Everdog: Tale of the First Female Knight

Chapter 58 - Dreams

To make space for the indoor activity, the knights and the Lord moved the shelves and tables to one side of the library. With the help of a few servants, the men were able to clear a wide enough space for the children to run around and to burn their excess energy. The library's wooden floors were also carpeted and served as a cushion for any trips and falls.

As children started to enter the library, the Lord openly welcomed them. Coming in with Margaret, the unnamed boy had gathered everyone he knew. Accomplishing the task given to him, the unnamed boy happily ran over to high-five the Lord's and the squire's hands. When enough children gathered in the space, the Lord introduced the Game of Tag to the children.

The rules were simple. At the beginning of the game, there would be one to two taggers. Their job was to tag or to tap the other players while the other players avoided being tagged. Once a player was tagged, he or she will become a tagger and proceed to tag the other players. The game ended when all players have been tagged, and the game will restart when the new taggers are selected. To demonstrate how to play the game, the Lord and the squire were the first two taggers.

The two young men stood together while the anxious children gathered into a crowd. Slightly crouching into a ready position, the Lord started the countdown.

"Ready, set, run!" The Lord shouted as he set off to chase the children. Sending the wild children into a screaming and laughing frenzy, the lad tagged around three bodies turning them into taggers. "Tag, you are all it. If you are tagged, you must tag those who aren't tagged yet!"

Now taggers, the three children turned their focus into the other children and the crowd once again excitedly fanned out afraid of being tagged. After seeing a few tags, the children pretty much got the gist of the game. Taylor wasn't doing so bad himself and tagged two children. Rapidly the entire group turned into taggers until there was only one more untagged person remaining. Frolicking like herds, the children and the two adult men surrounded the last person. When a lively girl tagged the last person, the game came to an end.

"I tagged the last person!" She excitedly cried winning the game for the group.

"That was amazing teamwork, and all of you were so fast!" The Lord praised the children for their agility and coordination.

Not only did the children grasp the directive so easily, but they also coordinated with each other to tag other players without anyone teaching them or telling them to do so. The children were learning on their own. Proud, the Lord celebrated with high fives all around the room.

"Now who wants to be taggers next?" The Lord proposed another round.

An enthusiastic wave of hands answered, and the herd was ready to run. They romped spontaneously letting loose of all their silliness. Forgetting about the cold, the group ecstatically birled and swirled. It won't be until after two hours of running would the children then grow tired and hungry. Though their bodies were small, they carried tremendous appetites.

As the playtime ended, Margaret and a few female servants prepared the children's midday meal. Before receiving their food, the children were instructed to wash their hands as it would be unclean to touch their food and their mouths after touching the ground and other dirty surfaces. The children gathered into an orderly line like they have learned from Miss Flora at the schools and respectfully waited for their turns at the sink and when getting their food.

Seeing the notable change in the children's conduct, the servants and staff were stunned by how well-behaved the children were compared to the prior days. One child even politely asked where the garbage bin was located as Miss Flora had taught the children to clean after themselves and to always throw their garbage into a garbage bin. Upon entering the library and seeing all the content children docilely eating their food, Miss Young was in awe.