Within the confines of a modest tent, with shadows dancing in the dim light, I found myself sitting in the presence of the one who had nearly ended my life just moments ago. "Ayin"—that boy whose blade had veered from my neck—was now my reluctant host. I didn't know the reason for this sudden shift, but I played along with the charade, pretending before his kind-hearted mother that we were close friends.
"Layla"—Ayin's mother—was wrapping my injured hand with skill and tenderness, speaking in a warm voice:
"So, your hand was stabbed by one of the forest beasts, and my gallant son saved you?"
Ayin replied with a raspy voice, trying to hide his tension: "Yes... that is what happened."
The mother finished tying the bandage, then patted it gently, saying:
"Thank God, the wound isn't deep. You did well, son, helping your friend... forgive me, what was your name again?"
"Andre... my name is Andre."
She smiled, a brightness illuminating her pale face: "And I am Layla. Well, since you both are safe, I will prepare a meal to restore your strength."
Ayin stood up with sudden enthusiasm: "Let me help you, Mother."
But she stopped him with a firmness mixed with affection: "No, stay here and entertain your guest. Would you leave him alone? Come on, sit."
He obeyed her command and sat down against his will. As soon as she disappeared into the kitchen corner, I whispered to him with a provoking smile:
"Seems you are quite gentle and obedient after all, huh?"
He growled, annoyed: "Shut up."
I pushed further: "Are you angry? Your behavior right now resembles that of a harmless little kitten."
In the blink of an eye, his hand gripped the hilt of his sword, eyes flashing with sparks:
"If you don't stop your nonsense, I'll show you how I turn that face of yours into mincemeat."
I didn't hesitate. I called out at the top of my lungs: "Mrs. Layla!"
Ayin jumped and clamped his hand over my mouth, stifling my voice. His mother peeked out, wondering: "Did someone call me?"
Ayin answered with a choked voice, pressing down on my mouth: "No one, Mother. Just finish the food."
After she returned to her work, he released me and gave me a burning glare: "You are lucky my mother is here, otherwise you would be dead by now."
I stared into his eyes, seeing something there that transcended anger, and said calmly: "Do you love your mother that much?"
He answered without hesitation: "Certainly. If not for her, I would be dead right now in this desolate forest."
I fell silent, and so did he. It seemed my question had stirred stagnant waters deep within him, as he began to fidget nervously with his fingers.
Not much time passed before the food was served, and we began to eat. The mother broke the silence, asking: "Tell me, Andre, how did you meet Ayin and become friends?"
Ayin interrupted quickly, as if reading from a script: "I was hunting, and I happened to see him. We've been friends since then."
The mother laughed: "Why did you answer, you fool? I asked Andre!" She turned to me: "Well?"
I went along with his lie: "Exactly as Ayin said. Nothing new to report."
She feigned annoyance: "That's why you two are friends; you're both boring! I expected more exciting details. No matter... tell me, Andre, how long have you been in this forest?"
"Two weeks. I came to train and increase my strength so I wouldn't be a burden to my team."
"Which team?"
"Team Ice."
Her expression shifted to pure joy: "Team Ice! May I ask about the conflict there? Has it ended?"
"Yes, the dispute is resolved, and they are happy now."
She placed her hand over her heart in relief: "Thank God. I was so worried; they have been fighting ever since the incident with Rose."
I furrowed my brow: "You know Rose?"
She gazed into the distance, her tone turning sorrowful: "Yes... she used to come here to heal me. Years ago, I fell ill to the point of being unable to move. My son heard of a skilled healer, so he rushed out and brought her. She was just a child, barely ten years old. At first, I scolded him for bringing a little girl into a forest teeming with monsters. But she didn't say a word. She placed her small hands on my heart, a necklace around her neck glowed, and in seconds, the pulse of life returned to me. Her smile was the purest thing my eyes had ever seen..."
She sighed in grief and continued: "She kept visiting me until that attack occurred... The Beast of the Covenant. It was a giant creature beneath the icy ground. It drove the forest beasts to flee, and they surrounded us. My son was caught between two fires: either save me or save Rose. That was the day we lost our joy."
Ayin interrupted her firmly: "Stop, Mother. What happened has happened; there is no use digging up the past."
She replied sadly: "You are the one who needs to say that to yourself, my son."
Ayin left his plate and spoke with a booming voice: "I do not regret saving you. Never."
The mother stroked his hair tenderly: "I am sorry, my son."
Ayin grasped his mother's hand: "What matters is that you are safe."
I was watching the scene, and suddenly, the words "I am sorry" acted as a key to a locked box of dark memories. I remembered my own mother in the hospital, breathing her last breaths as she said: "My son... I am sorry."
Tears blurred my vision without permission. I didn't realize I was crying until Layla's warm hand wiped them from my cheek:
"What makes you cry, my boy? Did our talk upset you?"
I composed myself with difficulty: "No... no... I just remembered my late mother."
She patted my head with pure maternal affection: "I understand. Then, from today on, would you accept me as a mother to you?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat and said sincerely: "I would be honored."
After dinner, I went out to breathe the cold air, leaving Ayin to help his mother with the dishes. I heard their voices from inside; she was telling him: "He is a good boy, Ayin. I am happy you found a friend like him."
A little later, Ayin came out and stood beside me: "If you stay out here, the beasts will devour you."
I looked at him sarcastically: "Do you care if I live or die? That's strange coming from someone who tried to kill me moments ago."
He answered coldly: "Yes, I would be spared the trouble of the speech I am about to give."
I looked at him with curiosity, and he continued seriously: "You have no place here, and the beasts are dangerous; you won't survive alone. Do you think they don't come here by chance? You are mistaken. My Master's aura surrounds and protects this place. You don't feel it because you haven't mastered sensing energy yet."
I smiled and said: "Strange... You are being kind now. You give me shelter, advise me, and tell me about your master. Why this sudden change?"
Ayin looked toward the tent where his mother was, and said in a low voice:
"Because this is the first time I have seen my mother smile that smile since Rose died. Her smiles have been counterfeit for years, but today... she smiled for real. That is something I have tried to achieve for a long time and failed. It seems your presence is the reason."
I felt his words touch a sensitive chord in my heart. The animosity faded, replaced by a deep understanding. I extended my hand to him and said:
"We can forget the past and become friends... but my tent will be pitched next to yours, if you agree?"
He shook my hand firmly, a faint smile appearing on his face:
"I agree. At least I won't have to share my sleeping quarters with you, and that in itself is a victory for me."