Another piece of the Katy-Mathilde fairy tale. I really like the idea of a fairy godmother who's run out of godchildren - I plan to explore it in a longer story later. Part 1 of the story is here, and Part 3 is here.
Once Katy asked Mathilde why she wasn’t a fairy godmother anymore. Mathilde looked a little sad as she explained that her godchildren had grown up and gone away, taking her magical blessings with them, and that without godchildren, a fairy godmother lost most of her power.
“You could be my fairy godmother,” Katy offered, not at all selflessly – she had heard the stories, both from books and from Mathilde, of the wonderful gifts a fairy godmother could bestow upon her godchild.
But Mathilde only laughed ruefully and shook her head, ruffling Katy’s hair gently. “I’m afraid it doesn’t work that way, child. In order for me to be someone’s fairy godmother, their parents must invite me to the child’s christening, and ask me to be its godmother. You have already been christened, I’m afraid, and no one much believes in fairy godmothers these days, so I wasn’t invited to the celebration. Why, even now, if your parents saw me, they would see only an old woman, and probably a crazy one at that. They would never think of offering me the honor of godmothering one of their children.
“But when you grow up, my dear, and have children of your own, you have only to call for me, and I will come, and give them my blessings as I have so many times before. I fear you will have forgotten magic by then, though, and think me just a fancy of your childhood.”
“I never would!” Katy said stoutly, blissfully innocent of the changes the world can work upon one when one makes the transition from childhood to the life of a grown-up.
Mathilde only shook her head, hugged Katy to her tightly, and said, “Well, then maybe you won’t. But that’s enough talk on that for one day. Would you like a scone, Katy, dear?”