Chaos in the Castle!

"Hurry up Eric," I yelled. We are going to be late because you wanted to sleep in. I headed out the door before I could hear Eric's excuse for why he needs to sleep in. This is a big day for us. It's the 10th annual Battle of the Castles and we get to participate this year. I'm so excited that I couldn't get much sleep last night.

"Hey! Wait up, Aubrey! You are going too fast," Eric yelled from behind as I race to get to the breakroom at the castle.

Each year, the castles go head to head against each other to see who has the best and strongest castle in the land. Everyone has been working hard for the past week to get everything ready for the night. For the past month, we have battled several of our brother's castles to get to the Championship round.

This is also huge for us because it guarantees long term employment and raises for the employer of the castle. I also have my personal reason why I'm so excited about this occasion.

Tristan will be coming home today. He also grew up with me and Eric at the orphanage, but unlike me and Eric's brother and sister relationship, I and Tristan have a boyfriend and girlfriend relationship.

Before he was hired at another A Knight's Tale castle, he was starting out just like us. He saved our previous princess from getting seriously injured during a parade a few years ago. By his heroic deed, he got offered to be the red knight at one of the most popular castles in Los Angeles, California.

This was a huge recognition for not only our castle but for the orphanage because he basically became a celebrity overnight. He was always featured in some kind of way on the website to being a spokesperson for the company itself.

I am happy for him, and I can't wait to see him and see how he has been doing. Since he had left, he was busy left and right, so we couldn't talk long on the phone.

I paused in front of the door and I begin fixing myself and turn toward Eric, who was still fixing his clothes.

"Eric, how do I look," I asked.

He looked at me annoyed. "You look like Aubrey."

I knew I couldn't ask him how I looked when he got half of his shirt tucked in and his hair is an absolute mess.

"Here let me fix that," I said while fixing his hair.

"Thanks, Aubrey."

"I know. I know. I swear if your head was not on your shoulder, you wouldn't know what to do," I commented.

We both laughed and walked inside, and were surrounded by chaos and mayhem.

"What in the world is going on," I asked.

Cassie, one of the waitresses I work with was rushing towards me with a box in hand.

"Aubrey! Thank goodness you are here. We have a huge problem."

I looked concern and was afraid to ask what is going on for everyone to be so scattered.

"People has been calling out left and right."

"What! What you mean calling out?"

Eric reached over to take the box out of her hands.

"Breath Cassie and explain to us what is going," he told her.

Cassie took a huge deep breath and begins to explain the dilemma.

"You know how certain businesses have been temporarily been closing due to food poisoning."

"Yes," I said.

"Well, our workers are calling out sick from food poisoning."

"How many," I asked.

She looked at me and took another deep breath before speaking. "About 35 and counting."

Eric and I are both shocked.

"That is almost more than half our staff," Eric said.

"But, what I can't understand is that we all ate together last night? So, shouldn't we be sick too," I asked? Something doesn't feel right about this epidemic, but I don't know what.

"Where is Mr. Peterson?"

"He has been locked up in his office every since five this morning with the phone ringing of our co-workers calling out," Cassie explained.

This is bad for us especially with the championship tournament is to take place tonight.

"Cassie do what you can to help around with set-up. Eric let's go speak with Mr. Peterson and figure out what we are going to do."

We reached Mr. Peterson door. I began knocking on the door and waiting for a response. We both hear a voice and we decided to enter the room. We see that Mr. Peterson was on the phone and he was not looking too happy with the conversation.

"Please just come in for an hour and just help set up and you can go back home," he said.

It was not long before he hung up the phone defeated.

I stepped towards the desk and asked him boldly, "Mr. Peterson what is going on."

"What is going on? I will tell you what is going on. Half of the staff has called out sick and nobody is coming in either to cover our shortage."

"So what are you going to do Mr. Peterson," Eric asked openly.

Mr. Peterson took a deep breath and looked at both of us.

"With the shortage of employees due to this mass plague that has been brought upon us. We might have to close."

"No you can't," I jumped up and said.

"We are not closing. Especially not tonight! It is the championship and we worked too hard for us to get this point."

"That is all nice and as much as I want to keep it open, there is no way we can have everything set up in time before tonight show," Mr. Peterson said.

"Nonsense, I can help."

He looked at me and laughed a bit.

Once again I felt disrespected. I didn't back down when I was a child wanting to work here and I was not going to back down on what is supposed to be one of the most important night for everybody here.

"Look, Mr. Peterson, I know I may not look like much and you have your doubts, but for the past few years, I have worked in nearly every position here. I know this may sound crazy, but give me a chance to show you that I can get the job done and make this night a success."

Mr. Peterson was very hesitated.

Eric stepped beside me and said, "Come on Mr. P. Are you going to let Mr. Winston from the other castle just walk in here and take the crown without a fight?"

Mr. Peterson quietly thought about it, but you can see that his facial expression changed from worried to determined.

"You are absolutely right! There is no way I'm going to have Mister think he is perfect and have the best castle in the country come up in my kingdom and take what is mine."

Mr. Peterson was on fired by Eric's comment and we both knew how Mr. Peterson cannot stand Mr. Winston at all and now we can focus on preparing for tonight.

"Alright Aubrey, I will leave you in charge of the front end. Eric go gather up the other knights and get with Master Neal to prepare for tonight. We have a show to do and a Championship to win!"

Eric and I together said, "Yes sir!"

We were not going down without a fight!