Howaph wasn't sure how he wanted to go about this situation. There are definitely multiple ways to approach it from his perspective, and undoubtedly countless in Rontress' but that's the problem– he wasn't like his little sister.

  Rontress is a genius, that much had been clear when she first started helping their mother with chores when she was only 3 years old. She's never been problematic, often choosing to be silent and obedient, she also never played with kids her age and always preferred to be in her lonesome because she "found them annoying".

  Howaph isn't like that, he's never been like that. He's just a normal kid with a normal life! He does his job, lives, sleeps, and then wakes up the next day to do it all over again.

  Laself broke that monotony, she breaks everything in his life honestly. Not in the same way Rontress does but... It's similar in a sense that Howaph feels like he isn't enough when he's around the two of them. When it's with Rontress he feels like he's not smart, and with Laself he can't think at all.

  Two completely different things, one is a lack of ideas and the other is a lack of thinking but both feel so familiar that they might as well be one.

  Even now he can't think! He's with Laself by the Light! How is he supposed to?.. She knows why they're together now and doesn't seem to mind it but him? He's freezing up, unable to come up with anything because he's only ever truly loved Laself from afar, he never expected her to love him back.

  "Rontress said that she wanted you to "ask your girlfriend" to come with her back when she first went to Ghorise." Laself broke the silence, it seems she's braver than him. And what is she saying? He really can't think straight with her around. "Is that true?"

  After a beat of silence, he finally understood and he felt his face go hot.

  "Y-yeah." Howaph chuckled awkwardly to relax the nerves knotting in his gut. It didn't work. "Mom didn't want her to go to Ghorise alone so she needed to be with people who can protect her before she leaves. She talked to me and that came up."

  Laself stopped and tilted her body towards him, her head following shortly after. She got close enough that Howaph could feel the heat of her skin and his heart started racing, "and you picked me?"

  "Y-yeah." Howaph confirmed, great, now she's advancing towards him instead of the opposite. Isn't he a man? Why is he so scared? "I love you... A lot."

  Laself paused, her face turning red. She pulled away, eyes going to the floor. "I do too."

  That– somewhat awkward. – exchange removed some weight off his shoulders. He didn't know why he had been so scared when saying I love you to Laself turned out to be so simple!

  Feeling a bit braver now, he reached for her hand and when he got it she didn't resist. He wrapped his fingers around hers and smiled. What has he been so scared for?

  "I'm sorry for getting Rontress to do everything for me." Howaph felt Laself's grip tighten. "I know I have been a bit too much of a coward to do anything with how I feel."

  "No, I think we both needed Rontress. My situation was... Complicated." Laself shook her head. "Looking back, I now realize that she must have been planning this from the start, I didn't know she could do that."

  Well, yeah, she can. Rontress is scarily smart. Laself didn't know half of what his little sister was capable of.

  "Did you know that my parents wanted me to marry Karuiz?" Laself's words caused him a minor heartache but Howaph didn't let himself react. "I didn't know what they saw in him but that's what they wanted for me."

  "Rontress knew this?" Howaph asked.

  "No, I'm not sure she did but I'm glad I was lucky enough to see her on my way to Jagal's shop." Laself paused for a moment, the silence stretching. "No, I think even if I didn't Jagal would have talked to me the same way that day." She said, tone skeptical. "Rontress and him know each other?"

  "Yes, Rontress keeps telling me how the man likes to purchase aberrant meat." Howaph supplied. "It's not strange that she's friendly with him."

  "Now I understand." Laself nodded, her expression sparkling in understanding. "Your little sister is capable of doing so much."

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  "Yeah, and I'm not like her."

  "No one in Flotol is." Laself reassured him. "You know, I think she's meant to go to the capital."

  That? That made Howaph's heart ache more than the thought of losing Laself to Karuiz. His little sister leaving? They say that those who go to the capital choose to stay there, will Rontress do the same?

  "Are you okay?"

  Howaph realized too late that he was crying. And in front of Laself too, but he couldn't stop himself for some reason. He wiped his face with his other hand. "I'm sorry, I just... It takes years for people to come back from that place right?"

  "Yes." He couldn't bear to look at Laself right now. "Why? Are you scared that you'll be separated from your sister?"

