Age 11
One sunny day, the two girls, Amy and Mia, aged 11 stumbled across a magical happening - they witnessed the fairy with big wings and beautiful purple hair chanting something outside Amy’s house, right next to old and tall wisteria tree.Tree lit up, the ground moaned and some portal opened in it - there was a piece of paper handed to the root that stretched out. This root pulled the paper down below. The earth closed. Fairy held the book and a pen with a feather, then turned and walked inside the house.Both were mesmerised by the happening and decided to find out about it.
“It’s a House Fairy!” - Amy whispered.
“Are you sure she’s a good one?” - Mia worried.
“Well, she lives in our house, so she might as well be a good fairy. Mama never lets anyone bad come in the house. She says house is protected from all evil, so that none can harm us.” - Amy proudly stated.
“But even that sounds strange. Maybe your mama is Fairy too?” - Mia tilted head.
“I’m not sure... She’s out for a month with papa, so I’m with aunty Violet here now.” - Amy let out.
After that the two came to play inside the Amy’s house more often. Paying closer attention to antiques, the trinkets, books, statuettes, décor and other things. The room with herbs that hang drying and the green house both were like a magical cave to Fairies, they both deducted. And whole house seemed magical.
“But we haven’t found the book yet.” - Mia let out, as she put a fork in her cake, digging out a piece.
“Hmm...” - Amy was eating her cake. - “Buf maybf itf in fe cabinef.”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full. That’s bad manners. Is what my brother says.” - Mia looked at Amy.
Amy gave a nod then downed that cake and gulped the tea on top.
“I said that it may be in the cabinet.” - Amy pointed with her fork at Mia’s cake.
“Hey! Greedy!” - Mia pulled her plate with cake away.
“Sorry. But there’s a cabinet in the mama’s study, and I have seen a book similar to that one, which Fairy held.” - Amy put away the fork.
Once the tea time was over and the search resumed - they went to the study. To their surprise - aunty Violet was there, at the desk, doing work.
“Oh, nice to see you here.” - Violet let out, as she put down her pen. - “You playing?”
“Ah,” - Amy was held aback. - “Yes, we’re playing. I was showing the house. Mia wanted to see the books here. I said this place had the most books I’ve ever seen. Right Mia?” - Amy nudged Mia in a side.
“Ah, Yes, yes. That’s right.” - Mia stuttered.
“Alright. You can take a look, just be careful. And do let me know if you want some nice tea or cake.” - Violet softly spoke.
Girls checked out the placement of the book. Noting down where and how they could get it. Then it were days of observing aunty Violet, to make sure she’s not in the room, for them to be able to get a hold of book. Eventually they figured out a day and said that they want Mia over for a sleepover.
When the night came, the two sneaked out of the room and wandered into study. It took them a bit to find out that there needs to be key to open the old glass shelve. They managed to find it in the table drawer and sneaked the book out.
Later in the night they were looking at the images of unknown plants in the book, accompanied with the writing that’s both in language they could read, as well as one they couldn’t understand. And that language - “Fairy language” they called it, was most of the writing.
It then took a few days of experimenting with the book. It grew pages on it’s own, as well as all you write in it - becomes reality. So girls wrote things like - “chocolate cake” or “teddy bear”, that appeared within the morning of the next day right on the windowsill of the room.
Eventually they tore out a page and kept it. Putting the book back in place, to not be so suspicious.
The few days went about with them listening to news and the thinking about how they could change the global problems. So they went to Mia’s household, where there are the grandparents, both mum and paps, as well as two older brothers that could share their opinions. And it were diverse.
“They should give freedom to people.” - Finny, Mia’s brother remarked.
“Yeah, freedom ya say! Then who’s gonna keep the ducks in a row? Law and order, my boy! That’s what keeps it together. I’m alright with not flaunting ma old thoughts out there, as long as we’re safe.” - Grandpa was like an old ranting man.
“Father!” - Mia’s mum was looking at her dad. - “Don’t you start this madness again.”
“When I was your age, we only cared about place to sleep, work and how to make our family proud. Working hard with our blood, sweat and tears.” - Grandpa went on.
“There he goes again..” - Michael, another brother of Mia’s let out a sigh and left the room.
With many ideas and opinions it took girls some time to come up with what would be a great solution to all the worldly problems. So they wrote that on the paper. But nothing worked.
“Maybe we should put it in the book then? Then it’ll work?” - Mia let out. As the two were on the swing next to the lake side.
