Lying on a leaf behind the tomato was a pixie, sound asleep. His wings were folded up, and his shirt was covered with tomato juice. His silver hair and face were spotted with bits of tomato except for the clean band across his eyes where the blindfold had been.
Laughing softly she carefully picked up the leaf with the pixie still sleeping, and placed him in the flowerbed on a soft bed of grass under some flowers. Returning to her work, she was just placing the last of the tomatoes in her basket when she heard a flutter of wings. Looking up she saw the pixie girl with the beautiful blue wings darting in an agitated way around the tomato plant where the other pixie had been sleeping.
Catching her attention, Telah pointed to the flowerbed and said softly, "Hey Della, if you are looking for Thistle he's under the daffodils." Smiling and waving, Della sped off to the flowerbed. Telah laughed and took the tomatoes inside.
She was eager to get to her favorite reading spot. She washed up and hurried to the window seat in the front of the house, carrying her favorite book. It was a large, heavy book with an ornate cover. On the front under the title were pictures of fanciful herbs and flowers that had been imagined by the author.
But it was the back cover that was the most interesting. Each corner had four lines of writing like the stanzas of a poem, but many of the words had been worn smooth and were unreadable. In the center was a picture, which had originally been embossed in gold, but most of the gold was now worn off.
Many of the details were blurred, but the picture was still clearly recognizable. It was the image of a man walking under a large oak tree. A branch bent down to his upraised hand with an acorn dangling from the tip, almost within his reach. At his waist hung an ax. The blade had a leather cover embroidered with an oak leaf. There were scattered leaves about his feet and his left foot rested on an acorn. The picture was framed with a border of branches with acorns and oak leaves. At the bottom of the picture in small decorative letters was inscribed The Way Back.
The name of the book was The World Beyond the Door, and it was written and published by her grandfather, Axel Wordsmith. His books were greatly enjoyed by children and he was considered an excellent storyteller, but respectable citizens thought they were obviously fictitious.
Telah loved to read about the other world and imagine the adventure of exploring its wonders. The books described a world of giant people, monstrous animals, and bizarre contraptions made of metal and glass that had strange powers. They also told how the lyte cloth, woven by the gnomes, could be made into cloaks that made them invisible when worn in the other world.
It was mid-morning, and the sun was shining brightly outside. Kendra was upstairs in the sunroom, which was ideal for spinning lyte thread. Weaving sunlight, moonlight and starlight was a long tradition with the gnomes. The window on the east wall was open allowing the morning sun to shine directly into the crystal spindle on the spinning wheel. She was spinning the sunlight into a fine gold thread, which she used to sew together the pieces of lyte fabric that lay in the covered basket beside her chair. She had almost finished Morley's new cloak, and just needed a bit more thread to finish the last few seams.
Downstairs, Telah's reading was interrupted by a knock on the door. She grudgingly put down the book, and went to answer it. She was greeted by Morley's bright eyes and cheerful, "Helloooo." It was always fun visiting with Morley. Even though she was now twelve, he didn't laugh at her for reading her grandfather's books. He even speculated with her about what the other world might be like.
"Reading Beyond the Door again, eh?" he smiled. "What part of the story are you at today?"
"The part with the big iron contraption that blows out steam, and pulls large buildings behind it down an iron road. It says that some of the giant people climb inside the buildings, and you can see them through the windows as they whiz by." Her voice was whimsical.
"Hmmm, sounds like an interesting way to travel. I wonder how they managed to keep the furniture in their houses from sliding around. Do you suppose they nailed it to the floor? And how do you suppose they stopped? Or turned the whole thing around to come back? Of course it would certainly make packing for a trip easy - they just took their house with them. It's like they stayed home and the journey came to them."
Telah giggled. Morley had read all of Axel Wordsmith's books, and had experienced many of the things written in them when he secretly went on his adventures through the door. On one of his journeys he had even come across what he thought was the iron road that Telah had just described. It was overgrown with weeds and grass, but fit the description perfectly. Though he had never seen the machine that traveled on it, he had often wondered about that chapter in the book.
