Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 4)

(Hey what are 5 to 10 things Ky might have ever mentioned wanting or wishing for when talking with the family at any point?)

Tomhas took the box very carefully, stilling his restless hands as he brought it into his lap to examine it. It truly was gorgeous.
"It's wonderful," he said quietly, voice full of admiration and nerves. "The care taken is stunning--the burn work, the weaving, everything. I'm no carpenter but I can see that your Papa knew exactly what he was doing when he created this. A real gift."

(Oh, um, gosh. That's a question haha I don't think she'd ever have expressed a want/wish directly -- that'd be u n g r a t e f u l -- haha but I could see her talking fondly about parts of her childhood. Maybe a game and/or puzzle -- I don't have any specific thing in mind but maybe something that'd be more common in the South and therefore not immediately on hand already at the Keep? And of course, books are always a hit with her. She was learning to play the lute when she was with Aleth so she might have mentioned that? And then she's obsessed with horses and her swordsmanship lessons -- so maybe a nod to them somehow? idk. Does that help? I can make up other stuff haha)

Ky grinned, thoroughly pleased with the compliments. "He was always really careful with everything he made." Her hand was rubbing the pendant again. Right. That. It took as much willpower as turning over the box had, but she managed to get herself to take the necklace off and hold it out to him as well. "And he carved this... I'd never seen him make something this detailed before, ever."

Zander watched the interaction approvingly. She was going to do just fine in this family. Just fine.

"I think they were as much for himself as they were for you," Zander mused. "Something to keep his hands busy."

(That helps a lot! I've been trying to think of gift ideas and you've given me a couple.)

Tomhas glanced at Zander; that comment held some pain for Ky, no doubt--why would he say that? Why dwell on the sad aspects of these wonderful gifts?
"That's so beautiful, Ky." He smiled at her and very consciously handed the box back to her. "Absolutely fantastic!"

(Cool! I really hadn't even thought about it so you're ahead of me haha)

Ky smiled and cradled the box back on her own lap. She probably should offer to let the others see -- to actually follow through on her offer to Harold -- yet she didn't want to.

And Tadaaki and Aashi certainly weren't going to ask. Not yet. Tadaaki figured with time she'd get better at showing them off, but for now, it was clear that she wanted them as close as she could possibly have them. And that was a-okay.

Harold didn't push it, content to admire the box from a distance. Tomhas was still stressing over how he could possibly hold up to this; she would think him a fool for even trying.

(*swats Tomhas very gently with a newspaper*
Tomhas: is literally giving her an entire family and future and free therapy.
Also Tomhas: clearly this is not enough)

“I think this is a sign,” she said quietly, looking at Tomhas. He was probably going to think she was stupid for saying something like this. But, then, he’d just heard her call his brother a mind reader. There really wasn’t much downhill from there. “That he’s happy for us, too.”

(Tomhas is gonna give her way too many gifts plus he already promised her a horse)

Tomhas's throat tightened, and he had to fight to keep his face composed. "I hope so, Ky. I hope so." Gods, he only hoped he could do as well as this stranger had done. What a great kid he'd raised; Tomhas would have been honored to shake his hand.

(Omgg we’re just living up in our feels tonight)

Ky was getting the vague sense that she was making Tomhas uncomfortable, and she didn’t mean to be. She sat back on her seat to give herself a bigger lap then slipped her necklace back on, her right hand staying curled around it compulsively. At this point she was only vaguely aware she was doing it. Her built in security blanket. Hopefully she’d get this out of her system before the ceremony. She was being so immature.

(The essence of rp is the feels)

"Were we supposed to be giving gifts now?" Harold asked curiously.
"No, not technically," Tomhas admitted. "Though it's not essential to follow tradition, I think."

“I-uh-yeah, that’s my bad,” Zander cut in with an apologetic smile. “I figured that since this sort of old-family thing and you’re doing a new-family thing, ah, well, you know…”

That didn’t make sense.

“I think he was saving me face and giving it to me where I wouldn’t have an audience in case I fell apart when he gave them to me,” Ky murmured. There was no point in lying about that. But she wasn’t going to offer that he’d been absolutely correct about it. Although given what Tomhas knew about her, he probably already knew. Her tightened her grasp around the pendant. “And so that my old papa could join us for the whole thing.”

"I understand," Tomhas replied, nodding. "They're beautiful gifts; seems they ought to have been given first."

Is that what this was about? Ky finally put the pieces together. “I’m really so fortunate to be getting so many wonderful gifts today. I’m sure I’m going to absolutely adore all of them.”

(The urge to give Ky an exotic pet is real but she has an Iron-kitten and also that would be a bit offensive to the biological children)

Tomhas shook his head with a sheepish chuckle. "I hope you do." Had he made her ashamed of her gifts? He hadn't meant to do that. He was the one who ought to be embarrassed. His gifts were lousy compared to the meaningfulness of the box and pendant. He had no foothold.

(hahah omg)

Ky smiled back at him, but was getting the sense that this conversation was ending and she needed to find a new topic that was less uncomfortable than her gifts. "... What is next? I've kind of lost track of time with all the, uh, unexpected excitement."

"'Unexpected excitement'," Zander said with a laugh. "I've been called worse."

Ky laughed at him, but turned a curious gaze back on Tomhas.

"I think that's up to you!" Tomhas set down the book. "The evening is more structured; the morning and afternoon are sort of free. Gifts are after dinner, though, and then the rites happen."