That morning after we could breath again and the roof to the barn was repaired we all set to cleaning up that nights party. While we were cleaning many of the people talked about having another party, some even asking me if I would like to have another celebration.
"What do you think Bowen," I asked him as we ate breakfast on the hill we spoke on before the battle. Abiageal, Kara, Father and Brother Gilbert ate with us.
"I wouldn't know my lady," he replied biting his apple, "I did enjoy myself last night and I haven't seen the people this happy in a long time."
"Another celebration seems appropriate Ava,'' Kara said, "We have been in pain for so long. Now with you we have a reason to look forward to another day."
"You are correct," I agreed, "Why not the people deserve this. They fought for so long so let them have their fun. We can worry about chores and work another time."
"Are you sure about that," asked Brother Gilbert, "That seems a bit far."
"If you are talking of sin Brother Gilbert than let me be damned for everyone," I cheered getting to my feet, "Let this be my first decree that for the next twelve days their is to be no work at all. The only work that shall be done will only be related to the feasts, dances, and other pleasures of the night. We shall make up for lost happiness of the past twelve years. And there shall be no status no ranks. All men women and children shall be equal for these twelve days and nights.
"So let us dance and celebrate," cheered my sister standing next to me.
"For we are free now and forever," Kara cheered standing next to us. The three of us laughed running down the hill to the grassy field. As we ran I kicked off my shoes and my sister did the same. Kara fallowed as well and all three of us started dancing in a circle holding hands. We spun till we were so dizzy we could no longer stand. We lay down in the grass laughing at each other.
"I can't remember the last time I was that happy," Kara said smiling.
"I cant remember the last time spun so much," my sister chuckled.
"And I want the whole kingdom to feel this way," I said looking up at the sky. We laid there on the ground for a time just staring at the clouds silently enjoying each others company, as we laid in the grass the men soon joined us and all six of us were laying in the grass watching the sky. We later sent for a messenger.
"Let it be know through out my land," I spoke as I laid on the ground speaking so that the stars and the wind would carry my message as well, "That for the next twelve days will not be for work only for play. That the only work that must be done is the work to ready for the nights celebrations and nothing more. Let there be meat on every table let there be sweets in every stomach for we shall dance till the sun rises. There shall be no ranks or status among any one not even my sister and I. Men, women, even children shall be equal to all. None shall be over the other."
To make sure all would hear my message father flew to the villages with the messenger to deliver my word. The rest of the day all of us worked to ready the nights events. The feasts were being cooked as well as the sweets. Drink was brought up from the cellars of the castle and the musicians practiced their songs. A theater troop made costumes and practiced for a show as well. All of the festivities this time was going to be held in the castle court yard and all of us helped set up for the party. My sister and I even helped where ever we could. Bowen helped gather meat for the feast with father and other hunters. Kara helped my sister and I make bread and other sweets with the cooks. Brother Gilbert was with the actors talking poems, telling them of our travel to Avalon, and our battle with my brother. All was going well till the royal treasure came to speak with me while I was preparing my special bread for everyone with a several children from the village in the castles kitchen. Kara and Abiageal were helping the cooks take up some lunch for everyone working in the court yard.
"Now just mold the dough like this," I told them rolling the dough back and forth when the royal treasurer came into the kitchen.
"Your Highness I must speak with you about the celebrations," he was a tall man with a long nose, very skinny and bony. He was bent over from age and leaning over a desk for too long.
"My good sir on the next twelve days and nights I am the same as any one else so call me Ava," I said to him then turned back to the children as they rolled their dough, "Good now roll the dough into a ball, then we will place it in the oven."
"Can your father cook the bread," asked a little boy who's hair was covered in flour.
"Can he sister Ava," asked a little girl with flour and dough on her cheeks. All the other children stared asking the same thing.
"My lady I must speak to you," said the treasure a little more urgently and annoyed.
I looked over at the man, "What is it?"
"My lady I must say that this celebration will not be able to happen," he said stepping fearfully past the group of children that surrounded me as if they were wild animals.
"What do you mean," I asked him wiping some flour from my hands onto the front of my dress. He scrunched his nose at me action then showed me a sheet of paper with numbers and costs on it.
"You see my lady the villagers will not be able to pay for all of the celebrations," he said pointing to the bottom of the paper with a total cost of all the preparations. I looked over the list of costs and I could not help my jaw from dropping to the ground. Not from shock of the prices but what was being prices. This man thought to plunk the villagers coins for the game that was hunted, the bread that the children and I were making, as well as the ingredients for said bread. He even had the nerve to have them pay for the theater troop. What had me for shocked was that he was charging them for the whole festival.
I took a deep breath then spoke calmly, "My good sir I am afraid that you have written this wrong. The people shall not be paying for this. Not a single cent with come from their purses."
"But my lady that is how it has been for the last twelve years," he replied a little stund, "I am surprised you were not told when you made your decree. The king, your brother made this so. That the nobility would not have to pay for their own parties the taxes were even mended for this reason."
"What," I said in anger. As my anger grew so did the fires in the kitchen, "He did what?!"