"Is Kendra about?" he asked.
"Upstairs in the sunroom, weaving."
"Okay if I go up?"
"Sure, she said you'd be stopping by."
Morley climbed the stairs to the sunroom. Kendra was seated in front of the spinning wheel in a cushioned wicker chair embroidered with small blue flowers.
There were two overstuffed chairs in the room with a table between them. She glanced up and flashed a quick smile, and then bent over her work again.
"Almost done," she said. "I need to finish this spool of thread before I lose the strength of the sun."
"Go ahead. I'll just make myself comfortable," and he sat in one of the chairs. "How's the cloak coming?"
"I just need to attach the hood, and something new I've designed, and it will be finished. I made the hood extra full so it will shadow your face. The bottom of the cloak will reach the tops of your boots. They should blend in with the grass or foliage, and we don't want the cloak to hinder you when you walk." Stopping the wheel she said, "That should do it."
She opened the basket. Inside, the glowing folds of the lyte fabric lay in soft piles. She had woven cloth from sunlight and moonlight and then made it into a reversible cloak that would cover the wearer in a shimmering golden mist during the day, and in a soft gray mist at night.
The cloak would make Morley practically invisible on his journeys. She dropped the thread into the basket and closed the lid.
"Aren't you going to tell me about the new design?" he asked teasingly.
She smiled. "I've added an outside flap to the back that you unroll to cover your backpack. Then you'll be completely invisible."
"Clever idea. Can't wait to try that out. Speaking of trying out new things?I was thinking about trying my experiment with the owl tomorrow night," he said casually.
"So soon?" she looked up startled. "From the pictures in the book they look very fierce."
"Well, I haven't seen one up close, but I think the plan will work. If the owl is tamable, I'll feel much safer about being there at night. Maybe I could even ride on it like in those tales we have about riding on the backs of dragons." He grinned. "But I won't try that the first night."
"You will be careful won't you?" she looked hard at him. "Dragons don't exist in our world, and I'm not sure you should be riding anything like that in any other world either."
He sobered up and said, "Yes, of course. Besides, I'll have my new lyte cloak to keep me invisible."
"I just have one more seam to do on it, and it will be done."
"How about I go clean up the garden, and then repair that broken hinge on the gate while you're finishing up?"
She nodded, "Come on back afterwards and we'll have some lunch. Telah is learning how to bake."
He laughed, "Sounds interesting."
He headed downstairs while Kendra sat in the overstuffed chair and finished up the lyte cloak.
Slipping quietly up behind Telah, who was deeply concentrating on her book, Morley reached out and tugged on her braid. She jumped and yelled, "Hey!" Morley chuckled and went outside.
He had finished straightening up the garden and was putting the rake into the shed when he heard whistling. Down the lane he saw Travis Fields coming towards the house.
Travi
s' father, Garth, was a gardener for two of the big landowners. With skill and imagination he had turned those gardens into the talk of the village for their beauty and variety. He often experimented with hybrid plants mixing wild flowers from the Pixie Woods with the domestic gnome garden variety. Travis had been learning about flowers since he was old enough to walk in the garden. Lately Morley had been teaching him about spices and herbs, and he was a quick learner.
"Hellooo Travis," he called. Nice kid, he thought, but spends too much time by himself roaming around the woods. Maybe I can get him to talk to Telah. She might be able to get him interested in reading.
Travis grinned and waved.
"Where ya headed?" Morley asked as Travis stopped and leaned on the fence to talk.
"Off to the Pixie Woods for some wild flower cuttings," he said. "Dad has a spot in one of the flower beds that needs something new to brighten it up."
"Can you give me a hand to set this gate? Should only take five minutes."
"Sure." He set down his backpack and together they soon had the gate back on its hinges.
"Thanks. Telah just made a cake this morning. You might stop in and see her on the way."
