Hi everyone! Before we get started, as some of you will know, similar to how Cinderella has many variations, the same applies to Mother Holle. Enjoy!
The Winter Child with the Sight
After I went into the cottage, I saw two people, a mother and a daughter in the Living Room. The mother stood tall by the fireplace. Her expression grim. She was dressed in a simple dark dress with a long brown coat. Her brown hair was in a messy bun and her brown eyes looked emotionless. Laying in the sofa is her daughter. A plump girl, she is, dressed in a fancy red dress. She had the woman's brown hair, but they were styled in high pigtails. She was clearly sleeping.
I thought that Lumi lived by herself... And wasn't the mother suppose to be dead?
"Hello, Detective. What brings you to our home?" the mother asked.
"Well, Lumi told me-" I got cut off.
"Lumi? I believed she went to the backyard..." the woman answered without letting me explain.
Now that I think about it more, the King and Prince looked very young... As if no time has passed for them. But these two, on the other hand...
I shook my head, I have to focus. I went to the backyard door... Only to find it to be locked! Did Lumi locked the door? Why would she tell me to meet her in the backyard if the door was lock? Sighing, I turned back to the Living Room, but not before picking up a story disc.
At the corner of my eye, I saw a puzzle, a little stage that needed two figurines. As I approached the puzzle, I notice another parable piece. Going back to the puzzle, I place the stepdaughter and Mother Holle figurine in. It was still missing something... At the side of the little stage, there were three discs.
'I wonder...'
I place the first disc I found in the first slot. The curtain of the stage lifted as the puzzle begins to explain the story of the first stepdaughter.
Once, there was a widow who had two daughters. One of them was beautiful and was industrious, her name was Ava. The other one was ugly and lazy, her name was Narcissa. The widow loved Narcissa more because she was her real daughter while Ava was only her stepdaughter. The two would force Ava to do all the CHORES in the house and she was quite the CINDERELLA of the family.
I had to touch the objects in the story that related to the chores Ava has to do such as sweeping, cleaning, and washing. There was also a recognizable slipper in the scene. Touching it just continued the story. The scene moved on as Ava was given a spindle by her stepmother. The scenery changed to the outdoors, in the cold season.
The girl had to spin in the harsh cold or else, she wouldn't be given any food. Unfortunately, when she was working, she accidentally got BLOOD in the white thread. Fearful of what her stepmother would do, the girl tried desperately to WASH off the blood in the WELL. However, the spindle SLIPPED from her hands and fell into the depths of the well.
I had to make the figurine prick her finger so the blood will fall. Ava then got to the well and I put the spindle near the border. The item went spiraling down until it cannot be seen. The figurine looked shocked and returned home, crying.
However, upon crying and telling her stepmother of her misfortune, the woman gave the girl a wicked scolding and ORDERED for her to retrieve the spindle back. If she didn't, she would be given no food for the entire week! So poor Ava returned to the bitter cold and JUMP down the well.
I had to make the stepmother take away the food from the table as the stepdaughter figurine returned outside as the scenery changed. I then moved her closer to the well as she jumped in.
The first part of the puzzle ends there as it gave me a spindle and a key to the backyard. Returning to the door, I used the key and went outside.
Out in the Backyard, I met with Lumi as she stood near the well. I notice that her hair was down, but she still kept that white ribbon in those silvery strands of hers. Still don't know why the change, though.
"Detective, through this well, we can get to the Spirit Realm- where Mother Holle is. You might see it as an ordinary well, but if you use my locket, you'll be able to see the Fairy World like me. Try it." she suggested.
I looked down at the locket as little magic started to appear. I collected all the little sparks as they charged the locket in my hands. It started to shine brightly that I had to cover my eyes. When I reopened them, everything seemed a little distorted. It was like I'm in two worlds in one. When I looked down at the well, I saw a portal, but it seemed to be at the end of a bottomless pit! However, it was blocked by a powerful barrier. Having the sight felt similar when I first saw those three mirrors in the old Snowfall Kingdom. The one where the fake False Mirror showed what the world would looked like when everything was frozen.
