#thank you to hawberries

[wishthatiwasnessiesgirl]

thank you @hawberries for this incredible nie mingjue portrait!!! he’s so beautiful and i love him so much!

[butter-leopard]

Wanders: Week 16

Art by Rama Thorn

Words by Nicole Hawberry

You crouch for a drink at the river's edge. Something gleams under the surface, and you pull a pair of scissors from the water. You wipe them of muck to reveal sleek silver.

The scissors speak: "Thank you. Thank you for rescuing me. Take me with you, and you'll see, I'll come in handy. I can cut anything. Anything at all."

You think of the possibilities. Steel. Stone. Tendon and bone. Stars from the sky. The space between two destinations. The lonely hollow behind your heart. Breath from a body.

Carefully, politely--wisely--you turn down the offer and leave the scissors there on the soft earth of the riverbank.

(Previous, Next)

[issalesnunes]

Thank you @and-make-it-double

Last song: Sunlight - Hozier

Favorite color: I don't have a favorite color

Last movie/TV show: 911 (TV)

Sweet/spicy/savory?: spicy without a doubt

Relationship status: Single

Last thing I googled: The last thing I looked up was who invented the raincoat. And just for the record, it was a chemist called Charles Macintosh in 1824.

Current obsession: Fanfic - Ao3

Tag Nine People: @andatsea, @bamsara @cherriielle @danasauurr @eylulkalpliadam @foxyjoy-art @gesu-ko @hawberries @ikimaru @juniperarts

Nine people I'd like to get to know better

Tagged by @meghawhopp <33

Last song: Down by the River by Borislav Slavov from the Baldur’s Gate 3 Soundtrack (or more specifically the cover of Down by the River by Nerissa Ravencroft)

Favorite color: Blue and purple!

Last movie/TV show: Seinfeld, I’m currently on season four!

Sweet/spicy/savory?: I have a huge sweet tooth, so sweet things

Relationship status: Single

Last thing I googled: I searched up the show “Arthur” because I was trying to find that one meme where Buster was like “You really think someone would do that, just go on the internet and spread lies?”

Current obsession: Fragaria memories and tears of themis mostly^^

Tag Nine People: @kyaruun @xinieeee @deadmansbistro @florapot @hunita812 @scuffle-with-spirals @rexonalapis @maxellera @manicpixiedoomedgirl

[solacefruit]

68?

Hello there! Thank you for sending in an ask!

68. Are there any fics that influenced you to write the way you do?

This is such an interesting question! I'm much more a reader of published work than fanfiction, so I think that's been more of a formative influence overall.

But some of my favourite reading experiences of the last decade have been fanfiction and there's a couple of writers I very much admire and enjoy, and would be so delighted to be on their level, so I feel that counts enough!

The main ones for me are:

The Fisher-Prince & Lost Teeth Like White Jewels, both co-written by roachpatrol (aka Raymond Roach) + urbanAnchorite (aka Tamsyn Muir) -- I so enjoy the world they've created, the feel and cadence of their writing, the religion around the edges. Really delicious to read. One I will come back to ever now and then. I can recommend their other work also!

Good Omens series by gyzym (aka Dylan Morrison / dylan thyme on socials) was one of the first I found and really really loved when I was new to AO3 back in the way back when of about 2012-ish. I love that his writing was punchy and poetic, very restrained and elegant in ways that I hadn't come across in a fan-sense prior to then.

The work of Fahye (aka Freya Marske), but particularly her And All Things Nice + hood & glove (with hawberries, aka Phee, whose art I completely love) stand out in my mind as lovely pieces of writing.

[gurinn]

SOLD adopts

[dovedapple]

thinking about “you bring out the worst in me” “i like the worst in you”

[joyfulpocketninja]

@hawberries Thank you for the Tutu buttons! I got them safely and they are now a part of the beginnings of a Princess Tutu itabag.

[fritesandfries]

Tanghulu (Fruit Sticks)

Thank you Karo® Syrup for sponsoring this post. Celebrate sweet moments together with Karo®!

You might be familiar with caramel or candied apples, but meet Tanghulu! This Northern Chinese treat is versatile for many different kinds of fruit. It’s traditionally made with a fruit called hawberry or hawthorn, which are like tiny apples. And similar to caramel apples, you get that sweet, sticky exterior except each bite is crunchy and it doesn’t stick to your teeth. I love the contrast of biting into Tanghulu with softer fruits like strawberries and grapes. Grapes are a particular favorite of mine because the sugar sticks to them so well. They end up looking like glass blueberries. The smooth texture of my Tanghulu recipe is made possible because of the sugar mixture it is dipped in. The key ingredient? Karo Syrup.

You might already know of Karo Syrup, because it is in so many classic American treats: marshmallows, fudges, caramels, pies, and scotcheroos...the list goes on. In a commercial kitchen, chefs often use it so they can produce all those treats at scale. I depend on its versatility to balance the sweetness and smoothen the textures of desserts. For this dessert, it allows the flavors of the fruit to shine through.

