soon as she was clear of the village Delen began to run, run toward the place she would call home but it wouldn’t be...it could never be she had just left her home behind. Sobbing, her chest heaving from running Delen heard a thunderous sound and turned in time to see the village consumed in a tower of wrath, obliterating their existence. But she would know who they had been.

Delen collapsed under the weight of the memories that flooded her with each heaving sob; Bryce teaching her to haggle in the market place, the brilliance of the night stars as from where they lay making shapes by joining them like a giant dot-to-dot, but mostly she would remember the other part of her soul. She suddenly felt blessed to have had the time they did together, short as it was at least their souls were reunited for a time. And would be again...

PS because I forgot yesterday, Happy Valentines Day :-)

By Request (Fairy Tale Friday, just a little late!)

In December I surrendered a Fairy Tale Friday post to return to a favourite fairy tale of a blogging friend, Snow White and Rose Red. Following that post a few of you wanted to know what happened next and I guess I did too.

So here is the end of Snow's tale and what became of the stranger in the night, Sorry it took me so long to find the happily ever after!

Snow White and Rose Red, The Happily Ever After

The days began to lengthen and winter gave way to spring. On this particular morning Snow White and Rose Red were tending the garden and planting seeds ready for the summer crops. Snow looked up and to her surprise the stranger who once spent a night with them by the fire was there, standing at the edge of the forest. Her heart leapt, for in the months that had passed not a day had gone by when the stranger hadn’t crossed her mind.

“Hello Sir” Snow greeted him; “We hadn’t expected to see you again.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t usually return to the same area, let alone anyone who has helped me. But for some reason I was drawn back here.”

There was something familiar in the stranger’s eyes that Snow couldn’t quite place. As they stood there drowning in each other’s eyes his grew darker.

“What troubles you so?” Snow asked.

“I shouldn’t have come here. I have put you and your family in such danger. I just haven’t had a meal in days and was close....I thought....No I’m sorry, I will leave.”

He turned to leave, “Wait, don’t go. At least have something to eat before you set out again” Snow said desperate for him to stay a while longer. “We were just about to prepare some lunch any way.”

The stranger hesitated, “Please, come” Snow whispered and stepped forward to taking his hand. Gently she pulled him towards the cottage.

While Rose continued with the chores outside, Snow and the stranger prepared lunch. They talked, mostly about the life Snow and her sister led, although Snow managed to find out that he was called Will.

That afternoon Will helped the sisters continue to prepare the garden for the coming season. They laughed and talked all afternoon whilst working and before they realised the sun was setting in the sky and dusk was upon them.

“Please stay the night” Snow begged Will, who was insistent that he must leave. “Father has not been well; some company may brighten his spirits”

The sky was clear, it was going to be a cold night and eventually the sisters managed to convince Will to remain with them for the evening. Will was humbled for a second time by the families trust and selflessness.

After dinner the girls regaled their Father and guest with tales of old; of fairies and dragons and other creatures of magic. During one particular story of a conniving dwarf there was a strange and unworldly howling from the forest. Will seemed to be worried by the sound but a moment later the stress was wiped from his face by Snows words and the noise abated soon after.

The next few days sped by in a haze of contentment as Will helped the family with chores in exchange for a spot in front of the fire. He almost forgot about his plight.

That night was a full moon and there was a strange feeling in the air. As Will watched the pinks of the sunset streak across the sky he dropped the tools he had been carrying and realised he had made a terrible mistake.

Snow sensed that something was wrong and also stopped.

“Will, what is it?”

“I fear I have put you in grave danger.” Will said

“Why do you say that?”

“I need to tell you a story. I need to tell you my story.” Will explained.

The pair sat down on a tree trunk that was used as a bench. “It all began many moons ago when an unassuming man of small stature came to the door on a winter’s night, a night which was very similar to the night I first met you. He was cruel and bitter and continued to ask for more and more which my parents eventually said no to. This enraged the little man who cursed me and my brother to a life wandering the lands. A life where we cannot settle, we cannot love for when the moon is whole we become monsters the likes of which you have never seen. I should not be near you when that happens, for in those moments I may not be able to control the beast.”

“Oh, Will” Snow exclaimed, “is there no way to end the curse?”

“There is, the man who is responsible for the curse must die under a full moon. I have tried many times and failed. I must leave now to try and get far enough to keep you safe. I will return to you, you have my word”

“Please don’t leave again, I don’t think my heart could stand to feel so empty.”

In that moment the words didn’t mean anything, in that moment Will fell to the ground and began to turn and contort in many different ways. He was becoming the one thing he feared most and all Snow could do was watch, feeling her heart break for the pain this was causing him.

