“That sounds fun!” Ky said brightly. She stopped just short of asking to go along. Villages still amazed her.
"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]
"What have you been enjoying here?" she asked. "What do you like to do for fun?"
"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
“I’ve been reading a lot!” She said eagerly. “And been taking swordsmanship lessons. I’ve really been enjoying that… I’m bad at it. But I like it.”
"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]
"Swordsmanship?" Her eyebrows shot up; she was impressed. "Very interesting! What sort of sword are you learning?"
"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
Ky beamed, pleased with the praise. “Short sword, for now. I need to get stronger… well stronger fighting muscles. I still have good farming muscles still.”
"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]
"Farming muscles never go away." Sara flexed her arms, making Marcella laugh. "Even if you're out of practice there's still that heft."
"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
Ky smiled, too embarrassed to follow suit but nodding in agreement. “They’re helpful, that’s for sure.”
She didn’t know what they helped, really. It’s not like they helped her avoid Aleth’s abuse — she’d hit him once and it bruised but it ended very very very badly for her.
"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]
"I lost all my farmer's muscles the moment I became Lord," Tomhas complained. "I'm old and flabby now." Anneke let out a doubtful guffaw. "You're thirty-two years old and in peak physical condition!" she informed him. "If you were any skinnier I'd have the apothecary come and look at you."
"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
Ky smirked, looking between them. She couldn’t say much. She felt old herself. And he was twice her age. “You also had less time to get farmer muscles,” Ky pointed out, hoping she was being encouraging and not being a brat. “So you’ve got a mix of Lord and Farmer muscles. Truly ideal.”
"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]
"The ideal man," Anneke agreed, and Sara looped an arm through her husband's in amusement. Gaius shrugged indifferently. Tomhas flexed his muscles in return, pumping his eyebrows. "See, now you've all got my ego puffed!"
"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
Ky grinned at him, pleased at the amiability in the room. She shifted, tucking her leg under her, then realized that probably looked immature and sheepishly put her feet back on the floor. She liked getting to hype him up. It made her feel nice to make people feel nice.
"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]
"Can we see the cat now?" Marcella asked impatiently. "Wait, dear." Sara stroked her daughter's hair and pulled it back behind her shoulders so she could braid it. "Ky will show you when she's ready I'm sure. Patience is a virtue."
"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
Ky hesitated, now wondering if she was being the bad guy here. She’d offered it as consolation for not watching the baking — would this ruin the incentive, if she offered it now? But, then, they were tiny children. They could probably be delighted multiple times by the same kitten. So, she didn’t know what to do. She looked at Tomhas, hoping he’d tell her what to do.
"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]
Tomhas looked back at her and shrugged. "Your cat, your call."
"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 didn’t like that at all. She wrinkled her nose slightly. Making decisions carried with it the — perhaps large — possibility for making the wrong choice. It was so much easier to just obey. What if she picked wrong?
She hesitated far, far longer than a decision like this probably should have taken her, continuing to look at Tomhas in hopes he would relent. When he didn’t, she bit her lip and looked at the kids. They looked so innocent. So eager. She nodded hesitantly and stood up, making the choice.
“Do you want to go look for him?” she asked Marcella. Then decided it was the wrong person to be asking. Did Ash trust her to walk off with his kids? Probably not. She looked up at him hesitantly. “Or should I just bring him here?”
"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]
