Gertrude is questing! Episode 1/25

It is so early in the morning that there are still stars in the sky and mist is clinging to the trees and grass. If one looks carefully they can see the sun’s rays peeking above the horizon. Someone is awake and has been for many hours.

Celeste a little mouse witch has been busy packing the belongings she will take with her on a journey to find a new village, that does not yet have a mouse witch. All new mouse witches have to undertake this task. Being a mouse witch brings the understanding that their powers are to be used to help others.

Celeste had said her goodbyes to her mother and great-grandmother the night before and as she now stands outside with her kart loaded, Celeste’s grandmother gives some last words of advice and the wish that Celeste finds a lovely village to become a resident of.

“Halloween is soon here and you want to be established in a new village before that night arrives. My best wishes and love go with you. Call upon us if you need any help.”

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Celeste has so many things to think about as she walks along the path, of course, she is very excited to be setting out on a new phase of her life and she has been well-trained by her Grandmother and Great-Grandmother, Aurora, who is a famous mouse witch in her own right.

Celeste does not travel alone, she has with her a precious broom, a gift from her Great-Grandmother. This broom, Belinda Broomfield, is so old that no one is sure when Belinda first came into being. Aurora told Celeste that Belinda had been gifted to her by her Great-Grandmother. So this broom is very old indeed.

Belinda and Celeste chat about many things, as they walk along, but especially about Halloween and how important it is for Celeste to find a village before then. Halloween was known as a time of great joy and celebration but it also brought with it some pranks, mostly done by ghosts, but other creatures liked to cause a bit of mischief too.

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Celeste and Belinda were nearing the end of the forest. They had both enjoyed the walk. The forest was in full autumnal splendour and the rich aromas were starting to make Celeste wish for a break, some food and maybe a spot of tea. If they were lucky the next village would be their new home.

Before Celeste could voice any of this to Belinda a loud squawking and fluttering of wings appeared before them.

“Help me, you have to help me!”

A distraught crow had landed on the path.

Celeste was shocked but she kept calm as she said, “I can help you if you tell me what the problem is.”

“It’s my baby, it fell out of the tree and it is not ready to fly yet,” the flustered crow said. “Hurry, it is just over here.”

Celeste looked at Belinda, “If you would stay with the cart I will go and help this mother crow.”

Celeste followed the crow and came to where a nest was high up in a tree, but look as she might, Celeste did not see any sign of a baby crow on the ground. Celeste turned to ask the mother crow a question, but there was no sign of her either. Oh bother, I guess the pranks are starting early. Celeste shook her head and returned to the cart.

“Thanks, Belinda,” Celeste said, “Let’s be on our way.”

Gertrude is questing! Episode 4/25

Celeste was lost in thought when she suddenly got a feeling—feelings are one of those magical gifts that mouse witches get— looking around she was greeted by the sight of charming houses, with trees in many fall colours in spacious yards, and even better, she did not detect the presence of another mouse witch. She was standing in front of a green and red house that did not look as if anyone lived in it. The house next door had a rake outside—someone had been gathering up leaves—and a pumpkin sat in an upstairs window.

Celeste opened the door, the first room was empty. This house had been waiting for her, she knew it.

“Belinda, wake up, I found our village and a house! What luck. I am going to start unpacking and then make some food. Come and see.”  

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Celeste ran around inside the house putting lit candles in the windows and on finding there was wood next to the fireplace she also started a fire. Warmth and some light helped to create a more welcoming atmosphere.

What is taking Belinda so long, she is usually right by my side and I know she was as excited as I was to find a village. Celeste went outside and grabbed the broom handle sticking out of the cart.

“Come along, Belinda, time to help me set up the rest of our belongings and start cooking some food. I have dried mushrooms and I thought mushroom soup and homemade scones would be perfect.”

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“BELINDA!” Celeste yelled. What she had grabbed was a broom, but it was not Belinda, it was an ordinary broom, a non-magical, non-precious broom.

“Belinda, where are you?”

Celeste frantically began to toss everything out of the cart. No Belinda.

“Oh no!” wailed Celeste as she began to sob.

Gertrude is questing! Episode 7/25

A door opened and closed as the neighbour, Karl, a grey bunny rushed out to see what all the commotion was about.

“Are you alright, I heard your yelling from inside my house,” Karl pointed to the house next to Celeste’s.”

“Nnnno! I may never be alright again. Belinda has gone missing.”

“Who is Belinda and when did you last see her?”