There before Snow was indeed a monstrous creature. It was twice her height and resembled the form of a great bear. However Snow was not afraid of the creature before her, its fur was the colour of Will’s hair; its eyes were the same warming hazel and full of sadness and shame. He was there still, locked within. Snow stepped toward Will, making to touch his muzzle but he shied away from her touch and bounded towards the woods. Snow fell to her knees; she had found the missing piece of her being only to have it ripped away so suddenly.

Rose came rushing to Snow’s side, “what is the matter sister? Are you hurt? Where is Will?”

“Gone” was all Snow could whisper.

Snow added guilt to the mix of sickening emotions she was feeling as she sat uselessly watching her sister do all of the evening chores. After they had eaten their evening meal the sisters sat before the fire as usual, however there were no sweet and melodic notes this evening. Suddenly there was a loud hammer at the door to break the silence.

Snow leapt from her spot and flew to the door thinking it could be Will seeking refuge, throwing open the door she stumbled and only just stopped herself from falling onto the small man who stood  in the door way.

“Good evening young miss, I wonder if I may trouble you this fine evening for a spot of water? I have been travelling for many days and my canteen is empty.”

Snow didn’t know why but she didn’t trust the sincerity in his voice, “I’m sorry sir, I cannot help you this evening. There is a stream a ten minute walk across the pasture, the water is pure and you can easily take your fill from the banks.”

With that the man’s eyes became thunderous and he screamed at her “you are all the same, no one is kind to anyone who is different to themselves.” He grabbed her arm and dragged her onto the path.

“Is this what you covet beast?” he growled into the forest, “is this what you returned for? By the time the sun has risen in the sky she will be gone, a tasty snack. Then I will return for the other two!”

There was a rumbling and then an almighty roar from the trees and Will came bounding, in his bearlike form. One swipe and Snow was thrown to the ground, free from her captor’s grip. The fight seemed sure to be over in minutes; the beast against such a weak man. But then the man pulled something metallic from beneath his jacket and in a swift and nimble movement sliced at Will’s stomach.

“No” screamed Snow as Will crashed to the ground, blood seeped from the wound, steaming when it pooled on the frosted ground.

She was about to run to him when the man turned his eyes on her, “Thank you. I needed him to become attached to someone or some place in order to catch up to him. And now he is finally dead the kingdom’s riches will be mine.”

Snow felt at her belt for her mother’s dagger. Her father had given it to her as protection in the forest for her and her sister, until now she had never needed to even touch it. But now she touched it in anger, in rage. The man started to make his way to where she was on the floor and as he bent to grab hold of her once more she buried the blade up to the hilt in his chest, removing the blade, as her father had taught, to maximise the inflicted wound.

“What the...?” he gasped, falling backwards against the garden fence and crashing through it.

Tears were streaming down Snow’s cheeks as she raced to Will’s side. The beast was retreating and leaving a very naked Will in its place.

The wound in his stomach, although quite deep, was not fatal, and with Roses help Snow cared for Will over the coming days.

“Why?” Will whispered a few days later, “Why didn’t you just run?”

“Because I was taught to fight for what you love.”

The two were married and Snow’s father was well cared for in the light of Will’s considerable wealth. And Rose? When Will’s twin brother returned from his cursed exile the four part puzzle was complete.

"A powerful force that seemed to connect all these tales. Hope" Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz - Once Upon a Time

We all hope for our happily ever after, will we recognise it when it arrives?

 

A Cure for Love

There are a number of fantastic ladies I have the privlage of working with, one in particular provides a fantastic service to the people in the community that are unable to make it into the library for books.

Today she showed me this little note, a small post-it stuck to a returned audio book from a 92 year old lady.

"I still have no cure for love"

This made me smile at first, such a cute little note. But then it made me a little sad! I don't think the lady is seriously looking for a cure for love, I think it had more to do with the book that it was stuck to. It just got me to thinking.....

I think better in places like this:

With views like this:

And this:

However I didn't have long, as usual!! Even so my mind kind of drifted to my virtual BFF Deb's medicine cabinet challenge, would a cure for love be something you would want in your medicine cabinet?

When I think of my ideal medicine cabinet it would be more a Narnian wardrobe leading straight to here:

Complete with potions master preferably!

The odd vile of Veritaserum would come in really handy or a little Felix Felicis tucked away for necessity.

Yes love is hard but would I include a cure for love? What instance would you even consider needing a cure for love? 

I have felt all consuming love, I still feel all consuming love. I have loved and then had the object of my love taken from me, yet still I don't think I would want to be cured of that love because it fuels my memory. 

Hmmm, there is unrequited love; the times when you fall so completely for the one person you can't have or that hasn't fallen as far for you. Would you cure yourself of that love? Is this the cure I need to keep tucked at the back of my medicine cabinet along with my liquid luck for emergencies? For times when it hurts and you have to try not to love someone.

