Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 113: Preparations

Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen: Preparations

Somehow or other, Vrael found himself kneeling in front of the hot springs with a basket of unwashed dishes. Not that he minded all that much. 

A little while ago, he'd finally hit his limit for boredom and had asked Ella and Amelia both for something to do. 

The sun was setting, Phil had been gone all day, and he'd finished every available book. The girls had suggested stretching his legs, but on an island so small, there wasn't much to see. In the end, Amelia finally suggested that he wash the dishes for her since she could use the help.

Washing dishes... what was there to hate, really? Dirty dishes were supposed to be the bane of women's existence, so his mother had always said, but what was so terrible?

He rather enjoyed it.

He supposed the fact that the lukewarm, sudsy water felt good on his hands might have something to do with it. It would have been more unpleasant to do this back in the Syl mountains.

"Ah, lad! There ye are!"

Vrael looked up with a snap, and with a brilliant shatter, one of Amelia's plates slipped from his fingers and crashed onto the rocks. He leapt back, horrified.

"Oh gods..." he gasped, shaking his hands off; his heart settled to a dull hammering at the sight of the burly blonde man staring at him from the copse of trees. "Sinmir..."

"Sorry, lad," he muttered, side-eyeing the shattered glass, heavy boots stepping around. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"I-it's all right," Vrael muttered, staring at the broken dish. "I think. I really hope Amelia isn't too upset with me for breaking one of her dishes." 

"What in Asgrog's forge are you doin'?"  

"Washing the dishes since I'm going mad from boredom," Vrael answered simply, using the cloth to rub another plate clean. "This island is nice and all, but I'm getting a bit restless, you know?"

"Bah, well, you needn't worry. We'll be readying ourselves to leave since we depart day after tomorrow."

"Really?" Vrael asked, feeling immensely surprised. "So soon?"

"Aye," he grunted, and a strange kind of smile twitched at his golden beard. "Fabulous, eh?"

Vrael nodded with a grin and went back to washing the next plate. 

"How's Phil doing with his uncle?" he asked, not looking up. "Are there any problems?"

"Not that I'm aware of, but I'll be keeping an eye or two on them just to be sure."

"I'm thankful for that," Vrael sighed, scratching at his ear. "I'm hoping that all goes well between the two of them, but I am worried. He doesn't seem like a good person to me, but he is Xaphile's flesh and blood... perhaps there is some good we haven't seen."

Sinmir chuckled and flopped down, planting a heavy hand on his shoulder and squeezing.

"Kiddo," he sighed, "you've got a good heart, but you needn't worry. After all, I'm gonna be on equal footing with that evil bastard in the future. Xaphile's gonna have two uncles, and I'm damn well gonna make sure I'm the favorite one. Not that I need to do much, heh."

Vrael's hands froze and he stared at the plate he'd been washing.

Then he looked up, blinked twice, and turned to stare at him.