Adalie and the Enchanted Mirror

Chapter 1
The one in which Adalie does her chores


Adalie woke to the sound of rain dripping into large metal buckets. The roof of her house had many missing shingles and when it rained it often leaked. It didn’t help that her house was on the edge of a rather dismal lake, which seemed to make it rain heavier there than anywhere else. The dripping of the rain was pleasant tho, and although her nose was cold, the rest of her body was warm and toasty under her heavy quilt, and she wished she could sleep just a little bit longer. Sighing, she kicked off her covers and ran to empty the buckets. There were chores to be done, and on top of that she didn’t want her bedroom to flood and give her any more work to do. With that done she pulled on her heavy galoshes, threw on her raincoat and went to milk Nanny.

It was cold outside and windy. The fog rolling around the lake enveloped her house and made it hard to see. Luckily she didn’t need to go very far. Adalie ran into the lean-to and slammed the door. “We really should make an entrance from the house,” thought Adalie as she grabbed a handful of alfalfa. “M-e-e-e-h,” Adalie bleated very much like a goat. The snowy white goat trotted to her outstretched palm and started crunching. Adalie pulled up her stool and bucket and milked her. Then she raked the floor and added clean wheat straw. She checked the chicken coop for eggs and found three which she promptly stuck into her pockets. She patted the goat between the horns, then picked up the milk bucket and headed back to the house.

“How many eggs did you get?” asked her father as she came into the house.
“Three, one for each of us,” she replied.
Her father was a tall man. He had a shock of black hair over a weathered and stern face, his voice was gruff, and his eyes sad but he treated his girls very kindly. Everyday he tended the neighbors many goats. Once he had had as many, maybe even more, but much time has passed since then and now he only owns the one she goat. That goat gave them milk and cheese. Their few hens provided breakfast. “Perhaps I should buy another hen,” he suggested.
“We cant afford it,” replied Kader. “Besides, 3 eggs is plenty enough for us.”

Her sister, Kader was almost 17, more than five whole years older than she was. Kader was tall and beautiful in a way that Adalie was not. Where Adalie was tall and thin, Kader had round soft curves. Her hair was the color of warm honey and not the drab dark color the rest of the family had. Since their mother passed away it was she who ran the house. She alone made sure the house was clean, that there was food to eat, and that Adalie behaved. Already the floors were swept, the stove blazing hot and water heating up for the midday stew. Coffee was already steaming in three mugs. Now she took the eggs away from Adalie and proceeded to cook them. Kader scrambled them up with the rich goat milk and added cheese and chunks of onion and peppers. She divided it among the 3 of them giving their father the bigger portion. Along with the eggs they each had a hunk of bread, that although a little stale, was just fine toasted a bit and dunked in the dark sweet coffee.
“mmmmm,” mumbled Adalie.

“Delicious omelet Kader,” said her father as he stood up and put his cap on. Rain or shine the goats always needed tending. Rapid knocking came from the front door. Her father opened it and there stood Landric the neighbor’s son.
“The goats have got loose, Bill, he exclaimed. “It seems the storm broke a section of the fence and they have all wandered off.”
“I’m off to work girls,” he said.
“Bye Pa,” mumbled Adalie her mouth full of food.
Kader helped her father with his coat all the while shyly sneaking peeks at the young man who had arrived for her father.
“Good morning Kader,” said Landric. “Are you well?”
“Yes, thank you, Good morning,” she blushed.
He wished Adalie a fine day as well then he and their pa headed off to the pastures.
Adalie put all the dishes in the sink to be washed. “How can you like him?” said Adalie as she scrubbed. “He’s stiff and boring, plus his ears stick out.”
Kader laughed. “He is sweet, and honest, and works hard,” she replied. “Plus he has a cute rear,” She was promptly wacked on the head by the dish towel.

The two girls finished washing the breakfast dishes, then pulled out a big wooden chest from Kader’s room. Inside were yards and yards of lovely crimson silk, covered in lace and little china buttons. It had been their mothers wedding dress and now it was to be Kaders. They got to work finally finishing all the sewing and measuring that had taken them months to complete. “Try it on, Kader,” said Adalie. The dress was beautiful. It had puffed sleeves and a tight lace bodice. A row of tiny china buttons went all the way down the back. The skirts were wide and full and trailed the tiniest bit. Adalie whistled, “You are going to look real grand like at your wedding.”