But alas, I fear my medicine cabinet will forever be stocked with the staples of nit lotions, spot potions and Calpol (because it mends broken bones). If someone is still looking after 92 years I don't think there is a cure to be had! There are much worse things to be told there is no cure, there are worse things to live with than a heart full of love.

Would you use a cure for love?

Day 17 NaBloPoMo December - Monday Moments

As I fully intend to be out enjoying life tonight with friends and will not have time to share any Monday Moments with you I hope you enjoy this pre-recorded message instead.

The other week I was awarded a Liebster Blog Award which I then awarded to Deb at Kicking Corners. She has opened up her questions to anyone and seeing as the are cool questions I thought I would answer them....on one condition. You see Deb cheated a little, well more bent the rules and didn't give up 11 facts about herself, she only posted one. So for answering the questions I want one more Deb fact (I know you all do too) and obviously 1 + 1 + 11 so she'll be all square in terms of the rules ;-)

My imaginary conversation with Deb:

Deb - Can I ask you a question?
Me - Sure, you can ask me anything!
Deb - Ok if you're sure:

1. What's a quote you either very much agree or disagree with? Why?

Roald Dahl "those who don't believe in magic will never find it"

 

The years I was mistaken and thought a certain jolly man of a Christmassy disposition didn't exist were among the more boring years I can remember. Now I have come to my senses and can truly say I believe ion Santa the magic of Christmas has returned!

 

2. Do you like kids? Why or why not?

 

 

 

 

 

I love kids, because they are so innocent and receptive and joyous.

3. What's your favorite part of the winter holiday season? Why?

 

 

 

 

That moment just between when you and the kids wake up on Christmas Day morning before you check to see if Santa has been.

4. What are your thoughts about the goddess Bast?

 

Catty, I'm not sure we'd get on. I'm more of a dog person.

5. Did/do you have a favorite childhood cartoon? Why or why not?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspector Gadget, because those arms would come in really handy!

6. What does this bring to mind: "Double the pleasure, double the fun..."?

 

 

 

Hmmm, not sure my initial thought is broadcasteable. Needless to say it was slightly juvenile and made me giggle ;-)

7. Do you prefer to drink your favorite beverage from a bottle or glass?

 

 

 

 

Glass, unless it's a Corona!!

8. What is a memory you have where a kite was somehow involved?

 

 

My Mum, myself and a friend went up on my favourite hill (Pendle, well more the nick of Pendle), it was a particularly windy day and we went to fly some amazing kites we got in America (my visit to California aged 8). Anyway my friend was quite petite and was literally pulled down the hill and at one point lifted off the ground. We all ended up falling about laughing trying to pin her down whilst my Mum pulled the kite in.

9. Do you get moody when you're hungry?

 

Yes, very!! I also get grumpy when I don't eat what I want to be eating!

10. What are five small-ish objects closest to you?

 

 

My phone (think I need to have it surgically removed sometimes), a box of Christmas cards (yet to write, oopps), a Lindor chocolate (it is Christmas), the TV remote (because I'm a lazy ass), My notepad (another one that need surgically removing!)

 

11. What is a random detail that sticks out in your mind about a significant event in your life?

 

 

 

 

On one period of hospitalisation that my Dad's illness was peppered with my Mum and I had made an effort to get dressed up for my Dad. She had bought me a pair of high heeled shoes just like hers and I felt so grown up. I clearly remember the sound of our heels clicking down the silent corridor with that nervous feeling in my stomach wondering how he would be today, hoping we wouldn't get there and his bed be empty (that thought scared the hell out of me on every visit).

 

Wow I haven't thought about that in a long time!!!!

 

Sorry I can't leave the post on that note so you can have one more fact about me:

 

In textual types of messages I will keep replying in order to continue the conversation with you for as long as possible, just because it makes me feel a little closer to you.

 

Ok Deb, over to you. One more fact ;-)

 

 

 

Day 14 NaBloPoMo December - Favourite Fairy Tale Friday

Last week I asked for your favourite fairy tales and Jewles from Frazzled & Frumpy chose one of my favourites. So for this reason (read here writers block and I have something old to re-hash that will work) I will feature her choice today.

No seriously, Snow White and Rose Red is not one of the more popular fairy tales, yet when Deb at Kicking Corners set a challenge based on this fairy tale I was hooked.

I read some fairy tales and see all the twists and turns, I see the way things could have worked out after the 'happily ever after', I see the same framework with a modern take or sometimes the whole dynamic in the tale gets flipped on its head and I see a widower not a widow. Sometimes they don't speak to me at all!!

More often than not I get to wondering how this story started, were the village elders trying to warn the younger generation about the dangers in the world? Or did something happen in a village and the story erupted out of that?

