Main Page Go to Short Stories Go back to Articles Go to Comics Go to Continued Series Go to Editorial Go to New Series

Show All | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Week 18 | Week 19 | Week 20 | Week 21 | Week 22 | Week 23 | Week 24 | Week 25 | Week 26 | Week 27 | Week 28 | Week 29 | Week 30 | Week 31 | Week 32 | Week 33 | Week 34 | Week 35 | Week 36 | Week 37 | Week 38 | Week 39 | Week 40 | Week 41 | Week 42 | Week 43 | Week 44 | Week 45 | Week 46 | Week 47 | Week 48 | Week 49 | Week 50 | Week 51 | Week 52 | Week 53 | Week 54 | Week 55 | Week 56 | Week 57 | Week 58 | Week 59 | Week 60 | Week 61 | Week 62 | Week 63 | Week 64 | Week 65 | Week 66 | Week 67 | Week 68 | Week 69 | Week 70 | Week 71 | Week 72 | Week 73 | Week 74 | Week 75 | Week 76 | Week 77 | Week 78 | Week 79 | Week 80 | Week 81 | Week 82 | Week 83 | Week 84 | Week 85 | Week 86 | Week 87 | Week 88 | Week 89 | Week 90 | Week 91 | Week 92 | Week 93 | Week 94 | Week 95 | Week 96 | Week 97 | Week 98 | Week 99 | Week 100 | Week 101 | Week 102 | Week 103 | Week 104 | Week 105 | Week 106 | Week 107 | Week 108 | Week 109 | Week 110 | Week 111 | Week 112 | Week 113 | Week 114 | Week 115 | Week 116 | Week 117 | Week 118 | Week 119 | Week 120 | Week 121 | Week 122 | Week 123 | Week 124 | Week 125 | Week 126 | Week 127 | Week 128 | Week 129 | Week 130 | Week 131 | Week 132 | Week 133 | Week 134 | Week 135 | Week 136 | Week 137 | Week 138 | Week 139 | Week 140 | Week 141 | Week 142 | Week 143 | Week 144 | Week 145 | Week 146 | Week 147 | Week 148 | Week 149

Neopia's Fill in the Blank News Source | 28th day of Running, Yr 26
The Neopian Times Week 134 > Continuing Series > Fateful Decisions: Part Three

Fateful Decisions: Part Three

by ruin_star

Ealdor awoke when sunlight lanced across his closed eyes. He moaned and turned his head away, then his eyes snapped open. The Eyrie sat bolt upright in a strange bed, eyes casting about. It was a few seconds before he remembered where he was. When he did, despair sank into his heart. He put his face in his paws and struggled not to cry.

       A light touch brushed against his face. Ealdor looked up into Seshil's cerulean eyes. "Hey," the Eyrie said weakly. "How you're doing?"

       "Much better, thank you," the Gallion replied. Ealdor shook his head.

       "Don't thank me, thank the owner of the Coffee Shop, who was kind enough to accommodate us for the night."

       The Gallion stretched and yawned showing tiny but very sharp fangs. "Then we must go thank her shan't we."

       Ealdor nodded in agreement and slid out of the bed, "Yes, we should." The Eyrie and the petpet made their way downstairs where the Shoyru was cheerily talking to one of her customers as she handed him a cup of weevil coffee.

       She turned and smiled as Ealdor padded down the stairs. "Well top of the morning to ya, nice to see you two are alright."

       Ealdor grinned. "Thanks to you," he bowed his head. "We came to thank you, Miss." The Shoyru waved a hand.

       "Oh pish, my name is Maude, so call me so. Now if you boys are looking for some place to stay, you can continue to stay in my guest room if you work in the shop in return."

       Ealdor thought it over then glanced at Seshil, who shrugged. He looked back at Maude and nodded. "Alright that sounds wonderful, I can't thank you enough." Just then, there was a shriek as the kettle in back began emitting steam.

       Maude grinned at her new helpers. "Well ,go on then, let's make some tea."

~*~

Feeling_free opened her door after the bell had rung. She gasped standing on her doorstep was a bedraggled Hryre and her three very tired looking pets.

       "Hry, what on Neopia happened to you?" the girl asked in shock.

       Hryre managed a weak grin but inside she was sick with worry and grief. "We've been out all night looking for Eal. We can't find him anywhere. I was wondering if you'd seen him."

       Jessica shook her head, "Sorry, Hry, haven't." Hryre's shoulders sagged and she let out her breath. She turned from Jessica and saw Leoht, Scinan, and Maestitia. The fire Shoyru was leaning against Leoht, her head on his shoulder. The Draik was practically asleep on his feet. Scinan was standing erect but there was glazed look in his eyes.

       A feeling erupted deep with Hryre; it ate away at her fatigue until she was completely awake. It was a flame that was consuming her being. She rolled her shoulders back and lifted her head. "Jess, can Sci, Leo, and Maest stay here with you?"

       "Of course" Jessica said promptly.

       Hryre bowed her head. "Thank you, listen you three, you stay here and get some rest. I'll keep going."

