persephone rises and the dead tremble
She should have known something was up when the over-excited pegasus rider girl asked her to go grab some more meat for the kitchens, but, unfortunately, she’d just assumed the girl had been on inventory duty and noticed a shortage.
This was her first mistake, clearly.
Her second mistake, she realized, was asking her husband to join her for a hunting trip, just the two of them. He’d readily agreed, of course- they’d had precious little time together at Garreg Mach, what with all the missions and lesson plans Xander insisted on perfecting and her farming and tending all the grounds- a trip together was welcome.
This, unfortunately, meant her rule-loving husband was not on campus to stop the event by existing with his cute-intimidating face. More intimidating for students who didn’t know him, more cute to her after years of marriage.
Mistake number three, however, was the most damning. She insisted on hunting til dusk to get more than enough for the monastery, and Xander, ever indulgent, agreed. She was fairly certain he’d enjoyed just watching her work, though he did startle when she shot off a volley of arrows before jumping from her perch in a tree, followed by the sound of a large animal crying out. He always got a starry look in his eyes when he saw her carrying bears around- it made her snort and tease him, at which he stiffened back up and pretended it hadn’t happened despite his little smiles- she was getting off track.
She looked out over the carnage, seeing a team of students already working to clear it, thank the gods, otherwise she might have had to be stopped from harming students physically.
But damn if she wasn’t close now.
“Darling,” Xander called as he hopped off his horse, walking up beside her. “Breathe.” She let out a breath through clenched teeth. He breathed out through his nose beside her, staying silent for a few moments. “...Please do not murder the students. They are children- children are not known for wise behavior.” She let out another breath through her teeth.
“I. Won’t.” His hand fell on her shoulder. She unclenched her teeth. “I won’t.” She stared at the students’ frantic cleaning. She was silent. “Xannie?”
“...How d’yah plan a lecture? I... I clearly need tah give these kids a goddamned talkin’ to ‘fore they-” she clenched her teeth again, taking a deep breath. He gave a sympathetic hum.
“I’ll meet you in your quarters in an hour to assist you in making one. In the meantime, I’ll drop off the supplies. You just... Relax.” She breathed out.