Author's Note: This story is original fiction and the characters belong solely to me (and to my mother, who has actual copyrights to Chickpea and Garbanzo). If you favorited or are following me as an author, I apologize if this story suddenly takes precedence over my other entries, since it is a birthday present for my mother.
A Keeper's Tale: Chapter 1
Rose pushed the heavy wooden broom across the floor for what must have been the hundredth time that afternoon. Frau Hamentashen was 'out' on one of her many errands, and the only ones left to watch over the shop were Rose and Dunsgaard, Frau Hamentashen's aging creature that was more spite and rotten teeth than actual dog. Normal children would be out playing in the long warm afternoons brought by lady Summer in the peak of her season, but Rose was not a normal child.
Rose was not a normal child and her mother was not a normal mother. She spent most of the year travelling, coming back briefly during the holidays with far fetched tales and customs of one distant land or another, along with a souvenir or two for Rose.
The rest of the time Rose's companions were made up of Frau Hamentashen and Dunsgaard. She did not go out unnecessarily, she did not play with the children from the neighborhood, unless it was recess at school and it was required of her, and she did not do poorly in her studies. One look at the fancifully carved paddle Frau Hamentashen kept mounted on the wall, whose bronze plaque said it was named Encouragement, was more than enough to ensure Rose's continued good behavior.
But Rose's life was not wholly terrible, after all, if you were to be kept prisoner anywhere, her life in the Tinker's Haven would have been, if not her first, than one of her top choices. There were only three rules (which were helpfully posted in plain sight, right next to Encouragement):
Rule Number One: Do not touch the merchandise.
Rule Number Two: Keep the shop clean and tidy.
Rule Number Three: DO NOT touch the merchandise.
This meant there were really only two rules that Rose had to remember, with one being much more important than the other. She had only broken Rule Number One once, and once was certainly enough trouble for young Rose's lifetime. She was still making amends for it, which is why she spent her days sweeping and taking care of the shop, instead of running about outside and getting into mishaps and adventures like every other child.
One mishap in the store had been enough, and now she was trapped indoors to make penance. It had been one of the more complicated wind up toys, a red and black jester who would cartwheel and somersault through the air as if he weighed no more than a feather. Rose had been spellbound by the toy as soon as the Wind-Up Man had walked through the door and shown it to Frau Hamentashen. Usually the Wind-Up Man only came with a crate full of the usual wagging tail dogs, spark spitting robots and cymbal crashing monkeys. He spoke to Frau Hamentashen in a soft, whispery voice as he explained about the toy.
"You see there, that detail work? It was all hand painted enamel. None of that machine pressed tin with white wash, and here is something quite special."
The Wind-Up Man rummaged about in his coat pocket until he pulled out a small bronze key. "The key is detachable, and makes the jester seem to move all on his own."
He inserted the key into a small, round hole in the back of the jester and turned. The small clicks of the gears inside were very loud as the excited Rose peeked on tiptoes, watching from her hidden spot behind a row of shelves.
"Just one more." The Wind-Up Man gave the key one last turn. "And there he goes!" He shouted excitedly, watching as a red and black blur flew through the air like an escaped frog. The jester landed gracefully and sprang right back up, flipping and tumbling and turning in ways that Rose thought were reserved for birds alone.
Finally, after one last jump, the jester's gears started to slow and the toy gave a salute and a bow before winding down and waiting for the next turn of the key.
"How many did you want, Frau Hamentashen?" The Wind-Up Man asked. "They are becoming one of my fastest selling items."
"We will see if that is true." Said Frau Hamentashen, who was never convinced that any new toy would do well. "I take just this one for now, if it sells, I take more."
"Oh no!" Rose whispered fiercely, and her heart sank, for the toys that came in singles were kept aside for the rich children alone. No matter how long Rose saved up the hard earned coins she got for taking care of the shop, they would never add up high enough to pay for that sort of toy.
Frau Hamentashen thanked the Wind-Up Man and paid him for the jester and their usual crate of mechanicals. Just before leaving the shop, the Wind-Up Man looked right over at where Rose was hiding and winked at her. She wiggled a few fingers at him in a shy wave goodbye before she heard the tinkle of the bell over the door as it swung shut.
Rose went back to the task she had been assigned before the Wind-Up Man had arrived, which had been dusting. She swept the feather duster back and forth over the shelves and boxes in such a rush that a cloud of dust flew up and tickled her nose.
