Part 32 In which others share Marlot’s interests

It took less than half the time on the broomstick than it had taken them to walk to the village. She usually tried not to travel so quickly, flying did require quite a bit of magic, especially when the witch was already under a great deal of stress and the faster one flew the more magic it took, not to mention Marlot wasn’t the only one on the broomstick.

As the village came into view Marlot heard someone scream, when she got closer some of them actually started throwing things at her. She increased her altitude until she was out of their range but didn’t slow down until she got to the general store where her and Jack had gone on their first visit. Jack jumped off the broom as soon as they were close to the ground while Marlot all but flew it through the store’s front door.

Samuel stood behind the counter wearing an expression that said, witches flew through his front door every day and that he was not going to be bothered by it. In front of him was a small pile of oddly colored beans. He smiled at the little witch and said, “Greetings Miss Marlot, welcome back. And Master Jack, how good to see you again so soon.”

“Please,” Marlot gasped, bending over almost double and leaned on the broomstick like a cane for support, “you haven’t sold any of that stuff Jack sold you yesterday have you?”

“As a matter of fact I haven’t. I was just examining these beans he brought to determine exactly what they are. Are you quite alright my dear?” concern was etched on his face under his smile.

“They are magic beans sir.” She gasped feeling faint. The flight and her nerves had taken a bigger toll than she had expected.

Jack wrapped an arm around her waist to support her then looked at Samuel, “You know, from the story of Jack and the bean stock.” Marlot glanced up at her golem, who looked as fresh as he had when they left the cabin, with the exception of his spiky green hair sticking up a bit more than usual.

Samuel brought a stool over from behind the counter and Jack steered her to it. “Please sit Miss Marlot, you look a little worse for wear, I might have just the thing to help with your hair, I take it you left in quite a hurry and forgot your hat.” He winked at her and made his way to the back of the shop.

Marlot now faced the door where a crowd of people had gathered watching her and looking frightened. One familiar face separated from the group and pushed her way into the general store. “Miss Marlot, Master Jack, what are you doing back here so soon, and where is your new dress.” The little seamstress broke away from the gathered mob and smiled at her friends.

“It’s in the bag Rosalie, but I’m afraid we might not be able to keep it.”

“Why ever not?” she asked looking put out.

Samuel came back at that moment pushing a cup of water into Marlot’s hand and a comb into the other. “Yours I believe.” He said with a smile.

Marlot squeaked and dropped both the cup and the comb which clattered to the shop floor, the contents of the cup soaking her robes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make a mess, but that comb is poisonous.”

She looked up when she heard angry muttering coming from the mob still gathered around the doorway.

“I knew she was up to no good.”

“That which was always out to get us.”

“You think she poisoned it herself and sent her apprentice to deceive us?”

“She seems harmless.”

“Enough!” Samuel yelled over the voices, “I believe Miss Marlot had her reasons for coming here, and a reasonable explanation why her young friend sold me a poisoned comb. If you don’t mind I would like to hear her side of things instead of your gossiping.”

“I never meant any harm you know.” Marlot muttered to her lap, “I like fairy tales. I have actually seen some of them happen, or known people who have. So I started collecting the books, reading the different versions that people tell, and fantasizing about my own happy ever after.” She blushed, “Then I started to collect the objects from those stories, in this case, the wine cup from The Twelve Dancing Princesses, Sweetheart Roland’s seven-league boots and apron, an invisibility cloak and inexhaustible wine bottle from The Raven, the magic beans Jack used to grow a bean stalk, and finally the lace and comb used against Snow White by the evil Queen. All of these objects, and many more, have been hidden safely away in my cabin for many years, never used against anyone or at all since I have had them. Jack didn’t know what it was he had, please don’t blame him, it’s my fault they were in his room, and my fault he didn’t know what they were.” The store was silent as everyone strained to hear her, voice weak from exhaustion.

Samuel laid a hand on her shoulder but spoke to the crowd. “You see, she is harmless, and as I suspect, only trying to protect us. Master Jack did not know what it was he had, it was Miss Marlot, who it seems, risked herself to come here and warn us of the dangers we now face. It appears that most of these objects are quite useful if you know what they are and use them properly, if it is quite alright with you Miss Marlot, I shall like to keep them here in the shop, you never know when you may need to travel seven-leagues in a hurry and I’m sure our tavern could use an inexhaustible bottle of wine.”

“Did you say you had Snow White’s lace?”

Marlot looked up at Rosalie in wonder. “Y-yes.”

“It isn’t harmful is it?”

“Not on its own, it was the Queen’s attempt to make them too tight that made them dangerous, not the lace itself.”

“Wonderful! May I see it Master Samuel, I believe I have the perfect dress to use it with.”

Marlot watched as the villagers not only accepted her story, but actually seemed excited about the objects from the fairy stories they had grown up hearing about. They even asked Marlot about other objects, such as Cinderella’s slippers, the golden ball that had once belonged to a princess who had to kiss a frog, and the silver, gold, and diamond twigs from The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Other witches were interesting in the objects for their magical properties but they could care less about mundane objects the villagers were now asking about. It wasn’t long until Rosalie drug them away from the villagers and back to her little shop where she described what she was going to do with her new lace and insisted on helping Marlot put on her birthday present.

Part 31 In which fairy tales can come true

Marlot woke up to the sun shining in her window, Jinx sleeping on her chest, and Jack bursting through her door.

“Happy Birthday Marlot!”

She pushed Jinx off then rolled over smiling at the golem standing in her doorway. Jack had a big grin on his face and a brown paper package in his arms.

“Whaaaat’s that?” she asked, failing to stifle a yawn as she stretched.

“It’s your birthday present Marlot, the one I went to the village to get.” He sat down next to her on the bed and handed over the parcel. Marlot quickly untied the cords and pulled back the paper to reveal a dress the color of Jack’s leaf green hair. The fabric was thick and warm to protect from the cold but soft enough to move comfortably in.

“Jack, it’s beautiful, thank you.”

“I sold some of the less interesting stuff from my room to pay for it,” he said proudly.

Marlot paused as she smoothed the dress out on her bed, admiring the workmanship. “Like what?” she asked, suddenly anxious.

“I figured since they were in storage you wouldn’t miss them.”

“Jack what did you sell?” Marlot watched him closely as he shifted nervously under her gaze.

“An old beat up pair of boots, a glass jar half full of beans, a handful of ribbons, a pretty comb, an apron, a cloak ,a very fancy wine cup, and a bottle of wine. What was wine doing in my room anyway?”

Marlot looked at him in disbelief, “Jack! Haven’t you been reading those fairy tales, or were you just admiring the craftsmanship of the book!”

“Of course I have been reading them.” He sounded hurt but she needed him to understand just how serious this was.

“Do you remember reading anything about magic beans, 7 league boots, invisibility cloaks, or maybe something about a pretty little princess whose stepmother kept trying to kill her so she would be the fairest in the land?”

“Yes…” he twitched under her intense glare.

“Well that is exactly what you just sold to the villagers, not to mention that the comb, Snow White’s comb no less, is actually dangerous.”

“The one the Queen tried to kill her with?”

“The very same, if one of the villagers tried to use that they would be poisoned on the spot.”

“Oh.” Jack bit his lip and looked down at his lap. “I’m sorry Marlot, will you forgive me? I didn’t mean to sell anything important; I just wanted some money to buy you a present.”

Marlot jumped off of the bed and after looking longingly at her new dress she quickly changed into one of her black robes and folded her present into a sack. As she threw the sack over her shoulder and ran out of the room Jack called after her, “Marlot, where are you going?”

She snatched her broomstick out of the corner where she had left it the night before and threw open the front door. “To warn the villagers,” she called over her shoulder. Jack ran after her and jumped on the broom behind her out in the yard, holding on tightly as they sped over the forest below.

Part 30 In which everyone makes mistakes

She wasn’t sure how long she flew, or where she would go. Having left without thinking, all she had to keep her warm was her robe, and the air was chilly so high up and so late in the year. Jinx was warm and used to flying but even he was fidgety.

Around midnight Marlot touched ground outside the cabin once more, where she could see a cheery fire burning inside. She opened the door cautiously and saw the golem asleep in the window seat, his forehead against the cool glass. There was also a bowl of stew on the table. It was cold now but he had obviously put it there in hopes of her return. She smiled at Jack then quietly went into his room and pulled the blanket off his bed.

She watched him sleep for a moment then gently tucked the blanket around her beloved golem. He twitched then turned to face her. Marlot dropped to her knees next to him. “I’m so…”

He didn’t even let her finish her apology before dropping to the ground next to her hugging her so tightly she almost couldn’t breathe.

“I’m sorry Marlot, I really didn’t believe anything they said, honest. I love you Marlot you know that right? Why would I ever leave?”

“I’m sorry too,” she said into his boney shoulder, she really should feed him more.

“Your freezing.”

“I was flying. It’s really cold.”

Jack took the blanket that had fallen off of him when he woke and wrapped it around them both. They sat on the floor, their backs to the window seat, in silence for a long time while Jack ran his fingers through her tangled curls and Marlot breathed in the smell of him.

