NeoRenegades: Part Seven by flipp_garuda |  |
What Do you Mean Marriage?
It was a few days after Feliren was back on
his feet and taking care of the Scorchios, Shoyrus and Draiks (more commonly
known as the Dragons) and Keeta was pacing the hall outside of Chargoun's room,
fuming. Even though she used to despise the cocky Lupe, they had grown to be
great friends and each other's confidante. Chargoun was dressed in clothing
(as was required on castle grounds) of an Ixi-hide vest (NOTE: I do not support
using any Neopet for fur - it's just something he wears) and a green shirt.
Pants weren't usually needed, they were hard to get on and hard to move in.
The second he walked out his plain wooden door,
Keeta nearly pounced on him. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TELLING ME - MAKING
ME - DO?" she screeched.
Chargoun took his paw and cleaned out his ear,
wincing. "Err... No." He grumbled.
"They're making me MARRY!" she cried out in
despair. "They say that for a princess to go unmarried is uncalled for and they're
forcing me to marry, Chargoun!" She cried, grabbing onto the hems of his vest
and shaking him violently.
Being used to Keeta's constant shaking, he pried
her paws from his vest and, although he was surprised and angry to here this,
he gazed at her evenly and soberly. "Well, I suppose they have their reasons.
But is she letting you have a choice in who you marry? Then maybe it won't be
so bad if you find a husband you like." He suggested.
Keeta groaned and kneeled down, putting her
paws over her head. "You don't get it! They've given me choices! A dark, shadow
Techo noble from Trestile. The king of Naxic*,
a sickly young Kyrii. A prince of a small kingdom in Tallistene, a yellow Lupe.
Or another yellow Lupe from Lovia."
Chargoun wrinkled his muzzle. "Well, then you've
got a problem." He gave her shoulder a pat and walked away, calling over his
shoulder, "I've got work to do, you take it easy, you got that? Make your decisions
carefully."
Keeta ended up rolling along the corridor, clutching
her head in her paws after Chargoun left, only to be stepped on by Liartra,
the chubby red Poogle who was head of the maids and butlers of the Queen's castle.
She gasped in horror, apologising profusely to the Lupe and helping her to her
feet. Keeta assured her that it was all right before going off to sulk to Feliren
and Egsfa.
***
Keeta's husband choices arrived at the castle personally the next day. All
bearing gifts and calling Keeta their 'love'. The Lupe wanted to vomit. If she
wasn't bloody royalty, she wouldn't have to marry. But she was. And that was
that. Her mother pushed her towards King Chercion, the yellow Lupe from Lovia,
to create a tie between Lovia and Kastillia, two feuding countries. Her eldest
sister, Trea, pushed her towards the young Prince Calthorn of Tallistene for
his 'cuteness'. Querin sent a letter to her about marrying the noble Draciur,
the Techo noble from Trestile so that Keeta and Querin could see each other
for through their letters they had become the closest of sisters. Keeta's etiquette
teacher, Ms. Tevuldi, nudged her towards King Freuil, the green Kyrii from Naxic
for his grace (through his sickness, anyway, which no one would tell Keeta what
it was) and etiquette skills. Keeta wanted to marry none of them and would rather
marry Chargoun, of all people, rather than them. She laughed at that thought,
which brightened up her dreary mood.
In a few days, only Draciur and King Chercion
remained to court the young princess who could not be courted. Keeta stayed
as far away from the two, and her mother, as possible. She convinced Queen Tiatha
to let her ride RacerBombay, her bay Arabian Uni, around the grounds and to
visit the Dragons and Feliren, which gave Keeta a reason to stay away.
She was hanging around with Chargoun, Egsfa
and Feliren a few days later than that. They were skimming the latest news that
the Tibejbii radar picked up from the faraway planet of Neopia. Of course, these
were always outdated and they were now looking at the Ski Lodge plot of Terror
Mountain.
Chargoun pointed to a picture on the page. "Maybe
you could marry Number 6!" He grinned.
Egsfa threw her head back and guffawed while
Feliren grinned and suppressed a chuckle. Keeta only glared at Chargoun. "I
would never in my entire being, both physical and spiritual, sink that low."
She growled and snatched the paper away with an angry 'Humph!'
At that exact moment, as if on cue, a maid hurried
in, bowed, and told Keeta that she was to choose her husband now in the Queen's
sitting room. Keeta's heart plummeted and her mind froze as the maid led her
away. The other Lupe, Peophin and Krawk followed her warily and at a distance,
as not to be shooed away by any nobles that happened to be passing. Of course,
the three weren't allowed to hear much about these 'contestants' who were to
marry Keeta.
Conspiracy, Shocks and War - Oh My!
Keeta was cold as ice and as unmoving as a
stone as she stood next to her mother, ready to be married off like a Babaa
sold at market.
"FlameKeeta, my third daughter, Princess of
Kastillia, who do you choose to marry?"
Keeta was at loss for words for many moments
when she began to utter a name, "King Cher..." But she was interrupted, for
LoveChargoun, the blue Lupe, rushed in and grabbed Keeta's shoulder.
