Shadows: Secrets

by ladyariel32

Some secrets are better left untold.

     Chill the yellow Chia slipped into Sprite's room in the middle of the night. He felt a strange sense of elation as he looked at his beloved Faerie Gelert, lying asleep on her bamboo bed. The Chia smiled and touched Sprite's forehead briefly. He tiptoed out of the room and walked out of the Neohome. As his paws brushed against the cool, brown soil, Chill's forehead wrinkled.

     "It's fo' her own good," he said aloud, sounding as if he wanted to convince himself. "It's FO her own good."

     The moonlight illuminated the path as Chill made his way to his garden. When he reached it, the Chia looked lovingly at his plants.

     "You're late," a harsh voice called from the darkness.

     Chill wasn't surprised. He merely shifted his paws. "I know."

     Out of the shadows, a woman stepped out. Her long, black hair reached the ground and her purple eyes glowed with evil. A shawl covered her shoulders, giving the illusion that her back was hunched. She would have been beautiful if not for the permanent frown on her face.

     "You're never late," the woman said angrily. "You know BETTER than to be late."

     Chill put a paw on his straw hat. He stared at the big bulk on her back and wondered if she was hiding a hump. "I had to wait 'til th' youngsters were a sleepin'. Witch is at home, if ya remember."

     The woman raised her eyebrows involuntarily. "What is WITCH doing with SPRITE?"

     Chill scratched his head. "Purple, why'd ya leave Witch?" he asked wonderingly. "She's a mighty fine gal. She needs someone t' take care o' her."

     "STOP!" the woman screamed. "You know as well as I do that my name is not Purple. It's Dilim."

     Chill squirmed uncomfortably and shifted his paws again. He placed a paw in the pocket of his denim coveralls. "Sprite's finished with th' books."

     Dilim smiled a heartless smile that chilled the Chia to the bone. "Good. Very good." She put her hands behind her back and brought them forward after a considerable pause. A sweet Faellie sat perched on her hands. "Give this to her."

     The Chia stared at the adorable Faellie and felt instantly warmed. He smiled and took the Faellie in his paws. "I will. Sprite'll love 'er."

     "Good," the woman replied. "Tell me more about Witch. What is she doing at your Neohome? Didn't I tell you to make them hate each other?"

     "She's spendin' th' night." He paused and looked at the moon. "I sent Sprite to Witch, just like ya told m' to. Ya said they'd despise each other on sight."

     "They're SUPPOSED to!" Dilim shouted. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes. "Alright. Go to all the shops you know that sell spells and Darkness Faerie items. Buy everything and give them to Sprite as gifts."

     Chill's blue eyes widened. "Where would I get th' money?"

     Dilim placed a small, brown, deflated bag on Chill's paws. "This bag will provide you with all the Neopoints you need."

     "It's empty."

     The woman narrowed her eyes. "It is now but it won't be later. Does Sprite still have the key?"

     "Yep," Chill answered cautiously. "What's th' deal 'bout tha' key, Dil-"

     "DID I permit you to ASK questions?" Dilim shouted, cutting off Chill's statement. "The key is nobody's business but mine. I would have gotten it, too, if you didn't appear that night and take Sprite away!"

     "Ya left 'er, out there…in th' cold, in th' dark. She was a' scared," the Chia whispered with his head down.

     "How DARE you speak to me like that?" the woman thundered. "I hired you, didn't I? If I hadn't given you NPs these last few months, Sprite would have starved! Why don't you just admit that your gardening business isn't earning you enough money to raise a Neopet?"

     Chill said nothing.

     "After giving Sprite the items, your next task…" She paused and smiled cruelly. "Your next task will be to make Sprite and Witch loathe each other. Make them hate each other so intensely that they simply can't bear to see the other."

     Chill lowered his eyes and nodded his head. "As ya wish."

     He turned around and headed for the road to the Neopian shops. The Faellie hopped and tried to fly beside him. As he walked, he felt miserable. The Chia knew that what he was doing was wrong but for some unknown reason, he kept on walking. Why am I followin' th' orders o' this horrible woman I dunno about? He didn't know the answer but he kept on thinking about what to do to make Sprite and Witch detest each other all the same.

     From a nearby window, a pair of deep blue eyes, turned into a beautiful pale blue by a nearby light, watched Chill walk away until he disappeared.

