Previously

A gigantic storm was sweeping over Ireland, this storm was huge and spectacular, it was entirely unexpected, it seemed to have come from no where.

Slowly a figure came walking from the blast. A womanly figure with godly curves and a body to die for. The white mist blew away in the wind and the beautiful figure was revealed to the world. She radiated beauty.

A gold sparkle lit up in the middle of the now pink ball and suddenly a boy's face filled the ball. She gasped in The Key's beauty.

Meanwhile in Holly's home - Artemis leapt off the bed and fell to his knees in front of Holly, his whole body shaking and quivering. Tears streaming down his face and sparkling like diamonds.

" HOLLY ! PLEASE ! I'M SO ALONE, AM ALL ALONE ! HOLLY PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME !"

Holly bent down and threw her arms over Artemis' neck and fell to her knees also, all the emotion caught up with her and soon the pair were gripping eachother tight and crying their hearts out.

The Key's Protector

Artemis poured his breakfast tea into his cup and sipped it. He creased his nose in disgust. This lukewarm monstrosity the faires called Tea was no where near the standard of a good old Earl Grey.

But how do I know ? None of that's actually happened remember

The normality he had achieved shattered and the cup fell from his sudden loose grip and smashed on the floor. Holly shot around and looked from the broken cup to Artemis' pale face. Gently she lifted a hand to his cheek and rubbed it soothingly.

" You can't continue like this Artemis, it's not healthy. Your make yourself ill."

Artemis moved his face away from her hand, his indifferent facade falling straight into place.

" Fine do that Artemis. Keep your emotions under lock and key. You can't do that forever. It'll come out. Like last night."

Anger flared in Artemis' dark blue eyes.

" What do you care ? I'd thought you'd be over the moon, away to get rid of me at last."

Holly felt her own temper flare.

" YOU UNGRATEFUL BASTARD ! I HAVEN'T HAD A WINK OF SLEEP SINCE I'VE FOUND OUT ! I WAS SCARED TO GOT TO SLEEP INCASE YOU NEEDED ME. YOU UNGRATEFUL MORON !"

Artemis just stared at her stunned. His face completely devoid of emotion. Holly looked at him worriedly and sighed.

" I didn't mean it Artemis."

Artemis closed his eyes and when he opened them a animalistic look came to his eyes. He looked quickly at the front door and bolted for it.

" ARTEMIS NO !"

Holly rushed outside after him but he had gone.

Artemis ran and ran until he felt something shoot him. He pulled out a dart from his neck and turned. Five armed LEP officers held Neutrios at him. They had circled around him, drawing in closer. Artemis slowly felt the dart kick into action as he fell to his knees, not having the energy to stand. He tried to say Holly but he managed Hol before his tongue stopped obeying him.

The Commander without a Neutrio gripped his shoulder painfully tight.

" GET THE MUDMEN COLLAR !"

He barked.

The officer returned with a heavy looking metal collar, Artemis tried to fight the officer off but he was hit hard on his cheek by the Commander, making his head droop from the dart. The Commander put his other hand into Artemis's raven hair and pulled his head up.

" DO IT NOW D'AVRIT !"

The officer nodded and put the collar around Artemis' neck attaching it at the back and locking it with a code on the mini keyboard pad locked onto the back of the collar. Artemis ran a finger over the collar before he collapsed.

Artemis could hear buzzing, as the sound got clearer it became apparent that the buzzing was infact talking. Lots of people talking at once.

" He knows"

" What should we do ? We haven't had to deal with a mud man in Haven for months ?"

" We've become soft, Artemis Fowl for instance, we just mind wiped him. And now look another has found us. We should kill him."

" But that makes us the same as them, the same as the mud people !"

A sly voice, Artemis recognised as Sool, suddenly entered the conversation.

" I have a proposal, we are faires officers, we value life. All means of life. But I agree, we have been too soft, I propose servitude, and I know just the the fairy for the job."

Artemis bolted awake, the faires all turned around and smiled sinisterly at him.

" All those in favour of my proposition say aye !"

"AYE !"

" It is done. The owner shall be contacted immediately at this number, they are to be told to either accept and collect today or he'll be put to death. I'll have Foaly watch over him."

Sool ordered before smirking at Artemis and leaving.

Artemis couldn't speak, he gripped the bars of his cage, his mind racing over what had been said.

Owner ? Who's owner, surly not mine. I am not a servant to be brought !

The door to the cold room opened again and an extremely miserable Foaly walked in.

" Foaly thank goodness ! Let me out, get me out of here quick ! Before they return !"

Foaly looked thoroughly miserable now and he shook his head and walked closer to the cage.

" First off I don't know the code, secondly there's a tracker in that collar. Artemis please listen. Holly's being contacted right now. I've warned her in advance so she'll say yes -"

" WHAT ! SO SHE'LL SAY YES ! I AM NOT A SERVANT, I'M ARTEMIS FOWL THE SECOND, A CRIMINAL MASTERMIND GENIUS !"

Foaly looked at him pityingly.

" Your not exactly a servant Artemis, but it's not forever right after the night that the ritual has to be done everything will return to normal. We'll free you and return you home and mesmerize your disappearance."

" Why then ? Why not now, why not free me now ?"

Foaly looked extremely uncomfortable now.

" The Key is assigned a Protector, someone with power over The Key and who will protect it. Well Holly is going to have power over you and she'll protect you at all costs. Holly's been chosen. She's your Protector, this is just how fate has chosen to circumstance it."

Artemis felt his emotions conflict. Obviously the current situation was intolerable but the news of having a Protector warmed him. He still had someone looking out for him. He wasn't alone.

" Power over me ? Is that just in status or is it actual power over me ?"

Foaly took a deep breath and looked into Artemis' deep blue eyes.

" Both, in status she'll be above you. We all will actually. In actual power if she tells you to do something you will be unable to disobey, it's to do with the collar."

" Disobey ! Your making it sound as if I'm some kind of slave !"

The look that passed over Foaly's features made Artemis' heart skip a beat.

" Tell me it isn't true, I'm going to be at least a servant right."

Foaly looked down at the floor and dropped his head.

" Your not a servant Artemis."

Foaly looked like he was going to elaborate when a sickened Holly walked into the door and Foaly backed away. Sool grinned at Artemis.

" Meet your owner."

Artemis looked at Holly and suddenly he felt extremely vulnerable, tears collected in his eyes and trailed down his cheek. Holly was shaking. The want to scoop him up into her arms and take him away from this was written all over her face. But she couldn't. Artemis gripped the bars again and mentally killed himself for his foolish behaviour which had ultimately resulted in this. Sool keyed in the code of the pad and opened the cage door. Artemis rushed out of the cage and made to bolt out of the room.

" STAY"

Holly shouted in a voice that showed she clearly didn't want this. Artemis felt his body instantly stop running, he could move back towards her but he couldn't move forward. Artemis turned around and faced Sool. Anger bubbling to the surface.

Sool rose an eyebrow.

" Perhaps you should restrain Fowl Miss Short, he could be violent."

Holly whacked him and Sool fell to the floor.

" YOU MONSTER !"

Holly took Artemis's hand and whispered to him.

" I'm so sorry, everything's going to be ok."

Review please ! Update soon. I hope not many of you mind this chapter but I needed Holly to have some kind of authority over Artemis as she is his Protector, this was the only thing I could come up with as this is not something Artemis can rebel against.