#my room is a whimsical fairy forest

[the-evermore-willow]

Hey 🤍 It's Jessi again. Are you ready for it? A new week full or opportunities is lying ahead of you. Think of one special or little thing (however small) you're looking forward to this week. (feel free to share, if you want to)  Btw thank you for all your sweet replies 🤍 I promise  I'm reading all of them, even if I can't always react to all of them. Here's what I'm looking forward to: Writing to you guys next sunday ☺️

Thank you, you're an absoulte angel and your message made me smile yet again 🌟💛✨*

I wish i had something better to say but right now what i'm looking for the most is not having covid anymore lol. Although that means more piano time for me + more indulging in my mum's cooking and baking since i don't have to go to my college town, so it's not all bad i guess 🤔

I hope you have a great week! 💛

[stxrsniolo]

┈̸̷┅ ̤ childlike wonder!chris x imaginary friend!reader ━̸̷︭

╁ ⠀aegan is typing . . . ⠀⠀ࡆ⠀⠀alright, lovebirds, prepare for an overload of sweetness that's gonna make your teeth ache and your heart melt, since this piece is all about those warm, fuzzy feelings that make life worth living, so get ready for some pure, unadulterated fluff that'll have you smiling like an idiot. you're welcome.

in the dim light of his room, filled with the soft glow of fairy lights strung up like stars, chris was in his element. at 21, with the world expecting him to act his age, he still found joy in the simple, the whimsical. his room was a testament to his refusal to let go of the magic of childhood - posters of fantastical creatures, a shelf of action figures, and books on mythology and fairy tales.

and there she was, y/n, his imaginary friend since he was a kid, sitting cross-legged on his bed, her form slightly translucent, glowing with an ethereal light. she was as vibrant as ever, her attire a mix of every color and style she'd picked up from the stories chris loved. today, she wore a pirate hat with a dress that looked like it was made from the night sky.

"chris, you've got to do something about your pirate ship," y/n said, her voice like the tinkling of bells, pointing at the lego model ship on his desk. "it's looking a bit too... landlocked."

chris chuckled, his laughter genuine, the sound of someone who hadn't lost the wonder of youth. "aye, aye, captain y/n," he replied, his pirate accent playfully exaggerated. "but first, we've got to rescue the princess from the dragon's tower!"

they embarked on their adventure, chris moving around his room, narrating their journey through perilous landscapes and magical forests, with y/n adding her own dramatic flair. she'd mimic the roar of dragons or the swish of a wizard's cloak, making chris burst into laughter or dive into his bed to 'escape' danger.

they made it to the 'tower', which was actually chris's tall bookshelf. "see, the princess is up there, guarded by the fearsome dragon," chris said, pointing at his favorite fantasy novel on the top shelf.

y/n feigned terror, then bravery. "fear not, brave knight, for i have the magic of... imagination!" she waved her hand, and with a flourish, chris took a broomstick, pretending it was a magic wand, casting an 'invisible spell' on the dragon.

chris climbed onto his desk chair, then onto the bookshelf itself, carefully reaching for the book. "rescued!" he declared, hopping back down, holding the book aloft like a trophy.

"and now, the celebration feast!" y/n announced, and they both settled on the bed, surrounded by a fort made of blankets and pillows. chris pulled out a bag of candy, their feast, as they shared stories from the book, each one becoming more fantastical with y/n's input.

"imagine if we could really fly on dragons," chris mused, his eyes bright with the idea.

y/n nodded, her form shimmering with excitement. "we'd have the best view of the world, and we'd visit all the hidden kingdoms."

their conversation flowed from one dream to another, from inventing new spells to planning their next adventure. chris's room was their playground, where anything was possible, where the mundane was transformed into the magical.

as the night wore on, chris's laughter became yawns, his eyes heavy with sleep. y/n watched him with a soft smile, knowing her time was limited when he was awake but boundless in his dreams.

"goodnight, y/n," chris whispered, his voice thick with the comfort of their shared world.

"goodnight, chris," she replied, her voice a gentle lullaby. "dream of dragons and adventures. i'll be here when you wake." with that, chris drifted to sleep, the book still clutched in his hand, the room silent except for his steady breathing.

⨥⠀ ⠀⠀aegan is typing ᅟᅟ:ᅟ⠀heads up, copycats and wannabe adaptors: my work is mine, period. no copies, no mashups, and definitely no translations getting thrown up here or anywhere else without my say-so.

keep your hands off unless i give you the green light, got it?

tags: @courta13 @chrislilcumslvt @marrykisskilled @chrislova @sturnshood @inspiredangel @strnilolover @emely9274 @sturns-mermaid @blushsturns

[reveriedraffs]

ִ ࣪𖤐Ideas for waiting room part 4ִ ࣪𖤐

This is going to be the last part so i hope you all like it. After this i am going to post about something else.

So here is the last list:

1. Polynesian Tiki Lounge:

the room as a Polynesian tiki lounge with bamboo furniture, tiki torches, and tropical island vibes, providing a laid-back and exotic experience.

2. Nordic Ice Palace:

Recreate the majesty of a Nordic ice palace with crystal-like sculptures, ice-inspired decor, and the illusion of a frozen realm.

3. Enchanted Fairy Forest:

Recreate an enchanted fairy forest with whimsical foliage, glowing mushrooms, and hidden fairy doors, invoking a magical woodland setting.

4. Moroccan Riad:

It's one of the most pretty places. You can make this kind of waiting room.

5. Egyptian Bazaar:

My most favourite place Egyptian Bazaar. I have always wondered what it looks going to ancient and old time bazaar in Egypt and since you have actual opportunity to make a waiting room there so why not?

6. Bohemian Caravan:

Many people might not know this but this place is actually really colourful with different kind of fabric and it can give you new experience.

7. Wild West Saloon:

If you love cowboy and some Mystery movies then you you might love this place being the those vintage but retro cowboy type of place

Here the list is over so if you want more or if you have any requests please comment it or message me.

⊹ ࣪ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ๋࣭ ⭑

PART 1𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔

PART 2𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔

PART 3𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

ཐིཋྀ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ The book for detailed about shifting realities 𐦍༘⋆

(\ (\

(˶ᵔ ᵔ˶  )

─ꐑ─ꐑ──────────────             🍓

[light-lanterne]

abelia and nutmeg for the ask game <3

hi !! how are you ? :O allow me to apologise in advance for the massively lacklustre answers i have for the questions you picked >.< i am incredibly uninteresting x.x

- - - - - - - - - - - ��� - - - - - - - - - - - ....................ask game - - - - - - - - - - - ♡ - - - - - - - - - - -

abelia — do you have a particular piece of jewelry you always wear or can’t part with?

unfortunately no u.u i never quite liked the sensation of anything around my neck or in my earlobes (my hair would always get stuck in my earrings), and while i always wanted to try out rings, my fingers are too thin for standard sizes and they would always fall off (same with bracelets and watches) x.x

nutmeg — how’s your room/home decorated? do you have a specific theme or style going on?

there's no real decoration in my entire apartment tbh :( it's a very small place and my dad had a lot of stuff (tools, gadgets and documents), so up until last year every surface and wall was covered in storage. we cleaned up a lot last year, but there are very few decorative elements around since we haven't had the chance to get anything pretty like plants or cushions or stuff. as for my room, it's more of the same story. we had a lot of boxes full of stuff in there last year and they're gone now, but we haven't replaced them with anything yet. plus, i technically share with my mom so there's not a lot of room for personal expression since our styles don't match up at all x.x (she's all modern whereas i prefer vintage and eclectic/whimsical vibes). i do have a little shelf that i made look like an enchanted forest of sorts, though. and a halloweenie corner. i also have a bunch of fairy statuettes and books that i have spread around the house to give it a little bit of life so there's that too ~ (oh, and my plushies. i've put them all over the place because they're cute and pretty and they make me happy). but yeah. no theme or style whatsoever x.x

sorry again for being so boring u.u anyway, hope your day is going well ~ thanks for the ask !!!

[thesnugcorner]

Fun Friday Finds; Cottagecore Edition

Welcome back to The Snug Corner, my cozy friends! Today, I’m taking you on a magical stroll through the enchanting world of cottagecore—think quaint cottages, floral prints, and warm, vintage vibes. Whether you’re sprucing up your home or adding a whimsical touch to your everyday life, these Amazon finds will wrap you in fairytale charm. Let’s dive in! 🪄💕This contains affiliate links.

1. Fairy String Lights ✨ Finally, no cottagecore setup is complete without fairy lights! Drape them over your shelves, headboard, or even your patio to create that cozy, magical glow we all adore. 🪄

🛒 Check it out here: Get on Amazon.

2. Mason Jar Herb Garden Kit 🌱 Why not grow your own herbs? This kit comes with everything you need to start a tiny, indoor garden—perfect for bringing a touch of countryside living into your home. 🌿

🛒 Check it out here: Get on Amazon

3. Cottagecore Wall Art Prints 🖼️ Bring the outdoors in with these vintage botanical prints. A set of four or more can create a stunning gallery wall for your cozy escape. Mix them with fairy lights for extra charm. ✨

🛒 Check it out here: Get on Amazon

4. Lace Curtains with a Hint of Magic 🌙 Soft, flowy lace curtains can instantly transform any room into a whimsical retreat. Let the sunlight filter through for a dreamy effect that’s straight out of a Jane Austen novel. 🌞

🛒 Check it out here: Get on Amazon

5. Handmade Pressed Flower Journal 📔 Every cottagecore soul needs a journal for thoughts, sketches, or poetry. This handmade journal, filled with pressed flowers, feels like it’s straight out of an enchanted forest. 🧚‍♀️

🛒 Check it out here: Get on Amazon

With these dreamy products, you’ll be one step closer to turning your space into a snug, fairytale retreat. Which item is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below—and don’t forget to share your cozy transformations! 🌸💫

Until next time, keep it cozy and magical! 🏡✨

[kytedevlin]

Dream Journal -00012

I haven’t been dreaming so lucidly lately, but this post is about a dream i used to have a few summers back. I was going through something personal and i was trying to make better decisions, the dream was recurring i kept having it over weeks.

I would awaken to my dream with a cloudy and almost whimsical view, the kind of look of a some sort of fairy forest glowing dust, warm sunlight and all. But i wasnt in a forest. I was in my home. A home that I own, I would go up to my room , having invited a certain person. This person and I would climb up through my closet into the attic which would transcend space placing us somehow far away. The compartment would extend through a long hallway covered in luggage and other belongings and the crawl space would get tighter. But once pushing through the small opening in the wood we would end up in a secluded bedroom. A queen or king sized bed covered in a heavy quilt, the kind of quilt that my grandmother had knitted. It was a secluded place, the sunlight always shining within the room, glowing dust that you could almost taste that it had so cluttered the air. There was a window that sat just above a dress directly across from me, at the other end of the room. to the right, the bed, with its headboard on the wall, and a nightstand to its right, closer to me. Nothing on the wall to the left, aside from a dresser and clutter, and a chair to its left, under the window. There were no doors or other large openings into the room, only one way into it and one way out. Occasionally I would go outside and it would be surrounded by an endless field and the room itself was nestled in a tree. Or I would end up outside of the house as though I had followed the path back to the original room and all the way out of the house. All i could think of was getting to the room and going to sleep, no one seemed to be able to follow me there. Though the first few times i visited it with that certain person, I eventually began going by myself. Not by choice, that person just stopped being with me in those dreams. Sometimes i would look for that person in the dream but I couldn’t get them to return with me. There were times were i just tried to get there, others where i was being chased and had to hide there, and others where I could only see it, In some dreams I was told it would be torn down, that If no one stays there it will be destroyed or vanish. Every time i went i was afraid it wouldn’t be on the other side. Until i simply couldn’t have that dream again. After that summer i stopped having that dream, regardless of whether i slept during the day or night. To this day I have not had that dream again. It was such a place that you would want to spend all your time there, quiet, secluded, peaceful, and away from all of life’s troubles.

[k00286723]

secondary research:

Annihilation

(2018 film)

in this film (no spoilers pls watch it) it shows a growth of nature, a combination of human life with the natural world around it. its an exploration of a strange alien landscape in a growing bubble in the states. the explorers are a group of scientists and experts and are all stunned by the unique traits of this ecosystem. in my watches I was never really able to see it as a take over of the world because it seemed so beautiful. everything combining . I went through and took screenshots of my favourite frames to really illustrate my point.

The Plant Life

The plants are my favourite thing in this movie. it creates such a beautiful , calm feeling. the first scene we get with lots of botanical beauty is the scene beside the lake. all the characters were entranced with the gentle colours and the irregularities in form. none of them looked like the same species yet came from the same stem. strange plant hybrids were everywhere. one of the characters even said "it feels like someone's gonna get married." this atmosphere shed them of their defences for a short period because of its stunning beauty and led to one of them being very caught of guard by the sudden ugly danger that lay close.

the colours are so beautiful, light and bright . the textures are equally as soft , lots of moss , curved edges and bendy shapes . the mould is so fluffy and soft , the colours making some thing gross and dangerous look like candy floss. the multicoloured lilies in the water almost feel like decorations after a party, plastic frills blown into nature by the wind.

these moments are from quite a short scene , but another example of the effervescent calmness is an unknown landscape. you should be scared watching but looking at this spongy, scattered mossy branches it feels more like a fairy forest than a place of danger.

Unsettling beauty

the. movie is full of subversions of what is scary and what is beautiful. imagine the difference in this shot if it was just a normal bog standard dead body. the addition of soft colours and textures really turns it from morbidity to a beautiful creation made by nature .

the textures in this scene are so gorgeous . there's the cottony fluff around the head , very airy fairy. the wiry reaching structures and pretty too , they remind me of shooters from a plant, like the way strawberries spread. the layering and colour choice , im just obsessed with this . there's so much imagery in art using skulls , but. this doesn't feel overdone it feels new, whimsical and so organic. its amazing how the detail doesn't look intentional , or man made.

this beauty paired with the grimy environment of the dingy abandoned swimming pool is a really cool juxtaposition. gets me thinking about my piece in places other than studio 2 or a clean photography studio.

this area of the body mould is this section that to me really looks like braiding.

these creeping vines / lighting bolt feeling structures are beautiful . the stark colour scheme , the emptiness of the room, the scarcity and then close knit layering the closer u get to the hole, all of it is so visually interesting.

Metamorphisis/ Shape

there's a big theme of fractals and cell division in this movie and the visuals really capture this alien, growing spread of the entity ( whatever it is that's creating the strange landscape their in). the abstract shapes , the constant movement really makes me think of those backgrounds that used to show on my dads old computer when we listened to music. (ive now searched extensively for that online and can't find it for a visual )

Overall

Ive been really inspired by the forms and colour in this movie. aside from just the visuals its made me think about creating a safe , touchable , soft structure and pairing it with a harsher surounding

[piggybonez]

never had the chance to answer all of these so im just gonna do it for fun!

🧚‍♂️ im absolutely very whimsical and i do believe in fairies and forest magic and fate etc etc

🐝 i loved piggys soo much! i loved how cute and chubby and pink they were and i loved their curly tails and the way they oink!! i hope i get to own a baby piggy one day 🥺 i love the spotted ones too!

🐶 as a kid my comfort item was my pillow pet pig but unfortunately it’s gone now :( it went missing after i moved when i was 10 and i miss it more than anything. i don’t have a comfort item im that strongly attached to now but id say it’s my current pig squishmallow that i hold to sleep every night or my baby sea slug plush that is like the size of my palm i love him so much lol

🐷 i like a lot of things. crackers n cheese r really good! and grapes!

🐥 drawing, coloring, watching @babiedani on YouTube, going on walks, dancing, stimming with toys and slime, going on tumblr to look at stimboards, cuddling my stuffies, and watching cartoons!!

🦋 invader zim, adventure time, powerpuff girls!

🐛 and still to this day the miraculous journey of edward tulane! i was a big book worm when i was younger and i also loved goosebumps, among other things.

🥫the little princess, matilda, tinker bell, the little mermaid, megamind, despicable me lol, ponyo, the brave little toaster. most disney movies, i know im forgetting a lot but those are some off the top of my head!