This recipe makes enough for about a pound of fruit -- I used a mix of cut apricots, oranges, grapes, berries, and kiwi. I highly encourage and recommend experimenting with Tanghulu using different kinds of fruits -- it’s such a fun dessert to make with older kids but it can be a visual showstopper for cocktails and other desserts.

Before we dive into the recipe, here are materials you’ll need:

Bamboo skewers: I used shorter 6-inch skewers. You can use longer ones for barbecue, but just add more fruit. Make sure that the stick is thick enough to withstand the weight of all the fruit.

Candy thermometer: there are ways around using a candy thermometer but this is an important and helpful tool for accuracy.

Saucepan: do not use non-stick pans since many of them are not built for high heat and candy making. (This is technically candy-making!)

Cold stone surface or ceramic bowls: You’ll need something to rest your dipped fruit. You also do not want to use materials with porous surfaces -- like wood -- that allows the Tanghulu to stick to it.

Now onto the recipe!

For 6 servings:

1 pound assorted prepared fruit, peeled and/or sliced

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup

3 tablespoons water

Using bamboo skewers, skewer all of your fruit, filling the skewer half way. Set aside. If you do not have a cold stone surface to work on, use bowls: Sprawl out enough bowls for your skewers, enough to place the skewers around the edge so they do not touch. You will need this to rest your dipped fruit on. I prefer bowls because I can lean the stick against the edge of the bowl without risking it sticking to a surface.

In a saucepan, add the sugar, Karo Syrup, and water together. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue boiling until the syrup reaches 300°F-310°F degrees on the candy thermometer, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you do not have a candy thermometer, the sugar mixture should turn hard when you dip some into cold water.

Turn off the heat and quickly, dip a skewer into the sugar mixture until it is coated. Rest it back onto your stone surface or against a bowl. Repeat. For softer fruits like orange segments, hold the skewer close to the surface of the hot sugar mixture and spoon on the mixture.

Let the sugar coating cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes, before enjoying it.

Find inspiration for your next cooking project from Karo® Foodservice.

[dimpledpran]

Thank you to all the incredible content creators who made 2021 slightly easier to deal with!

Fave MDZS Blogs @mdzsnet . @theuntameddaily . @fytheuntamed . @mdzsartreblogs . @mxtxnet​ . @mdzs-language-fest​ .

Fave MDZS Gifsets/Edits @agendratum : x @aheartfullofjolllly : x x x x  @bang-won : x @carolineeforbes : x @cherryysundae : x @cloudylotus : x x x  @fengqing : x x x x x  @gusucloud : x @hanguangjaan : x x x x x x  @hanguangjunn : x @highwarlockkareena : x x x x x x x x  @hleonaa : x  @inessencedevided : x x x  @jiangwanyin : x @lanwangiji : x x x x x x x x x  @lanyuan : x @lanzhanshands : x @lanzhansmiles : x x x  @lan-xichens : x x x x  @louzhan : x   @maikhiwi00 : x  @manhasetardis : x x x x x x x x x x x   @nyx4 : x x x  @purplexedhuman : x x x   @rose-nebulijia : x @rinielle : x x @sarawatsaraleo : x @sobichen : x @suibianjie : x x x x  @susuwatari-kompeito : x @theheartofthekoko : x x  @valarinde : x  @wanyinxichen : x x x   @warmday : x x   @weiwuxian : x x x x  @wuyus : x x x x x x x x x x x    @wuxien : x x  @yibo-wang : x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x @zelkam : x

Fave MDZS Fanart @aikakuu : x @alightbuthappypen : x @aoxue : x @bluestrawberrypaint : x @candicewright : x x x x x    @dual-mayhem : x @grapesoddaart : x @hawberries : x @iaquo0 : x @inyourorangeshirt : x @isawjamesfirst : x @jengarie : x x @mikasbees : x @nathengyn : x @palehorsemen : x @rinamyeon : x @sketchyscribbles : x @thatgothsamurai : x x @the-pudding-is-a-lie : x x @zazrichor : x @zelkams-art : x x x x 

Fave MDZS Fanfic Tremble A Prayer a light hidden and singing A Mother’s Curse (A Mother’s Blessing) Tis The Damn Season Emergency Husband speak to me in a language I can feel a lotus blooms in caiyi Goodbye, dreams in a river you wade slipping secrets, skipping stones he gets under your skin 

[marcipancake]

AHHHH IN COLOUR!!! SO PRETTY!!!

I really love your sakuatsu it just sjxhsksjab inspires me again for them xjshkisbs

felt kind of sad lately, but this has also meant that i was too busy to also feel shame, so here’s whatever this is. please accept it.

[gif 1 is a chibi looping animation of atsumu with fox ears and tail, sleeping on a desk. sakusa, behind him, gently pokes his ear to make it flick, then glances away and blushes. gif 2 is a line animation of atsumu sitting cross-legged on the ground, again with fox features; he pricks his ears up as if in excitement, then lays them back affectionately and wags his tail.]

