Einin spent the rest of the ride home, and the rest of the night, period, being fussed over. At that point she was too exhausted, emotionally and physically, to be bothered by it--not that she would have been bothered by it, anyway, after everything that had happened that day. Sometimes she felt she was a little too hard on her parents, too critical, but even if she didn't agree with everything or like everything, they were her parents, she loved them, and she knew they loved her.
She could have died that day, and they felt all that more protective of her after they had come so close to losing their only child--and she felt a little guilty for worrying them like that. Ironic, she supposed, since she did dangerous things on her nighttime adventures but...at least they didn't get to see that.
Halfway home, she fell asleep with her head on her mother's shoulder, and only awoke when they were home.
She had to be helped into the manor, for her feet were injured, but once inside she was ushered off for a much needed bath. Her handmaid attended her to assist her, and she could have fallen asleep in the warm, soapy tub as her handmaid washed her hair for her...if her cuts didn't sting so much. Finally, when she was squeaky clean, she was helped out of the tub and wrapped in a towel as her handmaid set to wrapping her feet in clean strips of cloth. Then it was off to her bedroom to slip on a fresh night gown, pin her wet hair up and out of the way, and head out of her room to wish her parents good night and see how they were holding up.
Treading on bare feet for the kitchens (for her father had mentioned needing a bit of ale, and her mother took tea before bed), she found the room lit and warm. Tea didn't sound half bad, come to think of it. Maybe she would stay up a little longer and--
WHAT IN ALL THE HELLS?!
She turned a corner and found her mother at the table, sipping a cup of tea, joined by her father with his ale, and...and...
Fucking Jarrett!
JARRETT!
Why was Jarrett there?!
She froze in mid-step with an involuntary squeak, then crossed her arms over her chest as though suddenly fearing the decency of her gown, even though it was thick enough.
Seeing her there, her mother looked away from Jarrett and met her eyes, smiling brightly. "Oh, Einin dear, you're still up. Look who came! Your father and I were talking, and since your poor fiance lives so far away, we decided he could just stay here. It would be terrible to send the hero away injured as he is!"