The early morning air was cold, but I was already awake before the first light touched the camp. Across the room, Andrew was stretching, rolling his shoulders like he did every morning.
"Didn't expect you to wake up this early," he said, cracking his neck.
I stood up, flexing my fingers slightly. "I don't sleep much."
Andrew smirked. "Yeah, I've noticed."
After finishing my daily morning routine and a few warm-ups stretches, we sat down at the small wooden table in our room, an old chessboard between us. The pieces were slightly mismatched; some had been lost over time; but it didn't matter.
Andrew made his move, shifting his knight forward. "So, how's the arm?"
I barely glanced at it. "It's fine."
He raised an eyebrow. "You say that, but did you even check it?"
I didn't answer.
Andrew sighed, leaning back. "That's what I thought. You should get it looked at before it gets worse. Don't leave it without attention, we no longer live in the forest"
I moved my queen across the board, my fingers light against the worn chess piece. "I'm going to see Sophia."
Andrew smirked, moving his bishop. "Ohh Perfect! She'll like that. She's been watching over you since the trade. She's really a caring person; she wasn't like that when we first met her."
I replied while planning an attack. "She's like that with us only, I think she considers us very close to her."
A little smile was drawn in Andrew face. "Yeah, I noticed that".
I ignored his comment and focused on the board. He was close to cornering my king, but it wasn't enough. I slid my rook forward and let my fingers rest against the piece for a second before speaking.
"Checkmate."
Andrew blinked, then groaned, rubbing his face with one hand. "Damn it. I was so close."
I stood up, adjusting my coat. "Not close enough."
Andrew shook his head, still grinning. "One day, I'll win."
I walked toward the door, pausing slightly. "Are you coming?"
"Nop," he said, stretching his arms. "I need to fix my armor and sharpen my sword first. I'll catch up later."
Before I stepped out, he spoke again.
"By the way, we still need more members for our team."
I already knew that.
"And," he added, "we need a name."
I thought for a moment.
"Ironveil."
Andrew blinked, then laughed. "Ironveil? What does that even mean?"
"It sounds strong."
"It sounds weird." He smirked, shaking his head. "But hey, if that's what you want."
I glanced at him before stepping out. "I'll wait for you there."
The air was crisp, the kind of morning chill that clung to your skin. The camp was already awake; soldiers and recruits moving around, preparing for the day. The rhythmic clash of swords echoed from the training grounds as sparring matches had already begun.
I passed the stables, where horses shifted, their breath visible in the cold air. Further ahead, a group of younger recruits ran in formation, their steps heavy, their faces tired.
I knew where to go.
If Sophia wasn't training, there was only one other place she would be.
The library.
It was quieter there, away from the noise of the camp. The scent of old books and parchment always hung in the air, a place filled with strategy guides, medical texts, and war records.
And, as expected, she was there.
Sophia sat at one of the wooden tables, a thick book open in front of her. She wasn't just reading, she was focused, lost in whatever information she was taking in. Her silver hair, tied loosely back, caught the morning light.
She noticed me immediately, closing the book. Her eyes flicked to my arm before settling on my face.
"You came," she said simply with a smile.
I didn't respond.
Sophia stood up without hesitation. "Let's go."
She walked ahead, leading me toward the medical wing - the designated place in the camp where injuries were treated - It wasn't a full hospital, but it had everything necessary. Bandages, healing herbs, trained medics.
As we walked, she glanced at my arm. "You didn't check it this morning, did you?"
I exhaled. "I'm checking it now, aren't I?"
Sophia gave me a look, unimpressed. "That's not the same."
I glanced down at my arm as we walked. The bandages were still tight, but I could feel the slight pain beneath them. The wound hadn't gotten worse, but it hadn't healed much either.
Sophia sighed, shaking her head. "You never take injuries seriously, do you?"
I rolled my shoulder slightly, testing the stiffness. "If I did, would it change anything?"
She let out a small breath, her tone quieter. "It would mean you actually care about yourself."
I didn't respond right away. It wasn't that I didn't care. I just didn't see the point in making a fuss over something that would heal in time.
When we reached the medical wing, she stepped inside first, already unrolling fresh bandages from a nearby table.
"Sit," she said firmly. "And don't argue."
I sat.
She was already unwrapping the bandages before I could even think of a reply.
Sophia carefully unwrapped the bandages from my arm, her red eyes focused. As the layers came off, the deep wounds from the arrows were exposed. Some had already begun to close, but the skin was still raw.
She didn't say anything at first, just reached for a small jar filled with crushed herbs. She mixed them with a thick paste, the faint scent of medicine filling the air.