"Achoo!" Rose sneezed, drawing the attention of Frau Hamentashen, who had been placing the jester at the front counter, in a position of honor. She stepped out from behind the counter. Her heavy clogs squeaked on the tiled floor as she came towards Rose. When she reached the shelf that Rose had been cleaning, she stopped and loomed overhead purposefully.
"Rose." She said.
"Yes, Frau Hamentashen?"
"You are not to touch that toy, are you understanding me?"
"Yes, Frau Hamentashen." Rose nodded.
"What are rules?" Frau Hamentashen asked, unconvinced.
"Do not touch the merchandise." Rose recited.
"And?" She prodded.
"Keep the shop clean and tidy."
"And...?"
Rose sighed. "Do not touch the merchandise."
Frau Hamentashen nodded, satisfied, before she let out a high pitched whistle. After a moment, they could hear the slow clip clop of Dunsgaard coming down the stairs.
"I am going out," Frau Hamentashen told her, "Dunsgaard will keep you company here, mind the shop and mind the rules. We have understanding?"
"Yes, Frau Hamentashen." Rose repeated again. Of all the words she had spoken in her lifetime, she was certain these three were the most used. She watched as Frau Hamentashen's large and imposing form filled the entrance to the shop before opening the door with a tinkle of the little silver bell as she stepped out of the shop.
The door closed behind her and Rose's face lit up with a mischievous grin. Frau Hamentashen was usually gone for at least an hour, so she had plenty of time to do what she wanted. What Rose wanted most was to play with the wind up jester.
She skipped up behind the counter and climbed up onto the stool Frau Hamentashen kept for sitting, balancing precariously as she looked around across the high surface. There he was, the wind up jester, with nothing stopping Rose from gaining her prize other than the smooth span of the wooden counter. She reached for shiny black and red object, sticking her tongue out in intense concentration as the stool wobbled not once but twice before she was able to retrieve the toy and examine it up close.
The paint work was as brilliant and stunning as the Wind-Up Man had said it was, but what she noticed most was the jester's face. Two diamonds had been painted over his eyes, styled and stretched so that they almost formed a cross or a four pointed star. His mouth was a small black line, with a touch of red at its very center, which made his mouth look very tiny and his lips almost disappear. He was a fine toy by paintwork alone, but Rose wanted to see what made him extra special, she flipped the jester over and fumbled for the key. It was gone!
In a panic, Rose thought she had maybe dropped it on the floor or lost it somewhere. She didn't want to let go of the jester or hop down from her seat, so she looked down from her perch and examined the floor. Nothing, no slight sparkle, no glint of brass was revealed. Rose suddenly remembered the clang of the cash register drawer right before Frau Hamentashen placed the jester on the counter.
"It must be in there." She said, hoping it was true.
Rose carefully set the jester down on the counter and set to work opening the register. Usually when she helped at the store, Frau Hamentashen would take care of all the dealings with money, which meant that Rose was now at a loss as she stared blankly at the register keys. It was a code, she was sure, since she never saw Frau Hamentashen with a key for anything other than the front door. She just didn't know which code.
Dunsgaard, summoned from his bed in the corner by all the commotion at the register, pattered over and growled halfheartedly at Rose.
"Dunsgaard!" Rose exclaimed, as a thought struck her. She hit the keys for Dunsgaard's birthday and the cash drawer magically slid open with the resonant ching of all cash registers. Rose smiled as she reached for the key, which was nested in with all the silver coins in a little tray. Now the toy was all hers.
She grabbed for the jester and fit the key into his back. It slid in with a little click and Rose started cranking, hearing the tiny gears inside wind up and gain power. When she had turned the key three times all the way around, she set the jester on the counter and waited.
He leapt, flipping up and over and twirling before landing and preparing for another jump. Rose clapped her hands together and laughed as the jester performed for her. It was no wonder that the Wind-Up Man sold all of them, this was the greatest toy Rose had ever seen, and since she lived in a toy shop, that said quite a bit for the jester.
She was so excited by the performance that she didn't see the direction of the jester's final leap. It was headed straight for her and Rose only had a moment to react before the jester leapt into her arms with such force that it knocked her off balance. The world seemed to tilt in slow motion as the stool and Rose fell to the floor. She hit the ground hard and heard a loud crack that she hoped wasn't her head against the hardwood. It was hard to breath and harder to stay awake. Her surroundings darkened and the last thing she remembered was the sound of Dunsgaard's barking.
