She was born on a warm, summer day. The palace lawns were green, the sky was blue, and the sheets of the palace stained with the efforts. The wailing child was wrapped and taken from the exhausted room, the still-breathing mothers arms aching, sobs nestling into the quiet wallpaper like bears to their hibrenating caves.
The sun shone brightly, and the little Duchess wailed untill fed. Her mother did not hear these cries- And shortly after the childs presence had left, would not hear anything more.

---

She was raised a diligent child. Each upbringing well mentioned and refined - Each quiet act of learned grace pulled from the mouth of every smart to-do guide for child rearing possible.
Unfortunately, as these cases often go, it did little good; Although raised diligently and in the most fashionable, sensible ideas, the child was rambunctious, impudent, and shrill. That small adult within her frame was wrecked into childhood- Her skirts and chemises torn, her hoop skirts mantled by rough games of hide-and-go seek. Her caretakers were exhausted, mentally and physically by the tempest!
Until, like every due fairytale, a godmother floated into the midsts.
Her name was Emergine. And she was tall, robust, healthy figure with the face like that of a craggy cliff. Eyes like a hawk, she never let the poor girl from her sight- But for one day on her twelfth birthday..

There is one known magical wood in Neopia, haunted by evil things. This is the only one, simply because the others have not yet been documented. The woods bordering this pristine castle, known as the Middlewoods of the Kingdom of Wellacre, however, happened to be a part of them.
And at eight years into her life, the small girl, Fiona Varington Worth, ran into them, head on.

Now, Wellacre Middlewoods is the sort of place spun just for storytelling. Witches and Goblins, Trolls, Ghostly Knights, Faeries and all manner of beast and mythos are said to roam from undergrowth to canopy. The most prominant myth was that of a group of Wilderes - A race of pets who had vanished into the forests, Gypsies and Magicmen, Players and Thieves, during the great land wars over the kingdom. It was said none of them returned, and grew into the forest, one by one.
As little Fiona wandered, a flute called to her ears. She was hardly frightened of the bright, sunny and spring-ish pathway, and turned to the source with a smile. There, bent and gnarled like an ancient root tree, was a brown Ixi, playing a flute as lonely as she had ever heard before.
She stuck up her chin, and asked,
What are you doing in my fathers forest, creature? I know you not from my realm! Why are you here? Who gave you permission?
He looked up, and cackled, a big gap-toothed, pointed smile. His hoofs edged near her and he leaned over, stinking like moss and rotted flowers,
The forest brings me here to get you, little duchess! We are to have you!
He swept her up, before she was able to shreik.

---

Creatures of Middlewoods!
The voice resonated through the air, and the Ixi gestured with a flourish to the shadowy inhabitants, lurking in the trees. Some residents sat about his heightened pavilion of fallen trees, faces dim in the light of the Ixi's torch. Little Fiona sat, bound with vines to a tall tree stump, watching wide-eyed.
I have bought her to us, and the injustices done to us by the wretched Duke will soon be undone! They will listen to her, this little girl, and she will bring us back the peace and goodness we had come to know, before the fear of Hunters and Woodsmen sent us scurrying to the bogs.
We will no longer fear the errant arrow, nor the angered axes! We will have prosperity and freedom- None shall come to jail us for living in our own lands, none shall bring us harm for our roaming! We will be free and enlightened, fellow woodlanders!
Her mouth was not gagged, as she had expected- But she found she could not open to complain, nor to promise them false hopes for her return. She struggled- Attracting the Ixi's attention. He turned and bent to hold the torch against her face, smiling,
Do you know who we are, little duchess?
She inhaled deeply, and found herself able to speak,
I do. You are the people my father wants gone from his land, the people my father will rid of for hunting and game.
She grew very pale, and her eyes unfocused momentarily. She hadn't meant to say any such thing- She did not know these people at all! But something deep within her heart and mind knew them. She saw their faces when she heard the hunters reports. She heard their children at night, crying.
It was too much for her small mind to handle. Her eyes rolled back, and she collasped.

