JusJoJan 17 – Jade

For Linda’s JusJoJan prompt “Jade” is brought to us by MB, Thanks!

Immortality

Sharra carefully wiped each leaf of the jade plant until it’s waxy leaves shone in the sun. Carefully plucking a few, she placed them in her basket. Her withered hands moved with the effortless grace of a much younger woman as she gathered the remaining ingredients for her prosperity charm bags. No more wars, no more fires. She was just the simple village witch.

With a wave of her hand, the old village witch vanished and she was once again, Sharra Fire Fae, her strong wings unfurled, Dreamsong, grasped in her sword arm, blazing with magic fire. War loomed ahead and her heart sang with battle magic. But that was so long ago. With a sigh she returned to her older image. “Sometimes immortality’s a real pain in the arse,” she muttered as she returned to her jade plant.

word count 139

Who Wants to Live Forever – Queen — Freddie, ye left us too soon

Til next time ~Peace ~JPP

Withies and Vines a Crimson Creative Challenge

The rock hut was ancient, abandoned long ago and forgotten by mortals and gods alike, it suited Shara’s purpose well. Here she was safe from the judgement of humans. Here, cloaked by nature and surrounded by growing things, she was at peace. Here she was alone, here she was free.

The withies were gathered to be woven into baskets and mats and all manner of useful things. In a few weeks, she would don her disguise, sell her baskets and return with what few items the forest could not provide. And no one would suspect that on the outskirts of their city winter’s frost never touched the vines and green things grew always, in the presence of Shara the Greenwitch.

word count 120

For Crimson’s Creative Challenge

Til next time ~Peace ~JPP

A Thorny Problem

A Thorny Problem

Shara’s forest was concealed by a veil and booby trapped. Although most of the Pure Human Revolution League walked right by her little section of forest, somehow Eldbar and Regvat had stumbled right through the veil. She smiled as they became hopelessly entangled in thorny branches.

“Oye Eldbar, we’re so humped. I cannot move at all.”

“Shhhh, you dolt, we’d be a right tasty meal for some snagnasty stuck the way we are.”

Reluctantly, Shara drew the thorns back enough to allow the two to escape and sent her tiny fae friends to make sure they made no wrong turns.

Word count 100

For Friday Fictioneers

Til next time ~Peace ~JPP

The Forest Veil

For Crimson’s Creative Challenge

You have plenty of scope and only two criteria:
Your creative offering is indeed yours
Your writing is kept to 150 words or less

The Forest Veil

Shara walked through the heavy woods, the damp soil cool beneath her bare feet. Smelling the dead leaves and fallen limbs slowly returning to the earth, giving back energy and nutrients for the new life. Some found it noisome but to Shara is was the sweet perfume of life, ripe with the nurturing of newness and she breathed it in.

Inn of the Purple Door – a Crimson Creative Challenge

For Crimsons Creative Challenge

Inn of the Purple Door

The bottles were lined up in a row. The window faced the full moon and each bottle touched some bit of the metal grid. All was in readiness. Shara entered her circle of salt, lit the candles and settled herself to the ground. She began mixing herbs with her mortar and pestle and chanting her spell.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday Affirm

Welcome to Stream of Consciousness Saturday brought to us by Lindaghill.com

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “affirm.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

Shara stood on the bank of stream deep in the Greenwood. The Queen of the Greenwood Fairies stood before her in her deep green gown. The gold trim glinted in the filtered sun causing Shara to blink. Or perhaps it was the moisture welling unsummoned behind her eyes. She was home, at long last she had found a home. Bother the humans who had cast her out and tried to burn her. She had survived and found a family amongst the fae folk. Fairies of every size and color from tiny pastel pixies buzzing about like little bees to the full grown forest fairies, still no larger than a human child swarmed around her. This was the first time a human had been adopted into the queendom on the fae. Shara jerked her attention back to the Queen. “Do you Shara of the Greenwood, swear and affirm that you will do your best to aid and protect the great forests of our world?” The Queen smiled at her adopted daughter.

Pixie Legions

Today’s Just Jot it January from lindaghill.com is brought to us by Lady Lee – Echo.

Pixie Legions

Shara crouched low behind an old tree stump. The grand old fellow had long ago been cut down to fuel the heat stoves of the humans. She placed a hand on the old stump feeling the echo of life force left behind, and a pang of anger and sorrow at the loss of the giant. She patted the stump fondly. A tiny spark bobbed in her direction and soon Serendipity, the pixie, landed on her shoulder, breathing heavily.

Just Jot it January 20 – Pixie Serendipity

For Just Jot it January today’s prompt Serendipity brought to us by Jill

Pixie Serendipity

Shara had a stitch in her side from the flat out run across the meadow but now they were at the edge of the forest and she slowed to a quick walk, glancing behind her and gasping for air.

Shara’s Tale – The Beginning Part 3

Read the first 2 parts of the story and the flash fiction inspiration  Shara’s Tale – The Beginning   Shara’s Tale – The Beginning part 2   Ignite

artwork by comfreak on pixabay

Shara’s tears dried and, in an all to mature voice, continued with detached passion. “I worried about them so I crept silently to a spot on the hill where we had watched the villagers come and go for years. They took my parents to the public square. The Magistrate accused them of harboring a witch and told the rest of the people that they must be purified by pain. They tortured them in full view of the village. Elarinya, they cut them and flayed them with hot irons, they beat my father with a club and then stripped my mother naked and flogged her in the square. The people, they watched and did nothing. Some cheered, and some laughed. My parents uttered not a sound, not a cry, not a scream. I could take no more and I pulled my bow. I do not recall the spell I cast upon the arrow but I whispered to it “death to all” and let the arrow of death fly. It struck the Technocrat Centurion who was their torturer through the belly, leaving spray of blood and entrails, then it burst into flame and the entire village exploded. I rushed to my parents, pulled their bodies from the flames but it was too late, they were already dead.” Shara’s head dropped to her chest in defeat.

“What became of the rest of the villagers?” Elarinya asked intently.

Shara’s Tale – The Beginning part 2

Read the first part of the story and the flash fiction inspiration Shara’s Tale – The Beginning,   Ignite

artwork by comfreak on pixabay

Finally, Elarinya made a decision. This human was not like the others. She came closer and made a slight bow. “I apologize for my behavior earlier. Fairies have little reason to trust humans,” she offered by way of explanation. “I am Elarinya, First Fairy of the Eastern Greenwood Forest.”

Shara held out her hand, “I am Shara, the Greenwitch.” They shook hands in the age old manner of friends.

“Forgive me, but you seem terribly young, even for a human. How is it that you are here in the forest, all alone?” Elarinya asked, an edge of suspicion clouding her tone.