[allisas]

Hawberry End - CC Free

I’ve finally ended my builder’s block and finished a new build! This build was done as part of @saurussims‘ 12th Box Challenge. I often find myself overwhelmed by the possibilities of a blank lot and doing shell or box challenges is a great way to get some restrictions to both inspire and challenge me as a builder. I can’t recommend them enough! They work wonders both for unexperienced and experienced builders and you can also submit them and get them toured on a stream if you want, super rewarding! It’s win all around! 😄

The Hawberry's have finally moved in to the house of their dreams! It's spacious and modern with a cozy, yet stylish interior. And the backyard is an oasis of its own with the generous pool, the small florist/wine storage house and cozy barbecue area. With 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms this house has everything a family of four could ever need. Take a look inside! 

The house has been playtested.

Info: Price: §162 357 (furnished) §50 986 (unfurnished) Lot Size: 40x40 Lot Traits: Homey, Good Schools, Fast Internet Location: It's A Good House, Brindleton Bay

Used Packs:

EP’s: All of them GP’s: Outdoor Retreat, Spa Day, Dine Out, Parenthood, Jungle Adventure, StrangerVille, Realm of Magic, Journey to Batuu SP’s: Perfect Patio, Cool Kitchen, Spooky, Romantic Garden, Kids Room, Backyard, Vintage Glamour, Bowling, Fitness, Toddler, Laundry Day, My First Pet, Moschino, Tiny Living, Paranormal Kits: Country Kitchen, Courtyard Oasis

Download at the Gallery: Origin ID - Allisasims or #Allisas Download Tray-files: Simfileshare

PS. Extra thanks to TwistedMexi for the wonderful T.O.O.L and Better BuildBuy mods which makes building a much more pleasant and fun experience! You can find these awesome mods here!

[iturbide]

@banyanas happy birthday I bound your fic

Sometime in the past couple years I came across @armoredsuperheavy‘s guide for How to Make a Book from an AO3 Page, detailing everything from the specifics of formatting a fic for print to actually making the physical book out of it -- and ever since, I’ve been pondering the idea of giving it a try.  I never quite had the time or resources to dedicate to it, but it’s been on my mind for a long time now.

Then last fall I came across @eat0crow‘s related guide on How to Bind a One-Shot, and since that seemed like a much more realistic intro project, I decided it was time to give it a shot. 

Send the Scourge, Send the Swarm is a hugely important fic for me: it’s what set my brain on fire and got me writing for the Promare fandom in the first place, and while I haven’t finished anything yet, the sequel to this particular piece is near and dear to my heart and 100% guaranteed to be my magnum opus for the fandom; since it’s such a short work, clocking in at just under 6k words, the one-shot format seemed just right for it.  I spent last winter and the beginning of this year getting supplies together (including a roll of the glorious Kakusei washi tape from @hawberries), doing some experiments, formatting the text, figuring out the process by trial and error...and my first round of experiments is finally done!

I ended up making four copies for testing purposes.  The covers are hand-lettered with paint markers in the style of the Promare movie logo (I used an online Promare Title Generator to get the look right and then printed it at the correct scale to use as a guide); inside text is 10 pt Garamond for the work itself, with a combination of Bomber Escort Condensed and Just in the Firestorm for titles/chapters/headings.  I’ve changed over the horizontal line break from the fic to use a triangle format (because, y’know, Promare) with a bit of Zalgo text modification creeping in, bound it with pink and teal embroidery floss (had to have the Promare colors), and covered the stitching on the spine with washi tape to complete the look.

This was a super fun project and I’m really looking forward to playing with it more in the future.  But most of all, happy birthday Bany and thank you for writing this incredible piece that I love with all my heart 💖

[agendratum]

my goodies from @hawberries arrived!! thank you so much! everything is so nice and pretty ;-;

also the australian poststamps are so cute o:

[summerstormsandnoodles]

Waaaaaaaaah these came in today they are so gorgeous thank you so much @hawberries

Everyone go get yours here

[eohachu]

RULES: When your work is tagged, show the process of its creation from planning to posting, then tag 5 people with a specific link to one of their creative works you’d like to see the process of. Use the tag #showyourprocess so we can find yours!

I was tagged by Aamna @yibobibo to show the process for this gifset. Thank you so much kleine Maus 🧡 Thank you for showing us your own process!!

Thank you also to @lan-xichens @suibianjie @highwarlockkareena @nyx4 and @aheartfullofjolllly​ for starting this amazing project 🥰

Let’s get right into it, shall we:

Planning

I never do much planning. Maybe I should tho... I had this set in mind ever since I first saw that WenZhou scene in episode 32. The intimacy instantly reminded me of the two other scenes I included in this set. For some reason there’s always That Scene That Hits Me in danmei live adaptations!!