🍓 chocolate milk! 🥛

🧃 pens as of late! especially colored ones!

🍬 sweet sweet sweet i hate sour :(

🧁 pastry kid all the way, not a candy fan

🍭 im such a pastel kid!!!!!

☎️ decora kei, punk, goth although those last two have been horribly watered down and ruined by todays trends

🚀 ive always been hugely connected to the ocean so id live there with all the amazing sea creaturesss :3 🐠🦑🐡🐙🦀

🚗 according to my spotify it’s the principal by melanie martinez but im also really digging test me rn too. i just rotate my favorite songs by her and listen to her 24/7 basically

🧸 brussel sprouts are disgusting.. i hate peas. and olives are so offensive tasting. italian dressing is gross. anything sour or citrus like oranges is bad too. i dislike some things.

🍿 absolutely a library kid i used to play games on the computer and listen to music on YouTube with those big clunky headphones. id go to their teen time events and learn how to crochet or write haikus and whatnot. id play truth or dare with my friends on the staircase. i would read books. it was my safe space and i miss it.

🍰 i like dessert scents, like cinnamon or vanilla or pumpkin and stuff. fruity smells piss me off.

🍼 i never get called pet names but i would love to be called sweet boy, sweet prince, baby angel, little one, handsome, and anything else sweet tbh!!!! 🥺🥺

🍋 right now the walls are entirely covered in my own art and photography, band posters ive collected from shows, art from my friends and that ive collected along the way, i have a trash wall that i hang up trinkets icome across, i have a black and white wall full of ink illustrations from an old german gamebook i found outside. my room is so cool. ive also got spray painted cardboard up, a clown collection on my shelf, lots of plushies and trinkets, oddities like bones and sheep eyes, art projects scattered everywhere. my room is insane just like me <3

🥞 i love breakfast so much. it’s the bestest meal that you can eat anytime. especially a french toast breakfast with sausage and syrup. sausage is delicious im sorry to aminals. bagels are another safe food i eat constantly, everything seasoned with philadelphia cream cheese or avocado with salt and pepper. an egg if im feeling spicy. also shout out to breakfast burritos bc those are delicious and i don’t eat enough.

im gonna make some more asks games like this soon! thanks if u played along or read this ^.^ weeeee 🌟🐁✨🐇💫🦭🌙🐮

agere ask game

cause they’re fun & i want to interact with more ppl on here! feel free to rb!!!

🧚🏼 do you believe in fairies and other whimsical things?

🐝 favorite childhood animal growing up?

🐶 comfort item?

🐷 favorite snack!

🐥 favorite agere activities

🦋 favorite cartoons?

🐛 favorite childhood book?

🥫 favorite childhood movies?

🍓 chocolate milk, regular milk, or strawberry milk?

🧃 pens or pencils?

🍬 sweet or sour?

🧁 candy kid or pastry kid?

🍭 pastel kid or neon kid?

☎️ favorite fashion style?

🚀 would you rather live in space or live in the sea?

🚗 favorite song?

🧸 least favorite food?

🍿 were you a library kid growing up and if so what was your favorite thing to do there?

🍰 favorite scent?

🍼 favorite names you like to be called?

🍋 what does your room look like?

🥞 breakfast, lunch, or dinner? what’s your favorite meal?

check out my blog if you’re playing! have fun!

nsfw dni

[ushisrever]

Tooru’s Wedding Day

Pair:  Oikawa Tooru x fm!reader

Genre: fluff , crack,

Content: suggestive

Summary: What their wedding would look like. 

DAICHI’S WEDDING

Preparation 

You never thought that Tooru would have so many ideas for your wedding 

You have to admit though, his ideas are really great 

So, you two ended up planning it together 

He convinced you to go for the theme of “fairies” or “whimsical” 

His reason is that because he’s marrying a beautiful fae/fairy 

It’s a really cheesy reason, but you took it anyway 

So, your reception ends up being set in some woods (you luckily found a place where you can hold your wedding without worrying about bears or whatsoever) 

Your rings are definitely the most difficult to find, but Tooru did not stop until he found the ring that goes well with the theme 

The rings have branch like designs on theme (really going all out) 

The wedding reception on the hand is definitely a definition of a fairy fantasy 

Before the ceremony 

 The moment you wake up, the first thing you'll find is a large bouquet of flowers on your table

Then a breakfast tray served as well when you wake up 

Tooru would very much want to meet with you before the wedding 

However, everyone else is sticking to the "seeing the bride before the ceremony is bad luck"  

He'll try to sneak out, but having Iwaizumi Hajime as his best man 

Even the slightest attempt ends up with Tooru being dragged back to the room by Iwa. 

Wedding Ceremony 

It's absolutely perfect 

It's like a king of fae marrying a queen of fae (as so Tooru explained)  

He's more excited than nervous 

The moment the ceremony started, his smile is so wide

His fingers fidget as he waits for the march to reach the end of the line - you

He truly was just at awe when he saw you walk down the aisle

He just wants to go to you instead of waiting for you to slowly walk down the aisle

And when you stopped in front of him, he just can't help but kiss you on the cheek 

However, not having enough, he leans forward aiming to kiss you on the lips 

Though, Iwa stops him beforehand 

"Don't get too excited," you chuckled 

"You're just really pretty like a queen of the forest," he smiles. 

Wedding Reception 

You're probably the one blushing the whole time 

The moment you two were pronounced husband and wife, he just couldn't get enough of you 

From time to time, he's there beside you giving you a kiss on the cheeks, or a long kiss

His arms would tend to always wrap around your waist just to keep you close

 You'll have to do some convincing for him to unclasp his grasp on you 

Though, it doesn't get any better when you two have your first dance 

Wedding Song: "How Deep is Your Love" by Bee Gees

He begins leaning by your ear giving you sweet and spicy compliments 

"I can't wait to worship my queen tonight,"

You can't help but just blush and can't look at him without him teasing you 

Honeymoon 

You're not really that picky when it came to the honeymoon destination

You just want to spend some alone time with your husband before the two of you go back to work

Therefore, Tooru took this chance to find a perfect place 

Still sticking to the theme, he finds a famous airbnb cabin in a perfect place 

You honestly didn't expect to see such a beautiful modern like cabin

However, the moment you two arrive, he honestly couldn't get his hands off of you throughout the time you were there

"Tooru, I'm not going to disappear.  I just need to pee," You'll tell him as the two of you lay on bed 

"I know...but I'll miss you if you leave even for a second" 

You just laugh at his cheesy words but still remained in bed 

NIA’S MASTERLIST

[somediyprojects]

All designs from Mirabilia Designs by Nora Corbett: 

#101: Circle of Friends— April 15, 2009

This is a tapestry tale of the love and support of close friends. Three golden-haired goddesses dance intertwined amidst falling fuchsia roses. Each has her own beaded gown of peach, lemon and mint green. Designed to honor our dearest friends who are there to inspire and enlighten us when we need it most.

#102: Mediterranean Mermaid— June 15, 2009

She swims to the depths of the sea to recover fragments of another mysterious world, hiding them away in her underwater castle so covered in moss and sealife that the treasure hunters will never find them.

#103: Shakespeare’s Fairies— August 17, 2009

Shakespeare’s Fairies run through the twisted forest with only firefly lanterns to guide them. Their gowns sparkle and flutter around them in the pale blue moonlight. They whisper and quietly giggle about the lovers’ follies on this midsummer night.

#104: Day Nymph— October 15, 2009

This piece combines the mesmerizing artistry of jewelry with the symbolism of a woman emerging, strong and resilient. She is floating with painted wings and a faceted crystal heart.

#105: Night Nymph— October 15, 2009

Reminiscent of luxurious Art Nouveau jewelry, a woman emerges with butterfly wings from a chrysallis with a twinkling crystal star and enameled wings.

#106: Sabrina— December 15, 2009

My newest cross-stitch goddess is inspired by old black and white movie glamour and celebrates the perfection of onscreen couture. Velvety charcoal embroidery drapes a sea of satin, sprinkled with crystal stars in this elegant and luscious design.

#107: Lady Hera— February 15, 2010

A peacock with magnificent plumage of electric blues and teal greens lingers in the royal garden. Amongst urns and yellow roses, he and his mistress await the subtle glow of the sunset, when all things are golden and brilliant.

#108: January’s Garnet Fairy— April 15, 2010

We would like to introduce you to the January Garnet Fairy. She waltzes in the room with passion and vitality. Luscious rose red and purple red flowers cover her dress. She, like the Garnet stone, symbolizes truth, grace and compassion

#109: Tree of Hope— June 15, 2010

Serene maidens harvest wishes from the tree with a lotus heart amidst intertwining leaves. Lovely whimsical dreams flowers inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement fill the garden. Stitch your hopes into this tree and watch them grow true.

#110: Spring Topiary Garden— August 16, 2010

A pair of butterfly-winged damsels oversee an early spring garden. The garden wears a gown of green and her overflowing urns are crowned with filigree gates and trellises, its lace made up of fresh sprouts and ribboned with perfectly trimmed boxwood. The jewels are the sparkling first flush of lavender, clover and lady’s slipper, the hem is made of mossy covered columns and the buttons are shiny stepping stones.

[shintorikhazumi]

Sleeping Beau-

A/N: Happy Birthday Leoooooooo

I KNOW I’M OVER A MONTH LATE I’M SORRY ;-;

MAKING IT A TWO(?)-SHOT SO THAT CONGRATS ON YOUR GRADES TOO YEY! (Also because It was getting too damn long)

k. that’s all from me. Sorry for the meh quality and sorry in advance for all the mistakes and plotholes. I’m getting rusty. Forgotten how to write.

Enjoy?

~Shintori Khazumi

[Okay, how about a Mayakuro "remake" of seeping beauty? Where Claudine is all like "Tendo Maya give me that sword, I can do this shit myself" and wasn't in a coma like sleep but that it was just a rumour or something. ...she'd be so confused for a minute, no one told her that the princess would have that much of an attitude.]- Was the request, hihi.

“Sleeping Beau-”

“A princess... in a tower, oh so far away from me. This dear princess, deep in slumber, oh how much I long to see...”

“... Is this because you want to use her as reference for your new play?” A certain brunette mumbled through a mouthful of food she’d managed to smuggle in while on duty.

“Dame Aijo... It’s not like that.”

“I thought I heard you ask that vendor girl earlier for the location because you had plans to visit.”

“Shut up, Karen!” The bespectacled playwright frowned, scribbling down her latest line. “And how do you even know about that?” Junna narrowed her eyes at the knight who merely shrugged. Junna clicked her tongue, turning back to her sheets of paper. “I’m just a little curious, is all!” She defended, mumbling incoherent complaints to herself.

“But Miss Junna, the last time you used actual people as references for your script, you got scolded by Hikari.” Karen reminded, resting her head in her palm as she watched Junna jot down more lines, more notes for her newest work.

“Th-that was only because she didn’t like how I stared at you or Mahiru for too long! I couldn’t help it! I have to study my subjects intently to fully grasp their characters and way of life, and embody-” She was going off on a tangent, and Karen couldn’t help but giggle.

“So you are thinking of her as a reference.” Karen grinned smugly.

“Karen!”

“Now, now. What’s all the fuss about?” A voice called from the other side of the room, catching the occupant’s attention. The pair froze in place, minds registering the identity of the newcomer.

“Your highness!” Junna greeted first, immediately straightening up as she and Karen offered their respects in deep bows to the tall figure, regal and proud, stood at the doorway of the study.

The Royal Princess, Tendou Maya, in her full glory, sauntered into the room, not forgetting to shut the door behind her, before taking a seat on Junna’s desk- much to the latter’s chagrin- and immediately destroyed her image of poise and elegance as she hid behind closed doors.

“Finally.” Maya sighed, gazing out at Junna’s balcony, seeing the bright blue sky and the rustles of trees as the wind’s whistling was heard through open windows. “I thought they’d never end.” She huffed, jumping back onto her feet as she walked about the room.

“Princess, what are you doing here?” Junna addressed their new companion once more, surprised at the sudden visit. Usually Maya would inform her beforehand if she was planning on dropping by. “Did you run away from more noble meetings?”

Maya smiled at her in an amused manner that had Junna feeling a little irritated. “Can’t a student come see her Tutor at any given time should she have any queries in mind?” Maya asked sweetly, picking up a random book from a nearby shelf and flipping through its pages.

Junna stared, trying to read the woman’s expression and actions. She couldn’t. Groaning, Junna replied, “First of all, you are no longer my student. You’ve learned all you’ve needed to from me, finished all your course work two years ago. Secondly, do you even have anything to ask that I can answer that you don’t already know?”

Maya kept smiling at her mysteriously. “How are you?- is a valid question that you can answer and I don’t already know?”

“Don’t be cheeky, Your highness.” Junna rolled her eyes, getting back to her script on her desk.

“My, the genius scholar, the Kingdom’s royal tutor, can’t answer one of the simplest questions?” Maya faux-gasped. “Whatever shall we do? Find a new one?” She continued to tease.

Junna frowned, feeling a headache coming on. “Maya, you really don’t want me to dive into a long discussion on how that question could actually be one of the most difficult to answer.”

As if to remind the pair of her presence, Karen agreed enthusiastically, nodding her head at the same time. “You wouldn’t want to get bored, your highness. One time, Miss Junna tried to explain to me why I could buy five sacks of rice in the next town over for the price of only three in the capital, and I still don’t get it.” She chuckled sheepishly, scratching her head in confusion.

“Um, Dame Aijo, that’s a little different. You might be somewhat slow-”

“Oh, how interesting!” Maya clapped, playing along with Karen. Turning to Junna who had just flinched, she directed another question. “How can that be, teacher?” She asked innocently.

Junna grimaced, really not up to the task of having to play Maya’s little games today. Regaining her composure, Junna cleared her throat. “Okay, for what purpose have you actually come to see me, Princess?” She asked, hoping for a reasonable answer.

“To see my good old friend and catch up on life?” Maya tried.

Junna deadpanned. “Like hell that’s true. You haven’t visited me in three months. Each time you’ve visited before that, it was to either ask me to hide you from marriage interviews, sneak into a play, escape whatever duties you found tedious, or snack on baumkuchen secretly with Karen over here.”

“Baumkuchen is good for the soul.”

“Not for your figure.” Though she said that, Junna frowned as she remembered the time she was chewed out by the etiquette tutor for allowing Maya to eat ‘junk’ outside of mealtime; allowed her to eat more than her designated and controlled portions.

Despite knowing how nobles liked to keep up appearances, Junna hardly found it necessary to impose such a diet on the princess with how active she was anyway. Also, as someone with lists and lists of responsibilities to cater throughout the day, she worried if it was even enough, what they fed the poor girl.

What if she simply collapsed one day?

“You don’t mean that.” Maya smirked at her, propping up her face in her hands on Junna’s desk.

Junna’s frown deepened. A splash of color appeared on her face that she quickly hid behind her manuscript. “I suppose not.” She admitted quietly.

Maya laughed freely, stepping back to allow her friend some breathing room. She went over to Karen to strike up some more amusing conversation maybe.

“So what kind of whimsical fairy tale has Miss Junna tried to string together this time?” She asked Karen.

Junna choked on air as she turned to glare at the cause of her stress today. “Why would you like to know?”

If the princess claimed she wanted to take part in another one of her productions, Junna would have to discourage her from doing so. She used to be pleased to have Maya on board, sometimes even pleading her because of her talent and potential for the stage- she was very clearly loved by its goddess. However, Junna had quickly learned that a Royal should not be placed under that kind of spotlight.

They were already on a high enough pedestal that was better tailored to people of their caliber; worlds and worlds beyond even the most talented actors, the brightest stars.

When His Majesty’s second wife,  the queen consort, had heard of these activities, she had hounded Junna, and her fiance Nana- the director and owner of the theater- to cease any production that would ‘taint’ the Royal Princess’s image and only serve as distraction from her duties that were of greater significance.

Such as trying to succeed the throne.

It wasn’t only for her sake that she had to turn Maya away from the stage that called to her like a siren from the sea. It would be better for that sailor to keep away and stay alive all together. After all, mermaids were temptingly beautiful, but they devoured the life of those drawn to them.

