“Dismissed!” With the order, the cadets disperse, breathing a sigh of relief. Avalel wipes off the sweat from his chin, exhales, and begins walking back to his room, dragging his legs as though they are limp. It’s only the first day, yet I am already tired. First cleaning, then stamina training, then melee training, and finally shooting training, with nearly no rest in between other than a lunch. Sigh... all I want now is a hot meal and some cold water...
“Avalel!” Tarak calls, running up to him, “You forgot to grab this during shooting training.” In his right palm lies a small grey packet, inside of which a sort of viscous liquid sloshes around, not unlike the sap from trees.
“What is it?” Avalel asks.
“It’s a cooling packet for us cadets, designed to cool down the rifle battery so it doesn’t burn your hand. But you can use it to cool down your body as well.” As Tarak hands the packet to Avalel, he feels a sudden soothing chill spreading through his arms to his entire body. The initial shock quickly subsides as his expression relaxes, as if a soft breeze just blew against him in the middle of a scorching desert.
“This packet is... wow,” Avalel praises, completely lost for words, “Thanks a lot, Tarak.”
“It's nothing,” Tarak dismisses with a smile, “Oh, this reminds me: When did you come to Thille?”
“Only yesterday when Ms. Ipela took us in.”
“The Chief Advisor Ms. Ipela? How lucky!”
“She was very friendly towards us, and even managed to find us a room quite quickly, which I'm very thankful for.”
“You're one of the luckiest people here, being taken in by a high-ranking official like Ms. Ipela,” Tarak says with a hint of envy, “By the way, where shall we go next?”
“Do you know of any place with good food?”
“There's an amazing little shop just near the training ground where I go to eat quite often, and the food is very cheap as well! Are you interested?”
“Well, my money is still in the room, so you would have to pay for me for now!” They both laugh as they walk out, their arms around each other's shoulders as support.
“I guess I’ll leave them be,” Kavlina mutters, standing far away from the two, a smile crawling across her face. Well, at least Lel now has another friend.
She slowly departs the grounds, walking in the opposite direction until the chatter of the cadets completely disappears from her ears. I guess I'll look around.
Although it is already night, at least according to the clocks all around the city, numerous blinding lights flash and shine at her eyes, illuminating entire streets. As she passes by a gadgets shop, she sees several people, perhaps only a few years older than her, surrounding a holographic image of sorts. Nearby, some children are running around, flailing their arms around and chasing each other as their parents stand from afar, talking with each other while keeping an eye on the kids.
Suddenly, a child trips, his head crashing onto the floor. As if on cue, he wails and screams, covering his bruised forehead with his tiny palms. The adults run over, their faces filled with concern. One of them, presumably the mother, picks up the child and pats his back, comforting him with gentle words. Meanwhile, the other children stare worriedly at their friend, their innocent eyes bubbling with tears.
These people have no idea how lucky they are, Kavlina thinks as she continues onwards. She soon comes across a small clothes shop, the lights dim and the signs unappealing. The door, made of dark wood, is a stark contrast to the glass doors of many other shops, concealing what is within. In her curiosity, she enters, and the door creaks a little when she pushes it.
Inside there is only an old man sitting at the counter amongst the many pieces of clothing. Short and with a hunched back, he slowly lifts his head at the new customer.
“Welcome, young girl,” he says unhurriedly, “What do you need?”
“I'm just looking around,” Kavlina replies, her hands gently stroking the fabrics as she walks past while the aroma from the wooden interior massages her nose. Although the shop is small, there are many varieties of clothes that it offers. Some are large coats, feathery and covering all the way to the knees. Some are single-colored shirts and shorts, lightweight and simple, fitting for summers, contrasting with the long-sleeved tops and trousers, which gives one a feeling of elegance at the cost of somewhat limiting movement. Still others are cloaks and hooded pullovers, a fashion trend that fell out of favor since the last century but is experiencing a resurgence due to its lower cost. However, Kavlina's eyes fall on a scarf, unappealing and nearly hidden in a small shelf. Neatly folded, its black color is almost a parallel to Kavlina's hair. As she runs her fingers across it, her mind travels back to a nearly-forgotten time, a time when her world was far more simple.
“Hey, Grandpa, what are you doing?”
“Knitting a scarf.”
“Who's it for?”
“For my lovely granddaughter, of course.”
She ran to him and delivered an embrace with her small, stubby arms. “Can I try it?”
“But it's not finished.”
“Please?” she begged, her large, round eyes tearing up.
“Alright,” he sighed. Excitedly, she climbed onto his lap as he wrapped the incomplete scarf around her neck.
“This scarf is so soft, Grandpa!” she exclaimed.
“Do you like it? I made it so it would keep you warm in winter.”
“But it's not winter yet, though.”
“When I finish it, it will be winter already.” He removed the scarf from her neck, the fabric softly touching her skin as it slid past. “Promise me you'll wear it in the winter?”