---

She came too, slowly. The crowd had vanished, and the Ixi sat, staring at her quietly.
I am sorry we had to do this to one so young, princess.
She stared at him, trembling. He had taken her, and she was cold and tired and afraid in an unfamiliar place. If only I could just sleep- And wake! This dream would all be gone.
The ixi shook his head,
Everything would not be gone, Duchess. We do need your help - We need help, from anyone. But no one would listen to the scullery maids, none would listen to the caretakers, none the fools and wanderers who come here. You are our last hope- Had we taken the king, all would have floundered. We would be dead within hours, days. But you? You are a child, you wander. No panic will set in for some hours. They need to search the castle and countryside before they dare approach our forest.
We have chosen you, my child, to speak the truth. Children are fascinatingly good at lies- But my child, you will not. Your nature itself, your upbringing, will make people pay attention.
Your father, my child, will be gone soon.
The words struck her like a slap in the midst of a dream. She moved to cry out- to struggle, to scream.
There was no noise.
The Ixi looked at her for a long, long moment. Her eyes watered, and she started to sob. His face fell and he looked away,
All evil must come to an end. I know you do not think your father evil, my child, but you know it now, in the depth of your heart. The day your mother died and left you to him, he took a vengence against those who would have saved her.
The doctors, midwives, of you village are of Wildere stock. Us. The Woodlanders, the Forest-Dwelling evils. But no magic can stop that of fate- What had to happen, happened.
He drove us back here, like beasts, and for twelve long years we have waited. It took us a while, but we sent one of our own, undetected, into your world.
He stood then, and bowed to the forest.
Sweeping out in a great green cloak moved Emergine- Her bright green eyes atwinkle. The older looking kacheek was now years younger. She smiled softly at Fiona, and moved up to the platform to remove the bonds. The girl fell into her arms, stunned. Emergine began to speak,
I will bring you home and they will not worry, for I was here. Now listen, my dear, and listen well. We have taken measures upon you to render the dukedom into goodness again, and someday, the Kingdom. We have ways, my dear, and at the core lies evil in both.
I can guide you to restore the goodness to your fathers heart, but beyond that, you are on your own.
You have weapons at your disposal, my dear. Your influence, charm, and brazeness- And a gift from the forest.
You may only tell the truth.
The weight of the spells and the responsibility fell like stones into deep waters. Fiona blinked back, her voice going strong,
I can only tell the truth.
Emergine nodded, Aye, and you may question. You may question and seek truth, and speak it loud and strong. Lies and deception will not aid you. In Questions, you may turn the world to you. In Truth, you will have it at your fingertips. Kindness and a lie only tangle things, but brazen power and the strong sound of the truth will bring you great rewards.
Fiona nodded,
I understand.
Emergine looked to the Ixi quietly. They murmured something in agreement, before Emergine lent the girl a paw to stand,
Dust off your dress, my dear. We are returning home.
Fiona held her head up, chin titled to the sky, eyes alight with tears for the people, tears for righteousness, and tears of wariness.
I'm ready.

It was that day onwards that the Duchess told the truth, and that the Duke's heart softened. After many years of trial, the Duke finally released the peoples of Middlewoods from their forested imprisonment.
They were welcomed back to the kingdom with a great feast, and the economy bustled upwards with their joining. Artisans learned new secrets, crops failed less, people lived longer and had more storys. Of course, the woods themselves remained a place of cautionary tales, but the Duchess smiled and reigned over her people happily alongside her father.
Eventually her dear Father, who had grown kinder with age and happier spending his days with the villages and their children, swapping tales and songs, died. A great period of mourning was established, and the duke's advisors went to Fiona to plead, in a sudden act of suprise, that the Dukedom break from the Monarchy.
Fiona, meanwhile, would have to travel to visit with her cousin's Odearte and Cnihthad, who reigned in place of their deceased father over the three kingdoms of Wellacre, Merdisan, and Itevica, known simply as Two Prince's Kingdom now, previously the Kingdom of the Golden Three.
Diplomatically, she was moving to convince both the brothers to grant her the land, long held by loyal members. The simple diplomatic visit turned into months- And she has since wound up living with the two princes, all the while worrying about her own realm.
She is unable to correspond with them- As the trip itself takes two months to arrive by carriage. Even the fastest whoots available take at least two weeks for letters.
Emergine long retired to her family- But Fiona is still left speaking the truth. The spell's effects were supposed to wear off when the greater good was achieved, but the longer Fiona resides with her dear relatives, the more sinister things she notices in their presence.
There is an evil there, and she is there to bring it out. But finding it is proving...difficult.
-To Be Continued-
(This story is only part of a much, much larger series involving all of the pets listed below, and more outside characters. It's currently very much in the works. If you would like to find out more, however, feel free to neomail me at any time.)

Odearte - The nobler of the brothers, this kind hearted fellow loves his kingdom and his people. While not at throne yet, as the kingdom has yet to be declared to him, he enjoys spending time with his family. Fiona is in fact, his cousin.

Queen Lenaise - Similarly, but long deceased, her spirit still rings through the Kingdom as a beacon of hope, like a long lost Guardian. I look to her, myself, in times of great peril!

Silentiary-- Runner of Caravans and Stories, this feisty Elephante has met me often at the gates of my old home estate, offering festivals for shelter from the jealous and cruel populace outside the gates. We oblige every time, for sometimes, you need just a kind story.
Odettae-- The white fate of goodness. I've seen glimpses of this creature myself, I could swear it! Like a Fae, she is said to be everywhere and in everything. Every birth of Royal and Coronation of Great Destination, she is said to be. She's even woven into the greater tapestries...!
Queenhood-- She's a slightly vain young thing, and not quite..Learned, in the least, of her royal duties just yet.

Rag - The Labby, ever-changing and entirely unrelated to the story itself, he remains permanent as Shel's very first pet. Adopted at level twenty-one, a Blue Acara, he hosts Shel's goal page and everything inbetween. He's since been an odd array of colors, from baby to grey, and quite a few species. Someday Shel'll get him back to Acara-ness, but for now, he's being our ever-friendly zapper.