"Whoa, this is the Faerie Sight?" I questioned.
"Yes, the Fairy World is hidden within ours. It has been ever since, though some of the others, you have to go through a portal." Lumi explained.
"Why's that?"
"I'm not sure, but what I don't understand is how this barrier came. Normally, this well is surrounded by roses, not this..."
"Is there a way to break the barrier?"
"There might be one..." she suddenly realize something. "Find Mother Holle's Magical Specter. It's in my room somewhere, here take this." she gave me the key to her room.
Before I left, I looked around the backyard. There was a pile of snow clustered together. I dug out what was underneath. It was another story disc. I went back to the Living Room. The funny thing was that the mother and her daughter disappeared. Where did they go? I went back to the little stage to put the second disc in.
The curtain rise back up as the story continues.
After Ava woke up, she found herself in a strange world. She walked down the path where she help the oven TAKE out the bread after he pleaded for her help...
I touched the oven as it opens and gave Ava an oven shovel to take the bread out.
Next, she helped the apple tree by SHAKING the apples on its branches after hearing her cries...
I moved Ava to the apple tree and touch on the many apples for it to fall.
It was then, that the girl had arrived to the Cloud Palace, where she met Mother Holle. The woman was very kind to the poor girl. She was like the mother that Ava never had. So everyday, the woman gave the girl just one simple task: to SHAKE the snow-white feathers from her blanket. That way, it can snow in the village, creating the Winter season. In return, the girl will be given hot food and a warm bed to sleep.
I had to sort out the mess and put them in the correct place, finding the blanket at the bottom. I gave it to the figurine as she shook till the feathers fly out the window, making it snow. The story went on as the girl ate and sleep for the rest of the day.
But soon, the girl became homesick. Although she knew that she was way better off with Mother Holle than her step-family, she missed them very much. So she asked Mother Holle if she may return back to her own world. "Because you were so industrious and faithful to me, I shall take you home myself." the woman told the child. They went to the gate as it OPENED. The Snow Fay gave the girl BACK her spindle and told her to stand underneath the GATE. When the girl did, she was showered in GOLD, from head to toe.
I took the spindle from Mother Holle's hands to Ava's and opened the gates so the girl can go through. A light shined on her as her dress turned to gold and golden coins fallen on her.
When the girl returned home, the rooster called out "Cock-a-doodle-do, your Golden Girl has come back home to you!". The door opened as the stepmother and stepsister looked at her in shock...
The curtain draws down as it reveal a glass slipper. Does this slipper belong to Ava? Was she a Cinderella? And does this means that Lumi is related to her? If so, how come I never heard of her in one of the Cinderella Closets back in my previous missions?
I shock my head. Only one more disc to go...
I then decided to go upstairs to the Stepdaughter's Room. Hey, I can't really call it 'Lumi's Room' because this was originally Ava's cottage, right? Plus, I don't really know how long the girl has been living here. Probably, five years since she looked about ten when she was forced to leave, but it safe than to be sorry. And I can't call it 'Ava's Room' because something tells me that she didn't stay here after her fortune. It can only be safe to assume that the Princess took over the room after she came here.
I used the key that Lumi gave me and opened the door. When I entered, there were many paintings.
'Wow, this room has a lot of art. Lumi must be a talented girl to paint such beautiful pictures...'
At the corner of the room, there was little shrine dedicated to Mother Holle. The statue depicts her as a young woman, about the age of twenty-one. Her appearance was very much like the past visions I've seen in the parable. Very poise and elegant. The same serene sapphire blue eyes and short blue hair... Except, she has a long white veil on her head that trailed down to her back and two icy flowers on the side of her hair. Her bangs were swept a little to the right so her eyes can be seen. Strangely, it looked like frost has covered some of the strands. And her outfit was slightly different. A light blue chiffon dress that touched the floor with a long sheer white coat that has snowflake patterns at the end. She also has an endearing smile on her face. In her hands, she is holding a scepter, but not the one that I'm looking for.
