Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 10)

Shady · 2022-05-15T02:56:06Z

(We did it again xD @GrandWild finally hit the double digits!) Ky had really hoped that Gaius would force Sera to come to her senses and give Ky a proper punishment. But he didn't. Instead, he just avoided her. Which was arguably worse. On the one hand, she didn't relish the idea of an interaction with him. Ever again. On the other, it made her feel absolutely terrible that she was making him so uncomfortable in his own house. And yet she didn't know what to do about it. If she just hid in her room, then she'd upset Sara. And Sara was probably already annoyed with her for what Ky had done to her husband -- no point in fueling that. And then finally he came to a meal. And it was so much worse. Tadaaki made sure he got to each meal early to ensure that he had Aashi at the very farthest end of the table from Gaius as possible, even when he wasn't there. He and Ky were slowly starting to believe that this wasn't a trap. That it wasn't the calm before a storm. But neither of them was willing to risk it. And the last thing they needed was for Aashi to agitate Gaius when the situation was already so precarious. Then they had Tasia, then Tadaaki to her right, so Ky sat to his right. Further down the table from where she usually sat. But hopefully not noticeably so. She just... didn't know what to do. Had he breathed during that meal? She sure hadn't. Not a single breath. It was too tense. Too awkward. The next day's dinner was exactly the same. There was just... Regret. There was regret. And nothing at all she could do about that. And, well, she knew Sera said to just let it play out. And she knew that she couldn't rush this. But she felt like she owed Gaius at least a single genuine apology before she let the situation go to rest. She just had to figure out how to get him alone. And... to find the guts to do so. Because she most certainly did not want to. The thought was absolutely terrifying and uncomfortable and awkward. But so was this game of them pretending everything was fine when it clearly wasn't. Lack of communication never made things better.

Ljungtroll

Gender

Points 2794

Reviews 115

Sun May 29, 2022 8:39 pm

Ljungtroll says... · Sun May 29, 2022 8:39 pm

"Guess I'll have to ask him when I get up there," he chuckled. "The rest of his delightful family sure didn't fancy me. Still not sure how I got through Septimus and Michael. Michael the First was alright, though. A lot like his grandson in a lot of ways, come to think of it."

"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik

she/her

Shady

Gender

Points 3330

Reviews 938

Sun May 29, 2022 8:47 pm

Shady says... · Sun May 29, 2022 8:47 pm

Ky cringed sympathetically. She couldn’t imagine working for someone like the two of them… voluntarily.

“… which grandson?” Hopefully that wasn’t too cheeky.

"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus
"From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf
"A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni
[they/he]

Ljungtroll

Gender

Points 2794

Reviews 115

Sun May 29, 2022 8:50 pm

Ljungtroll says... · Sun May 29, 2022 8:50 pm

"Gaius. Same demeanor, though I think Gaius is kinder to his children. Michael the First had all the sons he wanted and he paid them no mind at all. Sat there in the library and read all day, from what I know. Punished the boys sometimes when the situation called for it, but he wasn't a good father at all."

"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik

she/her

Shady

Gender

Points 3330

Reviews 938

Sun May 29, 2022 9:00 pm

Shady says... · Sun May 29, 2022 9:00 pm

Ky nodded. “Gaius is a good father. Seems wary but invested.”

"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus
"From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf
"A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni
[they/he]

Ljungtroll

Gender

Points 2794

Reviews 115

Sun May 29, 2022 9:02 pm

Ljungtroll says... · Sun May 29, 2022 9:02 pm

"I think so. Best watch little Mattathias closely, but I think Gaius is doing well."

"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik

she/her

Shady

Gender

Points 3330

Reviews 938

Sun May 29, 2022 9:04 pm

Shady says... · Sun May 29, 2022 9:04 pm

Ky nodded. “He’s got time to grow out of it no doubt. Boys are born but men are made. And he’s got a long time yet to be built up. Shaped.”

"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus
"From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf
"A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni
[they/he]

Ljungtroll

Gender

Points 2794

Reviews 115

Sun May 29, 2022 9:09 pm

Ljungtroll says... · Sun May 29, 2022 9:09 pm

"Certainly. Got a heart of gold to be sure, and good parents and a fine pair of siblings. But his temper..." He shook his head. "Reminds me of Michael the Second when he was that age."

"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik

she/her

Shady

Gender

Points 3330

Reviews 938

Sun May 29, 2022 9:13 pm

Shady says... · Sun May 29, 2022 9:13 pm

“Oh…” that made her feel ill. “… but was he disciplined like Mattathias is?”

"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus
"From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf
"A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni
[they/he]

Ljungtroll

Gender

Points 2794

Reviews 115

Sun May 29, 2022 9:16 pm

Ljungtroll says... · Sun May 29, 2022 9:16 pm

"I don't believe so, no. Then again, Michael was never kind. Mattathias has that and a lot of other things going for him."

"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik

she/her

Shady

Gender

Points 3330

Reviews 938

Sun May 29, 2022 9:17 pm

Shady says... · Sun May 29, 2022 9:17 pm

“He does,” Ky agreed. “He’s a good kid.”

"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus
"From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf
"A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni
[they/he]

Ljungtroll

Gender

Points 2794

Reviews 115

Sun May 29, 2022 9:20 pm

Ljungtroll says... · Sun May 29, 2022 9:20 pm

He nodded in agreement. "I wish him luck. I'm sure Gaius sees it too; I applaud him for not holding it against the boy."

"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik

she/her

Shady

Gender

Points 3330

Reviews 938

Sun May 29, 2022 9:26 pm

Shady says... · Sun May 29, 2022 9:26 pm

“You’d have to be awfully petty to hold a grudge against a four-year-old.”

"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus
"From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf
"A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni
[they/he]

Ljungtroll

Gender

Points 2794

Reviews 115

Sun May 29, 2022 9:28 pm

Ljungtroll says... · Sun May 29, 2022 9:28 pm

"For something he didn't do," Tim added.

"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik

she/her

Shady

Gender

Points 3330

Reviews 938

Sun May 29, 2022 9:33 pm

Shady says... · Sun May 29, 2022 9:33 pm

“Very true,” Ky agreed. “Not the poor boy’s fault at all.”

"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus
"From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf
"A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni
[they/he]

About / Info

Forums & RPG

Literary

Resources