* Owners of Skeiths, please do not be offended that Ihave used Skeiths as the villians in my story. I am sure that there are many nice Skeiths out there. Please do not be offended.* WARNING-THIS STORY IS VERY LONG AND CONTAINS SOME VIOLENCE.

The End of Badeeks - Part 2 - Flavo the Queen

by Lilith2592@aol.com

...Meanwhile, elsewhere in Neopia, the bedragled earth faerie was flying through a storm, carrying a tattered slip of parchment with her. The wind pummeled the little creature, and the rain pelted her and made her gossamer wings heavy. However, she knew that her task was one of dire importance, so she pressed on into the stormy night. She had recognized the dying Badeek as the eldest child of the King Moss and Queen Winis, the crowned princess Serina. The faerie was an earth creature, she had no schooling so she couldn't read what the paper said, but she knew of the war between the Badeeks and the Skeiths. The faerie had hid helplessly as the most nefarious Skeith of all, Duke Gurnthor and his company of thugs, had slayed an army of Badeeks, led by King Moss.

She clutched the parchment close to her frail little body. She squinted her eyes against the rain, and in the distance she could see the mountan of the Cerpulls rising up tall and grey like some giant sleeping in the distance. Finally, she was almost there at last. As she came closer, she could see the warm glow that filled the caves. The Cerpulls were creatures of fire, and their homes in the caves were always warm, filled with torches and small fires to light them. Suddenly, a huge gust of wind blew the faeire off course. She strained her aching body against the wind, and flapped her wings harder than before. She could have been to the cave sooner, but the weight of the paper slowed her down. Soon, she could feel the warmth of the Cerpull caves. She flew in the cave opening, and fell, in a wet and bedraggled heap to the warm stone floor.

She had landed at the feet of a huge yellow Cerpull gaurd. He gently (or as gently as a huge Cerpull with clawed fingers could) picked up the little faerie and the scrap of paper. He held her up to eye level and said, in a deep but smooth voice "who ye be? Ye be friend, or ye be foe?" His breath was hot and dry and smelt of smoke. It dried out the little faerie as he was talking to her. She shiverd, and replied "i...i must speak to the Queen. I have terrible, important news from the Badeeks...the Skeiths have destroyed the forest. The Green Badeek tribe has been forced into hiding, those that are left. The King Moss has been defeated, his queen and family murderd." She handed him the parchment. "Take this to the queen" "I'll do ye better than that my little lass. Ye come with me, my name's Tempest deFeu, trusted guard an' friend to the queen Flavo 'erself. I'll take ye to see 'er."

Tempest sat the tired faerie on his shoulder, and started to lumber off through the caves. The faerie looked around. The walls were smooth grey stone, with veins of pink, blue, red, silver and gold stone running though them. Despite being carved of rock, the halls were warm, and the stone was warm to the touch. Huge torches were set in ornate brass sconces on the walls, illumintaing the passages, and rich tapestries hung on the walls. The tapestries portrayed great Cerpull queens and warriors, as well as events such as battles, feasts and the builiding of the Cerpull caves. A common misconception about Cerpulls is that they are big stupid warriors. On the contrary, Cerpulls are indeed great warriors, but they are also a race of intellegent and artistic creatures.

Finally, the passage opened out into a great hall, with a set of carved wooden doors at the end. Two Cerpull guards guarded the doors. "Good day to ye, 'tis i, Tempest deFeu, and i 'ave an important issue to discuss with the good queen." The thin blue Cerpull at the door nodded at Tempest. "Aye Tempest." she said "Ye may 'ave permission to see the queen." The Cerpull opened the doors, revealing an enormous and lavish throne room. At the far end, the queen sat in a comfortable looking chair made of red velvet that was worn around the edges. An iron crown sat on her head, inlaid with fire red rubies, shiny tiger's eyes stones, and mesmerising diamonds. She was a deep red with patches of yellow, and huge yellow wings.

The faerie alighted from the shoulder of Tempest and bowed down in front of the queen, as did Tempest. The queen spoke, in a regal voice without the usual Cerpull accent. " Hello my dear Tempest. you are my friend, you have no need to bow before me. Why have you brought this faerie to me?" "Flavo, majesty, this little faerie 'as news for ye. Methinks it best for ye to listen to 'er. 'Tis important, but i'll let 'er tell ye 'erself" He turned to the faerie "Now little one, ye can tell queen Flavo 'ere everything. She be kind and good, ye've no reason to fear 'er." The faerie flew up and handed the parchment to Flavo. "My queen, the good King Moss has been killed by the Skeiths...." Flavo stood up in her chair and shouted "SKEITHS! I knew those blighters were up to no good I'll...i'lll" Tempest stepped in. "majesty, let the little mite finish afore ye be gettin all fire-breathy. Don't want to scorch the tapestrys now." Flavo calmed down. Indeed, I am sorry. Continue." "They killed king Moss, and worse, they killed many of the green Badeek tribe. They destroyed the forest, it's in ruins. All the creatures are without homes, then they killed the Queen, and the princesses, and the baby prince.

I found the eldest princess, she begged for your help. She died, majesty, to bring this letter to you." A huge hot tear ran down Flavo's face. "My dear friends, their children and their people. What Skeith was it that commited this crime?" "The Duke Gurnthor." " I knew he was no good. Well, if he makes war on my allies, my dear friends, then he makes war with me. If it is war he wants, we will give it to him, and crush him. I only pray that some of the Green Badeeks survived, or else there will be no one to care for the forest." With that, the queen Flavo dismissed the faerie, and called her generals, including Tempest, to a council of war.

END OF PART 2