“Yeah, we should try that. Wait, what’s the time?” - Amy said.
“I think it’s past noon.” - Mia replied.
“Oh shoot!” - They both reacted.
Mia had to do her chores, just like Amy, so the both had arrangements for the while.
“I’ll see ya next to the fence hole in two hours, bring the page!” - Amy stormed off.
“Will do!” - Mia replied, as she ran the opposite direction.
“Can, can you reach it?” - Mia was trying to pass the piece of paper under a fence.
“Nah, just a bit.” - Amy was trying to get that piece of paper.
A bit of a struggle and the paper grazed Amy’s fingertips.
“Can feel it, a bit more.” - Amy said.
Mia was squishing self against the fence on the outer side, with that paper now being in between her fingers, almost falling out. Then the paper was grabbed by Amy, alas.
“Got it!” - Amy let out happily.Mia had sighed in relief.
“I’ll take it to study! See you later!” - Amy had happily exclaimed and dashed into the house.
Just putting that back in place was the goal. It was the goal.
Amy sneaked towards the room where the book always were. But just when she was about to open the door, her aunt stopped her.
“And what’s that?” - She looked quite serious.
Amy hid the paper behind her back.
“Nothing.”
Aunty crossed her arms in front of her and shook her head.
“I found that you played with a book that’s been told to be off-limits.” - Aunty seemed displeased.
Amy was looking around, then she looked down.
“I’m sorry Aunty Violet.” - Amy pushed out, sounding sorry.
Violet let out a sigh.
“I can only guess you found out what it does.” - She said.
“It’s magical!” - Amy let out excitedly, eyes glistening.
Violet looked at her sternly.“I’m sorry.” - Said Amy.
Another deep sigh from Violet.
“You better hand me that paper. And knowing how you’ve been, I presume that Mia is in this too.” - Violet reached out her hand. Amy placed the paper on it.
Violet held the paper.
“Alright, as the two of you won’t easily give up, I suggest you call Mia for a tea. Let’s have a chat about it.”
“Really?” - Amy looked up hopeful.
“Really.” - Violet smiled.
“I’ll go get her then!” - Amy happily said and stormed off to get Mia.
“Ah, these kids... Hope they don’t try to...” - Violet took a look at the paper and what’s written on it. - “Dear lords of Fae and Forest, thank the Fairies that they didn’t put this in the book.”
The note said “World peace, no more hunger on the planet, everyone happy, all kids are with parents, there’s love and joy in the world”.
Violet shook head and carried on into the room, to take the book from a closed glass shelve.
“At least I need to explain that to them, for they won’t do any harm or mess to this.” - Violet took one more book besides it. - “They should know...”
When girls arrived to the tea time, Violet sat at the head of the table - waiting.
“Um, so...” - Amy sat at the side. Mia sat next to her.
“Girls,” - Violet turned to them with a sad smile. - “I understand that you both are caring bright souls, but you should know better than playing with such magick.”
“But why?” - Amy called out.
“You see, all magick works in a certain way. You have to give something back, in order to take something from it.” - Violet poured them tea.
“What do you mean?” - Mia spoke.
Violet slowly pushed the tea cups towards girls.
“The thing with the old magic is that it gives, if you give it something in return. And if you don’t give something in return - it takes what it pleases forcefully, teaching you a lesson.” - Violet looks up, then into her cup next to her.
“But the cake and the teddy were free.” - Amy pouts.
“Oh no baby, they also cost something. Maybe that something is something you lost in the room, which would disappear all of a sudden and you no longer can find.” - Violet takes her cup and drinks from it. - “It’s always something to pay when you request something. Such is magic.”
“I don’t get it.” - Amy pouts even more, as she stares into her cup.
“Maybe we didn’t get it right...” - Mia lets out.
“You see, if you request something small, you give in exchange - something small, but if you want something big - you have to give something as big in return.” - Violet speaks. - “If you want cake, maybe a jar of honey will be taken. If you want teddy, there might be a pillow gone. If you want your garden to be prosperous, then there might be something else to return. And with this magic in particular - that takes not only something physical, but also it can take something much-much different.”
“Different?” - Mia looks at Violet.
“Yes, different.” - Violet replies.
“How different?” - Amy asks.
“Hm, like, your years of life, or your emotions. You’ll no longer will be able to be happy. That might last a few years, but might be so forever. And with age - Fey like to play tricks, so they can either take away the years of your life, or take away the ability to age altogether, so that you keep on living and living endlessly. Or they take away your freedom and make you bound to the place, which you can’t leave even if you want to.” - Violet politely explains.