Celeste gulped back more tears and tried to organize her thoughts. It would do no good to get into a panic.

“I should introduce myself, I am Celeste and I am the new mouse witch for this village, I have only arrived. Belinda is my friend, she is a special broom given to me by my Great-Grandmother and she is gone. I last saw her…I thought she was in the cart. I have been talking to her, and I never thought it odd when she did not answer, Belinda is quite capable of talking, but she does not always feel the need. I last saw her physically in a forest when we stopped to help a crow, which turned out to be a prank I guess.”

“Pleased to meet you, Celeste, I am Karl, your neighbour, and yes, we need a mouse witch, I am glad you are here, but this is a sad situation to start life in a new town. It sounds suspicious to me,” said Karl. “I think we should go and speak with Gertrude, they are the librarian for this village and they know a lot of lore and she keeps tabs on all the rumours.

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Karl helps Celeste bring in the rest of her belongings.

“I am sorry you are starting life in this village with such unhappiness marring your arrival. It should be a happy time for you and the village. Gertrude will be able to help us, I think. We won’t stop until we find your Belinda. If you are all set here, let’s head off to Gertrude’s house.”

Gertrude is questing! Episode 9/25

Gertrude greets Celeste and Karl when they arrive at her door. One look at Celeste’s face and Gertrude knows something bad has happened.

“Welcome. Come in, please sit down, I have made tea and baked cakes this morning. I am the village librarian and run the small library. Now, tell me why are you looking so sad and worried.”

Karl introduced Celeste and sat back sipping on his tea while Celeste gave Gertrude the gist of what transpired that morning.

Gertrude is questing! Episode 10/25

“Belinda, my broom, was given to me by Aurora, my Great-Grandmother. It is the broom who chooses who it wants to be with and though I have known Belinda my whole life it is such a special honour to be chosen. Belinda can talk and usually has good advice if asked. Belinda can fly, though I don’t care for heights and am always afraid I will fall off. She has some small powers of her own, she helps me heal the land, and make crops flourish. She is caring and funny. I miss her.

I had left Belinda with the cart and went with the crow, but no baby had fallen from a nest and the crow vanished. I thought maybe Halloween pranks had started early.

Gertrude asked if Celeste had noticed anything strange; someone or something around that would cause her to feel uneasy

Celeste thought, casting her mind back to when they first met the crow.

“There was one moment when I thought I saw a flash of something in the trees but with all the excitement of the journey and then the crow acting so upset I forgot about it. This is all my fault.”

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Karl and Gertrude looked at each other.

“No, it is not your fault,” said Gertrude. “I hate to tell you this when you have not settled yourself and you are so upset but far off to the east of here there is an old castle, a ruin really, and there lives a very cranky, very old Witch, not a mouse witch. I supposed she is a cat witch, but no one knows with any certainty. She is bad-tempered, greedy and loves to steal things she wants. She has minions working for her, mostly she gets disgruntled ghosts and some naughty crows to spy for her and sometimes they steal things. A magical broom would have caught her attention. She is quite powerful and it is said that no one, so far, has been able to stop her. It is rumoured that if you know her name and call it, she will be powerless, for a short time.

Gertrude passed Celeste an old, worn book. “In these pages is one mention of how a name can be learned. It is the recipe for an old spell potion, but it requires many rare items. Be cautious, the recipe gives instructions on the use, it suggests putting the potion into food or drink but I doubt you will be taking tea with this witch. You have to get some on her so maybe throwing it at her would be enough.”

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Karl and Celeste walked back to the street their houses were on and started to make plans. They had the list of items and though they made no sense, Celeste was determined to gather them all and make the potion that would enable her to ask the Witch about Belinda.

Green Pumpkin

Red Rose

X you can eat

Snowflake

Obsidian mushroom

Lightening bolt

Spider Bite Delight

Leaf from underwater Sea Tree

Staff of the forest, to stir it all up.

“Don’t worry said Karl. “We will find all these things with the help of the villagers and you will be reunited with Belinda.”

Gertrude is questing! Episode 13/25

Green pumpkin.



The first item Celeste and Karl decide to try and find is the green pumpkin. Celeste is sure the time has passed for unripe pumpkins and is not holding out much hope that she will find one.

The Pumpkin farmer is pleased to meet Celeste and when he hears the request he smiles and says, “It just so happens I have one, far back in the pumpkin patch there is a pumpkin that refuses to ripen. You are welcome to take it with you.”

