A Cambria Fairy Tale

Chapter 6

Over the next few weeks, Raine met Bryce in the meadow of the Magical Forest, which had become their spot. Every morning, Raine woke, telling herself that she would not see Bryce, and every morning her wings seemed to flutter to the meadow of their own accord.

When they met, Bryce told her all sorts of things, of Dracon-the self-made evil king-and his hold on Cambria. He also told her of Briana, the rightful queen, and of Bryce's journey to become a knight. Raine told him of her castle and of her father's reign over the Fairies of the Magical Forest. And true to his word, Bryce never told another human about her or her world ... or he never brought one to meet her, at least.

Then one morning, Raine heard a strange sound as she neared the meadow. She stared wide-eyed at Bryce, for he was wielding what looked to be a gigantic sword made of iron. She gasped as she slid quickly under a flower. Iron was deadly to fairies.

But it was too late; Bryce had seen her. "Raine, what is the matter? Why are you afraid? I will not hurt you," he asked as he took a step closer.

Raine peered out from under the lily, and then darted quickly back underneath. This is ridiculous, she thought to herself. If I am to be queen one day, then I must have more courage than this.

Bryce sat down on a nearby log and propped his sword down beside him, dangerously close to Raine. "What is it? What is troubling you?" he asked, concerned. "Come out, little one."

"Do not call me that!" Raine protested as she stepped out from under the flower and placed her hands on her hips in defiance.

Bryce laughed. "Okay, if you like. I am sorry, but I meant no offense." He held his hand down.

Raine was reluctant to sit on it at first, but then relented, crossing her feet at her ankles as she sat on his hand.

Bryce lifted her closer. "What is troubling you, Princess Raine?"

Her gaze shifted reluctantly to the sword propped close beside him. "That thing..."

"My sword?" Bryce asked, laughing. "'Tis the weapon of knights in my realm. Do you not have them?"

Raine nodded. "Yes, but they are not forged of iron."

"What, pray tell, are they made of if not iron?"

"Dragon's Bane."

"Dragon's Bane?" Bryce asked as he shook his head. "Never heard of it."

"Actually, it's a flower."

"Really?"

Raine nodded. "The petals are fragile, but when they are heated they become as strong as steel."

A crease formed between Bryce's eyebrows. "Why is it called Dragon's Bane?"

"Because it is poisonous to dragons."

Bryce nodded. "Why Dragon's Bane? Why do your people not make their swords from iron?"

Raine sighed. "What I tell you, you must never tell another living soul. To do so would be the end of my people's existence."

Bryce nodded, unconsciously leaning closer, clearly enthralled in their conversation. "I promise."

Raine sighed. "Iron or steel, a harder form of iron, is poisonous to fairies."

"You mean that if you are cut by iron you will die?" Bryce asked. "Raine, I would never hurt you."

"Not intentionally," she replied with a sigh. "But if I even touch iron, I will die."

Bryce was lost in thought, and then he finally spoke. "Is iron poisonous to all fairies?"

Raine nodded. "Yes."

A broad smile spread across his face. "Then I will never bring my sword with me again when I come to see you."

Raine nodded, and then looked over at Bryce's sword. Upon closer examination, his sword was really quite beautiful. The hilt was golden with rubies and sapphires encrusted within it. The blade itself was polished until it gleamed brightly in the morning sunlight. If she kept her distance, what harm could watching do? "Will you show me?"

"Show you what?"

Raine sighed. "When I arrived, you were practicing your sword fighting techniques. Can you show me?"

Bryce's eyes lit up. "I should really take my sword home. I do not want to take a chance on hurting you."

Raine was suddenly thrilled at the prospect of seeing him in action. His excitement was catchy. "It won't, as long as I keep a safe distance away."

Bryce looked around, and then spotted a tree branch up high in the tree. "You stay here." He held his hand up to a tree branch a few paces away. Raine flew up and perched herself in the crook where the branch met the tree. "Will you be all right there?" Bryce asked.

Raine laughed, eyeing the look of concern in his eyes. "Worry not, my dear Bryce. As long as I keep a safe distance away, I will be fine."

Bryce smiled, causing his eyes to dance. "What would you like to see first?"

Raine leaned back against the tree trunk, mindful of her wings, and crossed her legs at the ankles. "Show me what you were practicing before I arrived."

"Very well, then," Bryce said, and then began showing her his cotta, a form he had been practicing and perfecting for a very long time.

He lifted his sword with both hands high into the air, his muscles flexing effortlessly despite the obvious weight, then brought it down sharply as he stepped forward. He spun around quickly and raised the sword again, becoming a fluid, beautiful dance, albeit deadly. Raine found herself mesmerized by his movements, caught up in the precision of his dance. Soon, his cotta came to an end when he brought his sword down into a low bow.

"Bravo!" Raine clapped excitedly. "Show me more!"

She spent the rest of the afternoon with Bryce, watching his muscles flex under the weight of his sword as he expertly wielded it and sweat formed on his brow. Soon, rays of pink, orange, and red shot across the darkening blue sky.

"Oh, goodness! I must go," she said nervously, having lost track of the time, knowing that her family would be worried about her.

"I am sorry, Raine," Bryce said, repentant. "I did not mean to cause you undo trouble. Will I see you on the morrow?"

"Well, I do not know," Raine said, hovering close to Bryce, while maintaining a safe distance from the deadly iron blade of his sword. "I must hurry."

"Tell me that I will see you again," Bryce pleaded as he watched her retreat.

"Yes. I shall be here on the morrow," she said, already headed into the forest.

"Until then!" Bryce called after her.

As she flew away past the buttercups and daisies and high into the trees, she wondered what she was getting herself into.