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.