Did the family in this tale let in a very hairy stranger to shelter and did one of the daughters fall for this ruggedly handsome man? Has the story developed from such a non-magical beginning? Stories and tales have traditionally been passed down through the generations. Each story teller tweeking the story as it passes through their age. Will people tell our stories in such fanciful ways long after we have gone? Or has the ability to record and reproduce information and stories all but buried this tradition. Our tales doomed to be re-told verbatim time and time again, never to change. And how sad would that be?

Sorry tangent much, sorry! In response to Deb's challenge I attempted a re-write of the tale, and here it is. I hope you enjoy it and if you have read it before (thanks for sticking with me for so long) can you see if I have tweeked my story on the second telling?

Snow White and Rose Red

see original here

There was a man and woman who lived on the outskirts of a vast forest. They lived a simple life in a small cottage; grew vegetables in their garden, collected fruit from the trees around their house and kept chickens which dutifully gave them eggs for breakfast every morning. The woman loved nothing more than to tend flower garden, especially in summer, when she would hum along with the bees as they skipped from flower to flower. Her favourite amongst them all were the roses that guarded the front door. One a deep ruby red and the other the purest white rose that ever there was. These roses produced beautiful blooms from the passing of the last frost until the first nip of Jack in the winter.

Every day she would cut one bloom from each rose and place them in a vase, taking a moment to say her silent prayer wishing for a child whom they could shower with love. Her husband felt the same and wondered year after year why they had yet to be blessed.

A few years later, when they thought that all hope was lost, during her usual ritual and silent pray the woman caught her finger on a thorn. Her blood splattered on the crisp snow, the first of the season, at the base of the roses. T hat winter the roses continued to bloom along with the unborn children in her womb. The woman gave birth to beautiful twin girls. But tragedy struck and she only survived long enough to name her daughters; Snow White, for she had the palest skin anyone had ever seen and Rose Red, for she had lips as red as the rose at her door. The man grieved for his soul mate but adapted to his new role as sole parent well. Every day he continued the tradition of placing to roses, one white one red, in the vase at the window; saying his silent prayer to his wife and expressing his gratitude for the girls they had longed to raise together. Life continued, but from the day of her death the little cottage was never without roses in the window. They continued to bloom throughout the winter, defying Jack Frost and his reaches and bringing a smile to the widowers face, letting him know he was never alone.

His daughters grew to be just as beautiful and gracious as his wife. Rose Red became a passionate young woman, head strong in her ways, even in her childhood exploring the forest with reckless abandon. Snow White was her opposite in almost every way, the quiet and watchful of the sisters. During their childhood the sisters complimented each other, doting on their Father and always ensuring their chores were completed before going into the forest to explore, sharing everything together; they were the dream come to life.

One evening, as the girls sang in poetic harmony to their Father, there came a knock at the door. Raising calmly Snow opened the door to the icy air and was faced with a tall and dark man wearing a brooding expression.

“May I enter to warm by your fire, the night is so cold and I will not make it to where I am safe”

“Of course, please sit, I will fetch a blanket” came Snow’s compassionate response to the figure before her. He was a tall and well built figure with long dark hair pulled into a leather thong at the nape of his neck. He stood there in just jeans and shirt sleeves, with ice crystals in his hair trying fight the convulsions that came with being so cold. As Snow returned with a thick crocheted blanket Rose moved from her customary spot in front of the fire to let their mysterious guest sit. Although they were all curious as to the predicament the stranger found himself in none drew attention to it, they simply whiled the evening away with anecdotes, laughter and tea. Eventually came the time when they were all ready to retire to bed, even give his concerns for his daughter’s safety the Father could not bear to see this man turned out into the cold and dark of the forest.

As the man rose to bid the family farewell the Father, placing his hand on the man’s shoulder, said “Please, we have little, but feel free to sleep by the fire and remain safe and warm for the evening”

The man was rendered speechless by the family’s kindness and could simply nod in appreciation.

The following day the sun was shining and it was beginning to feel like spring was in the air. After spending time helping the family with the daily chores, the stranger bid the family farewell.

“Will we ever see you again?” Snow asked as they parted at the garden gate. She was quite taken with this lost soul who had wandered into their lives.

“May be some day, when you need me, maybe” and with that he was gone......

 

I had completely forgotten I hadn't finished this....Hmmm think I will have to revisit this and complete the tale.

Hope that makes you feel a little better Jewels ;-)

Day 12-12-12 NaBloPoMo December - Friends

 

 

see original here

 

 

I've been searching all my life

For someone just like you

I can be there in times of need

And you would be there for me too

 

I always smile when you pop up

Because chatting is so effortless

Face to face or via text

Though laughing has some side effects

 

It seems you are what I was searching for

You plug a hole inside me

A connection with the world and more

I just wish you saw what I see.