Frantically, he whispered, "King Chercion, the
yellow Lupe who I know you were going to choose, is not who you think he is!
The King of Lovia is a crook! Keeta... He's my half-brother. He's... He's not
what you think he is. He's cruel and you would be miserable with him, Keeta.
I'm older than him by a year and I should be King of Lovia, but I'm half Kastillian.
Keeta - don't choose him, he's an evil Lupe."
Keeta blinked. "Wha... What?" Her eyes widened
as he looked at the smirking King Chercion. He seemed to think he was on top,
that he would be chosen, that there was no one else to choose. He was wrong.
All of them. Keeta coughed and then began again. "I, Princess FlameKeeta, third
daughter of Queen Tiatha II of Kastillia, wish to marry LoveChargoun, true King
of Lovia."
Queen Tiatha's head snapped around and gasps
emitted from all corners and sides of the large room. King Chercion pounded
forward, nails tapping angrily and swiftly on the stone floor. "This is an outrage!"
He cried. "I am true ruler of Lovia and that is the truth! This Lupe is not
my half-brother, he is not the son of King Dertuvil, my father, and the noblewoman
from Kastillia, Tevirel..." Then Chercion knew he had said to much and backed
away.
Chargoun was dumbstruck. Of all things! He had
not imagined that she would choose him! Especially since she had always hated
him...
"I DECLARE WAR ON KASTILLIA!" Chercion boomed.
"FOR THIS OUTRAGEOUS PRINCESS!" Chercion pointed an accusing paw at the fire
Lupe who was FlameKeeta. "AND THIS FOOL BROTHER OF MINE!" His paw shifted to
the left to where Chargoun stood, unwavering. The room was gasping and murmuring.
The last thing they expected was when Chercion continued. "Oh... And, Keeta...
I have something of yours. You're lifemate!" His eyes were wild and crazy as
he looked at the Lupe, whose eyes were wide in fear. Chercion laughed maniacally.
"Yes, that's right, Princess, if you do not become Queen of Lovia alongside
me I will torture your beloved Uni!" His laugh echoed through out the castle
and chilled all of its inhabitants to the bone. After that, he turned and left
the room with a swish of his thick yellow cape.
It was found out later that Sparklene had escaped
Mautfeld on a ship anchored in between the Veru Channel in between Lovia and
Kastillia. Sparklene swam in what she thought was the direction of Kastillia
when she really ended up in Lovia. Chercion, being as conspicuous as a Uni could
be with unusual colouring, and was used to lure Chezonan Mautfeld into his hands,
captured the Uni. Thus causing Mautfeld to have no choice but help the corrupt
king. The Uni was now used as bait to lure Princess Keeta to King Chercion.
If Keeta married Chercion, and he was able to take over Kastillia and Naxic
(who Kastillia guarded as tight allies), Chercion would allow Mautfeld to extract
Sparklene's Sorceress magic. They still didn't know that magic had been passed
on to Keeta. Which was both good and bad.
Now, all of Kastillia's split military would
unite to fight Lovia and put Chargoun on the throne of Lovia, he being the rightful
king and all. In the days prior to that mind-shattering event with King Chercion,
WizardWalfoulm, the silver Eyrie, was placed as Royal Wizard, head of the Wizardry
Committee of Kastillia. Following in his foster father's footsteps. Feliren,
the brown Krawk, was placed as Head Dragon Master of the Kastillian United Military.
Keeta and Chargoun were married, but Keeta was still reluctant. They remained
friends, but Keeta's mother required marriage. Chargoun was dazed by the entire
ordeal and simply floated around, unseeing. Egsfa, the shadowed Peophin, became
a NeoRenegade and soldier of the military, though she still had to do the laundry.
FlameKeeta was placed as General of a Fraction of the Diciembrian army, where
she was born. Chargoun was also placed as General of the army as well. Diciembria
was the largest province, bordering nearly all the rest that were clustered
in the centre of the country. The army was just as large as well as well trained.
This was where the, now famous, NeoRenegades were officially made part of the
Kastillian army once again. The tension still held as Kastillia waited for an
attack from Lovia, but that attack never came. So instead of waiting, they took
the enemy by surprise. By contacting a mysterious source who resided in Lovia,
they were able to gain full experience of the land they intruded upon.
Keeta's life, which was already full of mountains,
now had something good happen to her when they entered Lovian borders. But her
happiness was short-lived.
To be continued...
Oh, that 'Number 6' joke was just a little something I decided to add just
for fun. :) Err... I'm not going to "casually" disappear now, am I? *shifty glance*
Also, I do not support marriage or "love" between Neopets. This is simply
a story I have written in sort-of medieval times. Back then, a princess forced
to marry was common, and a choice like Keeta's was rare. I'm just saying this
so that people don't get the wrong idea from what I'm saying.
*Naxic - The
country south of Kastillia. This country was once a strong, conquering country
before the most recent king became ill. |
