The Adventures of Draikin and the Light Faerie

     Early the next morning, as the Pteri’s were just waking up the world with their song, Draikin reached the Town of White River. The storm had flared up on and off in the night, leaving the young Royal Ixi drenched and shivering with cold, but the heaviest clouds had lifted as the moon sank slowly beneath the trees and the day, though grey, promised to be fairer. The streets or the Town of White River were still empty in the early dawn, and afraid of being caught, Draikin hurried along close to the sides of the buildings, trying to keep out of sight. The grey sun was just beginning to show itself and warm the cobblestones beneath his feet, when he crossed the bridge that led to the other side of the town and spotted a pie on a windowsill.

     It was a lovely pie. Cherry-tastic Faerie Pie, in fact, and still warm enough that faint wisps of steam could be seen rising from the decoration carved into the top. Draikin stopped in his tracks. The Ixi prince had not eaten the night before, and suddenly, his hunger overwhelmed him so that he bent double. Draikin was not a thief, but he had never been in these circumstances before! He knew from the ache in his belly that he needed food if he were to make it to Illusen’s Glade, which was still quite a ways off.

     He looked around furtively. There was no one to be seen. Silently, he slipped to the side of the building and to the window. The heavenly scent of the baked cherries came to his nostrils and made him almost dizzy and he reached up to take the pie when—

     *POP!*

     “Tsk, tsk, tsk!” Draikin found himself inside the very room he had been outside of only a moment before, face to face with a lovely Blue Acara, dressed in the white robes of a wizard and holding the pie that he had been trying to steal!

     “Naughty, naughty,” she was saying to him gaily, looking him up and down. “You really oughtn’t steal pies belonging to other people, you know! If you’re that hungry, you might just ask! That’s what civilised Neopians do. Now sit down.”

     She gestured to a table close by, and without saying a word, the young Ixi prince sat. The Blue Acara bustled about, fetching a plate.

     “My name is Mipsy. I know you didn’t ask (again—something polite Neopians are prone to—asking, introductions, and all that). I’m an adventurer, and a wizard (as you’ve probably guessed by my lovely outfit), but right now I’m on holiday, so I thought I’d come back and relax a bit here at my old stomping ground. It’s such a lovely town.”

     Glancing again at Draikin, Mipsy cut one piece of the pie and then put the whole rest of the pie in front of him, taking the single piece she had cut for herself. She fetched them both forks and sat down across from him.

     “So, who exactly are you? It must be an interesting tale if it leaves you this tired and hungry. I know something of being tired and hungry, which is probably why I’m taking pity on you. You don’t look particularly dangerous compared to some of the threats I’ve faced in the past!” She laughed gaily.

     Draikin still sat gaping at her, stunned. He had never met a wizard before, and this first encounter was hardly what he had anticipated. Still, her friendly laugh and warm manner were putting him at ease. He grabbed the fork and dug into the pie.

     “Come, come, don’t eat so quickly,” Mipsy giggled. “You’ll give yourself a belly-ache!” Draikin looked up, cherry-tastic goodness dripping from his chin. Mipsy laughed again and leaned over the table towards him. “Now then, tell me who you are and what you’re on about.”

     Feeling quite at ease around the gracious wizard, Draikin’s story poured out of him. He found himself telling Mipsy everything, his whole history, beginning with when he was a young Ixi who couldn’t speak to his father and ending with his escape from the castle and his trip to find Illusen.

     “Well, well,” Mipsy leaned back in her chair as Draikin finished his story, “That is a story that deserves some pie. It’s quite a tale.” Draikin looked at her nervously. What if she were to turn him in? But the Blue Acara smoothed her white robes and smiled at him. “It looks to me, like you could use a bit of assistance getting to Illusen this morning.”

     “This morning?” Draikin was incredulous. It would take at least a day for him to reach Illusen’s glade on foot.

     “Well, in my travels I’ve managed to pick up a few nifty tricks, not the least of which is teleportation.” She grinned at him. “Are you about finished with that?”

     He looked down to see he had eaten all but a few crumbs of her delicious pie.

     “Yes.” He wiped his mouth, “Thank you so much.”

     “Allllllrighty then!” She waved one arm and

     *POP!*

     The dishes vanished from the table. “Very convenient gimmick, that tidying up spell,” she grinned at him, “but I’ll have you know I did bake that pie myself, from scratch. No magic at all!”

     “And a truly magnificent pie it was, too,” he said. Mipsy beamed at him.

     “Very well then, are we all set?”

     Draikin stood up from the table, amazed to note that his clothes seemed to have dried miraculously, and he felt warm and comfortable and refreshed.

     “Yes, Ma’am,” he nodded eagerly, and turned towards the door.

     “No, no, silly goose!” He turned back to her quizzically. “It’s Mipsy. Never, ever Ma’am!! And we’re not going out that way!”

     She grinned at him and waved both arms above her head, and

     *POP!*

     Suddenly, they were standing atop a hill overlooking Meridell castle.

     “There. I know, I know, it would have been a lovely (if grey) morning for a walk, but don’t you think this suits your purposes better?” Draikin looked around himself in wonder. Below him, down the hill lay Meridell castle, and turning, he was faced with a garden that lay before a small wood.

     “Illusen’s glade…” he stammered, and Mipsy nodded at him.

     “Yes, dear, just up that aisle between the rowzes, there’s a path between the trees. I’m sure she’ll be able to help you. She’s a lovely faerie, really.” Draikin turned and looked at the Blue Acara, who was still smiling at him. Her kindness overwhelmed him.

