Helen shook her head. "Jacob said he'll come get me. We have our next class together." she replied. Joseph nodded and left after saying an awkward goodbye to Aria, who noticed that he still seemed a little disturbed by the scars.
It was then that Aria realized with a start that she had actually forgotten about her scars for a while due to the concept of these 'battle scars' she had been introduced to. It felt rather nice, not to constantly think that you're too ugly.
"What is all this talk about scars anyway?" Helen said, bringing Aria out of her thoughts. "Must be nice. To not constantly have to look at these ugly things." Aria thought, but she shook her head and dispelled the thought the next second as she said, "Miss Anhao decided that my wounds are healed enough that there's no risk of infection now. So all my ugly wounds are on full display for the world to see."
"Ugly wounds?" Helen muttered as she tilted her head in confusion. Aria sighed and lifted her hands and took them in hers in response. Helen slightly gasped upon feeling the scarred skins on Aria's hands before she started to slowly run her hands over them. She felt the wounds on Aria's fingers, her wrists and forearms, and dropped her hands once she was done.
"I don't think these wounds are ugly." Helen said after a long while. Aria looked up, surprised. "You don't?" she asked. Helen shrugged and continued, "Maybe it's because the fact I can't really comprehend them as the others can. But actually, scars are not that uncommon."
Aria tilted her head. Now that she thought about it, she remembered back home, her grandfather had many scars on his hands. Rumor had it that he had numerous on various other parts of his body as well. And the guards and people from the army, both from the water and the fire kingdom, also had numerous scars, now that Aria thought about it. Some more noticeable than the others, but usually everyone had them.
When Aria didn't reply, Helen continued, "Sure, you won't see people with a lot of scars here in the academy, but it's because none of us have ever been to a real battle. Still some of us have small scars from our training sessions, which no one thinks twice about." "But these aren't some little things that are not noticeable." Aria muttered, still not convinced.
Helen smiled and held her hand. She started to stroke the wounds and said, "Scars fade with time Aria. They truly do. Ask my father if you have any doubt. And do you want me to let you in on a little secret?" Aria nodded, but realized that Helen couldn't see it so she said a small, "Yes."
"Scars are actually considered a kind of trophy in the army." Helen said, looking like she was divulging a scandal. Aria frowned, "A trophy?" "Yes." she exclaimed, "After every training session or a battle, I've heard the soldiers compare their wounds and boast about how they got them. The bigger the wound or the scar, the greater the glory to the person."
Aria pursued her lips. She still thought her wounds were way too ugly and no one would ever be able to look past them.