A Cambria Fairy Tale

Chapter 2

Raine flew past the dogwood and cherry trees, as the aroma of the sweet fruit rushed to her. Just one of the ripe, red berries would provide a good meal for her and her sisters, but Raine had no time for gathering. She needed to speak with her sister, Earthen, about the human. She would know what to do.

Earthen was different than Raine. Although Raine was the eldest of her sisters, Earthen was only a year younger, filled with wisdom, and sensible. She was more down to earth, as was indicated in her appearance. Her dark brown hair was a stark contrast to Raine's bright blonde, but their eyes were the same color blue, as were Misty's, their youngest sister. In fact, it was a characteristic of fairies: they all had bright blue eyes.

As Raine neared the castle high up in the tallest alder tree, she began to wonder if she should tell her sisters of the human at all. What would Earthen think of a human venturing into the Magical Forest? What would she think of Raine for being so intrigued with a human? What would it mean for the fairies that humans were now encroaching upon their territory, the Magical Forest?

For a fleeting moment, Raine thought that she could tell her sister Misty. She was two years younger-only fourteen-very impulsive, and loved adventure. Her stark red hair was an indication of her fiery, wild personality. No. Raine knew that she couldn't tell her, either, for Misty would want to see the human right away and would probably venture off to get a better glimpse. If something happened to her, her father would rage war against all humans. Raine knew that telling Misty was out of the question.

As Raine landed on the pathway leading to the grand Fairy Castle, Raine decided that she should keep the encounter with the human to herself until she could decide what to do. So, she flew up the stairs to her bedroom and dressed in her lavender dress for dinner.

But as she brushed her golden blonde hair and went downstairs, thoughts of the human boy invaded her mind.

"What is troubling you, my dear?" her father asked as he peered over his glass of nectar.

Raine looked up; her father's eyes were kind. "Oh ... nothing, Father. I was just thinking."

King Adair laughed. "Well, let us pay attention to the happenings here in the room. Your sister asked you a question."

Raine took a deep breath. "I am very sorry, Father." She looked around to see who had even spoken to her. She was so lost in her own thoughts of the human that she hadn't heard a thing.

"I said, did you hear that there was a human in the forest today?" Misty asked, wide-eyed as she took a huge bite of her corn kernel.

"What?" Raine asked, alarmed. "Who told you that?"

"Why, Bunny told me, of course," she replied.

Raine laughed. "Bunny is liable to tell you anything."

Bunny was Misty's best friend. Together, they got into lots of mischief. Raine sighed, wondering why she felt compelled to protect the strange human.

"So, you don't think that it is true?" Misty asked. "Did you see him?"

"Misty, I think you had better eat and leave the stories of humans to the picture books." Adair dipped his fingers in a fingerbowl filled with water sitting on the table beside him. "Besides, if humans knew of our existence, we would all be in danger." Then, he raised an eyebrow at Raine. "Is that not right, my dear?"

Raine nodded, remembering well the tales of treachery that humans had imposed upon her people over the years. "Father, what if they are not as bad as we think? What if they truly are kind creatures at heart?"

Adair's fist slammed down hard onto the ornately carved table. "Kind?" His voice bellowed throughout the room, causing everyone to take pause. "Were they kind when they destroyed the forest to make their homes? Were they kind when they carelessly left their campfires unattended and burned the forest down to the ground? It took years for that part of the forest to grow back!" Noticing that all eyes were on him, he took a deep breath to calm himself. "Nay. The beasts are not kind. In fact, I doubt if there is a good human in the lot of them."

"Father, do not say that ..."

"Raine?" her father asked as his eyebrows pulled together in concern. "You did not actually see one in the forest today, did you? If you did, then you must tell me straight away. It is your duty as princess and as the future queen to protect your subjects, the fairies of the Magical Forest."

Raine's heart sank. She couldn't lie to her father, but then again, she couldn't tell her father the truth, either. Raine wondered why she felt the need to protect the human at all. After all, she had only seen him just this once, had she not? "Nay, Father," Raine said, rising from the table. "I did not see a human. May I be excused now?"

Adair scrutinized his daughter, as if searching for an answer. But, finding none, replied, "Yes, Daughter." As Raine passed his high-backed chair, he caught her hand, forcing her to look into his eyes. "If you had seen a human today, you would tell me, would you not?"

Raine forced a smile, donning her best poker face as she pushed a lump from her throat. "Of course, Father."

He searched her eyes then smiled, satisfied. "Very well, then."

When he released her hand, Raine batted her wings and flew up to her bedroom as quickly as she could. Why had she just lied to her father to protect a human that she had just met?

No sooner had she entered her room, she heard a knock on her bedroom door. Raine took a breath, not in the mood for idle chit chat. She looked into the mirror, wiped her eyes, and then opened the door. Earthen was standing on the other side.