     “I don’t know how I can ever repay you…” the young Royal Ixi said earnestly.

     “Oh dear, don’t you worry about repaying me, Draikin. As I told you earlier, I’ve some experience with being tired and hungry and feeling as though the world’s out to get you.” She laughed her bright laugh and then looked at him more gravely. “Now, here.” She pressed something into his hand. “This is a charm bracelet of mine. It may seem a bit girlish, but it will bring you luck to wear it, trust me.” Nodding, Draikin slipped it onto his wrist. “Now, be off with you, Draikin Blackfawn,” she kissed his cheek, “May the fates and faeries aid you in your quest.”

     “Must you go?” Draikin asked, sad to see his new friend leaving so soon.

     “Oh yes, dear. I’m on holiday, remember?” The Blue Acara smiled at him and winked. Then she waved her arms above her head again and

     *POP*

     She was gone.

     The young Ixi prince turned toward the garden that led to the wood. He could see several rows of magnificent flower beds of different types and colors, and behind them was a grove of trees. The flower beds and trees formed an aisle up their middle, so he headed for that, inhaling the intoxicating aroma. He felt he had never smelled anything as delicious as they seemed to him—so deep and musky that he stopped still just to inhale. In fact, he probably would have remained there indefinitely, had not a buzzer nearly a foot in diameter whizzed by his face, to light on what looked to be a particularly succulent scented hearts flower.

     He had only gone a little way through the trees when he heard pteris singing and saw the path he was on was leading to a clearing. The pteris’ voices seemed to create their own symphony, divinely, intricately melodic, and as Draikin continued towards the clearing, listening to the beautiful music, he realized suddenly what it was he was finally, really approaching.

     Illusen’s Glade.

     It was said to be formed by a wide circle of star trees whose topmost branches arched to touch one another, creating a dappled, sunlit, leafy enclosure. It hadn't truly occurred to Draikin until that moment that he would actually be in that famous place. The symmetry he noted in the upcoming star trees, the shimmer of leaves on the breeze, and the movement of the light on them and on the cool green grass of the glade made him certain that this was it, as with a fearful jolt, he entered the green and golden space.

     Illusen was seated in the center of what appeared to be a large starflower, bent over on it's stem just enough for her to be seated inside it. The flower’s large, silky petals folded up to shape themselves to her body and the seat swayed slightly with her movement as she rocked, speaking to a beautiful Faerie Pteri. Draikin gazed at her in awe until she glanced up at him with her green, flashing eyes.

     "Welcome to my home," Illusen’s voice melted so sweetly into the song of the pteris that Draikin trembled, as he stepped forward, stopping at her feet as the faerie continued,

     “I've been living in Meridell for years now, it's so peaceful and serene (and I get to be as far away from those Dark Faeries as possible!) Anyway, I have a couple of jobs that you may be interested in. If you can fetch me some items from around Neopia, I can reward you with some of these cool things I have made over the years... aren't they pretty!”

     Draikin looked at the items she gestured to in awe. He had heard much of Illusen’s quests and those Neopians who helped the faerie gather the things she sought.

     “Um…” the young Ixi stammered, removing his hat shyly, “I would love to help you,but I’m afraid I’m here for something else. My name is Draikin.”

     Illusen’s eyes flashed again, but looking at her, he noted that she appeared more curious than angry.

     “Here for something else?” she smiled, and with a slight gesture the Faerie Pteri flew up into the boughs of the star tree. “And whatever could that be?”

     “I—I was hoping that you could help me to get to Darigan Citadel.” Draikin gulped and the earth faerie stood quickly from the starflower in which she sat and approached the young Ixi, walking slowly around him, her wings flickering.

     “Darigan Citadel?” she asked sternly, “What business has a young Ixi like you, at Darigan Citadel?”

     “I need to see Lord Darigan’s ward.”

     Illusen looked at him sharply. “Ciara? How do you know her?”

     “Why, you know her too?” Draikin cried, relieved.

     “Know her?” Illusen said warily. “Of course I know of her! The question is how you know her!”

     Draikin looked at the earth faerie and took a deep breath. “She is my best friend.”

     There was a pause, and Illusen appeared to consider what she had just heard. Draikin clutched his hat tight in both hands. As the earth faerie slowly circled him again, he reached up and scratched his head.

     “That bracelet you wear,” Illusen said, and Draikin remembered the charm bracelet he wore that Mipsy had just given him. “Where did you get it?”

     “Um…a wizard gave it to me. Mipsy. She is my friend too.” Illusen cocked her head, a smile teasing the corners of her mouth.

     “Mipsy? Your friend too?” Draikin nodded earnestly and the earth faerie considered him for a moment that seemed to last forever.

     “Interesting company you keep, young prince!” Illusen said finally, laughing, and Draikin’s jaw dropped, “So you are the famous Draikin Blackfawn,” she chuckled, flying into the air. She zipped back to land on her starflower and rocked in the petals, laughing.

     “I was brought word early this morning that your father is looking for you.”

     The young Ixi gasped, looking up to where the Faerie Pteri, probably the messenger, sat on its branch. He began to back towards the entrance of the glade, but the earth faerie stopped him.

     “Wait, young prince. You’ll never reach the Citadel without me!” Illusen smiled at him. “We faeries are all sisters, Draikin. I only want what’s best for Ciara. I understand she has been very lonely.” The famous guardian of Meridel sighed and looked again at the Royal Ixi who stood before her. Finally, she chuckled again, under her breath. “Oh my. Lord Darigan will be simply horrified...”

To be continued…