The Golden Quill: Part Four

      Fyora overheard the announcement and hurried to Ms. Daldreda's classroom. She wasn't sure why the stolen bracelet would be returned to a teacher instead of put back into her room, but she was thrilled to think that she might get her favorite bracelet back.

      She knocked on the door and was glad to hear a "Come in" from inside. She pushed back the door and was slightly surprised to see a dark faerie sitting behind a desk, but she quickly masked her surprise and spoke to Ms. Daldreda.

      "I heard your announcement, and I just recently lost my bracelet. I think it was stolen from my room, and I'm just hoping that I can get it back, because that bracelet is important to me."

      Ms. Daldreda smiled. "Of course, dear. However, to be sure that you aren't lying, please describe this bracelet as well as you can."

      Fyora shrugged. "It's pale blue with pink, purple, and blue crystals. That's really the only way that I can describe it. "

      "Well, I'm happy to say that we've found your bracelet, but I'm not that happy to say that you are receiving a detention for not taking better care of your possessions. It is our duty at PFA to make sure that you learn how to be responsible. Losing one of your favorite pieces of jewelry is not responsible."

      "But Ms. Daldreda, my room was broken into! In fact, it should still be a mess because I haven't cleaned it yet. I haven't had the chance. Please come with me and I can show you!"

      Ms. Daldreda rolled her eyes but complied with the young faerie. "Very well, I will go with you."

      Fyora led Ms. Daldreda to her room and opened her door to reveal her mess of a room. However, instead of a room that looked like a tornado had run through it, her room was spotless. Her bed was made, and everything was where it should be, with the exception of her missing bracelet.

      Fyora was speechless. "But it... It was... But... How..."

      Ms. Daldreda frowned. "This does not bode well for you, Fyora. You have detention tomorrow and maybe for some time after that. It depends on how tomorrow turns out."

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

      "Turns out that her royal highness heir to the throne stole your bracelet, then she made up some ridiculous story about her room being broken into, oddly enough, her story makes me think exactly of your room, only she lost her bracelet and you lost some books. She has detention tomorrow, and I'll add you to the roster, but you can have your confrontation with her as soon as she gets into the classroom. I'd love to know how this all turns out. Oh, and you might want to make sure that you leave your room a mess, because that just strengthens the case against her."

      Marilena grinned. "Then it's a good thing that I was too upset to clean it up. Although I don't quite see her being stupid enough to actually look for her lost bracelet. I mean, she isn't nearly as smart as me, but that was a really stupid thing to do. But I wonder how she'll respond to my accusations. She'll probably just claim that it wasn't her fault. What should we do about it then?"

      Ms. Daldreda grinned. "For stealing and lying, she can be suspended or expelled, but given the state of your room, we can probably get her expelled. That'll look really good on her record. The heir to the throne expelled from school for stealing and lying."

      Marilena continued smiling, unable to stop even if she wanted to do so. "I can't wait for tomorrow. Hey, who has detention tomorrow?"

      "I was able to trade today for tomorrow with one of the other teachers, so it'll be in my room. That way I can act as the judge and suspend Fyora. Then I'll talk to the school board and see if we can get her expelled."

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

     "I don't know what to do! I have no proof, and the rules at the school are so very strict!"

     "I'm sure that something can be arranged. After all, it isn't your fault. I'm sure that the Queen can make sure that you stay in the school."

     "I know, but it's still not right! Who could have done that to my room!"

     "Well, I might have helped just a bit."

     "What are you talking about?"

     "Fyora, I messed up your room, planted your bracelet in the other faerie's room, and then I took her books and put them in your room. The Queen can keep you in the school, but she won't. She won't know. She's a bit busy today. Something important came up. Oh well, I'm sure you'll try to find your way out of this mess. It's just too bad that you won't be able to. You never deserved to be the Queen anyway. That's my title. It's just too bad that the Queen didn't realize that before she chose you as the next heir. But any decision can be reversed, given the proper incentive."

     "What do you mean 'proper incentive'?"

     Maricia gave Fyora a look that implied that she was in the far superior position and that she pitied Fyora for being so inferior.

     "It's ok, dear, not everybody is a fast learner. I'll say it in small words, just to be sure that you understand. I want to be the next queen. You are in my way. I am getting you out of my way by disgracing you in front of your school and, more importantly, in front of the queen. She won't want you to be the next heir, so she'll cast you out and have you replaced. If all goes according to plan, I'll be the next queen. Now, can your little mind understand that simple concept?"

     Fyora was on the verge of tears. She hadn't chosen to be the heir to the throne, and she was being wrongly accused of a crime that she had not committed.

     "Aw, what's wrong, little Fyora? Why don't you just save yourself the shame and run away before you're put on trial like the common criminal you're no doubt going to become?"

     Fyora turned and fled from Maricia's chambers to her own room. She looked around and found nothing of importance. She had some neopoints saved up that she took with her, but all of her other possessions were left behind. She ran from her room as her tears streamed down her face and fell to the floor. Each tear was perfectly shaped, and each tear was a separate sorrow and emotion that was being felt by the young faerie.

     Fyora was finally able to stop her tears and she started looking for a ride to Neopia. Although she had wings and could fly, Fyora wasn't yet able to fly long distances. She had to find a ride to Neopia.

     Fyora saw a faerie Eyrie and asked her for directions. "Excuse me, Miss. Where would I find a ride to Neopia?"