“I promise!”
“Young girl, do you like that scarf?” the old man asks, waking Kavlina from her daydream.
“Yes, but I have no money on me…” Why did I even come here in the first place, then?
“That's alright. The scarf's the only thing that's not for sale here.”
“Oh, I…”
“But I can give it to you as a small gift if you like,” the old man smiles, revealing his crooked teeth, “I made this for a certain person then, but I think she won't mind if you wore the scarf instead.”
“Who was it for?”
“My granddaughter,” he quietly says as he takes another sigh, “But she is gone now.” A tear trickles down his cheek before falling onto the wooden floor.
Kavlina is silent, her eyes gazing down at the old man with pity. And grief.
He reaches a frail arm towards the scarf. “Do you mind if I wrap the scarf around your neck for you?”
“I... don't mind,” Kavlina responds hesitantly as she faces toward a small mirror on the counter.
“You have quite a small neck for your height, young girl,” he remarks as the scarf begins to snake around her neck, “This scarf was made for a child's neck, but it seems to fit quite well for you too.”
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
“I'm glad it fits.”
“You actually sound quite like my granddaughter, young girl,” he comments, “And looks like her too. If you don't mind this old man praising your beauty, I find your hair particularly like her - very elegant and fine.”
“I've never heard anyone describe my hair like that before.”
“Well, I'm an observant old man,” he chuckles as he releases the last part of the scarf, letting it drape over Kavlina's shoulders.
“Thank you for the gift, old man,” Kavlina says politely, her feet already turning towards the door.
“No, I should thank you instead, young girl,” he responds.
“Why?”
“In a way, I feel like I am putting on this scarf for my own granddaughter. If she is still alive, I'm sure you two would be great friends.”
“Thanks,” Kavlina reiterates as she pulls open the door, “I promise I'll return here and buy something later.” As she exits, the door slowly creaks until it finally shuts with a light thud. To be honest, his wrinkled hands were surprisingly gentle and smooth. Other than the teeth and the lack of hair, I could've mistaken him as Grandpa.
The old man slowly walks back to his chair and sits, his back leaning on it as he stares at the ceiling. Tears begin flowing down as he sighs in relief. It was difficult holding all those tears back. I guess I still haven't moved on. He chuckles softly. Young girl, you remind me too much of her. How old is she now? 15 years? No, 16 years. If only I could see her face for a moment more since that day... His eyes close as he drifts into sleep. I'm coming now, my granddaughter. Please wait for me. His pulse slows as he slumps forward, a smile forming on his face. Yes, I'm coming.
The beating of his heart finally comes to a halt, never to move again. Outside, passerbys walk to and fro, following their daily routine, passing by the little shop without even a glance.
----------------------------------------
This scarf is amazingly comfortable, Kavlina thinks as she repeatedly strokes it with her fingers. I should've praised the old man a little more.
She continues walking, passing by numerous shops as the lights and smells bombard her senses. However, none of them caught her attention as her eyes are still deeply focused on the scarf. Suddenly, she notices the time from a large clock in another gadget shop. This late already?
She begins making her way back, traversing the same path as she had come. As she crosses a busy intersection where vehicles speed past each other in the blink of an eye, she notices two familiar faces walking towards her.
“Hello there, Kavlina!” Tarak shouts, “Have you eaten yet?”
“No,” she coldly replies.
“Should we get you some food then?”
“No need. I'm sure Ms. Ipela has already prepared some food waiting outside the room.”
“Oh, Kavlina,” Avalel points out, “How did you buy that scarf?”
“I didn't buy it. An old man gave it to me when I visited his shop.”
“That's lucky! The scarf looks good on you as well!” Tarak chimes in.
“By the way, Kavlina,” Avalel awkwardly says, his voice suddenly dropping to no more than a whisper, “I hope you don't mind, but Tarak's coming to sleep in our dorm tonight.”
“Is this a joke?” Kavlina questions, pinning her frightening gaze into Avalel's eyes.
“It isn't,” Tarak responds, “If you do mind, I can return to my dorm tonight. I don't want to be a bother as a guest.”
“Well, since Lel doesn't mind, I guess I can't really object,” she says reluctantly.
“Well, actually,” Avalel explains, “I invited him.”
“Lel…” Kavlina menacingly whispers, “Do you have no brain? This is our second night here, and you're already inviting guests?”
“Well, I'm sorry?”
“Oh well, there's no turning back now.”
“So you don't mind?”
“Of course I mind, but you were the one who invited him, not me.”
“Thank you Kavlina!” Tarak cries in relief.
She sighs.
After some walking, the three of them finally arrive at the dorm, and just as Kavlina expected, in front of the door is a small package, neatly labelled “Dinner”.
