"Right now would be inappropriate," (Patreon)
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I sighed reluctantly. "You're in a vulnerable emotional state, AND I am your teacher. It would be Unseelie for me to take advantage of that situation. However I'm always available if you need someone to talk to."
"Thank you," Rebecca whispered, suddenly pulling me into a hug. "Thank you for coming back. All these years I felt like I was just going in endless circles. I was completely lost without you here to guide me."
I awkwardly reciprocated the hug while musing on what she had said. Going in endless circles? I certainly knew what that felt like. Burnside's warning was also starting to make more sense. Over the years we had been apart, Rebecca apparently had begun to think of me as something I was not: A wise, infallible hero who never makes mistakes. This was all the more surprising considering that she had been there when my cult and coven plans completely fell apart. Did she forget? That thought was alarming in its own way. Hopefully just being around and interacting with me for a while would lower her expectations to reasonable levels, as she observed that I was just an elf prone to error the same as everyone else. By Fuma, I had no idea being a mentor was so stressful. How did Estvan do it?
"Are you feeling better?" I asked, when the silence began to feel awkward.
"A little better," Rebecca sighed. "I'm not shaking anymore at least."
"Do you feel well enough to give me that tour you mentioned?"
"Sure," she said, perking up a little.