A Hero's Journey: Rivalry

     ”Reuben, what if Father finds us?”

     “He’s definitely gonna find us if you don’t keep quiet. Shush!”

     Two young white Blumaroos inched silently toward the dining area, which was lit by a single lantern perched on the table. A yellow Blumaroo and a blue Lupe were holding a hushed discussion and poring over something that had been rolled out and weighed down by an inkwell and a bundle of documents tied with scarlet ribbon.

     “Sir Reynold, have you considered the Plains of Retreat?” the Lupe asked.

     “No, Jeran, this forest here is dangerous, unknown territory. Some wild monsters live there, and I don’t want to endanger anyone else on the squad.” Reynold furrowed his brow. “Then again, if we had someone who was well-versed in Meridellian wildlife…” He paused and slowly looked up. “Isn’t it past your bedtime, you scamps?”

     “How did you – “

     “I’m their father. Of course I know they’re here. Reuben, Rohane, this isn’t for little boys like you to listen. Go back to bed.”

     But Reuben and Rohane didn’t return to their bedrooms just yet and remained where they were.

     “But we’re going to be knights too, aren’t we?” Reuben said, sticking his head into the dining area. “We need to know these things!”

     “Yeah, how else will we learn how to fight and protect everyone?” his younger brother supplied.

     Jeran hid a grin behind his hand before chuckling softly. “Tell you what. We can play knights tomorrow morning, before your dad and I leave. How’s that sound?”

     “’Play’?” Rohane repeated the word with a scowl. “We want to be knights, for real!”

     “I know, I know, but you and Reuben are still too young. Listen to your dad and go to bed.”

     Smiling and shaking his head, Reynold stood up from his chair and placed his hands on his sons’ backs, ushering them away and toward their bedrooms. “Come on, you two. I’ll tell your mother to make your favourite potato pancakes tomorrow if you stay in bed, okay? And we’ll definitely play before I go.”

     * * *

     Tuffold breathed in the various aromas of the vast spread before them and sighed dreamily. “Curried Mussels, Ham and Turkey Feast, Pease Porridge, Skarl Kebabs, buttery mashed potatoes, and stuffed peppers…makes a guy want to cry.”

     “Just don’t cry into the food, Tuffold,” Jaco commented sardonically as he reached out for the Quadruple Fudge Cheese.

     “You’re having dessert first?” the yellow Lupe asked the speckled Gelert.

     “So what? King Skarl doesn’t care. Maybe some of the stuffy noble folk care, but I don’t care about them. Right, are we digging in or what? The king’s already started.” Jaco discreetly tilted his head toward Skarl on his throne, already tearing through a huge turkey leg and a bowl of potatoes.

     “No, you just wouldn’t stop talking,” Tuffold quipped before grabbing the bowl of mussels to serve himself.

     Everyone in the banquet hall immediately began tucking in, some with more gusto than others. From his chair, Jeran watched closely just in case an argument broke out over food, which was not uncommon with several hungry knights at the table. He quietly ladled a generous helping of mashed potatoes onto his plate before passing the serving platter to Danner.

     “You definitely got to dine with the Faerie Queen and her court after you guys took down Terask, right?” Oakley asked Rohane eagerly. “What was it like? Did all the food really have faerie wings? Did you have to run around trying to catch it in your mouth?” The striped Kougra stopped after Tuffold elbowed him in the ribs.

     “Not all the food had wings, and thankfully they didn’t fly around,” Rohane answered as he passed the Skarl Kebabs to the female royal Blumaroo seated primly beside him. “Lady Colleen?”

     “Oh, thank you. And it’s just ‘Colleen’. We’re peers on the Order now, aren’t we?” She smiled as she took one kebab, then handed the rest to Beryl, the strawberry Pteri sitting next to her. “I can’t imagine having to share a table with Queen Fyora.”

     “She’s surprisingly…well, relaxed? She’s not uptight or anything.”

     Jaco snorted. “Well, you just saved her from Terask and ended the war. 'Course she's relaxed.”

     “Yeah, we were glad she’s all right,” said Rohane. He picked up one of the spoons beside his plate, ready to dig into his lunch, when he heard someone clear their throat loudly.

     It turned out to be a male royal Zafara who had wandered over to their side of the table and was now looking down his nose at the white Blumaroo still clutching his spoon.

     “Er…”

     “That’s Duke Justin,” Colleen whispered. “One of King Skarl’s most important scribes. I’m not sure if you’ve met him but – “

     “Duke Justin, Your Eminence,” said Rohane promptly, setting his spoon aside to stand up and bow.

     Justin’s expression barely changed. “It’s ‘Your Excellency’, not ‘Your Eminence’, Sir Rohane. And I noticed that you picked up your dessert spoon for your main course.” He tut-tutted. “Unacceptable. Looks like someone needs a remedial course on basic court etiquette.”

     “Enough, Justin,” said Colleen evenly from her seat. Jaco made a face at Tuffold and stuck out his tongue to let the yellow Lupe know what he thought of Justin. Tuffold and Oakley hurriedly stuffed their mouths to keep themselves from laughing.

     But the Zafara cut her off with a dismissive flick of his hand. “And that bow was terrible. Rushed, even. Is this how you present yourself before the likes of Queen Fyora, and Princesses Vyssa and Amira?”

     “I’m sorry,” was all Rohane could say, spreading his hands. “My father taught me the Code of Etiquette, but it has been years since…”

     “Unacceptable,” Justin repeated. “As a knight of the Order, you ought to conduct yourself with more dignity. You aren’t in a dirty tavern or a rundown inn anymore.”

