death is the only ending for the trash queen

Part 11

The continuation of the vacation was awkward.

There had been some debate as to whether they ought to return to the capital immediately for safety reasons, but Cale insisted that the Henituse territory was just as secure and Penelope was adamant that it was more important than ever that she visit her maternal extended family. The increased presence of guards around with the convoy allowed for a certain extent of security and Alberu's forces had eradicated the guild responsible.

The king could be rather ruthlessly decisive at times.

There was still some question as to who had arranged the kidnapping, but very violent men in tiny rooms were extracting that information with prejudice. Alberu had his suspicions though and he'd already begun sanctions against those he believed to be responsible.

Very little of this was known by his wife and daughter though. He didn't want them to be forced to think about it for even a moment longer, unless it was the news that the problem had already been thoroughly dealt with.

The three sat awkwardly in a carriage as yet again their travels commenced. Cale had entirely recovered from her injuries but Alberu was still strangely always nearby.

Cale dismissed it as a political move to appear compassionate. It made sense for him to remain at his victimized wife's side and appear concerned for her wellbeing, it well suited the image of a compassionate king.

Penelope just thought it was annoying.

She'd hardly had a moment alone with her mother since the incident and even those moments were short and far in-between. Even when Alberu was pulled away by a situation that he absolutely couldn't ignore or deal with in their presence, Penelope's great aunt was always swift to take his place.

Penelope didn't know what to think of Tasha.

The woman had not done or said anything to earn Penelope's suspicions but she was a naturally cynical person who didn't trust anyone very easily. A blood relative didn't necessarily mean that a person was good or ought to be trusted.

And she didn't like that Tasha was Alberu's aunt either. She was instinctively suspicious and apprehensive of anyone related to her garbage father.

Lost in their individual thoughts, the carriage was plagued with a different sort of uncomfortable silence than the one they'd been initially cursed with.

Something had certainly changed.

Alberu had proposed the option of teleporting the rest of the way but Cale had been adamant against it. Except, instead of cursing him out as was her normal methodology of refusing anything, she had slipped onto the seat next to him and leaned against his side, practically purring out her rejection.

Alberu didn't have the ability to argue against that. He still had absolutely no defenses or ability to cope with Cale's sudden change in behavior.

What he did notice, something he might have missed had she not been seated directly at his side, was the tiniest of trembles every time their arrival was mentioned.

'...does she not want to return home?'

Alberu was well aware that Cale did not maintain communication with the Henituse family and she had not once visited them in the years of their marriage. It was something that concerned him when he ruminated on the matter but it also didn't strike him as particularly strange.

Alberu himself made absolutely no effort to see his brothers or father outside of official matters that required him to do just that. And even then, the meetings were kept as brief as possible. Alberu, more than most people, understood how one might not have a desire to meet with their close relatives.