Chaos In Faerieland: Part One

      Many years ago, before Faerieland was created, and the faeries were not dominating lands, Sloth had tried to capture them all. He tried to make them his slaves to work at Virtupets. Queen Fyora wasn't sure what to do. After many days of thinking, she finally concocted a plan. She would create a new world that all the faeries could flee to. All Queen Fyora had to do was find a proper place for their land. She thought of the sky, since all Faeries had wings. So she flew ten-thousand miles into the sky and brought clouds and earth, space and air, and everything together to create the now populated floating island.

      Queen Fyora smiled at the land she had created. Just then, a messenger faerie burst through the door. "Queen Fyora," she said, curtsying to the Queen of all Faeries, "Illusen has invited you to her glade. She wishes for you to bring a tea set." Queen Fyora scruntized the messenger Faerie before her. She did not recognize this Faerie at all, and she knew every Faerie in Faerieland! She became suspicious, but nodded all the same.

      "Yes, please tell Illusen that I will be there shortly. Tell her to have food ready, Faerie. Thank you," she replied, and forced a smile. The faerie curtsied again, and then left.

      "Hmm…who is this new faerie? I know every faerie that lives in Neopia, but who is this?" she mumbled to herself. She decided to go the Meridell and see Illusen. If she was not expecting her, then someone was concocting a plot against Queen Fyora and all of the Faeries.

      She left the Tower shortly to visit Illusen. As she was leaving, the messenger Faerie hurried inside, and Queen Fyora did not notice.

      * * *

      Queen Fyora saw Meridell and landed before the king's castle. In the distance, she saw the Darigan Citadel. She hoped that Sloth wasn't anywhere near Meridell. But all the same she rushed to the glade.

      "Illusen!" she called in a sing-song voice. "Illusen, dear, it's Queen Fyora! I've come to join you for tea!"

      The smell of roasted chokato's wafted to Queen Fyora from the kitchen. "Oh, I'll be there in just a minute, Queen Fyora. Please make yourself at home!" called Illusen, who was rushing around the kitchen in her hurry.

      Queen Fyora sat down on the earthy couch, and sat up straight, awaiting Illusen and the delicious smelling food.

      Finally, after what seemed like hours, Illusen came into the living room, with a big smile and a huge tray of food.

      As she placed the food on the table she said, "Sorry I took long, Queen Fyora. I hadn't expected you today. The messenger Faerie said to me exactly:

      The Queen of all Faeries wishes to have afternoon tea with in just a few moments. She wishes you to make the food, and she will bring the tea set.

      Normally when you come to visit me, you tell me in at least three days advance."

      Queen Fyora nodded and tried to piece the mystery together. "Illusen," said Queen Fyora, as patient and sweet as possible, "I thought you invited me for tea. The messenger faerie told me exactly:

      Queen Fyora, Illusen has invited you to her glade. She wishes for you to bring a tea set.

      And, also, the faerie did not look familiar to me. I know all faeries, but this faerie just didn't ring a bell. Do you know what's going on?"

      Illusen could only stare at the Queen. After a few moments silence she finally said, "It could be the plot of Sloth. After all, he did try to enslave all faeries didn't he?" Queen Fyora nodded. "And, doesn't he occasionally visit the Darigan Citadel? Or does he live there? No, he is part of Virtupets and…" said Illusen.

      Queen Fyora was confused my Illusen's mumble about Sloth so she said, "Not to interrupt your train of thought, Illusen, but you are confusing me with all this talk of Sloth. You aren't sure where he resides, but you also aren't sure of where he goes. Sloth is invincible. We must find out all that we can. Will you help me Illusen? Please? I could really use it."

      Illusen bit her lip in thought. She wasn't sure if she wanted to risk her home and life to help her Queen. She looked at Queen Fyora and knew that her Queen would do anything to save her, and decided to help.

