As Aira, Ria, and Kael moved closer to the rustling grass, their swords remained steady.
They could feel the tension in the air—someone was definitely hiding there, waiting to strike.
But instead of a dangerous assassin or a wild beast, a small boy suddenly jumped out.
He stood in front of a slightly older girl, holding a small wooden stick like a sword.
“Sister, don’t worry!” the boy shouted bravely, his voice trembling just a little.
“Your brother will protect you!”
The trio froze.
The three warriors looked at each other, completely shocked.
They slowly lowered their weapons as they realized these weren’t enemies—they were just siblings.
The boy looked about six years old, and his sister was perhaps eight or nine.
Her eyes were wide with fear, but she was holding onto her brother’s shirt.
The sight reminded Aira and Ria so much of their own childhood.
“Put your swords away,” Aira said quietly to Ria and Kael.
She knelt down to be at the children’s eye level, making her face look kind and gentle.
“It’s okay,” Aira said softly.
“We aren’t going to hurt you.”
Ria stepped forward, her voice full of concern.
“You two are all alone out here.
What are your names?
Where did you come from?”
The girl finally spoke, her voice small.
“We…
we got separated from our father near the road.”
Kael looked around the area, searching for any sign of an adult.
“Where are your parents now?
How did you end up in the tall grass?”
The Children’s Story
The kids are scared, but they seem to trust AIRA and her friends now.
Flashback: How Kael Met General Arin
Years ago, when Arin and Nina first arrived to take command of the North City, they were met with a chaotic scene.
A young boy—barely more than a child—was sprinting through the muddy streets.
This was Kael.
He had just stolen a single piece of sweet from a shop because he hadn’t eaten in days.
As he ran, he turned a corner and came face-to-face with a massive war horse.
The horse flared its nostrils and stopped instantly.
Kael tripped and fell back, trembling, thinking he was about to be crushed.
“Thief!
Thief!” the shopkeeper shouted, catching up and pointing at the small, dirty boy.
“General, look!
This boy stole from my shop and ran!”
Arin climbed down from his horse.
He looked at the tiny piece of sweet in the boy’s hand and then at the angry man.
“He is just a child,” Arin said calmly.
“It is only a piece of candy.”
“If it’s so small, then you pay for it!” the man yelled.
“Everyone gives big speeches until they have to pay the bill!”
Without a word, Arin reached into his pouch and paid the shopkeeper.
Someone in the crowd shouted, “Don’t pay!
You are just teaching him to steal more!”
Arin ignored the crowd and looked at Kael.
“Where is your family, boy?”
“I have no one,” Kael replied, his voice small.
“We lost our house and my sister in the war.
I live in a cave near the forest.
I asked for help, but no one gave me food.
I’m sorry…
I won’t do it again.”
Arin didn’t look angry.
Instead, he smiled.
“He is my responsibility now,” he announced to the crowd.
He turned back to Kael.
“I will give you food and teach you everything I know.
Will you come with me?”
Kael nodded quickly.
That was the day he was brought to the palace, where he finally met Aira and Ria.
Back to the River Side
Now, standing by the river with his sword drawn, Kael looks at the two lost siblings in the grass.
He remembers himself in that moment—scared, hungry, and alone.
Aira looks at the girl (8 years old) and the boy (6 years old).
She remembers her father, Arin, and her mother, Nina.
She knows what her father would do.
“What are your names?” Aira asks the children gently.
The girl takes a shaky breath.
“My name is Pia and this is my brother Tarin.”