At first I had planned to do 6 separate gifs but I didn’t like the format so I decided to try overlays! It was my first time blending two gifs together. I think it turned out quite fine.

So I looked for the respective scenes, cut them into clips, and put them through Avisynth. I decided to go quite big so I chose a dimension of 540x400. (Usually my gifs are 540x370.)

I save all the clipped out scenes in a folder inside the folders for the respective dramas.

Creating

So, for the first gif I first imported the two clips separately. Then I deleted the extra frames for each one and sharpened them (also separately). For sharpening I use this action that includes converting them into smart objects. I mostly use the “Sharpening V1″ option, sometimes if it looks good also “Sharpening V2″.

Now I duplicated the Yunlan part of the gif (left side) onto the Shen Wei part. I tried the “Lighten” blending mode like HanYi explained in her tutorial, but it wasn’t right for what I had in mind lol. So I simply set the blending mode back to normal and added a mask to one of the gifs:

And I blacked out the area where I wanted the underlying gif to show up. So now it looks like this:

A bit sad, isn’t it? So in the next step I went through my usual colouring process: Brightness/Contrast, Curves, Levels (sometimes I use them, sometimes I don’t), Vibrance, Selective Color, Hue/Saturation. The biggest problem was to make the skin color vibrant but not too yellow or pink (somehow I always ended up with either of these).

(I’ll be honest, I don’t usually change this much. I don’t normally touch whites and neutrals at all. It’s just that this gif was pretty difficult to colour ksfhsdkjf)

This is what it looks like now:

I definitely wanted to include typography here, which is also something I did for the first time heh. So I’m sure there’s easier ways to do this but alas, here is how I did it:

I added a text layer and typed in the quote. I wanted to go for something simple so I turned to the good ol’ Verdana font. I wanted it to look like a box, so I played around with the space bar and manually adjusted the spaces between letters which you can do where the little VA symbol is:

After I was done with all my gifs (lmao) I decided I wanted to add the quote in hanzi too, as a transparent layer in the background. So I looked up the quotes in Chinese, pasted them into another text layer and set the blending mode to soft light. I also played around with font size and spaces. The font I used is one of PS’s pre-installed ones called FZShuTi.

Added the watermark, and done!! Then I repeated basically the same process for the other two scenes, except that I didn’t need to blend two gifs together for the last one. I had to adjust the layers for colouring individually since they are three different shows with different lighting, setting, and colouring and I wanted it to look at least a bit consistent (🥵).

Special thanks to Kareena who helped me point out some problems I had!!

Posting:

Yeah so I’m pretty impatient when it comes to posting but I queued this one to post in the evening as I do for most of my content. I loaded the gifs into a photo post, added an ID and the Darwish quote. It was quite difficult to find a quote that fit all of these pairings but that one hit me in the face (Mahmoud pls....).

Added the names of the shows and the episode numbers, plus a link to the set that finally convinced me to make this hehe (thank u Aamna).

D O N E !

Tagging:

@aikakuu​ and this piece of art (srsly one of my favourite XingChen pieces out there ;-;)

@yutaan​ and this lil Wen Ning!!

@hawberries​ and this piece that took me out

 @shuang-hua​ and these babies (i know it’s watercolour so no pressure if it’s difficult to make a show-your-process post!!)

@weiwuxian​ and the juniors <3 (listen my lack of planning is why i could never do this)

[sophisticated-creepy]

Lola wanted nothing more than to rush home and look through her newest purchase, anticipating the savory moment until she could sit in the comfort of her home to explore the secrets captured in the mysterious book entitled “Hawberry”. Of course, she invited Modesta along so they could share in the discoveries together, and after a quick side quest at a drive through for a late lunch, Modesta was soon parking her car in Lola’s driveway.

“Do you want me to call Jack and have him come over, too?” Modesta asked as she helped carry the plethora of bags Lola had accumulated throughout the day to the front door.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. Maybe we can pick his brain on his opinion about the pawn shop,” Lola said while unlocking the house. “Come on in. We can eat in the family room.” Upon entering the house, Lola was instantly in her element, kicking off her shoes, greeting the house itself in general, and flitting throughout the hallways and rooms while discarding bags and jackets, settling into the routine of her everyday life, whereas Modesta, upon entering the house, staggered slightly back into the doorframe. It wasn’t that she felt unease, per se, but rather, she felt on edge, as if suspecting she had overstayed her welcome, despite having entered the house only a minute prior. Trying her best to shake off and ignore the sensation of someone observing her sternly from the upstairs landing, she instead followed after Lola who easily sauntered from the kitchen into the family room, and helped to divvy out their lunch onto the pair of plates placed on the coffee table as Lola lit the fireplace to establish a cozy setting.

“I’m going to check in with Raphael and let him know what’s going on if you want to text Jack,” Lola said, going to her purse to retrieve her phone, and once each of the significant others had been notified and updated, Lola and Modesta sat back to enjoy their lunch, ruminating on the day thus far.

