A Christmas Tale, With A Trick Of A Witch..

The Little Yew Tree Witch and The Stolen Winter

The Squall

The gusts of icy wind swirled around the gentle valleys leaving behind drifts of snow that sparkled and sprinkled onto the highest tree tops, the moonlight flickered as the snow clouds turned and twisted in the sky. The houses and stables were all engulfed in the endless siege of a wintry storm. As the dawn slowly broke signs of stirring and flickering candles began, each maid and footman struggled to find their way, only those within could lay the fires and pray, the silence bought a peaceful time as the blanketed woodlands and meadows quietly hid, the birds took refuge in deep canopies and all that could be heard was the bark of a deer and the creek of ice on the lake. The night time skies would fall away and a glimpse of sun gave hope.

Deep in the woods far from man the artic storm had bought one more thing, that was far more trouble than ice and white powder, she was dressed poorly for the weather in her silks and shawl, the strange girl with white hair and soft brown eyes hid in an old cave used years ago, she cursed the freezing squall that had set her off course, her delay would cost her dearly and the white warlock her father, would be angered beyond belief, afraid and exhausted from her travels, she lit her fire magically with no more than a few twigs, the strange concoction she had made from herbs was sipped as though she had all the time in the world, as she stumbled into sleep she tried to unravel her predicament, as hopeless as it was, she grew sad and cried, at last her eyes fell heavy and in her dreams she escaped the coldness and fear, to her beautiful land with balmy breezes, a blistering sun and the welcoming shade under the whispering leaves of the Great Banyan tree. So she slept in the darkness of the cave, no wolf or fox would dare enter, they sensed that something of danger hid in the lair.

A chapter from The Stolen Winter author and illustrator Victoria J Hunt ©️

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