Disclaimer: Neopets is not mine. The different assorted Faeries belong to Neopets, therefore are not mine.
THE FAERIE REBELLION: PART ONE – IN THE DARKNESS
Chapter One – Secrets Abound
"Why are we all here? Isn't this dangerous?"
"This is ridiculous. Every Dark Faerie this side of Kredulor is here—don't you think that Fyora may view that as suspicious?"
"Who cares what that jumped-up snob of a Faerie thinks. Be quiet; let Zysha explain everything. I know she wouldn't risk calling us here without a reason."
Zysha the Darkest Faerie let her subjects whisper amongst themselves for only a few moments before stepping into the dimly lit room. "Sisters," she called out, raising gloved hands, making sure her hood shadowed her face. Even though she could not be truly recognized, the room silenced immediately. Everyone could feel the feeling of power emanating from the figure. As she slowly made her way to the front of the room where the podium was positioned, the only noise she heard was the gentle whisper of wings fanning the air.
Unhurriedly she walked forward. As she passed, wings were folded a little tighter so as not to touch hers, dresses pulled in a little more to avoid brushing the black folds of her cloak. She could practically taste the fear radiating from the pale beings surrounding her. A smile twisted her red lips and ashen faces paled even further. She stepped behind the podium and heard a soft collective sigh drift though the audience—the Darkest Faerie had passed with no trouble.
"Sisters," Zysha repeated. "Why do we hide in darkened rooms to meet with friends? Why can we not meet without fearing for our safety? Why must we spend our lives looking over our shoulder, waiting for Fyora to strike?" she pleaded, dark purple eyes glinting. She surveyed the room in front of her. Dozens of almost white faces gazed up at her, fear leaking through masks of attentiveness and interest. She pushed back her hood to show the equally pale face framed by the normal purple hair. Hers hung in ringlets down her back, pinned back with expensive barrettes of onyx. A lone onyx stone hung in the center of her forehead, suspended by a chain of fine gold
Another collective gasp was heard, only this time the other Dark Faeries did not even try to conceal it. The stone on her head represented absolute queenship over all the Faeries—something she was not even considered for. Fyora did not even claim the title; she was merely the appointed ruler and would step aside when her four centuries was up. A low murmur swept through the assembled Faeries like a spring wind. Zysha knew she had to crush all doubt before her plan would work.
"I know I presume too much with this," she began, indicating the jewel. "But I honestly do not think that we can rightfully regain our place in Faerieland unless the other Faeries believe that want our respect back that badly."
The murmur, dead while she spoke, sprang up again with a renewed force. "But Jhudora lives in Faerieland without a problem," a voice was heard in a lull. Every head snapped to the speaker, a Faerie in her late second century. She blushed a deep red, making the hues in her face look almost human. "She's a Dark Faerie and no one minds her there. Mortals even visit her for quests—" she was quickly cut off by Zysha.
She hissed, "Don't be ridiculous, Everlee." The young Faerie hung her head abashed. Zysha continued in this vein. "Jhudora is only a Dark Faerie in color. She lives like an Air Faerie on that pretty little cloud of hers and licks Fyora's boots every time the so-called queen so much as twitches. Fyora only puts up with her because of the number of mortals she attracts to that outlandish floating city. Were Jhudora not so weak in her beliefs, she would be cast out like the rest of us."
Everlee stuck her chin up defiantly. "If Jhudora can live in peace with the other Faeries, why can't we?" she argued.
Zysha smiled poisonously. "Little Faerie, if we came out of hiding, we would be captured in little jars and sold by mortals. Oh," she exclaimed with wide eyes at the blank looks in front of her. "Didn't you know Fyora condones the bottle trade? She allows Balthazar and other trappers to capture any troublesome Faerie they come across. Which means us," she finished, words laced with venom.
Everlee blanched. The whole rooms broke out in angry shouts. Zysha stepped away from the podium, smug that her plan worked without a hitch. She motioned to her bodyguards, four humorless Dark Faeries with muscles as big as her head. They stepped out from the shadows as one and escorted their leader out the door. Everlee waited until she was sure she would not be missed, then followed her false queen out.
"My Queen, there's a Dark Faerie at the gates. She insists she must speak with you," a Fire Faerie soldier said breathlessly.
Queen Fyora frowned prettily, not happy about being woken up at nearly three in the morning, especially over Dark Faeries. Dark Faeries, with the exception of Jhudora, were most definitely banned from Faerieland for ten centuries. Now one wanted wake her to speak to her after less than two centuries into the ban? "Send her to the dungeons for entering while under exile. I shall send a guard to interrogate her in the morning." She laid back down, a clear dismissal to the guard.
"I'm sorry my Queen. She said it was urgent. She was speaking of," the guard hesitated, "rebellion, my Lady. She said Zysha has set herself up as the next absolute queen."
Fyora shot back up. "Bring this Faerie to me. Immediately!" she snapped, purple eyes cold.
Within minutes, the Dark Faerie was brought into the queen's personal chambers, a privilege granted to few and coveted by many. However, the pale Faerie did not look like the appreciated the honor. She was forced to her feet by the two Fire Faerie guards as she showed no indication of bowing, even to the Queen she was there to help.
"Tell me of this rebellion, Dark Faerie" Fyora barked. The diminutive Faerie suddenly seemed to tower above the kneeling creature imperiously as the other Faerie crafted an answer.
"My name is Everlee, Lady," she said bitterly, using the title of a noblewoman to address the queen. Fyora tightened her lips, but did not reply, as that was why the Dark Faeries were banished from the cloud—they did not acknowledge her as queen. "Zysha—our leader—has just declared herself as absolute queen and she means to take the title with blood. She said you are not fit to be queen because you—"
"Stop," the pink-haired Faerie commanded, glancing at the two guards. They were staring at Everlee with undisguised interest. To them she said, "Show Mistress Everlee to her rooms. On the third level," Fyora clarified, specifying a floor where the rooms were sparsely furnished yet still comfortable. "I will call the Council tomorrow morning…today…at exactly noon. Make sure they are aware of this. Oh," she added as an afterthought. "Feed and clothe Mistress Everlee so she is presentable to the Council, also."
The two guards bowed and drug the purple creature to her feet. Not unkindly, they hurried her out the door. Fyora watched them leave, waiting until the heavy doors had swung shut before collapsing onto her bed. She laid there until morning, thinking furiously.
Author's notes: Someone at Neopets dared me to write a not-happy Faerie fic. Ha! Here it is! I can't remember who it was, though…so if you happen to be the person who dared me, neomail me, K? (I'm tkdgurl314)