Ages: 10-13

Reasons violence 

Chapter one Alex

I am not a boy let's get one thing right some people will call me a tomboy for being tough and apparently not girly enough to be a normal girl and you know what I say to that bogus that isn't true just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't be tough it doesn't mean I can't be a knight it just means I'm unique and for me that's a good thing.

Today I was training in the field when I saw a real knight I had been training as a squire for three years this would be my last year before I became a real knight he chuckled to see me in purple armor and said hey what's a girl like you doing out here I pulled up my helmet and said my teacher told me I would be battling in hand to hand combat against a real knight for my first test of my last year as a squire he looked rather surprised and said alright bring it.

I looked him up and down and then I struck I jumped up kicked his head with the heel of my foot on my armor he stumbled back but grabbed my leg and slammed me down to the ground with him I took my free leg and kicked him backward letting go of my leg then I punched him in the head he suddenly grabbed my hair and pulled it as hard as he could I winced in pain but grabbed him and forced him to the ground my sword pointed at him I then asked do you surrender he laughed and said I surrender then I put my sword away and helped him up he chuckled and said my my I've never seen such a good squire fight but if I'm being honest I feel embarrassed being beaten by a girl.

I glared at him and said what does it matter if I'm a girl he put his hands to his hips and said I'm sorry if that came out wrong I'm just surprised most girls I know don't like to battle with swords I nodded my head and said I understand then he walked back with me to my master Lila the only other girl knight that I knew she bowed and then asked him did she beat you straight to the point huh he asked well in all truth she did its hard for me to loose a bet he said and Lila said I told you that ones special.

Then she came over to me and took my hand then she said I'  proud to see how much you've grown since the first time I met you I smiled happily and bowed then a loud bell rang out were under attack Lila shouted then she took out her sharpest sword she could find and said tapped it light to my shoulder Alex the first I knight you now come we must prepare for battle.

I ran to the battlefield as fast as I could it was only ten people that were here there were a few boys but most of them were girls I took out my sword and waited for the other knights arrive then when everyone was there the enemy charged they came in fast and sharp all the other knights already were fighting someone but then I saw her a girl around my age was charging directly at me I stood my ground and waited for the attack she pulled her sword as I ran forward then she struck she hit my sword and the clanged together loudly she was much stronger then me she started to back me into a wall but just when I thought it was too late I grabbed the front of my sword and hit her in the stomach with the handle of the blade she went back flying.

she landed with a loud thud and the ground I raised my sword in the air ready to finish the fight but then I looked around and felt something wasn't right she cried out with pain I saw her weapon was out of her hand then I remembered the code I had been taught when I was a young squire I was never supposed to fight an unarmed opponent so instead I knocked her out and took her to the castle dungeon then I looked around the battlefield in horror all of the enemy had been killed except for the girl I brought the dungeon when I got inside my master Lila was waiting a sly grin on her face.

She said I saw the whole fight then she looked at the girl who I had taken prisoner and she said did you remember the honor code I thought you I nodded and she said I suppose we can't leave her injured like that come on I picked the girl up and took her to the medical room she Lila examined her and said you did quite a number on her I think you broke her ribs I stepped back in shock and said I din't mean she stopped me and said listen she was the enemy you did what you had to now get me the first aid kit I sat down as I watched her work then she said your arm is bleeding Alex I looked down and saw it was she took out strong bandages and rapped it around my arm.

When Lila finished she said Alex you might want to work your charm on her I know you have a way with medicine I nodded and said she might wake up soon we she probably lock her up or at least tie her up Lila noded and said I got I mixed some black roses and honey together then I put in tomatoes and finally crushed edible rock into the mixture then I came over to the girl and helped her drink it an hour or two later she woke up and screamed but then she looked up and saw she was hand cuffed I walked over and said what do you know about the sun blossom kingdom why did they come here and attack us she looked a me and smirked then she said the rest of the knights who arn't captured will come and find me I'm not saying anything to you.

I looked around uncomfortably and said the other knights that came with you are.... all captured there's not really any one that can come get you because there all captured.... she looked at me in anger and yelled out in frustration I felt kind of bad since this was her first fight as a knight and she hand't made it very far except to come to a dungeon with her other knights captured. 

I looked at master Lila with pleading eyes I came up to her and whispered please please master Lila rolled her eyes and said fine do what you want with her I let out a long sigh of happiness then I said whats your name the girl looked at me like I had said something bizarre but then she said the names Kat my names Alex I said Kat rolled her eyes and said cut the small talk if your gonna take me to your dungeons and torture me or whatever then lets get it over with.

I'm not gonna torture you I said but yes I might have to keep you in a room somewhere Kat winced in pain as she tried to stand up I sat her back down and said you might not want to do that yet that could really hurt you Kat looked at me and said how are you that strong I shrugged and said I just train everyday I guess Kat sat up and said nobody is just that strong but traing as a squire your something else

That evening I found myself staring out my window was I strange for being strong and being a girl I didn't think that I was strange until now why did I care what some girl thought of me but it still bothered me suddenly I thought well maybe being strange is a good thing I can protect many people and I can work well with plants maybe this can work out.