The little girl listened to her father and the knight talk. She grinned excitedly as she watched them, her dreams sparked more and she couldn't help herself. She wanted to know, she had to know. Surely it was possible.

"Can I be a knight too?!" She cried suddenly and the men stopped. They looked at her and Magnus furrowed his brow. Was she serious? The child grinned up at the two men happily. The captain smiled and got down on a knee then gently gripped her tiny shoulders.

"Are you serious about being a knight?" He asked and she nodded quickly. "Are you willing to work hard and never quit?" He asked and she nodded as she stood taller. Ratchet and Magnus looked at each other then at them. The doctor hoping he didn't crush her dreams.

"Are you willing to defend the king, his name and the country?" He asked with a serious expression.

"Yes sir!" She cried and saluted the best she could. He chuckled as he watched her for a moment. Some of the other knights watching their captain.

"Then young Aalis, when you reach of age, you will be trained to be a knight." He said seriously and stood. Her eyes widened and she looked at her father then grinned. She squealed and hugged the captain before she waved goodbye. The doctor was surprised and led her off. Hoping he wasn't serious.

"But... sir.... girls... or women can't be knights." One of the soldiers said as Magnus watched his father. The others nodded in agreement.

"It doesn't matter if you're male or female. If you wish to serve his majesty as a knight, you should be allowed to do so." He said seriously.

"But a girl? She'll get in the way or cry all the time." Another said as he glared darkly. "They aren't cut out for it and they're bad luck." He insisted.

"Or a bad omen." Another muttered and the knights shuddered. The captain frowned deeply as he watched them.

"If she wants to be a knight, who am I to stop her? The look of determination I saw in her eyes, was more than I've seen in a few of my seasoned soldiers." He said seriously then walked off with Magnus walking by him. The knights looked at each other, trying to figure out which of them he was talking about.

Ultra Magnus was silent as he followed his father and seemed troubled. This behavior from his father and captain was odd to him. Why accept a girl when the knights apposed the idea? He was confused and looked to the captain, what would the king say? He clenched his fists as he felt conflicted, and he didn't even know why.

"Sir. If I may speak?" Magnus said professionally as he stared ahead, walking a step behind him to be respectful. He knew better than to address his father improperly in public. His father wasn't strict or anything, he was just told they weren't related in public to protect both of them from harm.

"Yes, you may." The captain said and glanced to him as they walked. They were headed back to the castle to speak to the king. His father having something he wanted to address.

"Sir... what will you do if... the king doesn't like the idea of... a girl being in the army?" The young teen asked as he followed. His father paused as he thought and looked at him. 

"I will come to that road, when we know what his majesty decides." he said seriously and looked at him. Magnus nodded and bowed his head before they continued on. They got to the castle and were requested an audience with the king. The captain reported to the king, then explained his request, telling him how it would be a good opportunity for not only the child but the knights to learn humility. When he was finished the king frowned deeply and looked at him.

"I don't see a need to allow the women in my kingdom to become knights. If the women become knights, who will raise the children? Or sew? Cook or clean?" he asked as he furrowed his brow. "I understand that children have passions, but I also know that they will grow out of it. She'll forget about the situation, as should you." he waved a little to dismiss him. 

"Majesty... I-"

"There are plenty of men and boys in the kingdom to become knights. Women and girls are delicate and sensitive. They aren't cut out for that profession." he said seriously. The captain watched him and nodded slowly as he bowed a little. The queen watched the knights leave and quietly went to speak with the captain. She caught up with him and the two bowed as she approached.

"Rise. I heard your request and have one of my own. I want you to train this girl." The queen said seriously and the captain blinked in surprise. 

"Your majesty, its treason to-"

"I'm giving you an order then. I want to show the king that all his subjects are worthy of his attention and worthy to become knights. Or really anything they choose." she smiled a little and the captain felt torn between them. "I give you permission to do this, but don't let the king know. It seems to be a game between my husband and I." She said seriously and the knight bowed in respect.

"Yes your majesty..." he whispered quietly. "I will do as you ask." He said and she nodded once before walking off. He waited before walking off with his son. He was silent for a bit then looked at his father.

"What will you do, sir?" He asked and the captain glanced to him, he was silent as he thought about their situation.

"I will do as I've been asked by her royal highness. Train the child in secret to prove the queens point." He said seriously. "I don't think it's wise for anyone besides you, I and the queen to know about this." He muttered. 

Magnus nodded slowly, knowing that his father would get into a lot of trouble if someone found out. He frowned a little as he kept going. Did the royal couple realize what their games did to people? Would the queen save his father if something happened and they got caught? Or would she ignore them completely? He shook his head, knowing he couldn't linger on such thoughts.

Aalis was thrilled when she realized she was going to train to be a knight. She didn't understand why it had to be a secret, but didn't care. Ratchet made her promise never to tell, he didn't know the details, but the fact that the captain wanted this kept between them, didn't sit well with him. Magnus would help train her but constantly worried about what this would do. All he could think about was treason. His father would be hanged, drawn and quartered. He shuddered at the thought and started to treat the child differently. As if she had the plague. 

The captain noticed and carefully pulled his son aside, walking with him as Ratchet taught her in the gardens. Helen was cooking and watching them. It had been almost a year already since they started teaching the girl. Magnus was silent as he walked with his father around the property and into the woods for a moment.

"You seem troubled." The man said and looked to his son, who frowned. "If this is about our mission, don't worry. I've got everything figured out." he promised and his son looked at him for a moment. He studied him then relaxed a little as he hugged him. The young man let go and stood taller before they quietly walked back to the others. He felt better, and allowed himself to relax, trusting his father. 

