The Forest and the Sea: A Cinderella Retelling

by Tracy Zumwalt
Publication date: November 12th 2024
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Romance, Young Adult

Reynette is desperate to escape the servitude of her step family at Laudermann Manor and the lustful desires of the loathsome, Sir Bjorn.

Lord Ehrhart seeks to please his father and their subjects by securing a future wife and future Duchess of Badenberg.
Will a chance meeting in the woods lead them to find their hope and future within each other’s arms?

The people of Badenberg are preparing to celebrate the anticipated, Midsummer Festival.

In the worn hallways of Laudermann Manor, a young servant girl longs for freedom and love. Bound by duty to her cruel step family, she yearns to attend the festival and meet a kind, brave suitor who will seek her floral wreath and therefore, declare his intent to pursue her.

Her hope takes a turn when her wreath is sought by a mysterious, yet somehow familiar man.

Meanwhile, Lord Ehrhart, son of the Duke, is under growing pressure to find a bride. Trusting his future to the Duke’s advisor, Ehrhart agrees to a series of balls to seek the next Duchess of Badenberg.

But, behind the festivities and beautiful floral decor, a dangerous scheme unfolds— the Duke’s brother and his ruthless son, Sir Bjorn, conspire to seize the Duke’s position, putting love, power and loyalty to the ultimate test.

Help arrives through an unexpected ally as Reynette and Ehrhart seek to unravel the web of deceit and hidden motives.

Extravagant balls are thrown, secrets are revealed, and murderous plots are uncovered in this reimagining of the Cinderella story.

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He reached the garden without interruption and opened the iron gate. He was startled to find a figure sitting upon the stone bench. It was his father; his face in his hands. Ehrhart stood motionless, silently watching a man whose soul could not let go of its grief. He knew the feeling well, for he often thought of his mother and how much he missed her.
It was rare to see his father, the Duke of Badenberg, in such a vulnerable posture and Ehrhart felt guilt in trespassing on the intimate moment.
He contemplated turning to leave the garden, but suddenly, a red squirrel leapt from the beech tree at the far end of the garden, causing his father to glance up from his hands.
Father watched the squirrel find its landing and then turned to meet Ehrhart’s gaze. “Ah, Son. You’ve found me out. Come, sit with me.” Duke Hans gestured to the space next to him. Ehrhart looked at the man he so deeply admired. The Duke’s shoulder length hair had begun its transition from a dark brown to a light grey. Though the grey made his father look as if he was aging, it also created a look of wisdom.
“How long have you been out here, Father?”
“Not long.” He paused a moment, as if contemplating his next words. “Like you, I feel a little closer to your mother out here, among her favorite blooms. Her cornflowers are quite colorful this year and I’m not confident I’ve seen that shade of purple before.” He nodded his head towards the prismatic plot of simple flowers. His father was right. Ehrhart spied new shades of the delicate flora.
“It’s easy to see why they were her favorite,” the Duke confessed.
“How so?”
“Well, beyond their charming appearance and the way they gracefully dance in the wind, the cornflower is a symbol of hope. You see, the flowers were not just something pretty for your mother to look at or tend to, though she enjoyed both. She also saw them as instruments in conveying one’s emotions.” He arose suddenly and walked to the plant abutting the bailey walls. Ehrhart followed.
Reaching the edge of the garden, his father bent down, his head disappearing into the stems of the carnation plants. When he stood, he produced a pink carnation between his thumb and finger. “The carnation is used in mourning. Gifting a bundle of carnations was Lady Adelaide’s way of showing her solidarity with those suffering from a loss. It was a gesture of compassion and one that was always appreciated.” His father took a deep breath, staring intently at the blushing bloom. In that moment he felt a connection with his father’s words and the longing he felt for his mother’s presence.

Tracy Zumwalt abandoned her dream of writing a novel over fifteen years ago.

But, through her daughter’s newfound love of fairytale romance, Tracy has revisited her once discarded bucket list item and entered into the world of fairytale retelling. She is all about the happily ever afters and finding inspiration in the world around her, whether that’s through exploring new places or simply savoring moments at home.

When Tracy is not crafting new stories, she is either on the move, staying active, or in the kitchen, cooking up plant-based meals to share with family and friends.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children. Together, they’ve created a life committed to love, adventure and finding the joy in both the simple and complex moments of life.

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