Christmas Countdown Day 21 (MAJOR SPOILER FOR WatWK!

Here is your story for the Christmas Countdown. IF YOU HAVEN'T READ WARDEN AND THE WOLF KING, DO NOT READ! 😁

Chosen

Amanda lay awake at night, listening to the gentle sound of the river. She thought of the deeps of Throg, how the Stonekeeper had coaxed her into melding. She had stopped mid-song and ran away into the Blackwood. She didn’t have any parents now. She lived in an orphanage. Galya and Kalmar Wingfeather had stopped by. The king and queen had spoken to the orphans in quiet whispering. The Throne Warden and his wife, Janner and Sara Wingfeather had adopted some of the orphans, but with Sara expecting another child in two months, and with the three the Throne Warden and Princess had, they wouldn’t adopt another. They couldn’t. There were seven children in Janner’s house, and the King had so many birth children. All the people in Anniera were kind, and many had adopted children, but they also could only have so many. There were hundreds of orphans in Anniera after the healing. Children who had been taken by the Black Carriage. Children of Anniera whose parents weren’t melded.

               “Maker, why does this happen? I don’t want to live in an orphanage.” Amanda whispered. She closed her eyes. “I want a family.” she said. In a few minutes, she fell asleep.

               “Children!” Mistress Anna said. “The king is coming today, and I expect you to be on your best behavior!” Amanda said the last half of the sentence along with Mistress Anna. Mistress Anna glared at each of the children in turn. There were about fifty orphans in the orphanage.

               Mistress Anna was a cruel woman. She would slap the children if they slept in past five and made them do hard work whenever they weren’t in lessons. When the king visited the orphans, if the children so much as cracked a smile, she sent them to clean the entire orphanage. Amanda wished that the king would change the headmistress, but they had no such luck.

“Not only that, but the Throne Warden and the Princess are coming too! If you laugh, speak without being spoken to, or slouch, you will be punished!” Mistress Anna continued. Amanda frowned.

               “Children!” Mistress Paula came into the room.  “The king and queen are here! The Throne Warden and the Princess are running late!” Amanda frowned again. She straightened her back and assumed a straight face. High King Kalmar and Queen Galya entered the room.

               “Oh, High King!” Mistress Anna said. “Rise and bow, children.” Amanda rose and curtsied. Mistress Anna glared at each child again while the High King wasn’t looking. Amanda resisted the urge to look away. If she looked away, she’d be punished.

               “Children, it’s a pleasure to come here. I love to visit.” the king said.

               “We love you to visit as well.” Mistress Anna said. “Are you adopting anyone today? My other teachers would like to know.”

               “Yes, we are. We are looking for a little girl today.” Queen Galya said. “We have so many boys, but not one girl.” Amanda’s heart rose. Mistress Janet ran into the room.

               “The Throne Warden and the Princess are here!” she announced. Sara and Janner entered the room. Sara sat down and Janner took her hand.

               “Good morning, children.” Sara said. Many of the orphans she brought were grown. Amanda was only four years old when she sang the song. She had seen her parent get fanged. They had been killed in the war. An eight-year-old girl stumbled into the room. A boy of about twelve led her in.

               “Jane!” Mistress Anna said. She nodded apologetically at the king. “Don’t worry. She will be punished for being late.”

               “That’s not necessary.” the king said.

               “Jane, you have been warned. You are not to stay in the library past eight.” Mistress Anna said.

               “Oh, Jane! You shall not punish her!” Sara said. She stood and scooped the girl up. Jane rubbed her eyes. Mistress Anna’s eyes seemed to pop out of her face. Amanda laughed. She had never seen Mistress Anna so surprised. Mistress Anna turned her gaze to Amanda.

               “Come with me.” she said in a cold voice. She grabbed Amanda and dragged her out of the room. She shoved a mop into Amanda’s hand. “You are to clean the entire orphanage, inside and out. Mow the grass around the house and scrub the walls and windows.” Amanda nodded.

               “Yes, ma’am.” Amanda said.

               “She won’t.” a voice from behind said. “Not if she doesn’t want to.” Amanda turned around and was shocked to see the king behind her. Kalmar gently took the mop from Amanda. His clear blue eyes told her that he cared. He knelt down until his eyes were level with hers. He took her hands.

               “You are loved, Amanda.” Kalmar said. “The queen and I are going to adopt you.” Amanda’s eyes filled with tears. She was loved. No one had forced the king to adopt her. She had a family. She was adopted. She was chosen.

               Amanda lived with the king in the Castle Rysen. Kalmar replaced the cruel mistress of the orphanage with a kind woman named Issabell. In two months, Sara had a child and named him John. Leeli Wingfeather married Thorn ‘O Sally at the age of eighteen and had children. She adopted many of the children in the orphanage and made sure there were at least five dogs in Rysen. If any of her children wanted another dog, she said it was okay. The king’s mother, Nia Wingfeather, eventually helped Thorn have better grammar and made sure that the Jewel’s children had good grammar as well, though Thorn compliments Leeli with the phrase “real good” to this day.

The End