In The Shadow of Love

Chapter 9: Slip Up

Diane paced quietly in the parlor of their home, having headed back after they finished dinner. Sebastian still hadn't returned from his investigation, and it made her worried.

"He's been gone too long." She fretted. It had been raining all afternoon, and now it was dark, yet he still wasn't back.

"He's just asking around for clues, Diane. He's not venturing into a bandit camp." Hopefully. Ominis wasn't too sure if Sebastian would do something so foolhardy, with his current state of mind. "Besides, it would be just as likely that he decided to sleep at his parents old house in south Feldcroft."

Diane paused, looking over to Ominis at that idea. "That's a good point, especially if he's still in town so late." She said thoughtfully. "I'm just... worried. I don't think it was a good idea for him to go off on his own like that. Especially not when he knows it was Rookwood and his ashwinders that cursed Anne."

"We can only hope he made the right choices while he was out." Ominis sighed, shaking his head. He wasn't as optimistic as Diane, but he could hope Sebastian was doing the right thing. Perhaps he had just followed a lead? "Let's head to bed. Pacing and fretting won't do either of us any good. Hopefully he'll be back by morning."

Diane bit her lip anxiously and looked out the window, but nodded. He would be back by then, for sure. He had to be.

They got changed and headed to bed, but after trying for a few hours there was no way Diane was going to be able to sleep. She got up with a soft sigh, standing at the window to look out at the starry sky, but after a bit spotted someone trudging up the path to the house.

"Ominis." She said his name to wake him up, her voice urgent. After Marvolo the other night, she was still quite tense about visitors.

"What is it?" Ominis answered groggily, reaching for his wand as he sat up.

"There's someone coming up the hill." Diane answered, quickly going back over to her nightstand to get her wand as well. Was she going to have to fight in her shift?! It was indecent, but she would still defend herself.

Both of them were wary as there was a knock at the door, someone trying the handle before sighing in frustration and knocking again.

"It's Sebastian." Ominis recognized the sigh, and unlocked the door so Sebastian could enter.

"Where have you-" Diane was cut off by the sight of him, haggard looking, and covered in mud. His hair was plastered against his face as he tried to wipe some of the mud from him as best he could before he came in. "What in Merlin's name happened to you?!"

"What? What's wrong?" Ominis asked urgently, sticking his wand near Sebastian's chest to look him over quickly.

"He's covered in mud!" Diane said, scoffing when he just stood in the doorway staring at her blankly. What was wrong with him?!

"Come on." Diane took Sebastian's hand and tugged him through the house, but he pulled away quickly.

"I don't want to get you dirty!" He said in a flustered tone.

"Sebastian, don't be ridiculous. You're just going to jump in the tub, clothes and all." Diane huffed. "You're caked in mud! Look at your hair!"

"N-no, it's... ugh. Diane, you're..." he motioned toward her with a wave of his hand, a drop of mud falling from his fingers with the motion.

"I'm what?" She said stubbornly, her hands on her hips.

"You're in your shift." He said, looking away in embarrassment.

She blushed brightly when she realized that, looking down at herself. She was, she had been a bit panicked when she opened the door so she'd forgotten her dress in her concern when she'd seen him.