Aalis learned quickly and wanted to simply defend herself and her family from the bandits that roamed these parts. By the time she was fourteen, Magnus was the only one teaching her in secret, his father was assigned to another task in the castle. Being the kings personal bodyguard. She worked hard to learn the basics from Helen, fighting from Magnus and some healing from her father. She just wanted to learn and had a great passion for it. One day she was in the market with her father, helping him as she looked around. 

The leaves were turning different colors and looked beautiful as they fell off the tree. She smiled a little as she stared at the falling leaves. She loved autumn so much, but dreaded the winter that followed. It was only a week away and the freezing air had started to settle. It brought sorrow and death with it's cold long fingers. She shuddered a little and looked up as Magnus walked over. He looked pretty upset, or was that his normal expression now?

"Hello Sir Ultra Magnus. Are you excited for the winter festivals?" She smiled, knowing he'd be knighted and graduated by early spring. He looked at her and frowned deeply.

"No." He said seriously and looked at her. "The fall festival was bad enough." He muttered and glanced to Ratchet who was doing some trading. "At this point I'll be the only one graduating." He whispered to her. She blinked in surprise as she stared at him.

"Did the other cadets really party that hard?" She asked, having heard a rumor about the training knights causing problems.

"They stayed out late, snuck out and drank until they pillaged a few stores. A farm caught fire and they destroyed a lot of property. The captain is punishing them now, and the king is deciding on... more extreme measures." He said seriously.

"Oh my... how did they catch them?" She asked and he looked at her as he frowned. "You reported them?" She asked quietly in surprise.

"They invited me to go. I said no but had no idea they'd make such a mess. I reported them after I realized they were gone from the barracks. Called me a snitch." He muttered and frowned. She rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

"Well yes, you can be, but if it puts people in danger... I think you're excused from that." She smiled and he sighed before glancing to the older knights. "Duty calls?" She asked and he nodded before saying goodbye and leaving. She smiled and looked towards the sky for a moment. This would be an interesting graduation ceremony.

The weather slowly turned colder and with the cold icy clutches of winter, came death and disease. Ratchet was overwhelmed with all the illness that plagued the lands, he allowed Aalis and Helen to help him until he could control how many people he helped again. The winter continued to grow cold and the snow started to fall harder. The healer and his small household was trapped for almost a month. Aalis looked out the window at the falling snow then glanced to Ratchet who was cooking. Helen was deathly sick in bed, having caught something while they helped the villagers. 

The young girl felt bitter towards the villagers and those they helped. When they were sick, the healer and his family travelled to them. Even if it was snowing and they struggled to get the horse and wagon through the weather. But when one of their own was sick and dying, the villagers ignored them. One farmer even said that they didn't help since they were in neutral territory. Ratchet wasn't even part of the kingdom. 

"Aalis, come get the broth please." The healer said as he carefully poured it into a bowl. He grabbed a kettle and worked on heating up some more water. She walked over and grabbed a tray then set the bowl and spoon on the wood.

"Why don't the villagers help us?" She asked and looked at him. "Why should we go help them if they refuse to help us in turn? Isn't that what a community does? Help each other?" She asked as she set up a cup and other things.

"Calm yourself, child." He whispered quietly and looked at her. "We help others because we aren't savages." He said seriously.

"Which means they are." She muttered bitterly and headed to the back room with the food, trying to change her attitude at this point.

"Hold your tongue. No one can aid us because of the weather." He scolded and she glared darkly. That never stopped them from helping. 

Helen lay in the bed sick and losing the battle against the illness. Ratchet sat by her and carefully held her weak form as Aalis fed her. They spoke to her quietly and she smiled as she listened. Too weak to move on her own. Aalis felt her anger turn to sadness and quietly took the dishes away as Ratchet held the woman. She cleaned up then gripped the counter as she sobbed silently. Helen didn't deserve to die. The poor woman grew worse as the days turned into a week. The young girl did her best to be strong for the old woman, and read to her everyday. The young girl and healer both knew the woman wouldn't make it another day. She grew weaker and could hardly speak. Ratchet sat with her in her room as he wrote her last wishes down. The child went outside, unable to be in the home that had a heavy feeling of sorrow inside. She stared up at the lightly falling snow, glaring as her tears fell. She tended to the animals, got some wood and went inside.

"Aalis...." Ratchet said quietly and she looked at him with sad eyes, tears falling down her face. She already knew. The young woman quietly went to the back room and sat by the pale woman's side. She gripped her cold hand with both of hers

"You're so cold..." the young woman choked as tears filled her eyes. She looked at the old woman and tried her best not to cry. Helen opened her eyes weakly and smiled a little as she watched her.

"I'm... so... proud of you.... my little girl...." she rasped as she watched her. "Don't... forget... to be.... kind..." she whispered. The young girl nodded and held the woman's cold hand to her cheek. Trying to help her somehow. She put more blankets on her and tried her best to help her be warm. Helen smiled a little before the old woman closed her eyes for one final time. Ratchet walked in and froze as he saw his daughter sobbing.

"She's cold... I can't help her... she's so cold..." she choked and buried her face in her hands as she sobbed. Ratchet walked over and hugged her as he tried to comfort his daughter. The old woman, and his mother was gone. Helen's death wasn't the only tragedy that struck the small house hold that winter. 

A lone wandering came late one night, seeking help from the healer as they left bloody footprints in the snow. Magnus' life was changed forever on that cold winter night.