Einin felt restless.
Normally, on a night like this, she would be outdoors. Exploring the town, getting in and out of trouble, the usual. But after everything that had happened, her family had upped security around the place--and not only that, but she simply didn't feel ready. She knew she could probably still sneak out with a little illusion, and that the Wolves were close by--but she couldn't yet work herself up to it.
So stupid. She was serious when she said she wanted to become a knight, and she certainly wouldn't get there by letting fear freeze her. And yet, her head was still filled with memories, her skin remembered the sensations, and she just couldn't stomach it. She wasn't ready. She needed more training.
And yet, this was no better.
Stuck with supervision and restricted to the grounds (both by her own doing, and by her parents), she felt like she was slowly going mad. Her muscles needed to be stretched, and she felt claustrophobic indoors, and there was still so much to do. Like end her fake engagement, and figure out a backup plan. She didn't even know where to begin. And so she cracked open a window to get some air and help her feel a little less claustrophobic, and wound up pacing her room, book in front of her nose, until she felt tired enough to sleep.
Because she needed to be exhausted to sleep. She wanted her sleep to be dreamless.
When she finally felt herself winding down, she tossed the book aside and went to her wardrobe. And she had been about to change into her nightgown, but movement out of the corner of her eye drew her attention and she jerked her dress back over her shoulders and spun to face it. Sure, she had cracked the window for some air, but it was not nearly so breezy out for the curtain to move like that, and maybe she was being paranoid, but her heart beat quicker and for a second she held her breath to listen.
Another time, and she might not have noticed. It was subtle, after all, that movement. But she had been on hyper-alert ever since the goblins and her first thought was that she'd been found. Grabbing the first blunt object she could reach--a large candle holder, which was thick and heavy enough to be a club--she headed for the window--
And threw it open the rest of the way.
Hard, and with every intent to bash into whatever might be lurking just outside it.