It was so nice to just sit there and Marlot was starting to drift off to sleep when Jack’s fingers moved from her hair to her face. He traced her soft cheeks and slightly turned up nose, the lines around her eyes, and finally her lips. She shivered under his gentle touch and lightly kissed his finger when it paused on her mouth.

“Marlot?” he asked quietly.

“um hum.” She said under his finger.

“What is kissing exactly? It seems so important in the fairy tales, waking princesses and all of that. But…” He blushed and pulled his hand away.

She bit her lip for a moment, “Well its...” she hesitated and for the first time realized that the strange feelings she had when she saw the way Lilly looked at Jack wasn’t being protective, she was jealous of the pretty young woman. “It’s like this Jack.” She gently placed the tip of her fingers under his chin until he turned to face her. His cheeks were still red and she could feel her own face heating up. She leaned into him until their lips touched. It was as though every happy feeling she had ever felt flooded into her at that moment. His mouth was so soft, his hands now buried in her hair were warm, and she knew every point where they touched, their knees and legs on the floor where they sat, her arms on his chest. It only lasted a moment but it felt like a lifetime. They pulled apart, both blushing like silly children and sat back against the window seat.

“Oh.” Jack said, sounding a little breathless. “That was nice.”

“Well now you know.” Marlot muttered to her lap, too shy to look at him.

“Yes, I supposed your right.” His hand found her’s and their fingers folded around each other. “And here I thought only the person with the birthday got a present.

Marlot giggled and squeezed his hand.

Part 29 In which an argument takes place

“How did you know that it was almost my birthday?” she asked truly confused.

“Your spell book, you said your mother gave it to you on your sixteenth birthday. Did you know she had written the date on the back of the cover?”

“I had actually forgotten about that,” she answered amazed. “How do you know about birthdays?”

“Some stories are about them.” He said in an offhand way. He turned from her and went into his room, removing a pack from his back as he went.

She watched him baffled for a moment then trotted after him, “Where did you go?”

“The village.”

She froze, “but they said for us to never go back. Are you alright?”

He was bent over the bed, pulling stuff out of the bag. He was silent for a moment. “About that…Marlot…”

“What is it Jack, did they try to hurt you?” She spun him to face her.

“They don’t hate me, it’s just you they don’t like.” He was blushing and scuffed his shoe on the floor.

“But I made you, you’re an abomination.”

“That isn’t fair, I don’t know what it means, but it doesn’t sound nice and everyone in town was very helpful, as long as I didn’t tell them the stuff I was buying was for you.”

“Then why did they threaten you last time?”

“To hurt you Marlot, they are afraid that you will hurt them and their children and that you are holding me captive. Most of them don’t believe that you made me, they think I am some child you kidnapped and use to test your experiments.” He face was burning still but there was anger in his eyes.

“So the fact that your hair is green doesn’t bother them?” she snapped.

“Unfortunate side effect.”

“Of what, living with me?”

“Maybe, or being your slave. I do all of the cooking and cleaning around here and you spend all your time looking up spells.”

Do you actually believe them Jack, do you really think I am keeping you here against your will? Because if you want to leave then by all means go! I’m sure they will take you in with open arms!” When had she started crying again? She turned and stomped out of his room, it had been a mistake to create the golem. She was going to get into trouble with the council for that she was certain, but it would all be worth it if she knew that he cared about her like she did him. But like everyone else in her life that she had ever let herself get close to he would just turn on her as well. She picked up Jinx as she walked past him and out into the garden.

“I am not an abomination!” he yelled after her before the door slammed shut behind her.

She turned to look at the door, no part of her believed that he was anything short of perfect, her greatest achievement and now failure. Did he really feel that she would ever force him to do anything? Her broomstick was up against the wall near the door where she had left it after flying Jack and Lilly around the garden. Holding Jinx against her chest with one arm she grabbed the broom with the other and took off into the night sky.

Part 28 In which Jack is independent

Marlot woke up to an unseasonably cold morning, bundled up in her blankets she sleepily shuffled into the kitchen, relit the fire, and hung the tea pot over it. “Jack! Are you hungry?” there was no answer. Marlot listened for any sounds of movement coming from behind his closed door but she heard nothing. Knocking she said “Come on Jack, it’s time to get up. Are you warm enough, we might need to find you another blanket if the nights are going to be like this,” But there was no answer. “Jack?” she asked as she pushed open the door. The room was full of odds and ends left over from its days as a storage space. Most of it had been moved out after Jack was made but there was still quite a bit they needed to go through, although it looked like Jack had been hard at work without her, setting up his new home. A witch can collect a lot in nearly two hundred years. Jack’s bed was crammed into the back corner nicely made up with no golem in sight. Marlot chewed her bottom lip, where could he be, she wondered.

The witch sat down in the window seat so she could get a good look at the garden, but he wasn’t there either. “Jack!” she yelled out the door, hoping for, but not expecting, and answer. “Jack! Where are you?!” Jinx rubbed up against Marlot’s leg and meowed.

“I’ll feed you in a minute, I need to find Jack.”

It had been almost a month since the trip to the village and every couple of days Marlot had noticed some of the village men walking along the edge of the wood and looking toward the cabin. She wasn’t worried, her garden wall had at least a century’s worth of spells on it to ward of any unwanted visitors, or any visitors at all, unless they were specifically given permission to cross.

Her real worry was the golem’s fondness for being outside. He had been trading off between fairy tales and Marlot’s spell book for weeks, usually reading them under his apple tree where she could see him. Had he wondered beyond the wall, or had those men found a way in?

The witch tried to spend the rest of the day pretending she wasn’t worried about Jack. She pulled a book off the shelf and curled up in the window seat, but Jack and the beanstalk lay closed in her lap as she stared blankly out the window. Jinx eventually crawled into her lap on top of the book and nuzzled her until she scratched his head.

“Maybe he went somewhere with Lilly,” she said to the cat, “that would explain why she hasn’t come by yet today. Or it could just be because she was here yesterday.” Jinx started to purr oblivious to anything she was saying.

Near noon she saw something move in the trees but it turned out to be nothing more than a deer, she tried to busy herself around the cabin but Jack was so good at keeping it clean that there was precious little for her to do and she always found herself back at the window.

Marlot started dinner as the sun began to set behind the trees, she was so lonely without the golem around and she realized for the hundredth time that day how much she depended on him now. She was stirring the stew when the door opened behind her. Jack’s lopsided smile was lit by the flames of the fire. Marlot froze for a moment before running across the small space between them, throwing her arms around his neck.

“Marlot, why are you crying?”

She didn’t realize she was, “I was that worried about you my silly scarecrow.” Was her answer as she dried her face on a sleeve, “where have you been all day?”

“You were worried?”

“Of course I was.”

“But I only went to the village.”

“And you didn’t feel the need to tell me?”

Jack pulled away from her looking puzzled, “But I thought I wasn’t your servant.”

“You’re not, what does that have to do with anything?”

He has stopped smiling, a defensive look glinting in his eyes, “I didn’t realize I needed to ask permission to go to the village.”

They both stopped and stared at each other for a moment, then Marlot took a deep breath and held his hands in hers, remember that he doesn’t know everything, he is only a few months old, go easy on him, her sensible self said. “Jack, you don’t need to ask permission to go places, but it is polite to tell people where you are going so they don’t worry about you, or at least know where to look if something does go wrong. Do you understand?”

He thought it over for a moment and then looked her in the eye, “I’m sorry Marlot, I didn’t mean to worry you, but I wanted to get you a present.”

Will he ever cease to surprise me, she thought “Really? For what?”

“Your birthday.”

Part 27 In which the sky is the limit

Telling Lilly and Jack her story had actually strengthened the trios friendship.

“So you actually have a broom stick that flies and everything?” The young woman took a careful sip of that hot tea Marlot had just given her.

Jack was across the table from Lilly flipping through the pages of Marlot’s beloved spell book, “I’ve never seen it.”

“Of course you have Jack,” Marlot placed a cup in front of him after putting almost as much sugar in it as there was tea, “you use it to sweep the cabin.”

“You actually use it to sweep.” Lilly said appalled.

“Of course, it is a broom after all.”

Lilly muttered to herself, “Of course what a strange concept, using a flying broom to sweep the floors.” She eyed the ordinary looking broom stick and then turned to Marlot, “Can I try it?”

“Afraid not, the rider must be able to use magic.”

“Then can you take me for a ride, I would love to fly?”

“I don’t know if it can carry two people.”

Jack was busy trying to stop Jinx from drinking his tea, with one hand holding back the cat and the other holding the cup in the air he said, “It can’t hurt to test it, we will probably need it to get to the solstice meeting anyway right?”

“I hadn’t really thought about it actually, but yes, you are right.”


Marlot had almost forgotten just how much she loved to fly, although it was odd to have a passenger, especially one who held on so tight Marlot feared that she would be squeezed to death. “Lilly, you don’t need to hold on so very tight, I won’t let you fall.”

“But I’ve never flown before, it’s scary being up this high.”