Kader blushed like always at the mention of the upcoming wedding. Young Landric had asked for her hand nearly 5 months ago and the approaching wedding made her nervous and shy. This marriage would ensure a better future for her and her family. Landric came from a prosperous family. He had offered her father two hundred goats for her hand. Several of the villages young men had asked for her, but her father chose Landric, and Kader was sure she was growing to love him. He was kind to her and was good looking. Most importantly he was the only one who had actually asked to speak to Kader before speaking to her father, even though that wasn’t the way things were done.

Adalie thought it was all rather funny. She would never get all blushing and moon eyed over a boy, not her! She helped Kader remove the dress and pack it back in the chest. She couldn’t help but wonder what life would be like after the wedding. Adalie hoped for a bit more excitement to enter it.


Chapter 2
The one where Adalie ruins a wedding


“Stop wiggling,” commanded Oma. “Today is your sisters wedding and you must be on your best behavior.” Oma was tall and stern. She had snow white hair pulled back into a strict bun and a wise and knowing expression on her face.

Adalie tried to be still while her grandmother brushed the knots and tangles from her hair. She was wearing a simple bright red corset over a crisp white blouse and a full red skirt. Red was the traditional wedding color in Meadows-Glen. It stood for passion and love and life, things that would be welcome in a new marriage. Today she was to walk down the aisle before Kader and sprinkle down rose petals. It made her nervous. She was only 11 after all, and rather clumsy and she did not like to be stared at. There would be many people there, all her family from both sides, along with friends and neighbors.

The wedding was to be a spectacular event.  Father had borrowed pine benches from the Old Church. The men of the village had helped to assemble them into two rows in the garden. The village women had sewn pieces of bright red cloth together to form a path in between the rows. At the head of the path was a wooden platform decorated with red flowers of all sorts. This is where Kader and Landric would stand with the priest.

“There,” said Oma as she handed her the glass, “take a look at your self.”
Adalie was shocked. Was she really the pretty girl that stared back at her from the glass? She looked like a different person. Her cheeks were flushed almost the same crimson as her gown, her eyes were bright, and her hair shone.
“I look pretty, almost like Kader,” she said.
“What nonsense,” said Oma “you girls are like two peas in a pod.”
“Thank you, Oma,” replied Adalie as she gave her a fierce hug.
“Girls,” muttered Oma, shaking her head. “I’d better go and check the kitchen.”

Adalie followed her gran to the kitchen hoping to grab some scraps. Boy, was her
tummy rumbling as she went scurrying to the kitchen! The place was buzzing with activity. The aunts were cooking all kinds of goodies, and the air was filled with the smells of ham, knockwursts, cabbage, buttery noodles, roasted potatoes, dumplings, gooseberry puddings, tortes, and fruity ales all cooking at once. Adalie stuffed herself with gooseberry pudding and rich cream.
“Adalie, put that down, you’ll get dirty.”
Adalie looked up from her plate. There stood Kader looking like a princess in her red gown. She wore their mothers ruby tiara and teardrop pendant. These were sure to guarantee her good luck in health, money, and the births of many sons. 

Meadows-Glen was not the only village to employ a witch. There were witches and other such creatures everywhere. Some were good and devoted their time to birthing, healing and the various blessings, while others were a pestilence and a bane upon their village causing great mayhem. This particular ruby was a perfect blessing for a new bride.
“Let us go then, sister,” said Kader. “It is time for my wedding.”
“Oh, dear,” gulped Adalie, “ok….then.”
“Don’t be nervous, sis!” “Do as I do, and pretend everyone is in their knickers!” laughed Kader.
“In their knickers?” wondered Adalie as she followed Kader to the garden.

Soon the musicians began to play and Kader prodded Adalie forward. She took a deep breath and began to walk placing one foot in front of the other, then the next foot, and the next, and taking a big breath relaxed a little.
“So far so good”
She looked up and froze, there were so many people there. She willed herself to keep moving forward, and stumbled. There must have been at least two hundred eyes watching her and there she was like a stupid kid lying on the floor! So hoping it would help her face her fears she took her sister’s advice and she imagined everyone was in their underclothes. Her sister screamed and fainted! People began to look around in disbelief and many tried to run and hide. Chaos ensued. Adalie didn’t understand what was going on. She had only pretended, it wasn’t, it couldn’t be real, was it? Everyone seemed to really be running around in their knickers! They were angry and upset.