brandished at a ferocious dragon, stars twinkling in an inky black sky. The paper seemed to warm in Lucian’s hand. The final checkbox was filled in. “Hurry!” Moira cried. “Someone will beat us.” Grabbing Lucian’s hand, she started sprinting to the dining hall. They saw others heading the same direction. Lucian already felt like he was flying, but this challenge spurred Moira on to even faster paces until they finally reached Calista and Melantha.
“Here,” Lucian breathed, handing the crumpled paper to Calista.
“Very good,” she smiled.
“I do believe this is the first time we’ve had a first year couple win the hunt,” Melantha observed.
“Certainly the first in a number of years. Well, Lucian why don’t you get some punch for yourself and Moira and sit down? I daresay you could use the rest.”
Lucian nodded. He was breathing too hard to speak. He led Moira to a table and held her chair for her before going to the serving area. After filling two cups, he returned to Moira and handed her a glass before sitting next to her. “You were awesome. How did you figure out that last clue?”
A slight sadness touched Moira’s voice as she answered, “The remembered hero is my dad. I found his portrait last semester. I simply remembered that there were stars in it.” She was quiet for a while. “Good job keeping up with me. I was sure you’d trip over yourself.”
He laughed, “I’m surprised I didn’t. Your legs are so much longer than mine that it was hard to keep up.” Moira flushed and Lucian knew instantly that was the wrong thing to say. “I’m sorry, I meant…”
“No, it’s okay. In any case we won.” An uncomfortable silence fell over them until others joined them at their table. Lucian was internally kicking himself. He knew better than to mention Moira’s height. He’d bumbled things when she finally seemed to have opened up to him.
As the clock struck twelve, lunch began; or rather they were sent to find it. This hunt wasn’t nearly as difficult as the other. They went out to the gardens and found tables with long, different-colored tablecloths laid over them. “Before you can be seated, you must find the appropriate tables,” Melantha said. “Your age must match the color.”
“Age must match the color? How are we supposed to figure that out?” Moira asked.
Clarissa looked thoughtful. “Age must match the color. Age…Oh! I know! There’s an old poem from way long ago. It talks about the tradition fairies had about color. Let me think, um, blue was the first color, so that would be the oldest students.”
“I think I know what you’re talking about,” Eleanor said. “Green was next to fill the earth with serenity. So that’s the fifth year students. Then red, the color of life.”
“Yellow next to warm the planet,” Clarissa continued. “Violet then to add nobility and passion.”
“Orange to bring in the day and herald night! We’re orange!” Eleanor exclaimed. She grabbed George’s hand and the group followed her to the table with the orange tablecloth. Others filtered their way and when finally the fairies explained the clue, everyone else was seated. Lunch was served and the group ate ravenously. The search had really brought out their appetite. Only Kaelen seemed uninterested in eating. “Come on,” Adrian said between mouthfuls. “Everything’s delicious. Eat up!”
“He’s right,” George agreed. “Besides, starving yourself won’t make Rex better.”
Kaelen merely nodded and kept pushing the food around his plate. He ate a bite here and there to appease his friends, but didn’t at all feel hungry. He hardly paid attention as Calista announced that Moira and Lucian had won, earning them each a basket of goodies. He barely heard Melantha gather her princesses. He didn’t say goodbye to Esmé who was sulking over the fact that they’d lost. Once everyone was gone, he went to the infirmary to check on Rex.
When he got there, Diana was sitting cross-legged on the floor next to his bed, trying to coax him into eating. “Come on, boy, just a bite. For me?”
Rex whined and turned away.
“Is he any better?” Kaelen asked.
“I’m afraid not,” she replied. “I’ve been in here all morning trying to get him to eat.”
“Haven’t you eaten?”
Diana smiled but didn’t respond. Kaelen knew the answer. He hadn’t seen her at the staff table at lunch. He scratched Rex’s ears before leaving again. He walked into the kitchen where a short, mauve fairy was attending the stove. “You’re not to be in here. What do you want?”
“I’m sorry. I just wondered if I could take a tray to Diana. She hasn’t eaten because she was taking care of my dog while the princesses were here,” Kaelen explained.
