“What should be done when well-intentioned ‘Good Deeds’ by a junior planetary anthropologist spin out of control?” From the textbook: Case Studies in Planetary Anthropology by Professor Salticus, Department of Planetary Anthropology, Zorcon University.

Chapter 1 – The Nexus

aba Yaga perched on a mountain ledge at sunrise. She felt tautness in the timelines. A slight difference in events today could set in motion a tsunami of destiny.

Light played on Baba Yaga’s face as the rising sun brightened the sky. In one moment, she was a crone in her wisdom, then a youth in her bloom, and then a woman in her prime. Baba Yaga was all of these.

A portal opened and closed. Someone stepped quietly towards her.

“Just another day,” whispered a voice. Baba Yaga recognized her teacher, Elder Coyote. They were both Elders and Masters of the Space and Time Element.

Baba Yaga smiled as she replied. “Yes, my teacher. Just another day with a class 10 nexus in the time threads.”

“I ask you again to simply call me Coyote. After a few centuries, the distinction between teacher and student fades,” said the voice.

Baba Yaga shook her head. She continued, “The nexus approaches. Some possible futures will fade.” She opened her eyes. A young man with a coyote head stood before her. He grinned.

“I wish you wouldn’t do that,” said Baba Yaga. “Others may find your mixed coyote-human form amusing. I find it disturbing. Although, of course, I respect you as my teacher.”

The two Elders cast no shadows and were almost invisible. A passerby would not see them or hear them. A minor earthquake rocked the kingdom as the universe made an adjustment. They turned to face each other.

She continued, “One future pulls hard on the threads of destiny. Cinderella will sense the emergence of her new identity. She recognizes her power to choose and to shape her fate. She needs to make changes to grow herself, but she also has compassion for her stepfamily. Seldom does destiny depend so much on a single moment!”

“Before that big moment there are some little ones,” remarked Coyote.

The woman closed her eyes. “You refer perhaps to the little actions of a dog and a pony.”

“Even the animal folk can move destiny,” reminded Coyote.

“That is correct,” acknowledged Baba Yaga. “Her animals love her and honor her. I do not expect much variation in their actions.”

“And then there is Marie Gottmothercus,” continued Coyote.

The woman smiled. “She is impulsive. It is not so much what she considers and chooses but what she chooses without thought.”

Coyote smiled. “The Fairy Godmother may be predictable even though the side effects of her actions are unpredictable.”

“We have intervened previously in Cinderella’s life,” continued Coyote. “I made changes to her mitochondria a few years ago. You tested and trained her as a young child in the forest. Our interventions were small but they may influence her choices today.”

The woman nodded and said, “Today she sets the course of her destiny.”  

The Coyote sighed, “And the destiny of all of us. Let us see what the day will bring.”

Chapter 2 – Oberland Kingdom

he kingdom below the mountain was known as Oberland. It had many snow-capped mountains, waterfalls and one valley that was so hidden that almost no one knew about it.

Oberland was a place where adventures began. Elves, humans, bears, dragons, trolls and others lived in the kingdom. The Royal Family lived in the Royal Palace. Noble families lived in castles in the Noble Village. Trolls lived in caves. Most people, including elves, bears, and dragons, lived in wooden cottages called chalets. The residents of Oberland Kingdom were busy with their lives.

Cinderella was a daughter in a Noble family. Sadly, her parents had died when she was very young. Now she lived in the family castle with her stepmother and her two stepsisters. Her stepmother expected her to eat only leftover food scraps and to do most of the work around the castle. Sometimes Cinderella rebelled against these cruel demands. Her life was not easy.

Cinderella’s two stepsisters were lazy and demanded that she do chores. “Wash the floor! Find my dress. Fix this ribbon. Mind the stove. Fetch some water. Clean the dishes. Comb my hair. Brush my teeth!”

Most of the time, Cinderella would help her stepfamily cheerfully. But there were days when it was too much. On those days, she looked at them and became still. Then they knew that they had gone too far and would scurry away.

Chapter 3 – Growing Pains

inderella walked home. She had purchased a basket of groceries and returned a borrowed book to the Scholar. Whenever she returned a book, the Scholar gave her another one to read.