The next thing she remembered was waking in her own bed, with her soft blanket pulled over her. The room was quiet except for her alarm clock, which was ticking away on her nightstand. Her head felt odd and lumpy so she reached up to examine it, frowning when her hands came away wet and cold. Rose wondered how it had gotten so dark suddenly. It had only been the afternoon when she was playing with the jester.
"The jester!" Rose remembered, and sat up before she instantly regretted it. Her head ached and she felt dizzy. She let out a groan of pain and suddenly the door opened and the light from a single candle filled the room. It illuminated the face of a very disappointed looking Frau Hamentashen. Rose felt very small and sorry and didn't know if her life could get any worse.
"How are you feeling?" Frau Hamentashen asked her.
"Very badly," Rose told her, "and in many ways. I'm sorry, Frau Hamentashen."
Frau Hamentashen nodded, accepting her apology. "How is head?"
"It hurts, and it's very cold." She reached up again to feel it, but her hands were stopped and held within Frau Hamentashen's much larger ones.
"It is ice, for the swelling." She said.
"Is the jester okay?" Rose asked, suddenly hearing the loud crack in her ears again.
"That is something to deal with tomorrow, tonight, you will rest." She reached up and got something from a high bookshelf. "I have a package for you, from your mother, that was the thing I went out to get in afternoon."
Rose wanted to sink into the bed and disappear. "I'm sorry." She whispered.
Frau Hamentashen shook her head, "Tonight, rest, open your gift, tomorrow will be great penance, and many tomorrows after that."
The emphasis on great made Rose shiver, but it was no less than she deserved. "Thank you, Frau Hamentashen."
"Have good rest, I will leave you with candle, goodnight, Rose." She set the package down on the bedspread before turning and leaving the room.
"Goodnight, Frau Hamentashen." Rose called after her, before giving her full attention to the package sitting in her lap.
She recognized her mother's distinctive handwriting on the small box, but the words had been blurred by water damage. Rose was not overly concerned with this matter, even when she could read the words, the cities and countries were extremely long and hard to pronounce. She had asked adults about them, and no one knew where the places her mother sent letters and packages from were any more than Rose did. She hoped they were nice places.
She tore open the brown paper covering the box and looked for the letter that always accompanied everything her mother sent her. Rose unfolded the letter with the happiness she always felt when hearing from her mother.
My dearest Rose,
I am travelling in the East, learning things from a people so old and ancient that the world has forgotten their name. The land here is beautiful, and the elders sing songs of the time when magick wove itself so deeply into our lives that every word was a spell. They make everything by hand from the gifts given to them by their land. They are isolated, but not lonely. Every wish is a prayer and even the simplest item is considered sacred if you love it enough.
It is so hard to be away from you, but you are not yet old enough to travel the world with me. There are so many things I want to show you. Until then, I have included a gift to help you pass the time.
I will be home sooner than expected, perhaps only a few weeks more here before I am able to return home and retrieve you from the Tinker's Haven and Frau Hamentashen. Now, I suppose I should explain your gift. They were made by one of the Elder's granddaughters, she reminds me terribly of you, and it has made me miss you all the more. Please cherish these companions who will travel with you while I am not there to hold you. Their names are Chickpea, and Garbanzo.
Love Always,
Your Mother
Rose read the letter twice through before opening the box it came with. She slid open the top and peered inside, if these were companions, they were quite small. Rose tilted the box to get a better look and heard something roll towards her, startled, she let it fall from her hand. The box overturned itself and landed face down on her bed. Not wanting to lose her tiny gifts, Rose carefully lifted the box and set it aside, then she brought the candle over from her nightstand to get a closer look. She saw two round objects nestled in her covers, one yellow and one white, she picked the yellow one up first and examined it in the firelight. It was a little bean, painted yellow with the sharp, watchful eyes of a hawk, and a little orange beak where the bean came to a point.
"You must be Chickpea," she giggled. She carefully set Chickpea down on her nightstand before turning her attention to her other gift. She picked the small white ball up and looked at it near the flame of the taper in her hand. She noticed the point first, which was painted a bold red. She wondered what kind of an animal Garbanzo was. Chickpea was fairly straightforward as a bird, but what could this one be.
She turned the bean to see Garbanzo's face and was so shocked she nearly dropped the candle she was holding. Staring back at her, was the face of the jester.