“Jack should be over any minute,” Modesta shared, reading from her phone screen as the device blipped the incoming message.

“Perfect,” Lola said, munching away at her fries. “I’m excited to get his take on things. Thanks again for knocking that price down for me, I can’t believe Mr. Pyrite was asking five hundred dollars for that book.”

“Fifty was still a little too steep for my taste, but I genuinely think that was the lowest he would sell it for,” Modesta laughed. “I’m glad we walked away with something. For a moment, I was worried we were going to leave empty handed.”

“Same,” Lola agreed. “It’s interesting the title is called ‘Hawberry”, when Mr. Pyrite said it was a history of Newberry.”

“Are you going to have Raph take a look at it?”

“Of course, but I may wait to show him until after midterms start. I don’t want to take his focus away from work and distract him unnecessarily.” At that point, the doorbell rang, and Lola excitedly got up to answer the door, eager to fill Jack in on the adventures of the day, and she ushered him into the parlor where he sat down next to Modesta, snatching a fry off her plate and giving her a flirty wink in greeting as he joined the duo.

“So,” Jack began while getting situated, “fill me in on your shenanigans. How’d it go at the radio station?”

“Well, apparently, Newberry at Night doesn’t exist,” Modesta shared.

“What?” Jack quirked an eyebrow in question, pausing midway in stealing yet another fry from Modesta’s plate, so she dragged the flatware closer to him so he wouldn’t have to keep reaching over her while she expounded upon their adventure.

“The receptionist there at the station has never heard of the radio show before, and she had no idea who Lazare was when we tried asking to speak with him.”

“She said we were the victims of a Halloween prank,” Lola added, scoffing, offended at the insult.

“That’s ridiculous, we’ve all listened to his show at one time or another this month,” Jack said. “You don’t think she’s lying, do you?”

“To what purpose?” Modesta asked. “She suggested we set up an appointment to speak with the station manager---.”

“---But he’s booked until mid-December,” finished Lola. “Obviously, we passed on the offer. Modesta, though, came up with the clever idea that Lazare could be broadcasting from a pirated signal.”

Jack perked up at hearing that particular line of thought, his interest captured by the prospect of technological roundabouts and loopholes. “That would be pretty cool if he has the smarts to make that happen,” he admitted, impressed by the possibility.

“Is that something that can be easily traceable? Would you be able to track down the transmission signal to locate where Lazare is broadcasting from?” Modesta asked.

“Yeah, it’s totally possible,” Jack answered.

“Great!” Lola cheered.

“Provided I had either a really big plane, which, unfortunately, I don’t,” he said, “or if Lazare was broadcasting directly to us via ham radio.”

“Oh,” and Lola physically deflated.

“Well, I guess that concludes the hunt for Lazare,” Modesta grumbled, balling up a napkin in frustration.

“Now hold on,” Jack tried to uplift, “that route of finding him was indeed clever, even if it was a dead end, but, that doesn’t mean we can’t keep trying. Now, I’ll have you know I did my own research today,” he hinted, drawing the ladies’ attention.

“And---?” Modesta incited.

“I tried to look up references to the phrase ‘little witch’ online, however, I couldn’t find anything that would help lend to our situation. Sorry.”

The women groaned with a mix of annoyance spliced with defeat, slumping into their seats, utterly lost on how to proceed with solving the conundrum of locating Lazare. They needed to find the elusive radio host while also helping the Hobblin’ Goblin, yet anytime they believed progress was being made in either direction, another roadblock knocked them down a flight of stairs, forcing them to start all over again. It was only a matter of time before they each refused to pick themselves up, eventually abandoning the whole ordeal all together, endeavoring for a peaceful existence of a goblin-free life, however, if there was one person who was stubborn enough to investigate every angle, research every detail, or uncover every grain of possibility, it was Lola.

“We have to find the connection,” Lola said, her eyes glued to the ceiling as her mind raced with a million thoughts. “Mr. Goblin was trying to talk to us today, twice, through radio waves. He even guided us to Pyrite’s Pawn Shop, calling out for the little witch.”

“You guys went to the pawn shop? What’d you think of the place?” Jack asked.

“It was fine enough,” Modesta said, sighing as she sat up in her spot at the couch. “Oddly enough, there were a lot of broomsticks for sale,” she added offhandedly, “but it wasn’t until Mr. Pyrite came out of the employee breakroom carrying a box of old books did anything finally grab our attention.”

“Ooh, did you wind up getting a book? What did you get?”

“It’s an old history book on Newberry,” Lola replied. “Except, the title is called ‘Hawberry’, which is confusing. Do you know what a hawberry is?”

“Can’t say that I do,” Jack hummed in thought. “Can I see the book?”