 

I have had many friends in my life, some who I still count as my friends some who are no longer in my life. Recently I have come to see what I have been missing, friendship as a two way street. It is a long time since I have had that!! Many people have been awol when it came time to be there for me, many more simply aren't close enough.

 

In a little twist of my life I have realised I have the final piece of my puzzle; I have my other half, I have my babies, I enjoy my job, developed a hobby that I enjoy and now I have a few close friends who make my world complete (even if they don't live on the same continent). You know who you are and I thank you for being in my life. 



Day 23 NaBloPoMo - Will the real red riding hood please stand up!

*APOLOGY / DISCLAIMER*

You may want to put the kettle on and grab a snack before you sit down to read this post, my Red Riding Hood re-visit ended up being a lot longer than first anticipated (try about 1,000 words longer, I was aiming for 300-600. Oooppps, hehe). Anyway, it's the weekend so sit back with a cup of something warm and enjoy (or at least I hope you will!)

 

 

Last week I set a little challenge for you all to sink your teeth into and I promised to go away and work on a re-write of my own. Deb at Kicking Corners has been posting hers in instalments for most of the week (think I should have taken a leaf out of her book!) and has at least me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it ends, here is part 1, I always think it is best to 'begin at the beginning' (it's an Alice thing).

 

In the spirit of beginning at the beginning here is a link to the Brothers Grimm version of the tale. I am sorry that I can't hand you one of my copies of this story, especially the really old version. Reading them from paper seems to make them more magical for me.

 

I sort of opted for a 'what happened next' version, with a few extras. I hope you like it.

 

 

The Hunted Turn Hunter

 



 

Maddi sat watching the torrent of water moving and gurgling as cut through the earth, gathering pace and mass on its journey to the Cascades. If she closed her eyes she could hear the thunderous roar from here, they were heading in that direction but she knew they had at least a day’s hike before they reached the village and more to get to the Cascades.

The noise brought with it a flash back to the day Skathi saved her, or dammed her, after all these years she still wasn’t sure which it was.

She was young, naive and completely taken in by the handsome stranger. She could still remember his syrupy voice, how he made her feel like she was the centre of his universe and then the physical pain as his betrayal hit. It was like a square on blow to the stomach how he used her to take the one thing that mattered to her.

 Her Grandmother was the matriarch to the village, as was tradition she lived in isolation so the Seers could converse with her. Only the purest member of the family was allowed in her presence to tend her needs. Fen used her to get to her Grandmother, he changed before her eyes into a wolf of monstrous proportion, the sight of his bones breaking, twisting and reforming froze Maddi to the spot and she watched helplessly as he ripped her Grandmothers throat out. His attention then turned to Maddi but mid pounce there was a yelp and he landed on top of her. Wounded but not dead Fen had beaten a hasty retreat with an arrow in his back.

“Maddi we need to move out” Skathi shouted from the tree line

Coming out of her reminiscence Maddi collected her bow and Quiver and started to jog after Skathi, throwing them across her as she went; they had much time to make up. Last night’s storm had delayed them; they could only hope it had delayed Fen too.

As darkness descended they decided to sleep just outside the village; Hunters, dressed in leather and carrying weapons, were easily recognised and very rarely welcome in villages, especially this one.

Being so close to home brought back so many memories. Staring into the flames the clearest memory was of her first transformation.

 Fen may not have been able to complete his attack but he still ruined her life with just one scratch. She had had no idea why he held such a magnanimous look in his eye as he made his retreat, not until the burning pain of her insides twisting and reforming. She watched her life slip away as the disgusted look dawned on her mother’s face looking at the half breed she was now faced with.

“It is no daughter of mine, take it, burn it. It will pay for the disgrace it has brought on this village. Let us hope the Seers accept the sacrifice”

Hot tears burned down Maddi’s face as she remembered the words that cut through her soul, the heat of the flames as they reared around her feet. In that moment she wanted to die, in that moment she wanted the Seers to take her and punish her.

It had taken Skathi ten years to make Maddi see that she was needed, that she saved her from the flames because she had a purpose. Ten years for Fen to rear his head again. This time they were two, this time she had a new weapon, this time she had Maddi.

“Get some sleep Maddi, you’re going to need it.”

Maddi woke startled from her sleep. Her training kicked in before her brain did, she surveyed the tree line crouched and arrow poised. She could smell something, something out of place. Slowly Maddi moved, almost crab like to where Skathi was sleeping and nudged her. In moments they were back to back arrows aimed into the shadows of the trees, waiting, breathing.

“When I saw him come through town I had a feeling you wouldn’t be far behind”

The sound of that voice was enough for Maddi; she lowered her bow and stood up straight as Artur stepped out of the shadows. The gangly young boy she knew was all grown up, it took Maddi a moment to remember they weren’t the same age any more, the last time she saw him was the way she had always thought of him. This young man with his copper hair dropping down over his beautiful hazel eyes was not the boy she knew.