“Not many humans have, it’s thrilling isn’t it?”

“Terrifying actually, can we land now?”

“If you wish.” Marlot dropped in a gentle dive and came in for a near perfect landing walking with the broom for the last few steps. Lilly on the other hand toppled off the back the moment her feet got near the ground and fell over onto her back staring up at the sky.

“Was it fun?” Jack smiled down at his terrified friend.

“No, I don’t know how she can stand it.”

Marlot was still on the broom hovering a few inches off the ground in a circle around her friends. “Stand it? I love it, I really should fly more often, you want to give it a try Jack, we will have a long way to go next month and I don’t want to test your nerve at the last minute.”

The golem jumped at the chance to fly and with his arms wrapped tightly around Marlot’s waist they took off much higher than she had gone with Lilly. Jack, much to her delight seemed thrilled and whooped, he let go with one arm and held out his hand so he could feel the wind blow through his fingers. “Marlot this is amazing.”

She felt a shy smile on her face and laced her fingers through the hand that was still around her waist.

Part 26 In which Marlot tells her story (part 3)

At the festival Marlot snuggled up to a slightly drunk Peter, it was all too easy for her to pour the contents of her potion bottle into his tankard of mead. The effect was immediate. One swig of the spiked drink and it was Peter trying to impress Marlot.


She was seated on his lap, he had been playing cards but a single whisper from Marlot made him turn his full attention to her. “I love you little witch.”She quivered with joy as she repeated the sentiment. “You are so beautiful,” he breathed in her ear then kissed her with so much passion it made even the trees blush.


Marlot continued to feed him the potion once a day for the next couple of months but eventually it seemed that the spell didn’t hold up as it had. She would bring him his lunch complete with a apple soaked in love potion and he would sneer at her and call her names, eventually he would have to eat the entire apple before he would even warm up to her. After a few more months she had to increase the dosage to twice a day, once with lunch, the other with dinner. Eventually it increased further to breakfast lunch and dinner. Marlot started to grow nervous, what was she going to do next, feed it to him every hour.

One day Marlot had to hurry home and left her love’s lunch with him rather than eating with him like she usually did.


Now witches always have an escape route and that afternoon when the angry mob was at her door Marlot grabbed her spell book and broom stick then flew as fast as she could out the window.

“What happened?” Lilly asked leaning closer.

“I was able to piece together later that Peter had grown tired of eating apples all the time and when his friend said he was hungry Peter happily handed over the juicy red fruit. Needless to say Peter’s spell wore off about the same moment his friend declared his undying love for me. It didn’t take any of them long to realize what was going on and after tying up their love struck friend they came after me. I finally realized that Peter had never loved me, nor was he ever likely to.”

“I love you Marlot.”

“I love you too Jack. But you see Lilly, magic can’t solve all of your problems, it usually just causes them.”

Lilly sat back, appearing to absorb all that she had learned. “Did you ever go back and try to explain things?”

“Once, but it didn’t work, all I got was that part of the story I wasn’t around for.”

“Maybe you should try again, apologize, and explain to them like you did us.”

“Too late, I’m sure they are all dead by now.”

Lilly sat up in alarm while Jack looked vaguely curious. Lilly stumbled over her words in alarm, “Wh-what did you do to them?”

“I didn’t’ do anything,” Marlot said defensively, “time did, that all happened a long time ago.”

“How long?”

“Let me think, about a hundred and sixty years.” Marlot winked at Jack.

“What!” Lilly actually fell off the window seat in shock. “How old are you?”

“I’ll be one hundred eighty-seven in a few weeks.”

‘One hundred eighty-seven’ Lilly mouthed the number from the floor, “that is unbelievable.”

“I’m immortal.”

“But you look so young.”

Marlot rolled her eyes and scratched the top of Jinx’s head until he started to purr. Jack rolled his eyes too and helped Lilly to her feet, “weren’t you listening, she stopped aging when she was really young, why would you expect her to look any older?”

Part 25 In which Marlot tells her story (part 2)

“Oh Peter, Peter. I have been looking all over for you.” The little witch smiled up at the man she thought to be her one true love.

“Marlot? Right?”

“Yes.” She grinned unable to believe that he actually remembered her name. “You know how you said that you wouldn’t want an old witch as your wife.”

“Yeah, what of it, I have a card game to get to?”

“Well, I performed the ritual, now I will always be as you see me now. Will you please go to the festival with me?”

“Wait, you mean you will never get any older?”

“That’s right, I will be young and beautiful forever.” She beamed knowing she was moments away from her happily ever after.

“So you are saying that you will always be a pretty little girl while I have to get old and wrinkled. You really want me to go through the ridicule of telling people that the girl who looks young enough to be my daughter is in fact my wife! Are you soft in the head or something?”

Marlot felt a hurt and anger she had never experienced before fill her up inside as raw power flowed through her and crackled along her skin like static, there were even tiny violet lightning bolts sparking in her hair. At least Peter had the good sense to look frightened and with some mumbled excuse about cards he ran as fast as he could from her.

All the raw power started making her feel light headed and a little nauseous. Marlot had to get rid of it somehow or it could destroy her from within. She touched her hand to a tree growing in the village center and it was reduced to little more than cinders at her feet after only a few moments. She stared at the place where the tree had been feeling sorry for the beautiful bit of nature that was no longer there. I will make him love me, she thought, if it’s the last thing I do.

Back in her flat Marlot pulled out her favorite spell book, the one that listed every spell, creature, and potion ever known. It was a gift from her mother when she turned sixteen and had been her constant companion ever since.

She idly flipped through the pages hoping to come across something that would make Peter love her.

“It’s kind of like what I did when I decided to make you Jack, I just happened to come across golems in the book.”

“So it wasn’t like you said, ‘hum, I would like to make a golem today’ you actually had no idea until you were so bored and lonely that you started playing with that book? You are silly Marlot.” He smiled up at her.

“What are you trying to say you little scarecrow?” she wasn’t sure if she should be offended or if he was only teasing, but he looked so cute with his lopsided smile and mischievous eyes that she couldn’t be mad at him.

“I’m just saying that I’m glad you are a silly witch Marlot, or I would have never been here.”

“Marlot, will you get back to the story, you two are making me sick.”

Marlot smiled up at the young woman on the window seat next to her a wicked glint in her eye then she rubbed her nose against Jack’s making the little golem blush like she had never seen him blush before. It only hurt a little, she was using her magic to help her nose heal faster from the break and it seemed to be working. “Okay Lilly, back to the story.”

“A love potion, that’s it! I will use a love potion to make him mine forever.” The little witch didn’t bother reading exactly how the potion worked, or the limitations to the spell. Marlot didn’t have much of a store of potion ingredients so it took a couple of weeks to gather everything she needed. It was all ready in time for the summer solstice festival.

Part 24 In which Marlot tells her story (part 1)

Lilly sat on the other end of the window seat and hugged her knees to her chest mimicking Marlot. “What happened?”

The witch lifted her face and looked out the window, “He was a lot like your Eric, tall, strong, admired by everyone. But he loved himself more than he could anyone else.”

Jack sank to his knees next to her settling for a story, one of his hands found its way up her back and fell into the comfortable motion of smoothing her hair. She turned slowly and smiled fondly at him.

“His name was Peter.”

“Peter Peter pumpkin eater.
Had a wife and couldn’t keep her!”
Jack recited absently.

“Quite the opposite really” Marlot reached out and ruffled his hair, “I finally got up the courage to tell him how I felt after years of trying to get him to notice me.”

“Hello Peter.” Marlot was only twenty years old and she thought that she was quite pretty for a witch, her black hair fell in ringlets down her back and her eyes were a stunning shade of violet.

“You’re the witch aren’t you? Marry, Margaret, … something like that.”

“Marlot actually,” she blushed and smoothed her skirts wishing her name wasn’t quite so strange, “I was hoping you would go with me to the summer solstice festival next month, that is if you aren’t otherwise engaged?”

“Don’t witches have to go to some cult gathering or whatever then?”

“We only have to go to one out of every three, I went last year so I could stay here with you.” Marlot smiled hopefully up into his golden amber eyes.

He sneered at her, “can’t you find some little magician to swap spells with at the festival.”

Marlot tried to smile seductively up at him, “No Peter, I want you.”

“And what, you think I will realize that you are the girl of my dreams and marry you?”

“That is the general idea,” Marlot said a little more boldly than she felt.

“So if we did get married, what you expect me to have some crazed spell casting old hag with warts and wrinkles for a wife. You have what, maybe one or two more years of your good looks before you start going sour?”

Young naive Marlot should have realized then that this young man wasn’t the fairy tale prince she had imagined him to be, but instead all she took from that unforgivable speech was that he thought she was pretty, and that one thought sparked an idea. “It doesn’t have to be like that Peter, I can make sure it doesn’t happen.”

“Now we all know that I have a bad habit of acting on impulse” Marlot said to her small audience, cupping Jack’s face in one hand, “and although some of those rash decisions have led to wonderful things,” she kissed the golem on the forehead, “others would have saved me a lot of trouble and grief.”

