LODESTAR GAZETTE | LODESTAR PROMPT | SHORT STORY
The Market of Wonders
A short story written as part of Lodestar Gazette’s Creative Sparks Prompts
Non-medium members can read this freely here!
Florence tugged her cloak tighter around her shoulders as she walked through the large crowd.
It was busy, but she knew it would be; it always was. The enchanted market only came around once in a blue moon, and it was always a tossup as to where it would appear.
She was thankful that this week, it had chosen to show up near her town, which resided in a small Kingdom.
As soon as she heard whispers of its appearance, Florence took the first carriage down to the small town that had the good fortune of hosting it this week.
You see, Florence had been waiting for the enchanted market to appear for months now. It was the only hope she had left to find something that might help improve her life.
She was the seventh daughter of a large family and was one of three left unmarried. Her mother wasn’t getting any younger and her father was retired. They did not have the funds to keep housing their remaining children.
If Florence did not marry soon, she’d be forced onto the streets. It had been decided that the youngest of the remaining three could stay; the second eldest was already engaged and would leave soon anyway, but Florence was over one and twenty. She was practically an old maid.
It wasn’t her fault, however. She had longed for a good life with a good husband. But Florence wasn’t the prettiest. She wasn’t ugly but not extraordinarily beautiful like her older sisters. She wasn’t the smartest like her youngest or the most talented like the fifth and sixth daughters.
Florence was unremarkable and, as such, went unnoticed. She hoped that the enchanted market may have just the thing to help her.
She may not have much money, but the enchanted market did not deal with money. Instead, it haggled using less traditional means.
Elbowing her way through a line of people, Florence found a stall selling all manner of potions. She eyed the bottles and labels, hoping to see something to help her.
“Hello dear, looking for something specific?” the old hag behind the stall asked her, startling her from her perusal.
“You don’t happen to have anything that could help me attract a good suitor, by any chance?” Florence inquired. “Perhaps something to make me prettier, more talented and smarter?”
“I’ve got something even better," the old hag beamed. I have a potion that will lead you to your true love."
Florence perked up; her interest piqued. “That does sound wonderful.” Perhaps this way, she could marry for happiness and security. She hadn’t thought about trying to find love with the possibility of homelessness on the horizon.
Hopefully, this potion could be the answer she was searching for.
“What will it cost me?” Florence asked, feeling a little weary. She hoped she wouldn’t have to give up her voice or sight or something.
“I suppose you know we don’t trade in money at this market”, the hag raised a brow at her.
“Yes, I did hear something of that affect”, she confirmed.
“Then it won’t shock you when I ask you to exchange something of great value for the potion. It must be something you are willing to give up that holds great meaning to you”, the hag explained.
Florence frowned, trying to think of something she could give to the hag. “I don’t know what I have to offer”, she admitted after minutes ticked by with no response.
The hag gave her a toothy smile. “Not to worry dearie, I may have a suggestion. Why is it that you come here looking for something to help you attract a suitor?”
“My parents. They are old and retired, they cannot afford to keep myself and my two remaining siblings under their roof anymore.
They say if I cannot find a suitor, then I will be cast out onto the streets as I am not smart, pretty or talented enough to contribute to anything”, Florence confessed sadly, a shadow of despair covering her face.
She had to get this potion; it was the only way to help her parents.
“Family means a great deal to you, I take it?” the hag gave her a knowing look. “Perhaps you can exchange the memory of your family for the potion. You will remember why you wanted the potion and what it does, but your memories of family will be replaced with those of an orphan girl”.
Florence sucked in a breath. She knew they did not haggle in money or things of material value, but this was a heady cost to pay.
Still, she thought of her parents having to make the brutal decision to kick her out, and of trying to survive on the streets of her hometown, where marauders lurked behind every tree.
Perhaps this would be for the best. “Will my family remember me?” Florence asked the hag.
“They will remember they had a daughter named Florence, but they will think you passed on”, the hag responded gently.
“How’d you know my name?!” she exclaimed as she realised, she had never told the hag.
“The same way the market knew that you needed us to appear nearby this blue moon”, the hag winked.
“Okay. I will give up the memory of my family for the potion”, Florence said at last, after thinking it over again. It really would be for the best. She would be safe, and her family wouldn’t have to worry about money or providing for a useless daughter.
“Hold out your hand”, the hag instructed. Florence did as she said and soon felt a warm energy fill her hand, spreading up her arms and to her mind. Flickers of memories flashed, too quick for her to catch them, and were replaced with new ones. Sadder and lonelier ones.
“How much will this cost me?” Florence asked again, no longer remembering the price she had already paid.
“You just paid the price, my dear. Here is the potion. I wish you the best with your love”, the hag handed her a vial of bright pink potion.
Florence felt a little disoriented. She did not remember what she had given up to the hag for the potion, but she accepted the bottle regardless.
She waited until she had left the market to drown in the pink liquid. For a second, she felt a small buzz before it dissipated.
“Is something supposed to happen?” Florence wondered to herself as she began the trek back to her hometown.
Suddenly a man dropped onto the road before her, falling out of a large tree. He was armed with a bow and arrow and looked up at the sky with a dazed expression.
“Oh my, are you alright sir?” Florence dropped to her knees to help him, even though she suspected this man was a marauder.
“All the better now that my eyes have befallen such beauty, " he replied, his blue eyes locked onto her face. Florence blushed, for the man was handsome, and she had never viewed herself as much to look at.
“You must have really hit your head, sir, " Florence smiled. “For I am no great beauty. "
“You misunderstand me, Miss. I fell out of the tree as I was trying to get a better look at you for you are the prettiest thing I’ve seen in my life”, the marauder insisted, sitting up. “And do not fret about my head. I did not hit it so hard as not to be able to recognise a lovely face when I see one”.
Florence was quickly charmed by the man, despite herself. “May I know your name, sweet lady?”
“Florence”, she replied. “Florence Wilde”.
“Florence, what a pretty name”, he commented. “My name is Finlay. May I escort you home?”
Suddenly Florence frowned. Where was home? Did she even have one? Why could she not recall? “I do not believe I have a home anymore, sir”, she said, the words falling from her lips and feeling true. Even though she did not remember how that came to be.
“Then you must return home with me and my men. We can protect you”, the handsome Finlay offered.
“Is it a wise idea for a single woman to take up with a group of men?” she wondered.
Finlay laughed. “You would not need to live with a group of men. We have our village. You can stay with one of the men with wives and children”.
So Florence decided to throw in her lot with Finlay. She didn’t care if he was a marauder or not; he was kind, and that was enough for her.
Eventually, Florence made a home in Finlay's small, unofficial hamlet. After a month of courtship, she agreed to become Finlay's wife.
Meanwhile, the Enchanted Market reappeared across the Kingdom, and the old hag grinned. It was always nice to be assured of another satisfied customer.
Written for this week’s Creative Sparks prompts from CJ Coop at #LodestarGazette.
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