“That’s complicated...” - Amy pouts. - “I don’t like to not be happy.”
“And I wouldn’t like it to be living endlessly.” - Mia mumbles.
The girls are then explained even more, so that they won’t take the book again.And they agree.
Few days later - Amy wakes up from her mother calling from downstairs.
“Mama! You came back!” - Amy rushed into mothers arms.
“Oh my, look at you! I was only gone for few hours and that’s how much you missed me.” - Amy’s mother hugged Amy.
“Mama, don’t lie. You were gone for a month!” - Amy calls out.
“Was not.” - Mother looks at her quizzically.
“Was too!” - Amy retorts.
“Hun, it’s still the same June 5th. I went out this morning to go fetch the groceries from the shop and came back. What are you on about?” - Mother looked at Amy, like her kid was trying to play tricks.
Amy was shaken, she dashed around the house, looking for her aunty.
“Mu-um! Where’s Aunty Violet?” - Amy called out.
“Aunty Violet? Who’s that?” - Mother looked at Amy, who now stood in the kitchen along her mum that unpacked groceries.
“You know! Aunty Violet!” - Amy would not rest.
“I don’t know such aunty. And you should get ready, the guests will soon arrive.” - Mother was now fiddling with making food.
“But... But...” - Amy was now worried.
“Go on dear, get ready. We’re having a busy day.”
“Mia! Mia!” - Amy ran towards Mia that was on a swing.Mia turned around to look at Amy.
“Who are you?” - Mia asked.
“What? What do you mean who am I? I’m Amy! We’ve been like together for month, playing in my house, you know, with Aunty Violet there...” - Amy was gesturing with her hands, but Mia had her brows knit, then she got off the swing and began walking towards her house.
“I don’t know you! Don’t follow me!” - Mia went into sprint, to get further from Amy.
“Mia! Mia wait!” - Amy shouted.
“Girls, wake up.” - Violet softly shook both girls on the shoulders. They jolted in fear, almost falling off the chairs at the kitchen table.
“What, what was it?!” - Amy looked around, then grabbed Mia by the shoulders and loudly asked - “Mia, you remember me, Mia?!”
“Amy, you’re here...” - Mia let out, as she clung to Amy.
Violet walked around the table, then sat at her seat again.
“And that’s what Fae tend to do. That’s how it might be, if you use the book, when you don’t know the price for the magic you invoke. Which is why I caution you NOT to use that book any more.” - Violet smiled.
“Aunty...” - Amy let out.
“Yes, darling, I’m here. Don’t worry. Just take your breaths, calm down, I’ll bring you chamomile, pot and hot water for you girls to brew tea.” - Violet walked to the counter to put the kettle on, as she pulled out new pot and a box with chamomile.
“That was so scary...” - Mia held onto Amy’s arm.“Yeah, me too.” - Amy said.
After they had their tea, the walk and talk was in place. After that - the two stayed over at Amy’s place again, sleeping in same bed, hugging up.
“Violet, thanks for looking after her.” - Beth hugged her sister.
“No worries. It’s my pleasure.” - Violet hugged Beth back.
“So how’s my daughter?” - Beth asked.
“This sneaky thing got hands on the book with her bestie, but I covered that and avoided the clash.” - Violet sipped her coffee.
“Oh don’t tell me the old tea trick... How much did you scare them?” - Beth looked at her sister with grimace.
“Not too much. But enough for them not to touch it for a while.” - Violet replied.
“Viole-et, for Fairy’s sake...” - Beth moaned up. - “You know you’ll have to teach her all the ropes eventually, remember?”
“Yep, but not now. I’m not really able to take it up upon myself for now. You know how the business with Fae goes.” - Violet took out candy.
“Just make sure you ease her in, when the time comes.” - Beth sighed.
“I guess this time it may be two girls that will take the works on.” - Violet looked at Beth.
“You mean that other girl Mia also?” - Beth looked quite surprised.
“Aha.” - Violet nodded.
“I’m impressed. Might actually be the new age coming.” - Beth picked her beer.
“It’s not even 9am, sis.” - Violet eyed Beth.
“Hush you! Let me be while I can sneak this around. I should be a proper mama to my kid.” - Beth pointed a finger.
“Ahaha!” - Violet laughed.“Shh! Shh! You’ll wake them up!” - Beth put the finger up.