So would it be for Tendou Maya.

“There’s just been this rumor circling about, princess.” Junna heard Karen begin, looking over at the pair who shared amicable smiles as they conversed.

Should she halt this topic?

“And this rumor is...?”

“Oh, just how there’s this weird, abandoned, palace-like thingy in the forest just by the border to that terrible west kingdom.”

Junna watched as Maya seemed to perk up, not liking the interest that was apparent on her face.

“They say there’s a princess there!”

“My! A princess!”

“They said she’s been sleeping there for a while!” Karen continued to share without much thought, Maya nodding enthusiastically and clinging onto every word. An action Junna did not like. “And that she’ll never wake up. Poor princess. Can’t they bring her to a clinic or something?”

“Ohoh? I suppose that would be the usual course of action.” Maya replied, going along with Karen’s storytelling. “What else do you know?” Maya asked, hoping to fish out some more information, no doubt.

Junna had to stop her already burning hunger from getting even bigger.

“Nothing else that you should hear of.” She cut the conversation off with a tap of her pen. “Anyway, it’s all just a rumor.” Junna stated. “It’s not as though there is proof of an actual structure suddenly being there in the western forests, nor is there any certainty about a princess residing in deep slumber there.”

Maya flashed her an evil grin, walking over to her table again, standing right in front of her once more.

“But there isn’t any proof that it doesn’t exist either, right?” She whispered to Junna with a glint in her eyes that only spelled trouble.

“Don’t get any funny ideas, Maya. The kingdom will absolutely have my head if they learn that I’ve somehow placed ideas in yours.” She sighed, rolling up her papers and smacking Maya on the head lightly. The princess simply laughed in amusement.

“Worry not, my good friend. I’ve taken your kind words into consideration.”

Junna stared at her, still skeptical. Knowing Maya, ‘consideration’ was just that. Consideration. And, most likely, Maya was considering going against Junna’s warning.

Really, she could only hope for the best, and pray that Maya wouldn’t do whatever her pretty little head had clearly already planned.

‘No, no.’ Junna shook her head. She should trust Maya. She was an adult, responsible, and a royal. She knew her duties, and she knew what was right. Maya was an intelligent woman. She wouldn’t just thoughtlessly go out in search of the existence of some baseless tale. Yes. Junna shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

She looked over at the princess still casually conversing with Karen, all cheers and smiles coming from the pair. The knight continued to entertain Maya with more and more trivial details regarding the stories of that hidden castle in the woods, and the shine in Maya’s eyes that Junna usually associated with her excitement and craving for adventure only became brighter and brighter.

This was worrisome.

Junna bit her lip, anxiety growing more and more as she tried to convince herself that everything would be just fine.

Okay, okay. Even if Maya would, hypothetically, try to go off in search of this ‘mystery princess’, there were many guards posted about the castle anyway.

She couldn’t escape and do anything, right?

No, in the first place, she wouldn’t do anything. Right?

Right?

//-//-//-//-//

She shouldn’t be doing this. She knows it deep down.

Should her parents catch wind of her plans, she could either be disowned or forever locked away in her own tower.

Regardless, these threats of consequence could not hope to quell her hungered curiosity. Maya couldn’t sit still after hearing such a tale- an adventure outside the walls of the palace. One that was much like the stories she had only ‘played’ thus far.

This time, it was real.

And so did the princess sneak out into the dead of the night.

“Come now, Samson.” A lone horse’s whinny shook the silent air, Maya feeling her heart pound at the thrill of game she had begun to play. A game of life. “Shhhh. Be silent, my boy. We must be discreet.” She whispered, stroking the silky mane of her stallion, hoping it would soothe him.

It seemed to have worked and Maya sighed in temporary relief.

Looking ahead into the darkness of the courtyard, she surveyed the area ahead in attempts to check for any possible dangers. Finding none, she took one final look behind her to ensure that she was not being followed.

Good. The coast was clear.

Addressing her loyal companion, Maya took the reins and commanded forward. “Shall we?” She smiled as she got a little huff. “Hyah!” She exclaimed, loud enough only for their ears to pick up.

She cantered Samson over the currently-empty courtyard, out the back, having known a secret pathway through the castle gardens to get onto the streets without passing the main gate where guards were usually posted, and rarely left.

She should really advise their knights on how to better their security. People could get in through places besides the gate.

...or people could sneak out.

She could.

But maybe... not now.

Stepping onto the cobblestone pavement, she grinned. So far, so perfect.

Catching sight of the palace gate, she giggled as she saw a guard stretching in the distance, probably yawning from drowsiness during night duty.

Yes, she should indeed talk to her father in the future. Or not.

“Fools.”

//-//

Into the dense forest, they ran. Galloping hooves braving a weather that was somehow stormy. The air and the scenery was somehow eerie. Darkened clouds and thorny paths had so soon greeted them as Maya traversed towards the direction Karen had pointed out.

The location of a hidden tower.

From what Junna and Karen had shared in terms of the rumors they’d heard about it, they said a princess from the neighboring kingdom had been born twenty or so years ago. She had been blessed by three fairies, and cursed by a witch, Maleficent- was her name, apparently.

The girl was to prick her finger on a spindle of a spinning wheel, and then she’d sleep on death’s bed inevitably.

That was how it had gone.

Maya was a believer in the magic of the world. After all, the members of the royal family were some of the few who had been gifted with its wonder.

She wouldn’t call them miraculous, but she had undeniable strength that far exceeded many of their best male knights, as well as healing abilities that could get rid of smaller cuts, and halt excessive bleeding.

This proved useful as Maya made her way through the thick brush, feeling the sharp of thorns on occasion as she went deeper into the forest.

After a good hour or so of searching, Maya had found herself at the base of what she had presumed was the ‘palace’ from the rumors. Tall-standing and surrounded by thorns, with an eerie air that only added more fearsome layers to its image shrouded in darkness, Maya deliberated continuing on her little adventure.

Should it hold terrors far greater than she had initially accounted for, this curiosity trip would very easily end up with chaos and sorrow in an entire kingdom.

However, should rumors stay as rumors...

Maya laughed at her own foolishness as she dismounted Samson, tying him to a nearby tree.

“Let’s hope I don’t die, my boy.” She stroked her trusted steed as he nuzzled against her hand. “I’ll be back.”

//-//-//-//-//

Another cough exited her mouth, particles of dust shrouding her vision. Clearing away a cobweb with her hand, Maya found the first open door to any room she’s passed by thus far. A long winding stairwell sat inside, steps that snaked their way to the top of a tower invited Maya to take them and uncover the secrets they might lead to.

Maya took one step. Then another. And another.

Half-way to the top, she had found another door. Right away, she knew it was different from all the other wooden entrances she’d encountered so far. Besides the odd glow that seemed to be coming from within, it had an equally strange inscription carved into its wood.

With a light push, the door flew open, revealing a spinning wheel. The glow she had initially taken note of didn’t come from the room, apparently. But neither was it from the spinning wheel itself.

Maya focused her eyes on one part of the machinery, seeing the spindle sparkle alluringly, almost invitingly.

“What a dangerous-looking contraption.” She murmured, stepping closer. Sharp. It was sharp, she observed, the closer she got. “What if... someone got hurt?” In a trance like state, her body continued to close the distance between herself and the seemingly glowing piece of furniture. Her eyes remained fixated on its eerie shine. “...How tragic... would that be...”

Stopping just inches shy of the spindle, Maya’s breath stilled. Almost as if it had a mind of its own, almost as if Maya had forgotten the whole tale she had just been told, her hand lifted up, reaching for the spindle-

...when a creak suddenly caught her attention. As though a spell had been broken, Maya blinked, quickly pulling her hand away and looking up towards the source of the noise. She saw another door, one that was slightly open, leading into more darkness, revealing none of what possibly lay beyond it.

Her heart beat fast at the thought of either being caught by someone from her kingdom, or by an entirely different entity- a monster or ghoul perhaps? Either way, the dangers the options presented was not to her liking.

Still, this did little to douse the fire that was her thrill-seeking curiosity, and thus, she went after it: the dark and beyond.

She took careful steps, pushing the door to widen its opening in hopes that the strange light from the previous room would help to illuminate this new one. The hinged wood budged with an echoing creak, one that made Maya flinch, still wary of alerting any possible inhabitants of the palace.

Upon entering the room, Maya’s eyes fluttered about the dim surrounding, scanning over the surprisingly dusted furnishings, and well-kept room.

How strange.

For a place that supposedly only had a sleeping individual of a few years already, to be this clean... Was this also due to the effects of magic?

Her gaze continued to travel, hopping from one thing to another. She took careful, quiet steps about the room as she surveyed it, searching for a better source of light at the same time.

Coming to a curtained wall, she pulled the fabrics apart, hoping a window was present there. Smiling victoriously at her correct assumption, she allowed the natural evening light to flutter into the room and illuminate it as she turned around to see things more clearly.

And clearly she saw. Eyes widening, they came to rest upon a figure glowing under the elegant light of the moon. A sleeping beauty, resting. The princess of the rumors. Maya gazed upon her face, mind blanking and unable to tear her gaze away.

Her cheeks were somehow still a gorgeous apple-red despite supposedly having lack of nutrition due to her lengthy slumber- should the rumors hold any truth- albeit somewhat hollowed out. She had long lashes, and was fair-skinned. What drew Maya in the most in that moment was the glow of golden hair. Silky, fluffy, seemingly magical.

“Absolutely beautiful.”

Maya, outside of her conscious control, reached out to touch it- much like she’d almost done to the needle before. However, unlike that earlier attraction, this one was... different.

The pull of danger was as a hypnotic, malicious trance. Despite the dread coursing through your veins, the fear pounding in one’s heart, you could not step away. On the other hand, this allure was gentle, soft. She was not as a moth to a flame, nor a sailor to the siren’s song.

This was a hand held out, beckoning her for a life-changing dance as her fate entwined with whoever it was that lay upon satin sheets in an abandoned castle.

Maya flinched once her skin made contact with silken gold, before relaxing, enjoying their soft feel. Holding a few strands that slipped through her fingertips, she brought it to her lips placing a kiss on them.

Her heart beat painfully in her chest, but she did not think it was in any way unpleasant. Her eyes scanned over Sleeping Beauty’s features once more, resting upon slightly paled lips somehow growing larger and larger in her view.

Oh.

Maya had been drawing closer.

And Maya was about to kiss the lady.

Breath stilling in her lungs, Maya pulled her senses together, shaking her head as she berated herself for even considering such a distasteful course of action- throwing herself upon someone without the least bit of consent.

She’d seen many beautiful faces in her lifetime, she’d flirted with some too- much to Junna and her parents’ chagrin. But never had she felt as... captured as she was in this moment; never had Maya been filled with a strong urge to know who this person was, to have the pleasure of being acquainted with someone such as this.

She had never felt the desire to steal a kiss from someone she’d just met, and hoped that maybe... they’d kiss back.

Eyes widening, Maya slapped her hands against both sides of her face; the feeling of the warmth of her cheeks grounded her back in the reality of the moment as she attempted to take a step back and recollect herself-

And suddenly she found herself looking up at the ceiling and into precious garnets with a flame-like passion burning within them as she was pinned down to the mattress by their glare and their owner’s physical strength.

A lovely owner, might she add.

“Who. Are.  You.”

Maya blinked.

‘Even her voice is lovely.’-She thought, despite the venom in its tone. Whether Maya’s heart was picking up speed due to fright or something else, she didn’t know. Her mind was a jumbled mess of being dumbfounded and starstruck at the beauty presented to her, her subconscious’ warnings that she was currently in danger, and confusion towards this predicament she had found herself in.

“I said, Who are you.” Maya’s fair lady repeated, shaking her by the collar for emphasis that she was not to be joked with, and that Maya should answer seriously if she wanted to make it out of this situation in one piece.

Did she, however?

Maya wondered if she had some sort of odd preferences deep down that despite her apprehensions and surprise, she couldn’t help but feel merry and excited in her position, laying beneath some unknown gorgeous woman who was angered and threatening.

She couldn’t help the smile that broke out on her face as she replied, “Why, I’m Maya. And you?” She hoped it at least looked charming, like the one she usually used on all the pretty village girls as their faces soon turned red and flustered.

She didn’t expect to get a growl instead... or should she have?

“Are you one of her servants?” The blonde interrogated, not answering Maya’s own question as she searched Maya’s eyes for any motives of deception and dishonesty.

“Her?” Maya cocked her head to the side curiously. “Who might you be referring to, my dear?” She asked, somehow still hoping to charm or tease the woman with a subtle pet name that only went ignored.

Golden brows scrunched up further, fangs baring more obviously for Maya to admire as the woman answered her question. “Maleficent, obviously!”

“Maleficent?” Now where had Maya heard of that before...

Apparently, this strange beauty had taken it upon herself to fill Maya in on the details, as she released her from her grip, pushing her away and onto the sheets as she got up to pace the room in clear vexation and rage from just the thought of whoever this ‘Maleficent’ person was. Just her name was enough to rile her up, it seemed, and Maya’s suspicious and intruding presence was now quickly forgotten as her newly-awakened companion went off on a raged rant.

“She who has locked me up for who knows how long. With the silly prophesy that I’d prick my finger on a spindle and fall asleep for many years.” She explained, pausing in her steps to give Maya a look. “That one.”

Maya still didn’t quite follow. It all did sound so familiar.

“I beg your pardon?”

The lady didn’t seem to have heard Maya as she continued on her fiery tirade. “Who in their right mind, when being told the exact misfortune that would serve as their demise, go with it? Certainly not I!”

“I see...?” Maya had now assumed a more comfortable sitting position atop the room’s mattress, watching the woman in front of her continue to grumble and pace about.

“Avoiding that damned curse was nothing of a challenge- it was trivial, even.” She sighed, biting her nail in annoyance. “But there’s an entirely different issue at hand!” She exclaimed, stomping her foot down as she crossed her arms and looked to Maya, as if asking her to tell her what it was.

Maya had no clue whatsoever.

She heard her companion click her tongue in disappointment at the lack of response, and that somehow stung for Maya.

Maya was quickly enlightened once more by the things she had no clue about.

“I can’t leave the building for some reason. Each time I’ve tried, it was as though I’d entered a never-ending maze.” She huffed. “And even if I got passed that, I’ve discovered that she sends a dragon to check up on me from time to time. The timing is sporadic so I can’t even plan a definite schedule of escape. Maybe if I had my sword, though...” She mumbled the last bits to herself. “Maybe it would be a different story.”

Maya watched the troubled girl continue with her mental acrobatics and murmuring, still bewildered by the sudden outburst of emotions and quickly growing pile of information that she was still trying to process bit by bit. She reviewed the story she had heard in her memory to the best of her abilities, somehow feeling that something was off with the tale she had just been told.

Something clicked, and she snapped her fingers in realization, as she got up from her seat and walked over to the perplexed lady.

“Excuse me-”

“What.” The response was biting and cold.

Maya flinched, but prepared an unbothered smile as she tried to strike up a coherent conversation with this girl.

“I’m sorry, but... I just wanted to confirm something.”

The blonde only raised her brow, telling Maya silently to go on.

Maya suddenly felt nervous, and nervous wasn’t really something she thought she was capable of feeling, not with all her background and training. However, under the scrutiny of those intense eyes, she felt her throat dry as she struggled to use her words.“Um, so...” She began, feeling the urge to rub at the back of her neck to ease her sudden anxiety. “You said you couldn’t find a way to leave?” She finally got out lamely.

“Yes, that’s what I said. Weren’t you listening?” Was the fiery response that confirmed Maya’s confusion.

“I... I see.” Maya stuttered. She cursed at the fact that she did. Still, she had to continue on with this conversation in order to understand what was nagging at her. “I see, but...”

“But?”

Maya pointed towards the way she came in, the door still wide open and with that odd glow from the needle in the previous room she’d passed to arrive in this one. “The exit is right there, milady.” She stated slowly, clearly, hoping the other woman would get her message.

“...”

“...milady?”

She received an angered glare, feeling her collar grasped once more as Maya was pulled to meet the woman eye to eye. “What foolishness are you spouting?” She questioned, thrusting a finger in the direction Maya had pointed at. “That is clearly a wall.”

