Page 2 of A Cake of Cherries and Charm

The girls were so frightened by the fight that they had already turned to run, but they stopped when a man’s voice called them by name. Turning cautiously, they found a man standing where the bear had been.

“It’s me!” he cried joyfully. “I was your bear!”

The girls stared in awe. What could he mean by this?

“I’m a prince,” the man claimed. “And five years ago, I was on my way to deliver a royal payment from my father to a neighboring king. But this cruel troll stole my treasure and cursed me to take the form of a bear. I left you every summer to search for him, but he moved the treasure often, never remaining in one place for long. I’m only free now because of his death.”

By this speech, the girls knew at once that he was their bear, and they all rejoiced with tears of joy. Snow White was immediately betrothed to the bear-prince, for she had loved him from the start. And Rose Red…

Well, you’re about to hear about her happy end.

Chapter

One

Doing her best not to let her stomach tie itself into knots, Rosie turned in a slow circle to survey the little cottage one last time. Everything was neat and tidy as her mother liked it. The bedcovers were clean and flat against the beds. The hearth and stone floor had been swept until they shone. The rugs had been beat, and the glass window panes, which her mother had been so proud of, glistened in the sunlight of the early afternoon, not a fingerprint or smudge to be seen. The few dishes they owned were clean and in the cupboard, as were their two pots.

If Rosie hadn’t known better, she would have expected her sister to come bounding in at any moment with new flowers to place in their single glass vase. Or for her mother to come in from the garden carrying a basket of tomatoes. But the vase–one of the few items they had chosen to bring to the palace–was tucked away carefully among her mother’s clothes in the basket, which her mother had taken with her that morning. And Snow had already left a lovely little bouquet of wildflowers on the wooden table that morning before taking her leave as well. Everything had been done that might make the cottage feel inviting to the cousins who would arrive at any minute.

Only Rosie was left, with the few items her mother and sister had forgotten to pack.

Or maybe they hadn't forgotten to pack them. After all, Snow was about to become a princess of their kingdom, Dulcinia, and the family would lack for nothing. Or so Snow’s betrothed had promised. But Rosie couldn’t bear to go without cutting a few clippings and gathering a few seeds from the early summer garden that was bursting with bloom in front of the house. She’d also packed a small basket with fruit from the trees in the garden in case they got hungry on the carriage ride to the palace. Snow never thought about such things, and their mother had been far too nervous to do anything except take her traveling bag–which Rosie had packed–and leave with Snow.

The sounds of children woke Rosie from her reverie, and she turned in time to see her cousin, his wife, and four small children come running up the path. Despite the storm of emotions inside her, Rosie smiled. She had always loved the children’s noise. It was joyful and lively. Just what this little cottage would need to keep it from looking sad after they were gone.

“Rosie!” Gus called from the front as he tied their donkey to the little gate. As soon as the creature was secure, he opened the gate for his four clamoring children and his pretty wife–who was clearly expecting a fifth.

Rosie opened the front door and smiled. “Welcome home.”

“You can have no idea how good that sounds,” his wife said, pressing a hand to her belly and wiping her face with a handkerchief.

Rosie held the door open for the family. The children stared up at her with wide eyes as they passed through, but both Gus and his wife paused to embrace Rosie in turn.

“I’ve drawn a bucket of water from the well, which is behind the house,” Rosie said, gesturing to the corner, where she’d left a full bucket and its ladle. “And there’s bread in the cupboard, along with butter, yellow cheese, and the dishes. And Snow picked some apples from the tree, though you might find them rather tart, since the season is early.”

“Oh, bless you!” The poor lady nearly fell into the chair that had, by right, always been Rosie’s mother’s. “I told Gus I could barely walk another step.”

“Children,” Gus said. “Get your mother some water.” He wiped a sleeve across his own forehead, which was beaded with sweat. Then he turned to Rosie. “You really are sure about this, though? Giving us your home?”

His words were thoughtful. They always were. Gus had been Rosie’s father’s favorite nephew, and though Rosie hadn’t known him much growing up, as he was about ten years her senior, he had always been gentle and kind to her. But she could read the concern in his eyes now. Surely he was wondering if her family might change their minds about giving them the home and everything in it. It was far nicer than the house they had left, and Rosie could understand his concern, especially after seeing his wife’s current condition.

So she did her best to smile soothingly. “We’re leaving for the palace in just a few hours. I only stayed to make sure you were safely settled in.” She held out a long metal key and tried to ignore the feeling of loss that engulfed her when he gingerly took it from her hand.

“Well,” he said, his eyes suddenly misty, “all I can say is… thank you. And good luck.”

“Surely you’re leaving a beau here,” his wife said from the chair, fanning herself with her hand. “You’re too pretty not to have several wandering the town.”

Rosie laughed self-consciously. “I’m afraid not. I had one before, but… we wouldn’t have made a good match.”

The lady sat up. “Why not?” she demanded.

Rosie gave her a wry smile. “He decided that I was too blunt.”

The couple stared at her in what Rosie could only interpret as confusion. They probably would have been even more shocked, had they heard her retort to the man that he was too quick to please. So she hurried to move on from this particular conversation.

“Mother and Snow are my life, though, so I wasn’t really saddened by his departure. And perhaps it’s best, seeing as we’re leaving ourselves.”

“Ah,” the woman said, recovering her smile and giving Rosie a saucy wink. “Saving your attentions for the men of privilege.”