Travis blushed and said, "Okay." He grabbed his bag and went up to the house. Morley finished putting away the tools, and headed for home.
Telah saw Travis coming up the path and met him at the door.
"Still reading that book?" he asked as he noticed it lying open on the windowsill.
"Yes - you should try reading yourself. Might find there's other things of interest besides gardening."
He laughed. "Does it give you cake recipes in that old book?"
"Oh - you do think about other things - like eating. I made a cake this morning. Would you like some?"
"Don't mind if I do," and he followed her to the kitchen. She cut him a piece and they sat down at the table.
"So, tell me about what you're reading in that fascinating book."
She pretended to look out the window, but she was watching him closely as he tasted the cake. He took a small bite, then ate the rest with enthusiasm. Satisfied, she told him about the giant plants in the book.
He sat back and patted his stomach. "Nice story, but it sounds like something you'd dream up after spending too much time in the Pixie Woods."
She laughed and said, "Well, going through the door does make you a little light headed, but I don't think my grandfather spent a lot of time with pixies." She changed the subject. "Where are you headed this morning?"
"Off to the Pixie Woods to get some flower cuttings for my dad. Say...you wouldn't consider giving me some cake for the pixies, would you?"
"You want to give MY cake to pixies?" she said indignantly. "You know you shouldn't be hanging out with them."
"And whose garden were they in last night? And who knows them on a first name basis?" he retorted. "Besides, you know it helps if I give them something in return." He looked at her hopefully.
She sighed, and wrapped up a large piece for him in a napkin.
"Thanks," he said. "You're terrific. I'll bring you back some flowers. Course they won't be of gigantic size, like in your book?" he teased.
She laughed and said, "It's almost noon. You better go before it gets too late. And yes, I would like some flowers."
He put the cake in a basket inside his backpack, and headed off to the woods.
CHAPTER 3 - A PIXIE MELODY
Morley had cleaned up from his work that morning, and was now home in his study getting ready for his trip. He pulled down a book from the shelf entitled Monstrous Mammals - Do They Exist? It was one of Axel's books, and had a short appendix about the possible effect of music on songbirds, which had given him the inspiration for an experiment he wanted to try.
On the wall beside his desk hung a map that was sketched in pencil. In the center, a large tree was labeled Grandfather Tree. Off to the right another tree was named Owl Tree. He studied the map measuring the distance between the two.
On previous trips, Morley had noticed a great horned owl living in a tree not far from the Tangles. Although obviously not a songbird, his theory was that the owl could be tamed by flute playing, and he was eager to test it out. He had carefully chosen the music, and practiced until he thought he could play it even in his sleep. Now he felt confident enough to test the idea. He briefly reviewed the information about the owl, and then placed the book back on the shelf.
He went back to Kendra's for a late lunch, and to pick up his new lyte cloak. After lunch they sat on the back porch enjoying the breeze, and talking about village business and the upcoming party. When it was time to leave, Kendra packed him a dinner to take with him. After stopping at his house for a lyte hammock, he headed for the cave. Taking his backpack, he added Kendra's bundle of food and the hammock to the bag. He then slipped on the new lye cloak.
It was late afternoon when he passed through the door in the tree. The sun was warm with just a few white fluffy clouds on an otherwise clear day. Climbing the tree, he found a shady spot to hang his hammock between two branches. It was a perfect setting for an afternoon nap. He was virtually invisible once he settled into the hammock and covered himself with the lyte cloak. He drifted off to sleep.
The sun was low on the horizon when he awoke, and the breeze was cooler. Perfect timing, he thought to himself as he tucked the hammock into his backpack and slid down the tree.
Sitting in his favorite spot on the root outside the door, he opened Kendra's dinner. Inside he found some of the raisin cake that Telah had baked that morning, a slab of cheese, a hard-boiled egg, and a bottle of his favorite cider. The cake was sweeter than Kendra's, but it was still quite tasty and he washed it down with the cider. The tune he had chosen ran unceasingly through his mind as he thought about what he was going to attempt.
