Hannah Learns the Impact of Great Aunt Midge’s Legacy
Beehives, Battles and Bunting : Episode 1
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Continues where this flash fiction left off: Hannah inherits her Great Aunt Midge’s house in the countryside. It’s seen better days but the garden is glorious and well maintained, which is only the first part of her surprise. Parsanovan, a waist high creature with other-worldly eyes, has kept his promise to Midge by tending the outdoor space.
My face was probably doing a good impression of a guppy as I caught onto the understanding that Great Aunt Midge had made some kind of bargain with one of the fair folk. Which meant that when she had bequeathed me her house and gardens in her will, she had also left me in charge of this strange, wizened other-worldly creature.
With that knowledge, my legs went weak and the sun was suddenly too bright in my eyes. To quell my panic I said, “Tea?”
Parsanovan looked mildly startled.
“Would you like a cup? Do you drink tea?” I asked him.
I had no clue what a creature with cloven hooves and fleece on its lower half might eat or drink, but I was hoping he would take my offer as hospitable rather than offensive.
“Tea would be most welcome,” Parsanovan answered in his scraping voice.
He blinked at me, which allowed me to remark again the bright amber of his eyes. “In a china pot please.”
As I made my way up a brick path to the house, I mused over his specific request. While the kettle boiled, I pulled up Fairy Legends on a search engine, and discovered that simply touching iron would cause burns or sickness in the Folk. I bookmarked the site for further education, but I fully understood his caution.
Great Aunt Midge had an ordinary plastic electric kettle and in her neat cupboards I found a bone china tea set decorated with woodland flowers. Green tea was stored in a canister and fruit tea in a box, so I scooped some balled leaves of tea into the pot and let them infuse in the boiled water while I traipsed outside to the garden.
Parsanovan had returned to weeding the borders, but he set down his tools and ambled over at the chinking of cups in their saucers when I set the tray down.
“You’ve kept the garden looking glorious,” I remarked, admiring the riot of colours, and how the hovering bees and butterflies appreciated the flowers and bushes.
“My affinity is with the earth element,” he nodded, but seemed to preen at my praise. He sipped the tea and smacked his lips appreciatively.
“So Midge has passed from this life,” he stated, to which I nodded in response. “I must tell the bees.”
I quirked my eyebrow but he regarded me without blinking.
“It is necessary for the bees to be kept informed of important events such as births, deaths and marriages in the household of the beekeeper. Failure to do so could result in loss of the bees, they might stop producing honey or even die.”
I had so much to learn, I thought as I swallowed the tea.
“When will you take up residence?” the wizened creature asked, holding out his cup for a refill.
“I wasn’t intending — “ I began, but broke off when I saw Parsanovan’s hopeful expression. “I have some loose ends to tie up first.” I said instead, and something in his wiry physique relaxed.
“I can call on the folk to ready the house for you,” he suggested. “It has stood empty awhile, so dust and cobwebs have gathered.”
I’d observed as much just walking through the place, and some help would be very welcome. I would have plenty to do clearing my current flat, packing up my possessions to bring them here.
“That would be a great help Parsanovan, please arrange that.”
It was month end in 10 days, which would be the most logical time to move. If I called up my landlord I could make the necessary arrangements to end my contract. But did I want this? To live a quiet village life when all I had ever known was a sprawling city where I could move amongst the crowds and be anonymous? There was an upside to nobody knowing my name or what job I did, but with my family living so far away, I did sometimes get lonely.
“The folk are rather shy, so they would come when you are absent,” Parsanovan interrupted my thoughts, looking tentative.
“That’s absolutely fine,” I smiled my gratitude. “I have things to arrange, I probably couldn’t move before the first of June.”
It was an odd thing, but saying that out loud, I felt as if something shifted in me, like a window opening to let in fresh air and daylight. Perhaps I was being fanciful, but indulge me. I was already sipping green tea with what some would describe as a fairytale creature, so it seemed like that was just the start of my strange new life!
Thanks to Posy Churchgate - Writes & Edits Fiction at Tantalizing Tales for letting me expand on her Legacy prompt. Follow me for more fiction. This series will be in a list — download it to be notified whenever a new episode is added.