     Many of the knights had stopped eating to watch them. Colleen made gestures toward Justin that were all ignored. Jeran was one of the few who continued eating, but his eyes were on the scene.

     “I said I was sorry,” the white Blumaroo said, sighing with exasperation.

     “Hmph, I suppose I can’t expect much from a lowly peasant.”

     “Excuse me?”

     Silence reigned at the knights’ side of the table. Oakley dropped his fork right back onto his plate and couldn’t help but give it a quick glance as though making sure it was the correct one.

     “Justin, really,” said Colleen, frowning as she stood up, smoothing out her skirts. “I’ll help Sir Rohane refresh his memory about court etiquette, but isn’t it time you left him alone?”

     “Absolutely not!” Justin exclaimed. “I will not have anyone conduct themselves like a common country fool in this castle, picking up the wrong spoons and mixing up everyone’s proper titles!”

     “Say that again,” Rohane snarled dangerously. Colleen placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed down gently, a signal for him to sit back down.

     “He’s not worth it,” she whispered in his ear as he sank into his seat, seething. Then she faced the Zafara. “Is that how you treat a hero who saved five lands in Neopia? One of the two heroes who liberated Meridell from Ramtor? For shame, Justin.”

     “A hero, yes, and a brash thug at that. And he calls himself a son of the legendary Sir Reynold?”

     Rohane clenched his hands into fists and jumped back onto his feet, ignoring Colleen entirely. But after one final sneer, Justin turned away and left the hall, holding his head high and with his tail swishing back and forth behind him. He passed by Jeran, who immediately stood up and bowed in his presence without any further fanfare.

     “I’m sorry about him,” said the royal Blumaroo tiredly as she and Rohane sat down. She topped up his goblet with juice. “He’s… well, ’a stickler for rules and etiquette’ is putting it lightly.”

     Once Justin was gone, Oakley added, “Just call him a jerk and be done with it.”

     “Oakley!”

     “Well, it’s true!” The striped Kougra winced. “Chet Flash’s shorts, I can’t see how you two are siblings.”

     “You are?” asked Rohane incredulously.

     “Unfortunately,” said Colleen, chuckling.

     “But shouldn’t that make you a…”

     “Duchess? Not quite.” She shook her head. “I left the entire family estate to Justin when I became a knight. To this day, I don’t think he understands that being a knight is much more important to me.”

     Tuffold nodded sagely. “And that’s why Colleen is usually the only one who can tame Justin.” He shrugged before taking a bite out of his Skarl Kebab.

     “I love him, but yes, he still…has a lot to learn.” The royal Blumaroo ate some of her Pease Porridge before continuing. “Speaking of learning, I wasn’t kidding about helping you with your etiquette, Rohane. Meet me at four in the afternoon in front of the library. I have some very good references you can start with.”

     “You would do that for me?”

     “Of course. I’m sure you learned good manners and conduct; you just need a refresher course. Your father was Sir Reynold, after all. He taught Jeran everything he knows.”

     Rohane glanced furtively at Jeran, who was already helping himself to the Quadruple Fudge Cheese. The blue Lupe carried on as though nothing had happened, holding a hushed conversation with Danner.

     “Yeah. I’m sure he did.”

     * * *

     On his way to the library, Rohane passed through the Hall of Blades, which was lined with suits of armour on each side. He stopped beside one and knocked on it; it was hollow inside.

     “Still looking for Sir Reynold’s locket?”

     He turned; Jeran was coming from the opposite direction.

     “Of course. I haven’t found it yet.”

     “Me neither.” The blue Lupe frowned. “At this rate, it could be anywhere in the castle. But that just means it’s still here, and I’ll find it.”

     “Not if I find it first,” Rohane answered, his glance flicking toward the suit of armour he had inspected.

     “So, where are you headed?”

     “To the library. Colleen offered to help me brush up on my etiquette, because I forgot a lot of it. I’m out of practice.” There was just the slightest edge of disappointment and frustration in the Blumaroo’s voice.

     “Well…Duke Justin can be a jerk, but he’s got a point. As a knight, you have to read up on that again. Didn’t Sir Reynold teach you about proper manners?”

     “He did, but it’s been a long while, as you can imagine.”

     Jeran raised an eyebrow. “You should’ve continued your lessons by yourself if you were going to be a knight. It’s not always about bravery and strength and skill.”

     “I know.”

     “Don’t give Justin an opportunity to badmouth you like that again. It doesn’t look good for the rest of us.”

     “I know!” The words came out more forcefully than Rohane had intended. He took a deep breath before adding, “I said I was sorry. That’s why I’m meeting Colleen. But don’t think I’m going to stop looking for Father’s locket.”

     Jeran snorted. “What makes you think I’m thinking that? The bet is still on. If you win, I’ll help you practice your etiquette so you can impress even Justin.”

     “I don’t need your help.”

     “Saving your boon for something else, then? Good luck, because I’m going to find that locket first. Before you were born, Sir Reynold was already my mentor.”

     “Sir Jeran?”

     “Colleen?”

     Colleen peered into the corridor. “Oh, this is a nice surprise. Now we can walk to the library together, Rohane. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

     “Not at all,” said Jeran, spreading his arms. “I heard you were going to help him remember his manners, so I won’t keep him any longer.”

     Rohane was all too eager to pivot away from Jeran and fall in step beside the other Blumaroo. “Right. Thanks again, Colleen. I really appreciate it.”

     “You’re welcome. And if Justin bothers you again, you know who to call.”

     As they left Jeran behind, Rohane glanced over his shoulder. The blue Lupe was watching them leave with an unfathomable expression on his face.

     To be continued…