“Thank you very much,” said Celeste feeling happy that luck was with them this time.

Celeste cast a mild magic spell over the pumpkin patch to ensure all the pumpkins would be sound and delicious.

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Red rose.



Karl tells Celeste that the village has a flower shop which would probably be the best place to find a red rose, though roses were not in season.

Upon entering the flower shop, Celeste was enchanted, she loved flowers and the smiling flower shop owner made her feel very welcome.

“A red rose. An unusual request at this time of year, but if you look up on that shelf you will see a single red rose in a glass bottle. I honestly cannot remember why I put a rose in a bottle but as you can see the rose is as fresh as the day it was picked. Please take it with you.”

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X you can eat.



“What’s next on our list?” asked Karl.

“I am confused by this one, X you can eat. What could that mean?”

Karl looked up at the sky and thought. “Let’s go to the bakery, maybe the baker will have an idea”

Celeste introduced herself to the baker and complimented him on his wonderful display of baked treats. She explained what she was looking for and asked if the baker had any ideas.

“I do, look at this gingerbread cookie in the shape of an X.”

Karl piped up, “This might be it, it is an X and you can eat it. Let’s take it with us.”

Celeste thanked the baker and took a moment to cast a small spell so that all the baker’s sugar would stay dry and all his flour would stay fresh.”

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Spider Bite Delight.



When they left the bakery Karl turned to Celeste, “You have been helping out some of the villagers already even though you are sad and working hard to gather the items to make the potion. That is quite admirable.”

Celeste waved her hand, “I am here to help the villagers, keep them safe if I can, heal them if they are ill, and see to it that their lives are not more difficult than they have to be. My Great-Grandmother would be disappointed in me if I did not do what I could as small as it is.”

The next stop they both decided would be the chemist.

Entering the chemist's shop, Celeste introduced herself and looked around at all the mysterious bottles on the shelves.

“We must get together and compare notes one day. I am sure I can learn much from you.”

After hearing the request, the chemist looked at one of the out-of-the-way shelves. Tucked away behind a large cobweb was a bottle labelled Spider Bite Delight.

“There is not a lot of call for this potion, I cannot remember when anyone last wanted a bottle of it, please take it with you.”

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Obsidian mushroom & Saff of the forest.



The forest and hunting for mushrooms was the next task. Celeste and Karl were amazed at how successful they had been so far.

“We don’t have many more items to collect,” said Karl, “If our luck holds we should be able to make the potion soon. Were there any instructions on what to do with all these things?”

“Yes, the instructions were simple, we toss everything into a cauldron, stir with the Staff and then wait for lightening to strike, so I suppose this means we have to make the potion outside and hope we get a stormy night.”

“Simple,” said Karl.

Arriving in the forest they were met by a mushroom forest dweller. Introductions were made and Celeste explained what they were looking for.

“As it happens, the mushroom is easy to find, look, there is one and another over there, and the staff I have, the forest fairies gave it into our safekeeping. You may borrow it but it must be returned to me as quickly as possible.”

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Leaf from the Sea Tree.



When Karl and Celeste reach the beach the sun is starting to set in the sky, they have been working hard and have not stopped to eat a meal. There were only two more items not including the lightning bolt, to gather.

Celeste told Karl to stay on the beach as she would have no problem diving down into the water, as a mouse witch she could hold her breath quite a long time underwater.

The water was cold but it felt good to Celeste after walking around all day. When they returned home she would make a good meal for them both.

Celeste dove deep and searched the bottom of the sea floor, there, just a bit ahead she could see the delicate branches of the Sea Tree. Celeste carefully plucked a single leaf and rose to the surface.

“I got the leaf.”

“We have one last item, the snowflake. I have no idea where to get a snowflake though,” Karl said.

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Snowflake.



Celeste and Karl stand thinking. There had to be a way, they had come so far. Celeste closed her eyes and wished with all her might for an answer. Suddenly the air around them grew colder and they could hear tinkling laughter.

“Hello, Celeste and Karl, welcome to the land where snowflakes are made. I am a guardian of the snowflakes. I hear you have a problem and you need a snowflake. I can get you a snowflake but it will melt fast. When did you need the snowflake?”

Celeste looked around in amazement, everything was white and cold and beautiful.

“I need the snowflake tomorrow night. I am making a potion, but how do you know this?”

“My dear, you have your magic and we have ours. I will bring a snowflake to you tomorrow night, it won’t melt in my care, not until I let it go.”

