Once Upon a Quest

by Anthea Sharp

  With an inward sigh, I leaped into the air and performed a graceful turn. I landed on all fours, and wove to the left and the right, then spun about once more. As a final move, I crossed my paws and bowed before the guard at the door.

  The soldiers clapped.

  “That is a good trick,” the guard said. “We’ll let you in, but you still have to surrender any weapons.”

  Elly handed over her belt knife, which hardly qualified as a weapon. Certainly it was no threat to the ogre. The blade was scarcely sharp enough to cut slices of fruit.

  “If I were a hero come to challenge the ogre,” she asked, “would I be allowed to bring a sword?”

  “You, a hero?” The guard laughed at her. “You’re nearly as funny as your cat, girl.”

  She set her mouth, but luckily did not argue with the man. Instead she scooped me up and stalked through the postern door without a word. I thought of hissing at the guard as we passed, but thought better of it. He might take offense and change his mind about letting us into the castle, and then my foolish display of dancing would have been for naught.

  Once through the wall, a servant in red and black livery escorted us across the courtyard and into the castle’s great hall. The air smelled harsh, with the tang of something I knew was dark magic, though I’d never encountered such a scent before.

  The ceiling rose far overhead and the room echoed eerily, as though the empty space was used to being filled by a bright mob of courtiers and visitors. Instead it was uncomfortably quiet.

  Elly’s steps faltered as the servant led us across the expanse of marble floor toward the dais at the end of the hall. A hulking figure sat there, on a throne made of bone and shadow—easily three times the size of the king’s old throne, which lay on its side behind the dais, as if discarded.

  “Courage,” I whispered to my human.

  She gave me a gentle pat, and I felt her shoulders straighten.

  “Who comes?” the figure asked in a booming voice.

  “Put me down.” I wriggled in the sling

  Elly took me out and set me gently on the floor. The stone was cold beneath my paws. I walked forward until I was a short leap from the throne. The fetid smell of ogre sweat pinched my nose, and I could hear the breath rasping in and out of his throat. One of his hands was big enough to crush me, should he so choose.

  “Your eminence.” I made the ogre a bow. “My name is Mistress Bootsi, and I have come to look upon your might.”

  “A talking cat?” He laughed, a harsh, nasty sound. “If you thought I’d be impressed, I’m not. I have no use for you.”

  The ogre stood and, in a wink, transformed to a huge lion. He roared, and I shivered in fear. My instincts clamored for me to run, run! It took all my courage to stand my ground, and I hoped that Elly had the sense to do the same. Being breakfast for a lion was not part of my plan.

  A heartbeat later, the ogre returned to his original form.

  “You see?” He gave me an ugly smile, his teeth very white, and very sharp. “I can become a mighty cat, should I feel the need.”

  “That was most impressive,” I said. “Of course, an ogre of your great stature can turn into anything large and intimidating. Such things must come easily to you.”

  “Of course they do.” His reddish eyes narrowed.

  “I wonder if you…” I shook my head and sat back on my haunches. “Ah, never mind.”

  “If I what?” he growled.

  “It was a passing notion. I simply don’t see how you could become anything small and unthreatening.” I looked up at him, my eyes wide.

  His wide face furrowed in a frown. “Of course I can!”

  A moment later, a dog stood upon the dais. It barked at me. Once more, I had to restrain my urge to flee.

  With a whooshing sound, the ogre changed back.

  “You see?” He scowled at me. “I can become anything I like.”

  “As you say.” To hide my trembling, I began to lick my paw. “Although…”

  “Although what?” The ogre was clearly becoming impatient with my dangerous game. His huge hands clenched and unclenched.

  “Some might say a large dog is still a representation of your inner strength, Lord Ogre. Which, of course, is tremendous. I can see why changing into something small and harmless, like a mouse, is beyond your power.”

  “What?” he cried. “Nothing is beyond my power!”

