not looking for a dowry, i promise

It felt as if the wind had shifted. Eligos' reaction to Thalia's innocent proposition did not bode well at all. Even before she had tentatively allied with the Armada, Sirius had held each of her sisters captive in turn. The only way to hobble her was through her family. Thalia had certainly learned that by now. "Well, Abaven - " she began, only to have Thalia cut her off. Perhaps I misspoke, cousin. A chill ran through her that had little to do with the encroaching cold weather. Her mouth set in a thin line but otherwise she managed to maintain a neutral body language. Things had spun out of her control. Theory thought they'd finally reached a mutual understanding. They had a bond. They were... in love. What did she have to say to Eligos that she couldn't say in front of her? Quickly patching the cracks that sprung up on her heart, she merely inclined her head a fraction in assent and stepped back. "I'll let you two catch up." Not wanting to further complicate things by inviting herself into the territory to explore, she crept to the edge of the ravine and settled down for however long she'd need to wait. If - and her stomach dropped at the thought, if - Thalia came home with her, it would be a long, long walk back.