The little witch rushed home to her small flat above the tailor shop. She spent the better part of the next week preparing for and performing the ritual that would stop her aging forever. Witches are born immortal; however they age at the same rate as humans. If they never perform the ritual they would spend eternity ancient and unable to care for themselves and can forget about performing any magic. Someone through the ages finally discovered a way to stop the aging process at any giving time, the trick being that the witch would remain that age forever, or until they were killed by some unnatural means. Just because they are immortal doesn’t mean they are invulnerable.

Most sane witches put off the ritual until they are middle aged or perhaps a little older and with a wart or two, it makes them seem more respectable and intimidating. But occasionally there is a young fool that thinks they know better and they are stuck as a child, looking young, ignorant, and impatient for the rest of their lives. This is exactly what Marlot did.

Part 23 In which Lilly demands an apology

A week later Marlot was sweeping the cabin floor when she happened to look outside. It was a pleasant day but the fall wind had a bite to it, so she had fastened a cloak around Jack’s neck before she let him leave the cabin. He now sat with the cloak pooling on the ground around him as he leaned against the apple tree, one leg was pulled up and was being used to prop up his book, the other was stretched out in front of him. It was the same book he had brought in town, full of most of the fairy tales that Marlot had lining her bookshelves, but without the lovely illustrations so that considerably more of them fit in the single volume. He had read it all the way through at least five times and the witch wondered why he hadn’t tired of it yet.

There was movement at the garden gate and Marlot was shocked to see Lilly there, lifting the latch and entering the yard seemingly without a second thought. The witch was so distracted that she tripped over poor Jinx who was trying to attack the broom as it moved across the floor.

When she righted herself again it was to see Lilly standing at Jack’s feet, he didn’t seem to happy. Marlot couldn’t see Lilly’s face, her back was to the window so instead she watched Jack as he slowly got to his feet and shook the leaves and dirt from his cloak.

Jack bowed his head and looked sorry about something, then Lilly was up against him, one arm around his neck the other hand buried in his green hair. Marlot could no longer see Jack’s face. She felt odd, like there was a pain in her chest and a prickling in the corner of her eyes. Then to her amazement Jack pushed Lilly away, ducked under her arm and walked back to the cabin.

Marlot wasn’t any good at lip reading but Lilly was very obviously yelling at the young golem and Marlot could just make out the sound of the woman’s voice even if she couldn’t make out the words. Jack turned around for a moment to say something back and then continued his trek to the cabin. As he opened the door Marlot heard Lilly yell “You Stupid Golem How Can You Possibly Not Want…” and then the door was shut with Jack leaning against it with his eyes closed.

“What did she want?” Marlot asked trying not to sound to interested.

“Me apparently,” Jack answered his eyes still closed, “but it doesn’t feel right. In all those fairy tales it’s like the hero always knows right off that the girl is the one he wants and then he kisses her and they ride off to live happily ever after. How can I kiss someone that I don’t see a happy ever after with?”

“Oh Jack,” Marlot hugged him tightly around the middle, he didn’t even hesitate in hugging her back, his face buried in her dark curls. “you read far too many fairy stories, no one ever really lives happily ever after.”

“How do you know?”

“Marlot! Jack! Open this door right now or I will…!”

“Marlot moved Jack out of the way and opened the door, “Or you will what? Last time I checked I was the witch here.”

“I don’t care! I demand an apology.”

“For what, opening the door?”

“You know very well for what. For the way you embarrassed me in the village last week.”

Marlot actually threw back her head and laughed. “You think that was bad, well then come back when you have had your wrists tied, your nose broken, and the life of your best friend threatened, not because you did anything but for what you are, then we can talk. Get out of my garden before I do something I will regret.” Jack squeezed her shoulders, she wasn’t sure if he was trying to comfort her or hold her back, but it worked either way. The static that Marlot had started to feel as raw power began to build inside of her slowly ebbed away.

“I’m sorry about all of that,” Lilly said in a small voice, “I would never have thought that he would behave like that. He always seemed so kind and sweet.”

“Did he?” Marlot looked at the girl, “Or is that just what you wanted to see?”

“What do you know about it?” Lilly snapped.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Stop being so cryptic, I’ll never understand if you don’t tell me.”

“Because I was you once, but no one told me that a love potion wasn’t a way to get what you want.”

Part 22 In which people are kind sometimes out of fear

Marlot woke up with the sun shining in her eyes, she reached up to rub the sleep out of them and made the mistake of hitting her nose.

Her yelp must have woken Jack, “Are you alright Marlot?” he said yawing from her other side, she rolled over and smiled at him, “did something bite you?”

“Have you been dreaming again?” she giggled as he stretched like a cat and nodded sleepily. Without thinking Marlot looked to the foot of the bed where her cat usually slept at home. “I miss Jinx, we haven’t been apart this long in years. Are you ready to go home?”

Jack actually pouted, “I thought we were getting shoes and a book.”

“I doubt we will have any money after I pay for this room, the food, baths, and laundry. I’m not even sure we have enough for that. It was a stroke of luck that the little seamstress let us have these clothes for free.”

“But I wanted a book,” Jack whined.

“And I didn’t want to stay the night in this village but we weren’t given much of a choice. Come on, get up. I want to leave before the townsfolk think of another way to get rid of me, and if they touch you again I’m not sure I will be able to stay in control.”

“Control of what?” Jack sat up and tilted his head to the side.

“Did you hear me when I told Lilly it wasn’t a good idea to insult a witch?”

Jack nodded and Marlot was amazed once again by how much he had picked up while in the cauldron, “Well it’s not just that I have a short temper and would get upset with her, it also has to do with the amount of control I have other my magic. Raw angry power isn’t easy to keep contained.”

“Have you ever lost control before?”

“Once,” Marlot whispered, “a very long time ago.”

They both got up and gathered their few belongings. Out in the hall a maid was sweeping the floor and she directed them to her mistress. The inn keeper sent a little girl who looked so much like her she had to be her daughter, off to gather the pair’s robes.

“They should be clean and dry by now, or at least dry enough to travel.”

Marlot thanked her and bowed low out of respect, “How shall we repay you?”

The woman crossed her arms and looked sternly at Marlot and Jack in turn, “You can repay us by never coming back, my father is a kind man, a little too kind if you ask me, but I am with him on this one, neither of you actually started the fights, but you were still in the middle of them and I will not tolerate that behavior in my pub.”

“But our room and dinner?”

“We aren’t short on rooms here, giving up one for the night shouldn’t hurt profits much, you were attacked here after all, and I thank you for leaving my inn in one piece, I have heard stories of what witches can do when provoked, and not just the fairy stories.”

“So does this mean I get shoes?” Jack looked hopeful.

Marlot bowed low to the inn keeper again before linking on arm through Jack’s.

“Yes dear, and any book you want, but can we make it fast, I’m sure Jinx is hungry.”

Part 21 In which Jack finally learns why no one likes witches

Marlot placed the empty food tray outside the door. She turned to see Jack lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

“Why do they hate us so much Marlot?”

“Because they believe the stories.”

“The ones you don’t want me to read.” He turned his brown eyes to her, his face unreadable.

Marlot sat next to him, “Maybe if I had let you read them… no it wouldn’t have done us any good.”

“I want to know why they hate you so much.”

Marlot sighed then recited the tale of Hansel and Gretel, the story that most closely resembled Eric’s childhood misfortunes and misconceptions of witches. Jack listened closely, his expression thoughtful.

“Do witches really have houses made of gingerbread and sweets?”

“The witch laughed, “What do you think?”

“Our house is made of wood, it seems much more practical, and wouldn’t a candy house just melt in the rain? So that part can’t be true… what about eating children?”

“I have never harmed a human in order to use them for spells or nourishment.”

“What about other witches?”

Marlot stood up and went to the window, “Not all witches are like me Jack, some are cruel and wicked, like the stories, but most of us keep to ourselves or our own kind, it’s safer that way.”

“Will I ever get to meet them Marlot?”

“Yes, we all gather for the summer and winter solstice, and I need to register you with the council. They won’t be happy, but you will just be one more mark on a long list against me.”

“Witches aren’t supposed to make golems?”

She turned around to face him, “For all I know, it’s forbidden.”

He looked thoughtful and a little sad for a moment, he then reached out his arms toward her, like a small child who wants to be picked up. She crawled onto the bed next to him, hugging him tightly. “I’m sorry I’m so much trouble,” he whispered.

“I wouldn’t trade you for anything my little scarecrow.” And so after a rather long, painful, and exhausting day they fell asleep safe and warm in each other’s arms.

Part 20 In which Marlot loses a friend

Sitting at one of the tables in the large dining room were the men that had abused them that afternoon.

Marlot leaned close to her golem, “We can probably avoid them Jack, if they don’t see us then they can’t hurt us.”

“Marlot, Jack! Is that you? I thought you would be home by now.”

The witch groaned, standing up at the table that they were trying to avoid was Lilly. The young woman ran over to them and gave Jack a tight hug. “You two look amazing, did you get those clothes here?”

