A Silent Scar

Begining

The scorching sun in the afternoon shone upon the grand royal palace of the Afterglow Savanna. The servants and maids walked and passed through the hallways, eagerly working on fulfilling their duties for the royal family, a testament to their unwavering loyalty. Meanwhile, the king stood still in front of two lines of sturdy, muscular royal female guards in front of the royal entrance, as if they were waiting for an honored guest to arrive.

Soon, the wind blew harder, sending the sand flying into the sky. A helicopter carefully and slowly landed in front of the royal palace entrance. The landing skids touched the ground, and the rotor blades stopped spinning before the helicopter door was pushed open.

A distinguished-looking man with neatly combed black hair and a weathered face emerged from the helicopter, dressed in a well-tailored black suit. Accompanying him was a petite child with striking white hair and piercing black eyes, wearing a black short-sleeved shirt adorned with various buckles and straps.

The two approached the king with purpose. The man in the black suit bowed deeply and respectfully before the monarch, greeting him with reverence. The king, known for his benevolent nature, acknowledged the man's gesture and graciously invited him to rise.

Obeying the command of the superior leader, the man in the black suit lifted his head, his expression warm and genuine as he smiled at the king.

The king's gaze fell upon the petite child standing beside the man in the black suit, her striking white hair and piercing dark brown eyes immediately capturing his attention. "And who might this young one be?" the king inquired, his tone laced with curiosity.

The man bowed respectfully once more before addressing the monarch. "This is Silen, our most promising young soldier," he announced, a hint of pride evident in his voice.

The king's brow furrowed slightly as he observed the child, who appeared far too small and delicate to be a soldier. "Soldier? But he seems hardly more than a child herself. Surely he cannot be more than ten years of age," he mused aloud, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized the petite figure.

"Ah, but you are mistaken, my liege," the man quickly interjected. "Silen is not a 'he,' but rather a 'she.' This young lady is our finest recruit, despite her diminutive stature."

The king's expression shifted to one of surprise, and he turned his attention back to the child. "Oh, my dear, I had not realized. Please, accept my apologies for the error."

Yet, to the king's further astonishment, the girl did not respond with spoken words. Instead, she lifted her hands, her fingers deftly weaving intricate patterns through the air. The king watched, captivated, as the man swiftly explained.

"You see, my lord, our little Silen has been mute since birth. She communicates solely through the use of sign language and the written word. Despite this challenge, she has proven herself to be a remarkably intelligent and resilient young warrior."

The king nodded slowly, his admiration for the child's fortitude evident in his expression. "Truly, she is a most remarkable soldier," he murmured, his gaze filled with a newfound respect for the silent, yet clearly capable, young woman before him.

"Since she is young but capable of the art of deadly skills, I figured she might be the perfect bodyguard for your youngest son,the second-born prince of Afterglow Savanna. He is in his early teen age, wasn't he?" The man explained before the monarch,then questioning about the youngest prince's age.

" Yes, he is. I assume you chose this young woman because she may be a good companion for my youngest son, aside her duty as his bodyguard." The king deduced, to which the man nodded in response.