#fairy tale retelling
halim has loved prince darius since he was a young boy. he thinks the prince is kind, and beautiful, and has kind, beautiful eyes.
but halim is just a servant.
he is not of noble birth or bearing. he was a servant in the kitchen, always watching, always waiting for adventure to come looking for him. one day, when halim is not even ten years old, the whole palace is in an uproar because emperor ordered them all to bring him his son, and the prince is missing. they can’t find him anywhere. but halim is always watching, so he slips out of the kitchens and into the gardens. so much of persia is sand, but within the palace gardens it’s impossible to know that. it’s green, and lush, and the prince’s very favorite place in the whole world.
adults are running through and yelling, and halim doesn’t want to get in trouble, so he waits. once the coast is clear, he darts into the gardens and goes running to the tall tree in the corner, and gets to climbing. in less than a minute he’s reached the top, and finds himself face to face with the prince.
prince darius is his age, and he’s sitting on a branch, hugging his knees to his chest. pale little green tree frogs with brown stripes down their sides cover the branches and the prince, on his shoulders and head and knees.
“people are looking for you, my prince,” halim says.
“i do not wish to be found,” he answers, voice scratchy and eyes red from crying.
halim doesn’t have many thoughts about the emperor. but he knows he loves his prince. so he disregards the emperors orders and says, “okay. do you want me to leave?”
there’s a long moment where prince darius just stares at him, then he slowly shakes his head and reaches out a hand. “no. will you sit with me?”
halim takes his prince’s hand.
after this, prince darius demands that halim be made his personal servant. it’s his job to dress the prince, to bring him meals, to stand by his side at official functions and fetch his carriage and look after his horse. more than anything else, it’s his job to be the prince’s friend.
it’s a job he does gladly.
they grow up together. years pass and the prince grows handsome, and stays kind, and halim never learns how to stop loving him. instead his love only grows. he has been the personal servant to the prince for ten tears, and he thinks of him every second, would kill and die for him, and every inch of him is in love with his prince.
but he is only a servant.
The Soldier’s Forfeit
Rated E • Emet-Selch/Warrior of Light • Aymeric/Warrior of Light • Warrior of Light/Everyone • Other Relationships
A mysterious illness affects the heirs of the twelve provinces of The Hydaelyn Alliance. Would-be heroes gather to discover: what happens at night to sap away their strength and leave their shoes in tatters?
You—a soldier from another land—aim to solve the riddle before it is too late.
April Top Trope Challenge Prompts: Hurt/comfort, Royalty AU, First Kiss or
An *erotic* FFXIV fanfic retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses with an unnamed Roegadyn-Miqo'te protagonist, playing with viewpoint and tense, and many pairings
The Lindworm Prince
A Fix-it Fairy Tale: more kindness, more consent and more inclusivity for ‘Prince Lindworm’.
Two queens are so eager to have a baby that they forget to follow a witch’s advice and one of their sons is born in the body of a lindworm.
- Read the transcript for this episode here. Or on AO3.
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- Check out composer Kai Engel, who wrote the theme song “Holiday Gift”.
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L’Oiseau Bleu, Mme d’Aulnoy, illustrations Lola Anglada, éditions Hachette 1912/1930
The Blue Bird by Mme d’Aulnoy, illustration by Lola Anglada
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Tattered Slippers Blog Tour: Mini Interview with Author E.J. Kitchens
Happy August, friends!
Today I get the pleasure of introducing E.J. Kitchens, author of a number of books including a special Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling today, Wrought of Silver and Ravens. In just a little bit, I’ll be sharing my own review of the book right here on the blog, but for today we’ll focus on a mini interview with some fun questions for the author.
But first, about the…
Happy Release Day, Carnival of Curses!
Last week I shared some end of summer favorite books, and today I’m sharing my very own summer story! Since we’ve been sorely lacking on fair season this year, I’ve written a dark carnival novella for the next Seasons of Magic installment, Carnival of Curses! It came out yesterday, but I wanted to take this week’s blog post to really spotlight it. I’m so proud of this story, and I think you will…
It’s Flotsam Release Day!
It’s Flotsam Release Day!
#newrelease #fairytale #retelling #bigfoot #thebeeandtheorangetree
Ok, I know it’s been a hot minute since my last post, but I promise I had a good excuse! Actually, no. I didn’t. But I do apologize for being quiet for so long. And don’t worry; I have a few good posts lined up for you over the next several weeks. So stay tuned, and be sure to come back or subscribe for updates!
Monsters saved her for one fate. Can Rue escape to find her own?
Today I have such…
Super Special (Mermaid) Cover Reveal!
Super Special (Mermaid) Cover Reveal!
#newrelease #coverreveal #fantasy #mermaid #siren #fantasy
Hi reader friends! Sorry for my absence the last couple weeks, but I’ve been crazy busy with life and writing and all of that stuff. I promise I’ll be getting back to talking all things books and reading next month!
But today, I have a super special cover reveal for you, one I’m super excited about for a book that’s been in the works for years. A couple years ago, I entered a Snow White…
Scene Prompt
“Red, I…” he said so softly, hands gently resting on her waist as if she were the most precious thing in the world. As if he never wanted to imagine the thought of breaking her.
She looked up at him, and for a moment, the world was still.
There were no people buzzing around them, murmuring amongst themselves about the Little Red Riding Hood and Big Bad Wolf.
It was just them.
She rested her hands on his chest, feeling the vibrating thump of his heartbeat. His heart was always so big.
His lips moved, their eyes catching onto each other’s once again, as if they hadn’t memorized the beautiful colors of the seas and the meadows already.
He held her so tenderly, so carefully. As if this Little Red Riding Hood would run away from him within seconds if she found out who he really was.
“Maybe you’re not so bad after all,” she finally said, her voice on the edge of a breathless whisper.
-Mod Krystal @krystalanh16 on instagram
Have this simplified excerpt from my own WIP ;)
