Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 32: Forced

"I haven't seen Martin in a long time," Gus suddenly muttered. "It was good to see his face again."

"Who is he?" Xaphile asked. "How do you two know each other?"

"He and I were childhood friends," Gus explained. "He lost everything when Chisago fell to ruin ten years ago, so he left and settled down here to start over. It's been about three years since we last spoke at length."

"Oh."

Xaphile didn't really know what else to say, so he turned back to the food. He was just about to spear and eat another potato when he suddenly felt the unmistakable sensation of being watched.

He shivered, then glanced to the left to see Sinmir, who had just walked into the room, looking right at him. Their eyes met for a second, but a hostile glare was all it took to make Xaphile's gaze drop back down to the table.

Gus appeared not to have noticed the silent exchange.

"Today, you're free to do whatever you wish," he sighed, stretching. "The girls have gone out to explore the city, but I think I'm going to lounge around here and laze all day. It's been a while since I've had the luxury to sit down and do nothing."

Xaphile blinked, then looked up.

"What are they doing?"

"Pardon?"

"Ella and Amelia, I mean."

"Ah," Gus smirked, "Amelia managed to convince her that she might need a few formal gowns on this trip since she's one of Aerika's four rulers. They're out getting her measurements right now."

Xaphile blinked.

"That's surprising... Ella doesn't really seem like she cares about how people thinks she looks."

"That's because she doesn't," Gus snorted, rolling his eyes. "She does what she wants. Always has, even back when she was a child."

"Then why'd she agree to go?"

Xaphile's question was innocent, but Gus's smile was anything but.

"Amelia used her biggest shame and weakness against her," he whispered, looking around in a conspiratorial manner. "Because of how she behaves and carries herself, she's mildly afraid that a girl might mistake her for a boy again."

Xaphile's jaw dropped and he spluttered, "a girl mistook her for a boy?!"

"Aye, just last winter, in fact. One of the Merchant caravans on their way to Chisago was attacked by a horde of demons along the road, and Ella, for whatever reason, was outside the settlement walls. She rescued the Merchants, but a young lass around her own age mistook her for a boy and became smitten."

"Holy shit."

"That isn't even the start. For a whole week, the lass hovered around Ella, swooning and sighing."

"And nobody noticed?"

"Oh, many noticed. In fact, everyone in town was pleased at first, thinking her affections to be the grateful and friendly sort. Ella is a very unapproachable person, after all, so we thought having a friend might do her some good, but on the last day... the merchant lass confessed that she was in love with Ella in front of half the town."

Xaphile's eyes bugged.

"Seriously?" he scoffed, mouth dropping when Gus nodded. "What happened then?"

"It wasn't pretty. When Ella rejected her and explained that she was a girl, the lass went all but mad, brazenly accusing her of leading her on about who she really was. Had Angelo not restrained Ella, I'm certain she would be missing a few teeth."