The land was fresh and green, the air crisp with the early morning frost. It seemed any other day at the fort, but it was far from it. Today was the day when fate and destiny would be written for the next 15 years. But, no one knew this yet. Soldiers continued their ever-watchful guard, and the people of the fort awoke to another day. One such person was the young Avarona, daughter to the Captain of the Guard. A lady in title, she was the jewel of the fort, and closest friend to Artorius, or Arthur. All knew of the destiny of Artorius, of the legendary Sarmatian knights he would one day command.

"Will you let me fight with you, when the knights arrive?" Avarona once asked as they lay watching clouds in the fields. Arthur's mother worked closely by them, smiling at their playfulness.

"I think your father would skin me alive, but I vow you may," he promised her, and she smiled. It was known throughout the fort that Avarona was much eager to learn swordplay than playing an instrument. Fortunately for her, her father encouraged her want of learning, but she never expressed her want to fight in real battles to him.

"My Lady, they are here!" Avarona's nurse called, rushing into the room where her tutor was teaching her music once again. Without looking to her tutor, Avarona jumped excitedly from her seat, the instrument falling to the ground.

"Lady Avarona, I must protest!" the old tutor shouted as she ran from the room, followed closely by her nurse. The fort seemed more frantic this morning, as the young knights entered the gates. Avarona stood outside her home's door, pushing her nurse away as she tried to bring her into the house.

"They should not see you yet, my lady," her nurse scolded, but Avarona smiled at the old woman.

"I promise I will return to my lesson, just let me watch," Avarona begged, and the nurse reluctantly stepped back from the young girl. Avarona turned to the street once more, watching the weary and muddy young boys trudge through on feet and horseback. They wore foreign clothing to what she was accustomed, and received a few curious glances towards her as they passed by. One of these glances was made by a boy a few years older than her, atop a black horse as dark as the boy's hair. His eyes were tired, but alert as he held her gaze. For some reason, Avarona could not escape his dark brown eyes, and unconsciously took a step closer to him.

"My Lady," her nurse warned, breaking their gaze. She looked down, remembering herself and hurried back into the house. Before the door shut, she caught those brown eyes once more, and was more distracted when she returned to her lessons than she had been before.

XXXXXX

"But father, I want to come with you! I want to meet the young boys," Avarona pleaded as her father strapped his helmet on by the door later that day. Her mother leaned against a doorway, watching the two with a smile. Her father sighed, glanced at his wife and held his hand out to his daughter.

"Do not be frightened by the way they appear," he assured, as she excitedly wrapped her long cloak about her shoulders and followed him to the barracks. The soldiers stood taller as they passed, but still offered a smile to the young, familiar Avarona.

"Sir, the boys are still in the stables," a guard said as they passed. Avarona's father nodded, and they entered the stables a few minutes later. The small conversation between the boys halted when the Captain entered with his daughter behind him.

"Future knights, I am Gaius, Captain of the Guard. It will be me and my best soldiers who will train you to become fearsome knights like your forefathers before you. This," he began, holding his arm behind him for Avarona to step forward next to him, "is my daughter, Avarona. She has an uncommon desire to learn swordplay, and has been learning it for the last 3 years, and will continue to do so by your side. She has become quite a natural to it, to her mother's fear," he said, and Avarona smiled at her father's words. Arthur appeared on Avarona's side, and they shared a smile.

"Artorius Castus, he will be your Commander when you are all ready," Avarona's father added, before nodding to his soldiers. "My men will show you to your rooms. Rest, for training begins tomorrow," he added, before speaking to his second-in-command. Avarona took this opportunity to once again look curiously at the boys. They looked travel-sore and tired, but she could sense greatness in their future once day. The boy she had stared at earlier caught her attention, and Arthur caught her gaze.

"Don't you think we should ask their names?" he whispered to her, and she looked at him with wide eyes. "Your father will not mind, I shall be next to you," he assured her, and they walked in the direction of the nearest Samartian.

"I hope you are not too tired from your journey," Avarona said kindly to the boy, who stared at her intently before looking away.

"Do not mind him, lady, that is Tristan's way with new people," another boy said. "I am Gawain, this is Galahad," the boy introduced, pointing to a much younger boy next to him. Avarona smiled at them.

"Please, there is no need for the formalities. Avarona will be fine," she assured them, and Arthur smiled at her in approval. "If you are to live here for such a time, we must all be equal," she added, earning a small smile from the boys.

"And how are you equal to us?" a voice said from behind Avarona, and she turned to see the boy who she had been staring at. "Are you bound in service like us? Are you to fight like us?" he asked, and she looked at him without intimidation.

"You may always count on my sword and dagger on a battlefield, that I promise you all," Avarona said, making sure her father was still in deep conversation. The boy snorted before walking out the stables.

"Lancelot misses his family, as we all do," Galahad explained, and Avarona nodded understandingly.

"I pray you think of us as a family one day," Avarona said, before her father called for her. "I will see you in the morrow," she told them, smiling politely before returning home with her father.