A/N: Okay Kristy, this is for you. No one else ever reads this, but you wanted a new chapter, so here it is.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1 if you really care to know what I don't own.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The sun was setting slowly below the horizon as the four Jewel Riders and their Companions made their way down from the Upper Meadow. Another training session with the Cadets was over, but two weeks of them remained. This did nothing to help the teens' moods.
"When is this madness going to stop?" Drake exclaimed. "Four hours of doing nothing but trust exercises. Four hours of trust falls and trust searches!"
"I agree," Gwen said. "I understand that the Cadets need training and experience and that we're the best ones to teach that to them. But this time my mother has gone too far."
Then talk to her, Sunstar thought openly. As the leader, you have to right to discuss the affairs of the Jewel Riders with the Queen.
Please! Thunderbolt pleaded. I don't know how many more of these Cadet exercises I can take!
Everyone nodded and murmured in agreement. Gwen, understanding how they felt, agreed to talk to her mother when they next met. This put the group in a somewhat better mood, and conversation turned to the Starlight Ball, which was to be held next week.
Fallon and Moondance dropped to the rear of the group, uninterested in the topic. She knew that Drake and Gwen would go together by tradition and that Tamara would have her choice of suitors. The dark-haired girl sighed, knowing that once again she would be going alone, even though she was a Jewel Rider. If only I could stay home instead of being forced to go, she thought.
Sensing his friend's sadness, Moondance said nothing. He knew that Fallon's rejection among others was a touchy subject, even though she insisted that it no longer bothered her. Sighing to himself, the great unicorn ignored his Companion's hold on his mouth and trotted up to the group.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Darkness had fallen by the time the Jewel Riders returned to the stable. Eager to get out of the cold, they hurried through the gilded doors that led to the back wing where the Jewel Rider Companions were kept.
Everyone else had left for the night, so the stable was dark and silent. Reaching up, Drake found the lantern that hung from the ceiling and turned the key, dunking the wick in oil and lighting it. A soft, bright glow emerged, illuminating the spirits of the eight as well as the room. Forgetting their unhappiness, the four teens chatted merrily about nothing, their breaths making clouds in the air before them.
It was inevitable, however, for the conversation to return to that of the Ball. After making sure that Moondance was comfortable, Fallon turned and exited the stable. She hadn't said anything, which surprised the others. She felt their eyes on her back as she left.
The cold hit her hard. Fallon knew that she had a jacket inside, but she also knew that her friends would question her if she returned. She just needed some time alone, away from the predjudice of others and the responsibility of being a Jewel Rider.
Her solitude was short-lived, though. Looking out at the city and the darkening sky, she noticed a small light coming toward the stable. She thought nothing of it, assuming that it was just a rider coming home late from his ride. But when the light turned onto the path that led to the back of the stable, where the Jewel Rider Companions were kept, Fallon became worried.
The sound of pounding hooves and flailing rocks drew nearer by the second. Finally, a Messenger in a white uniform atop of chestnut horse came around the bend in the path. He halted sharply before Fallon, sending a shower of stones upon her. In defense, she closed her eyes and held her arms up before her face.
When she no longer felt the stones hitting her arms, the dark-haired girl opened her eyes. She saw that the Messenger had dismounted and was peering into the darkness beside her. He then turned and held out his lantern toward her. "Fallon?"
The teen quickly lowered her arms and straightened her back. Glancing at the Messenger's horse, she felt a pang of sorrow for the beast and his rider. They were not Companions; only Jewel Riders and royalty had that honor. I don't know what I'd do without Moondance, Fallon thought to herself, and to her unicorn as well. She felt him smile inside her head.
Smiling as well, she turned her attention to the Royal Messenger. "Yes?" she answered.
"Where are the other Jewel Riders? I have an important message for you all," the man said after bowing slightly to her.
The grin vanished from Fallon's face. Understanding the obvious importance of his message, she motioned toward the two golden stable doors. The Messenger nodded his understanding and followed the Jewel Rider inside.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When Gwen saw the Messenger and Fallon standing in the doorway, she quickly rose from the hay bale that she was sitting on and stood before him. Tamara and Drake did the same, and Fallon left the man's side and stood with the others.
The Messenger bowed to the group. "Greetings, Jewel Riders. Her Majesty the Queen sent me herself to deliver to you a very important message. Archer has been spotted just outside the gates of The Imperial City. You must embark immediately and drive her away!"
The eyes of the four teens widened in shock. "Thank you," Gwen said to the man. "We will follow your advice and depart as soon as possible." The Royal Messenger bowed again and left the stable.
As soon as he was gone, the Jewel Riders brought their Companions out of their stalls and quickly mounted. They then ran out of the barn and into the area where the Messenger had left his horse. The light of the man's lantern could be seen in the distance, slowly disappearing into the night as he headed back to the palace.
After transforming, the group, lead by Gwen, turned and galloped down the stone path. The pounding of hooves could be heard throughout The Imperial City as the Jewel Riders raced down the streets toward the Crystal Gates. All down the streets, people were hanging out of their doors and windows, waving and cheering. Hardly hearing them, the four teens and their Companions concentrated intensely on the task at hand. They had to drive Archer away as quickly as possible so that she couldn't do anything to the city or its citizens.
When the eight reached the Crystal Gates, they hurriedly greeted Jac, the gatekeeper. "Hello, Jewel Riders," he said cheerfully as he opened the great doors. "Good luck out there; Archer won't stand a chance."
"Thank you, Jac," Gwen said before she spurred Sunstar forward. "We'll keep your words in mind." With that, the gates were open, and the Jewel Riders charged out into the darkness.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The lights of The Imperial City were quickly swallowed by the night and the trees of the Forest of Nismath. Relying solely on the power of their jewels to guide them, the Jewel Riders slowed to a quick trot, dodging the close-set trees and scrubby undergrowth.
Realizing that Archer could be anywhere waiting to attack, Gwen thought to Sunstar, We should scout out above. There are too many places for Archer to hide here.
I agree, Sunstar thought back. With that, the yellow unicorn and her rider rose up above the canopy of trees.
Hearing his friend break through the trees, Moondance thought to Fallon, We should scout ahead. If anything's up there, we're the ones who can handle it.
The Jewel Rider smiled; her Companion was always confident of their abilities as a team. Sounds good to me, she thought back. Go for it.
Giving a playful buck, the twilight unicorn shot forward into the darkness. Prompted by the jewel, he made quick, sharp turns, dodging trees and other vegetation. Marvelling in the thrill of the ride, Fallon didn't notice what was before her until it was too late.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Okay, Kristy, sorry for the cliffy, but I don't feel like writing any more. I may update LOTR before I update UOB, I don't know. Thanks for reading; I appreciate it!