“Artur, I.....”

“Missed me, yeah I know I missed you too”

“But I.....”

“Couldn’t come back, yeah I know! Now shut up and come here” As they closed the gap Artur scooped Maddi into a bear hug, whispering into her red curls, “Still wearing red I see”

“The wolves can’t tell the difference” Maddi replied.

“Ok, reunions will have to wait a while, Fen is massing a pack and he is coming for the village”

“We know” Skathi replied in her usual curt manner

“So when do we leave?”

“Artur there is no we” Maddi said, not wanting to leave so soon after finding him again, “You can’t come”

“I’m sorry; you’re thinking you can stop me?”

“We don’t have time for this, we have to go” Skathi turned and started her harsh pace into the woods. Maddi had come to appreciate her emotional distance.

“Whatever, if you can keep up and be silent, oh and won’t be watching your back” With that Maddi started after Skathi.

“What the hell happened to you?” Artur muttered as he set off at the same pace.

To Maddi’s surprise Artur actually managed to keep up and didn’t even seem to need any recovery time. Maddi didn’t have any time to reflect on that right now. From this vantage point they could see the pack camped on the banks of the river that the Cascades fed into. Dawn was just breaking, sending shots of pink and orange across the thin clouds punctuating the sky. The pack were still sleeping, but the more Maddi looked the more she was sure Fen was not down there.

Just then a twig broke in the shadows behind them, when Maddi turned she saw a figure standing there.

“This is impossible” Maddi exclaimed, taking a step forward.

“Hello my dear” came a frail voice from the dark

“Grandmamma? How? I...” it felt like the world was moving, like a rug being pulled from under her feet. Maddi had to grab for the nearest tree to regain her composure.

“Madder, it has been a while” There was a syrupy tone to this voice that Maddi just couldn’t put her finger on.

“I always wondered what Maddi was short for” Artur whispered to Skathi

“Sush”

Maddi moved slowly and tentatively closer.

“Grandmamma, what big eyes you have!”

“All the better to see you with my dear, though I am old and my sight is failing. Step closer so I may see the woman you have become”

“My, Grandmamma, What big ears you have!”

“All the better to hear you with my dear, though my hearing is not what it was. You must come closer you are speaking so quietly”

“And what big teeth you have, Fenrir!” Maddi straightened and aimed her bow as Fen revealed himself with a mighty howl, waking the pack below. “You think me so easily fooled”

“Well you were last time” Fen smirked

“I have grown since then Fenrir”

“Oh, I can see that” There was an undertone to Fen’s voice that Artur wasn’t much liking.

“Don’t talk to her like that” Artur raged

“Or what pup? What will you do about it?”

Just then the sound of the wolf pack baying came from the forest, distracting Maddi for just a moment.

In that moment Fen leapt, pouncing towards his prey, moving through the air toward Maddi. In that split second Artur threw his axe and Maddi watched as it buried its self deep in Fen’s chest. He dropped, mid-pounce, right at Maddi’s feet.

Skathi was at Maddi’s side in a split second, “This isn’t over Maddi. You know what must be done!”

Hanging her head, Maddi inhaled deeply, she could smell the forest and the wolf pack just in the shadows, waiting to see what would become of their Alpha. She looked towards Artur, with a tear in her eye.

“Please don’t watch this” she begged.

With that she dropped her weapons and fell to the floor as her insides burned and twisted like an acid coated hand was trying to rip them out, but she was fighting back. Slowly her body reformed into the slender wolf that was the other half of her.

Maddi stalked over to Fen, whose broken body lay gasping in the dirt. Artur moved forward and removed the axe from his chest and looked directly into her green eyes, the same green eyes he had grown up with. That look conveyed everything Maddi needed to go through with what had to be done. That look that said he understood.

With a low guttural growl she sank her teeth around Fen’s jugular, ripping a gaping hole in the broken wolf’s neck, making sure he was incapacitated. Then she turned her attention to his chest, using her teeth and claws she ripped at his chest until his beating heart was visible. In one final manoeuvre his heart was in Maddi’s mouth and then gone forever. Maddi sat on her haunches; her muzzle bloodied and finally let a tear slide down her fur. It was over, after ten years of hunting he was gone.

A moment later a howl rippled through the pack and in the bright sunshine of the early morning the wolf pack presented themselves in submission to their new Alpha. Even the copper coloured wolf that stood separate to the pack, next to Skathi.

Maddi let all her anguish and tiredness go in howl to rival the noise of the Cascades, echoing down the valley. Red Riding Hood was home.





