Favorite of the King

Chapter 19

    "Hey, wake up!" Someone jumped onto her bed and began shaking her.

    Yvaine groaned and cracked her eyes open, expecting to see Evolet. Instead, she met Lucy's blue gaze. Evolet popped up behind her a second later.

    "Get up!" Evolet grabbed her hand and started pulling her out of the bed.

    "What's going on?" Yvaine rubbed her eyes and stumbled to her feet.

    "The tournament is today. You overslept this morning," Lucy explained. "The events will begin within the hour."

    "That explains your outfits," Yvaine yawned.

    Instead of their usual gowns, Lucy and Evolet were wearing pants and boots. Lucy had a thin layer of chain mail beneath her leather armor. A sword and dagger were strapped to her hips. Evolet had a bow and quiver slung over her shoulder.

    "I've got one for you too." Lucy disappeared into the closet and returned after a moment. She laid the outfit on the bed and grinned. "I'll wait outside." She closed the door softly.

    Evolet turned Yvaine around and helped her shrug out of her nightgown and into the new outfit. "Why don't you have any chain mail?" Yvaine asked, when they slid hers on.

    "I'm not competing in the sword fighting or jousting so I don't need it," Ev replied.

    "There's jousting?" Yvaine perked up a bit. They strapped her leather armor in place and she grabbed her sword.

    "There's a variety of things. Jousting, dueling, archery, races...I even heard there's a pie eating contest," Evolet laughed. "You and Edmund should join that one."

    "We'll see."

    Lucy knocked on the door and came in again. "Are you ready?"

    "Almost." Yvaine braided her hair quickly and coiled it at the base of her neck. Lucy's gaze fell to Yvaine's sword.

    "You won't have to bring that. Edmund said he was going to find you a sword to use today," Lucy said.

    "Oh, all right." Yvaine tossed her sword back onto the bed.

    The three of them headed out the door and down towards the palace courtyard. Most of the events would take place on the plains beyond the palace grounds, but there would be a dance and feast in the courtyard that evening. The decorations were already in place.

    Juniper, Captain, and Nutmeg were waiting at the gates. Yvaine jumped onto Nutmeg's bare back and they took off. When they reached the tournament grounds, a multitude of creatures were already there. Race tracks had been marked out by white lines in the dirt. Archers were practicing on the makeshift range. Jousters practiced nearby as well.

    Yvaine drew in a deep breath. The entire area smelled of a variety of snacks. "What should we do first?" Evolet asked, excitedly.

    "Whatever we want," Lucy replied. "I'm going to try arm wrestling. Mr. Tumnus promised me a match."

    "Good luck!" Yvaine called as Lucy headed off.

    "Do you want to do some dueling?" Evolet asked.

    "Sure. I suppose I'll have to find Edmund first, though." She turned to Nutmeg. "Where will you be?"

    "I'm going to go graze with the other horses," Nutmeg whickered. Her gaze flickered towards the jousting lanes, briefly. There was almost a wistful look in them.

    "Do you want to joust later?" Yvaine asked.

    "I won't be a good mount for that," Nutmeg sighed.