Maya blinked, tilting her head in confusion. No, no. She was clearly not blind, was she? She was sure that she wasn’t dreaming either- that she was in the right state of mind. So why...

Instead of trying to explain things, or understand through words, Maya decided to figure things out the easier way. She pried the other woman’s hands away and made her way towards the door. She felt the heated gaze on her back as she stood in front of the open frame. Looking back once, she nodded.

And she walked right through the door.

Staring at the lady through the passage, she wondered why she wasn’t being followed, why there was no ‘I hadn’t noticed that there’, or any similar words.

All she heard was an awed, “How did you do that?”, and her lagging brain clicked. Oh.

Maya came back in, multiple possibilities and reasons now running through her mind as to why this girl could not see the clearly placed exit. Right, this place was covered in magic. Why hadn’t she thought of that sooner? Maya put on her smile once more, approaching the girl as she took her by the hand and led her closer to the door. “I’m telling you, milady. There’s nothing here.”

She still looked at Maya skeptically, clearly in doubt.

“Milady, do you believe in magic?”

She received a deadpanned look, and she realized it wasn’t the smartest question to ask someone who had been locked up in a tower, guarded by a dragon, and cursed to suffer eternal slumber by the touch of one tiny needle.

“Apologies, of course you do.”

Maya watched the blonde sigh, as she nodded, looking at Maya with a calmer demeanor as she stated what they now thought they both knew. “So there’s a door there, and I simply can’t see it because I’m probably under some type of illusion spell.”

Maya hummed her agreement, and admired the way her companion’s face lit up in relief and a joy she didn’t think she’d ever see replace the grouchy expression that seemed to be forever set in place.

“Well.” Maya’s sleeping beauty smiled at her, unknowingly making her heart skip a beat. Maya wondered what that was about.

“Well?” Maya parroted, clearing her throat after a minor crack in her voice.

“Now that we know that this wall is but an illusion... I guess I feel like a fool for not trying to figure that out any sooner.” The woman laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she turned to look about her room. “I suppose it’s time for me to leave this musty old building and claim my freedom.” She grinned. “I wonder if I can find anything of use here that I can take with me.”

Huh. She was leaving.

Somehow Maya didn’t like the sound of that.

She couldn’t leave. Not when they hadn’t even had a proper conversation yet.

To where would she go? Would it be to a place where Maya could find her, or seek her out? Maya felt compelled to stay with her, or have her stay with Maya. Maybe they could go back to Maya’s kingdom together... and then she could get to know her more. Maya... wanted-needed to get to know her more. Even if she didn’t know why that was herself.

Right, Maya still didn’t know her name. Where was she from? Why was she... Maya needed to ask. Maya needed to know.

Clearing her throat once more, she reached out for the girl.

“So, I was wondering-”

“It was nice knowing you, thank you for showing me the way out.” Were the words that interrupted her plans.

‘Wait, no. Not yet. Where are you going?’

“Now I must be off-”Maya’s panicked hands were too late in catching the girl as she tried to exit the room, “Oof-What the...” but instead found herself hitting a hard barrier and falling onto her back.

Hmm?

“Hmm? What... happened...” Maya asked, quickly kneeling to check on her fallen companion.

The woman rubbed her forehead, a red spot marking the area that probably hurt the most. “That’s what I’m asking.” She quickly turned to glare at Maya, pointing an accusatory finger at her. “You.” She angrily spat. “You lied to me.”

“Wha- I did no such thing!” Maya felt compelled to defend herself, getting up from her spot and hastily walking in and out of the doorway, as if that would prove some point. “See?”

“I don’t see!” The blonde exclaimed, crossing her arms as she sat on the floor. “You really are one of Maleficent’s henchmen! What, did she send you here to make a fool of me? Is she watching from somewhere? Is this some kind of sick entertainment for her?” She madly questioned, standing up and jamming a finger into Maya’s chest, forcing her back.

“I’ve already told you, I’m not!” Maya countered, her own volume raising.

“Then who are you?!” The woman screeched at her, pinning her against the wall- except that it wasn’t a wall for Maya, and she promptly fell through into the other room and onto the cold hard floor.

“Ouch... that hurt...” Maya groaned as she got up, running her fingers against the back of her head gently to soothe the sharp pain there.

She looked up to see the girl on the other side of the entryway banging her fists against a barrier Maya could not visualize, but the other could not deal away with, apparently.

“Who are you?” She was asked again. “Who are you?! If you aren’t one of those people who have thrown me in here, how did you find me? How did you know of this place? Why are you here?! Tell me!”

Maya silently watched her continue to yell in fury, continually slamming her hands desperately against the ‘open door’.

“Were you here to toy with my sanity? To give me false hope that I’d finally get be able to be free?”

Each question was accentuated by a hard thumping sound as she beat against the wall.

“Did you leave already?! Figures you would! You didn’t even try to prove me wrong!”

Maya considered the option of exiting the place, no longer willing to tolerate the manner with which she had been treated the entire time. She considered it.

She considered no longer having to deal with this clearly crazed woman. She did not know what came over her when she thought that she was the least bit attractive.

She considered getting up. She got up.

She considered turning away. Maya did.

She considered finally walking out of the room...

-until she heard it.

The tiniest sniffle, so small she could have missed it if it weren’t for the sudden complete quiet after all the loud noise.

“...I just thought I’d finally be able to find my way home...Wherever home is...”

A pang shot through her heart as she turned back around, eyes falling upon a forlorn face that was quick to be covered in tears. If that wasn’t enough to drive an emotional knife through her chest, the lady beyond the wall began to wail helplessly in what Maya could only describe as pure, unadulterated pain.

“WHY AM I HERE?! WHAT DID I EVEN DO TO DESERVE THIS?! WHO EVEN AM I?! WHY ME?!” The girl sobbed. “Damn you, Maleficent! Damn you, dragon, damn this stupid tower, damn it all!”

Maya watched the girl slump against the clear barrier, falling to her knees as her poundings returned in weak waves and slaps against the wall, until she ended up curling on the floor, quietly sniffling and well-worn.

Maya approached the door once more, wanting to reach out, but not knowing what to say. She crouched down, mouth opening and closing until her voice eventually came out.

“I... I’m still here.” She spoke softly. There was no response. “Can you hear me?” Nothing still.

Maya bit her lip nervously. If she tried to go back in, would she be walking straight into death’s clutches? Would she get beat up? Even if she escaped later, how was she to explain what happened once she returned home?

Maya needed to think... wait, but did she have the time? She didn’t have all night to do whatever it was she came here to do. She needed to be out by sunrise and well on her way home. Wait... home? What home? Where was she? Why did she need to go home? Why was she here in the first place? Where was here?

“What am I...”

She felt a sharp pain in her head. Was it from the fall? Maya suddenly felt dizzy, her head began to spin and ache as she fell to the ground. She cursed the throbbing in her head. Maybe she could try healing it with magic. Maybe that would assuage the pain.

Healing? Magic?

What...

Maya shook her head. She didn’t have the time to think about all these things that were suddenly confusing her. She just had to do what she needed to.

Her hand took on a golden glow that almost seemed foreign to her. She didn’t know what it was, but somehow her body told her she should do it, that she could.

Shakily raising her hand up in a struggle, she managed to touch her head, and suddenly, along with a blindingly bright glow that filled the room, she felt clarity and many thoughts flowing in, as the pain melted away into nothingness along with the light.

Maya blinked, suddenly remembering so many things that she didn’t even know she’d forgotten. “...The princess. I’m... a princess. I’m Tendou Maya and I’m here to... I wanted to find out about a princess- the princess!” In panic, she turned to the lady she had been with all this time, her story earlier now registering in Maya’s mind and associating with the tall tale Junna and Karen had spoken about.

Maleficent... a tower... magic... a spindle and a curse.

Maya whipped her head about to see that the needle was no longer glowing to her. It looked like any old spinning wheel, sat in a room.

It was like an enchantment had been lifted off of Maya, and she saw with clearer eyes what was going on.

When had it settled? Was it the moment she entered this forsaken castle? Was it when she had laid eyes on the cursed contraption? Maya did not know.

All she knew was that she needed to help set free this woman that was most probably the princess from the rumors that may as well not be rumors. But how?

Well, it didn’t matter right now. Maya just needed to take some course of action to temporarily ease the situation. She could figure out the rest later. Soon. She did not know how long she’d been here in the tower, nor did she have a way of telling how much time she had left before needing to leave except through the window she’d opened in the other room. If she had to go in anyway, she may as well explain things to the captive princess inside.

Maya swallowed thickly, wondering what she should do now. The princess still lay across the way. Should she simply step over her and enter like that? Or should she move her out of the way first. Either option would probably get her beat, but Maya didn’t need to think about that right now... maybe if she held her in place to prevent her from attacking once she notices Maya’s presence?

Nodding to herself, Maya crept closer to the open door, knelt down on one knee, bracing her arms for the weight.

She needed to do it smootly and quickly, before there was any time for the other woman to register what was going on.

Three... two... one...

“Wha-!”

Maya slipped her hands and arms under the princess’ weight and hurriedly carried her up and over to lay her down on the bed before she could react.

“You!” Wide eyes regarded Maya with shock as she pinned the other princess down by her wrists, hoping that she couldn’t break free. “Why are you back?! What more are you going to do to me?! Are you- Get off me! Get off!”

“Wait! Wait! I need you to listen to me for a moment! Please!”

“Why should I, you rascal- what are you doing to me-mmpghhmm! Mmmmphhh!!!”

Maya had managed to hold down both the other woman’s wrists with only one of her hands, while she used her free one to cover her mouth, hoping to silence her, if only for a bit.

“PLEASE JUST LISTEN FOR ONCE.” Maya shouted sternly, shocking them both by the power and force in her voice. She felt worse as she noticed the still-present tear stains on her cheeks. They stared at one another in complete silence, until Maya regained her thought process. “Please. Listen. I’ll tell you all I know. But please listen first.”

The girl still looked shocked, but nodded.

Maya nodded back, pondering her next words. “If I... release you. Will you promise to stay silent and behaved, and let me explain everything?”

She watched the girl slowly nod once more.

Maya looked at her doubtfully.

“You won’t attack me?”

Another nod.

“...okay. I’ll let go now.”

To be safe, she first took her hand away from the girl’s mouth, receiving a disgusted glare.

“Leather tastes awful.”

“You promised to stay silent.”

“You promised to release me.”

Maya felt her brows furrow, feeling the slightest bit annoyed.

“Do not attack me.” She warned, slowly releasing the woman’s hands. “I swear, do not attack me. Do not.” She chanted, hands finally completely off.  “I’m telling you, I swear. Do not-”

And once more, she found herself pinned against the cushions, only this time, she was face first into them.

“I SWEAR TO GOD-”

“Tell me who you are and why you are here!” Was demanded of her. “And don’t try anything strange.” Maya could probably find a clever way to weasel her way out, but she knew if she raised any more suspicion by being untruthful or vague, she’d get nowhere in negotiating and explaining with this person.

Sighing her usual pride away, she asked a single question first.

“Will you believe what I’m about to tell you?”

After all, there would be no point if she didn’t.

“Yes.” The answer was quick, and Maya was genuinely surprised.

“R-really?!”

Genuinely surprised.

“Just spit it out. No funny business either.”

Maya actually felt elated as she did her best to nod in her position.

“Okay, I will tell you. My name really is Maya.”

“Maya. Maya what?”

“T-Tendou Maya.” She answered, before adding, “I’m a princess from the nearby kingdom, and I came here to confirm a rumor.”

Suddenly she felt herself released. Easing up into a sitting position, she turned to look at an oddly nervous face.

“... Are you serious about the princess bit... Tendou Maya?”

A tingle ran through her spine at the sound of her name rolling off those insanely gorgeous lips that she was suddenly so conscious of once more, almost forgetting to respond.

“Y-yes. Yes. I promise. No lies here.”

She was given a once-over, before the other party looked away and whispered a quiet ‘sorry’.

Why... was it so cute.

“So we can be civil.” Maya quipped, lightly teasing.

“Shut up.” The woman huffed. “And so? What rumor, p-princess?” Maya was asked carefully, snapping her out of any unnecessary thoughts.

Right. Maya inhaled deeply, breathing out a question in return to first confirm something. “Do you know how old you are?” She asked.

Her companion looked at her confusedly, before nodding. “If my guess is right, and that Maleficent visits every year or so to see if I still exist... then I know I am roughly twenty years old from the time I was taken away at six. But what does that have to do with what you’re saying?”

Maya nodded to herself, now a little more sure, and hoping that these rumors actually held some kind of truth to them. She looked seriously into confused eyes, ready to explain.

“If that is so then... the rumor was that a princess had been asleep in a castle in the woods for many years. I... came here to investigate.”

“Princess?” The girl echoed. “Me?” She asked again, pointing a finger to herself.

Maya nodded.

“What?”

“If the rumors hold any weight to them, then...”

“But really, a princess?” The girl continued to be skeptical, and Maya was becoming just as confused as she was.

“Wait, don’t you know that? But...” Digging through her memory, Maya was so sure that... “But you knew that you were supposed to prick your finger and fall asleep, didn’t you? Why wouldn’t you know that you’re a princess...”

Two confused ladies sat on a bed, staring at each other in utter confusion.

“I was raised in a cottage in the woods by three aunts. They just happened to warn me about something odd like this. And they told me that if I ever came across a Maleficent person, I should try my best to get away...”

“But how did you end up here?” Maya was now so very lost.

“I honestly do not know.” The blonde shrugged. “I woke up one day in the room with the needle, somehow felt angry that I fell into the stupid situation I was trying to avoid... and I remember walking away from it. Next thing I know, I’ve already grown up in... this place.” She shrugged nonchalantly, gesturing towards the whole room. Maya suddenly felt the urge to laugh.

“Pff- what?”

“What?” The look on the other woman’s face told Maya that she was slightly offended with Maya’s reaction.

“No, I just... Your tale sounded like it should have been much more dramatic than that. But then you just... walked away. From what was essentially your life’s bane.” Maya giggled, laughed in disbelief, combing a hand through her hair. “I can’t... I can’t believe you.” She said, looking the girl in the eyes in amusement.

“How rude... after I believed every word you said.” She grumbled.

“Except that you are possibly a princess?”

“...No one would believe that.”

“And you believe that I am?”

She received a shrug. “Best be safe than sorry. If you ever go back to your little kingdom and report that you were manhandled by a random prisoner in the forest, I might be free from this prison, but moving straight into another. Though that doesn’t sound so bad if it means I have company.”

“Pfff.. ahahahha. What are you saying?” She broke out into laughter, wiping tears away from her eyes, feeling more and more relieved by the second.

Everything felt so surreal to Maya. It all felt peaceful and settled, like she wasn’t just adventuring in a dangerous area; like she hadn’t just been under- and fighting against- the effects of a spell that was distorting her mind; as though she wasn’t just wrestling for life with the woman now seated calmly across from her.

A woman she still didn’t know, but felt like she should.

“And so?” Maya said, finally calming down.

“So? So what?”

Maya felt a familiar giddy smile playing over her lips once more.

“You told me what was essentially your life story, so how about you finally tell me your name next?”

“My name?”

“Yes. Your full name, if possible.” Maya said with a bat of her lashes that earned her an eye roll.

“Right, how about no.”

Maya felt her lips fall into a pout. “But why? Isn’t it only fair that I get your name in exchange for my own?”

“All is fair in love and war, whether you get my name or not.” The woman shrugged, returning a grin of her own.

Maya liked that. The grin, and the mention of love.

Love... huh.

As Maya continued to get hung over on those words, she heard a cock crow in the distance, reality immediately sinking in as she looked in the direction of the window only to be greeted by the thin orange line of the morning horizon.

‘No!’

“I-I have to go!” She sprung up to her feet, panic in her voice as she looked around the room hastily for anything she may have dropped of hers. Finding all her things secure, her gaze finally landed on the lonely smile on the face of the woman she had strangely become attached to- so much so that she didn’t want to leave. She gasped, realizing what she’d said wrong. “I-I mean... we- we have to-”

“I suppose this is goodbye.” The other woman said quietly in a tone that was a far cry from her earlier fierceness. “We both know I can’t leave. Not unless we figure out how I could.” She spoke, eyes trailing towards the door only Maya could see. Her voice was small, insecure. It was sorrowful. It hurt.

