Scarlet stood with his hands clenched behind his back. His bruises were hidden beneath fresh robes, and his face hardened with resolve. Across from him, Gabriel studied him with the kind of quiet weight that made Scarlet's spine straighten.
"You're certain?" Gabriel asked, voice low.
"I am," Scarlet replied without hesitation.
"And if I say no?"
Scarlet looked down, unsure of what to say. "Then I'll come here every day and beg you until you agree."
"And if I still say no?"
"Then… I'll sleep outside your door every night until you say yes. I doubt you would allow a young child like me to bear such suffering."
"I could easily send you back home."
"And I can always return."
A smile curved on Gabriel's lips before he gave a curt nod. "I can see the stubbornness runs in the family." he sighed, straightening his posture. "Then from today, you will train with my men."
