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Troubles
Fyora had spent nearly a week in her secluded retreat,
being tutored by Elesse, the very special Faerie in charge of all other Faeries,
who held absolute power over the Faeries. Now, Fyora would be one of his helpers
-- the ruler of Neopia and its Faeries. Taelia, a Water Faerie, wondered what
Fyora's first orders would be and what she could do about Neopia. Faeries wandered
aimlessly on Neopia, helping the few humans that drifted back but pets hid together
in packs, forming their own laws. Neopia had been so innocent and beautiful
and now it was half destroyed, by the Faeries themselves.
Taelia was stretched out on a cloud in
their floating land, one of her fellow Water Faeries healing her aching body.
Taelia lay still and worried about the future. Her circle of friends had split
- her old friends had been Fyora (Air), Finez (Fire), Manicla (Fire), Tyore
(Fire), Illusen (Earth), Jhudora (Earth) and herself (Water). Now, she was the
only one unchanged and yet she was the most unhappy. For Fyora would be Queen;
Illusen and Jhudora (who was now a Dark Faerie) fought viciously; Finez, Tyore
and maybe Jhudora would be sent from Neopia, for they had contested Fyora's
right to be Queen and the orders of Elesse; Manicla was still Fire and was helping
the humans but pining for Finez. Taelia looked up at the grey sky and thought
hard, bewildered and sorrowful.
"Looks like more snow," she murmured suddenly
and felt happier. She had always loved snow, even above her element, Water.
Despite the impending snowfall and the Faerie mending her, Taelia roused herself
-- she wanted to visit Jhudora.
Passing through the top layer of the cloud,
Taelia descended into the heart of it. Tyore and his followers were separated
into groups and kept down here. There were few visitors -- Tyore and his followers,
no matter what their element, had been largely responsible for the destruction
of Neopia. Taelia had tried to get Manicla to visit Finez but the hot-tempered
Fire Faerie was still furious with him for defecting to Dark magic and she realised
that Finez would have to leave. What was the point of creating more painful
memories?
Taelia stopped to chat with Finez anyway,
for old times sake. He was as charming as ever. She also talked with Tyore,
who was sharing Finez's room. Finez and Tyore had grown closer than ever but
their friendships with Fyora, Illusen and Manicla were forever sundered. Talking
to them, you would never have realised it was they who plotted against Fyora,
their friend, and Elesse, dividing the Faeries and destroying Neopia.
Taelia left them eventually and found
Jhudora. Taelia's face softened and she smiled through her tears, bending down
to her former friend.
"Hi, Jhudora," she said softly.
The Dark Faerie looked up and her features
grew icy.
"Taelia."
"Jhudora… I…"
"I believe our… friendship… is over, Taelia."
"There's no need for it to be…"
Jhudora abandoned her act and cast her
head down.
"I am a Dark Faerie now and I support
Tyore. You are a Water Faerie and friend of Fyora. It cannot be."
"You were once a friend of Fyora too!"
Taelia hissed.
Jhudora sighed.
"But no longer," she said. "I will probably
leave Neopia and even if I do not, I will serve my new element faithfully --
above all else," she added firmly. "I have found myself and I hope you will
too. I am no longer an Earth Faerie -- I am one of the Dark children."
Taelia suppressed her tears. "Jhudora,
you're still the same to me as you always were."
"Then you are blind, for I have changed."
Jhudora dropped her harsh tone and embraced Taelia.
"I'm sorry but we have grown forever apart."
Taelia held her. "I understand… but I
can't let go."
Jhudora comforted her, stroking her hair
then released her.
"Goodbye, Taelia."
"Goodbye, Jhudora."
The two Faeries parted forever.
One Faerie above the clouds; one Faerie
locked beneath. Despite their alliances and their differences, they both wept,
for what had been.
***
Taelia nervously hovered outside Fyora's room, where the exhausted Fyora collapsed
after coming back from Elesse's tutoring. Taelia knocked on the door and entered.
Fyora was seated upon her bed. The days
when she was a young foolish Air Faerie, full of laughter and vanity, seemed
long ago. She seemed to be imbued with an aura of benevolent wisdom, old beyond
her years. She smiled briefly at Taelia but her smile contained echoes of weariness
and sadness - the War of the Faeries had changed everyone involved.
"You are troubled, Taelia. Unburden yourself
to me."
"Fyora, I hesitate to ask this of you…
I have known you for a long time and become your close aide and confidant. Tyore,"
and her voice still caught on his name, "Finez and all his followers must be
punished - though not all of them can be sent home, in order to preserve the
balance. May I put in a plea of clemency in dealing with one of them?"
"Many of Tyore's followers used Dark magic
flagrantly and openly and this disobeyed Elesse's orders. We are all to blame
in some part but our usage was not pre-emptive. Which one would you save then?"
Fyora spoke eloquently, but in her heart she knew who Taelia would ask to save.
"A Faerie by the name of Jhudora."
"Jhudora… yes, I believe I remember her.
Was it not her that broke the barrier, along with Illusen?"
Fyora sounded colder to her former friends
than Taelia had thought. Her heart sunk.
"Yes, my Queen. Jhudora and Illusen used
to be Earth Faeries and close friends until recently, as you know, but they
fell out. Jhudora used Dark magic on Tyore's side; Illusen used Light on yours.
Illusen has reverted back to her Earth element but Jhudora remains a Dark Faerie."
"Why would you have me save her, Taelia?"
Fyora asked, though she already knew.
"Jhudora is close to my heart. I was good
friends with her when she was still an Earth Faerie." As were you, Taelia added
silently. "She is harmless, even if she now practises Dark magic."
"She has changed though. Do not expect
her to thank you for your loyalty." Taelia nodded. "I realise she is different
but I would keep her here, just for the memories we shared."
Fyora sighed to herself. "So it is done.
Jhudora the Dark Faerie will be one of those staying in Neopia, you can be assured."
Fyora paused and continued.
"It may have been better for Jhudora to
have left Neopia, Taelia. Her presence will weigh on your mind, reminding you
of the past and what might have been. We should not have to carry our past on
our backs. But far be it from me to dictate your wishes."
Taelia thanked her and bowed low. As she
departed, Fyora sighed resignedly and spoke to herself.
"My friend… how easily young friendships
are grown and eagerly given with a loving heart and yet… loyalty is overrated
and friendship closes the mind to what it should see plainly. I am at fault
too -- maybe if I had seen Tyore more clearly…" She trailed off and then addressed
the air again.
"Taelia, your act is but in vain, for
the Jhudora you knew is long gone."
Fyora raised herself from her bed, tired
of her role. The first order concerning the fates of Tyore and his followers
was tomorrow, as was her coronation, and the futures of Faeries, humans and
pets on Neopia rested on her. She needed to lay down her worries and take the
responsibility on with a calm mind.
She retired to a secluded part of her
room, watching the falling snow pensively as, below her, Faeries bustled in
the main hall, making preparations for her coronation as Faerie Queen tomorrow.
She felt Elesse's presence close to her.
"Worry not, Fyora-child. I trust you."
She lay down on her bed and drifted into
dreamless sleep.
To be continued...
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