"My name is Pamela," she replied with a short curtsy.
"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
"Nice to meet you, Pamela." Pratik bowed to her slightly. "Good night."
"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]
She nodded to him and shut the door with a soft thump. The key turned in the lock shortly afterward.
"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 took a deep breath, then let it out with a heavy sigh, shoulders slumping. The first time he had truly let himself relax since he'd left with Nasa. Well, he supposed, since before then. The first time he was here he was under Ash's critical gaze, and he was as suspicious of the Lord as the Lord seemed to be of him. Now, it felt more amicable. Or, at the very least, he was less tense. If he was going to get gutted, it was going to happen as soon as he arrived.
At least, probably. Who knew, Ash may have it out for him and want to be there to witness it for himself. But, he hadn't done anything personally offensive. So if Ash wanted to shank him to avoid having to pay, he would have had Bay do so upon arrival -- save them the trouble of food and medical care.
No, things were looking up for him now. And he was going to enjoy 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]
(Want to skip to the ceremony or a day before it, unless you have something else you want to do?)
"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
(Works for me! I figure a bit before the ceremony would be good. I think there's a lot of potential for interactions with Ky meeting so many new people -- Ash's family/king/Tadaaki's family/etc. that we can RP out. Then ceremony. Then assassins >: ) )
"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]
(Alrighty! Let's set it to two days before the ceremony then so we can deal with the Ashes arriving and Tadaaki's family arriving, and finally the king. Then we'll do assassins and ceremony! Shall I start?)
"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
"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 preparations for the ceremony were smaller than Tomhas had expected; he'd only read thoroughly into the actual traditions after Skald Taro gently recommended it. There were some foods that had to be on the table, some words to be said of course, some props as well. Nothing too fancy, to his relief. Fancy wasn't his style and nor, he expected, was it Ky's.
Two days before the ceremony was to take place, Tomhas received word from the walls that Lord Ash had arrived with his family and a few soldiers. The soldiers didn't surprise him, nor did they offend him, so he hurried out of the Keep to greet his brother and see his in-laws for the first time in three months.
"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 was buzzing with nervous energy. She was -- slowly -- becoming more and more comfortable with being a Loquitur, although she was still so anxious and overly apologetic. And so she was excited to meet Lord Tomhas's inlaws.
But the thought of being around Lord Ash still made her so anxious. He had not seen her at her finest moment. First, lying -- poorly -- and then getting chased down -- and then blubbering about it all. Not a good look.
Ky hesitated just within the doors of the Keep, not quite sure if she was supposed to go out, or if she was supposed to get lost, or if anyone would care either way.
"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 gates opened and the group rode in with a captain at the front and Gaius's carriage in the center, drawn by a pair of Iron-stallions. Tomhas stepped to the side--he had run straight to the center of the courtyard as they entered--and waved at the tiny face peeking out the window. The little boy waved back and disappeared, screaming, "IT'S UNCLE TOMHAS!" Tomhas chuckled and waited impatiently for the family to climb out of the carriage. Lady Sara was out first, carrying two year old Regulus with her. Then the twins, Mattathias and Marcella, tumbled after her. Gaius was the last to emerge, looking as funereal as ever save for a slight spark in his eyes as he watched his family greet Tomhas. The twins threw themselves at their uncle with reckless abandon, questions already flooding from their lips. "Why did you fight us? Where's Oscar? Can I pet your cats? Who's Ky?"
"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 watched with a smile on her face. They were just as cute as Oscar and Peter were. The enthusiasm. The childlike lack-of-filter. The sheer joy as they piled Tomhas with all the love he deserved.
She still quite have the courage to join them, though, and hung back to watch the scene unfold in front of 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 have lots of answers for all of those!" Tomhas laughed, hoisting Mattathias up into his arms and following suit with Marcella. They were both chestnut-haired, like their father, but their eyes were green like Sara's. Little Regulus, fingers in his mouth, had jet black hair and the cold blue eyes of Gaius. "It's so good to see you again, Tom!" Sara wrapped him and her children in a bear hug, though she herself was small in stature. "I'm glad we've put that mess behind us." "I couldn't agree more, big sister." Tomhas returned the hug, then looked to Gaius, who stood apart from the scene. "Oh, get in here you scaly sucker. Come on!" Gaius passed his cane from hand to hand, seeming to consider it, then limped forward and allowed himself to be dragged into the embrace, arms pressed to his chest. He looked like a wet cat.
"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
(Funereal... fratricide... I can't remember what else, but there have been several things I've google lmao)
Ky grinned at that too. It was like Lord Ash wanted to be loved, but had no idea how to let that happen and just stoically took whatever affection was inflicted upon him.
A servant cleared his throat nearby, giving her a slight glare. "A cracked door lets winter in."
"Oh, uh, sorry," Ky murmured, bobbing her head. In or out. It seemed like it'd be awkward to be waiting inside when they came -- just lurking about in an entry for no apparent reason. But stepping out also felt awkward.
And she'd really left herself with very few non-awkward options at this point. She couldn't very well pretend like she wasn't aware the Ashes were here, at this point. And--
"We're not keen on warming up all of Clawholm," the servant said testily.
"Sorry," she murmured again. He wasn't threatening, but he was between her and the hall, and her anxiety spurred her to step outside. The door thudded closed behind her. She straightened her shoulders, folding her hands in front of her with a polite, awkward smile, and stayed by the front of the Keep.
"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 up at the sound. "Ah, the woman of the week! Come on over, Ky." The clump of Ashes dispersed slightly. Gaius brushed himself off before giving Tomhas a brief, tight one-armed hug, then stood apart from him. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Ky," Sara said with a smile as she saw Ky. "Gaius says Tomhas speaks very highly of you!" She spoke with a thick farming accent much like Anneke's--Lower Upper Tongue accent, as Anneke had once jokingly called it.
"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
