In order to do one's duty, what is sacrificed? Is the price worth it? Webby Beakley snuck through the labyrinthian halls of an ancient castle. The tapestries on the walls depicting battles from throughout the ages. She wore a bodysuit with a mask and hood, a small flower on her head. The hall was bathed in darkness that was only illuminated by the lightning outside every few minutes. She stuck to the walls as she shimmied along, pausing when she heard the clang of armored boots approaching. Climbing a tapestry, she hopped onto a chandelier and waited.

Swooping down like a gargoyle, she dropped on the guard while hitting his neck and he fell like a stone. She continued her path down the hall and turned only to feel the feathers on the back of her neck stand on end before she backflipped out of the way of a battering ram. She huffed and took a breath before rushing forward, dodging the ram again and jumping off the wall to avoid a stream of fire. Landing in a roll and then jumped as the ground under her attempted to open.

"And I thought I kept my room safe." She joked weakly as she stretched and lowered the mask to suck in some air untroubled. There was the throne room now, her last challenge before she could earn her treasure. Pulling up her mask and opening the door, she ducked as two blades impaled themselves in the wall behind her.

An armored figure stood there silently as it strengthened up and pulled out a great sword from its back. Webby grabbed two daggers from the legs of her suit and took a battle stance. The two stared each other down before Webby raced at the warrior. She dodged the sword's strike and jumped on it before landing several kicks to the warrior's face but her ankle was grabbed and she was smashed into the ground. She quickly wrapped her arms and legs around the warrior's hand as it was raising and uppercutting the warrior's helmet causing it to stumble a bit and drop her. She rubbed her hand from pain and ran as the sword smashed into the ground where she had been.

Webby quickly threw her knives at the warrior's feet and grabbed a large ball and chain from a nearby suit of armor. Using both hands and most of her body weight she chucked the heavy weapon but the knight sliced the ball in half with its mighty blade and snapped the knives from its feet.

"So cool…" She muttered before shaking her head and pulling her favorite weapon from her back, a bow. Hoping to distract the warrior until she could find a weakness, she cocked several arrows and aimed for the helmet. As the arrows flew, the warrior spun the blade and sliced the arrows before charging at a speed that shocked Webby. She ran back towards a wall and ran up it, flipping as the figure crashed into the wall. "I got you!" She shouted as she attempted to stab the figure in the back with the sharpened ends of her bow but the figure elbowed the girl and kicked her away.

Webby coughed and struggled to move before opening her eyes to see the warrior's blade above her.

"You lose." Webby shut her eyes as the sword came down right beside her head. The figure unmasked themselves as her grandmother bent down and checked up on her. "Are you alright?"

"Ego's a bit hurt…"

"That will heal, just like those bruised ribs. Come on let's get you to the medics." Webby sighed as she had failed again, even after she had trained so hard all year for this only to trip at the finish line. They left the throne room and headed towards the med bay, her granny pushing a stone to disable all the traps. Webby always did wonder how her ancestors made them all.

The Arian Palace was once the home for the royals of the kingdom, but once they assisted the McDuck Clan to make their own kingdom, they willingly gave up land and position to them. Webby had asked her grandmother why they did it, after all, they were the previous number one kingdom. She was told that Scrooge McDuck was a hero and a man that her great grandmother trusted to bring together the world. Plus their family were always better warriors and peacekeepers than politicians. They ran on emotion and duty than lies and deception.

Since that day, they retained the title of kingdom but were much more connected to the McDucks than their own thing. They provided soldiers and trained the supreme army while The McDucks provided the stability and leadership while being the public face.

Among their regular duties, the royal family were vowed to protect the McDucks by becoming perfect bodyguards. Usually this connect would be made at the point of birth but Webby had just been born the same year as Hubert. So her mother and Queen Della made a promise to introduce the children to each other when both were ready to take over for their parents. However, Webby's mother vanished alongside Della when they left, leaving Webby in her grandmother's care and under her training.

