"Due to your worthy competition," Tomhas panted, "I'll spare you from becoming spider food for now. Let us celebrate our athleticism with wheat cakes and honey!" He peered into the kitchen. The cooking area was empty; the scullery maids were washing dishes in the side room. Four trays of wheat cakes sat unattended, having just come out of the oven.
"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 suddenly felt very naughty — and had a flash back to her past, when she and Talia snuck into Mr Lian’s bakery to snitch some cookies. They’d been caught, of course, and given a stern lecture and made to wash the dishes and sweep his floors. But he still sent them off with a small bag each of cookies and maple candy.
The memory made her grin even more. She was about to ask Loquitur if they were allowed to be down here— before remembering that he owned literally all of this and there was no one to tell him he couldn’t go sneaking a wheat cake whenever he desired. “It’d be a tragedy to get fed to the spiders before wheat cakes.” She tried to say it solemnly, but couldn’t keep a straight face and started grinning again.
"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]
"Indeed it would." Tomhas lowered his voice, casting his eyes about the kitchen. "Old Sebastian'll take a ladle to me if he finds us," he mused with a wry smile. "Best be in and out before that, eh?" He crept forward, ducking his head under the counters as he made his way towards the target.
"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
It made Ky grin all the more. So she was being naughty. And it was sanctioned by the Lord of the Keep, no less. Her eyes flicked around the kitchen and she saw the honey jar was on the counter opposite the cakes. She dropped down to all fours and crawled towards it silently.
"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 removed his cloak reached for one of the trays. He hissed, pulling back as the metal burned his fingers, and he stuck them in his mouth for a moment to relieve the sting. Then he tucked his cloak around his hands and tried again, emptying the tray into the orange fabric that hung below the improvised oven mitts. He took another six from the second tray, then bundled the cloak up to keep the cakes in.
"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 grabbed the jar of honey, putting one hand over the lid to keep it on as she tucked it against her body and crept back towards the door.
"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 eased himself backward, cloak dragging on the ground. He was almost to the door when it swung open and a grizzled beanpole of an old man with prickly whiskers and a flour-covered apron strode in. "Tomhas Loquitur!" he bellowed in a voice that sounded as if a rake had been taken to it. "Put those bloody cakes down this instant!" Tomhas jumped up and dodged around the old man. "Sorry, I know they were for tomorrow!" he called. "Got to go!"
"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 laughed nervously and sprang to her feet, darting towards the door as well, still clinging to the jar of honey — with both hands now.
"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 old man didn't bother to give chase, but Tomhas could hear him cursing his name a long way down the hall. "Let's find the others," he said to Ky. "I'll get the boys, you get Anneliese and Lyra."
"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 nodded eagerly. That was even better — bringing the whole family in on the mischief. “And Lady Anneke?”
"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]
"Absolutely." Tomhas headed up the stairs with the cloak slung over his back like a peddler's sack. "Meet me in the sitting room we were just in!"
"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
“Yes-“ she caught herself this time before she added the sir. “Will do!”
She started down the hall towards where she figured the girls would probably be this time of evening. Contentment swirled around her like a pre-warmed blanket, and by the time she got to the room she’d managed to get her breathing under control, though she was sure her face was probably still flushed. And now she felt very foolish to be carrying around a pot of honey.
She hesitated, not sure if she should knock — she still felt so odd about not knocking — but she’d been assured this was her home now too and she didn’t need to knock on every door she wanted to go through. So instead, she slipped into the room quietly.
"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]
Anneliese was in the room curled up with a book, eyes fixed on it intently. She didn't react when Ky entered, completely enraptured by what she was reading.
"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 shifted the honey in her arms awkwardly, not quite sure how to get her attention. “Hey! Um… do you want… um… wheat cakes? And honey?” She held the jar up in her hands a bit.
"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]
Anneliese jerked upright as if possessed, eyes wide. She relaxed as she saw Ky. "Oh. Hello there, future sister!" She tucked her finger into her book to save her place. "What did you say? Honey?" Her face broke into a wide smile. "Ohhh. Did Father steal the wheat cakes we were supposed to have for breakfast?"
"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
