Chapter 11
There was a break time before the next race. Lauren would actually call it a test rather than a race. This was the "intelligence" testing. It was not just an academic knowledge test, but also a knowledge of the Keeper, the real world, and diplomacy test. Lauren found the knowledge of the Keeper part the most interesting." So, you are telling me that they have to know details about Evandalyn?"
"No, silly," Evandalyn answered. "About you."
"Me? How would they know anything about me?"
"Observation skills." Edmon injected.
The academic scores were as expected with The Headmaster on top, followed by Charles, Tom, and Guy. Sam and Davis scored in the middle of the herd. The worst score was made by Chris and Byron. To no one's surprise, Davis knew the most about Lauren, Grant knew the least. Peter, Grant, and Jon scored the highest in diplomacy. Byron's score started Lauren thinking that he really didn't want to be in the competition. It was almost like he didn't try at all.
Their cunning was tested by putting them in a situation that forced them to create, blend, or evaluate everything in order to get free from an escape room to move on. Watching the unicorns create the different tools they needed was exciting. Tom and Peter truly exceeded the tasks and were first out of the rooms. Davis and Jon were next. Grant and Frank were third.
Byron was heard throwing things and breaking through the wall. "Poor Byron. Why is he losing his cool?"
"He always wants to impress his father and probably feels he is not right now," Edmon observed.
Lauren looked up and saw Davis come over to Byron. He spoke to his son. Byron hung his head and then was embraced by his dad. Davis held Byron and soothed his anger. Lauren really liked Davis' handling of the situation.
"That was nice," Demeatral said. "I didn't expect that from Davis."
The rest of the unicorns came out of the escape room, frustrated and looking puzzled. "That really must have been a very hard escape room," Lauren said.
"Yes. Ezra must have stayed up all night thinking that one up." Evandalyn replied.
The interviews with Evandalyn were next. "Lauren, you might want to use this time to do some discernment. You will be able to watch the interviews and you do need to know everything about everyone you will be working with."
Lauren felt a bit intrusive using her discernment power, but she agreed.
First up was Davis. His time with Evandalyn was more a conversation than an interview. He was so open. Lauren looked at Davis and, in her mind, she said, "Clarify."
She saw Davis as a copy, playing and enjoying life. He trained hard as a teenager and young adult. He met a lady unicorn one night and spent the night with her. She came to him a few months later with a little colt, told him it was his and left Byron with him. He took care of Byron. Davis' mother and father helped out. It was a beautiful family dynamic. Davis seemed to have a wonderful life and to be very responsible.
Next was Grant. "Why are you in this competition? Don't you have enough to do as Headmaster? Evandalyn asked.
Lauren didn't need to do a discernment because that was her question for him. "I know you might not want to look into him, but you need to know all that are around you. He may not become your unicorn. but you will still have dealings with him. He is the academic magistrate." Edmon pointed out.
Lauren first listened to the answer to the question. "We wanted to honor the tradition of the 12. I'm the only unicorn in Virgo with the right coloring."
"Oh." Thought Lauren. "Well, that is not a good reason. It sounds more like an obligation. He will be happy to be back at his work when this is over." Then she said, "Clarify."
Grant was busying himself around the university, enjoying every task. He smiled at students and attended sporting events. He planned award events and pep rallies. His days were all happy and energized. Lauren decided it would be best that Grant went back to the university.
Sam was next. Evandalyn had to ask questions to get him to talk. Even then he only gave her the exact answers. Lauren began the discernment of him and saw his responsibility. Sam was a 7th son of 7 sons and Lauren was shown what that meant. "You must understand that you are not just anyone." Lauren heard his mother say. "Your father died fighting a dragon. You must be trained and cannot run around willy-nilly." Sam's face fell as he was shuffled to his classes away from the playground where the other children were. Though Lauren didn't know what he guarded at home, she could tell he was the guardian of so much. He could not have her added to the burden. Lauren knew it would be good to have Sam around, but he was not the steed for her. He shouldered way too much already.
Peter was next. He was also very open with Evandalyn, but he was very guarded as well. Lauren decided to discern him. She saw him born in the back of a strip club, but she couldn't tell which woman was the mother. All of the women took turns raising him. When he was a young child, a group of wild-looking men took him away and raised him to be a warrior. They mistreated him and he suffered long until Cosh found him and brought him to the palace. He was treated for his injuries and made a ward of the palace.
"You are a wilding, but you are part of my family now since you are my ward. Do you feel accepted here?" Evandalyn asked Peter, bringing Lauren out of her discernment.
