Disclaimer: The Hetalia characters and their personifications belong to Hidekaz Himaruya. 日丸屋 秀和

What Not to do if You are a Knight by Gilbert Beilschmidt:

11.) Do not make bets which endanger your comrade's life and secret identity.

(FLASHBACK) - The Inseparable Knights

"BOO-YAHH! The Super-Awesome-Kick-Butt-Frying-Pan-Demon-Duo win again!"

"I never agreed to that name," Eli stated flatly.

They were about 12 years old; the most skilled knights-in-training in all the land.

A bruised and battered Francis and Antonio glared at the pair. Their clothes were ripped and torn, leaves were strewn about their hair and scuff marks adorned their faces.

Gilbert triumphantly waved the rag cloth (which the other team of boys had previously been guarding in their off-shoot version of capture the flag) and snickered. "KESESSESESESE!"

"Amigo, that is not fair! You always team up with Eli and cheat."

"Oui, it is completely uncalled for."

"Nah, we're just awesomer than you!"

"It's not cheating, it's called using strategy!" Eli defended.

"Besides," Gilbert wrapped his arm around the shortest boy's shoulder, "me and Eli here just get each other you know?" He winked at her.

Francis contemplated this for a moment, eyeing the two of them. "Well, if you two really are superior warriors, you should be able to win with DIFFERENT partners. I say we switch it up. I'm always stuck with Antonio... no offense, mon ami."

The Spaniard agreed wholeheartedly. "Sí, I say that tomorrow we switch partners so it is más igual."

Eli and Gilbert glanced at each other nervously.

"What is wrong?" Francis mocked. "Afraid you might lose?"

He trumped over to Eli and slunk an arm around him. Then he dropped to a lower, almost whisper-like tone. "Or is there a little secret you two are hiding from us?"

"NO WAY! I am too AWESOME to lose! I accept your challenge!" Gilbert shrieked in the background.

Eli's green eyes stared widely and worriedly into Francis's pools of blue.

Francis's cat-like grin faded as he studied his smaller comrade. He removed his arm.

Hey, he was only joking... Why did Eli look so anxious? Everyone knew that they were all friends here. Even if Eli was worried about losing, they all knew it was nothing more than a friendly competition.

He leaned in closer to Eli's face, placing a hand on his own chin pensively. Eli's eyes just looked so damned feminine. And his cheeks and his lips and...

Francis smiled darkly.

"I," he began with a flourish, "would like cher Eli, as my partn-"

"I chose Toni!" Eli blurted quickly.

All eyes stared in surprise at the sudden outburst. "I-if we're switching partners, we get to pick. I choose Antonio because he's stronger."

The young Spaniard beamed. "H-hey!" he chuckled, "he's spot on there! I accept!" He jauntily ran over and high-fived Eli. Said 'boy' relinquished a discrete sigh of relief having secured Antonio as his partner.

Francis, offended, was about to speak when- "Hey! Why do I get stuck with the sissy?" Gilbert complained.

"Excuse moi?"

"You wear more frills and lace than the ladies in the castle!"

"Oh really? Well at least I know what's underneath those lovely ladies' frills-"

"You know what? You are so full of sh-"

The green-eyed duo smiled on as they watched the other half of their quartet bicker away childishly.

"-backed up that it's coming out your ears!" Gilbert continued to rave in the background.

"Chico, we are going to kick ass tomorrow," Antonio commented.

Eli smiled brighter and slapped him playfully on the back.

"Kick ass and take names, my friend."

As Gilbert walked her to the back of the castle that evening, he squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"Hey, you looked a little worried today. Don't be, got it? I'll always have your back. Besides, we can trust Franny and Antonio."

She squeezed his hand in return. "I know," she breathed. They continued a few more paces before she went on. "I suppose I have to have your back too; you'd definitely be dead without me around."

"Hey! Are you forgetting that I'm the one who taught you how to use a sword?"

"Well, I bested you in our duel last week," she laughed, still holding his hand. "Aaand I mend all your clothes. Without me, you'd be walking around with holes in your butt for all the times you fall on your ass."

"Well I alsotaught you how to hold your own in a fight so you don't fall on your ass."

"I don't know why you're giving yourself all the credit when Sir Frederick has been the mentor to both of us for years. Besides, I think the only reason you recruited me to fight is so you'd have back-up when the other kids gang up on you for your freaky red eyes."

"Hey!" He stopped. "My eyes are awesome! Screw those other guys. Especially that posse led by stupid Roderich... whatever his name is. Prick. They're not demonic." He mumbled the last part.

Elizaveta glanced sideways to look at Gilbert, realizing she may have gone a step too far. She smiled reassuringly.

"No, they're most certainly not. They're unique. And they look more like... rubies to me."

The corners of his mouth pressed up at her attempt at an apology. Not that he was very offended. Liz had made it clear a thousand times before that his appearance didn't bother her. "It doesn't matter whose partners we are tomorrow," he replied, returning the subject back to where it had been a few minutes prior, "because we're always a duo remember? A bond of knights. Forever."

"Forever," she affirmed.

Historical Notes

* Dames like Elizaveta are rare gems. Although cross-dressing has been practiced throughout much of recorded history and in many societies (There are examples in Greek, Norse and Hindu mythology) [Rainbow Reader, Fort Wayne, Indiana] many women warriors will remain in obscurity until the end of time. But they were there! There have always been instances of women hidden beneath the helmet. Here is a great webpage I recommend everyone visit that gives tons of excellent examples of medieval women who are known for their bravery (although many might not be in your history textbook). The Medieval Chronical (.com) SEPTOCT01/Female%20Knights (.html)

* Truth be told, training to be a knight was not all fun and games. However, one must keep in mind that the medieval page was little more than a child, so it wasn't wholly militaristic either. Just like today, children learn best through play. The knighthood training began in earnest at the age of seven when all their games and sports were geared towards learning skills related to horsemanship, the two-handed sword, battle axe, mace, dagger and lance. Obviously these dangerous weapons were not used by young boys! Great emphasis was placed on physical fitness and strength. A page would start to acquire the skills required of a Knight by practicing skills through climbing, swimming, throwing stones, javelins, archery and wrestling. Sword play was practiced using wooden swords and shields. Fighting on piggyback introduced the young knights to the balance and skills required in mounted combat. Thus, rough-and-tumble games like in this chapter and in chapters to come were not uncommon. M. LordsAndLadies (.org) /KnightHood-Training (.htm)

* The "evil albino" stereotype may have its roots in Neolithic Eastern Europe, where some cultures depicted Death as a pallid woman with light hair. Fear of vampires and other legendary undead with a deathly pallor, especially in European folklore, could also have contributed to albino bias. [The Language of the Goddess, Marija Gimbutas, 1989, page 198]