Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree

Ky tensed as she heard the door open, head snapping around as she thought Aleth had found them. She relaxed a bit when she saw it was Loquitur, even though her face flushed a bit when she realized her back was readily visible from the angle she sat. For some reason, the flogging always embarrassed her more than the cuts. The cuts at least, though gruesome and a horrific reminder of her entrance into Aleth's service, had a certain symmetry to them. The flogging had just been carnage, and she was sure everyone who saw it must think she was a horrible slave to have earned it.

"Good, thank you," she answered quickly. Good was an exaggeration. But the sheer panic had abated a bit, and she felt a bit more revitalized than she had when she woke up in the middle of the night. "Master Alexander and Harold have taken very good care of us, sir."

"Harold?" Tomhas blinked, then he spotted the kitten. "Ah. Well hello, your Majesty." He bowed low to the little beast. "I'm very glad." He'd tried not to look at the scars as he came in; they were quite similar to his own and that didn't bear thinking about. Even so, he felt a little pang of pity for both Tadaaki and Ky.
Tomhas sat down on the hed across from the two Tadaaki and Ky sat on and crossed his legs. "So, I've arranged for two horses for you to if you wish to come to Caracal Keep with me. We'll give you some time to recover from the diet, of course, but I'm perfectly willing to delay my departure."

Ky looked at Tadaaki, feeling excitement bubbling in her again. She was actually going to get to be Loquitur's servant instead of Aleth's. Or... his guest? She couldn't quite comprehend what that would be like. But she'd gladly become Loquitur's assistant instead. She was quite certain he'd be more patient with her than Aleth had been.

Tadaaki nodded a bit, still not fully understanding what was going on. Ky had clearly made some sort of plan with Loquitur before he'd woken up. And he still wasn't quite sure what was going on. Half of him still expected Aleth to burst in at any moment. But... if Ky was willing to believe Loquitur, he may as well believe him, too.

"Thank you, sir," Ky murmured, looking back at Loquitur, still not really comprehending why he'd be willing to change his own plans just for them -- two nobodies that had done absolutely nothing for him. "I think we're fine to travel now. We'd been planning to leave today for Serpent's Keep."

Surely, Caracal couldn't be that much worse of a trip... could it? If nothing else, it wouldn't be with Aleth. She'd walk there with bare feet if she needed to. Anything to get away from the bastard.

"The big fellow's not to move for at least a week," Alexander said to Tomhas. "He's got a couple broken ribs."
"Then we'll wait," Tomhas decided. "It's not wise to mess with broken bones." Gaius hadn't listened when Sera had told him not to walk on his leg. It would have healed badly anyway, but he'd made it far, far worse by going after Michael less than a day after it was broken. "Best to play it safe. I've got time, don't worry."

Tadaaki was ready to argue with Alexander -- to tell him that he'd had broken ribs before, and he'd probably have broken ribs again, but he was just fine. But then Loquitur responded, and it didn't sound like the matter was up for debate.

Ky was still distracted by Harold. She'd of course been listening but forgot that she was the one who usually responded. Tadaaki always preferred it that way. He was strong and kind, but found that his words got jumbled up in ways that he didn't mean for them to be. Ky was much better at talking. But her gaze was intently fixed on the kitten.

"Thank you," Tadaaki answered at last, when it became apparent that Ky wasn't going to take control of their half of the conversation.

She perked up a bit when Tadaaki spoke, suddenly yanked out of her mesmerization with Harold as she remembered she was supposed to do the talking. She smiled at Loquitur. "Yes, thank you, sir. We're overwhelmed by your kindness to us."

She kept her eyes on Loquitur, actively resisting the urge to look back at Harold as the kitten swatted at the leg of her trousers.

Tomhas returned the smile. "I only wish I'd done it sooner." He pointed to the cat. "They're a delight, aren't they? I've always wanted one, but there hasn't been much opportunity for me to go looking. I've got a big friendly wolf dog at home, though. A complete mess of a pup, but very good."

Ky smiled a bit broader, more genuine this time, and took the excuse to bend down to scoop Harold back up. She considered offering him to Loquitur, but she couldn't find a non-awkward way to do that, so instead, she sat criss-cross on the bed and set Harold in the middle of her lap.

"I can't wait to meet him," she said eagerly, still smiling at Loquitur. She furrowed her brow and tsked at Harold as he gently bit her. "No, no, biting's rude... your majesty." She smirked again, eyes on the kitten.

Tadaaki stared at her in a stunned silence. Ky hadn't been like this in years. Aleth had beaten all of the personality out of her. His broken, robotic little assistant who performed exactly how he expected.

At this point, Tadaaki hadn't even really been sure if that side of Ky even existed anymore. But, while he wasn't particularly surprised to see her delight for animals resurface, he was incredibly surprised that she'd let her guard down this low around Loquitur. That wasn't like her at all.