******

     Fifteen minutes had passed since Witch stalked away from Sprites' Neohome. Sprite felt numb. Why did I say such awful things? I don't usually say bad things to anyone. She remembered every bit of her conversation with the white Aisha.

     "She left you and she's not coming back!"

     Her angry words returned to her mind. She wished that she could take them all back and rewind time.

     "I talk to my petpet like I expect him to answer, too."

     She cringed. I don't even have a petpet. Sprite didn't mean what she said. Not really.

     Or did she?

     The Faerie Gelert groaned. She decided to just go to bed and sleep. I'll feel better when Chill comes home. Chill will make things better. He always does.

******

     Witch was glad to be back in her own messy Neohome, lying on her own untidy checkered bed. The White Aisha wasn't afraid to cry anymore. No one would hear her, anyway. Currant the Zomutt was beside her, licking the salty tears on her face.

     I hate you, Sprite! I hate you!

     "She left you and she's not coming back!"

     Sprite's cruel words echoed in Witch's head. She stroked Currant's fur. Purple. Don't care about Purple! Hate Purple. Silaw, when are you coming back? Need you. I love you.

     Currant barked and wagged his tail. Witch looked at him and smiled gratefully. The Zomutt held a very familiar Light Faerie Pencil in between his teeth. She took it from him and hugged it, the only memory of Silaw she had left. All the hurt and sadness left her body. She felt at peace. Witch knew what to do.

******

     Sprite turned around restlessly in her sleep. She twisted about so much. Her paw gripped the gold key hanging around her neck…

     "Don't you see? She's Fyora's favorite," Dilim the Darkness Faerie argued. She wore a long, purple gown that emphasized the color of her eyes.

     "She is not. Her highness treats all Faeries equally," Ihip the Air Faerie objected, fluffing up her short, blond hair.

     A group of Faeries were conversing on top of a cloud in Faerieland. They sat in an irregular circle near a small lake. There were five of them, one of each kind all except the Light Faerie.

     The Darkness Faerie frowned. "Fyora spends more time talking to her than to any of us. She keeps telling the Queen all sorts of sweet nothings."

     "What have you got against Silaw, Dilim?" asked the Fire Faerie with a puckered brow. "Why are you trying to turn us against her?"

     "Apoy is right," Dahon the Earth Faerie agreed. "Silaw has done nothing wrong."

     Dilim turned around and faced the general direction of Queen Fyora's palace. "I'm NOT trying to turn you against Silaw. We're the best of friends. All the Faeries know that."

     Alon the Water Faerie, who sat on a grey rock by the lake, stared at Dilim doubtfully. "Why are you saying all these nonsense, then?"

     "All I'm saying is that we should be careful. The time might come when Fyora chooses Silaw over us without proper judgment."

     Apoy the Fire Faerie laughed. "Now, why would she do that?"

     Dilim looked Apoy in the eye. "How do you know she won't?"

     Sprite stirred in her sleep. She tightened her hold on the key.

     "Greetings, everyone!" Silaw the Light Faerie announced in a cheerful tone. She landed gracefully beside Dilim and smiled at her. "How was your day, Dilim?"

     Alon fixed her eyes on the Darkness Faerie, watching her reaction.

     Dilim managed to look right back at Silaw without feeling guilty. "I had a fine day. Join us?"

     "Yes. Please do!" Ihip and Apoy said simultaneously.

     "Oh, I'm sorry." The Light Faerie smiled again, this time directing her smile at her other Faerie friends. "Her Highness has asked to see me. I can't stay. I only came to say 'hi' to Dilim. Thank you for offering, though. Goodbye!"

     Alon and Dahon exchanged a look as Silaw flew away on her bright yellow wings.

     "Thanks for dropping by," Dilim said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Silaw waved at her from afar. The Darkness Faerie faced the others. "What did I tell you?"

     Sprite opened her eyes and gasped. Her paw was burning from having held on to the key too forcefully. She let go of it and pressed her paw on her forehead.

     "Sprite, open up! It's me, Witch."

     The Faerie Gelert stared outside through an open window and saw Witch pounding a paw on the front door. She frowned. Oh no. Why did she return? Is she going to shout at me?

     "Have to talk!"

     Sprite, vaguely remembering her dream, decided to let Witch in. In her heart, she was glad that the Aisha had returned. Now, I can say I'm sorry. Her spirits rose. Oh, Witch, I'm so glad you came!

     She went out of the room and opened the front door. "I'm here."

     Witch looked at Sprite very carefully… and smiled.

The End

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