The winter kept its icy dead grip on the land until the welcomed spring finally arrived. Chasing away the cold winter, but not able to help the families who lost their loved ones. Death had come to the land and taken many lives. Both young and old.

Ratchet tended to those who struggled to survive and fight the plague. Aalis was silent as she helped him, still bitter about the villagers refusing to help them when Helen was sick. She would visit the woman's grave every morning, so she wouldn't be alone.

Spring brought the knights graduation ceremony and everyone cheered for them. There was a celebration held in their honor and a parade. Aalis smiled brightly as she looked around for Magnus. Wanting to congratulate her friend for achieving his dream. She furrowed her brow as she looked for him then saw his parents talking to Ratchet. She slowed and stopped as his mother thanked him for saving her son on that cold winter night. They spoke quietly about how he was recovering from trauma. Aalis moved away, not wanting to hear about it again. She found him away from the celebration and staring at the sky. She could tell he wanted to be alone but slowly approached anyway.

"Ultra Magnus?" She asked quietly as she moved forward. He slowly opened his tired eyes and looked at her. Ratchet claimed that the winter had aged the nineteen year old boy, by twenty years. She could unfortunately see it.

"Aalis...." he rasped quietly. He hardly spoke anymore and simply did his duty without question.

"I... came to congratulate you on your knighting." She smiled brightly and looked at him. He stared at her then nodded slowly.

"Thank you... milady." He said formally. Her smile faltered and she stood by him. She saw him tense and kept her distance out of respect.

"What's your plan now?" She asked and smiled again. He shifted uncomfortably and moved a little so they were further away. She didn't say anything about his actions.

"Serve the king and kingdom." He said seriously and looked at her. "And... kept training you of course." He muttered.

"Will... you be alright with that?" She asked softly. Not wanting him to become uncomfortable. He thought for a moment and nodded slowly.

"Thank you..." she said as she smiled a little bit. "May... I hug you?" She asked and watched as he tensed again.

"I... would kindly ask... that you didn't..." he whispered quietly and looked at her. She nodded slowly to indicate she understood and respected his answer.

"Alright. Are you coming back to the festivities?" She asked as she smiled, he relaxed and thought for a few minutes.

"Yes... in a moment." He said and she nodded before walking off to give him space. "Aalis..." he muttered and she stopped as she looked back. "Thank you... for... respecting me..." he said quietly.

"Of course. Everyone deserves to be respected. No matter who they are." She smiled a little bit and headed back.

~

When Aalis turned seventeen, she was a knowledgeable young woman. Ratchet encouraged her to learn skills that were useful. While the other ladies were doing embroidery and sewing, she was gardening and farming. When they learned dance and singing, she focused on training with Magnus and healing with her father.

One day they went to the market to sell some of their vegetables and they were excited to sell their newly grown fruit. She noticed the people were looking at her funny which made her frown. She looked down at her pants and tunic with confusion.

"Father? Am I dressed like a jester?" She asked loudly enough so those staring could hear. Ratchet paused and looked over to her the furrowed her brow.

"No. Why would you ask that? I would be kind enough to tell you." He muttered and realized what she was doing. "Some people just don't know how to mind their own business!" He shouted the last few words. The villagers jumped and went back to work. He grumbled as she snickered and they headed back home. On their way a farmer ran after them.

"Healer! Please! I beg you! My child fell from a tree while playing! Please sir, please help us!" He cried. Ratchet gave his daughter the reins and quickly got off the wagon. Aalis watched them run off and continued home. Knowing she needed to get things tended to and put away.

She finished her tasks fairly quickly and went inside to start dinner. She went outside to get some eggs and looked up as she heard yelling.

"Healer! Healer!" A man cried as he went to the door and knocked. She quickly rushed over.

"Ratchet isn't home. He's making a house call right now." She said and he looked distressed.

"My wife. She fell and hurt herself. Please... she's eight months with child." He said and her eyes widened before she grabbed a few things.

"Take me to her." She said seriously and put the bag over her shoulder. He hesitated as he watched her and seemed uncertain.

"But the healer-"

"Do you want to save your wife and child or not?!" She snapped and he nodded before they rushed off to his home.

