The sun had barely begun to sink when Don Aragon left the palace.
The conversation with his brother still lingered in his mind, but he pushed the thoughts aside. There would be time to worry later.
Now he had a daughter waiting.
His horse galloped through the city streets until he reached the familiar building of Madam Neller's group home.
Keyla was already standing outside with a small cloth bag.
Madam Neller stood beside her, arms folded, trying her best to look stern though her eyes were wet.
"Take care of her," she said quietly.
Don nodded.
"I will."
Keyla ran forward and climbed onto the horse behind him with surprising ease.
"Where are we going, Father?" she asked excitedly.
"To your new home."
She tilted her head.
"Is it near your shop?"
"No."
"Near the palace?"
"No."
"Your Mansion?"
"No"
"Then where?"
Don smiled slightly.
"You will see."
The horse galloped out of the city gates and into the forest.
The deeper they rode, the quieter the world became. The noise of the kingdom faded until only wind and birds remained.
After nearly an hour, they arrived at a small clearing.
At its center stood a house made of bamboo, covered in climbing vines and wildflowers.
It looked simple, yet peaceful.
Keyla's eyes widened.
"It's beautiful."
Don dismounted and helped her down.
"This place belonged to my brothers and me long ago."
They entered the house.
Inside, the room was simple but carefully arranged.
In one corner were five clay birds.
Four large.
One small.
Keyla walked over to them.
"Why are there five?"
Don paused for a moment.
"Because there were once five of us."
She nodded quietly.
Across the room stood tables, chairs, bowls, spoons and shelves.
Again there were five of everything.
Four large.
One small.
Even the clothes hanging on the wall followed the same pattern.
Keyla noticed.
"Someone else lived here?"
Don's voice softened.
"A long time ago."
He walked toward the far corner of the room where a small bed stood beside a much larger one.
He pointed.
"This will be your bed."
Keyla ran to it and jumped onto the mattress.
It fit her perfectly.
"Who slept here before?"
Don sat down on the larger bed.
"No one for many years."
"But why?"
"You'll know when the time is right dear"
He looked at her with calm eyes.
"And now it belongs to my daughter."
Keyla smiled brightly.
She lay down immediately.
"When do we start training?"
"Tomorrow."
She closed her eyes happily.
Within minutes she was asleep.
Don watched her quietly.
For the first time in years, the bamboo house did not feel empty.
---
Chapter 5 – The First Month
Morning arrived with birdsong.
Keyla woke before Don and rushed outside.
The forest air was cold and fresh.
She stretched her arms.
"I'm ready!"
Don stepped outside carrying two wooden buckets.
"You will start with this."
He handed them to her.
"Fill them from the stream."
Keyla looked confused.
"That's training?"
"Yes."
She ran off.
Ten minutes later she returned, struggling with the heavy water.
"Good," Don said.
"Now carry them around the house twenty times."
Her eyes widened.
"Twenty?!"
"Yes."
She did not complain.
By the tenth lap her arms shook.
By the fifteenth she nearly collapsed.
By the twentieth she dropped the buckets and fell flat on the ground.
Don nodded calmly.
"Again tomorrow."
Keyla stared at the sky.
"This is hard."
Don sat beside her.
"War is harder."
For the first month, Don focused only on building her body.
Each day followed a strict routine.
Morning:
• Carry water buckets
• Run around the clearing
• Climb trees
• Balance on logs
Afternoon:
• Push-ups
• Squats
• Crawling drills
• Jump training
Evening:
• Stretching
• Breathing exercises
One afternoon Keyla collapsed after running.
"I can't… move."
Don poured water on her head.
"You are tired because your body is weak."
She glared up at him.
"Then make it strong."
Don smiled slightly.
"That is exactly what I am doing.
One day Don pointed to a tall tree.
"Climb it."
Keyla looked up nervously.
"That tree is huge!"
"Yes."
She tried anyway.
Halfway up she slipped and fell.
Don caught her before she hit the ground.
"Again."
She climbed.
Fell.
Climbed.
Fell.
Climbed.
Finally she reached the top.
She screamed with excitement.
"I did it!"
Don nodded.
"Now climb down."
After two weeks the exercises intensified.
Keyla's muscles constantly ached.
One morning she couldn't stand.
Don shook his head.
"You are resting today."
She sat up angrily.
"No."
"You can barely walk."
"I said no!"
She forced herself up and began the routine.
Halfway through she fainted.
She slept for two days.
When she woke up she asked one question.
"Did I miss training?"
Don sighed.
"You are impossible."
But secretly he was proud.
By the end of the first month, the weak little girl had changed.
She could run faster.
Climb higher.
Lift heavier weights.
But the real training had not yet begun.
Chapter 6 – The Child of the Forest
When Don judged her body ready, he brought out weapons.
Wooden ones at first.
A wooden sword.
A wooden spear.
A bow.
Keyla stared at them with shining eyes.
"Can I try everything?"
"Yes."
"Today?"
"No."
She pouted.
"Why not?"
"Because a soldier must first learn patience."
The first weapon she learned was the sword.
Don stood before her holding a wooden blade.
"Watch carefully."
He demonstrated the basic stance.
"Feet apart. Balance centered."
He swung the sword slowly.
"Strike."
Keyla copied him.
Her swing nearly spun her around.
Don shook his head.
"Again."
For weeks she practiced only three movements.
Strike.
Block.
Step.
Strike.
Block.
Step.
She repeated them thousands of times.
Archery came next.
Don placed a target on a tree.
"Draw the bow."
Keyla pulled.
The bowstring barely moved.
"It's too strong!"
"Good."
She struggled until her arms shook.
The arrow flew three meters and dropped.
Don said nothing.
She tried again.
And again.
And again.
Weeks later she finally hit the target.
She jumped in celebration.
"I did it!"
Don nodded calmly.
"Now hit it from the tree."
Her jaw dropped.
Soon the forest became her battlefield.
She practiced:
• Shooting arrows while standing on branches
• Jumping from tree to tree
• Running silently across the forest floor
• Tracking animals
One afternoon she fired three arrows in a single leap.
All three struck the target.
Don watched from afar.
"Impressive."
Meanwhile, Don frequently visited the palace.
One evening he spoke with Emperor Albeit.
"How is the child?"
Don answered simply.
"Stronger than expected."
Albeit leaned forward.
"Do you truly believe Father's training method can work?"
Don nodded.
"It works."
"And she survived it?"
"Barely."
The Emperor rubbed his chin.
"Then perhaps… my children should begin."
Don raised an eyebrow.
"You are brave."
Albeit laughed.
"Or foolish."
Time flowed like a river.
Months became years.
Don gradually stopped direct training.
Instead he brought manuals and scrolls.
Sword techniques.
Military tactics.
History.
Strategy.
Keyla studied them all.
By age ten she could defeat trained soldiers.
By age twelve she could shoot birds from the sky while running.
By age fourteen she moved through the forest like a shadow.
She rarely laughed now.
Her eyes had grown calm and cold.
But whenever Don returned from the city, the warmth returned.
"Father."
"Keyla."
They would share a quiet meal.
Then training would resume.
Ten Years Later
A tall young woman stood atop a tree branch.
Her bow was drawn.
Her arrow released.
The target a hundred meters away split cleanly in half.
She landed lightly on the ground.
Don watched her.
"You have surpassed every soldier I have trained."
Keyla looked at him seriously.
"Not yet."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
She smiled faintly.
"Because I haven't fought a war."
Don stared at her.
Then he laughed.
"The day will come."
And when it did…
The world would learn the name Keyla Aragon.