The village of Alder Hollow was a quiet, unremarkable place, nestled between dense forests and open fields, a place where everyone knew everyone and secrets rarely stayed hidden. But you had a secret, one that could change everything if revealed—a power running through your veins. You were a witch, marked by destiny, fated for greatness or ruin. It was a truth you kept hidden from all but the man you loved, Simon.

Simon was a nobleman, not wealthy by any means, but respected, with a kind heart and a sturdy frame. He was a man of the land, rooted in the simplicity of everyday life, yet with a fire in his spirit that had drawn you to him. You’d loved each other quietly, keeping your affections hidden from prying eyes, meeting in secret and whispering dreams of a future you both knew was fragile.

But the calm was fleeting. Whispers of your abilities began to spread, rumors trickling through the village like poison. In a time when witchcraft was feared, your secret couldn’t remain safe for long. One night, the people turned against you, sending guards to hunt you down. In desperation, Simon helped you flee, risking everything he held dear. When they couldn’t find you, they turned their wrath on him, torturing him for information on your whereabouts, demanding he betray you.

The pain he endured for your sake tore at your heart, and in the depths of your sorrow, you cast a spell. With tears staining your cheeks, you chanted, “And however they try to destroy him… let him never die.” Your heart swelled with pure intentions, every word charged with the desire to shield him.

But magic is a tricky thing, twisting in ways you couldn’t predict. Instead of preserving his life as you had intended, the spell backfired, transforming Simon into something unnatural. His human form was stripped away, replaced by that of a scarecrow—a being made of straw, unable to feel pain but cursed with an unyielding fear of fire.

For years, you hid isolated and heartbroken, as Simon, the straw scarecrow, wandered the land in search of you.