Chapter 16: Reflection

A few hours later, when Lila returned, she approached Kaelen with a cautious expression. With careful hands, she untied him from the bed, her eyes filled with an apology she soon vocalized. "I'm sorry for tying you up. It was just for my safety. I hope you understand."

Kaelen, though still wary, nodded. "I understand. Thank you for helping me."

They sat together in the small room, the fire in the hearth crackling softly. Lila watched as Kaelen ate the food she had brought him earlier, now cold but still far better than anything he had tasted in the last two years. The flavors were heavenly to him, a reminder of a world he thought he had left behind.

As Kaelen ate, they talked. Lila told him about her life in the village, about the people who lived there, and the small adventures she had. She spoke of her parents, who had passed away when she was young, leaving her to fend for herself in the world. Despite the hardship, Lila spoke with a lightness that suggested resilience and hope.

Kaelen, in turn, shared bits and pieces of his life before his capture. He spoke of the farm, of the simple yet fulfilling days working the land, and of his sister, who had always been his closest companion. He avoided the painful details of his enslavement, but the shadows in his eyes spoke volumes. Despite the odd circumstances, there was a comfort in their exchange, a brief respite from the turmoil that had defined Kaelen's existence.

"You're very brave," Lila said softly after a while, her green eyes meeting his. "I don't know if I could have survived what you went through."

Kaelen shook his head. "I'm not brave. I just did what I had to do to survive."

Lila reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "Surviving takes bravery too, you know."

After a while, Lila stood up to leave. "You should rest more. I'll check on you later."

Kaelen nodded, watching as she left the room. Once alone, he pushed himself up from the bed, testing his strength. His body protested with sharp pangs of pain, but he needed to move, to feel alive. The little wooden house was quiet, a stark contrast to the cacophony of the fighting pits.

As he wandered through the modest dwelling, memories of his life before enslavement washed over him. The simplicity of the wooden walls and the rustic furniture reminded him of his own home. He stopped when he came across a mirror hanging on one of the walls.

The reflection that stared back at him was almost unrecognizable. The bandages Lila had placed on him covered most of his upper body, but they couldn't hide the changes. His muscles, hardened and defined from relentless training, were visible through the gaps in the bandages. Scars crisscrossed his skin, each one a testament to the battles he had fought and survived.

Kaelen traced the outline of one particularly jagged scar, his fingers brushing over the rough texture. He looked down at his calloused hands, the palms and fingers toughened from countless hours of wielding a wooden sword, the knuckles scarred from brutal hand-to-hand combat. He felt like a monster, a beast forged in the fires of violence.

The only remnants of his former self were his hair and eyes. His hair, as black as night, fell just past his eyes, having grown out since the last time he had cut it short in the pits. His eyes, an unusual trait from the north, were mismatched; one black like his hair and the other a striking silver. It was a trait he shared with his sister, a connection to his lost family.

Looking at himself, he couldn't help but think of the nickname he had earned in the pits: "The Bear of the North." Standing over six feet tall with a tanned, rugged appearance, he resembled the formidable creature in more ways than one.

Thinking of all this brought his mind to Roderick, the grizzled knight who had become like a father to him. Roderick had died before Kaelen's eyes, a loss that left a gaping wound in his heart. Kaelen's mood darkened as he pondered what went wrong, what he could have done differently. If he had been quicker, perhaps Roderick would still be alive.

Kaelen was so lost in thought, caught between sadness and anger, that he didn't hear the door open. He didn't notice the light footsteps approaching him or see the small figure reflected in the mirror. He was no longer looking at his reflection but at something deeper, almost as if he were in a trance.

A tap on his leg and a small voice broke through his reverie. "Mister, what are you?"

Kaelen snapped back to reality, turning to see a little girl standing beside him, her eyes wide with curiosity. She couldn't have been more than six years old, with curly brown hair and a freckled face. The innocence in her eyes was a stark contrast to the darkness that had enveloped Kaelen's life.

"What are you?" she repeated, her tiny voice filled with genuine curiosity.

Kaelen knelt down to her level, his expression softening. "I'm just a person, like you," he said gently.

The girl tilted her head, studying him. "But you look so different. Like a storybook hero."

Kaelen couldn't help but smile, though it was tinged with sadness. "I'm not a hero. Just someone trying to find his way."

The girl seemed to accept this, nodding thoughtfully. "I'm Lily. Are you Lila's friend?"

Kaelen hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, I suppose I am."

Lily's face lit up with a smile. "Good. Lila doesn't have many friends. She's nice. You should stay."

Kaelen's heart ached at the simplicity of her words. "I'll try," he promised, though he knew he couldn't stay long. He had a mission, a promise to fulfill.

Lily seemed satisfied with his answer and scampered off, leaving Kaelen alone with his thoughts once more. He took a deep breath, looking at his reflection again.