“That Diana doesn’t have her head on right. Take care of animals before herself. Take care of students before herself. Take care of anything before herself! I tell you that if it weren’t for the fact that she’d die, I doubt she would ever eat.” She handed Kaelen a tray. “Now don’t be coming in here again.”
“I won’t,” he promised. “Thank you!” He walked back into the infirmary and handed the tray to Diana.
She looked mildly surprised, but said, “Thank you. I was feeling a mite hungry.”
“I’ll try to get him to eat. You take care of yourself.”
Diana gave him a half-smile and carried the tray to a table to start eating. She watched Kaelen silently. The genuine worry and concern touched her. It was nice to see this human side of Kaelen. She watched him stroke the dog’s head and even manage to get him to eat a few bites. She heard motion at the door and turned to see Tallia. Quietly getting up, she walked over. “Well?”
“Lucretia says that the plant I need is one that disappeared last semester,” Tallia said.
“Surely they’ve replanted,” Diana replied.
“Of course they have, but the new plants aren’t mature yet. Althea promised to bless them, but even with that it could be a week, probably two before they’re ready.”
“Two weeks? Rex may not have two days of strength left. He needs that potion,” Diana whispered anxiously.
“I know. But it’s the best we can do.”
Diana turned to where Kaelen was. He was lying on the floor next to Rex’s bed, stroking his side while the old dog slept. She sighed. She very much doubted that Rex would survive to hunt again.
Four days later, the five friends met with Diana out in the woods with Rex. His body was wrapped tightly in his favorite blanket. Kaelen was clutching it, silent tears coursing down his face. He had taken Rex’s passing surprisingly well. No shouting that it wasn’t fair, no pleading. He’d just rubbed the dog’s ears and softly whispered, “Goodbye, boy. I love you.”
Now as they dug a shallow grave for him, Diana tried desperately to keep her own emotions under control. Losing a pet was difficult under any circumstances, but the first one was harder. She watched as Kaelen gently placed Rex in the hole and helped Adrian recover it. He had carved Rex’s name on a medium-sized stone and placed that over the fresh grave. “I’m so sorry, Kaelen,” she said, putting an arm around his shoulder.
“He’s not sick anymore,” Kaelen replied. He was quiet for a moment. “I’m really going to miss him. He was a good dog. My dad gave him to me when I was little. He was just a puppy then.” He looked around and saw other stones in the area. “Are those…?”
“Yes,” Diana replied, answering the unfinished question. “Many princes have lost a dog while in school. It is a hard time for all of them, especially when it is their first pet. Some even lost horses through accident or illness. This is where we bury them, so that they can be in a place of peace and beauty. You can come here anytime you need.” She squeezed his shoulder before walking away.
“I’m sorry, Kaelen,” Adrian said.
Kaelen shrugged. Part of him wanted to be alone, but he was glad his friends had joined him. “Thanks for coming with me.”
“That’s what friends are for,” George said.
A light rain started to fall, as though the world were mourning with him. “I guess we should head
inside,” Kaelen whispered.
“We probably should,” Lucian replied.
“Come on,” Jacobi said gently, placing a hand on Kaelen’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”
Silently, the five left the small graveyard in the woods. Kaelen thought he heard the haunting sounds of dogs barking and horses whinnying. Perhaps Diana was right. Here, the cherished pets and beloved companions of princes gone before could find peace and rest in that beautiful glade. He turned and thought he saw Rex standing there. He seemed to smile and then bounded away into the trees. Goodbye, Rex, Kaelen thought as he continued into the castle with his friends.
Soon the boys were busy with finals. The weather was as stormy as the boys’ attitudes. The horsemanship final was held in the indoor arena and the hunting final was held in the gym. “Obviously,” Diana said as they were gathering, “you won’t be hunting for any animals. Instead, you’ll be working with targets and proving your hounds.” Lucian was disappointed that they couldn’t have the final outside. Rusty had improved as much as he had grown and was as good as any of the other hounds. Kaelen had yet to receive his other hound, despite sending multiple letters. For his final, Diana had arranged for him to work with one of her hounds. “It’s not fair since all of my hounds are so well-trained, but the important part is your understanding, not theirs,” she had told him.
Kaelen hated every moment of the final. He wanted his hound. Target