Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I don't own the Never Ending Story, and I'm not making any money from this fic
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Atreyu rode across the plains on Artex, his horse. "Come on, Artex," he said softly. "Let's see if we can't get at least a little headway on the purple buffalo before we have to turn in for the night."
Artex snorted in agreement, and Atreyu laughed softly. "Come on, Artex, faster." He gently nudged Artex in the sides, and Artex began galloping across the plains.
Suddenly, Artex stopped dead. Atreyu nearly went over his horse's head, but managed to grab onto the reins just in time.
"Artex?" Atreyu frowned. "What is it? What's wrong?"
Artex snorted and lowered his head, apparently nudging at something on the ground. Atreyu couldn't see whatever it was because Artex's head was in the way.
"Ok," Atreyu murmured, sliding off Artex's back. "Let me take a look at what you've found..." His voice trailed off and his eyes widened as he saw the limp form on the ground.
It was a young girl with tangled auburn hair.Her eyes were shut, which meant that she was either unconscious, or was pretending to be. Atreyu was more inclined to go with the former. The girl really didn't look too good.
Atreyu gently pushed Artex away from the prone form, reached down, and gently shook the girl's shoulder.
Almost immediately, the girl's green eyes flew open, and she pulled sharply away from Atreyu, but then stopped as she took in her surroundings.
"Who are you?" the girl demanded.
Atreyu slowly shook his head. "Who are you?" he retorted. "And what are you doing in Fantasia?" Atreyu was pretty sure that this girl wasn't a native to Fantasia. She was wearing strange clothes, for one thing.
The girl continued looking around wildly. "Fantasia?" she said. "But... that's impossible. I was only just in a bookshop."
"There are no shops which sell books near here," Atreyu pointed out rather unnecessarily.
The girl hesitated, then ran a hand through her hair. "I must be dreaming," she decided.
Atreyu's face registered puzzlement. "Why would you think that?" he wanted to know.
"Because it's the only possible explanation," the girl replied calmly. "Other than I'm going mad, which is not something that I want to believe." She hesitated, then said, "My name's Rhiannon."
"I'm Atreyu," Atreyu replied. "And this is my horse Artex." He then looked at his horse. "I suppose we'd better get going," he sighed.
"I'll be leaving too," Rhiannon said, turning to go.
"Actually, you're not," Atreyu said calmly. "You're coming with me and Artex. I'm taking you to the Ivory Tower to see the Empress."
"I am not going with you!" Rhiannon protested.
"I'll make you," Atreyu threatened. "I'm stronger than you are."
"I am not going with you," Rhiannon repeated.
"Would you like me to tie you onto Artex?" Atreyu asked, taking a slight step towards Rhiannon with his hand half-raised.
"You wouldn't dare!" Rhiannon gasped, shrinking back from him.
"Get on Artex and I won't."
Rhiannon looked down and mumbled something.
"What was that?" Atreyu asked.
Rhiannon raised her head again and glared at Atreyu. "I said that I can't ride a horse!" she snapped. "I've never even sat on one before."
Atreyu just shrugged. "Then you're going to have to learn, aren't you?" he replied.
Rhiannon stared at him. "That's not fair!" she protested.
"You are going to the Ivory Tower," Atreyu said. "Even if I have to tie you onto my horse to make sure of it! I think that you must be an Earthling, and, if you are, then that means that you're here for a reason. Earthlings don't just arrive in Fantasia by accident."
"If you lay one finger on me, I'll scream," Rhiannon threatened.
"Go ahead," Atreyu replied. "No one's near enough to hear you or come to your aid in time. You'll end up coming with me anyway, so you can either come along quietly, or I can make you come along. It's your choice."
"I'm going to fall off," Rhiannon muttered as she dragged her feet back over to Atreyu and Artex.
"No, you won't," Atreyu replied calmly. "I'll be sitting behind you. I won't let you fall off." He pointed at the stirrup. "Now put your foot here and pull yourself up. Make sure you get your other leg over," he added.
Rhiannon looked at the horse and gulped. "You'd better keep still," she muttered, bracing her hands on Artex's sides. Then, she tried to get her foot into the stirrup, but just ended up accidentally pushing herself away from the horse.
Atreyu rolled his eyes, and then slipped his arms around Rhiannon's waist and lifted her up slightly so that she could get her foot into the stirrup.
"Thanks," Rhiannon muttered, swinging her other leg over the horse, and then grabbing Artex around the neck.
Atreyu got onto Artex behind Rhiannon. "Don't strangle Artex," he told her. "I'm not going to let you fall off. Hold onto the reins."
Rhiannon hesitated, then slowly loosened her stranglehold around Artex's neck and gripped hard onto the reins instead.
Atreyu slipped his hands around Rhiannon's waist, and took hold of the reins, his hands resting on hers. "Comfortable?" he asked.
"No, not really," Rhiannon admitted.
Atreyu just shrugged, and gently nudged Artex into movement.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read and review, please!