Varian and the Seven Kingdoms (Varian's Seven Trials)

The Feeding Schedule

The group stood in front of the camper, looking upon Prometheus the donkey. The caravan had stopped suddenly, so they came outside to see what had happened.
"I can't believe he just...fell asleep." Varian looked upon the sleeping donkey.
"I can." Hugo joked and Varian narrowed his eyes at him.
"Maybe he was darted again- like when those guys tried to rob us!" Yong recalled and Nuru walked over to the donkey, checking him over.
"It doesn't look like he was darted...maybe we've been working him too hard?" Nuru suggested and Varian walked over to Prometheus, petting him.
"We've been making regular stops to let him rest...And we've all been keeping to the feeding schedule, right?" Varian looked around at everyone. Nuru nodded, but Yong and Hugo looked bewildered.
"The what?" Hugo asked.
"The feeding schedule for Prometheus? It's pinned to the wall by the door." Varian told them.
"Can't say I've noticed it. Is it pinned really low down on the wall?" Hugo smirked.
"It's at eye-level." Varian smiled through gritted teeth.
"Short-person eye-level, I presume?" Hugo grinned widely.
"You haven't been feeding Prometheus?" Varian looked between the two. Yong looked as though he was about to say something then stopped, and looked to the ground, frowning.
"No wonder he's tired...poor thing must be running-on-empty." Nuru petted the donkey's back.
"In my defence-" Hugo started.
"Enough with the short jokes!" Varian interrupted and Hugo sniggered, "You didn't see it either?" Varian asked Yong, "The star-shaped note on the wall?"
"...I'm colourblind." Yong pouted.
"You- Yong..." Varian gathered his thoughts and took a deep breath, "You can't say 'I'm colourblind' every time I call you up on something."
"I'm sorry." The boy frowned.
"No, it's ok..." Varian sighed, "We'll let Prometheus rest a while, feed him and then we'll get back on the road. And, in the future, you two will read the schedule...right?"
"Depends. Are you gonna put it where I can see it?" Hugo asked with a grin.
"I'll tell you where I'll put it if you don't-" Varian started.
"Anyway- let's go inside and I'll make everyone some tea...How does that sound?" Nuru smiled.

Once they were inside, Varian wrote out two more feeding schedules in block capitals. He pinned one by the door, low down, then reached up to pin the other above the original.
"Higher." Hugo told the boy and he looked around to glare at the blonde. Varian reached higher.
"A little higher." Hugo rested his chin in his hand, and watched Varian reach up.
"A little more."
Varian sighed in frustration and stood on his tiptoes.
"Just a little-"
"Ok, you are not that tall!" Varian turned around to address Hugo.
"Aren't I?" The boy grinned.
"Put it up yourself, then." Varian walked over and slammed the note on the table in front of Hugo.
"So, you admit defeat, Shorty?" The blonde took a sip of tea.
"What did I say about calling me that?" Varian crossed his arms.
"I'm just sayin' it as I see it." Hugo looked Varian up and down.
Nuru watched them, narrowing her eyes at Hugo.
Varian's eyes searched Hugo's then he snatched up the note and walked over to the door. He removed a pink orb from his belt and pinned the note to it. He then threw the orb at the wall and it burst, sticking the note above the door with pink goo. Yong and Nuru stared and Varian turned to face Hugo,
"High enough for you?" He asked.
"Y'know, it's actually a little too high."
"Really?" Varian gave an exaggerated gasp, "Sounds like something a short person would say." He smirked.
"Well played, Goggles." Hugo sipped his tea again.

When they had finished their tea, Yong insisted they explored while Prometheus rested. Varian was reluctant to leave the camper unattended until he thought to set up traps around it.
"That should do it." Varian smiled once he had set up one last trap near the hatch of the caravan.
"Come on! There's an old-looking house we can check out- maybe we'll see some ghosts!" Yong was practically bouncing, he was so excited.
"I don't know about ghosts..." Varian said as Hugo helped him down from the roof, avoiding setting off any traps.
"You don't believe in them?" Nuru asked.
"Well- Rapunzel's tried to convince me they're real, but I don't believe in things I can't see." Varian laughed.
"What about air?" Hugo smirked.
"Yes...obviously, I believe in air. Air can be scientifically explained."
"You said you don't-"
"You are being really irritating today." Varian forced a smile.
"I try." The blonde smirked.