A Highlander's Promise

Starts with Dishes and Ends with Dishes

 "But first," Leora said as she got up from the table holding the tray that had held her meal, "I need to clean this up."

She headed towards the kitchen as Ceana was still in her own world, realizing that it was the first promise she had ever made.

Well, maybe she had made a few promises to her mother but they weren't, not in the least, like this one at all.

Ceana looked up finally noticing Leora opening the kitchen door and raced towards her side as they reached the inside of the kitchen.

"Where can I wash this?" Leora asked.

"Wash it? Uhm, in the washing tub. But you can leave it on that counter, someone will do it when they come back," Ceana answered.

"I'm not leaving my dishes for someone else to do. If I had eaten at a normal time with everyone else I wouldn't have said a word, but I will not let someone do my work when 'tis my fault I didn't wake up in time," Leora stated and head to the washing tub.

"What? Why not?" Ceana asked, wondering why she was persistent to do dishes.

"What do you mean why not? I just told you why. If you make a mess and the person who's supposed to clean it isn't there, then do you leave the mess to be?" Leora asked.

"No, of course not. My mother would have a fit." Ceana answered.

"So I would not like that to happen to me."

"But you're a guest! Mother will kill me if you do the dishes," Ceana persisted to not let her do them.

"Aye, but I'm no regular guest am I. I'm not staying here for leisure nor am I so close to your family that you can treat me so. If she gets mad, then I'll talk to her." Leora hoped taking the blame for Ceana would pull her closer to her side.

Ceana laughed to herself.

"But she doesn't speak English," Ceana countered.

"Then I'll get Fionn or Ian, or even your father to help, if you don't want her to be mad at you. I'm sure they'll understand."

Ceana didn't persevere further and watched as Leora tried to complete the task, failing doing do so properly. 

When she put them to dry, she turned to Ceana and asked her what she was going to do today.

Ceana really didn't have an answer. She couldn't say, "I must befriend you and find any possible secrets you're hiding or anything that will reveal you aren't who we think you are. Or was it, you are who we think you are?"

So she said, "Anything you want to do today, since my mother left me with you."

"So you're mother put you in charge so I wouldn't get into any trouble?" Leora asked amusingly.

"Well, no. Not really-" Ceana tried to save Leora from having a bad impression of her mother, but she was interrupted.

"She's a smart woman. Ever since I came here, to the Highlands that is, I've been nothing but getting into trouble," Leora said jokingly, even though it was the truth.

"Oh," Ceana was confused at Leora's humor.

"If you said anything I like, could we possibly do some sewing? I'm in need to tailor my own clothes and I wouldn't want to keep taking away your or your mother's clothing either. But truth be told, I'm not the best sewer either."

"If that's what you want, then we shall," Ceana said that this would be the perfect opportunity to ask away all the questions she wanted to have answers to.