Webby fully dedicated herself to her training after her mother's disappearance, learning everything she could to become the perfect bodyguard. She spoke over a dozen languages, mastered every style of fighting her grandmother knew, and learned to use every kind of weapon. With this, however, she sacrificed any kind of social life she used to have. She thought of how to prepare herself better for the test next time when a knight ran up and saluted before both of them.

"What do you need captain? I'm busy."

"I understand General but there is an old bird from the Caspian Kingdom here."

"Oh him again, tell him I will speak once my granddaughter is better." The captain bit his lip as he glanced at Webby and looking back at the queen.

"It's… it's an emergency." Beakley stopped and looked at the soldier before he leaned in and spoke in her ear. Webby inched closer and only managed to hear the word Prince before the two separated and Beakley muttered a curse.

"Very well, I'll come right away. Dear, this is important so you go get checked up and we'll discuss the test later." Webby nodded and watched them leave but she looked towards the med bay and then decided to follow her grandmother back to the throne room. Any news about the young prince was her business after all as she would become his appointed bodyguard. She arrived at the throne room just as the meeting started. There seemed to be an old buzzard there wearing a cloak. "Bradford, is it true?"

"Yes, the young prince is gone. Ran off somewhere two days ago."

"And you have no idea? Why didn't you get this message to me earlier?! I could have had the whole royal army out there looking!"

"Well, we judge that he left the city heading south so he may very well be here in this kingdom, oh my apologies, territory. I have many responsibilities as you could or maybe you couldn't imagine as the ruling king." Beakley frowned and ignored the comment before moving on.

"And the news that you are dropping the search for my daughter and the queen?! That you removed Selene from the throne! What do you think you're doing?!"

"My job and my right. With no McDuck on the throne, I have the power to seize control of the kingdom."

"That's only if the boy is dead. So long as he lives you have no right."

"Correct as always, though if he does not return by the end of year meeting with the other kingdoms then I will have no choice than to declare him dead."

"You… how dare you… You're just using this as a chance to take over the entire kingdom! You don't care for the boy!"

"I'd watch my mouth if I was you, you could be talking to the next king after all. As the ruling king, I see no logic in deploying the royal army. Any soldiers leave this palace without my permission and you'll be the one to pay. "

"Only if the boy doesn't return." Bradford bowed and turned away, a chuckle escaping his mouth as he began to leave towards Webby. She hid behind a tapestry.

"Oh, I'll ensure he doesn't." He muttered and Webby peeked out in shock.

. . .

Webby packed up the last weapon she felt she would need. She stared at the overflowing pack and wondered, not for the first time if this was the right choice. She looked over at her mirror, her reflection making her think of his mother.

"What would you do?" The question lingered for a moment before she frowned and she grabbed the pack. "You'd do your duty, for your family and home." She used sheets to climb out of her window and snuck around the rather lax security. Webby frowned and stopped as she approached the gates, looking back at the palace. Something was wrong. Where were all the guards they usually had?

"Webbigail." Webby felt a shiver go down her spine as she turned back to see her grandmother now standing in her way. "Where are you going?"

"I'm sorry granny… but I heard what happened earlier and I can't just stand by."

"You aren't ready."

"I know but neither is he. Since we helped them rise to power, no McDuck has gone without one of us by their side. He needs my help."

"And what then?! You will risk your life for the quest of a child?!"

"You always told me that was our duty and one worth the risks."

"That was before-... before your mother…" Webby looked down and walked to her grandmother. "I can't lose you too."

"And you won't… I was trained by the best."

"So was she." Webby hugged her and felt something wet hit her cheek. "You don't have to do this, you have a choice."

"I do… and I choose this just like you did. Just like she did. I know it may not be the choice you wanted me to make but it's mine. I can't just wait on the sidelines anymore."

"I know…" The two shared their hug silently and Beakly let go, pulling an expertly made bow that sparkled in the moonlight. Webby ran a hand over it, finding it had a golden lining. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks, Granny. I'll make you proud and I'll come back. I promise." Webby put the bow on her back and took a heavy breath before pushing through the gates and leaving her home behind.

"I know you will."