Hansel and his equally ill-tempered sister, Gretel, arrived in Katrina's small village late morning on a muggy August day. As to be expected, bickering and silence peppered their travels. Hansel singularly focused on his plan to steal Katrina's recipes, while her own goal of finding a rich husband equally distracted Gretal. When the two arrived, worn from the journey, the happy town did what they did for all newcomers, welcomed them with warmth and happiness.

"Oh my," exclaimed the dairy farmer as he made his rounds, delivering his chilled milk to the townfolk. "Don't you two look frayed from your journey! Please, hop on my cart and let me carry you to the inn!"

"Our feet are fine and free," Hansel grumbled, much to Gretel's displeasure.

"Oh no, my dear sir, I'll happily carry you for free. I can even offer you a cool drink of milk to nourish you on the last leg of your journey," the dairy farmer smiled.

Hansel was still suspicious of the gain this meager farmer would get from him and his sister, but with Gretel already climbing onto the cart, he had little choice but to agree.

"Please," the farmer urged as he held a frosty bottle of milk out to the sibling.

Gretel eagerly snatched the bottle with little gratitude to the man. She gulped the creamy liquid with no hesitation before her lungs forced her to lower the bottle.

"My, that was the creamiest milk I've ever had. I'm sure you'll not tell me your secret," Gretel whined as she gave the last few sips of milk to Hansel.

As Hansel lifted the glass bottle to his lips, the farmer explained his delicious milk. "It's quite simple, really; happy cows." And with that, the farmer returned to the front of the cart and steered it straight to the inn. When they arrived, Hansel and Gretel clamored from the back to the cart and made their way inside with hardly a second look to the helpful farmer.

"Ugh, that cruel farmer stuck us in the back of his cart and now my dress is dingy," Gretel moaned as they entered the inn.

"And the jolts and bumps of this town's uneven roads have made my back sore," Hansel added.

"Oh, my," the innkeeper exclaimed at hearing of Hansel's pain. "Surely you'll have a restful sleep during your stay here, but there's a marvelous apothecary just next door. Perhaps she'd have something for your back. Although, if you ask me, a piece of Katrina's heavenly gingerbread can cure all that ails you."

Hansel's eyes gleamed at the mention of Katrina. "This gingerbread sounds like just what I need." Hansel's voice was sickly with false sweetness. "Where would I find this Katrina's bakery?"

"Just on the other side of the apothecary. Your nose and stomach are sure not to let you miss it." The spry innkeeper gave Hansel a wink as he handed over a key to a room.

"Gretel," Hansel absently began as he turned from the counter, but Gretel was gone. Her mind had pulled her to a sharp-dressed man bartering in the corner for a beautiful emerald dress.

"My, you have such wonderful taste. Your wife is a fortunate woman," she smiled once he had settled on a price for the dress.

A wince crossed the man's freshly shaven face. "My wife passed some years ago." He gave a weak smile of forgiveness at the unintended reminder.

"Oh, I'm very sorry to hear that," Gretel leaned in closer to the man, hoping that he missed the peak of excitement in her voice. A well-dressed man who travels and spares no expense on gifts, this was the man of Gretel's dreams.

"The dress is for my daughter, Maggie. And I'm the lucky one; she deserves much more than a silly dress." His brow furrowed at the thought.

"Oh, come now, she has a wonderful father such as you; she's a very lucky girl."

"You're very kind," he murmured as his mind still spun far from the small table before him. "Where are my manners?" He added as he suddenly snapped back to the present. "My name is Ewan."

"Hello Ewan, my name is Gretel. It's a pleasure to meet you." Gretel gave him a broad toothy smile that felt more like it belonged to a lion eyeing its prey than the enticing smile of a future wife.

"Would you care to join me for a drink?"

But Gretel didn't wait for the words to fall from his lips; she was already settling across from him.

"That's a beautiful watch." Gretel's eye clung to the timepiece as she spoke.

"Thank you; it has been in the family for generations. One day, I'll pass it along to my son, Jacob."

Gretel nodded, but her mind twisted to her preference of the watch one day belonging to her. Meanwhile, Ewan graciously paid for the most expensive bottle mead in the place, as Gretel continued to feign interest in stories of his two children back at home.

Seeing his sister would be of no use to him, Hansel set out to find Katrina and, once again, sample her delicious treats. 

The scent of sweet-smelling delicacies carried Hansel to Katrina's lively bakery. The bell that hung above the door happily trilled, announcing his arrival as he entered. Men, women, and children packed a tiny shop; amongst them spun a beautiful young woman with a smile that could warm the coldest winter days.

"Hello, my friend. I don't believe I've had the pleasure," she greeted as sweetly as her treats as she outstretched a hand powdered white with flour.

"No, I don't believe so. I'm just a traveler passing through." Hansel gave her a shy nod as he took her hand.

"Oh tsk, there's no such thing as 'just a traveler,'" Katrina smiled. "When you're in my shop, your family. Here, try some of my brittle, fresh today."

In a flash, a plate of fresh peanut brittle was in front of Hansel.

"Thank you," Hansel suspiciously said as he took a piece. "Your town is so free to share your goods. How do you make any money?"

"The less you have to pay for, the less you have to charge. Bartering in care is always that way, don't you think?" Katrina smiled as she met Hansel's gaze.

The sentiment was too sweet for Hansel; it curdled his stomach and sent the sharp pain of a toothache surging through his head. Instinctively, Hansel's hand rose to his head.

"Oh dear, is something the matter?" Katrina looked over his paling face.

"No, no; it's just," but Hansel's sinister mind quickly worked as he felt the eyes of the shop fall on him. "The brittle; I've been poisoned," he exclaimed.

Gasps arose from around the room.

"Now, now," the constable soothed from his corner. "I just partook in nearly half a pound of the brittle, and I feel fit as a fiddle."

"I assure you, there's nothing in the brittle aside from the best ingredients in all the land," Katrina concurred.

"Here, here," called out a farmer who had been in the shop to drop off freshly milled flour.

"Well, then it's witchcraft!" Hansel's mind spun at his new ploy. "If you all could eat the brittle with no ill-affected, she must have targeted me."

"And why would our Katrina be looking to hex you?" The constable paced across the shop, coming to a stop next to Katrina.

"Because she must recognize me, for I'm Hansel, a world-renowned baker. I had come here to extend my trade tricks to help this young baker, and as thanks, I get poisoned. She's no baker; her desserts are not made with skill but with witchcraft!"

A few patrons hurried from the scene before the constable and local townsfolk could quell the scene, but the damage was down. Those few diners that ran from the shop in a panic of witchcraft and poison quickly left town. Instead of carrying the delicious treats from Katrina's shop with them, they took gossip of the witch baker.

Hansel knew his quick thinking would reward him. He returned to the inn and retired to his room to "heal" from the brittle infliction. As he lay his head down on his pillow, he smiled at how easy it had been to destroy the young Katrina.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the pub, Gretel was relishing in success of her own. Ewan proved to be much more of a family man than an alehouse dweller, and after only two glasses of mead, he was quite malleable to Gretel's whims. She continued to feign interest in his every word on his two children, only slipping and calling them brats once. Still, Ewan didn't seem to notice as the mead has warmed his mind to boiling. His senses only returned when he awoke the following day next to Gretel, his new bride.