I didn't know what Kouen was trying to do but it was getting to me, on the outside he was a strict hardcore man but on the inside it seems like he cares, is very nice and, like Sinbad, subconsciously flirts with me. When I was well enough to stand I knew he was letting me make the orders of going back to the family guild but I hesitated for a while, I had tea sometimes with his mom but she unnerved me and she was too nice to me for some reason. I visited the gardens a lot and tended to this back corner lot of almost dead plants. Kouen told me once, upon finding me tending to them, that nobody ever has gotten them to fully bloom and live, I told him I'd still try. It had been with the Kou for at least a month and I was starting to miss seeing the others. I water the half dead plants sitting on my knees in the shade, it's getting colder now as the summer is fading away and I've been reverting to warmer and warmer cloths to keep up, I wasn't sure if I should keep watering the plants especially if the snow is going to ruin them but I remembered something I had read, it was that some plants blossom better when it's cold and the snow helps give it constant water so I guess I'll still tend to it.
"Val?"
"Over here!"
Kouen walked over and sighed seeing me with the flowers and helped me onto my feet.
"I have to leave into battle again soon and I'd like for you to wait here for me."
Was this his proposal?
"What do you mean?"
"It looks like you have no intention of going home, or leaving anyway so-"
Before he finished I wanted to ask him something.
"Would you meet my family?"
"What?"
"I want you to... meet my family."
I wanted to tell my brother.
"Okay, I'll get a ship prepared."
And he turned to leave.