"This will help speed up the healing," she said, dipping her fingers into the mixture. "Try not to move too much."
She pressed the cool paste onto my wounds, working carefully. The sting was sharp at first, but it faded quickly.
After a few moments, she spoke again.
"You and Andrew… you were unbelievable out there," she said, her voice quiet but steady. "The way you fought together. It was like you knew exactly what the others was going to do."
I leaned back slightly. "We've been fighting together for a long time."
Sophia nodded, tying fresh bandages around my arm. "And he's always watching out for you."
I glanced down at the bandages as she worked. "He always has."
I wasn't sure why I said it, but the words came naturally.
"I don't remember much from when we were kids," I admitted. "But I do remember one thing, Andrew was always there. Whenever someone tried to mess with me, he'd stop them before I even knew what was happening. It didn't matter who it was. He never let anyone hurt me."
Sophia listened closely, her hands pausing for just a moment before continuing.
I exhaled. "Even now, he hasn't changed. He still treats me like that kid he has to protect."
When I looked at her, she was watching me carefully, her expression soft.
That's when I noticed something.
"You seem interested when I talk about Andrew," I said, tilting my head slightly.
Sophia blinked, her hands pausing for a second. A slight blush covered her cheeks, but she quickly turned her attention back to my bandages.
"Umm, I was just listening…" she said, very quickly.
I didn't say anything, just watched as she finished tying the bandage.
Sophia tied the last bandage with steady hands, but there was a weight in her movements, as if something lingered in her mind.
She sat back slightly, exhaling. "You and Andrew…" She hesitated, then continued, "You both treated me differently from the others."
I raised an eyebrow. "Differently?"
She looked down at her hands, fingers lightly pressing against each other. "The reason I came here… it wasn't just because I wanted to fight. It was because I had nowhere else to go."
Her voice was calm, but there was something behind it; something deeper, something guarded.
"When I first arrived, people looked at me the same way they always have. Even the other girls. They whispered about me, everyone avoided me." She let out a small, hollow laugh. "I got used to it."
I stayed silent, letting her speak.
"But you two never did that." Her red eyes flicked up, meeting mine. "You and Andrew… never looked at me like I was strange."
There was a pause before she continued.
"My father never did either. He loved me, no matter what." She took a slow breath, her voice quieter now. "I lost him. And my mother… I lost her too early to even remember her."
She looked away, staring at the floor as if she could still see the past there.
"She died because of radiation poisoning. And maybe… maybe that's why I look like this." She lifted a strand of her silver hair, letting it fall between her fingers. "She was already poisoned before I was even born."
"I remember one night," she said quietly. "I asked my father if I looked… unnatural. I told him how the other kids looked at me, they always called me a demon. How they whispered about my hair, my eyes. How some even laughed."
She paused again.
"He just smiled. Then, he pulled me onto his lap, ran his hand through my hair, and said, 'You are the cutest, most beautiful girl in the world. And you are special, Sophia. Not because of how you look, but because of who you are. One day you will meet people who care for you. The world is wide.' "
A faint, distant smile crossed her lips. "I believed him. For a while."
She exhaled, shaking her head slightly. "No matter how much time passes… I still hear his voice when I think about it."
The room felt smaller somehow, the air heavier.
She let out a soft breath, shaking her head. "But Andrew… he never asked."
I frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"
"He never asked why my hair is this color. Why my eyes are red." A small, almost sad smile touched her lips. "Most people do. Some are just curious. Others ask because they want to remind me that I'm different."
She looked at me again, her expression soft but unreadable. "But he never did. He never treated me any differently. Not once."
"It's different… being around you two," she admitted. "It feels nice. I feel comfortable."
I studied her for a moment. She had always been quiet, composed, hard to read. But now, just for a second, she looked… at peace.
I leaned back slightly, exhaling. "Andrew's like that," I said simply.
Sophia looked at me for a moment before a small smile crossed her lips.
I let out a quiet breath and, without really thinking, gave her the smallest of smiles in return. "Me and Andrew… we'll always be here for you."
She blinked, surprised.
I looked away, adjusting the sleeve of my coat. "We're family now."
Sophia lowered her gaze slightly, but the smile remained. "Yeah…" she said softly. "I think so too."
"Wait… You smiled," she said, almost like she was trying to make sure she hadn't imagined it.
I adjusted my sleeve, looking away. "Don't get used to it."
But she just smiled brighter. The room was quiet for a moment, but this time, it wasn't heavy. It was peaceful.