The Gingerbread Princess

"My dreams of gingerbread castles and a full village will have to wait." Hansel placed another batch into his teal-colored oven, and he walked out of the kitchen into the main room and placed blue and gold cups on his tea table.

A silver Christmas tree sparkled with fairy lights. Gifts wrapped in brown paper were piled halfway to the ceiling.

Young Hansel was satisfied, except for his desire for a proper wife. Life is better when you have a friend to love and share it with.

Hansel rushed back to the kitchen, turned off the oven, and removed a batch of warm cookies.

He placed a single gingerbread princess with the other cookies and pieces of gingerbread houses.

His perfect princess in cookie form was not yet decorated.

Hansel had hoped she'd come alive, but the cookie didn't dance or move.

His housekeeper, Mary, spoke. "I could try to bake the last four batches." She pulled her gray hair back.

He ran to the pantry and removed jars of homemade strawberry preserves and seeded crackers. "No, please don't bake."

She broke into laughter. "I promise, I won't burn them this time or set the kitchen on fire."

"Bring two large cheese balls, your best-smoked ham, sausages, and a goose, from the refrigerated larder."

"Why, it's only us." The elderly dragon woman's emerald-colored wings twitched.

"Joyfully, no. That is why I have bought extra gifts. We're having King Richard and one of the princesses for Christmas, and your family will dine with us. You cook, and I'll bake and serve." Hansel grabbed his heavy wool coat. "King Richard needs your expertise with horses. They want to shoot his favorite."

Blackened smoke left nostrils. "I hope he's not bringing Princess Tina. She is unpleasant."

"Maybe we can soften her with kindness." He rushed outside.

The violet sky darkened overhead.

All Hansel wanted to do was bake a dozen more gingerbread cookies for Christmas, but the light snow he was looking forward to was becoming a thunderstorm, and his animals required him more than his oven.

Hansel and three dragon farm hands guided sheep into the barn connected to his large stone home.

"I'll make sure the chickens are safe and leave food for the horses," one of the young men said.

Tina and her sister exited the carriage and stopped in front of Hansel's cottage, which stood on a sturdy cliff.

He smiled at the princesses, but he never met Tina's sister before. She wore a royal pin in her hair instead of a crown, so she couldn't be in line for the throne. Tiny wings stuck through her traveling dress, so her mother must be a fairy, unlike Tina.

Princess Tina's curls bounced when she walked. Artisans created her crown from broken sea glass. The glass pieces, unlike her jagged and cutting words, were softened and molded into something beautiful. "Hansel, I already have ten princes fighting for my hand..."

The storm clouds grew darker.

"Another poor suitor! And he stinks of gingerbread the same as you do. He'll die for my hand, and only my true love will survive. All I want him to be is brave and rich." She turned to the other woman. "Alana, this is terrible."

Hansel winked at Alana. "But the king never said anything to me about marrying."

Alana laughed in pure joy, and her wings fluttered. "Tina was supposed to come alone, but my plans fell through. Our sister, Skylark, told us your housekeeper is the best at mending horses. Father doesn't want to shoot his baby, and I want to learn how to mend horses."