  He raised his fists, his complexion turning orange with effort. The lamps fixed to the walls vibrated, and small chips of marble skittered across the floor as the very foundations of the castle shook.

  A second later, the ogre was gone. A small gray mouse stood on the dais, whiskers twitching. It was the moment I’d been waiting for.

  Quick as quick, I pounced, sharp claws unsheathed.

  The mouse squeaked and darted for cover, but I caught it and—despite my desire to toy with it—bit it right at the back of the head.

  It slumped, a quiver running through its body. Perhaps it was attempting to change back into an ogre. I held it down with one paw and bit again, my sharp teeth making quick work of the mouse. It tasted sour, but, just in case, I ate it up, every scrap.

  “Bootsi!” Elly cried, running over to me. “You did it—you defeated the ogre.”

  She made a face at the smear of mouse blood on the floor, but that didn’t stop her from scooping me up in her arms. I purred mightily, quite pleased with myself.

  “There she is,” a voice cried.

  Elly turned, to see a gray-haired man in a tattered robe step through the door behind the dais. He was accompanied by a tall, dark-haired young man, and a half dozen soldiers.

  “Bow to your king,” one of the soldiers said to Elly.

  “Your highness?” Elly blinked in confusion, then made a bow—somewhat awkward, due to the fact that she was holding a cat.

  “Rise,” the king said. Despite his disheveled appearance, his voice was regal. “You have saved my kingdom from the ogre, young lady. Any reward you desire is yours for the asking. Gold, a castle of your own, my son’s hand in marriage.”

  “Um.” She glanced down at me. “I don’t really want a castle, and while your son is very handsome…” She blushed at the words, then hurriedly continued. “Actually, it was my cat, Bootsi, who killed the ogre.”

  The king’s brows rose. “Are you certain you don’t want to take credit? That’s rather unusual in these types of circumstances. The cat belongs to you, after all.”

  My tail lashed twice at that comment, but I knew that Elly would defend me—as she did.

  “Cats belong to no one, your highness.” Elly looked up at the king. “I think some gold might come in handy, though, and perhaps a little cottage somewhere—not too close to the city, but not too far away. Would you like that, Bootsi?”

  I purred loudly to show my approval, choosing not to reveal my ability to speak. I did not trust kings much more than I trusted ogres. If the monarch discovered I was a magical cat, well, he might decide to take me for himself.

  “Miss…” The prince stepped forward. “What is your name?”

  I liked the kindness in his eyes, and the fact that he was the only one who bothered asking Elly who she was.

  “I’m Elisetta Miller,” she said. “And you must be Prince Marcus.”

  “I am.” He gave her a smile. “Once you’re settled in your new cottage, might I come pay you a visit?”

  I purred again, liking how polite this prince was. Perhaps he and Elly would make a match, and she’d end up with the prince and the castle after all.

  And, as you know, she did just that. You’re proof of that, little one, though I’m not sure how much you understand of my tale. Baby humans are such strange, incompetent things. Why, you can’t even crawl about!

  Elly tells me that will come, eventually. I trust I’ll be here to see the day. And who knows, perhaps I’ll find a better mate next time, and you’ll have a talking kitten for a companion of your own.

  Wha
tever the case, the world holds adventures aplenty for you, youngling. Yes, grin that drooling smile at me. But as you grow up, I know you will have the courage to face ogres and the generosity to share your rewards.

  And, most of all, the wisdom to listen to your cat.

  * * *

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  This story was inspired by the fairytale Puss in Boots, also known as The Master Cat. I love the idea of a clever talking cat—and her companion, who has the sense to listen to her advice. Bootsi is based on Zella, a sometimes silly, sometimes sensible feline who shares our house. She is a mighty hunter and, if she could talk, would certainly be clever enough to trick and devour an ogre.

  If you liked this story, please look for my other work. You might enjoy my collection of magical short stories: Tales of Feyland & Faerie. Also, The First Adventure, the prequel novella to my bestselling Feyland series, is FREE at all retailers. You can sign up for my newsletter as well, and get a bonus story in return. Thank you for reading!