Cinderella loved to read and meet with her friends in her Reading Club. It gave her a break from her mundane responsibilities and satisfied her curiosity. She was interested in many things beyond the confines of her narrow life.

Cinderella looked out from the path on the top of the wall around the Noble Village.

Cinderella enjoyed the walkway and its view of the rooftops of the Noble Village. Sometimes she noticed dragons flying above Oberland School. A new bi-mester was starting. Dragon exchange students and returning Oberland students were arriving. The dragon students came from Amerland kingdom. Amerland was on the other side of the world. The dragon students and teachers helped with transportation back and forth by carrying exchange teachers, students and baggage each bi-mester.

Cinderella heard familiar voices as she turned a corner. She heard Goldilocks, her Elfin friend from school. Goldilocks’ real name was Mary Ellen, but everyone called her Goldilocks because of her golden hair. Cinderella also heard Bonnie, a bear friend. A third voice sounded like a dragon girl.

“We have a dragon family living in Bear Village,” said the young bear. “They are very popular.”

“There are no homes available now in the Bear Village,” said Goldilocks. “But new homes are being built in Elf Village.”

“Would the elves would welcome a dragon family in their neighborhood?” asked the dragon girl with turquoise hair.

“There are already a few noble and bear families living in Elf Village,” added Goldilocks, “And the shopping is ever so much better there.”

“The dragon kids could fly to Oberland School in a few minutes,” smiled the dragon girl. The girls giggled.

“Hi Goldilocks,” called out Cinderella.

“Hi, Cinderella,” called back Goldilocks. “Bonnie and Dacy are here. Dacy is a new student this bi-mester.”

 “Hi, Cinderella,” said Bonnie.

Cinderella nodded. “Hi Bonnie,” said Cinderella. “I saw you dancing with Baby Bear at the school dance. Are you coming to the Reading Club this week?”

Bonnie rolled her eyes. “Christopher has outgrown that name,” she protested. “And I saw you with Jorgan. Does he still work for the Squire at the Royal Castle?”

The other girls watched Cinderella carefully as she replied. Cinderella smiled. “Yes, Jorgan and I see each other when we can. He does errands and odd jobs at the Palace. He said he would come to the next Reading Club.”

“Are you two getting serious?” asked Goldilocks, raising an eyebrow and smiling.

“It’s a big world out there,” Cinderella answered. “I have much to do before I can think about ‘getting serious’. Enough talking about me.” Turning to the dragon girl she asked, “Are you Dacy?”

“My real name is Gracie, but my friends call me Dacy,” said the green-eyed dragon girl. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” said Cinderella. “Are you looking at real estate? Don’t most students live on campus?”

“Oh, I am still in the dragon dorm by the Hatchery. We were talking about a homework assignment in our Debate and Readings class with Professor Dorix. She asked to write about how villagers relate to newcomers and strangers. What challenges do dragons face when they live with other kinds of people?”

Cinderella nodded. “Interesting,” she said. There were many kinds of people in Oberland Kingdom including elves, bears, dragons, nobles and sometimes a few others.

“And I have been helping my Dad in the office,” announced Goldilocks. “He wants to change careers and become a teacher. Dad is training me in the real estate business.”

“Wow,” said Cinderella. “That office has been “Elfin John’s Real Estate” for a long time. Would you change the name to Mary Ellen’s Real Estate?” Mary Ellen was Goldilocks’ real name.

The elfin girl shook her head. “Goldilocks’ Real Estate,” she insisted.

Goldilocks and Cinderella had graduated from Oberland School a couple of years earlier. Goldilocks was starting a career.

“That sounds great,” said Cinderella wistfully. She thought about the course of her own life. Staying at home with her stepmother and stepsisters was not comfortable. Her stepsisters had been behaving a little better, but they still wanted her to be their servant in her own home. She wanted to move on.

“I need something bigger to do,” she said to the others.

“Getting a little dusty around the castle?” teased Bonnie.

“You have no idea!” said Cinderella. “I am tired of dealing with my stepsisters, but I try to keep a generous attitude. It’s not the work that I mind. Mainly I sense that there are bigger things for me to do with my life.”

End of excerpt.

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