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Part 2: Valentine's Dance
14th day of Awakening, Year 1
It was the morning of Valentine's Day, a day which the
faeries considered the most important, besides the New Year. It was Taelia's
least favorite day. She had never gotten a Valentine and she wasn't expecting
one anytime soon from the way the faeries were acting. She tried to go about
her business outside but she couldn't stop looking at all the happy faeries
comparing their Valentine's Day gifts. As she walked out of Faerie Foods, Tilaena
stopped her.
"Why the long face Taelia?" she said meanly.
"Everyone else is happy today… don't you have a Valentine? Oh wait, I forgot.
Taelia has never had a date before… why would she have a Valentine?"
Everybody who heard burst into laughter. Since
Tilaena had said that comment so loud, everybody heard.
"Why, I bet you couldn't get a date to the Valentine's
Day dance even if I wasn't there!"
More laughter followed this comment and Taelia
ran home, beet red.
***
"I don't know what to do Alyce," Taelia said dejectedly after she recited
the story to her. "It looks like Tilaena's goal in life is to make me feel horrible."
"The situation sounds hopeless I know but I
think I have an idea. You should go to the Valentine's Day dance," Alyce said.
"What?? But I don't have a date!" Taelia said.
"So what? After I tell you what to wear, all
the guys will wish you were their dates," Alyce said, giggling a little.
"Okay, okay, I'll go. Now, tell me was to wear!"
Taelia said, finally happy.
Alyce and Taelia had had risky contact ever since
their brief meeting in which Alyce gave the warning. They had grown very close.
These included brief notes to each other, short phone calls and a visit once
in awhile. No one had guessed they were friends.
Taelia started to get ready. She took off her
signature heavy coat and slipped on a slinky back dress. It was down to her
ankles and had spaghetti straps. Her wings were decorated with black feathers
and they made a sharp contrast to her natural ice blue ones. Black bracelets
on her arms completed the outfit, and she was finished just in time. It was
7:50 NST and the dance started at 8:00.
***
Taelia walked into the dance hall and a hush fell over the crowd. It was immediately
followed by soft whispers from faeries and their dates. All of the male faeries
were looking her over as all of the female ones were trying to look away. Alyce
gave Taelia the barest hint of a smile and a wink. Taelia started to dance and
the hall went back to normal… all except for one couple.
Tilaena tried to bring her date's focus back
to her but it was like he was hypnotized. He brought Tilaena to the Punch Table
and said he was going to the bathroom. Tilaena scowled and waited. And waited.
And waited some more. Just as she was wondering where her date had gone, a loud
"woot!" came form the crowd. There, in the center of a cluster of dancers was
Taelia and Tilaena's date, dancing together like there was no tomorrow.
This was the last straw for Tilaena. She realized
it was finally time to put her plan into action. She stalked out of the dance
hall and through the quiet streets and up to Taelia's house. There was no one
around, because everyone was at the dance. Tilaena kicked down the door and
looked around. Poof, the cirrus turned into a thundercloud and sprouted lightning
when he saw Tilaena in the house. She ignored him and went straight into Taelia's
spell room.
Tilaena flicked on the light a gasped in horror
all the while looking around frantically. The worst types of things met her
eyes. Pickled eyeballs. Sun-dried Techo claws. Aisha ears. Brain cheese. Wing
of Korbat. Horrified, she rushed out of the house and collapsed to her knees,
trying to calm down her heart and take deep breaths. But suddenly, a thought
came to her. This would go perfectly with her plan, she realized. Suddenly a
lot happier, she sauntered up to the Hidden Tower to visit the Faerie Queen.
***
Taelia was having the time of her life at the dance. It seemed like finally
the other faeries were starting to accept her. She laughed and danced, whirling
around joyously and occasionally stopping for refreshments with a smile on her
face. But suddenly the music stopped and the room darkened. There Faerie queen
marched in, with Tilaena at her heels. The crowed parted, and Taelia started
to go with them but the Faerie Queen beckoned her with a stern face. Taelia
heart started to beat faster. She wondered what she had done wrong.
"I have come here to verify something I have
recently learned," she told the crowd. "Taelia, is it true you have been using
Neopet parts in the creations of your spells?"
How did she know? Taelia thought frantically.
She had made sure her recipes were secret and no one but her had been allowed
in the spell room. Then she glanced over to Tilaena, who was smirking. Taelia
scowled.
"Yes," she answered, determined not to lie.
There was a collective gasp from the crowd,
who backed away even more. Taelia was crushed to see horror on Alyce's face
and the rest of the room. She looked at the floor.
"As you well know, this act is illegal in Faerieland,"
The Faerie Queen stated. "And as you also well know, the penalty is exile."
To be continued...
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