2 Chapter 2: Stern Discussion

"Absolutely not!" My father said slamming his axe down splitting the firewood.

"I won't have it! What are you thinking, boy? Inviting some random adventurer you just met to spend the night? Are you crazy? Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"But, dad, it's not... not like that. They're just lost-"

"I don't want to hear it!" My father's mustache rustled on his lip. "Now, listen. You're going to go back in there and tell them you made a mistake."

"Dad, I- I can't just..."

"Fine, I'll do it myself!", My father's eyebrows furrowed, and before I knew it he had stormed off while I tried to keep pace trailing behind, desperately trying to make my last few pleas.

"You know what adventurers can be like, and you even left your mother and sister alone in there?"

"B-but..."

Suddenly a loud yelp came from inside the kitchen. My father's eyes widened as he broke out into a dash and entered the kitchen door.

"Lillie?! Anna?!", my father shouted. A large white curtain of mist seemed to be clearing.

"Papa?", I heard the faint voice of my younger sister as she coughed a few times.

"Dear? What are you doing back so early?" I heard my mother reply casually as if there wasn't an intense cloud of white fog faintly beginning to dissipate."

"Never mind that, what's going on here?" My father said sternly. I recognized this tone. It was the deep one my father would use whenever he tried to sound more intimidating, not that he needed it.

"Oh, Papa, we're teaching Aiel's new friend how to cook, but she's not any good at it.", My sister said breaking out into a giggle.

As my eyes adjusted I could see the large sack of flour that seemed to have been spilled empty laying on the floor. The room was blanketed in so much white it was almost like our own personal winter taking place right there in our kitchen.

"Aiel's new friend, huh? Well, I've got a few things to say to this new friend." My father glanced around the room as though scouting for some ominous presence.

From behind the kitchen table came a rustling. "Ouch, oh, that hurt..." Said a quiet voice squeakingly.

"I'm so sorry about the flour, ma'am! I made such a mess!"

"Oh, it's no problem.", my mother said politely. "I was the one who insisted, after all, and we've all made our mistakes." It was strange to see my mother all smiles like this. There had been times where she invited over neighbors to show them how to make certain recipes, and of course she was polite then too, but this just seemed... Like a bit too much.

My mother handed the girl a towel that she used to wipe white patches of dust from her face and hands.

"Oh, come here, let me introduce you to my husband." Mom patted down her hands on the girl's shoulders and pushed her forward.

"Dear, this is Aiel's new friend!", Mom said, still all smiles.

Dad blinked. He looked at the girl, then back at me, then back at her again.

"Uh...You're... Aiel's new friend?", My dad asked.

He must have missed the part about her being a "she" when my sister said it, I thought, because he definitely looked more taken aback than he was before.

The slight dusting of white powder on her nose removed any amount of doubts of mistrust that one might have of an intimidating adventurer and replaced it with the image of the clutzy girl who stood before him

Then, cooley she straightened her back and stood tall. Walking over to him she thrust her hand out. "Hello, sir! My name is Aya Aries. I'm an adventurer! Thank you for your hospitality!", She said with a slight bow.

"Uh... Sure... We're glad to have you." My dad said, still slightly stunned.

"Glad to have you"?... Now it was, "Glad to have you"? Where was all that "Glad to have you", before when he was all, "I got a few words to say...", just a second ago, I thought.

He shook her hand and quickly turned back around to leave, but not before cocking one eyebrow up and narrowing his eyes in my direction.

"I'll be back in the shop. Aya, it was good to meet you. I'll see you at dinner.", He said. His massive frame quickly turning to exit.

"Uhm... Did I make a bad impression?", I heard Aya muttering to herself, but now near my right side.

"Honestly... I think you just saved both our lives...", I whispered.

Her eyes went wide, "Wait, what? What do you mean saved our lives? What happened to you being sure it was fine?..."

I wasn't about to respond to that, so I just continued to smile, and pretend to stare at my dad's back as the door closed behind him.