A Cambria Fairy Tale

Chapter 9

Raine peered inside. Stone walls stretched up to high ceilings, along with wall sconces that burned brightly with orange, yellow, and red flames. Confused, Raine flew backward for a moment, taking in the tent from the outside, and then looked inside again. On the outside, it appeared to be a modest tent-except for the door-but on the inside, it appeared to be a lavishly decorated castle with sparkling stone walls, the same caliber as her father's castle in the Magical Forest.

"Well, are you going to hover all day, or are you going to enter?" Despite the harshness of the demand, the voice sounded like silk. Almost a purr. Raine knew that it had to belong to Virtra.

"I ... well ... I ... uh ..." Raine stammered.

"Out with it, girl!" the voice said.

Down the hallway stood a beautiful woman with long, black hair that stretched down to her waist, bright red lips, and dark eye makeup. She wore a long black dress under a high-necked, bright red cloak. She pushed the cloak aside. The woman's fingernails were painted a bright red that matched her lips.

Raine cleared her throat and held her head high, summoning her courage. "I came from the Magical Forest to see Virtra. Are you she?"

The woman walked slowly down the hallway so gracefully that she almost floated, as she scrutinized Raine. "The Magical Forest you say? What business have you here?"

"Are you she? Virtra? The one they call the Dragon Queen?" Raine asked, refusing to be intimidated by the woman. She was a princess herself, after all. "My business is with her only."

The woman laughed, clearly intrigued. "Feisty, are you not?" When Raine continued to stand her ground, the woman continued, "Why do you not fear me? I could easily squash you under foot."

"I am not afraid of the likes of you, and I do not intimidate easily," Raine replied, standing her ground. "Now, are you Virtra?"

The woman took a deep breath, as she looked Raine up and down. "Yes, yes. I am the 'Dragon Queen', Virtra. Now, what business have you here?" Virtra took a step closer. "But take care, little fairy, that I do not tire of you too quickly."

"Are we alone?" Raine asked, hovering just outside the door.

"Yes, yes," Virtra said, exasperated as she took a step back. "Come in and state your business."

Raine took a deep breath, summoning all of her courage, and flew just inside the door.

Virtra looked both ways outside the door to ensure that they hadn't been seen, and then closed it tightly, causing the stone walls to vibrate. Virtra walked quickly past her, almost knocking Raine over in her wake.

Raine followed her down the hallway and into a parlor. Virtra sat on a high-backed red and black chair, resembling a throne, and reached for a long-stemmed glass of wine setting on an ornately carved wooden table setting beside her, and gestured to a nearby chair for Raine to sit. But she just hovered, although her wings were starting to tire.

Virtra took a sip of the wine. "State your business, fairy. What brings you to my door?"

"I have a favor to ask..."

Virtra laughed. "A favor?" She laughed so hard that she dabbed at her eyes. "You expect a favor from me?" She leaned forward as her eyes gleamed in the firelight. "And what have you to offer me in return?"

Raine took a deep breath. "What do you want?"

A smile spread across Virtra's face, enjoying the exchange as she set her wine glass on the table. She thought for a moment, and then asked, "First, what is it that you want from me?"

Raine squared her shoulders. "I want to be human."

Virtra laughed hysterically. "And deny your nature? Deny who you are?" Virtra folded her hands in her lap. "My dear, you cannot fully change your nature ... who you are."

Raine's heart sank at her words, and she was about to leave when Virtra stopped her.

"But I can make you human for five days. No more," Virtra said, rising from her chair to stand before her.

Raine nodded. Five days wouldn't be long. But then she thought of Bryce, and knew that any length of time that she could spend with him would be worth any price that she had to pay. "What is it that you want in return?"

Virtra circled around her, looking her up and down as she hovered. "Now that is the question, is it not?"

"Well, then, if you won't tell me, I will be on my way," Raine said. "You probably would not be able to make me human, anyway."

"Halt!" Virtra said, raising her arms. "You insolent little wench! How dare you speak to me in that way?"

"Then, tell me what it is that you want in return and stop playing games." Raine wasn't about to back down, now that she was so close to getting what she wanted, so close to being with Bryce ... no matter how long the time would be.

A slow smile spread across Virtra's lips. "You are a brave one." She thought for a moment as she walked across the room, and then turned to face Raine. "Samson's Locks. I want the locks of Samson's hair."

Raine laughed. "You are crazy! Samson from the Bible? His locks of hair are probably long gone by now."

"O n the contrary," Virtra said as a smile lit her lips. "As you recall, Samson was one of the strongest men who ever lived. He possessed super-human strength, granted to him by God himself. In exchange, Samson was not allowed to cut his hair. But Delilah cut his hair, robbing him of his strength, until his death, when he was granted his strength once more to crush his enemies."

"Yes. I know the story well," Raine replied, clearly intrigued.

"Well, according to legend, Delilah felt so bad about having betrayed Samson that she took the locks of his hair and placed them in an urn." Virtra took another sip of her wine, waiting, as if that was explanation enough.

"And where is this urn?" Raine asked, intrigued. That was the first that she had ever heard the legend. "I cannot journey to Jerusalem..."

"The urn is here in Cambria. It was brought here by Tristan, one of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table. He was the one who founded Cambria." Virtra took another sip of her wine, awaiting Raine's reaction.