A WARRIORS LOVE

The Mysterious Encounter

After tossing and turning restlessly, sleep continued to evade me that night for reasons unknown. Letting out a deep sigh, I sat up from my sleeping bag, feeling the need to clear my head. To my surprise, Angelo was seated on the floor of the cave, in a meditative posture with his eyes peacefully closed.

Intrigued, I rose to my feet, drawn towards the entrance of the cave. I longed to take a short walk, hoping to immerse myself in the coolness of the night air and find solace in the tranquility of nature.

"Don't go too far," Angelo's voice echoed in the cave, even with his eyes closed. I paused for a moment, casting a glance at him, before resolutely continuing my journey outside.

As I stepped beyond the cave's threshold, a sudden gust of cold air greeted me, catching me off guard. The abrupt transition from the warm embrace of the cave to the frigid night air surprised me, yet the chill did not bring discomfort. Ignoring the peculiarity, I proceeded cautiously through the woods, making sure not to stray too far from the safety of the cave.

Time seemed to pass swiftly as I wandered, and soon, I found myself standing by the same river we had stumbled upon earlier in the day. The moon cast its ethereal glow upon the rippling waters, creating a mesmerizing sight that should have brought me solace. However, instead of calming my troubled mind, the beauty of the scene only deepened my sense of melancholy.

Lost in my thoughts and reminiscing about my time confined within the palace, I felt a sudden snap to my right. Reacting instinctively, I pounced towards the source of the sound, driven by an inexplicable urge to attack. It was only when I found myself hovering over a small boy, our eyes locked in a moment of mutual terror, that I realized my actions.

Shocked by my own behavior, I quickly withdrew, putting as much distance as possible between the boy and myself, gasping for air in a frantic manner. After a few minutes, it became evident that the child remained motionless. Overcoming my initial panic, I cautiously approached him, my steps laden with a mixture of concern and trepidation.

Drawing nearer, I observed the boy's emaciated frame, mere skin and bones. As my gaze reached his face, dimly illuminated by the moonlight, I noticed his eyes, once reflecting the night sky and mirroring my own glowing eyes, were now closed. It was then that a metallic scent permeated the air, the unmistakable odor of blood.

A wave of panic washed over me as I hastily checked for signs of life. To my relief, he was still breathing, although shallowly. Examining his body, I discovered a small wound on the side of his head—a testament to the injury I had inadvertently inflicted during our encounter.

Placing my hand over the bleeding wound, I attempted to heal him, but my mind was in disarray, making it impossible to focus and channel my limited magical abilities effectively. Despite my efforts, the wound remained open, though the bleeding had ceased temporarily. I deliberated whether to bring the boy back to camp myself or seek Angelo's assistance. Opting for the former, I marveled at how light the boy was as I cradled him in my arms, pondering how he had managed to survive alone in these woods.

After a few minutes, I arrived back at our camp, where I found Angelo finishing his meditation. His gaze fell upon the boy, scrutinizing him as if he were a wanted criminal.

"Could you please stop?" I pleaded, gesturing towards the sword lying nearby, which

Angelo seemed inclined to reach for. "Can you help me heal him? I managed to stop the bleeding, but I couldn't do more than that."

"Why should I?" Angelo retorted, his stance unwavering. "Once he's healed, he could pose a threat to us."

"He's just a child, and it was my actions that caused his injury in the first place," I implored, hoping to elicit some empathy from him.

Reluctantly, Angelo began to approach us, stooping down to assess the boy's condition. His eyes scanned the boy's frail form before settling on the open wound. Raising his hand, a soft greenish-blue glow emanated from his fingertips as he held them over the wound.

I watched in awe as the boy's flesh started to knit itself back together, witnessing a miraculous healing process unfold before my eyes. Soon, only a scar remained where the wound had once been, no longer seeping blood.

"Explain," Angelo demanded, turning to me with a stern tone.

"I went down to the river to clear my mind, unaware that he was approaching. Startled, I instinctively reacted, jumping on top of him," I confessed, my voice tinged with disgust and embarrassment. I chose not to disclose the glowing eyes or the surge of aggression I had felt towards the boy. "But he'll be alright now, won't he?"

"Yes, fortunately, he didn't lose too much blood. However, I can't help but wonder where he came from," Angelo pondered, his gaze fixated on the boy. "Perhaps he became lost?"

"Unlikely," I replied, uncertain. "There are no settlements for miles around. At least, none that I know of. But considering his fragile state, it's inconceivable to think he survived alone in these woods."

"What shall we do with him?" I inquired, my concern for the boy growing stronger.

"Princess, I advise you to return the boy to where you found him. We have already done enough," Angelo stated firmly, lacking any hint of compassion for the child before us.

"No way! Are we just going to abandon him to die in these woods?" I exclaimed, my anger flaring at Angelo's apparent callousness.

"If he managed to survive on his own until now, surely he can continue to do so," Angelo countered, unmoved by my emotional plea.

"But he'll freeze out here," I reasoned desperately, struggling to find valid arguments to convince him to show mercy.

Angelo turned sharply, retreating to his side of the cave, where he settled down on his sleeping bag. Closing his eyes, he folded his arms across his chest, delivering his final verdict. "He leaves in the morning," he declared, and I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

Feeling a mix of relief and defiance, I positioned myself beside the sleeping boy, closest to the warmth of the fire. I no longer had any form of covering, as the boy occupied my sleeping bag, and Angelo showed no inclination to offer an alternative from his magical bag.

Gazing into the dancing flames, I allowed my mind to wander, gradually succumbing to fatigue as I drifted into a restless sleep.