"Yes, I feel accepted. I just wanted to be honest with Lady Lauren. I appreciate that you took me in, but I was born with no idea who my parents are, and I don't know if I can find out that information."
Lauren felt for Peter. She had to remember to tell him about the strip club so he could go ask them about his mother.
Charles was next. He revealed that he was just a number because of tradition and that he couldn't stay if he won. "I just remember how it was when I was young and wanted to have this chance." Charles' discernment was very busy and active. He was on the green hills of Ireland, tending sheep and repairing homes throughout the town. He picked up and tossed cabers with ease using them to build walls and new buildings. He was not just a minister but the town Earl in charge. Lauren was fascinated by the fact that "a human" was actually a unicorn. How was that possible? Lauren loved his honesty.
Evandalyn quickly began questioning Christopher of Larksley. "Does your parents know you are here?" Lauren looked in shock as she waited to hear the answer to the question.
"Yes," Christopher answered. "I want to know more about our world and the realms around us. They made a fuss but could not stop me from coming. I have met my majority."
Evandalyn accepted that answer and continued to ask the more standard questions giving Lauren a chance to discern him. Lauren saw a world set apart. A white wall surrounded it and a dome sparkled in the sunlight. She could not penetrate the divide. She saw him as he left the safety of the dome and wall and headed to Librarius but nothing before.
"Larksley is a place that separated itself from everyone once the divide from the human realm went into place. They don't want anything to do with anyone else. I was shocked to see Chris here." Edmon stated.
Jon was questioned next. "You are not from our realm. Why is a heaven realm unicorn here?" Demeatral asked.
"I am obligated to serve the Keeper. I owe her but she doesn't know it." Jon replied. This sparked Lauren's interest. Jon continued. "She helped me in the human world to learn to read and to develop life skills. She doesn't recognize me because I was under a spell. If it hadn't been for her, I would have given my soul to a witch that resides in the human realm. Her teaching saved me. So, I owe her."
Lauren had to know. "Clarify." She spoke. Years fell away and she was back in her classroom in the fourth year of her teaching career. She saw a small boy sitting on a bench looking lost. She remembered that day. She did convince that boy to come to her and join the human world. She found him a family that took him in. He joined her class and learned hungrily. She watched him grow up and become a man. She watched him become a success. She came back to herself and looked at Jon. She was stunned. This is that boy.
"When I saw her in town, I couldn't believe that fate was that wonderful. I had to join the race. I have to repay her." Jon said.
Lauren cried. Evandalyn gave her a hug and comforted her until she was out of tears.
Tom was next. He was also from the human world. "I thought creatures from this world couldn't go to the human world if not let through by the Keeper." Lauren queried.
"Well, before the divide creatures flowed to and fro without a barrier. Some were left in the human realm, just as there are a few humans here, like MaGayla."Evandalyn answered. "It wasn't a perfect split but that happened way too long ago."
Edmond began to question Tom. "What made you come here from the human realm and how long ago did you come?"
"I have been here for three hundred years. The Keeper of that time let me cross. She saw I was orphaned and young. She knew I was a unicorn, and I didn't. I hadn't come into my majority yet." Tom said.
"It would have been awkward to change in the real world and especially without parental help." Edmond stated.
"Yes. That's what she said. I have lived in the mountains all these years with a hermit." Evandalyn took a deep breath. "He taught me how to fight, hunt, and survive. When I changed the first time, he changed also. That was the first time I saw him change. We ran the hills together and guarded the boundary of the realm."
"Sabastian," Evandalyn whispered while crying. "Sabastian was the guardian that betrayed me. I thought he was dead a long time ago."
"When the old man died last year, I decided to come here and join the other unicorns. When the opportunity came to join all this fanfare, I joined them hoping to get chosen so I could continue to serve." Tom stated. Lauren's discernment of Tom showed him to be truthful and very open. She watched him be trained by Sabastian and at a grave marker mourning Sabastian's death.
Patrick of Galdiland stated he was there for the fun of the competition. When he said he only wanted to win? Lauren crossed him off the list. She needed someone more serious. When she tried to discern anything from him, he was partying, drinking, and gambling.
Lauren saw a future in Byron, Frank, and Guy but thought they needed to mature more. She wanted them to be able to continue to train, like second-string players.
In the end, as expected, Davis won the competition. Sam and Chris became her reserved rides. Jon, Peter, and Tom wrapped up her unicorn guard. Evandalyn liked her idea of keeping the younger sons of the unicorns for a second string and letting them continue to train. Grant went back to the Academy in Indus, Charles back to his ministry, and Patrick back to Galdiland where he could continue to have his fun.