      "Yes. I'll help you. What should I do, Queen Fyora?" asked Illusen. Queen Fyora thought for a moment and then said, "I want you to warn all of the other faeries of the danger we may be in, Illusen. Tell them that I am warning them, and that they should go into hiding until I tell them that it is safe. Also, tell them to inform me of their whereabouts, so that when we are all out of danger, I can tell them so. It would be bad luck if Sloth attempted to enslave all faeries again."

      Illusen nodded and then asked, "Shall I go and tell them now?" Queen Fyora nodded, and after Illusen flew off, she hurried back to the Hidden Tower.

      As soon as her feet touched ground, she was overcome with Faeries. They were all crowding around her, and she did not know why.

      "Queen Fyora!" shouted the Crossword Faerie. "Please follow me, where you will not be bombarded with paparazzi," she called and hurried toward the Library. Queen Fyora followed, and so did all of the paparazzi, but once the Crossword Faerie and Queen Fyora entered, the paparazzi dispersed.

      "Queen Fyora," said the Crossword Faerie, "you may know that we are in mortal danger. Sloth has concocted a plan to once again, attempt to enslave all faeries. Everyone knows about this, thanks to Illusen."

      Queen Fyora nodded, and then gasped. "Oh, my! This was not the effect I had hoped for when I told Illusen to inform the Faeries! I wanted them to go into hiding, but, oh, this is chaos. What should we do, Elizabeth?" asked Queen Fyora, furrowing her brow in thought. The Crossword Faerie pursed her lips and closed her eyes. For a moment, Queen Fyora thought that the Crossword Faerie had given up on her, but just then she opened her eyes and spoke slowly and carefully.

      "Sloth is evil and deceiving. We cannot be sure what he may up to. We do not even know how far he will go to enslave the Faeries, what sacrifices he will make, what risks he will take. We know none of this. So we must tread carefully. We must walk quietly and carry a big stick. Being cautious and showing no emotion or knowledge of the current situation may be the best thing we could do at the moment. Sloth should not know that we know of his plot, so we must go about our daily lives and try not to expect anything from Sloth. If you like, I can tell all of the faeries about this right now, so they stop their flurrying."

      Queen Fyora thought about what the Crossword Faerie just said. It seemed to make sense, but in other ways it did not. This idea of the Crossword Faerie's was not a plan at all. It was taking absolutely no action to protect themselves against evil Sloth. Queen Fyora did not want to risk her people and land to take the advice of the Crossword Faerie. But all the same, she had no plan yet, and decided to go along with the Crossword Faerie.

      "Ok, Elizabeth. If it is good for the colony. I just want my people to be safe. I want you to be safe. If you think this would be good, then I want you to tell all the faeries of the plan," replied Queen Fyora. The Crossword Faerie smiled at her Queen and went to tell all the faeries of Queen Fyora's orders.

      Queen Fyora let out a sigh and put her head in her hands. After a while, she heard the scuffling of feet and she looked up. There was no one around her, but there was now a sheet of paper on the table.

      It was addressed to her. She opened the letter and read it. It said:

      Queen Fyora. You may know me, and you may not. But all the same I cannot risk revealing myself to you. I have come to help you. I work in secret and may be able to help you. I understand that the colony of Faeries is in danger. I can confirm your fears that Sloth is behind all of this, even though I too, wish it were not so. I can also tell you that you must put the Faeries in hiding. If you do not, they will be captured. And I must also tell you that one of your Faeries is not working for you. They are working for Sloth. I am not sure who, but I can confirm that this information is correct. If you wish for me to help you, please leave this on the table and hurry back to the Hidden Tower. Someone has ransacked it. Hurry, Queen Fyora! There is no time to waste dawdling when your colony is in danger!

      She read it over and over. She decided that if her tower was in pieces, that this person wanted to help. So she left the note on the table and rushed to her tower and flew to the top floor.

      She pushed open the oak door and gasped at the scene. Her possessions were lying on the ground. Some were smashed and broken. Things were knocked over, bags were opened, everything was havoc. In the middle of the room was a little note. She decided to go and pick it up…

To be continued...