Jack nodded, “The girl from the tailor shop brought them over.”

Marlot could feel the men at the table staring at them and she tried as hard as she could to avoid their gazes.

“Oh Marlot, what happened to your nose?” Lilly reached out and touched the red and swollen part of Marlot’s face, the witch winced.

“It was supposed to be a lesson she obviously didn’t learn.” Marlot slowly looked up into the eyes of her tormentor. On his arm was a very pretty woman.

“Oh Eric, be nice.” Marlot noticed that the woman had a smudge of flower on her face and more on her skirts. Marlot stared at her, then at the man Eric before she turned a look of disbelief on Lilly who was still hanging on Jack.

“Are you serious Lilly, this is the man you wanted, the one who choose the bakers daughter over you.”

“Marlot, stop.” Lilly was a deep shade of red, tears of embarrassment shinning in her eyes.

The witch was about to say something else when Jack pushed his friend away, “How can you love someone who would hurt Marlot?” His arms found their way around his witch and Marlot didn’t realize her kind sweet creation was capable of a look so full of disgust that it made Lilly seem like the lowliest of nasty bugs.

“Isn’t that charming” the pretty woman on Eric’s arm tittered, “even a golem doesn’t’ want you Lilly, now what are you going to do?” Eric laughed a big loud, head back kind of laugh. The woman gave Lilly a vicious smile. Jack still refused to touch their friend, but Marlot pitied her and she was on the verge of apologizing when Lilly, tears pouring from her eyes now, stomped up to Marlot and slapped her across the face. She had to hold Jack back when he tried to follow Lilly out of the inn. Marlot had never seen him so angry to the point that he was actually growling.

Even though her check was stinging she still wanted to comfort her young friend, she wished someone had comforted her nearly two hundred years ago when her heart had been broken, things would be so much different if they had. “Jack calm down, I would have done the same thing if I were her.”

“That would be because worthless trash like you deserves it.” The large man pushed Marlot into the stairs behind her and she stumbled up a couple before she fell with a thud.

“What is going on in here!” The stern inn keeper stood in the doorway to the kitchens, one hand on her hip, the other brandishing a frying pan like a sword.

“Master Jack, I ask that you stand down and look after your mistress, if you cause more damage I will charge you for all that I see.”

The golem was muttering angrily under his breath as he came to Marlot’s aid. “What were you going to do?” Marlot asked him as he helped her up. The inn keeper passed them without a second glance and started yelling at the man who was easily twice her size. Jack wouldn’t answer Marlot but she was able to make out four words from his mutterings, ‘Jack the giant killer.’ She grabbed her golem’s face and forced him to look at her. “Jack the giant killer used cunning and cleverness to defeat his foes, not brute strength, or did you not actually listen to the story.”

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again he seemed much calmer, “I’m sorry Marlot.”

“Good, I won’t see my sweet little Jack become as bad as those men, your better than that.” Jack nodded.

“As for you two.” The inn keeper turned on the witch and golem, “your dinner will be served in your room and then you will leave first thing in the morning. You are not welcome back, understand?”

The pair nodded and then made their way back up the stair case in silence.

Part 19 In which things aren’t as bad as they seem

Marlot and Jack were lead to separate rooms for their baths, she had never been so happy to be clean, the towels and robes were far nicer than she had expected. On her way back to their room she almost ran into Jack, he was standing in the middle of the hall, the robe wrapped tightly around him but for some reason he was still dripping wet.

“Oh Jack, you look like you did when you came out of the cauldron.” Marlot pulled the towel off her head, allowing her damp black curly hair to fall down her back as she set to work drying off her golem’s face and hair. “Did you enjoy your bath?”

“It was like being in the cauldron again, very wet, but it was much more comfortable.”

They were laughing when one of the maids found them, “miss, there is someone here to see you, she is waiting for you in your room.”

Marlot adjusted the towel so it covered his hair and forehead and smiled at her giggling golem, “are we ready to face someone else today?” His brown eyes were shinning with delight.

“Miss, the girl says that she knows you.”

“Could it be Lilly, I told her we were coming here today?”

“She said she doesn’t like town, they aren’t very nice to her either,” Jack said grinning at the witch.

“Thank you,” Marlot said to the maid, who curtsied then hurried off down the hall.

“I wonder who that man was Lilly wanted the love potion for?” Marlot pushed open the door to their room to see not to see her friend but the girl from the tailor shop sitting on the bed looking very nervous, next to her was a pile of clothes.

“Miss Marlot, Master Jack, I b-brought you something.” She held up the stake of clothing, “it’s to say s-sorry for the way my brother acted, I wish he hadn’t b-been so cruel.”

Marlot stared in wonder at the clothes which included two full outfits for Jack. “These are beautiful, thank you so much. Oh Jack you will look so handsome in these.” the witch handed him an orange tunic and brown breaches, the linen undershirt was extremely well made and Marlot was sure it would withstand any kind of torture Jack could possibly put it through.

While the golem changed behind a screen in the room the girl scuffed her boot on the floor. “I brought s-something for you too Miss Marlot, I made them myself b-but I’m afraid they aren’t as nice as your robes.” Folded neatly on the bed were a white linen shift, a full black skirt, and a dark violet bodice. “I b-believe that the bodice will match your eyes, I th-thought your eyes were black at first but I n-noticed just a touch of violet while we were picking out Master Jack’s clothes and I instantly thought of th-this.”

“It’s beautiful,” Marlot whispered, her fingers tracing the simple embroidery on the hems, “I can’t accept this.”

“P-please Miss Marlot, we aren’t all li-like my brother, we lived in a different v-village when we were very young and his f-friend was kidnapped by their local witch, that is why he acted the way he did, it-it’s nothing against you personally.”

Marlot put her hands on the stuttering girl’s shoulders, “I’m sorry, that isn’t what I meant. These fabrics, and the clothing is just so beautiful, please let me pay you for them, I don’t blame you for anything that happened today and I don’t want you to get into trouble.”

“I want you to have them, and Master Jack too.” She beamed at the compliment, and her voice had a bit more confidence in it. Just then Jack walked out from behind the screen.

“I can’t figure out these laces Marlot.” His long fingers were tangled in the thick cord strung through the bottom holes of the tunic, and the V of the shirt’s neckline exposed part of his thin tanned chest.

“Well Jack, I know now that black is not your color dear, it just made you looked washed out. You are a handsome golem I must give you that.” The girl on the bed was blushing as Jack flashed his lopsided smile at her. He fidgeted the whole time while Marlot laced up the tunic which was just a little big on him. “There you go my little scarecrow, all set.”

“Thank you Marlot,” Jack strutted around the room, the robes had made him look pale but they had also hidden the fact that he was so thin, something not so easily disguised while wearing breaches and a tunic.

“Remind me to feed you more darling, you’re as thing as a twig.”

Jack giggled then sat on the bed next to their benefactor. Marlot heard him as he whisper a little to loudly in the girl’s ear “she forgets that I am a twig.” His new friend blushed even more if that was possible and giggled.

“Are you really?” the girl asked. Marlot was watching them in the full length mirror on the wall, the girls eyes were huge as she looked at Jack in surprise.

“Yep, and clay.” He grinned at her.

Marlot rolled her eyes then took her own new clothes behind the screen. The shift and skirt were easy enough to manage but the bodice tied on the sides and the back with a thick black ribbon. “L-let me help you with that.” The girl took the ribbons from Marlot and tightly laced her in. “There a perfect fit.” It was Marlot’s turn to blush now. It had been years since she had worn anything other than her robes and fashions had changed a lot in a hundred years. The girl fussed with the shift and skirt for a moment trying to get them to lie properly. Finally she was satisfied and admired her handy work with a grin. Marlot nervously stepped out from behind the screen.

“What do you think Jack.” She blushed, fidgeting in the well fitted clothing.

Jack’s lopsided smile was all for her now. “Marlot?!”

“Don’t sound so surprised, I can look nice too occasionally.”

“I think you should more often.”

Looking in the mirror she noticed that the rest of her face had turned as red as her broken nose while she attempted to do something with her curling black hair. She used a spell to dry it faster as she ran her fingers through it and another to hold the curls in place, it worked far better than pins that would pull and poke her all night but it wouldn’t last for nearly as long. “Will you join us for dinner miss…?”

“Rosalie. Thank you but no, I need to get home. I hope you like your new things and that you come back.” She smiled and curtsied, then shut the door behind her before Marlot or Jack could say thank you, or good bye.

“What a strange girl, but nice. I like her.”

“Me too Marlot, I feel so fancy.”

“You are fancy Jack.” She reached up, trying to do something with the green hair that fell into her golem’s beautiful brown eyes. “Shall we go then?”

Arm in arm the pair made their way down the stairs to the dining room where they were met by a rather unwelcome sight.

Part 18 In which Jack cares for Marlot

Marlot was drifting in and out of consciousness now that all of the fun was over. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been in so much pain, she didn’t even remember being placed in a bed.

“How long has she been out?” The voice sounded far away.

“For a few minutes, I think the shock got to her.” Is that the shop keeper, she thought.