Immediately after the door is opened, Tarak rushes in and takes off his boots before collapsing onto the nearest chair. Meanwhile, Avalel lies down on the mat, his expression relaxed and his limbs stretched out. Kavlina, being herself, quietly walks to the bed and carefully opens the package. Inside is a box and a note, saying “Do your laundry!”
“How amusing,” Kavlina notes as she begins eating the food inside the box, “Ms. Ipela seems to be purposefully making herself sound like our caretaker.”
“Well, isn't she?” Avalel replies.
“I guess you could say so.”
“Hey, Avalel,” Tarak interrupts, “Is it alright if I change in the bathroom?”
“Of course,” Avalel replies.
“Where else?” Kavlina mocks.
“Thank you.” He quickly brings his small bag into the bathroom and firmly shuts the door.
Finally, some peace and quiet, Kavlina thinks as she begins to unbutton her tunic, revealing her sweat-soaked shirt inside. Avalel, meanwhile, had already taken off his tunic, throwing it to the side.
“I don't know why, but these tunics are quite suffocating,” he complains, “I wish we could just wear this shirt and trousers.”
“I agree,” Kavlina replies simply. Just then, Tarak exits, wearing a dark green shirt and black shorts. His hair is combed back, revealing his large forehead.
He approaches Avalel and eventually sits down. “After seeing a small part of the city, what do you think of Thille so far?” he asks.
“It's such an advanced city!” Avalel exclaims, “The buildings are all neatly organized, the people well-dressed, the streets were so busy and bright it didn't seem like night at all, and…”
“Lel, we're not here to sightsee,” Kavlina sharply interrupts.
“But we will be staying here for a long while, and with such a beautiful city, it does make all our moods better,” he continues, “If only Dad can see this…”
The memories of his childhood flood back into his mind. Walks through the beautiful paths in the forest, picking up strangely-shaped leaves from the ground, staring at the blinking stars in the night sky... If those moments can last just a little longer...
“Avalel?” Tarak asks, waving a hand in front of his face, “Are you alright?”
“I suppose so,” Avalel mildly replies, his eyes still staring into blankness.
“I'll see if there's water,” Kavlina mumbles as she excuses herself, walking to the small but furnished kitchen.
“The tap water of Thille is drinkable, Kavlina,” Tarak reminds.
Oh, right, I forgot the civilized world has such luxuries as drinkable tap water. Calmly, she brings a small cup under the tap, and immediately, water begins pouring down, gargling as it crashes against the surface of the cup. However, just as it seems the water is about to spill out, the tap turns off by itself, and the water inside the cup is tamed, still like an undisturbed pond. Kavlina then delivers it to Avalel, placing the cup on his side. “You need this,” she quietly says.
“Thanks, Kavlina,” Avalel replies in gratitude. However, Kavlina had already disappeared into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.
After placing the change of clothing, given by Ipela yesterday, on a vacant rack, she begins to take off her uniform, while the small bathtub, sensing her presence, begins to be filled with warm water. Removing her sweaty top, she feels as if a refreshing air has just blown in, cooling her body and dispersing the pungent smell from it. Just as she takes off the last bit of clothing, the tap stops, the tub being filled exactly three-quarters full. She lightly touches the surface of the water with a finger. The heat slightly tickles her, but it soon soothes the skin as the water quietly flows past. Satisfied, she slowly steps into the tub, bringing a small towel that, again, Ipela had already provided.
It's been a long time since I had a bath like this, she thinks as she sinks into the tub, her whole body with the exception of her face submerged. As she closes her eyes, her mind again drifts to her childhood.
“Kavlina, it's bath time!”
“Coming!” She dropped her toys and ran to the bathroom, where her mother was already waiting.
“Can I try to take a bath myself, Mother?”
“Oh, our little Kavlina is growing up so fast already! Of course you can, my dear daughter.”
She tried to take off her shirt, but soon was struggling as she tugged at the sleeves.
“Try bending your elbows, Kavlina,” her mother reminded.
With the advice, she quickly overcame the obstacle and soon jumped into the tub, splashing around in the water.
“Mother, look out!” She shouted playfully as she slapped the water's surface and a few droplets fell on her mother's dress.
“You cheeky girl!” Her mother laughed as she retaliated by splashing some water back. Soon, both mother and daughter are embroiled in a "conflict", splashing each other with water, laughing at each other's attempts to block the water with their hands.
However, the fun times soon came to an end as the water slowly became colder, and eventually, Kavlina stepped out of the tub, where her mother quickly wrapped a long towel around her, drying her body while she stared at her wrinkled fingers.
“You're slowly becoming a big girl now, Kavlina. Mother's very proud of you.”
“Thank you, Mother!”
Kavlina sighs as she deliberately splashes a few droplets onto the ground. Mother, can we play with water a little more, like we used to back then?
There is no answer, and Kavlina could only stare at the ceiling blankly, the water around her gradually cooling down as time goes by.