She'd been so wound up because she'd been so *certain* that leaving Qat alone would lead to disaster. But nothing would happen this time. No grand schemes, no deadly traps. Just... trite family politics as usual.
Elua's shoulders sagged as the tension of the past days began to ebb a little too fast. The constant underlying fear had fueled the desperate longing to be near her beloved past all 'reason'. She knew that if she was actually wrong, the receding emotions would return again as a tsunami - but only if.
It really all seemed a bit foolish to her now, in the face of such mundane reality.
'I let the incidents during the wedding cloud my judgment. Made me see, expect, even *want* threats where there were none. Because a decade of this new normal still doesn't feel real.'
My girl went walking through an unfamiliar place hoping to be attacked... because she was in shock that the family she married into *didn't* try to pull anything and attack her.
Sounds perfectly stable and without baggage.
Our disciples have a date in the market. I mean, a perfectly casual shopping trip for work. Yes, work.
There is certainly going to be *no* mild supporting character side romance growth next chapter~ And it's certainly not a cringy teen affair, no siree.