But it didn’t have to, Maya realized.

She coughed a few times, approaching the foot of the bed, kneeling by the seated maiden. She hesitantly offered her hands up, pleased when the response of the woman was to place her own in Maya’s.

Maya took in a deep breath to counter the unexpected anxiousness growing within her.

Lifting her gaze up, her words came out in a mere whisper. “M-May I... come see you again?”

Maya watched her eyes express the widest range of emotions she’d ever seen from a person. Shock, embarrassment, warmth, fondness, gratefulness...

They were beautiful.

Even the small drops of tears that had begun to form at the tips of her long lashes, beautiful.

Her current smile and bout of gentle laughter, beautiful.

The way she sniffled, and the fresh trail of tears that rewrote the story of the prior stains on her face- so beautiful.

The way her golden hair framed her face, stray tresses sticking to her slightly sweaty skin- beautiful.

Maya stared at beauty itself, and was left in awe.

“Only if you bring me a better meal than stale bread and uncooked potatoes.” She chuckled through her sniffling.

Maya felt her heart flutter erratically, barely managing a playful response. “Any requests?”

“... Tuna.” Was the near inaudible reply, coupled with a shy tint on her companion’s cheeks.  

“May I inquire as to why?” Maya asked, feeling her stupid grin widening so much, it ached.

“...I just like it...”

Just who was this adorably shy creature, and how could Maya make her even happier.

“Understood. I will acquire for you only the best.” Maya smiled, the pads of her thumbs running circles over the smooth skin of the other princess’ hands.

Another crow of the rooster made her grip those hands lightly, the sting in her chest coming back.

“I s-suppose I’ll see you again later.” Maya said, looking down at their joined hands, avoiding the other’s gaze as she stood up.

As she began to pull away, she felt a light tug. Looking up, she met bashful garnets searching her eyes, and quivering lips that were trying to communicate something.

“Yes?” Maya gently prompted, squeezing her hands lightly.

“Claude. For now... you can call me... Claude...J-just so that... when you come back...” Claude trailed off, averting her gaze shyly- rather endearingly, might Maya add.

“Claude.” Maya smiled, placing a chaste kiss on her knuckles. “I will come back.”

She relished the blush blooming across ‘Claude’s’ face, pocketing it in a memory to be recalled multiple times throughout her everyday, no doubt.

“I will definitely bring you home. I’ll figure out a way.”

Maya cupped her face, wiping the few tears that had escaped away as she rested her forehead against Claude’s.

“I will definitely bring you home, free.”

A/N: I clearly strayed from theme. Sorry. Ah. ;-; sorry, this was no-good ;-; Sorry Leooooooo, hope you liked it even a littleeeeee.

~Shintori Khazumi

[bywordofaphrodite]

Book Reviews 1 & 2: The Enchanted Wood and Adventures of the Wishing Chair by Enid Blyton

This review’s theme is magical children’s fiction ! Audience age range: early childhood !

Fun fact about me: I have fairy tales running through my head most hours of the day.

Magical lands and whimsical characters run freely through my mind any minute I have to spare, or even the ones I don’t. It has always been this way for me, whether in school, university or at work- when I am meant to be working on assignments or attending to patients in the hospital I work at- and Enid Blyton’s stories played a part in this, so it seems fitting I discuss her writing for my first post.

When faced with choosing a project for myself this semester, it was actually the memory of Enid Blyton’s novels that prompted me to decide to write book reviews of childhood favourites. I’d forgotten her name at first, and all that remained was an illustration of blue jelly and a boy with silver hair… and the name of the artist who illustrated my copies of the series: Georgina Hargreaves. One google search was all it took to remember it all! Then I ordered all three Magic Faraway Tree books and the Wishing Chair ones in the exact editions I had as a child, because I have no impulse control whatsoever.

Nostalgic review

Rating: ★★★★★

For my nostalgic review- otherwise known as my thoughts on these novels purely as I remember them from childhood- I’m giving five stars. They meant everything to me as a kid, and I reread them more than any other books I owned. I would choose a chapter before bed and travel into the magic lands at the top of the tree along with the main characters, exploring whatever good, evil or downright silliness happened to be up there at the time (and then stay there for a good few hours past my bedtime using the light under my door to squint at the pages and destroy my already dreadful vision just a little more for good measure. Sleep schedule who?)

I easily favoured the Magic Faraway Tree books over the Wishing Chair ones, though I loved them both dearly. I’m going to assume the reason behind this was because I preferred the tree to the chair, as- aside from Jo- I don’t recall ever having an affinity for any particular child amongst the main characters. I do also remember a great deal more of the goings on in the lands above the tree than I can the adventures in the chair, so it seems fair to say I read one a lot more than the other.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, these books cemented who I wanted to be when I grew up: a writer- a published author, to be specific- and an artist. Not just these two series, but anything Blyton wrote- her teen detective and boarding school series being notable favourites of mine. As detrimental as this dream has been to my family’s wish for me to become a lawyer, I must insist that everyone blame Enid Blyton for this and not me!

The Enchanted Wood Review

Post-read: ★★★

Synopsis: three children move from the city to a small country house with a forest out the back which they later come to know as the Enchanted Wood. There they come across a giant magical tree known as the Faraway Tree, where they befriend the many magical creatures living inside the tree, and explore the lands that settle above the tree every day.

Okay so! First up, I finished it so quickly. I’ve always been a very fast reader but even so I expected it would take several hours to read… it took roughly an hour despite minor interruptions by my siblings, so it’s very simplistic and easy to read. However… this level of simplistic is not, in this case, a good thing, at least in my opinion. I’ll elaborate on this further toward the end of this post, but the best word I can think of to describe the writing is ‘stunted’.

I read a few articles to see others’ thoughts on the novels, and one review stood out as being critical in multiple ways, some of which I agree and some I don’t really care about. I’ll link it here.

This review reflected a lot of the same points I considered upon rereading the books. Charming points: google buns and the Land of Birthdays; weak points: repetitive and a bit too holier than thou in the attempt to teach ‘lessons’. In terms of Flood’s (the review author) criticism, the renaming of the children from Jo, Bessie and Fanny to Joe, Beth and Frannie in new copies does not really bother me, although my own editions have the original names (the change of the children’s cousin from Dick to Rick was a wise choice, though Rick is an ugly name as well, but I digress). As with many modern changes to old novels, older generations criticise ‘politically correct’ motives, and Flood does exactly so here- miffed at the decision to rename one of the recurring Faraway Tree villains from ‘Dame Slap’ to ‘Dame Snap’. Flood likens the character’s previous habit of slapping naughty children to the witch in Hansel and Gretel locking children in cages, (I would think the cannibal element of this tale would reinforce the comparison more but maybe that’s just me???) asking why, if that fairy-tale hasn’t been changed, should Dame Slap have to adhere to modern discipline? Personally I’m mostly unconcerned with this either way, though Flood makes an interesting point. The woman is a villain either way, so a little clip over the ears is likely to properly drive the point home in my opinion, anyway.

And before I move on from this review, Flood’s hot take on the Saucepan Man is 100% on the ball- why was a grown, non-magical man walking around strung up with pots and pans all over himself and hanging out with a group of children? To be sure, he was not in his right mind, so I’ll shift the question to the parents here, who were fully aware that their children were spending time in the woods with this man. Very odd business indeed.

Characters who aged well: Most of the main characters remained likable to me. Jo was always my favourite as a kid, and he remains so- his impatience provides some comedic quotes and he never leaves his younger sisters behind on adventures, unlike many male characters in Blyton’s novels (I am looking DIRECTLY at you, Famous Five boys). He also doesn’t belittle his sisters at any point, even when they’re frightened, which is another thing that irked me about many of Blyton’s male characters. Using only the first book of the series for this review means that it’s possible that Bessie and Fanny are more prominent characters in the other books, but in this one it felt very much centred around Jo than I remembered- they are likable but don’t really do too much aside from Fanny’s banger of a birthday party which I’m rather jealous of. Upon rereading I like Moonface a lot more, but that’s probably because I resented my grandmother calling me ‘Moonface’ (I’m aware I have a round face, I do not need to be reminded of my eternal struggles on the daily). Silky is still a queen in my eyes- pretty, feminine, funny, kind and best of all a fairy. No flaws at all, I love her. In retrospect, Silky is equally my favourite alongside Jo.

Characters who aged badly (to me): as aforementioned… the Saucepan Man. To be fair, I never cared for him in the first place, and the same goes for his best friend Mr. Watzisname because he was downright maddening. Also, Dame Washalot can drown in her own washing. She managed to annoy me more than Dame Slap… at least Dame Slap was entertaining.

Favourite scene/quote: “‘Fishing!’ said Jo, in disgust. ‘Who wants to go fishing in the middle of a birthday party? Let’s get back at once.’”

This quote sounds so mundane but in context I just find his tone very amusing- Jo is always exasperated and impatient so his perpetual annoyance with everyone’s nonsense is relatable and funny. Furthermore, he says this during my favourite scene in the final chapter where they all travel to the Land of Birthdays for Bessie’s birthday. Bessie invites everyone living in the Faraway Tree to her party, which is essentially formed up in the land above the tree. Upon arrival, everyone can go into a small house with fancy dress costumes and choose anything they like, and then choose a table in the middle of a field. The table is set with cutlery and plates, and from there you must ‘wish your own tea’, as Silky says, which fills the table with jellies, lemonade, chocolate blancmange and other party food. Best of all is the birthday cake- also known as wishing cake- which grants a wish to anyone who eats it. Unfortunately, the Saucepan Man’s poor hearing ends up turning ‘wish’ to ‘fish’, and Fanny has to waste her own wish to get them back to the party, hence Jo’s vexation. The ending is very sweet though, with Moonface gifting his wish to Fanny and all of them happily going home. It was a lovely way to end the first book in the series.

Adventures of the Wishing Chair Review

Post-read: ★★

Synopsis: two children discover a magical chair with wings in an antique shop that leads to a host of new adventures and a new pixie friend they rescue along the way.

Like I said earlier, I preferred the Faraway Tree series to the Wishing Chair and that remains the same. The concept of lands coming to the top of a tree- and choosing whether to go up there or not- is more my style, and if the weather is bad you can just stay home, while the chair you just have to go with it. The Faraway Tree itself is also really wonderful, with all the interesting houses and shops inside it, and especially Moonface’s slippery-slip. On the contrary, the main location for the Wishing Chair series is the children’s playing room, and the chair itself is an utter menace. The villains are more irritating in this series- which is their job, I get it- but the children themselves aren’t quite as likable as Jo, Bessie and Fanny either. Mollie and Peter argue plenty and can be very selfish and silly at times, which is realistic, sure, but that doesn’t make them any less meh. The other main character is a pixie called Chinky (yes, I’ll get to this soon) who they rescue from slavery in a giant’s castle, and my opinion on him varies between chapters. There are some really cool places they go to and the illustrations make reading this more enjoyable despite the hasty writing and relatively flat characters.

Characters who aged well: ???? I mean… Mollie and Peter aren’t exactly my favourite children ever but they’re not too bad. My main criticism would have to be that there isn’t really anything defining about their personalities; to a degree I would say they are just a whinier version of Jo, Bessie and Fanny. I don’t think Enid bothered too much about changing base character traits in her stories, to be honest. There are a few characters like Witch Snippit and the Windy Wizard who help Mollie and Peter when troubles arise, but as the adventures always begin with the chair in the children’s playroom there aren’t really many magical recurring characters to properly consider.

Characters who aged badly: the children’s MOTHER. She is beyond irritating in certain chapters- like when she decides to take the wishing chair to her own lounge room simply because she likes it, even though the children themselves bought it and expressed how much they love it. Plenty of parents do this in real life and it is just as annoying in fiction. Secondly, the wishing-chair. Magical chair that grows wings and can fly to magical lands is cool, yes? Sure, except when it has mood swings and randomly decides to fly through storms or simply land in the sea for no reason I can think of. This is a very petty chair… yet I know I would keep it anyway so I can’t complain too much. I’m going to add Chinky here too, and not because he got saddled with a slur for a name- he gets fired up about minor things way too quickly and causes drama for no good reason, though perhaps I should cut him some slack after his time spent in forced servitude. Also, he makes a few sexist comments to Mollie so maybe the giant had a point after all.

Favourite scene/quote: ‘One rabbit turned upside down and danced on its ears, and that made Peter laugh so much that he had to get out his handkerchief to wipe his tears of laughter away.’

Peter being this happy just made me happy. This quote is from my favourite scene, when the children fly with some elves to attend a magician’s party. There is no villain to be seen, and the room is filled with classic Blyton details of top tier food like cream buns and blancmange, and beautiful birds that sing sweetly before flying freely. The magician has dancing cats appear, and ‘six plump rabbits’ that dance while the cats play violin. Finally, the magician gifts everybody a tiny egg he tells them will hatch later. When they arrive home, Peter’s hatches to reveal a tiny silver watch and Mollie gets a necklace of beads that look ‘exactly like bubbles’. This always sounded so pretty to me, and I had a necklace from my mum that looked exactly as Mollie’s was described, so I’ve always remembered this scene very well.

Overall verdict:

I’m torn. I love parts of these books so much, I love the nostalgia surrounding them, and yet I must admit that without a childhood connection it would difficult for a new reader to enjoy, and probably not the first choice in a bed time story to read to children nowadays. I think for me, I like having these books back on my shelf again, and I like knowing I can go back to read my favourite chapters whenever I want, despite the criticisms I have. In a way, I like knowing I am capable of recognising the books’ faults while still appreciating the good parts of them. I do not regret buying these books again- in fact looking at the artwork and reading the words has inspired me to get to work on my own plan to write a book of fairy tales (with the representation I would’ve loved to see alongside the magic as a child, and minus the problematic details).

With this in mind:

- Blyton’s writing skills… are sorely lacking. Her sentences are stunted and sometimes she changes locations so hastily within one small paragraph that if you so much as skim over one sentence you’ll find yourself in another land entirely (haha). I am wholly aware these books are intended for children but I have read other novels for that age group that have been well-written, so my criticism stands.

- I should just rewrite the books myself. I don’t care if this sounds arrogant, I know I could make the stories more compelling with a few tweaks to, say, writing skills, story structure, making better use of the amazing concepts, fleshing out the characters more, etc. (again I’m aware they’re children’s books)

- Enid Blyton herself was not a very nice person, and her own daughter criticised her writing for being emotionally immature and seeing things as ‘black and white’. Anyone who has read her other novels knows that she was very racist- ‘gypsies’ managing to be the villain in most of her teen detective stories, amongst other issues, so Chinky the pixie is not exactly a surprise appearance. It was Chinky, in fact, who first alerted me to racial slurs. As someone with partially Asian heritage at an almost completely white school, it took me asking my (rightfully) concerned father what ‘chink’ meant when some kids started calling me by the word in school… I then connected this to Blyton’s pixie and to this day am morbidly entertained by this unfortunate memory. I’ll link the article here, in case of any further curiosity about Blyton.

In the Faraway Tree series review I linked earlier, the writer said of the books, ‘it’s an odd feeling, finding the classics of your childhood don’t really stack up’. In many ways, I feel the same. Is it all nostalgia, after all? Yes and no. Having such a balanced opinion on an old favourite is likely healthier than clinging to past memories, anyway. With all of these thoughts jumbling through my mind, it’s possible that my rating of these novels changes depending on my mood- and more importantly, which chapters I read. Perhaps the fact that my favourite chapters are all devoid of confrontation is something a therapist would suggest looking into, but you know what? It’s fiction. If I have to get my happy endings in books alone then so be it!

