Wonderful World

Magic Knitting

"Isn't knitting done indoors?" Karen asked.

Hilda looked at her granddaughter over the top of her reading glasses. Then went back to the scarf she was making.

"Well yes but it's so nice outside," Hilda said. "I thought the fresh air would be nice after being indoors all winter. Besides, you don't get as much sunlight the other way."

Karen rolled her eyes. "You don't get skin cancer in the house," she said. "Besides there's loads of other things we could be doing right now. Like going to Eight Below and buying a much better looking T-shirt. I can't believe you still knit clothes."

Hilda chuckled as she cast more stitches onto her work. "Who says I'm making clothes?" She asked. "You'll see how special these things are when I've finished."

Karen hated staying with Hilda. If her mom hadn't been on another business trip, Karen could've at least stayed in the city with her friends. It wasn't just the generation gap. Sometimes Karen felt like the old lady was from a different world.

"Whatever grandma," Karen said. "I'm going in the house. There's Wi-Fi and less bugs. " She climbed out of her chair beneath the shade. There was no sense staying and being bored stiff.

Karen spent the next three hours with her headphones in and binge watching Tik-Tok videos. "Ha! Thats so lame," Karen said at one point. "I can't believe that girl sewed her dog's outfit and taught it choreography. She needs to get a life!"

Hilda finally came back inside. She was holding a pair of scarves made out of multi colored yarn with silvery threads that caught the light. She held one out to Karen. "Here," Hilda said. "Put this on. It's time for you to accept your legacy."

Karen took the proffered scarf. She still didn't understand. "Thanks I guess," she said. "Wow, a scarf that no one would wear, not even in the eighties. What a treasure."

Her grandmother gave her a death glare. "Put on the scarf," Hilda said. "Right now."

With a sigh only a teenager could muster, Karen wrapped the long soft garment around her neck. At first it seemed ordinary if a little tacky.

Then the living room started to disappear. It faded until Karen found herself in a completely different land scape. There was unbelievably verdant grass, the sky was a golden yellow and etherial songs hummed all through the wooded grove.

"Grandma," Karen said. "Oh my gosh! What kind of trippy things did you just drug me with? This has to be child abuse."

Hilda suddenly appeared standing right next to Karen. She laughed a little. "I promise I haven't given you anything," she said. "I'm just glad the magic still works. Welcome to Fae Grove."

This was hard to believe. "Wait what?" Karen asked. "Are Fae like fairies or something? Are we still in your house, grandma?"

"Yes and no," Hilda said. "I suppose you could say that Fae are the inspiration for fairies, pixies and brownies. We're trans dimensional beings. Most of our kind spend their time here."

"Our kind?" Karen blurted. "You mean you're not human? And you're an extra terrestrial?"

Hilda flinched a little at the term "extra terrestrial." She mumbled something to herself that Karen didn't catch. "We prefer the term Fae," Hilda said. "You see, I came as an ambassador to the human world. I met your grandfather during the Age of Aquarius. As a sign of harmony and understanding between Fae and Humans, king Oberon allowed me to wed your grandpa. His one stipulation was that every generation of my descendants must renew the pact between our kinds."

This was too freaky. "So the scarves are magic?" Karen asked. "They somehow transported us to this place? What's a pact? Do I have to date a Fae now?"

"If you want to think of it as magic then yes the scarves are magic," Hilda said. "The Glamor only works outdoors. Thats why I sat knitting in the front yard. As for your other concerns, basically you're just making a promise to remember the bond between our worlds and to protect our secrets. You don't have to marry or date any of my kind if you don't want to. Come on, I've got to present you to the court."

As they walked through the Fae realm, Karen was dazzled. There were trees everywhere. Animals that looked like foxes with horns and half goat half man creatures flitted through the woods. Somehow, the golden light always permeated their surroundings.

Finally Karen and her grandmother arrived at what looked like a crumbling ruin. A structure of pillars and lime stone blocks with weathered carvings and vines climbing the sides appeared in a clearing. Except for there being dishes containing something smoldering and emitting an acrid yet sweet smell and giant flaming torches, it was almost like an unused ruin.

One of the goat-man things walked out and looked at Karen and Hilda. He pulled out a large ram's horn and sounded a sharp blasting wail. "Ho! Visitors to Oberon's Court," the goat-man said. "Make known your identities and intent so that our king may address you."

While Karen was busy lamenting that she hadn't brought her phone, Hilda began the ritual speech. "I Hilda, ambassador of the Fae since the Sun's arrival in Aquarius do bring forth a descendant," she said. "My daughter's daughter, Karen, has been brought into the Fae's realm to continue my pact and make her own with King Oberon."

The goat man tucked one hand around his waist and bowed. "This pleases the court," he said. "By and by our king will come and meet you."

Shortly, an elegant man with blue skin, silk garments and a bronzed laurel crown strode out into the open. He smiled gently at his guests. "My emissary Hilda, well met," Oberon said. "Who have you brought to our realm?"

"She is my daughter's daughter Karen, my lord."

"Karen, descendant of the Fae Hilda. Come near."

Karen had no idea if she was supposed to curtsy or bow. She settled for bowing her head and stepping onto the limestone slab in front of King Oberon.

"Do you promise to protect the secret of the Fae?"

"I do."

"Do you promise to visit the realm of the Fae every vernal equinox?"

"I do."

"This is very good. Harold, bring Karen the Glamor."

The goat-man who was apparently named Harold went and fetched a bundle off a pedestal. He deposited the cloth bound package in Karen's arms. She untied it and gasped at its contents. "Oh no, yarn," she said. "Now I'll have to learn to knit!"

Prompt:National Knit Outside Day(June 18th)
Word count: 1,111 words