SWNOVELS Chapter Ch 14 Trial and Honor part 2
The tributes stood nearby the kings, with the sounding horn ready to blow. They waited for King Muck's signal. It was time, the horn blasted and the warthogs entered the warm water. The females were submerged for over a minute before the first hog surfaced. It was zeema, who unfortunately, had lost the challenge. She was first out and received zero points for her clan.She swam her way back to dry land to find a dry seat.
A few seconds went by and Izumi rose up from the water gasping for air. Tributes came to her aide to help her to a dry spot on the waters edge. Minutes ticked by and aruba burst out of the water gulping breathlessly for fresh air too. She had thought for sure she had won, but sadly she soon realized hazel still remained solid and she came in at third place. Tributes came to her rescue, while Tribute roz quickly went in to retrieve hazel.
Surfacing she wasn't fazed a bit. She was good for another minute or so. All her hard work had paid off. Hazel was so thrilled she had scored her clan five more points. It was a victorious win. Purk gave her a big smile. Hazel realized he was staring. She blushed under his gaze. He was proud of her. Purk left to congratulate all four, before he stuck to hazel's side, walking her back for lunch.
Todays lunch prepared and ready to serve. Had beetle quesadillas, maggot rice, and roach nachos on the menu. The two warthogs found a cozy spot to eat and shared intimate time talking and laughing with one another.
Purk had finsihed his lunch with hazel and left off to take two other princesses on some alone time. He wanted to show them around his kingdom. Purk was making sure he covered all his bases. One of these lovely females would be his future bride. They followed him closely and stared into his dreamy eyes. When he shared his clans history, they listened intently. Both realized how much bigger he really was compared to other male hogs they've met. The only other large and stout hogs they knew of were old relatives of their own clans. Purk was different he was so strong and safe to be around they thought . The evening was coming fast and it was already time to eat again. With all the fun everyone was having during the day they didn't want it to stop, so they continued on into the night.
Prince purk walked izumi and zeema back to the dining area. He left them to go find his parent's. He planned to have dinner alone with them that night. He shared his heart with his mother, on who he was leaning more towards. Purks father listened as his sons heart poured out, but he wouldn't be sharing this purdenant information at the watering hole. They soon realized who his heart was bending towards. It had always been Hazel. His mother agreed she was a fine choice if she made it to the top two, but time would only tell. She reminded him to set his mind off such desires. If she lost, his heart would be broken and it would surely show outwardly, then the winning bride would sense this, and a new marriage would be on shaky ground before it even started.
Purk took in his mother's wisdom and finished his dinner and quickly went on to bed, but not before saying goodnight to every warthog who crossed his path. He was beginning to receive his own little fan club of teenage female warthogs, who followed him everywhere. It was kinda cute in an innocent way thought Purk.
Gradually he found his way quietly back to his room. Outside his door he could here the hoof steps of Roz guarding the entrance. He was so exhausted that he forgot to say goodnight to his friend like he had every night. He drifted off into heavy sleep. before he realized it. Early morning was here again for all. It was the fifth day of the trials and the fourth game of the challenges. The week was zooming by. They only had one more challenge after this one, then the ending ceremony would follow not far behind, along with the choosing of the first mate, and the consumation ceremony.
Today's challenge was going to test their leadership skills. In the game of follow my voice. Each princess would have to lead one of the Kings tributes through a maze of obstacles. Whoever could get their tribute out first won the most points.
The night before the tributes had worked hard to set up the maze for the challenge. It was made from thatched bushels that would tower over the contestants inside. The princesses would stay put on their wooden platforms up above the maze as they called down to their tributes. They would have to help guide them safely over, under, and around obstacles; all in a timely matter.
Tribute Roz stood at the hollow horn waiting for the Kings signal for him to blow it. Once the sound boomed out of the end they knew it was time for the challenge to begin. The princesses found it hard at first to control their tribute. They had to yell over each other to get their warthog to move correctly. They were going to have to learn how to truly lead their tribute out.
It wasn't long and Hazel caught on to a groove that seemed to work. She and her tribute worked phenomenally together. As if they were one mind. Her keen eye sight was sharp in scoping out a clear path vs the others. She managed to send her tribute through a fairly uncluttered path. Before anyone knew it she and her tribute were first out of the maze. Hazel had made it seem so simple. She was proud of her accomplishment this meant more points and a better chance for her final score. The crowd went wild, they loved it. Purk lightly jumped with delight in his seat. He was careful not to give away his true joy. Not far inside the maze Aruba's tribute had found himself stuck in a tangled vine wall. He was just a leap away from a narrow exit if only he could manage his way past this entangled mess. Aruba shouted towards him to stop struggling. She calmly guided him in snapping easy weak pieces with his teeth. Eventually the plan worked and her tribute was past the wall and out of the maze. Purk looked to his left where zeema's tribute was struggling as well. He had found him self fooled by what appeared to have been a path of twigs and leaves, but instead it was a sinking mudhole. He had seconds to find a way out before Izumi's tribute made it to the finish line first. zeema began to panick. She wasn't good under pressure, which made it hard for her tribute. Hazel quickly ran to zeema's stand and called up to her to breathe and calmly talk her tribute through the challenge. She encouraged her and left back to stand with aruba who watched from a far. With the help zeema took in a deep breath and exhaled. She looked around and saw a thick vine near the hogs right side. She yelled down for her tribute to grab hold of it and pull himself out. Bite by bite the tribute pulled his wet and muddy body from the hole and was up and running towards the end. He had made it out right before Izumi's tribute zoomed up behind him.