       Maestitia's eyes snapped open. "But!" she protested. Hryre merely shook her head and looked hard at the three of them. All three of them saw the strange look in their owner's eyes. It scared them.

       At last Scinan nodded and walked past Hryre into feeling_free's Neohome. Hryre strode briskly down the path and back toward Neopia Central. She searched the Market Place first and found no sign. She then went to the Bazaar.

       After searching all the shops Hryre started walking toward the main Central. It was by chance that she heard a whispered conversation.

       "We've been looking all morning! Come Ac, I'll just buy you another one," an angry voice answered.

       "No! I want to find that one I don't want another one," an exasperated sigh answered him.

       "Well, let's at least take a break. Come on, let's go to the Coffee Shop."

       "Fine!" the other grumbled. Hryre didn't hear anymore as she started searching the shops in the Central for her Eyrie, all the wile clutching the blackened feather tightly in one hand.

       Ealdor was having fun, Maude was teaching some great secrets for making hot beverages. Maude had gone upstairs to fetch more teabags when the door of the shop slammed open.

       "Hey Eyrie, get me some house blend coffee on the double!" yelled a voice. Ealdor bit his lip to prevent himself from retorting smartly. He quickly poured the coffee and handed the cup to Seshil.

       "Here, will you take this out to his majesty?" The Gallion took the cup and flew to the top of the counter. Beating his wings hard and trying with difficulty not to spill the steaming drink. He placed it in front of a pirate Mynci who was watching the door lazily twirling a dagger in his dextrous fingers.

       The Mynci turned his head, his eye met Seshil's. The neopet froze; the petpet let out a shriek and dove from the counter. But the Mynci snatched him out of the air. "So here you are you wretched little thing. Running away is going to cost you dearly, I promise you that."

       Ealdor, who'd heard Seshil's scream, came running in. He saw the Mynci holding the Gallion by scruff of his neck. The Eyrie didn't think he attacked. But the Mynci turned and swiftly caught Ealdor a terrible blow across the jaw. The Eyrie collapsed in a heap.

       The Mynci squinted down at the fallen Eyrie "I know you," he said quietly. "Aren't you that pathetic Eyrie who lost all his weapons to me in battle?"

       "Acole," Ealdor breathed raising his head to glare at the Mynci.

       The Mynci glanced from the struggling Gallion in his hand then to the Eyrie on the floor. His face cracked into an awful sneer. "So you stole my Gallion, did you? There are penalties for that, I promise you. Your owner could get frozen for you treachery, like I care," he added.

       Ealdor flattened his ears; a strange fog entered his eyes. "I have no owner," he said coolly. "There is no one that means anything to me." He was amazed an anguished at how smooth the words came. How he had not choked on them as he'd expected to.

       The Mynci raised an eyebrow. "Abandoned you did she? That's really too bad."

       Ealdor raised himself to his feet a strange fire flickered behind his eyes. Acole was to busy mocking the Eyrie to notice. "There is no one," the Eyrie repeated. "And right now you're stealing from me."

       Acole was so surprised by this that he loosened his fingers slightly. Seshil wriggled free of the Mynci's hold and flew to Ealdor's side.

       Acole's eyes narrowed, but he sneered. "Tell ya what StormLife, if you can beat me in the Battledome, I will give you your weapons and items back and you can keep the Gallion If you lose, I keep the petpet and everything else, and you must serve me for six months. Sound fair?"

       Ealdor gazed at Acole for a moment then nodded mutely. A human boy came into the shop.

       "Okay, I'm done at the shop, Acole, we can go home now." "There's been a change of plans Josh," Acole said barring his teeth in an awful grin. "We're taking a detour to the Battledome." He marched arrogantly out the door, the Eyrie following silently in his wake.

       Maude who'd watched the whole ordeal from the stairs, pressed her hands over her mouth and prayed for the Eyrie and the Gallion For she could tell that the pirate Mynci had nothing but awful treatment in store for them.

To be continued...

Previous Episodes

Fateful Decisions: Part One

Fateful Decisions: Part Two

Fateful Decisions: Part Four


Search :
Other Stories

The Defenders of Light: The Struggle Begins -- Part One
"He was suppose to be evil, but he turned out to be very kind. Dr. Sloth did not take it very well," said Aisha 2.

by npmasterx01


Princess of Erodaire: Part One
Even though we both had to go through the same loss of loved ones, for some unknown reason, King Alastare became as bitter as an unripe lemon... bitter enough to hurt those whom he had sworn to protect...

by christinetran


The Curse of the Citadel: Part One
"It needs a key… and I know JUST where to find it."

by jinjolover


Identity: Part One
I am an outcast; cursed to wander by day, hide by night… never to show my face to another being. My identity was lost centuries ago… wilted like a rose, destined to stay away for the rest of time.

by chocolateisamust


Kass, Are You There? It’s Me, Sunny: Part Two
"Grounded!?" I shouted as Ally began shuffling her tentacles around in displeasure. "But why!?"

by shoyrumastertrainer


Neopets | Main | Articles | Editorial
Short Stories | Comics | New Series | Continued Series | Search