 An Unexpected Journey
by firefoxtails
--------
Rosemary sat at her desk and sighed, gazing around her room. She was totally, utterly bored. The little Red Usul had nothing to do; her chores (sweep the floor, put away the dishes) were finished, her homework was done, and her parents were still at work. She was fortunate that she was old enough to be left alone. Until last year, she had spent her after-school hours at a babysitter's house, along with half a dozen other youngsters. She recalled that every afternoon had been a scene of barely controlled bedlam, with kids tripping over each other and making so much noise that their sitter, Miss Johnson, frequently put her hands over her ears in feigned exasperation, calling loudly for "Silence, children!" Her pleas rarely worked. Well, things were silent now, thought Rosemary, sighing again. She was an only child and had lived in the same house in Neopia Central all her life. Her parents worked in the deep catacombs - her mother, Sarah, was a Blue Poogle who worked as a waitress in the coffee shop; her father, Norman, a Christmas Cybunny, was a curator in the art gallery. Nothing exciting ever happened in Neopia Central, but it was a pleasant place to live. As she sat wondering what she could do to pass the time, Rosemary's ears suddenly perked up - there was the unmistakable sound of a key in the front door! Her parents weren't due home for at least another hour; what on earth could be going on? She made her way to the front parlour just in time to see her father and mother coming in together in an obvious state of excitement. Before she could say anything, Rosemary's mother rushed over. Putting down her shopping bag and her handbag, she wrapped her arms around her daughter and gave her a huge hug. "We have some exciting news, honeypie!" said her mother with a beaming smile. "Your father has been invited to curate an art exhibit which is going to be held in the Lost Desert this weekend! We are going to accompany him, and the trip is going to last two days. Isn't it wonderful?" Rosemary could hardly believe it. Finally, something interesting was happening. She was going on a trip! The rest of the day was a blur of activity. Picking clothes to take, packing bags, notifying friends and neighbours that they would be absent for a couple of days. Her parents had already let her school know she would be out of class for the rest of the week, and her teacher agreed to hold any assignments and allow Rosemary to complete them without penalty when she returned. Their next-door neighbour had even promised to water Sarah's daffodils. Finally, they were off. It was late afternoon; Rosemary and her parents were travelling in a special overland coach Norman's job had hired, which meant they had the whole carriage to themselves. It was spacious and well-appointed, with plush fabric-covered seats. It would ensure a very comfortable ride. The planned route would lead them through the Haunted Woods and then straight to the Lost Desert, a journey of several hours. Rosemary was almost beside herself with excitement. Sitting by the open window, she took in the passing sights, watching stands of trees and buildings and all manner of fascinating activity go by. Gradually, Neopia Central fell behind them; after a couple of hours, the Haunted Woods came into view. Rosemary had never been to the Haunted Woods; in fact, she had never left Neopia Central before. This new land was both mysterious and intensely interesting. The atmosphere was nothing like home - instead of sunshine and warmth, there was gloom and a dank chill in the air. The road took them by an apparent haunted house, which looked uninhabited. Rosemary tried looking in the windows as they passed, but they were too dirty for her to see anything inside. A creepy tower loomed on one side of the road; eerie green light glowed from all the windows and doors, and looking at it caused Rosemary to shiver involuntarily. A little further down the road, they saw an imposing mansion of some kind; the driver informed them that it was the Castle of Eliv Thade, a local landmark most locals avoided whenever possible. Subconsciously, Rosemary scooted closer to her mother; interesting as the Haunted Woods were it was a bit frightening, and she was relieved when they passed through the outskirts of the place. She must have dozed off at some point, because the next thing she knew she was gently being shaken awake. She opened her eyes, rubbing them sleepily. She squinted slightly - glaring sunlight was coming through the carriage window, much brighter than the sunlight they were used to seeing back home. Her mother was standing in front of her, and when she saw that Rosemary was awake, Sarah spoke. "We're in the Lost Desert, Rosemary. Gather up your bags, your father's co-worker is going to take us to our room. Your father will be going to the gallery in the Palace immediately to oversee the setting up of the exhibition, but you and I are free to tour the local attractions. We can visit him later at the gallery once the exhibition opens this afternoon." Rosemary nodded, and retrieved her small bags from the overhead luggage rack. The driver opened the carriage door and she stepped down and outside. She was immediately struck by an enveloping heat - it was SO hot here! Holding her bags close she looked around. Various Neopets walked around, most clad in loose tunics and sandals. Some wore elaborate headdresses and skirts. Sarah explained that the garments they wore were much better suited to the hot, dry desert environment; she promised Rosemary that they would buy similar garments when they were sightseeing. As they stood by the coach they were approached by an Orange Grarrl, who reached and shook her father's paw. He was clad like one of the locals, in a white tunic with a fancy headpiece. "He looks like a pharaoh!" thought Rosemary. Her father introduced his colleague to his wife and daughter. "Sarah, Rosemary, this is Mr. Hargenson. He is the curator of the Palace art museum; he and I will be working together on the exhibit." Mr. Hargenson smiled warmly. "I am looking forward to it. I have worked with Norman on a couple of previous occasions and I know how good he is at his job! In the meantime - if you follow me I will take you to your room. King Jazan has graciously offered to let you stay in a guest room in the Palace." Mr. Hargenson motioned to a couple of porters who stood unobtrusively off to one side. Without speaking they relieved Rosemary and her mother of their baggage, and with a wave bade them follow. Rosemary and Sarah glanced at each other without speaking, then followed the porters into Sakhmet and up the steps into the Palace. Rosemary gasped in amazement, agog at the wonders of the palace environs. It was so fancy - gold and tapestries everywhere, even a burbling fountain in the foyer. She was so engrossed in looking around that she didn't notice that the porters had stopped - until she walked into the one carrying her bags. She grinned sheepishly and apologised. The porter bowed slightly and smiled. He then spoke. "Here is your room, honoured guests. We hope you enjoy your stay." With a flourish, he opened the door, and Rosemary and Sarah gasped in unison. The room was magnificently appointed, and seemed almost as big as their whole house back in Neopia Central. As she and her mother prepared to go sightseeing with a local tour guide (very thoughtfully provided by Mr. Hargenson) Rosemary thought to herself, "It's amazing how quickly things can go from extremely boring to unbelievably fascinating. Life sure is full of surprises!" The End.
| 