It had been a close few inches, but zeema's tribute was through the gate winning it for the third spot. Zeema was proud of her tribute and thankful for Hazel's help.
The females had done an excellent job as usual. Always the challenges seemed to end too fast, but they kept the mornings exciting.
As they waited to hear the score updates. Everyone talked amongst themselves. Soon, the tributes resurfaced to the podium with the tally. They were ready to announce.
" So far in first place leading with thirteen points is, Hazel from the Wimble Clan. In second place, with nine points, is Aruba from the Ruff Tusk Clan. In third place remaining at eight points is, Izumi from the Harvel Clan, and in last, but not least with seven points is Zeema from Hollow-hoof." Said Roz.
The crowd was roaring wild with noise. Stomping and stamping hooves. Squeals, grunts, and shrieks of joy for the contestants. They were having a blast.
All attendies had gotten use to the usual routine as the days went by. They joined one another for lunch after the morning games, some would go off to swim, others would walk and talk, While the shops were emptying out fast from all the purchases being made. Some had even helped to grow Purks fanclub. It seemed everywhere he went he couldn't seem to escape the crowds of females swooning over him. It was starting to be too much.
He had to gather an extra tribute to keep him guarded at all times. Roz was his usual guard, but now he had added a new one, Tribute Haze.
They were with him twenty four seven. He didn't mind them at all. It was the female warthogs pawing at him that was annoying. Too much attention was overwhelming. He knew soon it would all be over and life would go back to some normalcy, but not quite.
When this was all over he would have a Queen and be their King. That wasn't normal at least not for him. He shook his head and found a peaceful place to rest until it was time for dinner.
He was looking forward to tonights meal it was his favorite. Roasted chestnuts and crispy battered slugs. Who could resist such a tasty pairing. The festivals menu had been delectable and fantastic all week long.
Back at the watering hole all the clans Kings were soaking up the sun and cooling down in the water. They were debating on which daughter Prince Purk would choose in the final two. King Zerk and King Nodule had mixed words back and forth, yet they laughed it off in the end. Even if they could predict the final two girls, they could not predict Purk's heart. The only one able to do that was Purk himself or his Father. Yet, He wasn't saying much. Muck settled deeper into the water, listening to the warthogs squeel at eachother. Once in a while one of the Kings would make a remark that made him grunt in laughter, which would lead them to pause and ask him if they said something funny.
He replied. "Yes of course. Why else would I laugh."
He fell back into silence, listening to the King's debate and conversations.
Meanwhile, Purk was able to find rest in a comfortable nap. His mind carried him to Hazel in his dreams. She was smiling up at him and swishing her tail in his face. He could almost smell her gentle odor of Arabian jasmine flower scent. Throughout his rest, his dreams were filled with her beauty.
When he woke from his nap he realized a nearby patch of the exact flowers was growing near him. He decided to pick her a small bushel as a gift.
The sun was setting and it was time for dinner. Slowly he pushed himself up to his hooves. Quickly he made his way back with his two tributes to find everyone already eating without them. He eyed the crowd of hogs for Hazel and caught her attention sitting next to her father. He slowly approched her with the Arabian Jasmin bouquet. It was gently tucked away in his mouth. He carefully dropped it at Hazel's hooves, smiled up at her, and walked away to find a place to eat. He didn't sit alone of course. He had his two tributes with him. They enjoyed the night watching the dancers and observing all the females.
Even though he had, had a great mid day nap, Purk called it an early night. He was exscorted back to his burrow, which this time he made sure he told both guards to have a goodnight, before entering down to his sleeping quarters. All in all his day had been well and he was able to easily drift back into his sweet dreams with Hazel. He had really taken a liking to her the most. No matter what he was doing, something she always did would impress his opinion of her. She had his attention far above any others. He had to check himself often knowing his heart would be broken if she didn't win the final competition. Surely as the future King he had the right to over rule the end results. Feeling a but anxious he quickly cleared the negativity away and focused back on Hazel. It wasn't long and he was drifting into his amazing dream world of infinite possibilities.