Hushed Willows my limbs are frozen, my eyes won't close [festival]

He was not a man well known to take in troubles and dish out advice, for he was far more the listening type, stoic and steady as she revealed her worries and happiness alike, each breath of his dedicated to her alone as the words spilled from her mouth. At the end of it all he remained silent, mind washing over what had been shared with him as the final question rolled off her tongue and caught him by surprise. 

"The early part of my childhood was reserved for the less physically demanding lessons" he began as his pace fell to match her own during their stroll. "It was only when I was well into my adolescence did I begin to learn offensive and defensive sparring techniques." From there he'd only grown to experience the taste of battle and blood and all the haunting memories that came with them, many of which still tormented him to this day.