“Or the pain from this nose.”

“Is Marlot going to be alright?” she wanted to tell Jack that she was fine, but he sounded so very far away.

“I think so, but I hope she really is unconscious because this is going to hurt.”

The witch tried to bite back the scream as her nose was set into place, the sound was almost as nasty as when it had broken. When she opened her eyes it was to look over a handkerchief that Jack was holding very gently to her bleeding face.

“Thank you Jack.” She whispered, she had to admit the pain had decreased slightly now that all parts were back where they belonged.

“The healer fixed it.” The golem nodded to a middle aged man standing to the right of the bed, the kind shop keeper who had rescued them was there too smiling down at her reassuringly.

Marlot heard a knock on the door, “Is she awake, father? I will have the maids draw up a couple of baths now if she can be moved.” There was a stern looking woman in the doorway. “You are welcome to stay here as long as you need to Miss Marlot, Master Jack.” The little witch was surprised by the warm smile the woman directed at her and she instantly liked the shop keeper’s daughter.

“Thank you, but I believe we should be going home now.” Marlot tried to sit up but Jack was still leaning over her.

“You aren’t going anywhere until you get something to eat miss witch. You lost a lot of blood out there and I doubt you can walk all the way home in your current state.” The healer pushed Jack’s hand out of the way in order to take a closer look at Marlot’s nose. “The bleeding is slowing down; you should be able to get up soon.”

“Thank you Master Healer. But why are you all being so kind? And why do we need baths?”

Samuel the shop keeper knelt beside the bed taking Marlot’s hand. “The bath answer is easy my dear.” He pulled out a new handkerchief and placed it below her nose, they both noticed Jack glaring at him and with a chuckle the man relinquished the cloth to the golem. “You are both covered in dirt and you have quite a bit of blood on you too, so the least we can do is clean you up a bit. As for why we are helping you, well call me an old fool, but I see a lot of good in you miss Marlot and I would rather find myself on a kind witch’s good side than a scared and obviously powerful” he glanced at the golem “witch’s bad side.”

“I’m not sure how powerful I am.”

“Well I’m sure that not just anyone can create a golem on a whim and be successful.”

“How do you know that?”

“I talk to miss Lilly often, she has told me quite a bit about you two. He is quite extraordinary, moving, talking, and playing the hero.” He winked at Jack.

“He’s right Jack.” Marlot smiled up at her creation, “You’re my hero.”

“But Mr. Samuel stopped them from hurting us anymore. I’m not a hero.”

“Your right, he is a hero,” Marlot reached up and brushed a strand of green hair out of the golem’s brown eyes. “But they weren’t going to hurt him, you on the other hand were in great danger. Why didn’t you run Jack?” she blinked back tears, the palm of her hand on his dirty cheek, she had come so close to losing her beloved golem.

“I couldn’t leave you Marlot, you’re my whole world.”

“Because she created you and gave you life?” They all turned to stare at the healer who had moved a bit away while Marlot and Samuel spoke. He sounded so arrogant and looked at Jack with disgust.

“No,” Jack said simply, “because Marlot is my friend and I love her.”

“Nonsense, there must be some spell or enchantment tying you to her, there is no way you can have true feelings.”

Marlot interrupted, “It is entirely possible that there is some spell tying him to me, but I am unaware of its existence and would not have put it in place had I known about it. As for his emotions, it may seem strange but according to the books golems will develop a sense of self, complete with personality and feelings all their own.”

“And how do they develop this sense of self?”

“By observation, he learns extremely quickly.”

Samuel spoke up then, apparently trying to lower the tension in the room, “you have been nothing but kind to him, that must be where he learned that particular trait.”

The healer snorted, “Then where did the hero streak come from?”

“Fairy tales.” Marlot said with a smile.

Part 17 In which making friends can be a good thing, as long as you don’t actually ‘make’ them

“Please let him go.” Marlot sobbed “Jack hasn’t done anything wrong and simply existing can’t possibly be a crime. Do what you want with me, but please let Jack go.”

“Marlot NO!” the golem shoved off his captors with this impressive strength and ran to her, his arms warping tightly around her, his forehead against hers. “I won’t let them hurt you.”

“Jack, please get away from here.” She didn’t have much conviction behind it, she felt safe in his arms, even when her own were still tied. It felt like an eternity that they were allowed to stand there like that, their tears mixing on their faces. Marlot’s head eventually dropped to her beloved golem’s shoulder and he held her tighter, trying to comfort her in some small way.

“Get back you disgusting creature. How many people had to die for you to be born?” Jack was pried away from her and thrown down into the dirt.

“No one died; even most of the animals used to make him were going to die anyway for one reason or another. The only life I took was the snails.” She cried out when one of the men kicked Jack where he lay as the golem whimpered in fear.

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!” A man, important by the sound of it, yelled from across the square.

“We are punishing a witch Samuel, even you can’t argue with that.”

“What witch? And what is the crime?”

“This one sir,” Marlot was thrown at the general store owner’s feet, her hands were still tied and so, without the means to break her fall, Marlot landed on her face and felt her nose break. She felt dizzy for a moment as the world turned red and then an intense pain.

“Marlot!” Jack yelled for her from a few feet away and she heard his cries muffled by the ground as well.

“You do not have the authority to treat people like this Eric.”

“She isn’t a person, she is a witch.” He sounded so matter of fact and through her pain Marlot felt no more than an inch tall and she cried harder more because of how much people hated her than for how much pain she was in.

“Being a witch isn’t enough of a reason to be thus treated. I require more of a reason before I pass judgment.”

“This creature, the green haired one you old fool. He isn’t human either. She made him, with bits of animals and what I image the souls of children she has stolen from us.”

“I told you.” Marlot said, turning so that her face was in a puddle of her blood but at least she could breath, “I never killed anyone. Or took any children for that matter.”

“Then what happened to my brother witch.”

“There haven’t been children near the cottage in years and I promise you, if a little boy had shown up I would have brought him straight back here.” It hurt so much to talk, and her broken nose made it difficult even for her to understand what she saying.

“Liar!”

“Marlot never lies.” She saw everyone turn to look at Jack again, even though she could no longer see him herself.

“From what I can tell the only crime this witch is guilty of is going a bit too far with her experiments and creating a sentient life. A crime, I believe, her own kind will be more than willing to punish her for next time they see her. And your brother, Eric, disappeared years ago. In the mean time, I shall assign someone from this village to keep an eye on this witch and her creation until such time as she is faced with a jury of her peers. I believe young Lilly spends a great deal of her time in the forest anyway, I believe she would be the perfect candidate for such a position.”

The men around Marlot and Jack growled their disapproval but none of them actually said anything against the old man, and slowly the crowd broke up. The witch heard her golem jump to his feet and land on top of her. “Jack get off, it hurts.”

“I’m so sorry Marlot,” he was crying again, this time into her hair.

“Where is my hat?”

“Right here miss witch,” Samuel lowered her pointed witches’ hat into her field of vision. “Let’s get you somewhere to clean up shall we. My daughter owns the inn. Jack my boy, if you want your mistress to be healthy again I beg that you get off of her and let her stand.”

Jack continued to cry and saying over and over again, “I’m sorry Marlot.”

“For what dear?”

“For making you come to town, I understand now why you didn’t want to, I don’t ever want to again.”

Marlot saw the old man help Jack to his feet. “I would be very sorry never to see you again Jack. I would offer you my handkerchief but I believe Miss Marlot will require it more.” He then bent down and untied Marlot’s wrists and helped her to her feet. She was woozy from the pain and swayed on the spot. “Can you carry her lad?” She saw Jack nod and then felt his arms around her waist and under her knees as he lifted her off the ground, her arms found their way around his neck and her head his shoulder.

Part 16 In which being a witch can be dangerous

Jack carried the empty baskets, “Where are we going next Marlot?”

“I think the tailor would be best, that way we can get your clothes, then maybe some more books before we go home.”

“More fairy tales? Oh thank you Marlot!” He hugged her, with baskets and all right in the middle of the street, almost tripping them both.

“You’re welcome Jack, now let go.”

The laughed their way into the tailor’s shop, Jack struggling to get the baskets through the door to the small over packed shop and eventually Marlot suggested that he leave them outside.

“Can I help you?” A girl asked timidly from behind the counter.

Marlot laid the bag of silver coins on the counter, “I would like to buy some clothes for him, my…apprentice needs something to wear other than those robes,” she leaned forward as though telling the girl a secret, “he is kind of clumsy.” Marlot smiled at the girl, who seemed to lighten up a little and returned Marlot’s smile with a little one of her own.

“I’m sure we can find something. What exactly did you have in mind?”

The girl took Jack’s measurements and then led Marlot over to a table that held shirts, tunics, and breaches that might fit him.

“Marlot, Marlot, Marlot! Look at this!” the witch turned around to see Jack wearing a bonnet and she bent over with laughter.

“Jack, that is for girls, you can’t wear it.”

“But why not, it’s pretty.”

“Yes it is very pretty, but,” she pulled it off of his head “It covers up your equally pretty green hair.”

