"Will you tell me the whole truth when we get to Serpent Keep?" she asked. "I don't like being left out of things like that."
"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
Pratik eyed her warily, not sure how to respond. On the one hand, agreeing would confirm that he was, in fact, not being honest with her now. On the other, she seemed to already know that. But he wasn't sure what, if anything, Ash wanted of him in the future. And he also didn't know how much of his mission he'd be free to share, even though it was over now.
He was paid to keep his mouth shut. And he was good at doing just that.
"I'll think about it," he replied elusively, putting his hand on the doorknob.
"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]
Ada snorted and turned away. "Sleep on it. I'll see you tomorrow, I suppose."
"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
"We're in the room next door, if you need anything." Pratik slipped into the hall and walked back to the room he was sharing with Rickard.
"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]
Rickard had taken the blanket he'd worn on the way here and laid it on the ground in front of the fireplace, and now he sat kneeling in front of the fire, staring into the flames with a half-dumbfounded expression on his face.
"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
Pratik shrugged his own coat off and turned to lock the door. "You alright there, buddy?"
"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]
Rickard stirred and turned to look at Pratik with tears in his eyes. "I want to thank you again for this," he said softly. "For this opportunity. I know it's been hours now, but I...I can't quite wrap my head around it. That it's happening."
"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
"Oh, hey, it's all good," Pratik said with a grin. He walked forward and stretched out the coat so that it would dry near the fire. It was nice Rickard was appreciative -- but it always made Pratik feel gross, to accept thanks for something like this. He didn't do it to be revered. "Thanks for building the fire."
"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]
Rickard nodded, looking back into it. "It's so warm," he murmured. "I missed that feeling so much."
"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 as well," Pratik agreed, sitting down on the hearth and holding his frigid fingers out to it, cringing at the pain that creeped into them. But, then, that was good. It'd be much worse if he couldn't feel them. "That bastard treated us worse than cattle."
"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've had worse masters, if you can believe it." He smiled ruefully and scratched at the graying stubble that had begun to sprout at his chin. "I didn't have many to begin with, but I've been treated far worse."
"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'm sorry to hear that," Pratik cringed. "It's disgusting. What people do to other humans. I'll kill every last slaver that I get the opportunity to."
"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]
"That's no way to solve things. That'd just make everyone afraid of you, and there'd be thousands of people with nowhere 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
"Well, it's not like I'll have the opportunity to kill every slaver out there," Pratik said dryly, stretching his legs out in front of him with a groan. "And everyone came from somewhere. Even if they don't have much left for them there. But a lot of slaves do have something they're desperate to get back to. Ada, for example."
"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]
"Ah." Rickard nodded. "She looks like a nomad. Was she taken recently?"
"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
