16. Chateau Cicada

Angela Yonke is a multimedia artist and teacher in Bozeman. She is currently finishing her MFA at MSU making work about humor and community. Her fairy creation is Chateau Cicada.

The Cicada Spice Trader Fairies, led by Finnig Spice, have been living and protecting Bumblewood Thicket for generations in their expansive Chateau Cicada castle. In exchange for keeping trolls and ogres from attacking the village the fairies look the other way about import taxes on their spices. As thanks, the Spice Traders host a grand festival foods each year promising tastes from around the world beneath the boughs of their great tree. Grateful townsfolk leave berries and seeds in tribute for their protectors who patrol their beloved village each night riding atop a group of mountain bluebirds and cicadas. Though not known for their table manners, these fairies have been known to take orphaned baby fairies under their wings and share with them a life of adventure and flavor. Visitors to the village are advised keep a safe distance (binoculars recommended) from the castle and the often surly Spice Fairies.