glass dish of chocolate candy.
Fairies must like chocolate.
A large oval rug lay on the wood floor. Through a doorway that opened in the wall beyond the kitchen, Noah could see bright daylight. Despite being earth-covered, the cottage had no damp musty smell or feel. A pleasant earthy, yet sweet aroma filled the air. Quiet prevailed with no roof for the rain to hit. He thought, though, he could hear a soft sound of running water.
Everything in the cottage suited a small person. The furniture was low. Noah found the couch uncomfortable, with nothing to do with his legs. Low and narrow doors, the narrow stairway, and the tiny kitchen all said “little.” Earthy and natural decorations brought the forest indoors. Pictures on the walls displayed animals or forest scenes, but no people. Plants sat on many scattered shelves.
“This place is wonderful,” Noah said, turning to Willow where she stood at the counter. “A perfect little … hobbit hole.”
Jeez, I almost said fairy house.
She walked from the kitchen carrying two mugs. “Well, I’m afraid I’m not a hobbit,” she said. “They’re really short, you know.” She grinned that mischievous way he liked.
Noah stood and accepted his hot chocolate. “Oh. I guess I missed that detail,” Noah said. “About you not being really short, I mean.”
That wonderful fragrance is from you.
“I’m not as tall as some people,” she said. “Four-foot-nine isn’t that short.”
“It looks pretty short from up here.”
Willow stuck out her tongue, and then laughed merrily. “I should apologize about the couch. Your knees almost hit your chin.”
“That’s alright.” He sipped the hot chocolate. “What’s behind the kitchen? Looks like all windows.”
“Oh, that’s the poolroom. Come on, I’ll show you.” She waved for him to follow and walked toward the door in the back wall. As he walked by, Noah could see a door under the stairs led to a bathroom. He stepped through the door to the poolroom and then understood the name.
The floor and walls were all stone. The wood ceiling continued the roofline from the main room. Above him, a wood railing ran along the loft’s backside, where a small black cat hunkered, eyeing Noah with suspicion. The south wall was all glass. Rain and moisture on the windows restricted his view, but he could make out a small garden surrounded by a tall dark green hedge. A large stone pool built into the floor filled most of the room, an oval about twelve feet long and eight feet wide. Water flowed from a short U-shaped trough in the east wall and cascaded down troughs set into the wall and then into the pool. On the west end, the room’s floor sloped to facilitate water overflowing from the pool into a trough, and then outside through a small opening in the wall. The west wall contained a small wooden door.
“Wow,” Noah said. “I like this.”
At least I would if there was some heat. It can’t be fifty degrees in here.
Scattered reed mats covered the floor. Two small wood benches supported plants and partly burned candles, whose scent hung in the air. A low table held towels, soap and shampoo. He walked over to the cascade and verified the water was icy cold. “Does this come from a spring?”
“Yes, the same one that feeds the pond,” Willow said. “There’s a control lever to shut off the flow. I left it on this morning after my bath to bring in some fresh water.”
Noah crouched and swished his hand in the water. It was as cold as the incoming flow. “Judging by this water, you took a cold bath this morning,” he said, looking up to gauge her reaction. “And at the pond Monday, I was chilly, but you seemed comfortable without a coat.”
Willow’s features colored. “I guess I’m hardier than most people.”
“Hypothermia resistant is more like it,” Noah said. He stood up.
“Let’s go sit down,” Willow said, “and we’ll get on with your questions.”
We just did.
Willow led him through the
Fairies must like chocolate.
A large oval rug lay on the wood floor. Through a doorway that opened in the wall beyond the kitchen, Noah could see bright daylight. Despite being earth-covered, the cottage had no damp musty smell or feel. A pleasant earthy, yet sweet aroma filled the air. Quiet prevailed with no roof for the rain to hit. He thought, though, he could hear a soft sound of running water.
Everything in the cottage suited a small person. The furniture was low. Noah found the couch uncomfortable, with nothing to do with his legs. Low and narrow doors, the narrow stairway, and the tiny kitchen all said “little.” Earthy and natural decorations brought the forest indoors. Pictures on the walls displayed animals or forest scenes, but no people. Plants sat on many scattered shelves.
“This place is wonderful,” Noah said, turning to Willow where she stood at the counter. “A perfect little … hobbit hole.”
Jeez, I almost said fairy house.
She walked from the kitchen carrying two mugs. “Well, I’m afraid I’m not a hobbit,” she said. “They’re really short, you know.” She grinned that mischievous way he liked.
Noah stood and accepted his hot chocolate. “Oh. I guess I missed that detail,” Noah said. “About you not being really short, I mean.”
That wonderful fragrance is from you.
“I’m not as tall as some people,” she said. “Four-foot-nine isn’t that short.”
“It looks pretty short from up here.”
Willow stuck out her tongue, and then laughed merrily. “I should apologize about the couch. Your knees almost hit your chin.”
“That’s alright.” He sipped the hot chocolate. “What’s behind the kitchen? Looks like all windows.”
“Oh, that’s the poolroom. Come on, I’ll show you.” She waved for him to follow and walked toward the door in the back wall. As he walked by, Noah could see a door under the stairs led to a bathroom. He stepped through the door to the poolroom and then understood the name.
The floor and walls were all stone. The wood ceiling continued the roofline from the main room. Above him, a wood railing ran along the loft’s backside, where a small black cat hunkered, eyeing Noah with suspicion. The south wall was all glass. Rain and moisture on the windows restricted his view, but he could make out a small garden surrounded by a tall dark green hedge. A large stone pool built into the floor filled most of the room, an oval about twelve feet long and eight feet wide. Water flowed from a short U-shaped trough in the east wall and cascaded down troughs set into the wall and then into the pool. On the west end, the room’s floor sloped to facilitate water overflowing from the pool into a trough, and then outside through a small opening in the wall. The west wall contained a small wooden door.
“Wow,” Noah said. “I like this.”
At least I would if there was some heat. It can’t be fifty degrees in here.
Scattered reed mats covered the floor. Two small wood benches supported plants and partly burned candles, whose scent hung in the air. A low table held towels, soap and shampoo. He walked over to the cascade and verified the water was icy cold. “Does this come from a spring?”
“Yes, the same one that feeds the pond,” Willow said. “There’s a control lever to shut off the flow. I left it on this morning after my bath to bring in some fresh water.”
Noah crouched and swished his hand in the water. It was as cold as the incoming flow. “Judging by this water, you took a cold bath this morning,” he said, looking up to gauge her reaction. “And at the pond Monday, I was chilly, but you seemed comfortable without a coat.”
Willow’s features colored. “I guess I’m hardier than most people.”
“Hypothermia resistant is more like it,” Noah said. He stood up.
“Let’s go sit down,” Willow said, “and we’ll get on with your questions.”
We just did.
Willow led him through the
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