Once upon a time, there was a lady. She was living in a tiny wood cabin by the river, and was keeping the path to the other side, leading to the kingdom’s castle.
No one was allowed to cross the bridge without talking to the lady first. And no one knew what she would ask from you, in order to allow you to cross the bridge. Some had to give her a coin, some had to given her the answer to a complicated enigma, some had to cook for her. She had her own bargain system, and you were not allow to ask about it .
Mariann was traveli,g throught the country, rescuing wandering pets, nursing them back to health. Some left her when time had come to chase after another family, but some stayed wth her always. She had bought a small carriage and a harness, tied the harness to her waist, and she used to walk for place to place with her animals sitting in the carriage while she paraded them around across the country.
One day, she heard about how the princess had lost her favorite cat and how she was heartbroken. Perharps she could cheer the young lady up with her very own menagerie, so she decided to take the road leading to the castle. She had to cross the river, and so she soon arrived at the cabin by the bridge. She had heard stories about the old lady living here and her weird habits, so she knocked at the door to signal her arrival.
The old lady opened the door, and she was everything an old lady was supposed to be : tiny, wrinckled, her back bent with age, tremors agitating her limbs.
She seemed so frail, like she was about to break, and Mariann reached out to her with her hand, ready to grab her if needed.
«Oh, thank you my dear», said the old lady with a quavering voice. «I suppose you’re here to cross the bridge? Let’s have a cup of tea, and you’ll tell me everything about yourself.»
Mariann untied the knot from her waist, carefully lowering the handles of the carriage to the ground. A few cats jumped across the edge to wander around the house, and one of them, a ginger one named Seamus, went inside the cabin, following Mariann steps.
The old lady was already putting the teapot on the stove, and offered Mariann a seat at her table, while she herself sat down with a sigh, all of her bones creaking.
«So, tell me why you want to cross my bridge. »
« I heard about the princess suffering a loss. I thought I could bring her my companions to cheer her up. »
Seamus took this opportunity to jump on the table, trotting towards the old lady with a purr. She raised a trembling hand to pet his head, and he started to purr even louder, rubbing his tiny face against her palm.
«That’s… that’s unbelievable !», Mariann exclaimed. «He has been the wildest of them all. I don’t even understand why he stayed with us all this time. He doesn’t play well with other animals, he only lets me touch him to take care of his wounds and then he starts growling when I try to pet him. You have a gift.»
The old lady grinned, showing her toothless mouth.
«I now know what I will ask of you for the right to cross the bridge. But first, tea!»
Right on cue, the teapot started whistling on the stove. The old lady stopped petting Seamus just long enough to fill up two mugs of the warm beverage, putting one cup in front of Mariann.
It smelled like a warm and cosy winter night with spices, notes of orange and cocoa and just a dash of honey. Mariann grabbed the mug, softly blowing on it before taking a sip. It was delicious, warming her to the core, leaving her happy and mellow.
The two women drank their tea in silence, both of them enjoying the moment.
Then, Mariann realised the night was falling fast, and she had to cross the bridge rapidly to get to the other side before midnight.
«What will you ask of me ?»
The old lady offered her one more of her toothless grins, before pointing a sharp finger towards the rocking chair in front of the fireplace. Seamus was fast asleep, a ginger ball of fur purring on a cushion.
«He will be your offering to me. Consider this a pet tax. As long as he stays, you are free to go.»
Mariann considered the proposal for a while. Even it he was not the most friendly of cats, she lovedzes Seamus dearly, and he had been with her for a long time now.
She approached the small creature, kneeling next to him and putting a hand on his warm fur. Amazingly, he opened an eye and didn’t protest.
«What do you say, Seamus? Are you happy here? Did you find you forever home?»
The cat stretched with a small meowl, switching positions to lie down again, closing his eyes. Well, that was a clear answer.
Mariann dropped a kiss on his tiny head and got on her feet.
«I guess he chose you. Please take care of him. »
«I will, promised the old lady. Take care of yourself.»
And she showed her the door.
Mariann quickly tied the rope around her waist, checking if every animal beside Seamus was back. Then she grabbed the handles of her carriage and started running towards the bridge, eager to get through it before midnight. She knew she had to find a place to sleep then, and take the road to the castle early in the morning.
It was a few months before she crossed the bridge back. The princess had been delighted to meet her and her animals, and even adopted a few of them. She then decided to offer money to Mariann to build a pet sanctuary where she could take care of them, and so much more.
She decided to stop by the cabin and knock on the door to say hi to the old lady and her cat.
A young woman opened the door, her eyes bright and happy. Behind her, a young man with bright red hair was making tea.
Taken aback, Mariann just gave a quick wave of her hand before turning around and leaving, her heart pounding in her chest.
She stayed hidden for a while, checking on them through the window. The young couple seemed so much in love, singing and dancing in their living room. No trace of the old lady or the cat. Or maybe… Well, could it be ? These things happen in fairy tales, right ?