Before I search the room, there was a parable piece in the gem of the scepter she's holding. Satisfied, I went to the desk. I opened the drawer to reveal a long rectangular box with a snowflake symbol. The only problem was, like in all my previous cases that involves a keyhole... It was locked.
Suddenly, some of the paintings fall to the floor, creating sparkles. I went over to the pile and found myself a silver key with that same snowflake symbol. I opened the box to find the scepter inside. Except, it was incomplete! It was missing a gem of some sort and a decorative ring...
I went to the closet to find a chest and many jewels. The chest was too heavy to take along, so I went to the pile of jewels to take some with me. Stepping out of the room and heading downstairs, I went outside to the Front Yard.
In the cold snowing weather, there was very little in the area... However, there was a jewelry box with intricate winter designs on a small table, near the rose bushes. Six slots enough for the jewels I just took with me.
Putting them in, I ready myself for a puzzle. It was very easy, putting the right colored jewels to the right colored slots. Opening it, there was a letter inside.
To Augustina,
For your kindness in offering me a drink,
you have passed my test. Faerie Glamor hide
my beauty and disguised me as an old hag. You
were the second stepdaughter that I've met. It was
your sweet and compassionate self that have earn
your gifts. Yours and yours only. Though you may
not be the first to be industrious and faithful to me,
you were the first in a long time to offer so much,
when you have so little.
From,
Mother Holle
So just like there are many Cinderellas, there are many girls who Mother Holle has shown grace to. Who never knew? I wonder if these stepdaughters have a title as well... Carefully putting down the letter, I looked inside the box. There was an ice gem and the third disc to the story.
Going back inside to the Living Room, I put the last story disc in. The curtains were raised one last time as it tell the story of what happened after...
After seeing Ava with nothing, but gold, her step-family warmly welcomed her back home. Unbeknownst to the innocent girl, they just want to know her story to get the gold. After the stepdaughter explain her tale, her stepmother SENT Narcissa to do the same as Ava. Given a different spindle, the lazy girl tried to get her blood on it. However, even a single PRICK caused the girl to whine and complain.
I had to make the stepsister get blood on the spindle. However, unlike pricking herself like Ava did, she touched the thorns on the rose bushes.
Tired of her cowardice, the stepmother PUSHED her daughter into the well...
I couldn't help, but laugh when she just pushed her in as easily as that.
Narcissa crossed paths with the oven just like Ava did. Though he kindly asked for her help to take out the bread, she SCOFFED and REFUSED, saying that the baked goods will only burn her skin and will mess up her dress. She WALKED passed by it.
I didn't have to do anything. All I did was give her the oven shovel and she just dropped it before walking.
Soon, the stepsister encounters the apple tree. Despite she heard the tree cries to shake them from her branches, she refused just like what she did with the oven. She claimed that one of those apples might fall on her head. Instead of helping, she only picked an apple to taste it. Satisfied with her "work" she left the tree behind.
Again, didn't do much. Just gave her an apple as the story continues.
It wasn't till soon that she met Mother Holle. She was obedient on the first day, attempting to please the kind woman. However, as the week passed by, she became less and less diligent of her work. Near the end of the week, she just slept, not making it snow during the Winter, causing many children to be sadden down on Earth. Eventually, Mother Holle gave up on the girl and told her that she may return home. GLADDEN, the stepsister went to the gate, imagining of all that gold she'll received. Instead, for her laziness, Mother Holle had the girl be drenched in PITCH. She was sent home after.
"Cook-a-doodle-do, your dirty girl has come back home to you!"
Mother Holle sent the girl home crying to her mother, for that pitch will never come off. It shall stick to her as long as she lives...
The story ends with the stepsister in the arms of her mother as the pitch never left her. Wow, a fate that is rather worse than Death. It seemed that she had experience some Karma. The stage then gave me a golden key.
