Twelve Challenges

Chapter 4

        Later that night Ruby, Willow, I and a few other fellow servants were in the great hall cleaning up from the festivities of the name-day party when Lady and Lord Ravenstar entered. When Lady Ravenstar saw my mother and I she sneered saying, "Husband, why do you let that disgrace of a female work here. She should have been exiled from here as soon as she became pregnant. I want her and that boy of hers out of here." My mother and I glanced at each other before moving towards each other while Lord Ravenstar snapped,
"No, I let them stay here because that boy as you are so fond of calling him is my son and Rowan has the same chance of ruling after me as Kevan. They both have my blood which is all that is needed to be the next ruler, nothing else is required. I am tired of how you treat Willow and Rowan and if you do not stop I will have to send you away till you can treat them respectfully." After snapping at her, he turned and walked to me. As he neared me I slowly bow, staying that way, waiting for him to tell me to raise. He stops right in front of me and lays his hand on my right shoulder, lifting me from my bow. His clear blue eyes have a trace of sadness for me and anger at his wife in them as he whispers to me,
"Do not worry about the upcoming challenges, my son. I will make sure that Kevan and the Lady Ravenstar do not sabotage your chances of your fair rights to my throne. I am visiting the builders of the flying course tomorrow and I would like you to come as well. You will be able to see where the first challenge is and how it will look when it is finished. Also do not fear, I have already visited it today with Kevan." I stare at my father with surprise and slowly nod my head too stunned to answer. I was not expecting him to do anything that would help or hinder my chances within the challenges.
"Good, I will let Coldfrost know that you will not be available for any assignments tomorrow. I would like you to meet me at my study at nine tomorrow morning," said to me and then turned to my mother, "Dear Willow, you have done a wonderful job raising this boy into a young male. I know that you have family in the village and I would like you to go and visit them tomorrow." My mother opens her mouth to object but Lord Ravenstar stops her by holding up a finger and utters, "Now, I know that you have not visited them in a while and I want you to visit them. Before you think I am just doing this on a whim, I am asking you to do this to protect you. Lady Ravenstar is not happy at me, Rowan and especially you. I want you to spend the whole day with them and I will send Rowan to you once we are done at the course."
My mother, curtsies low, bowing her head and respectfully says, "Thank you, my lord. I will go and spend the day with my sister and her family tomorrow then. I will leave when Rowan reports to your study at nine." My father nods and turns to where Lady Ravenstar was and sees that she must have stormed out of the room right after he started talking to my mother and I. He turns back to us and a soft sad smile spreads across his face. As quickly as the smile comes it is gone and his face returns to a noble expression, he then turns to talk to the other servants within the room.
"Thank you, everyone for working hard today, preparing for my youngest son's name-day celebrations. I am going to be giving everyone one day off in the next few days so spread the word. I would like to give everyone off tomorrow but I do not think my wife and youngest son would appreciate not having hot meals prepared for them. I would be okay with cold sandwiches but we all know that won't work for them." he says the last part with a slight grin before returning to his normal expression and pronouns, "I will talk to Coldfrost tonight and we will figure out what days everyone gets off.'' He quietly turns to the open doors that lead to the wide balcony and flies off into the night. When the last beat of his wings is no longer heard the room breaks into cheers, everyone is excited that we are to get a whole day off from work. The other servants finish cleaning the great hall with renewed energy knowing that they are to get a whole day off in the near future.