Scar Of Mercy

As Aldric gently set Rylan down on the soft, furry rug in front of the crackling fireplace, he couldn't help but chuckle. The warmth from the fire cast a golden glow over the room, illuminating Rylan's delicate features as he adjusted his sleeping robe and lay back with a soft sigh.

"You know," Aldric said, sitting down beside him, his tone light but with an undercurrent of sincerity, "I haven't laughed like that in years. It's… refreshing." He rested his elbows on his knees, stealing a glance at Rylan, who was staring into the fire, a small smile on his lips.

Rylan turned his head to face Aldric, his green eyes shimmering in the firelight. "I could say the same. Life tends to get heavy when you're always trying to meet expectations, doesn't it?"

Aldric nodded, leaning back on his hands, his gaze fixed on Rylan. "Yeah, but tonight, for the first time in a long while, I felt… free. Like I didn't have to wear armor—not just the literal kind." He paused, his eyes softening. "You have that effect on people, you know. Making them feel like it's okay to just be themselves."

Rylan's cheeks flushed slightly, though whether it was from the fire or Aldric's words, he wasn't sure. He let out a soft laugh and shook his head. "And here I thought you humans didn't care for elves. Yet here you are, saying things that sound like poetry."

Aldric grinned, leaning closer, his voice a low rumble. "Maybe you've been around the wrong humans. Some of us can surprise you."

Their eyes met, and for a moment, the room seemed to still. Aldric's heart pounded in his chest as he took in the sight of Rylan—his long hair tousled, his robe slightly askew, his soft smile melting Aldric's usual stoicism. He reached out hesitantly, brushing a stray strand of hair from Rylan's face. His hand lingered for a moment, rough fingers grazing the smooth skin of Rylan's cheek.

"You're… something else, Rylan," Aldric said, his voice almost a whisper. "I don't know how you do it, but you make me feel things I thought I'd buried a long time ago."

Rylan's breath hitched at Aldric's words, his heart racing as he searched Aldric's gaze. There was no malice, no ulterior motive—just genuine affection, raw and unguarded. He swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. "Aldric… you're different, too. Different from what I thought humans could be. You're brave, but also kind, in ways you might not even realize."

Aldric tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing in curiosity as he watched Rylan's expression shift. "Aelor, huh?" he asked, his voice soft but probing. "So… you loved him?"

Rylan nodded slowly, a faint smile playing on his lips, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I did. Or at least I thought I did. He was… everything I admired—brave, kind, and always driven by his ideals. But I wasn't what he wanted." He let out a soft sigh, looking away from Aldric and into the fire. "I confessed, and he rejected me. It hurt, but I respected his decision. I've tried to move on."

Aldric leaned back slightly, his gaze never leaving Rylan. "And do you think you have? Moved on, I mean?"

Rylan hesitated for a moment before shrugging lightly. "I don't know. Maybe I have. Maybe I haven't." He glanced back at Aldric, his eyes searching the human's face. "Why are you asking?"

Aldric smirked faintly, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "Because I'm trying to figure out if I've got a chance here or if I'm wasting my time."

Rylan blinked, his heart skipping a beat at the unexpected confession. He opened his mouth to speak but found himself at a loss for words. Aldric continued, his tone turning softer, more introspective. "I've never been in love, Rylan. Not because I didn't want to be, but because I didn't have the luxury. Life as a soldier doesn't leave much room for things like that." He paused, his gaze meeting Rylan's. "But then I met you. And for the first time, I started wondering what it would be like to have something more."

Rylan's chest tightened at Aldric's words, a mixture of surprise and warmth blooming within him. "Aldric… I didn't think… I mean, you never said—"

"I didn't know how," Aldric admitted with a self-deprecating chuckle. "I'm not good with words or feelings. All I know is that you make me feel things I've never felt before. And I'm not saying this to make you uncomfortable or to pressure you. I just… I wanted you to know."

Rylan's lips parted as he searched Aldric's face for any hint of insincerity, but all he found was earnestness. He felt a pang of guilt for assuming earlier that Aldric had no interest in him, and a flicker of hope that perhaps, just perhaps, this connection they were forming could be something more.

"I don't know what to say," Rylan admitted softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "You've caught me completely off guard."

Aldric smiled gently, his hand reaching out to rest on Rylan's knee. "You don't have to say anything right now. Just… think about it, alright?"

Rylan's giggle softened into silence as he noticed the shift in Aldric's demeanor. The warmth of the firelight played across Aldric's rugged features, highlighting the deep lines of wear and memory etched into his face. His hand brushed over the scar running across his blinded eye, his fingers lingering there as though the memory of it burned.

Rylan tilted his head, concern lacing his voice. "Aldric… what happened? How did you get that scar?"

Aldric let out a heavy sigh, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames. "It was during the war. A skirmish between humans and elves, years ago. I was younger, reckless, and full of hatred for anything I didn't understand. That day, we marched into an elven village, ordered to leave nothing behind but ashes." His voice grew quieter, almost pained. "I killed so many. Innocents. Warriors. I didn't care. All I saw were enemies."