Something started glowing in my pockets. I took out my parable book as a new section was added in the next page. It was very similar to the Cinderella stories, except it's for the stepdaughters who've met Mother Holle. It seemed that by completing some sort of puzzle relating to the Snow Fay will complete a tale. One title in particular did caught my attention though.
The Forgotten Cinderella, 3/3
Diamonds and Toads, 0/3
The Girl and Father Frost, 0/3
Aurore and Aimee, 0/3
The Three Fairies, 0/3
But if Ava was a Cinderella, why was she forgotten? I can't read her story right now. But I'll keep it in mind so I can go back on it later. And judging from the titles, it seemed like Mother Holle wasn't the only fay creature to reward the good and punish the bad.
Returning to the Stepdaughter's Room, I went to the closet to that large chest. With the key, I opened the lid to find gold coins. Do all these coins belong to Ava? Sparkles suddenly appeared. Collecting the many snowflake pieces in the coins to form the snowflake ring. With all the pieces I needed, I assemble the Winter Scepter. It glowed very brightly.
I check the cottage one last time before going to the Backyard because something tells me that I won't be returning here for a while. When there was nothing left for me to do, I went outside. Meeting up with Lumi, I used the Winter Scepter on the well.
Seven snowflakes came from the item and towards the barrier. I had to put the correct snowflakes in the right slot and rotate them to create a winter scenery in Mother Holle's world. The magic from the snowflakes started to destroy the barrier until they shattered. The moment it did, the roses around the well started to bloom despite the harsh cold.
"The barrier is no longer active! We can now enter the Spirit Realm. Hurry, Mother Holle is expecting us!" Lumi exclaimed as she jumped into the well. I followed after her.
At first, we hit contact with cold water, but then the water disappeared, replaced by the blue night sky. And I... Didn't get a good landing as I fall hard on the ground. I groaned as Lumi giggled. She lend me a hand. How was she able to land so perfectly?
"Thanks." I grumbled.
"It's alright, you just need practice. That's all." she replied.
"Where are we?" I asked, taking the scenery in. A blue lake further down in the meadows and flowers were blooming. Didn't she say that this was the winter part of the Fairy World? It doesn't look cold or snowy like I imagined.
"This is the Spirit Realm, the border between life and death. Some say that the souls of victims who had been cursed, come here until they wake up from their sleep." Lumi explained.
Was she referring to Briar Rose, Snow White, or Gwyn? Although, Briar Rose's spirit came to me when I tried to wake her up, I never asked Snow White because the question seemed too personal. As for Gwyn... I never seen his spirit when he slept. And if I remember correctly, his life was hanging between life and death... Did Gwyn came here, to this world, back then?
"I wonder..." I muttered under my breath.
However, I noticed that Lumi was looking in the distance.
"I don't like the looks of those clouds. We have to see Mother Holle immediately, so those clouds doesn't rain down at the kingdom." she started to run down the path.
Did she say rain down? How are we at the top, if we came down? That story puzzle never clearly explained that concept to me...
I followed Lumi into the Frosted Glade. The closer we got to Mother Holle's place, the more I began to see more snow and ice. I stopped when I saw sparkles in a patch of frosted flowers. There were some pieces of metal. When I finished collecting them, they formed into the palace key. I caught up to Lumi as she waited for me outside of a... Cottage?
"It may look like an old cottage, but look closer. Faerie Glamor kept the true form hidden from human eyes. Also, since the Spirit Realm is a section of the Fairy World, the glamor is much more stronger here than in our world. It would be best if you find some of the flower charms that have scattered." Lumi advised. "Here, I just found one. Try it."
I nodded as she handed me the Rose Charm. I opened the locket and put it in the slot that has briars. Why did the charms scatter? Wouldn't that make everything harder to find? Closing the trinket, I closed my eyes as my surrounding changed. When I opened my eyes, there was no longer an old cottage, but a palace!
