The girl they remembered

The battlefield had become strangely quiet.

Only a few hours ago, the air had been filled with shouting, explosions, and the sound of weapons colliding.

Now, smoke drifted lazily across the field.

Elves moved between the wounded, helping those who could still walk and carrying those who couldn't. Healers worked tirelessly, their magic glowing over injured soldiers.

Averly stood among them.

She couldn't move.

Her eyes remained fixed on the battlefield.

She could still remember the moment she had fired her bow.

The first arrow.

The second.

The third.

The embarrassing misses.

The arrow that struck the orc in the shoulder.

The one that hit its leg.

She had joked about that one.

She had pretended it was intentional.

But now that the fighting was over, none of it seemed funny.

Averly lowered her eyes to her hands.

They were clean.

Yet somehow she felt as though she could still feel the bowstring against her fingers.

"Averly."

She looked up.

Steve was standing nearby.

He had a grin on his face.

"You did pretty well."

Averly blinked.

"Pretty well?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure you watched the same fight I did?"

Steve laughed.

"You hit something."

"I hit several things."

"After missing several things."

Averly frowned.

"Why are you only remembering the misses?"

"Because they're more entertaining."

She crossed her arms.

"You're annoying."

"I've been told."

Averly looked toward the battlefield again.

Steve's expression softened.

"You okay?"

She didn't answer immediately.

"I don't know."

That was the truth.

Steve studied her for a moment.

Then he nodded.

"Fair enough."

He didn't push.

Averly appreciated that.

A few moments later, another voice spoke.

"You should sit down."

She turned.

Blake stood behind her.

His dark hair was slightly disheveled from the battle, but somehow his glasses remained perfectly in place.

Averly stared at them.

"How did those survive?"

Blake frowned.

"What?"

"Your glasses."

"What about them?"

"They've been through a battlefield."

"So?"

"They're stronger than I am."

Steve burst out laughing.

Blake looked at him.

"What's funny?"

"Nothing."

"Then stop laughing."

Steve laughed harder.

Averly smiled.

For some reason, seeing Blake remain so serious after everything made her feel a little better.

Blake looked at her.

"You should sit."

"I'm fine."

"You've been standing in the same place for ten minutes."

"Maybe I like the view."

"The view is a battlefield."

"I know."

"Then you have questionable taste."

Averly stared at him.

"Was that a joke?"

"No."

"It sounded like one."

"I was making an observation."

"You're bad at jokes."

"I wasn't joking."

Steve covered his mouth.

Averly looked at him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Blake sighed.

"Ignore him."

Averly finally sat on a broken stone.

She looked at the people around her.

There were so many.

Yet she had never felt more alone.

Everyone here knew her.

Everyone knew Averly.

The problem was...

She wasn't Averly.

Not really.

---

By the time the soldiers began returning to Elveria, Averly had become the center of attention.

People recognized her almost immediately.

"There she is!"

"Lady Averly!"

"She's alive!"

"Look!"

Averly's steps slowed.

People smiled at her.

Some bowed.

Others waved.

A few even called her name with excitement.

She forced herself to smile.

But inside, she felt increasingly uncomfortable.

A little girl ran toward her.

"Lady Averly!"

Averly crouched.

"Hello."

The girl looked at her with enormous eyes.

"Are you really the one who defeated the orc?"

Averly hesitated.

"Uh..."

Steve walked past.

"Technically, she helped."

Averly looked at him.

"Thank you for making that sound impressive."

The girl giggled.

"You're funny!"

Averly smiled.

"Apparently."

The girl's mother hurried over and bowed.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you."

"It's okay."

The woman looked relieved.

"We were so worried when we heard what happened."

Averly's smile weakened.

"Thank you."

The woman touched her daughter's shoulder.

"Come. We should let Lady Averly rest."

They walked away.

Averly watched them.

She didn't understand.

Why did everyone care so much?

Why did everyone look at her with such admiration?

What had the original Averly done?

She turned toward Steve.

"What was she like?"

Steve stopped.

"Who?"

"Averly."

He stared at her.

"You."

Averly shook her head.

"No."

She looked down.

"The old me."

Steve's smile disappeared.

He glanced toward Blake.

Blake had heard.

He adjusted his glasses.

"That's a complicated question."

"Why?"

Steve scratched his head.

"Because everyone remembers her differently."

Averly looked at him.

"How?"

"Strong."

Blake answered this time.

"Confident."

Steve added, "A little terrifying."

Blake nodded.

"Extremely talented."

Steve grinned.

"Very competitive."

Averly frowned.

"That sounds exhausting."

"It was," Steve said.

Blake gave him a look.

Steve shrugged.

"What? It's true."

Averly looked down.

"So I was really that different?"

Blake didn't answer immediately.

Then he said quietly:

"Yes."

That one word hurt more than she expected.

---

Later, after returning to Elveria, Averly was approached by several familiar faces.

She knew none of them.

Yet they knew her.

One greeted her like an old friend.

Another asked why she hadn't attended a gathering.

Someone else reminded her about an event she apparently used to enjoy.

Averly smiled and nodded through all of it.

Inside, she was panicking.

How long could she keep pretending?

Eventually, she escaped.

She found herself in a quiet garden behind the estate.

She sat beneath a tree.

For the first time since the battle ended, she was alone.

She looked at her hands.

"I'm sorry."

She didn't know who she was apologizing to.

Maybe the people she was lying to.

Maybe the original Averly.

Maybe herself.

Footsteps approached.

Averly looked up.

Blake.

Again.

"Do you follow people around?"

"No."

"You keep appearing."

"You keep wandering off."

"That's different."

"How?"

"I have reasons."

"So do I."

Averly smiled faintly.

Blake stood beside the tree.

He didn't sit.

"You've been quiet."

"I've been thinking."

"That's dangerous."

She looked up.

"Was that a joke?"

"No."

"You're terrible at this."

"I've heard that."

Averly laughed softly.

Then her expression became serious.

"Blake."

"Yes?"

"Do you think I'm strange?"

He looked at her.

"Yes."

Averly blinked.

"That was fast."

"You asked."

She laughed.

"But..."

Blake continued.

"I don't think you're bad."

Her smile disappeared.

He adjusted his glasses.

"I think something happened to you."

Averly's heart stopped.

"What makes you say that?"

"Your fighting style."

She waited.

"Your speech."

He continued.

"Your reactions."

Averly looked away.

"And?"

"You don't seem to know us."

She swallowed.

"I..."

Blake didn't push.

He simply said:

"You don't have to explain."

Averly looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because whatever happened, you're still standing."

He looked toward the distant city.

"That's enough for now."

Averly stared at him.

Then smiled.

"Thanks."

Blake nodded.

"Don't make me regret it."

"Too late."

He raised an eyebrow.

Averly grinned.

"Four Eyes."

Blake froze.

"What?"

She pointed at his glasses.

"Four Eyes."

His expression became completely blank.

"You heard them calling me that?"

"Yes."

"And you decided to participate?"

"Absolutely."

Blake closed his eyes.

"I already regret it."

Averly laughed.

For the first time that day, the laughter came naturally.

And somewhere inside her, a small part of the fear became lighter.

Maybe she couldn't become the Averly everyone remembered.

Maybe she didn't have to.

Perhaps...

She could become someone new.

---

That evening, Averly sat alone in her room.

She stared at the portrait hanging on the wall.

The girl in the painting looked confident.

Powerful.

Untouchable.

Averly studied her face.

"I don't know who you were."

She lowered her eyes.

"But I'll try."

Not to become her.

Not exactly.

But to understand her.

Because if this life truly belonged to Averly...

Then somehow, Averly needed to find a place inside it.