The Copper Sign by Katia Fox, Lee Chadeayne Page B

stump. Dead tired, suffering from the cold and dampness and with the weight of the sandbag on their backs, most of them had a hard time making it to the pealing of the first bell at noon. Some gave up sooner and were denounced and disgraced. As for the others—those who held out until noon— their arms trembled from the exertion and their legs were numb and paralyzed as well. The worst of it was the painful pressure on their bladder. Some wet themselves and got so cold they had to step down. Others broke out in tears before jumping down and running behind the nearest shed to relieve themselves, accompanied by the malicious laughter of the onlookers.
    When Ellen walked past the boy again in the afternoon, she was astonished to find him still standing on the tree stump. His tousled brown hair hung down his forehead to eyes that were so blue they seemed to be a reflection of the sky above. Only now did she notice how proud he appeared. His gaze was clear, and his arms, still holding the sandbag behind his back, did not tremble even a bit. He stood there calmly, gazing with a straight face into the distance.
    Pages and squires had gathered around him to see when he would finally give up.
    “William is damned stubborn—he intends to hold out until sundown,” said one thickset, dark-haired squire admiringly. “Just the same, I bet he doesn’t make it. After all, it’s November and the nights are cold. But when I see him standing there like that,” he said with a smile and rubbing his index finger and thumb together, “I probably won’t get my money anytime soon.”
    “Aw, he’s just a show-off anyway,” another boy said haughtily.
    “You be quiet, you’re just jealous,” the first one replied glibly. “I can remember how you didn’t even make it to the tolling of the noon bell!”
    “Gosh, he must have a bladder as big as a cow’s udder,” said a young, red-cheeked squire whose own test had taken place not so long ago.
    The others nodded and laughed with relief because they didn’t have to stand up there.
    Ellen was thinking about the point of such a test and what could lead the young page to hold out for so long—he had passed the test and no one could have criticized him if he got down now. What on earth drove him to go on?
    “When William has decided to do something, then he will do it, come what may. If he said he would stay there until sunset, then that’s exactly what he’ll do,” said one of the young pages to the others. He seemed to have chosen William, who was a few years older than himself, as his own personal hero.
    Ellen shook her head. Such heroic deeds are just wastes of time and energy , she thought as she headed off to her meeting— and something she couldn’t possibly appreciate.
    Rose was waiting impatiently for her at the agreed spot. “Here you are finally! Just look at the shadows under your eyes. Did you have more bad dreams?” Rose certainly didn’t waste any time getting right to the heart of things.
    “Yes, I dreamed, but bad dreams? No.”
    Rose raised her eyebrows and looked at her curiously. “Then you dreamed of a lover! It’s no wonder you look like you haven’t had any sleep,” she added with a mischievous wink.
    “A lover? What nonsense. In my dream I was working,” Ellen replied gruffly.
    “Well, excuse me!” said Rose, looking off to the side so Ellen didn’t notice she was rolling her eyes.
    “For several nights now I have had the same dream,” Ellen began. “Sometimes I’m so happy I don’t even want to wake up. In my dream I’m a famous blade smith! Even Donovan is proud of me because knights come from far away to buy my swords. And then trumpets sound! It’s the king! And he’s coming to order a sword from me! And just at that moment, when I am happiest, I wake up. For a moment I want to believe everything is true, just as in my dream, but then I begin to realize who I am, stand up, and secretly put the wrap around my chest.”
    Rose didn’t