It was completely made out of ice crystals! It was a lovely shade of lavender, almost the color of dawn. The symmetrical structure was stunning! Six shorter towers are on the left and right side with the tallest tower standing in the middle. There were many arches around the kingdom to separate the path from the water that flows down. Even the tiniest details cannot be missed. Each tip of the towers has blue snowflakes and the roof has snow on it as it falls. That was odd. Even in the sky or on the highest clouds, snowflakes can still fall on the kingdom.
"So this is the Cloud Palace..." I stared in awe.
"Yes, however, this is no time for sightseeing, Detective. We have to get inside, but the gate is locked." she explained.
"No problem. It's a good thing I stopped to get this key." I walked up to the gate and put the key in. The key vanished from my hands as did the gate.
"Excellent, we must go in now!" Lumi replied, half-serious and half-excited.
She entered the palace and so did I.
We went to a room that has some sort of contraption... A figure suddenly approached us.
"Lumi, is that you?" a feminine voice called out. The light from the moon shine on the figure to reveal Mother Holle. She looked just like that statue in the Stepdaughter's Room. The fifteenth year old girl ran up to hug the Snow Fay. "Oh, how long has it been? There is much I'd love to tell you, but we don't have much time." she broke the hug to turn her attention onto me.
"Mother Holle, this is-" Lumi was cut off.
"Yes, Lumi, I know of our guest... And all the work she has done for the world." Mother Holle told the girl. "Thank you, Detective, for coming. I know why you are here. It is my job to make sure that Winter come. However, what you see outside is not quite... Pleasant. Someone is trying to delay the ceremony. And to make it worse, they've sabotaged my machine."
"I'm a little lost." I admitted. "What ceremony?"
It was Lumi who explained, "Each season have a ceremony for the ruler to renewal their powers- to ensure that the next season not only goes smoother, but be better than the previous one. However, if that doesn't happen, then the current ruler of that season must choose a successor to inherit their powers."
"However, the ceremony is still incomplete. It will begin once the moon rise directly above us and shines a beautiful blue color." Mother Holle explains.
"And the machine?" I questioned.
"The machine helps Mother Holle make it snow using the feathers from the blankets." Lumi answered.
"Here, take this. You'll have access to my garden. I need some magic the lovely Moonflowers provide." Mother Holle gave me a folded paper of what she needed.
"I'll stay here to help Mother Holle." Lumi insisted as she stayed behind.
Well, if there is anything I can do to help, than I'm willing to do it!
Before I reached the garden, I found another parable piece on a picture frame. I smiled at the picture. The old photo showed of Mother Holle with two familiar faces. To the left was Snow White, holding an apple, and to the right was Ross Red. Mother Holle stood in the middle with a snowflake in her hands. I'd assumed that the Snow Fay was in human form because her hair was a different color, black as a matter of fact instead of blue. She was obviously older than the two in the photo.
I opened my parable book, remembering about the other story.
"Let's see what we have now."
The Princess who Forgotten to Smile, 3/3
Mother Holle, 3/3
?, 0/3
?, 0/3
The Story of the Twin Snow Fairies, 1/3
Like before, I tapped on the second story and then touched the picture of Mother Holle before the past revealed itself.
Mother Holle
The story seemed to take place here. However, it looked less snowy. I saw a young Holle singing as she bring Winter to the world.
Once, there was a Snow Maiden named Snegurochka. She was a young Fay creature, around the age of 16, and lived on the snowy section of the Fairy World. Each Winter, she was responsible for bringing snowfall to the lands that needs it. Seeing the humans being happy with her work bring her joy, yet she wished to experience life as a human. This wish was later motivated when she caught sight of a young man named Lel. She found herself growing fond of the man and fell in love.
I saw Holle would watch the young shepherd and sighing so happily.
However, her father, Father Frost won't allow her, knowing that if she learns to experience love, she'll thaw. However, despite the warning, her wish became a desire that came true. Seeking help from the Moon Goddess, she was given one year to be human. On that day, she was given a new name, Holle. She sought the young man and found him. However, he rejected her and broke her heart, causing her to fled while the man's hometown is buried in sorrowful Winter.