It was dusk when he headed towards the Owl Tree. Owls hunt at night, and he hoped he had planned his experiment so as not to become a meal himself. He was wearing his cloak with the moonlight side out, so he would be invisible under the light of the moon. Knowing that the owl slept during the day, he planned to get into position and wait for nightfall.
As he approached the tree he could just see the outline of the owl high up in the branches. A mound of rocks had piled up near the base of the tree. Climbing up the pile he found a small dip in the rock where he would be able to sit securely balanced. He settled in and waited for dark.
About an hour later the moon rose, and cast a cool light into the clearing. The owl began to stir and stretch its wings. It uttered an oot-too-hoo hoo-hoo, which made Morley shiver.
He stood up. He had draped his cloak loosely over his shoulders so it still covered him, but would not be in his way. Taking out his flute, he proceeded to play a sweet haunting pixie melody. As the notes drifted through the air it was as if they had substance and produced a mild hypnotic effect. It made you think of distant enchanted places full of noble deeds, valiant friendships, and brave adventures.
The owl slowly walked to the end of the branch, its long sharp talons curling and uncurling around the branch. When it got to the end of the limb, it paused and looked down into the clearing. Spreading its wings it glided noiselessly down to a nearby rock swaying slightly with the music.
The breeze had subsided, and the night had become warm. Morley felt a trickle of perspiration roll down his spine, but he shivered and felt chilled. The only sound was the captivating melody. Morley's original plan had been to bond with the owl. But now that he was so close, he was beginning to doubt the wisdom of this whole adventure, and was hesitant about revealing himself too soon.
The owl perched on the rock a few feet away and faced Morley. It leaned forward intently, listening to the music. Gathering his courage, and careful not to interrupt the flow of the tune, Morley shrugged off his cloak watching the owl closely. It seemed to notice him immediately, but made no intimidating move. Its eyes were bright, but distant and dreamlike. Morley carefully sat dow
n on the edge of the rock, balancing in the small hollow. He played for a couple more minutes, and then allowed the last mournful note to fade into the still night.
The owl studied him carefully and uttered a low hoo-hoo, and ruffled its feathers. It then sighed, and slowly and majestically flew off into the night.
Morley breathed a sigh of relief, and quickly wrapped his cloak around him. A good beginning he thought. He was glad the night was warm for he felt chilled, and was uncertain about any further encounters with the owl.
After a few minutes he packed his flute into his backpack, and headed back to his own tree, and home.
CHAPTER 4 - ALL IN A DREAM
After Travis left for the Pixie Woods, Telah poured herself a cup of tea and cut a generous slice of cake. Taking these with her to the window seat, she settled in to enjoy The World Beyond the Door. She took a couple bites and began to read. As she was pulled into the story, the cake sat forgotten on the shelf beside her, along with her tea, which had become cold.
The afternoon sun poured in through the window, filling the seat with a comfortable glow and warming her back. She had gotten up early that day, and was tired from the morning's activities. The tick, tick, tick of the mantle clock had a soothing rhythm. She leaned back to briefly close her eyes.
As she drifted off to sleep, she thought pleasantly of warm woods with beautiful enormous blooming flowers that spread a thick pungent perfume in the air. She saw herself in a clearing surrounded by bushes laden with large juicy berries. The berries were so heavy that the branches drooped almost to the ground. How easy it would be to simply pull one of the berries down, and drink the sweet juice.
As she walked towards one of the bushes, she felt a chill from a cool breeze. The sky clouded over, and it began to get dark. Glancing at the sky, she could see just a sliver of the moon shinning behind the clouds. As they parted, the Forester Constellation was visibly spread out across the sky. A strange musty scent drifted on the breeze. It was getting colder, and there were unfamiliar noises. She could no longer see berries on the bush in front of her. Was it the same bush, or was it just that the light was dimming?