“Sure.” Lola got up from her spot, disappearing into the hallway. “I’m hoping this book holds all the answers in figuring out how to help the Hobblin’ Goblin,” she said, followed by sounds of rummaging and shuffling. Lola’s soft cursing mingled with the rustling of bags and discarded winter clothing, her footsteps becoming heavy as she plodded from the hallway into the kitchen, and then back into the hallway again.

“Lola? Everything okay?” Modesta asked, turning to watch as her friend paced irritably in and out of view from the hallway.

“I can’t find my book. Did you see where I set it down, Mo?” Lola asked as she continued to retrace her steps. “Maybe I left it in the car?”

“I can check, but I’m pretty sure you brought it inside,” Modesta said as she grabbed her keys. “Take a look and see if you placed it with the other books you bought. Maybe it got mixed in with those.” Lola pulled out each book from her purchase at the Barn Yarn, but in the end, came up empty handed, and Modesta shook her head in the negative after checking her car for the wayward book as she reentered the house.

“It’ll turn up,” Jack consoled, patting Lola comfortingly between her tense shoulders. “You can show it to me later.”

“It’s not like it could have gotten up and walked off on its own,” Lola pouted.

“Maybe it had help,” Modesta offered, her eyes lifting towards the stairs to linger over the darkened upper landing as the three convened in the entry hallway.

“After all we’ve been through today, it had better turn up.”

Both Modesta and Jack decided it was time to take their leave, as they had other affairs that needed their attention, just as Lola did, and after saying their farewells and appreciations for spending time and lunch together, along with words of encouragement to keep her chin held high, Lola waved her friends goodbye from the front porch as she watched them drive away. Alone, Lola walked back inside, her attention solely focused on finding her new book.

“I came home, I set my bags here,” Lola announced, verbally reciting while acting out her movements after the day of shopping. She gestured to the sitting bench in the hallway where she always placed her purchases before putting them in their proper place, yet all she could see was the bag from the Barn Yarn, her coat, and her scarf in a disheveled heap, becoming an unattractive mound of untidy clutter. Nearing her wit’s end, she sighed aggrievedly, and stomped back into the family room to tidy up from the midday meal, all the while her mind plaguing her of being too scatterbrained in forgetting where she laid the one key piece in potentially solving her snowball of a mystery.

“Maybe it did get up and wander off on its own,” she chortled to herself while stacking the plates. “Or, maybe it did have help. Oh, Mr. Ghost?” she called out. “Did you happen to take my book for a little light reading?” Lola was mocking herself, playing silly that the recent ghost who may or may not have taken to following her home several weeks ago had the wherewithal to abscond with her book. Still chuckling to herself, she glided into the kitchen, setting the used dishes next to the sink for cleaning, but before she could manage any further activity, a soft “thud”, along with the discreet brush of paper shifting over itself, came from across the room. Lola froze, stunned by the curious noise, yet eventually turned her head in the direction she heard the strange sound, and noticed that laying open on the small table in the breakfast nook, usually where she imagined her friend Mr. Ghost would sit, was an old and dusty book.

Walking over to the nook, Lola lifted the corner of the book, knowing she could probably guess the title before even reading the cover, and seeing the faded indentations only confirmed her suspicions that the book was indeed “Hawberry”. Still spooked, she let the cover slip from her fingers, the book laying open once more, the sounding “thud” and shuffle of paper identical to what initially drew her attention. Curiosity led her to eye the pages that presented themselves, Lola reading a subheading in thick, block letters.

“Rosamunde’s Prayer?” she questioned in a whisper. Lola hadn’t even registered herself slowly sinking into her spot at the cozy nook, her eyes already dancing over the words, beginning to read the unhappy tale and fate of the girl named Rosamunde.

Raphael came home to a silent house, though not an unusual occurrence from time to time, however, finding the lack of nearly all the lights being off inside the house was cause for pondering as he placed his keys on the wall placard, their house more typically resembling a beacon of light at the end of their quiet street, and when even calling out his return home was met with uncustomary silence, he frowned in confusion, for Lola wasn’t one to neglect welcoming him home in her traditional heartfelt reply. He assumed she was home by mere fact her car was parked in the driveway, and he could see her belongings taking up a decent portion of the sitting bench in the hallway, and suspected his fiancée must be indulging in a hot soak in the bath upstairs. He began turning on lights to welcome life into the house. It was nearing dusk, the elongated shadows of night beginning to turn the world inwards as frosty winds skittered over barren trees, and as he rounded the corner to turn on the kitchen lights, he was startled by the sight of Lola sitting quietly in the breakfast nook.

She had her chin resting in one hand, the other drumming lazy fingers along the cover of a book under her palm, staring unseeingly out the bay windows into the gardens of the backyard, oblivious to the sinking time of day or his presence hovering in the threshold of the kitchen. The overhead lighting which flashed on seemed to break her from whatever spell she was lost to, and blinking tear-rimmed eyes, she swiveled her direction towards him. Any teasing comment he had concocted to greet her vanished in a heartbeat as he saw the despondent way her posture slumped, her frown pulling the corners of her mouth down to mimic the haunting shadows that stretched along the earth, and he went to her, gently cupping her face in his large hands to kiss the corners of her frown.