Day 22 NaBloPoMo - Random Thursdays (such an appropriate title this week)

I am stuck in these four walls for yet another week. Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, while my people loving outdoor craving mind tries to assimilate this new information I will treat you to the conversation it had with it's self earlier today:

'Four walls, I guess that means the generic four outer walls of the house'

'Yeah but this house is semi-detached, so technically it only has three outer walls'

'The room then, four walls in a square room'

'Do walls with windows in count as a full wall?'

'Hmm what about all the little corners and little bits of wall'

'If we count them up this room has 10 walls'

'So you're counting the wall that is mostly archway as a wall then?

'Why not?'

'Then why not count all the wall in the dining room, technically they are part of the same room seeing as it is open plan!'

 

And just because the video and band name are totally apt for today's post

 



Ok, enough of my crazed mind for today!! This is the life of Sleepy Joe this week as part of Larissa's link up party.

 

PS Don't forget the Fairy Tale Friday Challenge, have a look here to catch up, there is still time to pen your adaptation. Deb at Kicking Corners has been keeping me well and truly entertained with her version of Little Red Riding Hood with not one, or two but a three part story to date with more to come.

Day 16 NaBloPoMo - Red Riding Hood

So I have loved fairy tales all my life, although up until fairly recently I had only really heard about the most popular ones. Until Deb sent me down the rabbit hole with this post sparking a little obsession. I now own a copy of the Joseph Jacobs book she featured, along with a few other collections of fairy or folk tales (yes they have taken over one whole shelf of a bookcase and then some). I am so glad that I found Deb and her love of fairy tales that rekindled the love in me. As an adult experiencing the tales they hold a whole new depth that I didn't understand before.

Last weekend I was treated to a sneaky peak of some photos a super talented friend of mine had taken for a commission, hence I can't share them with you :-( but you can take a look at his blog and other work here. Any way I digress, in amongst these shots was a little girl, in the forest, wearing a red coat. I'm sure you can already guess where my mind was heading, but it was helped along by the look of the photo, it had kind of a timeless quality to it. If not for the jeans and modern coat it could have been straight out of a fairy tale!

So for the second Fairy Tale Friday we are therefore off for a walk in the woods to Grandma's house:

Little Red Riding Hood is a classic fairy tale with many incarnations. From Perrault's brutal, dark and almost sexual story with no happy ending. Through the Grimm's version where the huntsman saves the day. To the 2011 film staring Amanda Seyfried, hinting at earlier versions of the tale where Red Riding Hood unwittingly cannibalises her own grandmother along with the added twist of young love. Whoever said that fairy tales were for kids needs their heads looking at!!

I have never really been sure about this tale. It's moral was all too blatant for me, Red is always a little too naive and not mentioning the general absurdity of cutting open the wolf to find Red and her grandmother perfectly unharmed after spending a good half hour plus with no access to oxygen. However, the imagery of the girl in a forest wearing a red cape and skipping off to her grandmother's cottage is so iconic, it gets under my skin and starts the cogs a turning in my mind.

Do you ever find yourself wishing the characters in a story would do something different? Does your mind ever wander off thinking what if......? Take a chance, do it! Fairy tales come from generations of story tellers telling and re-telling their tales. I hurts my brain sometimes to wonder how many times tales like Little Red Riding Hood changed before people like the Grimm Brothers wrote them down and preserved them. Was the tale a true story about a girl in the next village who wandered off in the forest and met an unfortunate end? Has it just morphed into this fantastical fairy tale with a happy endings because the world was (is) too full of horror that we needed to believe there are happy endings somewhere?

Just for a little side enjoyment here is a rendition of Roald Dahl's twist on the classic

Are you up for a challenge? For next Friday, take Little Red Riding Hood and make it your own. Re-tell it the way you want to, modernise it, tell the story of what happened next. You can either post it on your blog and pop the link in the comments or e-mail me your story and I will post it here next week. Go be the story teller of your clan and lets see what direction Red goes in.

Day 14 NaBloPoMo - National Short Story Week

Apologies, original writing Wednesday has drifted to Thursday. But as I haven't yet gone to bed to me it is Wednesday still...ok?! If not blame Deb at Kicking Corners for keeping me chatting!

I read somewhere that this week is National Short Story Week so I have spent all day trying to come up with something to mark this occasion on my little old blog and here it is.

Some of you may have met Faith and Dan before here even in the space of that little exercise she was me without the baggage yet started to morph into her own character. Well she continues to have her own little random adventures, every now and then coming to play in my mind for a while, giving me snippets of her life before the cottage (or after I'm not sure sometimes). Today she wanted to play, regardless of my attempts to tell her tomorrow, today is for serious writing. I think she has a little of my childish side because this just caused a little strop and a day of nothing of use for a short story. Tired and past the daily deadline I have given in and she has her story, I hope you like it.