"What's your dog's name?" Ky asked, looking up at Loquitur again with a smile. It hit her suddenly again that he was a nobleman. She needed to stop being so careless around him. What was it about him that brought this out of her? "Sir."

"She's called Fletta, which is the Nortung word for lichen." Tomhas grinned. "We found her under a rock covered in lichen as a puppy, and some of it had fallen into her fur."
"I told the girl she could take one of Fjori's litter with her if she liked," Alexander mused. "Would the dog be alright with that?"
"Last she saw a cat she got along very well. The cat hated her, but yes. Fletta's good with cats." Tomhas glanced at Ky. "You're welcome to take one with you, if you like."

"Really?" She bubbled with enthusiasm, eyes getting bright and smile spreading to every bit of her face. But she caught herself quickly. "I mean, I wouldn't want to inconvenience. I'm happy just to play with Harold now. This is a treat in itself, sir."

"No inconvenience." Tomhas waved a hand. "My children have been begging for a cat for years, anyway. I might snag one for myself."
Alexander finished up Ky's binding.
"You can slip your shirt back on if you like," he said to her. "I'll get you some snow for the bruises." He rose and went back to the window.
"Alexander's a wonder, isn't he?" Tomhas asked. "I wish he were my apothecary."

Ky smiled at him. This really was too good to be true. She was starting to suspect that this was all some sort of big dream, and she'd wake up broken and battered somewhere. But, for now, she was going to take full of advantage of Loquitur's kindness and Harold's cuteness, until that happened.

"Yes, sir, he's quite good." Ky cringed a bit at moving her torso but tugged her shirt back on. "I feel like a whole new person."

That much was true. He hadn't even focused much of his attention on her -- Tadaaki's injuries, as she'd said, were much worse than her own. But Harold revitalized her. She put her hand on Harold's belly and rubbed it as he gently clawed at her hand playfully.

"I'm very glad to hear it." Tomhas could say that with sincerity. There was a shine to her eyes that hadn't been there before and even Tadaaki looked a little better, though still bewildered. It was warming to see that what he had done was paying off. He would have to let Lyra know she'd been right to ask him to help. She would be pleased that Ky was going to be free.
His happiness faded a little at that thought. He was going to a lot of trouble to get these two people free, yet he left his own daughter--who wasn't much older than Ky--to be debased by Ithicus Tarr on what must be a nightly basis. There was too much riding on this alliance for Tomhas to pull her away just yet, though, unless he wanted to lose the war and Fall. Even so it made him sick to his stomach.

(erghhhh Aleth and Tarr both need to die lol, let Lyra be the new ruler of the Tarr estate and keep up the alliance xD)

Ky was glad, too. She had resigned herself to being Kyber for the rest of her life -- the timid, cowed servant that got beaten every time she looked at anyone the wrong way. But now... she'd do anything for Loquitur. Anything at all. She owed him her entire life, and she planned to make sure it was worth his effort.

If he actually managed to get her away, she'd tell him all of Aleth's secrets. She didn't even care. She knew of operatives and movements and modes of communication. Not everything that Aleth knew, of course. But a lot more than an average person. And, hopefully, enough to be useful to Loquitur. She wanted nothing more than to be able to be helpful. A brief, comfortable silence passed between them.

She laid her arm across her abdomen, then realized she was slouching a bit -- something she could never do in her binder. She sat up straighter, glancing at the door. She really had been being careless. Even her voice was higher pitched than her assumed persona. She swallowed hard, forcing her voice back to being gruff and a bit deeper. "I should probably go get my binder before too many people are awake..."

(Yesss please)

"No need now, I think," Tomhas mused. "We can use gauze from Alexander if need be, but you won't need to hide yourself for much longer. As soon as Aleth is gone you won't need any more binders. And while he's here I won't leave you alone with him. Tadaaki, you'll stay here in the infirmary and rest up for now, alright?"
Alexander offered Ky a pouch of snow similar to the one he had given Tadaaki.

Ky smiled, pleased about that as well. She could die happy. No Aleth. No binder. And a new kitten. It was all too good to be true.

"Yes, sir," Tadaaki answered quickly. He was starting to see why Ky seemed to like Loquitur so much, but there was an uneasiness that he couldn't shake. Knowing Aleth was somewhere out there. Probably thinking up all sorts of nasty things to do to him and Ky the instant Loquitur turned his back. But, for now, he'd satisfy himself with a nap.

Ky pressed the snow against one of the bruises on her ribcage, flinching a bit at the sudden cold, but then pressing it more fully against her flesh. She was starting to feel more secure in Loquitur's promise of not letting Aleth hurt her again. "What shall I do, sir?"