“Why are you troubled?” he softly asked, his forehead lightly touching her own, and he felt her sigh, her breath fanning over the exposed skin of his throat surrounded by scarf and coat.

“I know who the little witch is,” she said softly.

“Really? That’s great,” he replied, pulling away from her to brush at a dried tear streak that faintly glistened off her cheek. “Yet, you are sad?”

“It’s a long story,” Lola half smiled, placing a loving hand over the one caressing her cheek. “I don’t want to inundate you after you spent all this time mentally preparing for tomorrow. I don’t even want you to see me like this, it’s just---.”

“You do not need to worry about what my mind can or cannot withstand, my love,” Raphael interrupted, “especially if the topic is bringing you this much distress, although it is appreciated you are concerned.” He briskly kissed her, then stood from the nook. “Now, tell me this ‘long story’ while I make us dinner,” he said while unraveling his scarf. He laid the fabric along with his coat across the back of one of the kitchen chairs, then rolled up his sleeves as he moved to rummage in the pantry. Lola got to her feet, fretting and fussing after him.

“No, no, no,” she lightly scolded. “You have a big day with midterms tomorrow, I want to make something special for you.” She snatched the box of dried spaghetti noodles out of his hands as he turned from the pantry.

“Tell you what,” he countered, easily taking the box back into his possession, “we’ll make dinner together, okay?”

“Fine,” she relented, unable to stop herself from smiling as he playfully bopped the box of noodles lightly on top of her head. She maneuvered to the kitchen island where the pots and pans were stored, and crouched to grab a large pot to begin boiling water for their pasta dish, while Raphael, meanwhile, added other ingredients to the island top above her from the refrigerator. “How was your time at the beach? You smell salty.”

“Should I be offended by that remark?”

Lola laughed. “I said ‘salty’, not fishy. You know what I meant,” she chastised, setting the pot onto the burner after filling it with water, switching on the heat.

“Yes, the beach was lovely, but cold today, so I spent most of my time at an outdoor café on the boardwalk doing crossword puzzles to keep out of the wind.”

“Crossword puzzles by the sea? When did I agree to marry an old man?” she teased lightheartedly.

“Excuse me?” Raphael encroached her space, goosing her side in retaliation, following after her as she laughed while trying to escape. “I believe you’ve been known to partake and enjoy ‘old lady’ activities yourself,” he bantered, keeping up his relentlessly playful attack until she eventually skirted out of reach, breathless, putting the island in between them. “Stay on that side, now, you’ve lost privileges in helping me with dinner,” he scolded, motioning her away from the cook space. Lola rolled her eyes, but obliged, pulling the chair out that held his coat and scarf, turning it so she could sit and face him directly. Raphael’s heart warmed at seeing her inner spark alight her eyes again, forever readily willing to help chase away her blues if he could help it.

“So,” he drawled as he began to chop vegetables for a salad, “who is the little witch?”

“Rosamunde,” Lola answered after taking a deep breath. “She was the daughter of the local pharmacist during the early days of Newberry’s settlement.”

“How did you come about all of this information?” Raphael asked, wildly curious.

“I made a very interesting purchase today at the one and only Pyrite’s Pawn Shop,” Lola dramatically answered.

“You bought a radio?” he smirked.

“No, a history book. Ha! Figured that would get your attention,” Lola smugly smiled as she watched Raphael’s head whip up in her direction, eyes dancing with his thirst for knowledge.

“Tell me more about what’s in this history book,” he encouraged.

“Well, according to what I’ve read, there was a young child named Rosamunde, who every day, would go into the hawthorn forest, only to return looking as if she had been crying and covered in dirt. Guess what the book says she was looking for inside the hawthorn forest?” When Raphael only shrugged his shoulders, Lola answered for him. “A goblin.”

“No,” he breathed, stunned. “You’re kidding.”

“I am not.”

“A goblin? That’s so oddly specific,” Raphael mused.

“The book goes on to say that this Rosamunde child was adamant that a beautiful goblin king lived in the forest, and that she cared for him deeply, claiming that he was also her friend, and that he needed help. She would be seen taking gifts into the forest during each of her visits, but, alas, always came back home covered in dirt and crying,” Lola continued.

“This is a strange tale to have been recorded into a history book,” Raphael commented.

“It’s the foundation to an early town folklore called ‘Rosamunde’s Prayer’,” Lola shared. “Her actions and behavior were so odd, and being such a new settlement with a small population, rumors spread, and soon, Rosamunde became the local legend, especially considering that after she had been making her daily visits, the hawthorn forest started to rot and die. Eventually, the town blamed Rosamunde.”

“That is cruel, to blame a child. What happened to her?”

