Her head pounded, her throat itched, and she couldn’t stop sneezing. She couldn’t even remember the last time she was sick! There was so much work to get done today, so taking a sick day wasn’t an option; but, she also couldn’t let everyone see her like this!

There had to be something she could do, a spell or some medicine to take!

She searched around her cabinets and found...

“Ugh, seriously? What else could go wrong today?”

The sound of the bottle shattering triggered a knock at the door.

“Queen Fyora, is everything ok in there? I heard a loud noise of something shattering.”

The voice was most definitely Celandra’s voice which made things more complicated. She did not want Celandra to see her like this. Otherwise, she’d tell the castle staff and they’d force her to take a sick day.

“Nothing, just umm, a small magic accident. It’s alright, I’m just preparing for work.”

“Work? But, it’s Fyora Day. You don’t have any work today…”

Fyora abruptly stopped, now even more worried. Fyora Day meant she had to greet guests and show up to her own party. How could she show up sick and put everyone else at risk? Before she answered though, she fell into a coughing fit.

“That doesn’t sound good, Fyora. The door is open, I’m coming in…”

Celandra slowly opened the door, glanced at Fyora, and then gasped. She turned around to yell something.

“Everyone! I need backup, the Queen seems to be…”

Fyora looked down at her hands and to her absolute horror saw that her fingertips were faintly shimmering with the slightest green light. Her magic was reacting badly to her feverish state. She tried to calm her breathing.

"Don't worry, your Majesty, I've read about this in Kauvara's Guide to Magical Misalignments and Enchanted Ailments. You've possibly contracted a wild hex fever, or a sickly curse." Celendra's dramatic voice and tone echoed throughout the halls. Fyora groaned.

A party on Fyora Day was one thing, but to also have come down with a magical flu? Today was not going well at all.

Celandra well intentioned, approached Fyora hoping to help. "We're going to have to contain this before guests start arriving for the grand Fyora Day celebrations. Though I'm afraid I'll need someone's help."

Fyora glanced over with curiosity and concern, "Who did you have in mind?"

Celandra began to seem a little nervous before answering...

Fyora blinked. "The Swamp Witch?"

"Y-yes. She knows all about hexes and sickly curses, and has cured the most severe of them. And I know that she's done research into counter-curses ever since, in case the need arises again..." Celandra kept rubbing her paws together as she talked.

"Then yes, she sounds like a sensible choice. And she'd of course be rightly rewarded for her work." Fyora stared at Celandra and noticed her fidgeting, and asked her question with a look.

"Y-yeah, but she's not much one for rewards. Nor is she one for authority. A-and you know how she might turn folks into stink beetles if they offend her!" Celandra practically yelped her last words.

"I can give you--" Fyora coughed. "A-a summons from the Queen, and she can decide or not to--" cough "go."

"Sure, thank you, your Majesty. But..." Celandra's voice went low. "We met a couple times before and I don't think she's ever liked me. Kept making comments on my clothing and threatened to turn me into a stink beetle too..."

Celandra sighed. "But... she's really good at what she does, and she might be our best hope..."

Fyora nodded, and began writing a summons. "If you need to flee at the first sign of danger, then prioritize your safety. But I think it's just words. Just tell her I sent you and request her assistance."

Celandra attempted to calm herself down. Fyora took a long time, interrupted with the occasional cough, but she soon handed Celandra the summons. "This should also be able to summon you there and back. Although if you don't want to take the risk..." Fyora glanced down at her glowing fingers. "I took my time to be sure, but I could send for another-"

"No, I'll take the chance, and contact you if it goes wrong. Thank you your majesty! I'll get help as soon as possible!"

Before Fyora could speak further, the eager Celandra opened the summons. She felt magic and light swirl over her and she was teleported out of Fyora's chambers...

She blinked and realized her new destination, which was...

After walking for what felt like forever, she saw a dilapidated hut with a faint, green glow. With a squelch, she raised her boots high up through the muck to make her way to the front door. It was covered in vines and moss from decades if not centuries of being part of the swamp’s scenery. Summoning as much bravery as she could muster, Celandra knocked on the thatched door, her heart nearly racing out of her chest.

Knock, knock, knock.

Without a sound, the door opened slowly, revealing a Meowclops with a curious look on its face. It sat on its hind legs, staring at Celandra.

“Why, hello there,” the Gelert said sweetly, bending down with an outstretched hand.

The Meowclops hissed and swatted at her paw, retreating toward the back of the cottage. 

“Eek!” Celandra shrieked, recoiling her arm and cradling it toward her body.

From the shadows, emerged a Green Ixi with jarring emerald eyes.

“We meet again,” Sophie purred to Celandra, stalking her like prey…

“I.. I come with a summons,” she said, holding out the scroll like it might shield her.

Sophie tilted her head, her Ixi ears swaying. “The Queen is sick, isn’t she?”

Celandra narrowed her eyes. “How could you possibly know-?”

