Chapter Three
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Never Ending Story, and I'm not making any money from this fic
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A couple of days of riding later, Atreyu was ready to literally gag Rhiannon. She was forever arguing with him and refusing to do what he said. Of course, it didn't really help that Atreyu just argued right back.
At least Rhiannon hadn't fallen off Artex yet. That was one thing she couldn't complain about.
Not that she didn't find a lot to complain about anyway. She complained about anything from being hungry to being saddlesore. She was driving Atreyu mad.
Atreyu guessed that one of the reasons why Rhiannon was complaining so much was because she was trying to get him to just let her go. Atreyu refused to do that... But gagging Rhiannon was becoming a more and more tempting option.
"Isn't it time to eat yet?" Rhiannon asked. "I want to stretch my legs. They ache."
Atreyu sighed, and clenched his fists on the reins. He really felt like slapping Rhiannon at that particular moment. When he felt that he could speak calmly, he said, "We already ate about an hour ago. If we're not careful, we'll end up running out of food."
"Well, I could just leave, then," Rhiannon said brightly.
"Forget it," Atreyu replied. "You're not leaving. However, if you continue to complain, I will gag you."
"You wouldn't dare!" Rhiannon gasped.
Atreyu pulled back lightly on Artex's reins, causing the horse to stop. Then, he slid off the horse and started looking through one of the saddlebags.
"What are you doing?" Rhiannon demanded.
"Looking for some cloth and rope," Atreyu answered, finding some.
"That's not fair!" Rhiannon protested.
"I'm getting tired of your complaining," Atreyu told her. "If I have to tie you up and gag you to stop you complaining, I will."
"You're mean!" Rhiannon said.
Atreyu just shrugged. "You can either stop complaining, or I'll gag you," he threatened.
"All right," Rhiannon muttered. "I'll stop complaining. But I don't like you very much, and I'm not travelling with you any further than the Ivory Tower."
"The feeling is mutual," Atreyu muttered, putting the cloth and rope away again and getting back on Artex.
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The Ivory Tower was in a lovely town with a lot of people in it. Rhiannon looked around. "Oh, it's lovely here," she said in a pleased tone.
Glad to hear it," Atreyu muttered, bringing Artex to a halt and sliding off. Before Rhiannon could get off, he reached out, and lifted her off Artex.
"Thank you," Rhiannon murmured.
Atreyu took hold of Artex's reins, and started leading his horse towards the tower. Rhiannon had to hurry to keep up with him.
"How are we going to get inside?" Rhiannon asked, looking up at the Ivory Tower.
"I'm sure that the Empress already knows that we're coming," Atreyu replied.
At that moment, a pretty young girl of about Atreyu's age wearing white and with long black hair came down the steps. "Atreyu," she greeted in a soft, calm voice.
Atreyu bowed. "Empress Moonchild," he said. "I came here because I found this Earthling child on the plains." He nodded to Rhiannon, who wasn't sure whether to try curtsying or not. She settled for a kind of awkward half-bow. "I though that you would know why she was here in Fantasia," Atreyu added.
"I do, as it happens," the Empress replied. "It is no coincidence that this Earthling child ended up in your company, Atreyu. I was going to send for you anyway."
"What do you mean?" Atreyu asked.
"You and this human child must find the four Ancient Treasures," the Empress answered.
Rhiannon stared at the Empress. "What?!" she cried. "I am not going to travel with him any further!" And then, she turned and ran off further into the city.
Atreyu started to go after her, but the Empress stopped him. "Leave her," she said. "She will not leave the city. Let her come back to you."
Atreyu chose not to answer that. "What are the four Ancient Treasures that we have to find?" he asked instead.
"We're not sure," the Empress replied. "But you will know them when you see them. You will have a little time before you have to leave. I suggest that you use that time to teach your Earthling child how to defend herself in a fight."
"But that could take ages!" Atreyu protested.
"Then you'd better get started, then, hadn't you?"
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