Chapter 4: Four
As I walk to work, I start to think about the winter games and if it is a good idea for me to take part in them. My mother seemed very adamant about the fact that I should not join the games or come close to the dragon king. I do not know why she is so protective over me but I know I have to find a way to become a knight.
I finally make it to the village and quickly make my way back to the blacksmith. I enjoy working for him and he has been a good friend to me. Today, I feel extra happy going to work because usually, when it is my birthday, Garth would always have a cake for me.
In many ways, he has been a father figure to me and he has shown me what it means to be brave. I guess that is the reason why I really want to join the winter games to become a knight. Just as I get into the blacksmith they start to sing for me. I am so happy that everyone from my work is here including some of the nearby shop's employees.
They sing and congratulate me and then soon after Garth lets me know that we should start to work.
"Time waits for no one. Let's get to it"
I thank everyone for singing for me and then I walk straight to my sword. I now have a newfound energy to finish it. I want to use it in the winter games. I know that it was not announced yet so I still have a little bit of time to finish my sword. The day goes by slowly and eventually, my workday is over.
Garth has given me a half day off. I am so happy because I really do not want to spend my entire birthday working. I am halfway out of the village when Oliver comes up running to me.
"Happy Birthday, man! I have a great present for you. Follow me!"
He does not even give me time to react to what he has to say and then he runs in the opposite direction. I run after him and say.
"Where are we going?!"
"You just have to wait and see!"
I can not help but smile, wondering what he has for me. It is turning out to be a great birthday. We get to our usual spot where we would train and then he stops in the middle of the field. I stand next to him breathless from all the running and he says.
"Now, close your eyes"
"Come on, man. What is going on?"
"Just do what I say"
"Okay..."
I close my eyes and I can not stop grinning. Then after a few moments, he says to me.
"Okay, open them"
As I open my eyes I see a complete set of armor. It looks like it was worn by a king because of the gold color on the breastplate. I can not stop myself from walking forward and holding it in my hands. I touch every part of the armor and then I say to Oliver.
"What is this?!!"
"It is armor, silly"
I slap him against his shoulder and then I continue to look at the armor saying.
"I know it is armor but is this for me?"
"Yes! Happy Birthday!"
"What?! Are you serious?!"
"Yes. My dad was cleaning out his storage and then I saw that on the pile that he wanted to throw away and I knew since you want to join the winter games-"
I do not give him a chance to finish his sentence as I could not stop myself from pulling him in for a hug.
"Thank you so much! This is really going to help me"
"I am glad you like it"
"Like it?! I love it! Thank you"
Then I start to inspect the armor more intensely and I see that it is still in mint condition. Then, suddenly I realize that I do not have a place to hide it. If my mother sees that I have armor then she is going to know that I am joining the winter games. Then Oliver turns to me and says.
"I am sorry, man. I have to go. I wish I could stay and celebrate your birthday but my dad has this entire afternoon planned out for me. I guess he wants me to become a gentleman"
"You have done more than enough to celebrate my birthday. Go. I will be fine"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, go be a gentleman"
He does not think I am very funny and then he turns around running back to his house. Suddenly, I get a bright idea as to where I can hide this armor. I sneak back to my house and decide to put it in the shed. I know that my mother never goes in there and this way it will be easy to get access to it when I go to the games.
Just as I close the door, I hear my mother calling for me. She must have heard from Garth that I got the day off and so I quickly move away from the shed to avoid any suspicion.
"I am coming!"
As I get closer to my mother, I can see she looks different. I put my hand on her shoulder and say.
"Are you okay, mother?"
She sighs loudly and then says.
"Let's sit outside"
I can not help but start to worry because she is acting much differently than ever before. I sit down at the table and she sits across from me. I can see that she is avoiding my eyes and then I say.
"You know it is my birthday today, mother?"
Then she looks back into my eyes and this time she smiles. She takes my hand and then she says.
"I know it is your birthday. Happy Birthday, my boy"
I like it when she smiles and I can feel the love that she has for me. But then she takes her hand out of mine and quickly looks the other way.
"What is going on, mother?"
I see her clutching something in her hand that looks like an envelope. Then as if she gets some sort of refreshed courage she looks straight into my eyes.
"William...oh god...William, do you know that I love you?"
I start to worry because I can hear the tone in her voice has changed. I want to take her hand but she is holding tightly onto the envelope in her hand.
"Yes, I know you love me. What is going on? You are scaring me, mother?"
"I need to tell you something but I first wanted to know that you know that I will love you forever and I have always loved you as my own"
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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