A Cambria Fairy Tale

Chapter 8

As quickly as her iridescent wings could carry her, she flew toward the Dark Forest. Virtra, the Dragon Queen, was her only hope. She didn't know what the Dark Witch would want from her, but Raine knew that she would pay any price to be with Bryce forever.

She flew as quickly as she could, never stopping to rest, until the moon was full and directly overhead in the sky. In the dark forest, owls hooted and rodents scurried under the leaves, sensing her approach, even though she was only as big as a butterfly. Soon, she heard the rushing water of the Great Waterfall, and she knew that she was near the dragon shifters' camp. Misty had told her that Virtra lived there. Sudden fear rose within her, but she refused to give in to it. After all, she was a princess, was she not? And one day, she would be queen. Fear was not an option.

She was weary and almost ready to stop to rest for the night when she spotted a giant bonfire. Dragon shifters and men were congregated around the fire, talking nonsense. Then, Raine remembered the stories that she had heard of dragon shifters. They were nocturnal creatures that hunted by night and slept late in the day. Again, fear threatened to rise up within her, but she quickly pushed it down, thinking of Bryce. For a fleeting moment, she wondered if Bryce felt the same way about her, or if she had just conjured everything up within her own mind. But she pushed the thought quickly aside.

That part of the forest was entirely different than any forest she had encountered before. The creatures were huge, and the forest was dark and foreboding, with large strands of ancient moss that hung from the trees high up within the canopy and stretched to the forest floor. The dragons looked menacing. She had to be careful, knowing that if she approached the wrong one, he or she might squish her underfoot like a bug just for sport. Raine was beginning to have doubts about her quest, when a small voice beside her nearly caused her to fall out of her hiding place within a strand of ancient moss.

"Hi, there," a voice said behind her. "And who are you?"

Raine looked up to see a girl, who appeared to be a few years younger than herself. "Oh! You scared me," Raine said, then quickly added, "Shush! Please tell no one that I am here."

The girl shrugged. "Then, why are you here?"

Raine took a deep breath and looked around. No one had noticed them talking. "What is your name?"

"Lynessa," she replied as her wavy, light brown hair fell across her face, the reddish highlights illuminated by the glow of the fire. "What is your name?"

"Raine," she said with a sigh, knowing that she couldn't reveal her title to the young girl. "Raine of the Magical Forest."

"Zounds!" Lynessa said, her eyes wide.

"Will you help me, Lynessa?"

"If I can," she replied as concern colored her eyes. "I am supposed to be in my tent now, asleep. If my mother finds out..."

"Then, your mother shall not find out. Your secret is safe with me," Raine said, looking around. "I'll tell you what. Tell me where I can find Virtra and then scurry off to bed before anyone is the wiser."

Lynessa's eyes flew open wide. "Virtra is an evil witch..."

"Where can I find her?"

"I'm warning you to stay far away from her. I do not go near her if I can help it at all."

"If you know where to find her, please tell me." Raine knew that she didn't have much time. She was growing weary, and soon, the sunrise would signal the dawn of a new day. It took her most of the evening to journey so far. "Please, Lynessa. She is my only hope."

Lynessa's eyebrows pulled together, forming a crease between her eyes. "All right, but there are other witches and sorcerers who could..."

"Please," Raine begged.

Lynessa sighed as she pointed toward a tent sitting a safe distance away. "There. That is Virtra's tent."

"Now, go off to bed before someone finds you." Raine liked the girl, and did not want her to get into trouble over her ... or worse.

"Will I see you again?" Lynessa asked, hopeful.

Raine smiled. "I sincerely hope so." When Lynessa turned away, Raine added, "And Lynessa? Thank you for your help."

A broad smile spread across Lynessa's face as a twinkle flickered within her eye, reflecting the firelight. "Just come back to visit soon. This is the first time that I have ever met a fairy."

Raine laughed; the sound of wind chimes. "I will try."

With that, Lynessa turned and walked away and then disappeared into another tent about twenty paces in the opposite direction, with no one the wiser.

Raine took a deep breath and screwed up her courage. It was now or never. She almost turned away, but then visions of Bryce played within her mind and she found herself flying toward Virtra's tent. As she drew near, a faint glow shone from beneath. The tent was the oddest that Raine had ever seen. A heavy, wooden door hung where there should have been canvas flaps, and she wondered for a moment what could have been holding it up. Then, Raine remembered that this was the tent of a very powerful witch. Hard telling what other strange things she might encounter.

Raine took a deep breath as she knocked on the door, and a moment later, it opened on its own accord. No one was on the other side.