SWNOVELS Chapter Awards
It was the next day. Both Destiny and I had mostly recovered from our wild ride the day before. Destiny had passed the blacksmith’s exam with flying colors.
Now we were proudly standing in a line with ninety five other riders who had successfully completed all three stages of the Trials. We were the ones that remained of two hundred. The other one hundred and five had either dropped out, been disqualified, or had their horses go lame in the endurance.
To my right was Lillian and to my left Norah. Mr. Blair stood off from the spectators with Rejem.
The Mayor of the town stepped forward, and everyone went quiet.
“First of all, let us give a warm congratulations to each and everyone of the riders standing in this line,” he boomed out. The crowd applauded enthusiastically.
My face blushed.
“Each and every one of you deserves to be here. You completed three months of rigorous training, and then proceeded to conquer three tough phases in the Trials. Your horses are well round individuals thanks to you.”
“Of course, each and every one of you will receive a sash of Accomplishment, marking that you made it through the Trials. But ten of you will receive the sash of Trainer, for you are the best of the best. And finally, one person will receive the sash of Horseman.”
He clapped his hands. “First, the Sash of Accomplishment.”
Giddy girls and boys with several sashes each skipped out and began giving out the sashes. I took mine from a green eyed girl who I saw my younger self in as she looked at me with undisguised admiration.
I chose to hang my sash on Destiny, for I felt she was the one who truly deserved it.
After that was completed, it was time for the Sash of Trainer. This was where I was truly nervous. I didn’t know if I’d qualified as one of the top ten. I knew I could’ve.
“Will the riders with their horses step forward. Norah Letley, Mary Killard...”
Norah’s face bloomed into surprise so big I almost laughed. Had she really expected to win nothing? She had done even better than me, and I had stood a chance.
“William Deckard, Lillian Amvose...”
Lillian’s face was crowned with satisfaction. She stepped forward leading Checkmate.
The Mayor had picked out nearly everyone. I held my breath as the last ones were announced.
“Iris Backwood and Kentler Tovern.”
I nearly squealed as I lead Destiny forward. My family called out in excitement.
Mr. Blair’s face was wreathed in smiles. All three of us had qualified as Trainers. It was almost too good to be true.
A stately man held out my sash in front of me. I reverently took it. He stepped back and bowed. “It is my honor to bestow on you the rank of Trainer. Well done.”
More tears welled up. I could tell he meant it.
I looped the sash over my head. Now Destiny and I were matching.
But the surprises of the day were not done yet.
“Well done to all of you Trainers, but the question is, which one of you is a Horseman, or rather, Horsewoman, of the Trials.”
The Mayor adjusted his spectacles and looked down at the sheet of paper in his hand. “The winner of the Trials, the Horseman, is... Norah Letley and Juniper!”
A smile broke over my face, crushing the momentary disappointment. I knew that I was probably not going to win and had accepted that.
I had already won with Destiny.
Norah hadn’t been expecting to win either. She went utterly white. The Mayor’s wife stepped up with the Sash but she just stared at it.
I laughed and walked over to her. I grabbed her shoulder and shook her. “You won Norah! You won! Come on, take the sash.”
Hesitantly she reached out and took it, still not believing it. I started to help her put it on over her head, but she shook her head. “No. Juniper should wear it.”
I understood how she felt.