“She got sick during a particularly harsh winter after being found nearly frozen in the forest during one of her excursions to help the goblin. Her father was unable to heal her despite being a pharmacist. They moved farther south to a warmer climate, and that’s the last anyone heard of that family.”

Raphael was deep in thought, processing all that Lola had to share from her discoveries. “I’ve never heard of ‘Rosamunde’s Prayer’ before,” he said. “That particular legend must not have taken as firm a root as the others to withstand the passages of time.”

“Parts of it I think still hold true, especially if you’re considering the Hobblin’ Goblin. There’s a transcript of ‘Rosamunde’s Prayer’ in my book. Would you like to hear it?”

“Of course,” Raphael urged. Lola got up from her spot, going to the breakfast nook where her book was still resting, and knowing exactly the page to turn to, cleared her throat before she began speaking.

“Little witch, little witch, who are you seeking?

I am in search of the Goblin King

Little witch, little witch, why do you seek him?

He needs from me the new life I bring

Little witch, little witch, where will you find him?

He is in the forest thicket of hawberry trees

Little witch, little witch, when will he take it?

When the evening veil opens and the spirits roam free.”

There was silence as Lola closed the book, the melancholy demeanor from her earlier reverie clouding her eyes once more.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized when she felt Raphael’s arms encircle her. “It’s just so sad to think there’s this child, trying every day to help a forest goblin in some way, but then had to leave it all behind. And what’s more,” she added, “is that shortly after the family left, strange, unexplainable activity befell the town. What if the activity was caused by the Hobblin’ Goblin because he doesn’t know why Rosamunde stopped showing up in the forest? What if he’s still looking for her?”

Raphael squeezed a touch tighter, gently rocking in a comforting motion as his beloved dissolved against his body, all the while murmuring soft words to soothe her as she fully allowed herself to cry for the tragic fates of Rosamunde and the goblin.

“But there’s still so much we don’t even know,” Lola muffled into his chest, not ready to leave his embrace. “Why was Rosamunde going into the forest every day only to come back dirty and crying? And how are we going to make it right?” She eventually had to come up for air, staring beseechingly up at Raphael as she asked her question.

“You are too pure of heart,” he commented with a kind smile. “I don’t know how we can make this right,” he then added honestly.

“We have to tell him,” she said, brushing her tears away, preparing herself to take action. “We have to tell the Hobblin’ Goblin that Rosamunde is gone.” She then suddenly gasped. “That’s why he has a broken heart. I’ll bet he cherished Rosamunde and misses her.”

“Lola,” Raphael implored, gaining her attention before she became too gregarious in her passions to assist the otherworldly. “I know you want to help, and we will,” he added before she could protest, “but now is not the time. How would you even confront the Hobblin’ Goblin to inform him of Rosamunde’s absence? Do you plan on simply waltzing into the Dead Forest and declare to the trees that she had moved away?” He saw the guilty look cross her face before she could properly mask the emotion. “Oh, my God, you were going to go back into the Dead Forest to search for the Hobblin’ Goblin by yourself again, weren’t you?”

“Well, how else am I supposed to tell him?”

Raphael sighed, bending down to place his head on top of Lola’s, groaning exasperatedly. “Please, do not make me have to cancel midterms just so I can keep an eye on you,” he pleaded. “Look, I love that you want to help the Hobblin’ Goblin, I want to help him too, but I am begging you to please refrain from doing anything reckless until we have come up with a way to safely communicate with the Hobblin’ Goblin together.”

“Okay,” Lola simply answered, a smidgen too easily for Raphael’s liking.

“That means no chasing after spirit foxes,” he added, lifting his head to directly state his terms and conditions.

“Okay,” she reiterated, smiles replacing her serious scowls.

“No ‘test’ audio recording sessions, either.”

“Okay,” she giggled.

“No hunting shadows from newspaper clippings,” he continued to tease, “or fieldtrips to train yards and museums.”

Lola laughed openly now. “You can’t just put me under house arrest like this.”

“Lola, if it meant you would stay out of trouble, I will tie you to the bed if necessary.”

“Oh, my,” she grinned. “Maybe I should get into trouble more often,” she suggested silkily, hooking her thumbs into his belt loops to give herself purchase as she raised up on her toes to kiss him.

“Insufferable minx,” he purred, pulling away. “You will be the death of me yet, I have no doubt.”

“I love you, too.” Lola smiled warmly, giving her fiancé a firm hug before releasing him completely, and the two returned to their evening tasks of preparing dinner, she ambling back to sit in her chair at the kitchen table to idly play with the fringes of Raphael’s scarf, wrapping herself in his essence while listening to his pleasant cadence of conversation. Raphael was Lola’s grounding stone, able to be the port in her wildest storms while also the wind to lift her wings. He was always willing to play when she needed laughter, embrace when she needed comfort, and calm her when her temper flared. They were partners, through thick and thin, and together, Lola was confident they would come to a conclusion in figuring out a way to help heal the broken heart of the Hobblin’ Goblin.

~~~~~~~~~~