     "Hello, dear. If you go to the end of the road there should be a group of Uni relaxing. One of them might give you a ride, assuming that you can pay them, of course."

     "That won't be a problem. Thank you for your help!"

     "Good day, child."

     Fyora hurried down the path indicated and, as predicted, found a group of Uni.

     "Excuse me, but would any of you be willing to take me down to the mainland? I can pay you, of course."

     "Kid, if you want a ride, you can just take a number. We aren't here 'cause we're lazy. We're here 'cause we're exhausted."

     Fyora was taken aback by the Uni's rudeness, but before she could respond, a spotted Uni walked up to her.

     "Don't pay him any mind. He's still mad that his old owner turned him pink before dumping him in the pound. He can't afford another paint brush, so everybody that sees him assumes that he's a girl. It's made him rather rude as of late. Now, I'd be happy to take you down to Neopia. Where in particular would you like to go?"

     "I think I'd like to go down to Neopia Central, if you don't mind. How much will that cost me?"

     "Usually that ride would cost ten thousand neopoints, but because Naz was so rude to you, I'll take you down for free."

     "But I couldn't let you do that!"

     "You can, and you will if you want that ride. Do we have a deal?"

     Fyora giggled and lightly hugged the spotted Uni. "Yes, we have a deal."

     "Good. Now hop on!"

     Fyora gently climbed atop the spotted Uni.

     "I don't even know your name!"

     "My name is Ayana. What's yours?"

     "My nickname is Varia."

     "It's nice to meet you, Varia. Now hold on tight. Don't be worried about pulling on my mane. I'll let you know if I'm in pain. I'm more concerned that you could fall off."

     "Ok Ayana. Thank you very much for the ride!"

     "It's my pleasure. Hold on tight!"

     Fyora tried to hold on tightly to Ayana's hair without causing her any pain. She quickly discovered that if she didn't hold on tightly, she'd be plummeting down to the ground below, so despite her fears of hurting Ayana, she held on with as firm of a grasp that she could have.

     After an enjoyable flight, Ayana landed and helped Fyora off.

     "It was quite a joy to take you down here, Varia. If you ever need a ride again and I'm in the area, let me know."

     "Ok, but next time I'm paying you for your time."

     "Sounds fair to me. Oh, and Varia, when you've hit your lowest point and there's nothing left to say, find the blue Techo who can help you find the words."

     "What are you talking about?"

     Ayana leaped into the air and began her flight back to Faerieland. She turned her head back and yelled to Fyora, "When the time comes you will understand!"

     Fyora's confusion was obvious due to her facial expression.

     "What did she mean by that?"

     As she pondered the question, Fyora went to the bank and deposited her savings. She was thankful for the high denomination coins that had been released. She didn't carry many coins but she managed to save up a total of fifty thousand neopoints.

     "That's a nice collection, little lady. If you open up an account, we can keep your neopoints quite safe. Just make sure you don't withdraw your points too often. That makes some of our employees mad. Some of our employees you don't want to make mad."

     "Thank you, sir. To withdraw, do I just walk up and give my account number along with the neopoints that I want to withdraw?"

     "That's right, little miss. Is that everything for now?"

     "Yes, thank you. Have a nice day!"

     The green Skeith eyed the fifty thousand neopoints in his hand. "You too, miss."

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

     "Did you hear what happened?"

     "No, what?"

     "The bank was robbed!"

     "You're kidding!"

     "Nope. The manager was going to the back to deposit some neopoints when a mysterious being knocked him unconscious. When he regained consciousness, all the neopoints were gone!"

     "No way, all of them?"

     "That's what I heard."

     Fyora walked up to the two gossiping pets. "Excuse me, but were you talking about the bank just now?"

     The striped Kiko rolled her eyes but the royal Zafara turned to Fyora to answer her question.

     "Yes. Apparently it was robbed late last night."

     "Oh dear. All my neopoints were there!"

     "I'm sorry. Perhaps you can earn more somehow."

     "Yes, of course. Thank you for your help."

     As Fyora turned and walked away, she didn't hear the gossiping pets any longer.

     "That was odd. Why would that young faerie be all alone?"

     "That was a faerie? I thought it was a human wearing some fake wings. But who cares? I want to find out more about the robbery!"

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

     "Excuse me, Mr. Skeith, but were my points insured?"

     The green Skeith looked at Fyora and couldn't stop his laughter.

     "I don't know what you've been told, but that's not how things work. We protect your neopoints. If for some reason we can't, it's your loss. Hey, I remember you. Didn't you deposit 50k?"

     "Yes."

     "Then you're the reason I'm in this mess! It was your neopoints that I went to deposit when that thing knocked me unconscious! Get out of here, kid."

     "But Mr. Skeith, I didn't do anything."

     "Scram, kid. I don't want to see you in here again."

     Fyora was downcast and slightly angry, but she obeyed the Skeith and left the bank.

     As she walked away from Neopia Central, she spoke softly to herself. "Now I have no neopoints for anything, and nobody cares who I am. What am I going to do now?"

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

     "You were right, Maricia. She was the wrong choice. I must now find a new heir."

     "I am sorry to have been right, Leeana. I hope that this time you find the right faerie."

     "You know what, Maricia? I think I always knew her. You would be a far better queen than Fyora would be, at least I realize that now. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it until she vandalized another student's room and stole some of her possessions. Should anything happen to me, you are next in command."

To be continued...