“I thought you didn’t like my hair.”

“Dear, there is precious little not to like about you, now come here, I want you to try something on.” She took his hand and started to lead him back over to the timid girl but her arm jerked when he didn’t move. “Jack, why aren’t you coming?” she had meant it when she had told him that he wasn’t her servant but he had never actually defied her before. Marlot turned around to see a very large man grasping Jack’s upper arm rather tightly and she heard her golem whimper slightly. “What is the meaning of this?” she glared at the man who was studying Jack very closely.

“I know you aren’t human witch, but what is this creature?”

“He is my apprentice sir, and I ask that you release him.”

“Green hair isn’t natural in these parts hag, what is he really.”

“Don’t talk to Marlot like that; she is too young to be a hag.”

“Thank you Jack, but stay out of this. Sir, all you need to know is that he is under my care and that I ask that you release him at once.”

“You made him didn’t you? Isn’t that illegal to create life?”

“Women have children every day sir; I don’t see anyone trying to take their children away.”

“So you admit, you created this creature. I have been watching both of you since you arrived. You on one hand have been acting as an unwanted witch should, but your pet here, he has been acting like he has never seen a village before, or a little girl’s bonnet.” The man held the offending garment in his other hand and looked at it in disgust.

“He didn’t have any brothers or sisters, and led a very sheltered life.”

“For what, the past few weeks. I know everyone who comes and goes through this general area, and I’m sure I would have heard of a green haired man.”

“What do you want with us?”

“I want you to be punished for your crimes.” Marlot was grabbed from behind by two men who must have been standing just outside the door. She knew better than to expose her back to danger, something every witch must learn, but Jack had made her feel so comfortable and safe, that even when faced with such a situation she hadn’t been as careful as she usually would.

“Let go of me!” Marlot and Jack were dragged out of the shop, her short legs barely touching the ground as the large men practically carried her outside. “Jack! Jack, get away from them, run!”

“Not now missy, be quite.” One of the men shook her roughly.

“Marlot, what is going on?” the golem asked from somewhere behind her.

“Jack, please,” Marlot felt the tears running down her checks before she even realized she was crying, “Run, get away from them and RUN!” Marlot was lifted off of her feet by the man from the tailor shop, his face inches from her own. She turned her head away to see Jack held from behind by a different man and one behind her was tying her hands together.

“You won’t get away this time little witch.”

“Please just let him go, he hasn’t done anything wrong!” Marlot struggled in the man’s arms but it did little good, she was like a twig in his giant hands. She heard Jack sobbing behind her.

Once her hands were tied she was sat back on her feet, she could just see Jack through her tears and they stared at each other like they would never see the other one again.

Part 15 In which Jack and Marlot go to the village

Players:

Marlot
Someone who wishes for nothing more than for someone to care about her

Jack
A golem who sees nothing bad in the world


Marlot filled one basket with the herbs and vegetables she had in her garden that she was positive she wouldn’t be able to eat before the frost hit. Anything she was going to keep was already stored away for the winter. Jack also had a basket that was almost spilling apples it was so full. Marlot wasn’t sure she had ever seen him so happy, his black robes dancing around his legs and he looked like nothing more than her apprentice as he staggered under the weight of the basket.

“Where are we going first Marlot?”

“The general store, we should be able to sell most of this there, if they will take it.”

“And then where?”

“I’m not sure Jack, wherever you want to go.” She figured he would be skipping if he wasn’t weighted down.

It was almost an hour later before they arrived at the outskirts of town, two little girls were playing in the garden of the closest house and Marlot saw their mother usher them inside when she laid eyes on the witch, and the green haired man beside her.

“This is going to be fun.” Marlot muttered to Jack.

“Don’t worry; I know they will like you.”

“Your positive streak is almost sickening.”

It only took a few minutes until they found the center of the village, the square lined with shops of all kinds and Jack actually dropped a few apples as he stood in the center spinning around trying to look at everything at once. Marlot looked around too, and saw people staring at them from every window and door around them. “Come on Jack, let’s get this over with.”

“Marlot, this is better than I ever imagined.”

“Jack, come on, aren’t those apples getting heavy.”

“Not really.”

“I know for a fact that when that basket is full I can hardly lift it. Your arms should be screaming out in pain from the weight by now.”

He leaned in close to her, still trying to look around as he whispered, “But I’m a golem.”

“And an amazing one at that,” she linked her free arm through one of his as she swung her considerably lighter burden from her other hand, “come on my handsome golem, this way.”

She let go and led the way into the general store, the occupants of which ran back to their duties as the witch and golem came closer. No one said anything as she crossed the threshold. They all seemed wary, as though each of them thought that she would hex them if they dared say a word. She was amazed when an older man behind the counter finally did speak up, “May we help you miss witch.”

“Yes, we would…” Suddenly from behind her Marlot heard a loud crash and almost tripped over the mass of apples that now rolled around her feet. “Jack!” she ran to her friend’s side, her robes billowing around her as she dropped to the floor. “What happened dear, are you alright?”

“I fell.”

“Over what? You silly boy, were you not watching where you were walking.”

“I’m sorry Marlot, I was looking at all the pretty colors and things that you don’t have in the cabin and I didn’t see the step, then when I stepped up I think I stepped on my robes…”

“And then you fell, Oh my poor Jack.” Marlot pulled the guilty garment out of the way hoping that he hadn’t sprained an ankle when he fell and to her surprise noticed that both of his bare feet were covered in scratches. “Jack, your feet, why didn’t you tell me?” She gently ran a finger over one of the deeper scratches.

“Tell you what?”

“Right, you don’t know about shoes.” Marlot looked up to see that the old man from behind the counter was now standing surprisingly close holding one of her apples. “Please sir, do you have any bandages, or socks for my friend here, I didn’t know that my garden had been so wicked to his tender feet.”

“Of course miss, I will send one of the lads to find some.” He turned and nodded to a boy standing in the dark doorway to a back room. “Now about these apples miss, my wife says they make the best pies.”

Marlot, still sitting on the floor next to Jack, smiled up at the man, “I have heard that, and I must say, I agree, but I’m sure your wife’s pies are far better than anything a lonely witch could cook up.”

“The witch doesn’t seem to lonely,” the old man smiled down at Jack and then offered his hands out to them both, “please friends, you are blocking the doorway and your apples, I’m afraid, are all over the shop.

“I am so sorry about that.” Marlot dropped back to the floor and started gathering the apples, piling them into the basket she had formed out of her robes.

“I’ll help Marlot.”

“Thank you Jack.”

“You are very kind to him.” The man was kneeling next to Marlot and handed her an apple.

“You mean for a witch I am very kind to him. But yet, he means the world to me, my closest and dearest friend.”

“Your apprentice then.”

“Something like that.” Marlot smiled at the man and took the apple he offered in exchange for her hand. As he helped her to her feet she said, “I’m Marlot.”

“Samuel. It is a pleasure to finally meet you Marlot; I have heard stories since I was a young man, but I always believed you were far kinder than you let on, or children would go missing far more often.”

“I once made a mistake of giving candy to some children that wondered past my cabin, my reputation took a dreadful drop that day.” They both laughed and out of the corner of her eye she saw Jack flash her his lopsided smile.

“See Marlot, I told you they would like you.”

“Thank you dear.”

“Now about these apples,” Samuel helped Marlot place the ones in her makeshift basket back with the ones Jack had gathered. “I can give you,” he counted a stack of silver coins into a small leather bag, “this for the whole bushel, and I will throw in those bandages.” He nodded to the boy, who was once again hiding in the shadows of the doorway.

“But sir, they have all been on the ground, and are probably bruised…”

“And make the best apple pies for miles around. I will have the whole basket if you are willing to part with them. Did you have anything else, it looked like there were more than just apples in there?”

“Actually yes, thank you so much.” She handed over the smaller basket that was full of herbs.

Samuel looked through it and added to the pile of coins on the counter. “I think this will be enough, do you agree?”

“More than enough sir. Thank you so much. Jack, what do you say to some new clothes, so you won’t trip anymore, and shoes while we are at it,” she looked down at his scratched up feet again, “But before we go anywhere let’s patch your feet up before you get an infection.”

Part 14 In which Jack always gets his way

Players:

Marlot
A witch with a good heart

Jinx
A lazy cat

Jack
A golem unlike any other


Marlot was finally able to use the window seat and look out at the garden, thanks to Jack and his amazing organizing skills. The seat had been covered in books, quills, and random potion ingredients almost as soon as she had moved in, this window was one of the reasons she had bought the cabin and she wondered why she had wasted it all of these years. Jinx was sleeping upside down next to her and she absently scratched the soft black fur of his chest and chin.

“What are you looking at Marlot?”

“Fall.”

“What!” Jack all but pushed Marlot off of the seat as he forced himself in front of the window, “What is falling? Why?” Jinx jumped off the seat with a hiss and ran out of the room.

