Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 4)

Ky returned a nervous grin. Well, this wasn't so bad after all. And it was already half over. She was as weirded out by the blood as she'd imagined she was going to be, but it was a small price to pay.

Ky took the pencil and grasped it tightly, holding on to the femur with her other hand. Then nodded to Skald Taro to indicate she was ready.

"'I acknowledge that Tomhas Loquitur wishes to offer me a place in his family and I assert that it is my wish to join his family.'"

She swallowed hard. "I acknowledge that Tomhas Loquitur wishes to offer me a place in his family and I assert that it is my wish to join his family."

"'I will treat Tomhas Loquitur with the respect and love a good father is owed, unless a breach of contract occurs.'" Tomhas felt he ought to have sai something similar about Ky, but these were archaic words. Kids probably didn't get a lot of respect from their parents back when these were created.

“I will treat Tomhas Loquitur with the respect and love a good father is owed,” she said this with her eyes on Tomhas, giving him a nervous grin, then looked back at Skald Taro. “Unless a breach of contract occurs.”

Which, obviously it wouldn’t.

"'I will uphold the conditions agreed upon in the contract, which I assert has been reviewed and altered to both our satisfaction.'"

"I will uphold the conditions agreed upon in the contract, which I assert has been reviewed and altered to both our satisfaction."

"'I will accept House Loquitur as my House and as my future heritage, in the eyes of the gods.'"

Somehow, this felt like the most anxiety-inducing part to say so far -- even though she didn't know why. This was exactly the point of this whole thing. But, then, she supposed all mentions of the future made her anxious at this point, so why should this one be any different? "I will accept House Loquitur as my House and as my future heritage, in the eyes of the gods."

"Sign there." Skald Taro offered her the contract next.

Ky lifted the pencil, then glared at her hand when she realized how badly it was shaking. She would not have a wobbly signature on a document this important. She took a deep breath, forcing as much tension out of her shoulders as she could — then another — then signed.

"Excellent. King Harold Tara, step forward." Harold came out of the group, and Skald Taro handed him the pencil. "Do you bless this adoption?"
"I give this adoption my full blessing," Harold said sincerely.
"You may sign."
Harold signed the contract with a flourish.
"Now." Skald Taro returned to the tree. "This bone shall see three days and three nights at the base of this tree. Both of you set it there."

( :') and now we're gonna ruin it lmao)

Ky tentatively took a step towards the tree and looked at Tomhas.

Tomhas nodded and bent to rest the bone at the base of the tree.

(Awwh geez)

Ky set the bone on the ground as well and then straightened. She had an impulse to hug him. Was that irreverent? She didn't mean to be. But now she had a whole new father within arm's reach. She hesitated, trying to shake off the urge. But it didn't go anywhere, so she stepped forward for a hug, then caught herself at the last moment and stopped awkwardly close to him, flushing. She should not have done that. But she didn't know how to save it now.