I saw how Holle attempted to win Lel's heart, but it was all in vain. Strangely, despite he did broke her heart, she doesn't seemed to be overwhelmed or was aware that she doesn't look brokenhearted.
She eventually came to the Swiss Alps where she met Princess Snow White and Prince Ross Red. They befriended each other until Holle had to leave, giving Snow White an apple seed from one of her apple orchard. Holle's time as a human was almost up and she had to returned home. Sadden by her incapability of experiencing love in a romantic relationship, the Snow Maiden left the Human World to stay in the Fairy World. Almost like her loss in the Human World, the Snow Maiden can't bring Winter by her own hands anymore.
The Snow Maiden seemed to be shocked when she couldn't conjure any snow clouds, not even a snowflake. She would remain indoors most of the time and her area started to be buried in snow, created by her father. I saw how she started to gather snow geese and collect their pure white feathers. Was she doing what I think she's doing?
So, the Snow Fay forever stayed in her homeland, fading into legends as one of the sisters who brings the seasons. It was from then on that she added "mother" to her human name to show that she is the Mother of Winter, becoming well-known as Mother Holle. Sooner or later, many children would come to visit her homeland as she guide them, giving rewards to those who were faithful to her and punishing those who were lazy and rude.
There came a familiar story. I saw Ava was the first to venture into Mother Holle's land. I took noticed that it wasn't just Mother Holle who kept tabs on the good and the naughty. Her father, Father Frost, assisted her once. The same with the fairies that inhibits this part of the Fairy World.
The past soon faded as I was brought back to reality. There was just one more story that I want to know. What ever happened to Ava? Flipping to the next page with all the stories of all the stepdaughters who have visited Mother Holle, I touched the first tale.
The Forgotten Cinderella
Just like with the main parables, images of the past are shown in front of me. I was back at the cottage with Ava. She was still in her golden dress.
After Ava returned home with the blessings of Mother Holle, she was surprised to see her stepsister in black pitch!
"What happen?" Ava showed concern to her step-family.
"This is all your fault!" Narcissa cried.
"My fault?" the stepdaughter wasn't offended, but confused.
"You lied, you little scullery maid!" the stepmother yelled.
"Mother, I can't get this off!" the stepsister whined.
Her stepmother, no longer welcoming her, blames the girl and abandons her alone in her cottage the next day. Sadden and very lonely, Ava continued her life in her home. Gifted with the Faerie Sight and the ability to see fairies, she wasn't completely alone.
I pitied the girl as she tried to make use of her life. Ava would continue to clean the house and keep it tidy, despite she wasn't ordered to do it. Some of the fairies came to help her so they can play.
One stormy night, the girl was visited by the two stranger, although she didn't know that they were the King and Queen. The woman was very ill and with Ava's knowledge in plants and medicine, and the help of her fairy friends, she was able to come up with a cure. Gladden of the miracle the girl preformed in saving his wife, the King made her his daughter for the couple couldn't have any children of their own. After a few years, her kindness and beauty caught the attention of a Prince from a neighbor kingdom. However, despite her story is similar to any Cinderella tale, she was never a Cinderella and her tale has lurk in the shadows of the familiar stories we hear today.
That does make sense... I've always wondered what happen to the stories that wasn't a variation to Cinderella, but had similar storyline. So they were never mentioned as a Cinderella... Well, that would explain the glass slipper that Ava owned.
Therefore, because of her less known tale, Ava and those who will succeed after her, shall be given the title of the "Forgotten Cinderella" for their tales will never compare despite the similar conditions and lifestyle. As for her cottage, it will never be fully abandoned for all fated stepdaughters, like Ava, will eventually make their home there and meet the kindhearted Snow Fay.
I closed the book as the past vanished. So this page is for all Forgotten Cinderellas... There was no time to lose now. Let's go to the Garden.
I hope you enjoy. Recalled how in my last DP story, I had Ross mentioned that "the seasons were created"? I'd tend to drop hints in most of my DP stories and this one will have multiple. Try to catch those hints as the story progress. Also, please leave a review!