The Alarming Scent of Cinnamon

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Hansel and Gretel followed the faerie into her home, which looked quite threadbare, as if it might collapse with the touch of a finger.

"So... What's your name?" Gretel asked.

"If I tell you, you'd regret asking me to teach you," she said.

Gretel and Hansel exchanged worried glances.

"So, first off let's see your little magic trick," she said, dumping a handful of ash into Gretel's hand.

Gretel took a shaky breath. 

"Hansel, pass me the magic book," she said.

The faerie looked mildly surprised.

"A grimoire," she said. "That's Brunhilde's, isn't it?"

"Brun-who?" Gretel said.

"I'll explain later. Get on with your little magic trick," she said.

Gretel took a deep breath (yes, again) and flipped the magic book to the dog-eared page that contained the spell she needed.

"Vvrajfriv relqek," she said clearly, careful to pronounce every syllable perfectly while sifting the ashes through her fingers. She watched, entranced, as they glowed hot red and fell on her hand. It should have hurt badly, but instead it just tingled as it flared up into a small flame on her hand.

"See?" Gretel said.

"How did you pronounce the incantation correctly?" the faerie asked.

"Trial and error," Gretel shrugged.

"That, young lady," she said, "is very impressive."

"So are you going to teach me?"

"I'd say so," the faerie said. "But first, who is this young man?"

"This is my brother, Hansel," Gretel said.

"And is he a sorcerer as well?" 

"He's a shapeshifter," Gretel said.

"Hmm," she said. "I suppose he'll need teaching as well, then."

"What's your name then? And what's a grim-more? And who's Brunhilde?" Gretel demanded.

"Well you're just full of questions, aren't you?" the faerie said. 

"Well, you're just full of answers," Gretel said haughtily. Hansel's eyes widened as the faerie stood up slowly.

"We don't know who she is or how powerful she is!" Hansel hissed. "Be polite!"

The faerie burst out laughing. Hansel sighed in relief.

"You've got some attitude!" she said, "I'll answer your questions soon, but first you are going to tell me about yourselves,"

For the next hour, Hansel and Gretel filled the faerie in on everything that had happened to them so far.

"Well, I can explain some of this," she said, "If your life is in danger in the dark woods, your powers are awakened. Some people have a little bit of sorceress inside them, and others, like your brother there, have a little bit of shapeshifter in them, lying asleep until it is awakened."

"What about the cinnamon?" Gretel asked.

"Well, I haven't heard of this happening but a few times. When someone with a drop of faerie blood in their veins is awakened, they gain a sixth sense."

"We're faeries?" Gretel asked.

"Not exactly. You have a little bit of faerie blood in you. Not much, just enough to make you special. Whenever you are in danger, you will smell cinnamon,"

"Why cinnamon?" Hansel asked.

"I believe it's because you smelled cinnamon when you were awakened."

"Well, now you answer our questions," Gretel said, "What's your name? Tell us more about Brunhilde. What's a grim-more?"

The faerie sighed. "My name is Baba Yaga."

Hansel instinctively clutched at Gretel's arm. 

"Baba Yaga? Like the Baba Yaga whose house has chicken legs? The Baba Yaga who flies in a giant mortar and pestle? Our parents told us you would come eat us if we weren't good!"

"On occasion, I will help a few lucky individuals," Yaga said. "You two are my latest project."

"Now tell us about Brunhilde." Gretel demanded. "How do you know her?"

"Well, she's a bit... infamous." Yaga said. "She has... child-eating tendencies."

"We figured that much out. Is she a faerie?"

"A dark faerie. That's a faerie gone evil,"

"And what's a grim-more?"

"Grimoire. It's a collection of spells, typically hand written. Some of them may have even been invented by Brunhilde herself. I'd like you to ask me before you try out any of the spells. Some of them might have... unpleasant effects."

"When do we start training?" Hansel finally gathered the courage to ask.

"Tomorrow, if you're ready," Yaga said.

"How long do we train for?" Gretel asked.

"However long it takes," Baba Yaga said with a smirk.