Dragon Story- Tray sees the list

More from my dragon story. The third character Tray is going to see the list now, and this will probably mark the end to chapter 1.

Tray was nervous. He had heard that a messenger was bringing a copy of the Dragon Knight List to his village, and that meant that someone from his village had made it. Tray knew of at least three others who had tried, but he didn’t know them very well so he didn’t know how he compared to them.

It had spread very fast that the list was coming. The whole village was buzzing with the news. The only one who didn’t seem excited was Tray’s mother. She never spoke about it, but Tray had been told by some of the other villagers that she had been on the list once but had never made it. When Tray asked her about she changed the subject. He never brought it up again, but when the try-outs were announced for the list he felt that he might have a chance since his mother had made it once before. Now that news of the list had spread across the village he had seen a change in his mother. Her temper had gotten shorter and Tray could tell that something was worrying her. Tray hoped that he had made the right decision in trying out. He didn’t know how his mother would react if he got in.

Tray was waiting near the mail house. If the list really was coming, this is where it would be posted. He felt silly just standing outside the mail house doing nothing. He could feel the disapproving looks from some of the older villagers. They probably thought that he was slacking his work, and in truth he was, but he felt too anxious to get anything done. Once he saw the list he would be able to finish his chores, he just didn’t know when the list would get here, if at all.

“Oy lookit, its Tray!”

Tray turned and saw three other boys heading towards him. As they drew closer he could tell that they were the other three who had tried out for the list. They didn’t look happy to see him.

“What, you waiting for the list to get ‘ere?” one of them said.

Tray timidly nodded, which caused the other three to burst out laughing. “Oh please, you ain’t on the list, no way you could ever get on it! If anyone from ‘ere is on the list, it’ll be one of us!” the biggest one said putting his hands on the shoulders of his two friends.

Tray looked to the ground and didn’t say anything. He already felt defeated. All three of them were bigger than he was and probably a lot stronger. There was no way that he got in if those three were his competition.

“Tha’s right, you c’n just go on home to your mummy ‘n cry Tray,” the big one said and he probably would have kept on going if it weren’t for the sound of hooves.

Tray turned and saw a messenger coming toward the village. The Messenger was riding an enormous horse and was wearing a blue uniform. Tray had never seen a messenger before, but he had heard that they were a grand sight to behold. He could see that the stories were right. The messenger’s uniform probably cost more than the whole village did. It had gold on the shoulders and for the buttons and there were medals covering the man’s chest. The messenger himself was an older looking man, but had a very stern face. Tray was suddenly keenly aware of his poverty when standing near this man.

The messenger looked at the four boys and huffed at them before dismounting. He looked around at the village with contempt as he took a piece of paper from a pouch on his waist. He unrolled it and stuck it to the wall and started muttering something under his breath.

Tray was still staring after the messenger when he was pushed down by the other boys. They walked off before Tray even knew what had happened. They didn’t look happy as they left.

Tray picked himself up and went to the list. The other three boys had obviously not made it, so Tray didn’t have much hope for himself. The list had some of the fanciest handwriting on it he had ever seen.

The following individuals have been tested and found worthy to be trained as a Royal Knight under the Order of Dragons.

Tray skimmed through the names on the list, his heart dropping farther and farther as he read. He didn’t see his name there anywhere. All the other names sounded so fancy, and they all had at least two. Finally, Tray saw the last name on the list.

Tray, Son of Delilah

Tray’s breath caught in his throat. He made the list! He was the reason that the messenger had come! He was why the town was so excited! He read the rest of it.

The above named shall report to the castle of His Royal Majesty, King Ignatius, two weeks after the posting of this list.
Those unable to afford such a journey should send a special request to the castle.

Tray didn’t know what a special request was, but a few moments in the mail house would probably solve that. This was so incredible! Tray didn’t think he had ever felt this excited before. He wanted to jump and scream, but then a thought stopped him. What would he tell his mother? He needed to tell her soon, it would be all over the village in a matter of hours, and she wouldn’t appreciate hearing it from someone else. Tray couldn’t imagine her being happy about the news.