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As soon as we stepped outside, the tower vanished again.
"You sure made a mess in there," I told Grim, who was sniffling loudly.
I spotted the dark cloud where Jhudora was waiting
to claim her payment, which I was leading right to her. Stopping, I looked at
Grimlaerian and let go of his hand. I could change this. I had a choice, I didn’t
have to do whatever Jhudora ordered. He began chasing a harassed Meekins, which
I thought looked a lot like Annalisaca’s.
I sighed. "Come on," I muttered, giving him
a gentle shove towards Jhudora’s cloud. I had made up my mind.
It looked so familiar. As soon as we stepped
on it, my Grundo brother started shivering. Feeling cold myself, I searched
for the dark Faerie. She wasn’t there, and an enormous weight lifted from inside
of me.
But suddenly she appeared in her throne, as
she always did.
"So, this is your payment?" she sniffed, looking
Grim up and down. I realized I was still squeezing his hand tightly and let
him go.
"Yes ..." I said, a tremble in my voice.
"Bring him to me," she ordered. She examined
her long green clawlike nails, portraying the image of boredom. I didn’t move,
I just stared at my petpet that was curled so cozily around her neck. "Bring
him over here," Jhudora said again, a more steely tone to her voice.
"Remind me again of what I’m getting in return?"
I said, approaching her with Grimlaerian. I knew I was buying time and I didn’t
know why. Next to me, Grim was whimpering loudly.
Jhudora rolled her eyes and flicked her hand
again, like she had before. On the cloud nearby, the Neohome that I had seen
before appeared. It was as perfect as I remembered it, even more so. It’s walls
were of silver cloud, with turrets reaching far into the sky. Beautiful rowzez
plants wound their way around the tallest tower, which I knew would be my room.
Out the front of the house was a garden, white and yellow daffodils lined the
pathway. I could see Heidi and myself, tossing Neopoints into the sky and hugging
each other as they rained down. I smiled to myself.
"Go to her, Cettica," the Faerie whispered into
my ear. I tried to remember if I had told her my name but it didn’t seem too
important. Hesitating for only a second, I gently pushed the brown Grundo beside
me into the arms of Jhudora.
This is how it has to be, I told myself,
don’t think about it, just let her take him. This is what has to happen for
you to have security, and Heidi back to yourself.
Jhudora removed Jewel from her neck and handed
her to me. The black Wadjet blinked for a second, then the blackness seeped
from her scales. Within seconds she was her original green color, but my wings
were stained black.
"Go," she repeated, "see what the future holds
for you." I turned away from Grim who was being uncharacteristically quiet,
and flew to the cloud with my home on it. My wings were beating as quickly as
my heart was pounding.
All thoughts of my sold-sibling were out of
my head. Instead, a smile was brought to my beak as the song flowers and bluebells
in the garden made music in the breeze. I ran over to where the almost real
Cettica and Heidi sat, basking in our own riches. I could almost smell the pancakes
we would make together, wafting through the open windows of the house.
This is worth it, I told myself again.
Just so we could be a happy family ... I would do anything.
I looked at my smiling owner, something stopped
me right then. She wasn’t happy. Sure, she was smiling and laughing, and hugging
the dream-me, but she had this troubled look in her eyes. A look as if something
was missing.
With a shock, I realized the green Lenny hugging
her had the same look. At that moment I realized, Grim was family. We couldn’t
truly be a happy family without him, even Jhudora couldn’t hide that fact from
me. Something would always be missing.
"I changed my mind," I said firmly, alighting
on the cloud in front of her. I looked around for Grim but he wasn’t there.
Jhudora leant forward in her throne, looking
amused. "What makes you think you can do that?"
"I never promised you my brother."
"You gave me your word, and that’s almost the
same thing," she said.
"No, it’s -- he ..." I faltered, losing my confidence.
I had to get my brother back, but I couldn’t see how. A tear trickled down my
beak. "Please, what will my owner say?"
"She’s already forgotten she ever knew him,"
she spoke with a smirk. I knew that wasn’t true ... Heidi would never truly
forget part of her family. Neither would I.
"Now, if you don’t mind, I need some quests
done so please leave," she said. "Next!"
A blue Gelert in the company of a Sludgy approached
the dark Faerie. "I would like a quest please," she said, almost in a whisper.
"Fetch me an Usuki poetry set," she demanded.
The Gelert nodded once then raced off. Noticing I hadn’t left, Jhudora turned
back to me. "What is it? Would you like a quest?" she asked with a hint
of sarcasm in her voice.
"Y-yes," I decided. She opened her mouth to
give me one but I cut her off. "Only, only if you give me Grim back once I complete
it."
She looked amused. "And here you go again, thinking
you can bargain with the most powerful Faerie in Faerieland."
"No, I don’t plan to make any deals with Fyora
today," I said, narrowing my eyes. She couldn’t do this. She thought she was
all that and a packet of Krawk brand crisps.
Jhudora sat back in her throne, half shrouded
in the darkness that was her heart. She pursed her green lips, letting me know
that I had touched a nerve.
"Or maybe I could just go and tell the Faerie
queen about our little deal, and see what she has to say about that," I said
casually, hugging my Wadjet as I made to leave.
"Wait," she called after me, her voice dripping
with fake pleasantries. "How about this. I give you a quest, and if you complete
it in time, you get your Grundo back. However, should you fail to bring me what
I need, he stays with me forever as my minion and slave. And you do not bother
Fyora with anything to do with me."
"Deal," I said, before I had thought it over.
An evil smile played upon her lips, and it was gone as soon as it had appeared.
What have I agreed to?
"Fetch me a Wadjet. You have 5 seconds to complete
this quest," she said, in that same sickeningly sweet voice.
"What? No, that’s not fair!" I protested angrily.
"Four seconds," she said, her eyes on Jewel
who was clutched in my wings. She tapped her fingers on the side of her dragon
footed throne.
"Three," she continued, her purple hand outstretched
for my petpet. I couldn’t do it ... I couldn’t give Jewel away. She was my only
friend now.
"Two ..." she said, unable to keep the pure
evil joy from her voice.
"No!" I screamed, hugging my Wadjet tightly.
She didn’t care about having Grimlaerian, she only wanted to see me in pain.
"I’m sorry Jewel," I whispered.
"One."
Jewel was already in her palm. She stroked her
with a long nail. I felt the hot tears streak down my face before I knew I was
crying.
I turned to leave and standing in front of me
was my brother. "GRIM!!!" I shrieked, hugging him. The blue Gelert that had
accepted the quest earlier had returned and was watching us with a strange expression.
"I have your Usuki poetry set," she said, still
in that soft voice she had used before. "That’s a pretty necklace Jhudora, is
that a Wadjet?"
"Yes. You have completed the quest to my standard.
Take this mushroom. And Flueriel, take this collar to that green Lenny for completing
a quest also."
I was hugging Grim still and hadn’t heard their
conversation. The Gelert was tapping my shoulder.
"Umm ... I have this reward for you. From Jhudora,"
she said. I had to strain to hear her words.
"I don’t want anything from her," I said angrily.
"You can keep it."
She left with her Sludgy and I was alone with
Grim and Jhudora. I turned to leave. The fantasy house that would always be
in my dreams was gone from the nearby cloud. I couldn’t have bared living so
close to her anyway.
"Cettica," Jhudora said to me, her eyes glittering.
"Do come back for another quest tomorrow."
To be continued...
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