“The Queen’s assistant wouldn’t be here if this were about party planning or being short-staffed at the Hidden Tower,” Sophie interrupted. The Meowclops jumped onto the table next to Sophie, who petted him absentmindedly on the head.

Celandra squeaked as the Swamp Witch snatched the summons from her paw. Sophie unrolled it, her eyes scanning quickly before giving a flat grunt of confirmation.

“So will you help?” Celandra asked quietly.

Sophie tapped her chin. “I will. But there’s one condition.”

Celandra sighed, already rolling her eyes. “What do you want from the Queen?”

Sophie smirked, slow and sly. “Not from the Queen.” She leaned in closer, her voice a velvet whisper. “I want something from you…”

Sophie handed Celandra a piece of paper.

"I need you to sing this song for me..."

Celandra recoiled at the strange request, folding her arms and rolling her eyes.

"What does that have to do with anything?!"

"I've heard that singing voice of yours in the background. I know you're good at this. Please sing this for me."

Celandra looked down at the lyrics and notes on the paper and stared for a while.

"Wait this is... a tribute to your family..."

Sophie sighed. "Just sing."

Celandra took a deep breath and a glorious voice filled the shack. As she sang, the creatures of the woods gathered around the shack to listen, slowly swaying to the emotional tune that Sophie had written. She sang with deep conviction and tears began streaming from her face. As she came to a close, Sophie could also not help being filled with emotions. Finally, Sophie fell to her knees and her Meowclops wandered next to her and gently rubbed against her.

Celandra stopped and finally Sophie got back up and nodded.

"I will help you. First, we need to gather some..."

“Amulets?” the Gelert maid asked, confused. A knot furrowed her brow. “What for?”

“Amulets are some of the quickest and most efficient ways to…” the Green Ixi swung a bag over her shoulder, nearly knocking the wind out of her. “Ward off curses,” she finished. “It might take a while to figure out exactly what the Queen is hexed by and who is at the root of it all, but the amulet should rid her of her symptoms at the very least.”

“Let’s go!” Sophie called out, pushing past the woodland creatures who had just gathered to hear Celandra’s melodious singing. “I don’t have all day,” she griped, stepping on a Meepit’s paw. It squeaked and fled back into the shadows of the bog.

“So, a rock around Fyora’s neck is going to magically cure her?” Celandra asked in disbelief, panting and lifting her skirts as she struggled to keep up.

“I’ll need to imbue it,” Sophie said, exasperated. “Are you even listening?”

“I am, but I don’t quite understand…”
 “As a witch, I’m hoping to be able to detect the type of magic the Queen is affected by. From there, I will know what enchantment to use to counteract it… You summoned me for a reason, remember?” the swamp witch said with a wink and a flick of her wrist. Wisps of green magic enveloped the duo and transported them to Faerieland…

"Your Majesty!" Celandra exclaimed, remembering to curtsey, and glancing disapprovingly at Sophie who only gave a slight bow. The Ixi was still clutching the summons. "Sophie said..."

The witch raised a hand and shook her head before rummaging in her bag for a somewhat clunky amulet. "Queen Fyora, please wear this. It should ease your symptoms while I figure out just what has caused your...er, magical malady."

"You haven't figured it out?" Fyora wondered, but she nevertheless put the amulet on. It pulsed gently with Sophie's magic, but there was something about the emerald light that was warm, comforting...or perhaps it was because the Faerie Queen could feel her headache ebbing away, her nose and throat clearing up...

Sophie examined another amulet in her hand. "I should, once I find the signs of magic, find the signs of..." Her eyes widened as her voice trailed off. Even Celandra looked concerned.

"Sophie?"

"This can't be," the green Ixi muttered to herself, turning the amulet she was holding over and over.

Fyora frowned slightly. "What do you mean? I'm feeling better, the amulet I'm wearing seems to be working, at least?"

"Yes, it's just...these traces of magic I'm detecting, Your Highness...I know where they came from..."

How will this story end?

"Me?" Fyora asked, stunned.

"Fyora?!" Celandra chimed in.

"Do you have something you want to tell us?" Sophie asked with an irritated tone.

"Why I can't for the life of me rememb-" Fyora stopped mid-sentence. In her haze this morning she had completely forgotten that she cast a protection spell on herself the night before. She couldn't be too careful, after all. Then again, turns out she could.

"Uh-huh, go on," Sophie smirked.

"The protection spell I cast last night. It looks like it may have backfired a tad," Fyora said sheepishly.

"What spell?" Celandra asked, still as lost as ever.

"I was worried some of Neopia's more mischievous residents..." Fyora glanced at Sophie, "...might try something on a day like today. When I woke up feeling unwell, the spell must have noticed something was off and took effect."

"Faeries," Sophie sighed. With a wave of her hand and a puff of smoke she was gone.

"How unceremoniously rude!" Celandra exclaimed.

"We can thank her properly later," Fyora sneezed, "We have a full day ahead of us and if this is nothing but a cold I'm going to need an assistant at full capacity!"

Celandra's eyes widened at the prospect. It looked like her day was just beginning.

The End.