  White Rose

  Phaedra Weldon

  “That’s not possible.” The Snow Queen waved dismissively at her frost demon. “No one would be foolish enough to fall in love with Jack.”

  But the little demon was insistent as it danced around in the air. “Tis true, Mistress! I have seen this with my own…” it hesitated a second, unsure what it would call its eyes since it had none. It gave up. “I have seen it. He takes human form!”

  “What?” Now that got her attention. She turned from her crystal mirror and narrowed her eyes at him. “With what magic?”

  “I—” the demon spun and moved back. “I am not sure, Mistress. I watched him change. I did, I did. If I had not seen him do this, I would have known him by his white hair.”

  “Enough!” She held up her scepter, a short crystal prism crowned by a bright blue light. It flashed as her emotion fueled its power. “He has defied me for the last time. Betrayed me more than I can keep up with. He will not find love, little Kai. And you,” now she refocused on the demon. “You will be my agent.”

  “Uh oh.” The demon tried to back away.

  But the Snow Queen raised her scepter. Light brighter than the sun burst from it and the demon felt its entire form melt beneath it. When it came to life again, it felt light and stretched out its wings.

  “Be my eyes and ears, Kai. As an owl, you can travel where I cannot.” She turned and with a powerful strike at the mirror, cracked it into a thousand pieces. The wind whipped around them, taking in the small fragments as it gathered them with snow and flew out through the palace’s windows. “Those shards shall lodge in every woman who looks upon him, and in every heart and in their eyes. They shall see him as nothing. They will give him nothing.”

  The demon, still testing out its new body and gaining flight, though preferring its previous means of floating in the air, hovered in front of her. “Will they lodge in his lover’s heart and eyes?”

  “For her…” The Snow Queen smiled. “I have something special in mind. I will have Jack kneeling before me as he did the day he was made, begging me to spare his life. I gave him his powers. And I can take them away.” She laughed. “Go now, and deliver these to his chosen one.” She held out her hand and in her palm were two shards of the crystal mirror.

  Kai took them in its claws and spiraled up into the air, up through the uppermost window and headed back to the realm of mankind.

  * * *

  Jack…

  New York. January. Central Park.

  I loved the park. Especially after a snow, and since I was responsible for this year’s White Christmas, I figured I deserved a month off…and I just let it snow. And who am I?

  My name is Jack Frost.

  I mean, I did keep an eye on the weather and made sure it didn’t build up into blizzard conditions. Not sure the rest of the state was as happy with me as my lover was.

  She’d always wanted a white Christmas. She’d been born in the Midwest and moved to New York in the summer. I followed her. Helped her when I could. And when she asked me for the most beautiful holiday I could give her, I gave it to her.

  Because I loved her.

  Her name was Grace Rosen. She loved horses, Chinese Food, and white roses. They were her favorite. She knew who I was, and what I was, and didn’t care. She never complained when I was gone for weeks or even months at a time (being Jack Frost had its job requirements) and was always welcoming with a smile. I was her first, and she was mine.

  And I wanted to be with her. Almost…for eternity. But then, my eternity and hers were very different.

  I told her about the pact I’d made with the Snow Queen. It’d been so long ago, and even I didn’t realize until much later, the fact the Queen even found me was a miracle. I was twenty-one, and I’d decided to go out hunting on my own. All I’d had was my dad’s flint-lock. The year was…

  (Laugh) Even I couldn’t remember what year it was. But she’d listened to me, wide-eyed as I told her my stupidity in not realizing a snow storm was coming. I vaguely remembered my granny saying something about her aching bones. But there was a buck out there I had to bring home so that we could eat for the winter.

  I was half frozen before I could even get to where I’d last seen it. And I would have died had it not been for the sound of her sleigh as it moved over the snow or the sparkle of her crown atop her white hair. She’d touched my chin and asked me something. To this day I couldn’t remember what.