[oneofyatosfollowers]

Yatori Week Day 7- Fluff/AU

@yatoriweek2020

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25401826/chapters/61945465

Fanfiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13648502/1/Yatori-Week-2020

The last of the autumn leaves were starting to fall, signalling winter's imminent arrival. With the colder winds brought in a chill that settled into her grandmother's bones, and a severe lack of cheap supplies. Hiyori did the best she could to prepare, using the book her brother left that contained her late father's medicines. She worked well into the night after buying and selling produce in the town down the hill. It was tiring and- as much as it hurt Hiyori to admit- it was fruitless. Her grandmother's cough was getting worse and her body weaker. Still, Hiyori persisted.

"Here," Hiyori spooned some medicine into her grandmother's mouth, "the herbs are fresh so it should be stronger." She winced when the old woman made a twisted face. Behind her, a small newt-like creature tried to copy the same face and Hiyori giggled at it.

"Hiyori, you should really worry about yourself more. I'm not sure I'll be able to make it through the winter-"

"-Grandma, not this again. The medications have been helping you feel better, haven't they?' Hiyori couldn't keep the grief out of her voice, the lines of her distressed face hardly easing when her grandmother placed a hand over hers.

"You didn't let me finish. I'm not sure I'll be able to make it through winter without magic," she breathed. Hiyori's eyebrows raised at the whimsical way the word was said. It was known in the family that the women of her family were very attuned with the supernatural, her brother an odd exception, but it's not like her family knew any spells?

"Do you know?" Hiyori swallowed her excitement.

"No, no," her grandmother chuckled, "I never received any sort of training. Not like the magus on the hill and his apprentice." She winked at Hiyori when her eyes dawned with understanding.

The magus on the hill was a local legend that is said to be over one-thousand years old. He's a recluce that only lets certain people meet him and will only offer help if a price can be met. More is known about his apprentice, a young teen who is also said to be immortal. He runs most of the magus's errands in and out of town and is said to be very polite, unlike his mentor.

"But we don't have," Hiyori bit her lip. Her father was once a well-to-do doctor in town but after he passed money- and her brother vanished- support for her grandmother began running thin. At the reminder her grandmother's face fell a bit.

"Ask his apprentice what he wants. Do not speak to that abomination directly," her grandmother's scorn was gone as soon as it came, "But that boy is an absolute dear, I happen to quite like him. Make sure you talk to him about medicine. Not that defilement of magic." Her grandmother smiled, pleased with her orders, leaving Hiyori to only nod dumbly.

Despite the rumors, Hiyori brought her jar of savings to the flower shop the next day. Somehow her grandmother knew the apprentice had Sundays off from his errands, and that he preferred to spend them here. She sat across the cobblestone street and waited. Not knowing what the apprentice actually looked like, Hiyori figured she would know a magic-student when she saw them. Suddenly a cart crossed in front of her, two boys pushing the pots of plants as they talked.

"Thanks for helping on your day off, we had to move these out of the church yard to make room for more graves," the one with brown hair said.

"It's not a problem! That guy has been nose-deep in making a new chapter in his crazy, infinite spell book so he hardly noticed me slinking off. Besides, it's my day off!" A blonde boy beamed at his friend and Hiyori nearly dropped her jaw. She knew he was young but he was just barely a teen at all! On top of that he looked totally normal! Hiyori couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary with the blonde. Not one to mull over appearance, Hiyori stood and made her away across the street.

"Excuse me," Hiyori stopped them, she recognized the brown-haired man as the local priest but still looked to the blonde, "are you the apprentice?" She watched them share a glance before the boy looked her up and down.

"Who's asking?" he said as politely as possible. But there was something else. Out of the corner of her eye, Hiyori saw his shadow writhe along the ground for just a moment.

"This is Hiyori Iki," the priest, Kazuma, said. He nodded to her and Hiyori nodded back in greeting.

"She's the daughter of our town's late doctor," Kazuma explained to the kid before turning to her, "I'm guessing you're here for your grandmother?" His eyes dropped to the change jar in her hands along with the rest. Hiyori bit her lip and nodded, clutching the jar tightly as Kazuma continued.

"I'm sorry. Once I drop these off I'll go pay her a visit," he promised.

"Thank you very much," Hiyori bowed slightly.

"Please ask him to help her. As a favor from me," Kazuma said to the apprentice. The blonde looked her up and down, less guarded than before, and then nodded. They waved to the priest as he continued through town, then Hiyori was gestured to follow. No one speaked as they made their way to the country road, passing by Hiyori's house and heading up a large hill through the trees. As they got closer, the apprentice seemed to move more than necessary as he whispered to himself.

"May I ask for your name?" Hiyori asked, hoping some kindness would soothe her growing anxiety.

"Oh! It's Yukine," the apprentice said, "sorry about that." He looked genuinely apologetic for his rudeness. Hiyori smiled more broadly and waved it off.

"It's fine." They walked in silence for a little longer, Yukine's whispering growing silent but was replaced with him trying to look at her. She pretended to ignore both him and his shadow.

"Can I ask you something?" Yukine questioned. They stopped just before the tree line, Yukine was looking over his shoulder at her, the darkened trees behind him making his shadow darker than the night sky.

"Yes?" Hiyori forced her smile, never showing fear.

"Can you," Yukine faltered for a moment, "I mean does this forest seem off to you? Do I?" He looked nervous, if not hopeful. Hiyori breathed out sigh of relief when she understood, a smile becoming much easier to wear.

"If you're asking if I'm in tune with magic, the answer is yes! I don't know how to do anything special, I just see the other creatures," Hiyori explained. She pointed over her head to a fairy floating over them, waving when the tiny lady cooed.

"Oh," Yukine turned around, completely relieved, "then my familiar can come out!" The apprentice didn't wait for a response. His shadow wiggled and shrunk in on itself, forming into a tight form that raised off the ground.

"This is Suzuha," Yukine bent down to pet the shadowy black cat that now wove around his feet.

"A familiar!" Hiyori gushed. She never saw one but this cat was definitely not of this world.

"Yeah he turns into his human form at night. I just didn't want you to be surprised," Yukine spoke much freer than before, happily strolling up the hill of dark thorny trees. Hiyori hung onto her calm as much as she could. Looking up, Hiyori saw the sunny sky had turned to night.

She was led through a stone wall and metal gate, the house in front of her a small cottage with a red roof. Planted on both sides were giant sakura trees, somehow in bloom. Yukine and Suzuha trotted up to the door. The moment they stepped on the entrance rug, the door opened to show a woman. Hiyori gasped at her beauty, she was petite with porcelain skin that blended into her white dress. Even with her covered head to toe, her black hair and black eyes stood out.

"Hi Nora!" Yukine greeted. The woman looked at him blankly for a moment before fixing her dead eyes on Hiyori. Was she the magus?

"This is a client for Yato," Yukine explained. Nora nodded and silently stepped aside, holding the door open for the other two to walk in. The house was perfectly neat and orderly, like it was cookie cut and ready to be sold. Hiyori bowed slightly in greeting, shocked when the short woman returned it.

"This is Nora, she's a banshee turned silky and somehow related to Yato? Also she's our live-in housekeeper." Yukine introduced. She turned to the side and pointed further into the house and down the hall at an open doorway on the right.

"Yato's in there? Okay thank you," Yukine turned to Hiyori, "You can follow Suzuha to the sitting room. Nora will make tea?" Yukine looked at her while she narrowed her eyes for a moment. He laughed awkwardly and let out a 'please' before she nodded. Hiyori tried to resist but the cat was already nudging her towards a living room. Yato must be the magus's name.

"Sorry about that, I wanted to let Yato know you were here. And put my coat away," Yukine explained when he came back. With his green parka away, Hiyori saw he was wearing a simple tee shirt and jeans.

"It's no trouble," Hiyori said, thanking Nora when tea was placed in front of them on fine china.

"So what's your request?" Yukine asked. Hiyori explained her grandmother's sickness, her symptoms and the types of medicine that worked best. While she was doing this, Yukine was nodding along while sparing glances at the hallway, clearly waiting for someone. He continued this even when making small talk after the request, Suzuha taking turns on both their laps. Hiyori flinched when the sound of a broken glass was heard and Yukine angrily stood.

"'Scuse me," he said, then marched down the hall. One-sided yelling echoed down the hall and Hiyori couldn't help but stand up. She krept down the seemingly normal hallway of the magus, almost reaching the door before Nora appeared out of nowhere and held a hand up.

"Is it dangerous?" Hiyori whispered to the woman. Only her eyes moved to look into the room, then back to Hiyori as she nodded.

"Her grandmother is sick you sweaty freak! Just put the- book- down for one damn second!" Yukine was hollering. There was an array of colored lighting flashing from inside the doorway and Hiyori could hear the swooshing and whooshing of air being moved unnaturally. Nora turned and knocked on the doorframe once, twice and Yukine's yelling seemed to stop. There was some whispering before Yukine's blonde hair popped out.

"Sorry. Just one more minute please," he forced a smile then disappeared back into the room. Hiyori felt herself clench at the thought of seeing such a 'defilement' as her grandmother put it. She snapped out of it when Nora was waving at her. The house seemed to grow quiet as she stepped forward and peaked into the room of the magus.

It was a pigsty! Clearly Nora was not allowed in this room because the array of various tables and stacks of books were in complete disarray! The shelves lining the room had various plants and creatures trapped between glass containers and various knick-knacks that she doubted were magic. Things of similar nature were even hung from the ceiling by thin rope, over top of a floor covered in scattered papers.

A normal-looking man trampled over them as he weaved around the objects, Yukine following after him like a nagging housewife. Unlike Yukine's normal clothing, this man wore a full-on black cloak with baggy sleeves and a single black glove. His hair was long and pitch black, it writhed in the air like fire as an invisible wind blew through it and a hovering book. He even had things floating after him, disintegrating into a large flask and mixing itself. The glass was brought in front of his face for a moment before he waved his finger and commanded a quill to write things down in the book.

"Hello?" Yukine bagered, "Customer? Job? You were supposed to be out there a while ago!" He didn't miss a beat when the magus crawled up on a table to reach something on a top shelf and knock over a towering pile of books. More things fell to the floor but didn't shatter, Yukine stopping them midair by frantically putting out his palm.

"She's here!" he hollard. The magus froze and so did his floating items, he very slowly looked over his shoulder. Air escaped her lungs when Hiyori became transfixed in eyes that definitely were not human. They were a crystal clear blue that glowed around a slitted pupil. The whites of his eyes were a light charcoal color the same color magic that surrounded his body.

"I told you," Yukine growled. The magus let his apprentice yank him off the table and shove him to Hiyori. She couldn't help but step back, even when he smiled with kanines that were too sharp, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. There was something off about him, his presence, his existence. It felt wrong to her. His magic dissipated along with the dark-color of his eyes in a blink of an eye.

"So that old bat is sick, huh?" Yato said with hands on his hips. She flinched along with Yukine, clearly the hatred with her grandmother was not one-sided.

"Yes. I have money," Hiyori showed him the jar, shaking the coins. The noise caught his attention and he looked at it.

"Tell ya what, I'll take this little coin here and let Yukine go take a peak." Yato pulled out an inexpensive coin and rolled it over his fingers before it disappeared like some cheap magic trick.

"Me?" Yukine spluttered. He came forward to look up at his mentor with big eyes, biting his lower lip to show nervous eagerness.

"Yes you!" Yato beamed down at the kid, "This is a perfect job for you to do on your own! Besides, you're the one who wants to specialize in healing stuff." He waved off the two and gestured for his book to float towards him. Hiyori smiled slightly at the kid's obvious excitement then looked nervously at the back of Yato's head.

"What about payment?"

"We can discuss that once we figure out what we need to do." Black magic started to rise off Yato signaling the end of the conversation. Hiyori took one last look at the magus as Yukine excitedly tugged her out the door. Despite the rumors he looked not much older than her.

By the time they left her grandmother's house the sun was starting to go down. Yukine had been so kind to her grandmother, sitting down to talk to her about more than just her illness while he examined her. Her grandmother loved the company, asking Yukine a lot of questions about his life as a magus's apprentice. The air was light when they left, Yukine promising to walk Hiyori home when they were done discussing payment. However, Yukine was quiet on the way home. He walked with his hands in his coat pockets, hardly answering Hiyori's attempts at a conversation.

"So what did you find?" Hiyori stopped beating around the bush.

"Oh, uh," Yukine thought for a moment, "it's not a curse or anything magic like that." He flashed her a smile then quickly looked at the ground. Before Hiyori could press the issue, something manifested next to her and tapped her shoulder. Hiyori jumped back with a squeal.

"It's okay! It's just me, Suzuha!" The boy looked to be Yukine's age with straight black hair and cat-like hazel eyes. Hiyori sighed and gave him a smile, it was sun-down after all. Yukine lightly scowled his familiar who teased him back, then silence befell them again.

"Umm?" Hiyori tried again.

"There's not much we can do," Suzuha hummed with his hands behind his head.

"What?" Hiyori gasped.

"Suzuha!" Yukine chastised, whirling on his familiar who maintained his grin. Yukine glared as the cat-boy just shrugged then waved at Hiyori's nervous expression.

"We don't know that! It's just out of mine and Suzuha's knowledge," Yukine explained hastily. Stepping up the cheer, Yukine decided Nora would make them macaroons as they walked under the magic star-filled sky.

Nora was at the door to greet them again, face as stoic as ever. Yukine and Suzuha greet her as always, Hiyori giving her a better smile than before. Lights still flashed from the doorway ahead of them, just less than before. The noises however, were no longer wind but a low growling.

"Sounds like he's still in there," Suzuha comments as he strolled to the living room. Yukine stayed by Hiyori and eyed the doorway with minor hesitation.

"Is it safe?" He asked Nora. She looked down the hall and held up a finger, walking to knock on the frame again and enter the room. She poked her head out after a moment and pointed at Yukine. He told Hiyori to go and sit before making his way into the room. There was a heavy weight in the air and in her stomach as Hiyori sat with Suzuha and sipped on more tea.

"He wants to talk to you," Yukine came into the room, "alone." He didn't look too bothered by the idea but he picked up on Hiyori's discomfort.

"Don't worry. He's not dangerous but his magic is. That's why I made him put it all away to speak with you," Yukine looked proud of himself and Hiyori huffed a laugh as she stood. Nora led her down the hall again, letting Hiyori step into the room before the door was closed.

The room was much more calm than before. Yato still stood with his back to her, neck bent over a book while he skimmed over pages. He held up a finger before she could say anything, still mumbling to himself. Then Yato turned around with the same grin, hands placed on the table so he could recline.

"You're grandmother is not sick," Yato paused to gauge her reaction, "she's dying naturally." His statement hung in the air between them like she was the one put to death. Hiyori clenched her hands while her mouth opened and closed worthlessly. It hurt to hear, but somewhere deep down she knew. Knew there was a reason her grandmother grew weaker despite the array of medicine. But still, sorrow stung her heart as her lips quivered.

"So there's," Hiyori couldn't keep the anger lacing her voice, "nothing you can do?"

"I never said that," Yato shrugged. Scowling at her hopeful expression, Yato looked at the floor.

"I know some necromancy, but since that comes at the cost of another person I can assume you don't want that. I can also make her a familiar or a fae, but I can't guarantee she'll still be the same person you knew. The easiest way to keep her here with you is to make her a wand. Of course all these have consequences too." Yato counted on his fingers the possible "solutions" but the young woman's sinking expression told him that none of this is what he wanted to hear. He waved over a box of tissues when he heard her sniffle.

"There's really nothing that can be done?" Hiyori quivered. She took a tissue and Yato let her clean her face.

"Making her a staff would keep her spirit with you, while still letting her soul pass on. Like having her blessing." He frowned at her crying face, stepping closer to rub her arms up and down while keeping his distance. To his surprise, she didn't flinch or back away.

After she calmed down, Yato offered her a bed or some tea. Hiyori refused and let Nora lead her and Yukine out the door, Suzuha tiredly hiding in their shadows as they walked. Her grandmother was still awake when she got home, smiling in a sad way. It made sense she was able to sense her natural end. Hiyori sobbed that night, her grandmother petting her head and telling her it was an honor to be made a staff.

Her grandmother's death was still a decent way away, according to Suzuha who tapped on her window in the middle of the next night, so Hiyori spent as much time at home as she could. Another four days went by and her grandmother mentioned she should ask the magus how she should obtain a staff and what payment it would cost.

