"But Mom, what about the Lioness? Her parents let her."
"No, that is my final answer and don't give me that look you are not going."

Eleven year old Valor Capricorn stomped off to her room. While her mom down stairs was thinking about the argument her and her daughter just had.

Up her room, Valor was thinking up any possible way that she could make her mom let to Totuga.

"Fine, I'll just run away to the Palace if my parents won't let me," she said to herself.

Later that night, when Valor was packing, she overheard her parents talking. Even though she didn't her all of it she knew who it was about.

"… She can't keep up with the other boys, even if you let her go."

"I know; that is one of the reasons why I won't let her go."

"Well, I…"

Valor couldn't hear anymore. Her decision was final. She was going to run away to the Palace.


When Valor's mother, Lillian, came to her daughter's room, she saw a note posted to the door. It said this:

"Dear Family,

Since you let me go to Totuga, I have decided to go anyway. If you go to the sable, you will see that me horse isn't there and it won't for quite some time. I am truly sorry.

Don't be forever mad,

Valor"

As her mother read this, tears come to her eyes and she took the note for Valor's father to read.

Every time Valor tired to sleep, something weird was happening. She would hear something like a voice but couldn't make out the words.

After three long days of traveling, Valor finally made to the Lower City. When she was walking though the city, she asked someone who looked like he would forget everything she said if girls were allowed to become knights. He just laughed and said certainly not. So Valor decided that she was going pretend that she was a he.

Valor was a having a wonderful time in the City. She was running like she had never run before, and the all of sudden she run right in to someone.

"Oh! Are you alright? I am so sorry."

"Yes, I am fine. Now where would a young boy such as yourself be going in such a hurry?"

"Um… I was just off to the Palace to become a knight."

"Yes, yes, we did get a letter saying we were getting a new boy today. Is your father Luke Capricorn?"

"Yes. By the way, once I get to the Palace where do I go?"

"Follow the red carpet until you to the king's throne room and then state your name and

why you have come there."

"Thank you very much"

"You are very welcome," said the strange man with a sly smile.

Once Valor got to Palace Road and rounded the bend, she was absolutely amazed by how beautiful the Palace was. She was brought back to Earth by the sound of a piercing scream.

She turned so fast she almost overbalanced. When she had her balance back she saw a young girl surrounded by three grown men and one of them was the man she had talked to minutes before.

"What in the Great Mother's name are you doing?" she yelled.

At these words everyone turned and the whole city was silent as if everyone was holding their breath.

"Why would you care? You don't even know this girl," one of men said.

"I care because it isn't right for three grown men to attack a young girl. Besides now I won't trust anyone of you and I remember everything."

"You don't scare any of us. You are just a little boy."

"I may be little, but I am also going to the Palace and I can tell the King and Queen exactly what happened," replied Valor angrily.

"Fine you do that. We don't care. Do we?" asked one of the men

But it did seem like everyone in his little group did care. They looked very scared and Valor noticed that the man that had talked had a quiver in his voice.

"Fine if you don't care, then I will tell them and they may not do anything, but then I will if they are a good King or Queen or not," Valor said.

After Valor said this she turned away and started top walk up the Palace Road, feeling a lot better for some reason.

After about a week at the Palace, Valor was used to all the work she had to do and she was sure her secret was safe. Her favorite professor was Professor Highgand, her History and Culture of Totuga professor. He made her days at the Palace seem a lot better. Her schedule was as follows:

7:00- Breakfast

7:30- History and Culture of Totuga

8:30-War Training

9:30- Break

10:15- Countries and Cities of the World

11:15- Lunch

11:45- Horse Back Riding

12:45- Fencing

1:45- Break

2:30-Wresling

3:30-Homework Time

5:00- Dinner

5:30-Free Time/Chores

7:00- Lights Out

Valor was exhausted after the day was over. She could barely get all her homework done without falling asleep halfway though it.

After a couple weeks, she had made a lot of friends. One of her best friends, Candida, was always by her side and since he was a year older then her, he showed her where to go. Valor had a bad feeling that he guessed she was hiding something, but if he did, he kept everything to himself.

A month after Valor come to the Palace, Valor got into a huge fight with Imhosl, her enemy. He had said that she didn't belong there and that she thought she was better then everyone else. Valor just used the 'I know you are but what am I' comeback and Imhosl started thorwing punches and kicks at her. Valor just stood there and ducked. She waited till he was all done and said that what he just did won't change anything, if anything if will make things worse. Then she walked away.

Near Mid-Winter, a 10 day holiday when all the to be knights proof that they can be a knight, Valor had to fence a in a tournament to see if she was able to go on to the next year as a page. She had to get at least in 25th place to pass. There were about 35th to start with. She was doing very well in the beginning; then at the 6th or 7th round she started to slip. Every time she lost, she got scared and did worse the second time. Candida noticed that Valor was started to get nervous and went over to her and said, "Valor, remember the light of success never goes out by its self; it is the light of determination that puts out the light of success."

Valor looked up to her friend and saw that he was right and she had to try harder. Just because she had lost a couple times, that didn't mean that she was bad at fencing.

After the tournament, Valor found Candida in the library and said that he was part of the reason that had pasted that "test". Candida asked a question that Valor couldn't answer. He asked, "What is it that you are hiding from everyone?"

Valor just stood there stunned. "Um… Well I-I can't tell you. I mean talk to you about it," she added quickly.

"Why not?" Come on I have been you friend since you got here. I feel like I have known you my whole life. Can't you tell me?"

"Alright. Fine. But you have to promise me not to tell anyone. If you do I will be in too much trouble to even talk about it. I-I…"

"Well what is it?"

"Please don't rush me. I am really a-a…" Come, Valor, live up to your name; be brave, she thought to herself. She continued, "I am really a… girl."

"WHAT!! I can't believe you. "

"Please, Candidus, don't tell anyone. Above all don't tell Imhosl."

"Fine, but remember if this all blows up in your face, don't coming to me," and with Candida walked out of the room. Valor was caught standing there with tears burning in her eyes.

A couple weeks later, and one day during Free Time, Imhosl found Valor sitting in the library. He said in a scaring voice, "What are you still doing here? I thought you would be home by now."

"And why would you think that?"

"Well, I would think that because I thought you knew that I know your secret."

"Don't you dare tell anyone. If you don't remember, I know a secret that if I told anyone, it would have a worse consequence that if someone told the King my secret."

The next day was a Saturday, so Valor had the day off. She found Candidus in the library at Homework Time.

"Candida, I need to talk to you."

Candidus stopped working but didn't look up.

"Candidus, please look at me. I know you be mad at me, but Imhosl found out. Did you tell him?"

"Why in the Great Mothers name would you think that?"

"Well, you are the only one I have told and I have been very careful not to give any hints."

"Well I haven't told anyone, and I am very sorry that I got mad at you when you told me the truth."

"It's fine. I have something to tell you. Imhosl…"

Someone walked in and said, "Valor, the King wants to see you."

Valor and Candidus looked at each. Valor looked very nervous.

"I will talk to you later," Valor whispered to Candidus while she was leaving