Rylan swallowed hard, the weight of Aldric's words settling in the air between them. "And the scar?"

Aldric chuckled darkly, his fingers still resting on his eye. "That was my punishment. An elven warrior caught me off guard—one of the few survivors. He didn't kill me. Instead, he cut me down, leaving me blinded in one eye, and told me to remember. To carry the guilt with me for the rest of my life."

Rylan's chest tightened as he saw the haunted look in Aldric's good eye. "And do you? Carry it?"

"Every day," Aldric admitted, his voice raw. "But it wasn't until I met you that it truly started to hurt. You're everything I thought elves couldn't be—kind, thoughtful, forgiving. Being around you makes me feel like I'm staring at all the things I destroyed. And it makes me realize how wrong I was."

Rylan's heart ached at Aldric's confession. He reached out, placing a gentle hand on Aldric's arm. "You were a soldier following orders. It doesn't excuse what happened, but… you've changed. That's what matters."

Aldric turned his gaze to Rylan, his expression a mixture of gratitude and self-loathing. "Have I? Or am I just chasing forgiveness that I'll never deserve?"

"You don't have to be defined by your past," Rylan said firmly, his grip tightening. "What you do now, how you choose to live—those are the things that define you."

Aldric stared at him for a moment, his jaw working as if he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. Finally, he gave a small nod. "You make it sound so simple."

"It's not," Rylan admitted with a soft smile. "But it's worth trying."

Aldric managed a faint smile of his own, the heaviness in his chest easing ever so slightly. "You're a better person than I deserve, Rylan."

"And you're a better man than you think," Rylan countered.

Rylan sat back slightly, the firelight casting golden hues on his delicate features. With a quiet, almost hesitant motion, he slid the loose fabric of his robe down one shoulder, revealing a jagged burn mark etched into his otherwise flawless skin. Aldric's expression darkened immediately, his eyes narrowing as he leaned closer, taking in the cruel evidence of past pain.

"Who did this to you?" Aldric's voice was low, laced with simmering rage. His hand hovered over the scar, careful not to touch it, as though afraid his touch might hurt Rylan further.

Rylan let out a soft, resigned sigh. "The Council," he admitted, his voice steady but carrying the weight of old wounds. "It was a punishment. Years ago, when I refused to follow a directive that would have endangered a group of children caught in a battlefield during a territorial dispute. They called it insubordination, but… I called it mercy."

Aldric's fists clenched, his knuckles turning white. "And here I thought elves were supposed to be kind and gentle," he growled, his voice thick with disgust. "How could they do this to their own, to someone like you? Someone so..." His words faltered as he looked at the burn, then at Rylan's serene expression. "So good, so... beautiful?"

Rylan's lips curved into a sad smile. "We are kind, Aldric, but we're not perfect. Not all of us. Elves can be just as flawed as humans—or any other race. The Council believes in order above all else, even if it means hurting those who disobey."

Aldric's jaw tightened, his gaze flickering between the scar and Rylan's eyes. "And you just... accepted it?"

"I didn't have a choice," Rylan said softly. "I bore it because I believed that saving lives was worth the cost. And I would do it again if I had to."

Aldric's rage boiled over. He stood abruptly, pacing in front of the fire like a caged animal. "It's not right. None of it is. They don't deserve you, Rylan. How can they stand to look at you every day, knowing they've marred someone who only wanted to do the right thing?"

Rylan pulled his robe back over his shoulder, hiding the burn once more. "It's in the past, Aldric. I've made my peace with it."

"But I haven't," Aldric snapped, turning to face him. His eyes burned with conviction. "You don't deserve to carry that scar. Not for them. Not for anyone."

Rylan rose slowly, stepping toward Aldric. He placed a calming hand on the human's broad shoulder, grounding him. "I appreciate your anger on my behalf. Truly, I do. But scars—whether they're on our skin or our hearts—are part of who we are. They remind us of what we've endured, and how far we've come."

Aldric stared at him, his fury giving way to something softer, something deeper. He reached up, covering Rylan's hand with his own. "You've endured more than most. And yet, here you are, still standing. Still kind. Still... everything I didn't know I needed in my life."

Rylan's breath caught at the intensity of Aldric's words. For a moment, they stood there in silence, the crackling fire the only sound in the room. Finally, Rylan gave a small, bittersweet smile.

"And you, Aldric," he said gently, "are a man who hides his heart behind walls of stone. But I see it. I see the good in you, even if you don't believe it yourself."

Aldric couldn't look away, his chest tightening with emotions he couldn't yet name. Without thinking, he reached up and brushed a strand of Rylan's hair behind his pointed ear, his touch lingering for just a moment. "Maybe it takes someone like you to bring it out," he murmured.

Rylan's cheeks flushed, but he didn't pull away. "And maybe it takes someone like you to remind me that not all humans are the enemy."

For the first time in what felt like years, Aldric allowed himself a small, genuine smile. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"It was," Rylan replied, his voice barely above a whisper.