As soon as he spoke, she whirled around, trying to tell herself that she wasn’t really sneaking out so she couldn’t really be feeling guilty over anything. She had just been walking quietly, not wanting to wake him. If she had timed it a little conveniently, that still wasn’t anything to feel guilty over, especially since it didn’t work. Repeating that to herself, she bent down and picked up his wand, placing it in his pocket as she did so. “Taran, of course its me. You know how many protections are around this place, anyone sneaking in would have to be much more skilled than someone who was going to bother with a flat.”
Part of her hoped that he wouldn’t notice the way she was dressed - thick trousers, thick shirt, and jacket that would hide her weapons from any casual observer. But of course he had noticed. Part of her thought about lying for a moment, but there was no real reason for that either, and if they were going to be married that meant trusting each other and actually telling the truth. So she had to start with it now.
“It’s nothing particularly, and really it shouldn’t be that dangerous, I just wanted to be dressed comfortably, just…just in case. Do you remember when i told you about that private investigator who figured out my father died the night Achren took me? Well, he also was able to track down the last place my mother was seen. I was just going to observe it, really, I wasn’t planning on talking to him or anything so I didn’t want to bother you over something that was probably going to turn out to be nothing. But I needed to check.”
Now that he wasn’t in survival mode, Taran could feel the tiredness seeping back in. It was, frankly, a miracle that he managed to follow what she was saying, taking into account the rate at which he was currently processing information. Which wasn’t very fast, at all. By the time she was finished, he was leaning his shoulder against the wall, blinking as he took everything in.
“Private investigator...the rude one? He found more?” He frowned and reached a hand up to rub at the back of his neck. He wasn’t aware that the man had discovered anything more, but if Ellen felt it was information worth pursuing, then Taran could only hope that it would end in more pain for her. Physical or otherwise. She seemed relatively calm about this, but something felt...off. Like it wasn’t as safe as she was making it out to be.
Shaking his head to clear it, he looked at Ellen cautiously. “And you’re going there now? Ells...” It sounded too much like a plea, but he wasn’t above that. Not when the thought that something terrible might happen to her was at the forefront of his thoughts. “It wouldn’t be bothering me. Hell, Ellen, you couldn’t bother me in a million years! I’m worried about this, though. Not to say you can’t do this, because we both know you could take on a bloody army if you wanted to-,” he broke off, sighing and leaning further against the wall. “But sometimes things...happen. Bad things. I can’t...I can’t...” Growing quiet, he looked at her a little helplessly, hoping that she might somehow understand.