"The Magician" by Renee Reizman

She looked at him playing with the rings on his fingers, her curiosity rising and soon she just had to ask, “Are you a magician?”

He gave a sharp, cold glance to her. “I have no time to bother with little girls.”

She persisted, determined to get an answer, “Please sir, answer me. Are you a magician?”

He faltered a moment, realizing that scaring the girl would not help at all. With a rough voice he answered, “You’ve heard too many fairy tales.”

She stood up from the stool she was sitting on, hands now on her hips. “That’s not very kindly sir. I asked you a question, and I would like an answer. Don’t give me nonsense, I’m not your average little girl.”

Tearing his gaze away from the girl, he sipped the drink he had bought earlier. “All children are the same. Don’t be a nuisance. Magic is merely a lie. Next you’ll be talking of Prince Charming.”

Her eyes lit up, filled with awe. “But there are princess, with gallant white horses. They save princesses and bring them to their huge castles; they soon live happily ever after!”

He paused again, taking in what he just heard. Again he said in a sharp tone, “You’ve heard too many fairy tales.”

She shook her head, because of his lack of belief in something as silly as a fairy tale angered her. “You’re just a child too.”

Swiftly he turned, looking her straight in the eyes, still failing to strike fear into her. “I was never a child.”

Taking a step forward, she glared at him with as much intensity as she could manage. “You still haven’t grown up.”

He stood up suddenly, finishing his drink. “Don’t be annoying. If you’re ‘prince’ comes then maybe you can be believed”

She stopped, her eyes loosing their sparkle. With a small voice, seemly of defeat, she answered, “He will come one day, just you wait.”

He grew tired of what he thought of as rubbish. Soon walked out the exit of the drafty tavern, but before he was completely gone, the man said in his cold voice, “You’ve heard too many fairy tales.”

She watched him go, and saw another man take his place. He too fiddled with the rings on his fingers. The twinkle came back into her eye as she asked, “Are you a magician?”