Celeste and Karl thanked the Snowflake guardian and as fast as they had arrived Celeste and Karl found themselves back in front of their houses.

Thankful to be home, Celeste bid Karl relax while she cooked a tasty meal. With tummies full and content that they had collected everything they needed, they said goodnight and Karl left for his house.

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Finally, night has arrived. Celeste and Karl gathered a cauldron along with all the items and set them out in the backyard. The sky was now dark, and storm clouds were gathering. It would not be long.

“I wonder where the snowflake guardian is?” Mused Celeste.

No sooner had Celeste said it than the guardian appeared.

“I will toss the snowflake in the moment before the lightning strikes.”

Celeste had to trust that the timing would work. So far, everything had worked out. She had a small thought buzzing around in the back of her mind, somehow she thought that her Great-Grandmother, Aurora, had a hand in all this, how easy it had been to find the items, the great luck at finding the recipe. She would have to think more about that later; now she had to pay attention to making the potion.

All the items were tossed into the cauldron. Celeste gave it all a stir with the Staff of the Forest, and a second before the lighting hit the cauldron Celeste saw a snowflake land in with the other items.

A blinding flash and Celeste held a beautiful little bottle.

“It worked! Thank you so much, Snowflake guardian.”

With a tinkling laugh, the snowflake guardian waved and said, “Good luck, we will meet again.”

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Celeste and Karl walk to Gertrude’s house early in the morning, there is one last thing they need, clear directions to the witch’s house.

Gertrude greets them and ushers them into the house.

“We have the potion, said Celeste and now we need directions to the witch’s house.”

“Walk east and you will enter a small forest, it is a favourite place for fairies to play in and acts as a buffer between the lands where the witch has her home, and the village and surrounding lands. When you exit the forest you will have no doubt you are in the right place, the land is bleak and if you follow along a path you will soon come upon the witch’s ruins. Good luck to you and take care.”

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“Are you ready?”

Celeste nods.

The two start out and as they walk they are both lost in their thoughts. Before long they enter a brilliant forest, the autumnal leaves are so bright it is as if a small light has been placed inside each leaf.

“This is a beautiful forest, said Celeste, “I see why the fairies would love to dance here.

With the potion clutched tightly in her hand, Celeste walks on with determination.

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Celeste and Karl enter the spooky crumbling ruin of the witch’s home. From far off they hear cackling and before they can look around the witch is before them.

“Who dares enter my home.” the shrill voice of the witch screams out.

“Toss it now, said Karl. “I will run to the other side and distract her.

Karl runs, the witch turns to see where he is going, and Celeste heaves the bottle straight at the witch. Time appears to stop for a second. Did it work?

“How could you do this to me, Laverna, the most powerful witch in these parts?”

Celeste was ready, “Laverna, where is my broom, where are you keeping Belinda?”

“Down in the dungeon,” the witch replied, all the while struggling to gain control.

“Laverna, you will stay here, you will not follow us and you will stop stealing things that do not belong to you.” Celeste cast a small spell that would give more lasting power to the spell the potion had already cast. Celeste hoped it would hold.

Karl and Celeste flew down the stairs and entered the dungeon.

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Belinda was locked up behind iron bars. Celeste wasted no time in casting a spell to unlock the door and set Belinda free.

“I knew you would come, said Belinda. How happy I am to see you.”

Celeste held Belinda close and with tears of happiness in her eyes she said, “Silly broom, of course I would come for you. You are a precious friend.”

Karl, Celeste and Belinda left the witch’s home and with one last look back at the crumbling ruins, and a fervent wish that they would never have to deal with Laverna again they headed home.

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The next day Celeste invited Karl and Gertrude to her house. She made special milkshakes to celebrate the happy return of Belinda.

Belinda had been told the whole story of what must have happened in that forest when they met the crow, the help that Gertrude offered, and the making of the potion.

When Gertrude arrives, Celeste thanks her and hands Gertrude a hand-painted egg.

“Without your help, we would not have been able to overcome the witch’s power and rescue Belinda, we are both most thankful to you.”

The party continued long into the evening, with everyone wanting to hear Celeste’s plans for her life in the village. A lightness and feeling of well-being settled over the village, perhaps the spell was still holding and the witch would trouble them no more.

As Celeste was about to drift off into sleep she heard the voice of her Great-Grandmother, “Well done, Celeste.”
Gertrude has enjoyed her Halloween Adventure. Please select another pet as visitor, so it can join in the fun!