  "More than that, I don't want her to leave." Overprotectiveness can never be used to describe how he feels for his sibling. But Rontress deserves more than what she can get in Flotol, here she'll just be stagnant. "She'll want that right? To go to the capital?"

  "Yes."

  "Then I'll have to respect her choice." Howaph shook his head, who was he to dictate Rontress' life? It's her choice whether she wants to leave Flotol or not, he can't keep her in this place. "Her staying here will only hinder her, Rontress' light is too bright for Flotol. The capital needs to experience her fire and see its worth."

  "It should." Laself giggled. "Rontress will shock even the people there, trust me."

  And that? Howaph knew it would be true. His little sister, if anything, is truly shocking. Not even nobles and their fancy attitudes will be spared from that.

  Rontress as a topic seemed to have been effective in breaking the awkwardness between them and he talked with Laself about the kind of things Rontress can possibly do in the future. It made Howaph think that this must be what it is like to be a parent.

  Conversations passed, laughter got shared, but all of that came to a halt when they reached Laself's house.

  A structure built atop a rotting part of the platform, there are gaps that swamp water pushes out of with every ebb of the raft. An indescribable stench– most likely a mixture of everything. – filled the air, forcing Howaph to school his expression otherwise he'd be openly frowning.

  Four walls held the building upright, in a sense. They looked like they were ready to give up and it looks like the only reason why they haven't yet is because of the ropes tied to the building.

  Several lines went from the right most wall to a wooden pillar, one that anchors this part of Flotol in place. The rope is taut and clearly holding weight, is it keeping the house from leaning on one side?

  Howaph can't think of what to say.

  Even her home is a hazard, not just the area around it.

  Laself should never live here, she deserves better.

  More importantly, this place is also a house that's far from the church, and that alone is enough for it to be considered "dangerous".

  Suddenly, two people came out of the door, both, Howaph assumed, must be Laself's parents. He approached them fearlessly, and with genuine affection in his voice asked for Laself's hand in marriage, "I want to marry your daughter."

  He was met with silence.

  "A-ah right, it's probably not good that I haven't introduced myself." He stammered. "I am Howaph Owelline, son of Thomala Owelline."

  "I'm... Milso." The woman– or rather, Laself's mother introduced herself. She had the same striking features as her daughter did, even if her face is weathered with age Howaph can see the resemblance. "And this is Orti, my husband. You have met him already haven't you?"

  "No, I haven't." Howaph shook his head, Rontress was the one who talked to him back then. If it can even be called talking. "It's nice to formally meet you two, I've been curious about who Laself's parents were but she never took me here."

  "Ah, that's just like her." Milso smiled, her eyes narrowing. "I'm glad that she met such a fine young man like yourself, you live near the center?"

  All this time, Laself didn't speak so Howaph assumed she wasn't comfortable, and he can understand why from the previous question. Even if he knew Milso is trying to figure him out he didn't care, that's what he's here for isn't it? To impress Laself's parents?

  "Yes." He nodded. He's going to leave here with the confirmation that he and Laself will be together, he's gonna do his best. "My father and I are simple [Spear Fisher]s while my sister is a [Trapper]. My mother is a [Weaver]."

  "What a nice set of classes." Milso moved aside, clearly hinting for him to come in. "Please, take a seat. We can talk inside."

  Howaph entered the building, he looked around and just as he thought, it's as bad on the inside as it is outside. "Your house is lovely, I've always wanted to see what kind of place Laself called her home."

  "I-it's not." Laself shook her head. "Please don't say that."

  "She's right, you know? Our house gets destroyed every time the swamp water rises or if a monster passes through here." Orti finally spoke. "It's not like yours, which has stood for long enough to have rooms built on a second floor."

  "Ah, that's... Nothing, really." Howaph shook his head. "We can thank the aberrants for that, the meat that my father gets during the cull is worth a lot."

  "You'll be able to get some of it yourself soon right?" Milso smiled.

  "Yes... But I don't think it's that important since we've been eating aberrant meat lately, thanks to my sister." Howaph shook his head, he can't believe he's about to say this. "She hunts them."

  "Ah, the... Little girl, Orti, talked about her." Nodded Milso. "She even pays Laself, that one is blessed by the light."

  "She must be." Howaph chuckled. He took a seat, this is easier than he expected!