"Hiyori, you're here!" Yukine didn't hide his joy at seeing her, but he still gave his honest condolences. She was led back into the living room and was surprised to see Yato there in his robe and some pajama pants, lounging on the couch. He gave a questioned quirk of the eye-brow and waited for her to gather her thoughts.

"We decided on the staff." Hiyori stated.

"A magic staff?" Yukine parroted, looking between them.

"This solution only works because they both have a strong connection to our world," Yato explained as he gestured to them to sit. Yukine sat next to his mentor, drinking in the exception to the rule. Hiyori sat across from them with the same jar of coins on her lap.

"How does it work exactly? And what about payment?" Hiyori asked.

"First we will need to preserve a lock of her hair. Then once she dies we need to bury her with a tree seed. Once that tree grows- which I can move along- we will use its wood to carve the staff and infuse it with her hair. I'll do a little bit of magic, you'll do some chanting, and voila! She will be with you always. In spirit," Yato spoke so nonchalantly. Like people came to him wanting to save their loved ones all the time.

"Payment," Hiyori repeated through gritted teeth.

"For as long as you're in possession of your grandmother's staff," Yato grinned, "you will be my wife!" With his hands raised, Yato's eyes sparkled when he presented his price. There was a moment of stunned silence before Yukine squawked out in alarm. He berated the magus with a flurry of insults while Nora nonchalantly set down tea. Hiyori felt heat rise from her toes to the top of her head.

A wife? His wife? The wife to the magus? Sure it's not like she was seeing anyone or had any one in mind. But still! Wasn't he, like, centuries old? And who was he to just decide her grandmother was worth her hand? What kind of proposal was this anyway?

"Yato! What is wrong with you? You're wife? You're just gonna marry her? Some random girl off the streets? No offense," Yukine was fuming with a blush while Hiyori fought her own.

"I'll do it. Whatever it takes," Hiyori looked up from her clenched fists to the magus, "I'll be your bride." The room was on pause once again as Yukine and Suzuha looked to her with gobsmacked expressions while Yato's grin grew wider.

"Yato!" Yukine grabbed the magus by the collar and shook him while he shrugged. Looking over at the young woman, and her crestfallen expression, Yato's teasing dropped a little.

"You know, I won't take the payment until after it's done," Yato said. Hiyori nodded and stood silently, announcing she will take her leave to spend her remaining days with the last family she has.

Unfortunately the two weeks until winter were not without the magus in her life. Apparently the job of an apprentice included delivering flowers and chocolates to your forced-fiance. Hiyori greeted Yukine at the door every time, her smile becoming smaller and smaller each time he invited her in. The gifts got smaller too, after Hiyori's agitated request.

"I'm so sorry he just was copying what little he's seen around town. He tends to go to the extreme but he really means well," Yukine said as he tried to fit a cupcake next to the chocolates in the fridge. Hiyori just sighed, she didn't know if she could handle a guy that was so clueless and excessive.

"You seem to know him well. You like him," Hiyori stated. Yukine flinched and a blush spread across his face.

"Yeah, well he's just awkward," Yukine huffed then looked at Hiyori, "I think it's time we ask for her hair, Hiyori."

The funeral came suddenly, on the day of the first snow barely four days later. Hiyori was the only family member there, her brother being out of reach for quite some time, but most of the town showed up. Kazuma led the gathering, Yukine and Suzuha using Yato's flowers as decoration. The magus stood far away, just outside the cemetery gate, ready and waiting to take her back to his house. It was a secret from everyone else that the woman being lowered into the ground was an illusion spell from the magus. The old woman's real body was buried at the bottom of the hill with a tree already sprouting.

Yato, Yukine, and Suzuha walked her back to the house after it was over, her home no longer relevant. Stopping at the tree, Yato said he would be working on it for a couple hours while the boys took Hiyori to get settled. All her things had been teleported into a room that would be hers and Nora was drawing her a bath. Hiyori numbly looked around her new room, surprised by how nice it looked. Normal compared to the other rooms. Her dresser was filled with double the clothes she owned before, expensive articles including her own. There were even a couple nicely kept potted plants to add some color.

"He wants you to be comfortable," Suzuha said from the windowsill.

"But why?" Hiyori looked to the cat, "And why does he want a wife?"

"Can't tell you. Why don't you ask him?"

"Ask him? Just like that?"

"Why not? You are his fiance," the cat shrugged. It made sense but Hiyori still grimaced. It wasn't that the magus was unapproachable, the opposite, he was very welcoming and offered Hiyori everything and anything, giving her space to adjust.

"What about Yukine?" Hiyori asked.

"Studying. You shouldn't bother him, especially since you're human." Suzuha curled in on himself in the sunlight, signalling the end of the conversation. Quietly padding down the hall, Hiyori peaked into Yukine's bedroom across from hers to see him bent over a desk, mumbling to himself. He looked like his mentor so Hiyori doubted she would be able to get his attention.

"Nora," Hiyori greeted the fae in the kitchen, "where's, uh, where's Yato?" If Nora noticed Hiyori's embarrassment she didn't comment. The silky looked through the doorway to the living room then back at Hiyori.

"Thank you." Hiyori walked into the living room to see Yato on the couch with an array of fabric rolled out along the table and chairs.

"Good afternoon, Hiyori," Yato smiled, "are you settling in well?"

"Yes, thank you." She took a seat on the couch and looked at his hands as he hand-sewed some red fabric.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Hiyori asked. Yato looked up from his work with a puzzled expression.

"I'm finishing up your clothes."

"You made those?" Hiyori's yelp startled the magus and he suddenly looked guilty.

"Well you can't conjure your own clothes. I mean they are useful gifts- unlike the flowers- and they're less over-the-top? Is it too much again?" He sounded so unsure Hiyori couldn't help but pity him. And smile at his adorable naivete.

"They're very nice, thank you. I'm just surprised you made them by hand," Hiyori looked down at his hand, "literally." She watched Yato's wide-eyes flicker from her own to the needle in his hand and back to her. Then he laughed, an echoey sort of sound but jovial nonetheless, it surprised Hiyori before she laughed too.

"Do you like the color?" Yato asked like a child.

"Yes," Hiyori giggled. They fell into comfortable silence as he worked, explaining what he was doing now and again, as well as answering her questions. The coo-coo-clock ticked on over the fireplace.

"Why did you make a bride?" Hiyori finally asked, "Why do you want a wife?"

"It's complicated." Yato spoke after a moment, "It's not so much that I want a wife, not that I mind, it's more that I want a female caretaker for Yukine. A human roll model that was a part of the family but could still understand our world." Yato explained.

"For Yukine?" Hiyori breathed. Sure, she liked the kid. Her and Yukine got along great and she could really see him as a good friend or even a little brother. Of course Yato didn't say mother, not at all, but something still didn't fit.

"Why- do you think he needs," Hiyori tapered off, but Yato still understood.

"Yukine used to be human. In fact he was like you, inclined towards the supernatural. When I found him he had given up on humanity, given up on himself, he was already on the verge of death. I saw a small hint of myself in him so I offered to save him. I offered him similar things I offered you. He asked if I would stay with him, stay by his side forever, so that's what I did." Yato put down his project and held up his gloved hand, pulling it off to show a blacked hand and wrist. Hiyori gasped.

"I gave him a chunk of myself to grant him immortality and magic. I brought him back to life and bound him to me. It took some time but he was happy, learning and living with me and Nora, but was clear he wasn't fulfilled. I don't think it's that he misses his humanity, but it's clear he still mourns what the humans have. What he never had," Yato looked up at her, "I want to give him that. A family."

"Yukine is happy with you," Hiyori smiled fondly. Yato sputtered with a red face and picked up the clothes, yelping when he pricked himself.

"Yeah, well, even I'm not so socially inept that I think I can replace a woman's warmth," Yato's tone fell, "he's a sweet kid and deserves to rely on someone warmer. Softer." He refused to look at her while she thought, warmth spreading through their bodies.

"What about you?" Hiyori asked.

"Me?"

"Do you want a family?"

"I was- never really- conditioned to the thought. I'm not human so I never had that instinct. But, uh, I like how things are," Yato grinned back at her, "not that I would be opposed to having a pretty human like you around to care for me." He flashed her a cheesy wink that had Hiyori giggling through her blush.

"What about you? Don't human women start working towards that white-picket fence around now?" Yato's question was one Hiyori fielded a lot. Normally it bothered her but the way Yato asked, with such clear ignorance and honest curiosity, she couldn't help but take the question seriously.

"I always had my family, my grandmother in particular. The idea of being a mother or a wife was just something I assumed would happen one day? I didn't plan for it but I was never against the idea," Hiyori beamed at the magus, "I honestly never thought it would turn out like this, but now that I understand, it's the best I could have hoped for!" Her seneier answer added a splash of red to Yato's cheeks, his wide-eyes stared at her for a moment as they flickered with emotion and magic. Then he scoffed out a laugh and Hiyori found herself smiling.

They sat in comfortable silence again and Hiyori finally berated the damn-full of questions Hiyori had about his world, her family's interest. He avoided questions about himself but would go into extreme detail about everything and anything that wasn't dangerous for a human to know, especially about Yukine. Now and again, he would ask her questions too, about her life. He even promised to try and find her missing brother, who went on some magic exhibition and was never heard from again. As Hiyori tried on another vintage-looking dress, Hiyori decided to tease him back.

"Yukine was right, you really don't get out much," Hiyori snickered at his objections, "guess I'll just have to be your teacher too." Looking over her shoulder, she saw Yato staring up at her with pins clenched between his teeth. He suddenly dropped the hem of her dress and walked to the other end of the room. Mood gone, Hiyori sucked in a gasp, worried she had offended the magus.

She couldn't force any words out of her mouth as he opened the drawer to a cheveret. Yato walked back over, his footsteps making no sound, and showed her his closed fist. Something pink and glittery caught her eye and Hiyori identified it as a necklace. The chain was silver along with the small branch of a sakura tree that hung horizontal. On it we're beautiful pink blossoms who's color seems to swirl around itself. Dark pink anthers that stood from the center of each floor moved like they were alive, winking in and out like sparkles off of a diamond. The entire thing was so detailed, like he took a silver branch of the tree outside and strunk it down.

"It's beautiful. Is it for me?" Hiyori breathed. She looked up to see Yato nod.

"I know it's human custom to give a ring, but I thought I'd add my own personal touch. Since this marriage isn't exactly commonplace," Yato said. Taking it out of his hand, he wrapped the ends of the chain around her neck, slowly and gently, like she was being hugged by a ghost. She felt his gloved hand move her hair a little as he clasped it, causing her to shiver. This was the closest she's ever stood to her fiance.

"It's magic, obviously. The chain can't be broken by anything and it can only be removed by hand, by the people in this house. It will protect you," Yato explained, "also, I thought you might try to run away after you got your staff so this necklace will always tell me where you are." Yato dropped his hands after it was secure, the branch falling just under her collar bones, light and warm. The magus didn't step away and Hiyori didn't want him to.

"Thank you," Hiyori said, then looking up at him, "I won't run away from you. Or Yukine." Hiyori watched his blue eyes shimmer again, this time with the telltale sign of hope and suffering. She didn't realize it until he flinched, but she grabbed his hands, her fingers curling into his while she spoke. One hand was significantly warmer than the other, but they were both cold. Especially compared to the small smile Yato now wore.

"I appreciate that, Hiyori. And I'll be using these measurements for your wedding dress." His laugher once again rang through the home as Hiyori shrieked and chased him, angry with embarrassment. Nora and Yukine both had to poke their heads in and tell them to quiet down already.

Her grandmother's tree was ready to take from by the time spring rolled around. She had grown into a willow tree, with pink and white blossoms that rivaled Yato's sakuras. Yukine helped Hiyori with the process, instructing her on how to carve it as that was only something she could do, then healing the branch's stump. They let Yato weave in the hair fibers, it's addition causing the wood to become a light grey. It came up to her waist, the top of it curving into a small bird for her namesake. Much to everyone's embarrassment, Hiyori selected blue orbs for the eyes.

Her wedding to the magus on the hill was held shortly after. Hiyori waited impatiently in her room for Nora to bring up her dress. Yato stubbornly denied the custom of the groom not seeing the dress and instead refused for Hiyori to even take a peek; going as far as placing it in a pocket dimension when she tried to snoop for it. She also hasn't seen her fiance, or Yukine, since last night. The apprentice opted to help his mentor prepare while leaving his familiar to set up the altar under the willow tree.

"Come in!" Hiyori answered to a knock, rushing over to open the door anyway. Nora stood there with the dress in her arms, a small smile gracing her features. It was beautiful, sewn flowers lining the straps and the sweet-heart neckline. The flowers would bunch around her midsection, then branch out along the rest of the dress. It would hug her curves before flaring out slightly into layers, ending in lace with it's flowers tipped with pink.

Giddy, Hiyori got settled in the vanity chair while Nora neatly laid the dress neatly on the bed. The silky came over and got to work on her hair, brushing it neatly while Hiyori tried to probe answers. Nora was tightly lipped and impossible to read, but their growing friendship let Hiyori get a couple of nods or shakes of the head here and there. Next came her make-up, which Nora used some magic to make it absolutely perfect.

"Thank you so much, Nora." Hiyori said. Putting the dress on, Hiyori was happy to see it fit her like a glove, practically moving to form her body then settling like a second skin. The more time she spent here in this house, with this odd family, the more at home Hiyori felt. Once the purpose of this union was cleared up and she got to know her fiance better, Hiyori was content with this outcome. Almost looking forward to being a part of another family that understood her.

"We're ready," Suzuha knocked on the door.

"Okay!" Hiyori smoothed out the ruffles and slipped on matching flats and long gloves. At the door, Nora's smile was still on as she opened the door to reveal Suzuha in a black tux. He flashed a sharp grin and held out his elbow.

"Milady," Suzuha bowed to Nora, "mi-flower-lady." He waited for Hiyori to grab her grandmother's staff, then lead her out the door. Nora disappeared but Hiyori figured she would beat them there.

"You excited?" Suzuha spoke as they walked down the hill under the starry-sky.

"Yes," Hiyori answered honestly. She squeezed the boy's arm tight as the pink willow came into view. Nora stood at the front of the tree, this time in a soft pink dress with red accents. She pulled back the branches and walked through just as Hiyori reached her. Hiyori followed the silky as she threw the flowers of her grandmother's tree on the fresh grass. When the silky moved aside at the end of the isle Hiyori was greeted with a breathtaking scene.

Her grandmother's branches were hung with white fabric streamers and glass orbs of fireflies. Two long white ribbons of tulle stretched from where Hiyori stood to the altar, held down with bunches of pink and purple flowers. At the end of the aisle, Kazuma stood behind a small wooden altar in his black priest outfit. To his left stood Yukine in a magus cloak identical to his mentor's and a red pillow with rings.

Across from him stood Yato, his black cloak buttoned over top of black trousers. His hair was combed back into a high pony-tail and his blue eyes never left hers. There was no music, instead the sound of crickets and chattering fairies came from just behind the curtain of flowers. Suddenly self-conscious, Hiyori looked down at the staff in her hands as she made her way to stand in front of the magus. Brown eyes kept flickering up to steady blue ones as Kazuma announced the matrimony to the supernaturals. She smiled at Yukine when he came to hand them the rings, catching his pure excitement.

Finally, Yato used his naked hand to bring up her own. His eyes finally dropped from her red face to watch as he slipped a silver ring onto her delicate finger. Quietly, Yato asked if she wanted to do his, or if he should just put it on. Much to everyone's happiness, Hiyori gave a bashful nod and slipped the band over his gloved hand.

"You may now, uh," Kazuma tapered off and looked confused between Yato and Hiyori. Yukine already jumped the gun and whirled around to hide his face while Suzuha peaked between his fingers.

"Don't worry, wifey," Yato gently lifted her hand in his glove, "we'll have plenty of time for that later." With a wink from magic eyes and a dangerous grin, the magus placed a kiss on her hand.

[ofcloudsandstars]

🧼 how do you cleanse your space? & 🧚‍♀️ do you work with the fae?

how do you cleanse your space?

