The next morning, Celeste stood outside the brothel, her breath visible in the cold morning air. Kite was already waiting by a horse, his sword strapped to his back and his eyes scanning the horizon, as if he were always searching for something far beyond the world around him.
Celeste glanced back at the brothel, where her mother stood in the doorway, leaning against Mama Rosario for support. Her mother's eyes were tired, but she smiled through her sadness.
"Don't worry, Mom," Celeste said, trying to sound brave. "I'll come back for you. I promise."
Ilvia's smile wavered, but she nodded. "I know, sweetheart. Be safe."
Without another word, Kite helped Celeste onto the horse, and they began to ride away from the only home she had ever known. The brothel faded into the distance as they traveled deeper into the wilderness, further from the noise of the towns and closer to the unknown.
The Journey to Solitude
For hours, they rode in silence. Celeste didn't know where they were going, only that Kite was taking her somewhere far, somewhere reclusive. The landscape changed as they traveled fields gave way to dense forests, the roads became narrow paths, and soon the sound of civilization was nothing more than a distant memory. The further they went, the more isolated it felt.
"Where are we going?" Celeste finally asked, breaking the silence.
"To a place where no one will bother us," Kite replied without looking back. "It's far from the cities. Quiet. You'll be able to focus on your training there."
"Do you live there alone?" Celeste asked, curious about the man who had suddenly appeared in her life.
Kite glanced over his shoulder at her, his face impassive. "Yes. I've lived there alone for many years. It's a good place to train without distractions."
Celeste nodded, though a flicker of doubt stirred inside her. Living in isolation sounded daunting, but Kite's calm confidence reassured her. There was something about his presence something steady, even if he seemed distant.
As they continued riding, the forest thickened, the air growing colder. They were deep in the wilderness now, far from any villages or towns. Eventually, they arrived at a small clearing nestled between towering trees and craggy hills. In the center stood a simple wooden cabin, weathered by time but sturdy.
"This is where we'll stay," Kite said, dismounting the horse. He helped Celeste down and gestured toward the cabin. "You'll train here. It won't be easy, but you'll grow stronger."
Celeste stood for a moment, taking in her new surroundings. It was quiet—so quiet that all she could hear was the rustling of the trees and the distant chirping of birds. The cabin was small and modest, nothing like the noisy, crowded brothel she had lived in all her life. It felt… peaceful.
"I've never been anywhere like this," she admitted.
Kite nodded, his eyes scanning the area, as if checking for anything out of place. "It's isolated, but that's what makes it a good place to train. No distractions. Just the sword."
Celeste felt a flicker of excitement and fear in equal measure. She had never trained with a sword before, but something told her this was where she was meant to be. Far from everything she had known, in this reclusive place, with a man who seemed as much a mystery as the wilderness around them.