The fires grew as I felt my anger grow inside my chest, the cooks backed away from their stoves and the children came closer to me. Some grabbing onto my dress and hiding their face in the fabric. Even in death my brother wished to cause suffering to these people. Looking down at the children I saw they were scared of my anger but came to me to protect them. Seeing them calmed my anger enough for me to think and breath. Calming both myself and the flames as well. I then kneeled to the children's eye level.
"Why don't you all go ask my father to see if he will cook your bread, though I'm sure he would love to," I smiled at them, "He should be in the court yard with your Uncle Bowen. Take your dough balls to him and say 'Good Dragon Father would you please cook our bread for us'.
"Yes my Queen," said a freckle boy with blonde curly hair who had been hugging my leg not a moment ago.
"I am not your Queen my little one," I said cupping his cheek, "I am your big sister for the celebrations so is Abiageal and Sir Bowen is your Uncle and Lady Kara is your Aunt."
"Yeah Tommy," said his twin sister who's dress was covered in flour and small hand prints.
"Sorry big sister Ava," he replied.
"It is alright now go to my father and ask him your question."
"Yes big sister," they all smiled grabbing their dough and running out the kitchen past the treasure. Giggling as they raced to father with their dough in hand. I smiled at them till all of them had ran out of the kitchen. When the last child had ran out of the kitchen my face became as serious as it was on the battle field as I turned to the treasure.
"Now what was this about the peasants paying for the nobility's parties?"
"In a way my lady," he said in a 'matter-of-factly' voice that was slightly getting on my already tense nerves, "You see the extra amount of the tax was meant so the nobility would have spending money, and with the taxes not due for some time the money..."
"Show me the treasury," I said cutting him off.
"What my lady," he said stund.
"Are you deaf," I said my anger slowly rising as well as the fires.
"Travers if the beasts that we are cooking get burned because you pissed off the Queen she will be the last of your worries," yelled the Head Cook as he stomped over to us. He was a plump man, always covered in species, and had a retreating hair line, but was a very pleasant man who was both a soft flower and a strong rock. "Fallow me Ava I'll show you the vault since this man has spent too much time in the books to know how to talk to a women."
The other cooks laughed at his comment and so did I which calmed the fires to their normal height, "Thank you Chef."
"My please my dear," he said smiling bowing his head then he offered me his arm, "This way my dear."
"Lead the way," I said hooking my arm in his and we walked side-by-side out of the kitchen with a stund and flabbergasted treasure behind us. We left the kitchen turned down three corners, past five servants getting ready for tonight party in the court yard, till we arrived to a locked room.
"Unlock the door," I said to the treasurer.
"I am sorry my lady but I do not have the key with me," he said his nose held up.
"You are the Treasure are you not," I said annoyed at the man.
"Yes but I lost the key during the raid and have not been able to have another made."
At this point my distaste for the man was growing. This incompetent fool who I could tell still believed in my brothers ways and had no liking to me ruling the kingdom. I could even feel the cooks dislike for him but was holding back from pounding the man straight again. The cook and the treasure then started arguing back and forth. I ignored their fighting and was instead staring at the door. It was wood so I could burn in down but that could lead to a larger fire. My anger was growing now and with a mighty roar I grabbed the doors lock ripping it off sending it flying right in-between the two men causing them to stop fighting and stare at me, as I then kicked the door sending it flying off it's hinges into a large pile of gold the size of my father. I stepped into the room and saw it was filled with ten more piles just the same size.
"My brother has been busy it seems," I said smoke coming out of my mouth as I spoke, "I remember we only had 1/4 this amount of wealth when I left. It now appears I have a gift for the people."
"My lady," the treasure said panicked, "You don't mean to give the peasants."
"Yes I do," I said a small amount of fire shot from my mouth as I spoke, proof of my ever growing anger at the man in front of me. By this time Bowen, several guards, and three servants had ran into the room wondering what had caused the loud crash.
"Ava is something...wrong," Bowen was short for words when he saw all the gold that was around me.
"No Bowen I was telling the treasure that I would like to distribute the money seen here to the people as a gift," I said to him staring down the treasure, then I turned to Bowen, "Please have sacks of gold filled then given to the people at tonight's feast as a gift from the royal family."
"Yes Ma'ma,"Bowen said then had the guards gather up sacks a began filling them with gold.
"Make sure you give the castle's staff their share as well,"I said as I began to walk out of the room to continue with the rest of the preparations.
"Yes Ava," said Bowen and the guards as I left the room with the cook fallowing next to me as well as the treasure who stayed silent as he walked back to his office.
"Thank you my lady you are too kind," the cook said taking my hand and kissing the top of it.
"I am happy to serve my people and you should have back what my brother has stolen from you," I said smiling at him, "Now let us continue with tonight's celebration."
"Yes my dear," he smiled at me and we both continued to walk back to the kitchen, "I hope you have a good appetite my dear for tonight shall be a feast to remember."
"I look forward to your cooking Chef," I smiled at him. When we reached the kitchen I left to find the children, my sister and father. I found them all in the court yard. Father was playing with the children with Abieageal chasing them around playing tag and father letting the children climb all over his body like pups would do to their mother.