So many ways! I think it depends on the specific incident that has prompted me to cleanse lol.  Most common I like is smoke cleansing. I think cause it corresponds a bit to air and there’s a lot of various scents/herbs to help shift the mood or energy. I do like a good mist spray too there’s a lot that can be incorporated in there as well but I’ve been using incense and herb bundles the longest.  I also fan the space. Think of aggressive airbending lol. If the energy feels stagnant or unbalanced I open the windows and get a huge fan or a piece of cardboard cause they fan ridiculously well (I often just grab my ouija board- multi purposed I know) and fan the air and it gives powerful gusts of wind so it helps to move around the air and energy and refresh the room. (Then I smoke cleanse after). 

I’ve been hanging with a lot of sound/music witches so they have been getting me into sound cleansing like with bells, clapping hands loudly, playing purifying music or using singing bowls. I like playing music with certain frequencies when cleaning now. 

There are so many other ways to cleanse like the possibilities are endless but I like to shift the air around the most I think cause I am ruled by air so it comes out in my magic often. I do more intense rituals if I am trying to ward from something or get rid of something but if its just a quick refresh then an incense stick and open windows are great. 

do you work with the fae?

It’s hard to say a yes or no. Reason why is I work closely to nature and I feel like no matter where I go nature responds really positively to me especially air sylphs. I also love to work with trees and give them offerings and have plants and mushrooms as guides as they can be really loving and helpful as well as tricky and very fae-like. I sometimes find a fussy fae energy in nature, sometimes I feel when me and my friends are doing witchy shenanigans in the woods, some trees watch us like a disgruntled cat giving us pissy vibes for disturbing the peace. I’ve traveled a lot of places but I have never felt such a negative vibe with nature and the woods as I have in England, but mostly around London (turns out most places I have had bad vibes in London, people have been killed or their bodies have been dumped there so maybe that’s why the forests here feel that way, but it felt very whimsical and powerful in Glastonbury). 

I just don’t know what to make of the lore of BEWARE OF THE FAE vs my own life experiences but because of the BEWARE lore I haven’t done anything more than passive friendship bonding with trees and honoring nature. There was this amazing witch named Winter who worked with fairies that I met in NYC who was like in her mid 40s but looked my age (she was also black so maybe it was the melanin and less of Fairy magic but she seriously looked 20 it was a bit alerting) and we once got a drink at a craft beer place and she said the fairies liked me cause they were dancing around my head. I asked her what they looked like and she said little sparks of light. I didn’t think much of it until I went home and caught a flash/spark like a fire cracker right in my field of vision just flying past and I was fucking spooked but nothing really came of it. There’s been many times where I felt like a tree was offering me shelter or I was safe in mushroom circles. I’ve hid in the caves of ivy bushes and I’ve ventured into trenches under bridges to the thickest of woods where only deer were there to greet me. I usually feel home in these places, to be honest I am also REALLY lucky and grateful to have never been bit by ticks. I felt like it was so safe for me as a kid but as an Adult I notice more of a judging vibe though that usually gets dispersed especially if I sing for the trees or sylphs. 

[a-totally-legit-farm]

The Hunt (Nikoma Drabble)

drabble - nikoma | read on google docs

Nikoma had been losing his mind as of late – it had started in his compulsory excursion to Zuzu, being cooped up in supercooled office spaces and hotel rooms. He still got to drink, and smoke, but he had… More requirements. The man sighed, like he had just got a hit of nicotine or a mouthful of good whiskey –

His broadsword cleaved the leaf clad golem in twain, splitting its core, its tacky sap tarnishing the usual sheen of the carbon-greyed steel. The creature moaned in faux pain as its form dissipated, becoming little more than bark, leaves and ichor. As it gurgled, he flicked the weapon in a swift, clean motion, the force from the twist flinging his victims’ lifeblood into the dirt.

It always felt good, removing that little bit of magic from the world. After all, Nikoma reasoned with himself, it was magic that killed my dad. This was something he had come to tell himself in his years of monster hunting. He remembered the autopsy results clearly – nothing was wrong with his father; it was a freak heart attack. The only conclusion a young Nikoma could come to, in his rage-filled, sorrow-riddled mind, was that his father had been the victim of some sort of magic.

The bushes ahead rustled, and from it, poured more monsters. A pair of golems and a small fleet of giant bugs rushed his position. Nikoma pushed forwards, the man’s steps placed with powerful intent, propelling him towards the blood that his sword hungered for. The sword was something else. Nik had always been an excellent fighter, a force of nature that would take enough damage to kill a man and still march on the offense, but this sword, Vice, was a different creature. The ouroboros engraved above the cross guard was telling of its nature – self-destructive, forever hungry.

The first bug was dispatched with a well-placed front kick, his black combat boots tearing through carapace and fluorescent gore, shattering the exoskeleton of the mindless creatures.  The buzzing quieted slightly as the pink mist settled on the insect’s comrades – Vice swung left and low, through the pivot point in the closest golem’s knee, the green, spellbound husk toppling to the dirt. Nikoma followed the sing through as he was dive bombed by another beetle, leaping into a roll to try and regain his footing.

Beetles poured in from every direction now, with a golem leading each wave of insects. Again, he darted in, the six-foot tall man moving like a lightweight boxer, each footstep and sword slash carefully timed to wreak maximum havoc among the growing ranks of enemies. It was tiring work; Vice was not a small sword, yet each swing clipped at least one foe, never wasting energy in missed attacks. He cleaved through the horde of beetles, taking only superficial damage from their kamikaze-style dive bombs – it was rare for a bug to leave Nikoma’s reach once it had entered it. It was the golems Nikoma was weary of, the dense bark that made up their exterior was like rock and being punched was not in the swordsman’s list of things that were fun.

Vice spearheaded upwards as Nikoma lifted, the blade’s navy-grey steel piercing up and under the golem’s chest plates, his sword shattering the core inside, as its dead weight was lifted into the air, limbs limply dangling. It was a show of pure strength, as Vice relished the sticky ichor leaking from the now defunct golem. Again, that rush of adrenaline, that nicotine hit feeling, and a soft quenching of that ever-present bloodlust. Nikoma sighed, as he shrugged the golem off his sword.

It was quiet now, the cacophony of carapaces clacking silenced for the first time in what felt like forty minutes. Discarded exoskeletons and that bright bug meat littered the forest floors, piles of sap and bark and leaves piling amongst the corpses. It was a brilliant sight of awesome violence, and Nikoma reveled in it for slightly too long. It wasn’t what he had come into the forest for, but it was what he needed. His cuts and bruises pulsed and ached, a trail of red running from his eyebrow to his jawline. The pain was good.

He closed his eyes and sighed.

That was a mistake.

The iron grip of a golem wrapped around his ankle – it was the second he had faced, the one he had lopped at the knees. It was a rookie mistake not to destroy its core. He twisted, in an attempt to stab at it from above, but vines lashed around his right arm from the surrounding scrub, as he heard the uttering of a Fae language.  Son of a motherfucker… His irritation spiked as he realized what had happened. The reason he was here had happened.

Nikoma was aware of a rumor, relating to a possible Spriggan sighting in the deep woods. Spriggans were fae of fables, renowned for their affinity of the woods, and known master manipulators. Good thing Nikoma didn’t care for trees. He had set out, Vice crying to taste the organs of a faerie, and Nikoma willing to do the deed. After all, he was a monster hunter. And now, his target hovered just two meters in front of him. It garbled its disgusting dialect at him, and he felt the digits of the golem grow and stretch and harden around his left leg.

It was a curiously grotesque creature – its skin tone was a pasty green, with what seemed to be wrinkled leaves making up some sort of garment around the faerie. Its face was long, its nose bridging in a very inhuman way, creating deep wells for its golden sliver-irises to sit in. Atop its head was a moss that did not seem to be a part of the Spriggan itself, instead its own, independent organism, moving slowly despite the lack of breeze.

“Human, who are you to encroach upon my territory?” The Spriggan’s voice was like wind blowing through leaves, whispy and whimsical, yet the tone behind the words was sinister and menacing – and Nikoma couldn’t help but scoff at the monster. A typical fae trick, to ask a human their name. There was a lot of power in a name.

“Get fucked, monster.” Clearly the faerie did not take the insult lightly, but whether it was the f-bomb or the monstrous insinuation, it wasn’t clear – regardless, the golem and vine’s grip on Nikoma grew tighter. The man could feel the plant matter cutting into his skin, rubbing and burning as friction held two of his limbs tight in place.

 The creature’s eyes narrowed as it muttered more gibberish, “Gweles’m neb eghen’gas…” Nik spat at the faerie, saliva and blood intermingling as his disrespect landed on the fabled being. “You think yourself higher than us, gowygyon fethesik, yet you don’t realise you lunch with monsters worse than I.” Nikoma gritted his teeth – the fairy was monologuing now, great. The words had weight to them, however – magical weight, the Spriggan’s powerful persuasion pushing its rhetoric into his head. “The flame-haired one, she is a monster, duwesow’a chatelydheith , not of race nor magic, but a monster nonetheless…” The Spriggan hissed his words at Nikoma, hovering in and out of Vice’s possible strike range as his speech filled the air.

“You know this, yet you only strike us down… Pystyon…”

Nik growled, slowly rotating his sword in his right hand – and not bringing attention to his left, barely moving it at all, for he was still not fully restrained. Clearly the Spriggan had not fought a human before, despite all its wisecracks. “You know this to be true, gowyow soudoryon. Are you fine with dining with monsters, yet killing innocent peoples?” His growl turned into a snarl as his teeth become bared, and the fae retreated a few meters, in expectation of more bodily fluids.

Instead, that same flick of the wrist this time sent Vice up into the air, and with a precise strike Nikoma had caught the handle and degloved the golem clutching his ankle, and following the momentum through, slashed the vine holding his good sword arm. In a flash, he sprinted at the faerie, who had frantically begun chanting its putrid dialect. Roots burst from the ground and vines lashed from the trees – they managed to catch hold, but the warrior was a force unstoppable. Clay cracked and crumbled as the root tips ripped out, and trees creaked as the vines pulled on the smaller branches.

Nikoma leaped, screaming, sword ready to thrust into that sickly green skin. The closer he got, the more biological chains he felt halting his decent. He closed his eyes, and he heard Vice. Push now. Feed me. He thrust the blade forward – just as he came to a complete stop. His amber eyes opened, to meet the Spriggan’s golden gaze. Through its chest was Vice, soaking in a soft ambrosia gushing from the mortal gash.

He was suspended by a harness of roots and vines, now completely immobile, yet his blade pierced the ground, via the fae’s internal organs. One final rush of that satisfaction hit Nik, as he watched the life drain from his latest victim. As it died, the Spriggan uttered one final phrase.

“A-barth Duw, gwitha fleghes rag an euthvil ma…”

Its final words was its final mistake. As his organic shackles became limp and unrestrictive, Vice spoke – also for the final time. The creature has kin. They must be removed. Nikoma grunted – normal people’s swords don’t talk to them. He wiped the warm, golden blood on the bark of a nearby tree, before trekking off into the woods. He sheathed Vice, and retrieved his flask of whiskey, gulping down the bronze liquid with ease.

Oh well.

Guess he was off to kill some more fairies.

[tooshytobeabooktuber]

Song of the Dryad by Natalia Leigh Book Chat *Spoilers*

This year I have been trying really hard to expand my horizons as a reader. So, I’ve been seeking out books that aren’t widely discussed on book blogs and book tube. I have also been trying to read more books that are self published because I think it is really important to support indie authors, as an aspiring writer myself. 

Well guys, if you’re looking for a new indie author to support I have just the one. Anyone mildly familiar with the author community on Youtube has probably come across one of Natalia Leigh’s videos. As I begun my deep dive to find indie authors she was one of the first ones I stumbled across. So, I bought her book. And I have A LOT of thoughts. 

Overview- 

Song of the Dryad is a contemporary young adult fantasy novel set in a fictional Colorado town. The protagonist, Charlotte Barclay, lives a typical life with her family. That is until one day her mother is kidnapped by fairies (that’s right you heard me) and she is whisked into their world and sent on an adventurous quest to get her mother back and restore magic to the fae. I gave this book four stars, I really really loved it. However, I will explain later why this didn’t quite make it to five stars in my opinion. 

Writing- 

One thing Natalia Leigh did excellently was establishing and maintaining the atmosphere. The perpetual fall setting gave the book a very cozy and quaint vibe that I LOVED. The prose were cohesive and relatively clean throughout the whole thing. I could tell that this was really well edited. However, one *teensy* criticism, there was a lot of pointless exposition in the very beginning that felt a little tedious. I understand that the story had to be set up correctly or the reader would have been totally lost, but it felt like Leigh did the majority of the heavy lifting and didn’t let the reader infer or come to understand anything about the characters. Other than that, there were several moments when figurative language and imagery were done really nicely (and I CAN’T STAND dumb figurative language so kudos to her). Overall, it read fairly easy and had few pacing errors. 

Plot-

Okay, this is where I think the story lacked the most. The plot had a very small scope, which isn’t necessarily an issue, but I felt like there were some moments when things just didn’t quite add up. For example (SPOILERS AHEAD) shortly after Charlotte’s mom disappeared the news was broadcasted on television to the entire town. Her best friend, Melanie, found out about it from seeing it on the news. This caused one of the major conflicts for the contemporary plot and I thought it was a little dumb. Your best friend’s mom goes MISSING and you’re mad??? at her??? for not telling you right away? I feel like this conflict could have been replaced with something a little more fantastical, or at the very least interesting. Also, I felt like for the first 40% of the book, there was NO sense of urgency. HER MOM WAS MISSING AND SHE WAS DILLY DALLYING AROUND FOR THE FIRST HALF FALLING IN LOVE. But, I must say, the romance was very cute. This sense of urgency did pick up later in the book, but I feel like it could have been handled a smidge better. (By presenting these criticisms I am in no way attacking the author. I really respect her as an artist and I overall really loved this book, but I can’t shy away from talking about the few issues I did have with this book). 

The things I really liked about the plot were the Wiccan elements woven through the story and the side characters we got to follow. I thought those were real strengths of the novel. The magic was pretty low key for the majority of book but when it was shown I LOVED LOVED LOVED how whimsical and cute it was. The way the subplots were woven into the main plot was also handled extremely well imo. I loved how things wrapped up and I was basically sobbing by the end so go Natalia!

Characters- 

As previously mentioned, this novel had a lot of interesting and diverse side characters. I enjoyed Charlotte and the love interest (Arthur). But, I think characters like Aspen and Freddie (a f/f couple might I add), Mrs. Nolan, and Loreena?? (Is that how it is spelled?) all brought unique and exciting arcs to the table. Also..... the damn naiad.... super cool. Just saying. I don’t have many complaints about characterization EXCEPT for Melanie. 

Fuck Melanie. 

She’s officially on my shit list. I don’t think this is really the author’s fault, but GOD I hated her. I did feel like her characterization was a wee bit weak, but the reason I disliked her was because she was so damn hard to root for. I don’t think she was a good friend to Charlotte until the very end and there wasn’t really a strong resolution to the conflict between them (but that is a plotting error). I thought Melanie was incredibly shallow throughout the majority of the novel and then did a complete 180 when it was convenient. Yeah, that was a no from me. 

Some final thoughts-

 This book tackled a lot in regard of theme. I really enjoy the trope presented in this book where, as a result of actions done by the humans that negatively impact the environment, magic/the magical world is somehow jeopardized or even begins to fight back. I LOVE THAT. I think it ties fantasy with problems facing the modern world in a relevant and interesting way. I loved that aspect of this book especially considering the good guys won in the end against the evil company tearing down Greenwood forest. This book had a really happy ending and the set up and payoff was SPOT ON, but it still left room for a sequel (I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS NATALIA WHERE IS BOOK TWO???? haha just kidding). Overall if you’re looking for a really fun and cozy contemporary fantasy with a guaranteed happy ending, I 100% recommend this book.

I hope you enjoyed my first book review guys! If you read the whole thing you’re a real trouper because I talk A LOT. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. If you’ve read Song of the Dryad and have additional thoughts please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to discuss it further with you.

Love and Light always :)  Florence <3