Upon entering the home, his wife looked up from where she stood by the table. Gripping the wood as her other hand gripped her stomach. She stared at the young woman and narrowed her eyes.

"The... healer... where is he?" She gasped in pain. Aalis noticed blood coming from her head and water on the floor. The woman and baby were in great danger.

"He's busy elsewhere. I've delivered babies before and can help. We have to hurry though, ever minute that passes puts you both closer to deaths door." She explained as she walked towards her.

"No! Get back witch!" She cried and Aalis stopped in surprise. She had heard rumors and whispers about her being one, but felt it was a joke.

"I'm not a witch." She glared darkly and clenched her fists. "I'm here to-"

"Get back! I won't let you touch me!" The woman cried as she became distressed.

"Do you want to live or not?!" Aalis snapped as she lost her bedside manners. The woman hesitated and cried out in pain before her husband got her to the bed. Aalis glared and gathered a few things before quickly getting to work. Using what plants and herbs she had to help. The woman kept protesting and freaking out with everything she did. The young woman was becoming irritated but didn't say anything else.

"Look you can call me what you like and throw me out later! But I'm not leaving until you've delivered this baby!" She yelled over the woman's curses. The husband hesitated and got her what she needed before they got to work. The woman screamed in anger and agony as they worked. Aalis finally got the baby and wrapped her up. She froze when the baby didn't cry, she was so small and sickly looking. She worked for a moment before she got the baby to cry weakly.

"Shh shh... it's okay." She smiled as she held the infant and wrapped her up. She smiled brightly and carefully took her to her mother. "It's a beautiful baby girl." She said and held her out. The woman looked at her and cried out as she went to smack the baby away.

"I don't want the cursed child! Get away you witch!" She cried and Aalis felt her heart fall. "Throw it in the fire! She cursed it! Throw the abomination away!" She screamed. The husband hesitated then took the child before Aalis could protest.

"No. No I'm not a witch! I didn't curse the baby! No stop!" She cried as she got up quickly. Dread filling her as the baby screamed and sobbed from the loud noises. The father held the child as he went to the hearth and kept her wrapped in the cloak but away from him. As if she was rotten food. The child was small and weak, she just wanted to be held as it started to get cold. 

"Stop! No!" Aalis cried as she felt panicked. She rushed over as he moved to the fire and prepared to toss the baby in. The young woman grabbed the child and held her close, moving away from the heath as she knelt there. "It's okay... it's okay..." she whispered as she looked over the child who was thankfully unharmed. She soothed her the best she could with the mother screaming at her husband to kill the babe. Aalis wrapped the baby up in the blanket then her cloak as she stood and stepped back.

"Don't reject this child, I beg of you." the young woman said as tears filled her eyes. She held the baby close to her as the child fussed. Trying to calm down as she clung to the woman, she didn't recognize her those which was unsettling. 

"Kill the monster!" the mother screamed. "She cursed my baby! Kill them both!" She screeched as the husband grabbed a fire poker. "I don't want that abomination!" she cried. Aalis shook her head as she stepped away before leaving the home. She held the child close as she got on her horse and rode home. She sobbed as she rode and held the baby as best she could. Once at the cabin, Ratchet looked up and frowned. 

"Aalis? Primus child, what has you so upset?" He asked as she got off the horse. She rushed over and hugged him as she sobbed. "What on-" he paused as he heard a weak cry from her arms. He gripped her shoulders and moved her carefully then stared at the baby. "Inside, quickly." he said as he led her in. Aalis sobbed and cried as she held the baby and he worked on getting goats milk for the poor thing.

"Deep breaths." He said to his daughter as he gently took the baby and worked on giving her milk. It took a few minutes and she was too weak to do much. Aalis sobbed silently as she watched them. He soon got the baby to eat and sighed as he closed his eyes. His daughter calmed down and stared blankly into the fire. 

The healer fed the baby until she finished, then put her to bed and tucked her in tightly. He came back out and stared at his daughter. He sat by her as they sat on the floor and he hugged her tightly. She held on to him as she continued to stare at the flames, tears falling down her face. She was a witch, and had almost gotten an innocent baby killed. They had no idea what damage this rumor would cause.