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Chapter 27

Flammula- the Fire Fairy

Without you I am just half.

Since there was only one thunder clap and no lightening followed, the mother of the prince regained her composure. But another eerie feeling beset her. Somehow she sensed the presence of a being and she pointed to the tree where Aron's ballerina was resting. Meanwhile dusk was setting in.

"There is something," said the queen. A rustling sound was heard. Aron went immediately over to the tree to fetch his ballerina, but she wasn't there. It was as if the ground had swallowed her. A distinct flowery scent wafted about his nose. He stood still as if he was numbed. The king, the queen, and Miss Monti stood rooted to the ground and looked at the tree. Not far off from him appeared a silvery flicker. A silver mist, which spread out more and more, took away their breath. Prince Aron peered, as if mesmerized by a magic spell, into the fog.

"Flammula?" he asked. A sudden flash of lightening quivered through nature. In the blinding beam Aron actually perceived the fire (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) fairy. She looked like a blazing flame displaying constantly changing colors. The flame flickered yellow, then orange or red along her body. Then the fire fairy vanished quickly from his stunned gaze. Fire spirits are beautiful like unicorns and shy; they like to remain invisible. Guided by the necessary respect, the prince stepped closer. He knew that one should never approach the fire spirits heedlessly for they were unpredictable and could become wild. So Prince Aron moved carefully a step closer toward the apparition. A shudder ran down his spine as if he wanted to play with the fire. The lightening flash had meanwhile divided the silvery mist and out of the flames, led by the fire fairy's hand, a creature of ravishing grace and charm came into view. With timid steps, Aron approached the figure. But the prince couldn't believe his eyes: a red bodice with a gleaming silver heart that reached to the waist, a tulle frill on the arm, and a crown formed by the rays of the evening sun. It was all so familiar and yet so strange.

"My ballerina ," (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) whispered the prince. His heart raced. How often had he wished that she would come to life. Now she was of flesh and blood and filled with ardor for him. Flammula placed a full-length, gossamer cape on her shoulders and, with her fiery tongue, changed her ballet shoes into knee-high, glittering silver boots. The dancer was now ready for the long journey back to the sunland. The fire fairy with the burning body vanished. In turn, the prince had caught fire. He took his beauty by the hand and immersed his gaze in her eyes as in a fathomless ocean. Having forgotten the world around them for a while, the prince felt his body getting very hot. Impulsively he felt for his chest. When he pulled back his hand, the flame of his heart blazed in his hand.

"I believe I'm dreaming." He extended both hands toward the dancer with the embers of his love. She put it down in the place where the black gate was. "As a souvenir," said the ballerina with sparkling eyes and a radiant smile.

"You were my favorite toy, my beautiful fairy. But you were always surrounded by a secret, a riddle, I couldn't solve. And somehow I couldn't rid myself of the feeling that I knew you. What happened that you have come to life?"

Without waiting for the answer, Prince Aron ran, with the dancer at his hand, straight to his parents and Miss Monti. The ballerina lowered her head before the king and queen and extended her hand toward them with deep curtsy. Filled with joy over their son's unexpected happiness, the ruling pair embraced the dancer. Then the prince took the gracious Miss Monti, who betrayed a soupçon of jealousy, in one arm and his ballerina in the other.

"I'm glad to be in the company of such a noble cat. One could think that one is faced with a fire cat," the dancer offered up an honestly meant compliment. When she realized the cat's surprised mien, she added: "Fire cats are born in flames and can read fire sign, the messages of the fire spirits."

Monti was flattered and felt placed on a pedestal even though she had never heard of such signs. The cat sat erect in the prince's arm, stiff as a poker. "Monti, Miss Monti, fire cat," she bowed her head graciously in all directions as if she had just been awarded a title. She liked this so much that she rehearsed this ceremonial immediately over and over again so she could introduce herself correctly the next time.

The prince gave his dancer an admiring look. He knew Miss Monti couldn't read fire signs, but it was an unusual idea on the part of the ballerina to make friends with Monti.

"I must admit that I had seen in Your Grace never more than a toy. My master's secret love for you eluded me completely. Please forgive me." The dancer smile and tendered her hand at Miss Monti.

"Never again a home without parents," beamed the prince. Then they embarked together on the road to the sun palace. The unicorn was awaiting the ruling family. It stretched out its back so that all five could be comfortably accommodated. There was only one question that moved their spirits and which the dancer evaded mysteriously. "How can a toy turn into a real girl?" All the ballerina said was: "It's an odd story. But there's no time for it now."

"Then tell us at least your name," begged the prince.

"Call me Papillon. Do you see the sign of the butterfly on my forehead?" The dancer only increased the prince's curiosity.

"It looks like a fire sign," Aron said startled by the discovery. But Papillon only laughed. next

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