Marlot laughed and rolled the rest of the way to the floor, “Well me now you silly golem, but I didn’t mean anything was falling, I meant that I was looking at fall, the season, autumn. It is when all the trees turn pretty colors and then the leaves fall off, you see how big the pumpkins are getting,” she snuggled up next to Jack and pointed out the window at the pile of bright orange pumpkins, “and that is why we have been eating so many apples. Which reminds me, I really need to do something with that bushel of apples you picked yesterday before they go bad.”

“Fall, interesting, is it the only season?”

“There are four, in the fall the leaves die and fall off the trees, then in winder snow falls and the whole world is covered in a blanket of white. Then all of that melts, the temperature starts to rise, the trees are covered in bright green buds and beautiful flowers grow throughout the forest. And then the heat of summer comes with fresh vegetables and long sunny days.”

“It sounds wonderful.”

“I’ve really never thought about it, but it really does. You make me see things in a different way Jack.”

“You seem happy.”

“I am, thank you.”

“So about the apples, what are you going to do with them?”

“Probably send them home with Lilly next time she stops by, she can probably find a use for them, or sell them in town.”

Jack grabbed Marlot’s shoulders and started bouncing in the seat. “Can we go to town and sell them, please Marlot.”

“Jack, they hate me there.”

“What is hate, I thought everyone liked you, I like you.” He grinned his lopsided smile, his hands still on her shoulders.”

“They believe the stories, the bad ones, about witches and how they eat children, or cast evil spells on unsuspecting villagers.”

“I haven’t read those stories.” He looked confused, his head tilted to one side.

“That is because I didn’t want you to think of me like that, I like how you are so innocent, and happy, and act like I am the most wonderful person you have ever met.”

“Then let me meet more,” his hands had moved from her shoulders to her own and held them tightly, “I will prove that you are the most wonderful person I have ever met. I didn’t tell you but I have been reading about golems too, about how they are often used as slaves, or for those nasty tasks humans don’t want to do. That we are replaceable and don’t matter. But you have never treated me like that, the book says that a golem’s personality is formed by what the witch wants, feels, and has planned for their golem. That they are usually rather dull, obedient, and uninteresting.”

“And you are clever, curious, and amazing.”

“I love you Marlot.”

“Aw Jack, I love you too. You’re the best friend I have ever had. But where did you learn about love?”

He leaned in close, a mischievous gleam in his mud brown eyes, “fairy tales.”

Marlot laughed, “of course, I knew those books would be trouble.”

“So can we go to the village?”

“Jack…”

“Please Marlot, I want them to know you aren’t all bad, and I want to meet more people.”

“I can’t say no to you Jack, fine.” She tapped the end of his nose with one of her fingers. “But you have to promise to be good.”

Part 13 In which Marlot and Lilly have an argument

Players:

Marlot
An overprotective witch

Jack
A clueless golem

Lilly
A flirt


Marlot placed the milk from her spelled chill box on the table in front of Jack and was watching closely to make sure he didn’t spill or drink all of it when she heard a knock on the door.

Lilly didn’t even bother to wait to be invited in before she exploded into the room in a cloud of color and smells. “I brought ham!” she exclaimed.

“Doesn’t your family need that ham, you said there are a lot of you?”

“There are, but most of my sisters are married so they don’t live at home any more. Good morning golem.”

“Jack” he said, through a mouthful of scrambled eggs.

“Excuse me.”

“His name is Jack,” answered Marlot.

“That is a silly name, so common; I would think you could come up with something far more interesting.”

Marlot gave Lilly a dirty look but Jack interrupted before she could say anything, “I like it, lots of brave people are name Jack, at least in the stories, I feel like I could be brave if I were more like them.”

Lilly dropped the basket onto the table and then placed herself in Jack’s lap, “And I’m sure you are very brave, handsome.”

“Lilly.” Marlot said in a warning voice, Jack was blushing and she was pretty, sure he didn’t know why he was suddenly feeling embarrassed and could imagine the questions he was going to come up with, she just hoped he would wait until after Lilly left.

“Jack, will you get another plate please, I’m sure Lilly is hungry too.” He all but pushed the young woman off of his lap and sprinted to the cabinet.

“What was she doing?” he whispered to Marlot as he went past her.

“I will explain later.” He nodded and then collected another plate, cup, and fork for their visitor.

“So Jack, did you make all of this,” Lilly leaned as close as she could to him over the table, “you are such a good cook.”

“I went and got the eggs and cooked them.”

“You’re so clever Jack, a true jack of all trades.” Lilly giggled. Marlot glared at her while watching the golem closely, he often looked toward her, as though searching for how to react to Lilly and he was obviously uncomfortable.

“What is a jack of all trades?” he asked looking from Lilly to Marlot.

Marlot laughed, “Jack of all trades, master of none.”

Lilly glared at the witch, “a jack of all trades is someone who can do a little bit of…everything.”

“I can cook, clean, and…read.”

Lilly looked stumped for a second and then her charming smile was back in place, “see, your name fits you perfect.”

“Lilly, stop flirting with my golem, he isn’t a toy for you to play with.”

“Excuse me.” Lilly stood up and gave Marlot a look of pure poison.

“He is just a toy you stupid witch, one you made so you can play house, I’m trying to make he feel loved and appreciated.”

“He is loved and appreciated Lilly, by me, his creator and only real friend. I’m trying to teach him to be human.”

“You’re teaching him to be a servant.”

“Like Cinderella?” both girls stopped arguing and looked at him.

“Exactly like Cinderella,” Lilly said hissing at Marlot.

“No, Marlot said I had a choice, I like Marlot.” Jack stood up and put an arm around the witch’s shoulders.

“Please leave Lilly.”

Lilly slammed the door behind her. “What is flirting?” Jack asked, not moving away from Marlot.

Part 12 In which a witch is used as a pillow

Players:

Marlot
A witch who realizes that golems aren’t something to mess around with

Jinx
A lazy and overweight cat

Jack
A golem with an appetite

The next morning Marlot woke up with the warm morning sun shining on her face, but that wasn’t enough to make her feel as though she was wrapped in a dozen warm blankets, and most of the heat seemed to be coming from behind her, and a heavy weight was across her waist. Marlot could feel Jack’s warm break on the back of her neck and his fingers twitched slightly tickling her stomach. Now how in the world, she wondered, did he wind up quite so close? She moved around as little as possible until she was lying on her back and could see the sleeping face of her golem. Jinx was curled up on his other side. Jack looked so peaceful with his eyes closed and a dreamy look on his handsome face. She lifted his hand off of her stomach and examined her creation’s hand, his fingers were a thin as the rest of him and long like the twigs she had used to form them, but he seemed so real, almost human, and if she didn’t know that he was a golem she would have sworn that his green hair was some kind of hex a witch had put on him as a child and that he was indeed human. That potion is amazingly powerful, I could just imagine the horrors that could come from it, not everyone would teach their golems to be kind and whole armies could be created, trained, and sent to fight in just over a month. The thought scared her a little, more than a little actually, she knew people who would do just that if they had the recipe and the magic to pull it off.

Jack stretched and yawned next to her and his mud brow eyes fluttered open. When he saw her watching him he smiled sleepily. “Good morning Marlot,” he stretched again and snuggled closer to the witch and she imagined closed his eyes again. Jinx, also realizing that Marlot was awake, walked over Jack and curled up on her stomach, his weight causing both Marlot and Jack to grunt a little as he stepped on them.

“Good morning Jack, did you have pleasant dreams?” He nodded and she felt his nose brush against her neck. “Well then, time to get up.”

“I don’t want to get up, your bed is warm.”

“It is only warm because you are trying to use me as a second pillow, now get up.”

“What if the giants are still out there?”

“Jack, I told you last night, there were not giants, they were all in your dream.”

“They ate you, and Lilly, and I tried to use and invisibility cloak, but it didn’t work and they were going to eat me too. Jinx tried to fight them.”

“No one is going to eat you dear, you are safe here, and Jinx hasn’t fought anything in years.”

“Promise?”

“Promise. Now what did you think of Cinderella?”

“Her mother was very mean, am I like Cinderella, you have me cook and clean a lot?”

It was true, the cabin had never been quite so clean as it was now, when she was trying to study spells she had Jack dust everything he could reach and he seemed to enjoy the work and would cry out whenever he would find something interesting or odd hidden away in a corner. “No Jack, any time I ask you to do something it is a request, you are more than welcome to tell me no, all I ask is that if you are going to live here you help out a little.”

“But you made all of the messes.”

“Yes, and if I weren’t for your amazing cleaning skills the whole cabin would still be a disaster. By the way, thank you for finding that spell book the other day, I thought I had lost it for good.”

Jack smiled his lopsided grin, “I like helping you.”

“Good, then you can help me make breakfast.”

He jumped up into a crouching position on the bed, all sleepiness forgotten. “What are we having?”

“Eggs, if you can convince the chickens to give some up.” Jack sprung out of the bed and ran out of the room; she could just hear the door banging shut behind him as he ran out into the yard. Marlot giggled and then went out into the kitchen to make toast. I’m not sure he isn’t human, thought Marlot, I have never seen anyone but a young man enjoy food as much as he does.