The Room looked sumptuous and elegant. The guests all in the monochromatic palate and the classy decorations of crystal and candles gave an air of magic about the place. The band playing a mix of pop and rock songs acoustically gave it a timeless energy, people were dancing and smiling. And the donations were coming in thick and fast, Faith had done this. They had been tasked with organising the annual fundraising masquerade together, but seriously Dan’s forte was lugging things around or being outdoors, not stuck in here with sparkly things. She had carried him and he knew it. Now all he had to do was not mess this up!

‘Slow, slow, quick, quick slow.’ The steps to their dance were revolving round in Dan’s head like some kind of speech in a language he didn’t speak or understand. He was going to prove he had two left feet not only to a room full of strangers, plus a few people he knew, but to her. Why exactly did they have to stick with tradition again?

In that moment Dan looked up to see Faith enter the Grand Ballroom and stand at the top of the stair case. She paused, surveying the room to make sure it was as perfect as she had left it. In that pause Dan couldn’t breathe. She simply sparkled. It wasn’t her dress; although it was stunning, a backless number, an interesting mix of lace over satin that skimmed her hips and just touched the top of her shoes, with a split up the left side to allow maximum movement. No she was radiant; her eyes shone through the black mask, adorned with feathers that had a blue/green cast perfectly complementing the green of her eyes, her red hair falling in curls over her shoulders and her red lips the only shots of true colour. Dan recovered himself, realising he had been staring open mouthed for longer than was polite and made his way to the bottom of the stairs.

“You look amazing” was all he could mumble as she glided to meet him.

“Looking good yourself” Faith admired Dan’s toned muscular body wrapped in the tailored black suit, black shirt and tie. “Opting for the non-traditional I see” noting the lack of a bow tie.

“You know me” he shrugged, attempting a natural smile and failing miserably. 

The band came to rest and the master of ceremonies announced the moment Dan had been dreading.

‘Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow. Don’t balls this up, don’t balls this up’ Dan thought to himself.

“Relax” Faith whispered in his ear, sending an electric current down his back.

“Ladies and gentlemen it is my supreme pleasure to present the organisers of this evening’s festivities in the first tango of the evening. Please give them a warm welcome as the take their places on the floor”

Dan inhaled and led his lady onto the floor, presenting her to the room and their rapturous applause. Just for this moment she was his and he was hers, this was their time. Muse-Starlight began to pump across the dance floor and Dan took Faith into his arms, she had chosen this for him and that made him smile on the inside. The closeness of their bodies meant he could feel the beating of their hearts, as one, in time to the bass line of the music. His hand on her bare back and started to lead her in this dance of love. The sensual slowness around the floor, punctuated by the staccato change of direction and the pauses. The pauses that seemed to pulse with the desire they both felt in that moment.

Neither thought about the steps, neither thought of the crowd around them. There was only music. There was only the beating of their hearts. There was only the feeling of their bodies, moving as one, the tension between them growing. The last few steps and Dan dipped Faith into a classical kiss position, their eyes locked framed by their masks, holding that moment drinking each other in. Dan’s lips so close to Faith’s, how he would love to kiss her right now.

After a moment too long, paused and fighting temptation, the applause roused them from their dream and Dan brought Faith back to her feet, leading her to the edge of the dance floor and into the waiting crowd.

He didn’t speak to her again all night, simply watched her move through the crowd with the grace and air of a professional hostess. It was beautiful and alluring to watch. What was he doing getting jealous of the men she was talking to? And if that letch let his hand wander down her back one more time.......

PS Loki at The Modfather posted today (yesterday) one of her funniest posts since I found her.Go have a read and a giggle!

Day 4 NaBloPoMo - Small Stone Sunday

 

'Phil's dead!' He's still and cold

Let's wear black while we dig the hole

We've drawn him pictures, he was very old.

 

Today the house is in mourning. Today I will don my boots, grab my shovel and bury another member of the family under the patio (ok maybe that would be a little drastic, under ther cherry blossom in the border will do).

 

I thought I would expand today's small stone post to explain our hamster was old, but he lived a full life. Even on the way home from the pet store he explored his cage well, earning him the name Phileas Fogg (he must have done the cicuit around those tubes at least 80 times!) He explored the back of the book shelves and under the floor. He loved a spot of cheese and could escape his excercise ball in the blink of an eye. We will miss him, but I won't miss kneeling with my ass in the air trying to coax him back to his cage!

 

Today we will wear black, why is that?? If anyone wears black to my funeral I will haunt them forever, but that is a whole other morbid post!

 

On a happier note on to the first of my shout outs for the Wonderful Team Membership Award. This goes to Deb at Kicking Corners, she was my first blog crush and has become my 'best friend that I have never met'. I have recently been spending a lot of time catching up with things I missed on her blog before I discovered her, click here to catch up on her journey so far and can't wait until she is published so I can jump into a longer instalment of her amazing writing. Over to you Deb ;-)