  But I’d begged her to help me, not realizing who, or what, she was.

  And from that moment on I’d been Jack Frost. To my family, I’d disappeared in the snow. My dad had tracked my footprints to where they disappeared. But he couldn’t see me. Not because those were the rules, but because I was ashamed of what I’d done. Of the sadness and recklessness in which I’d risked my own life. There were rumors later that my mother had made a deal with the Snow Queen, hoping to learn of my fate. But I’d never found my parents again after that. And frankly, that was a long time ago.

  Grace had put her warm hands on my face and told me it was okay. That if I hadn’t made that deal with the Snow Queen, then she and I would never have met.

  So here we were in the park, a lazy Saturday afternoon. She leaned into me and I stepped away so that I could kneel before her. She put her hands on her face as I conjured a white rose made of snow and held it up. “Grace Rosen, I know we’re not the same, and that eternity is something I’ll have to face alone. But I love you and I can’t imagine days without you in my life. I would be ever happy if you would,” the petals curled down to reveal the ring. “Be my wife?”

  Her eyes glistened with tears and I held my breath. “Of course I will!”

  I stood, shaking because I’d been so worried she would say no. She had to help me slide the ring on her finger and then she hugged me. I held on to her as tight as she held on to me. Inside, I was still worried. I had to tell the Snow Queen what I wanted to do. That I wanted to break the vow. That I wanted…

  To be human again.

  That’s when I spotted the owl sitting in the tree. It was a low branch and though owls were common, it wasn’t to see not only an owl in Central Park but to see a white one.

  Noticing my stance, Grace let go and turned to follow my gaze. “That’s…is that a snowy owl?”

  “Not sure.”

  “I wonder if it belongs to someone.” She clapped. “Oh look—it’s coming toward us!”

  * * *

  The demon-turned-owl, Kai, had no idea how it was supposed to get the shards into the girl. And it really didn’t want to break the moment. Something about the two of them fascinated it. He’d never seen so much touching or even sensed so much…kindness. Was that what love was about?

  Whatever it was Jack did on his knee, or whatever it was he put on her finger, made her very happy. And when they hugged, the last thing Kai expected was for Jack to see Kai.

  But he did. And when the girl turned to look at it as well…

  I
t was showtime. Still not knowing what to do, it flew at them, and when it was over them, a cold gust of wind came from the North and took the shards from its claws. It watched as they twisted in that wind and the two of them put up their hands to shield themselves from the cold.

  Abruptly the wind stopped and the two of them lowered their arms. Kai hovered above them, curious. Did it work? Were the shards in her heart and eyes? And then to its horror, Jack put his hands to his eye, and the girl put her hand to her chest. Oh no! One went into Jack?

  Kai backpedaled its wings and retreated to another tree to watch and hope it didn’t have to deliver the queen the bad news. It worried whatever she turned him into next wouldn’t be as nice as the owl.

  * * *

  I had something my eye. I wasn’t sure at first if it was snow, or ice, or something else. It stung for a few seconds, but then stopped. I blinked as I looked at Grace. She was bent forward, her hand to her chest. But when I went to her, she held up her other hand, warning me away.

  “Don’t.”

  “But something’s wrong—”

  “I’m fine. In fact,” she straightened and looked at me. “I believe I’m better than fine.” She turned and started walking out of the park.

  I followed, still unsure of her change in mood. But when we reached her car, she got in and didn’t unlock the door for me. I stared in shock and sadness as she backed up, and left me there in the park.

  Alone.

  * * *

  Kai sighed. It looked like it worked, even if one of the shards didn’t go into the girl’s eye. So, maybe it wouldn’t tell the Snow Queen. Instead, it would stay there and watch. And as it watched the girl move her big metal boat away from Jack, it couldn’t help but feel bad for Jack. It was a strange emotion for Kai. To feel sorry for Jack Frost. But it did. More so because the girl had seemed so happy moments before, and had now left the man who made her happy alone in the park.