“Hello?” said Maria over the phone.

   “Hi, Maria!” greeted Jonathan.

   “How are you and your family?” asked Maria.

   “We’re fine,” said Jonathan. “And how are you?”

   “I’m fine,” said Maria.

   “What are you up to?” asked Jonathan.

   “I’m trying out some of the spells on the scroll,” said Maria. “It hadn’t been easy practicing in the dark, but I believe I’m making some progress.”

   “So, what did you manage to try?” asked Jonathan.

   “Target practice,” said Maria. “My uncle may be out there and, if he is as menacing as people said he was, I need to be prepared.”

   “Sounds good,” said Jonathan. “I hope you get good  at it.”

   “I hope so too,” said Maria. “But, never mind about me. What about you? What are you and your parents doing tonight?”

   “We’re fixing dinner,” said Jonathan. “I just finished setting the table. Just wish I could get you something to eat for the night.”

   “That’s alright,” said Maria. “You’ve done enough for me. I’d already just finished eating the food your mother got me. Please, thank her on my behalf.”

   “I will,” promised Jonathan.

   “Jonathan!” bellowed his mother downstairs. “I need your help for one minute!”

   “Coming, mom!” bellowed Jonathan.

   ”I have to go”, Jonathan told Maria over the phone. “I’m helping mom with house chores.”

   “I understand,” said Maria. “Goodnight, my sweet.”

   “Goodnight, ... babe,” said Jonathan, before ending the call.

   As any other night, the Fiers had their dinner, relaxed... probably watching the television, and hit the hay. But, no one in the village could anticipate what was going to happen by dawn.

   Being summer time, the early risers, including Nicolae, would usually wake up between four and six o’ clock in the morning. They were thrown off by the sighting of a bright pink light, apparently at the same location as the castle’s bridge, beaming up to the sky. Those who believed in the prophecy of the sleeping heir took it upon themselves to investigate. Including the Fiers, everyone who saw the light got family members, friends, and even fellow neighbors to follow them to the light.

   By the time the sun rose fully, the crowd found themselves over the broken bridge, and at the other side was Mariam wearing her old yellow robe, hooded. People, mumbling among themselves, couldn’t make out what they were seeing.

   “Who is that?” wondered some.

   “Is that the stranger who was scaring people at the castle?” wondered others.

   Without saying a word, Maria took off her robe, revealing her yellow t-shirt and white trousers. But, people were thrown off by what else was on her.

   “The crown of the fallen princess!” bellowed a person in the crowd.

   Maria then grabbed the Vampiress’ Staff, which had been levitating from the start, and, with her eyes shut, casted a spell that transformed her informal clothing into a Victorian-era dress. She opened her eyes, and stared at the crowd before her.

   “Ladies, and gentlemen,” she said, “I am Princess Maria, daughter of the late King Victor, and the late Queen Gabriela.”

   People couldn’t believe what they saw, or even heard, but, instantly, everyone realized that, not only was the myth true, their long lost princess was back.

   Others, however, objected.

   “She’s a vampire!” shouted an individual. “It was vampires who slew the monarchs! Maybe she’s an imposter!”

   “She can’t be a vampire,” said another individual. “Vampires can’t withstand the sun.”

   “Maybe they did something to her,” said another. “She was asleep for centuries, and maybe that’s why.”

   “Everyone, please let me explain,” pleaded Maria. “Yes, I may look like a vampire, but it was because of a medicine I took for my ailment. My uncle, Marcu, applied his vampire blood to boost its effectiveness, otherwise I wouldn’t be here today.”

   Her statement got everyone mumbling among themselves, with many expressing their shock over Maria’s medication.

   “Your Highness,” asked a woman in the crowd, “is it true that you were the one scaring people away from the castle, and why did you do it?”

   The woman turned out to be the mother of Alfred and Ion, the boys whom Maria frightened earlier.

   “It’s true I scared people away, but I meant no harm,” assured Maria. “When I woke up in the ‘Hall of the Kings,’ the family tomb, the castle was empty. There was no one around. My parents, the servants, the maids, the knights, they were all gone. I had been wandering the lands, seeking help from passers-by, but I was viciously attacked for looking like a vampire. I was stoned, chased away, even physically beaten.”

   Maria paused. Unable to control her emotions, she began to grieve, with tears dripping down her face.

   “It got so bad, I turned into a monster,” she cried. “I had been purposely chasing people off as various creatures, in case they ever hurt me again.”

   Maria crying prompted Jonathan to leave the crowd and run towards her.

   “Maria,” he said, trying to comfort her, “I’m really sorry. Please, don’t cry.”

   “I’m fine,” said Maria, wiping away her tears. “It had already happened, so don’t worry.”

   Many in the crowd expressed sympathy, including Alfred, Ion, and their mother. Alfred even approached Maria to comfort her, who, in return, gave the young boy a hug. Others though were still skeptical over the idea of being ruled by a vampire-like person.

   “We are still not comfortable being ruled by a vampire, or anyone associated with the vampire lord,” lamented an individual. “Vampires have always been enemies to the living for centuries. We’re leaving the village, and never coming back.”

   Maria and Jonathan saw a handful of people, probably members of the nomadic community, following the individual back to the village, but, to their surprise, the majority of the crowd stayed.

   “Regardless of what happened in the past, your Highness,” said an individual, “we had not waited for your return in vain. We shall be of a service to you, Your Highness.”

   And with that, the individual, followed by the rest of the crowd, bowed before their princess. Maria placed her hand on her mouth, stunned by what she was seeing. Now, filled with confidence, she raised her head up, and declared, “I may no longer be in my original time, and I might be old-fashioned to this generation, but I promise to put everyone’s best interest at the highest priority.”

   Maria’s words were greeted with an overwhelming applause from the crowd, and Jonathan’s putting a wider smile on her face.

   “But, Your Majesty,” said an individual in the crowd, “part of your return includes the complete restoration of your castle. Do you need to do something in order for it to begin, or do we ourselves need to help with the efforts?”

   “There‘s no need for anyone to help with restorations,” said Maria, preparing to use the Vampiress’ Staff. “Now, observe.”

   She began to levitate with the staff until she was nearly at the same level as the castle’s  master bedroom. Using the staff, and an ancient chant, a large globe of light emitted from the gem, and consumed the entire castle, and the bridge.

   In just a short moment, the blinding light was gone, but it left behind a castle and a bridge looking completely brand new. No signs of past warfare or erosions were left on the structures, bringing the crowd at awe, jubilating over Her Majesty’s triumphant return.