Shady

Ky followed him in and gently shut the door behind them, lingering for a moment before she found the courage to walk the rest of the way in. It was ...

“In the southwest, ma’am. Just across and south of the mountain pass into Natai.”

She’d upset him. Ky saw the head shake and felt the exasperation — though because it was genuinely there or because of her own perceptions was anyone’s guess. She couldn’t ...

Ky smirked a little and inclined her head. “Yes ma’am. There are — limited — benefits to being invited to the East. I liked listening to their singing, too. There ...

That… hit harder than she expected. And she couldn’t quite figure out how or why. He… viewed her as family? But he barely knew her. Less than most anyone else, ...

(*actively resists the urge for a shocked self-congratulatory comment to break the noted pattern* xD) “Yes ma’am, that makes sense.” Ky nodded. “I can’t speak some of the dialects in ...

Ky flinched despite herself, and shrank, dropping her gaze. She hadn’t expected to make him that angry. She supposed she couldn’t blame him, though. She was being infuriating. But she ...

Ky smiled and dipped her head. “Do you enjoy languages?”

Ky rubbed the back of her neck, self conscious now. Had everyone else noticed how disgusting her body was now? Gods. She didn’t realize what a spectacle she had apparently ...

“Thank you ma’am.” Ky blushed a little and dipped her head. “I wasn’t trying to dig for a compliment, but I appreciate it all the same.”

Ky pulled her hand out of her pocket, instinctively obeying before she processed what he wanted her to do it for. Her hand was in marginally better shape than his ...

“It wasn’t so bad,” Ky said. “I’m sure my pronunciation probably isn’t fantastic and there are some sounds I struggle with, but it’s the one I’ve learned most recently. The ...

“… probably a good idea,” Ky agreed reluctantly. “…I’m not that skinny though.” Gaius was. But Ky hadn’t lost all that much weight. Just a little more angular than usual. ...

“Yes ma’am,” Ky agreed with a nod. “I struggled with it. I’m glad it wasn’t the first I tried to pick up; that would have been needlessly discouraging.”

Ky noticed, but didn’t comment on it. She felt the same. Was he as queasy as she was? Did he dread this as much as she did? Probably. She nodded ...