Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 4)

(Noooo Tadaaki!)

"I understand," Gaius replied, dipping his head. "I'm sorry to hear that." He guessed that Tadaaki's parents had not met a peaceful end, judging from his brother's tale. "I apologize for bringing up a...sore subject." He supposed that made them even, though that wasn't something he valued overly much.

(yeahhhh Aleth had his parents killed... and made sure Tadaaki saw it)

"It's my fault," Aashi answered quickly. She looked at the closed door and sighed. "It's my fault. I should have just said no."

"Mama, why is Papa mad?" Tasia looked up at Aashi.

"I'll tell you later." Aashi looked up, flushing, as she met Ash's gaze. "I'm sorry." She looked around the table. "I'm sorry. I talk too much for anyone's good."

"Nothing I haven't endured before." Gaius cast a meaningful glance at Tomhas, who waved sheepishly.
"Hi. Aashi, it's okay. Or it will be, I guess. My mouth runs away from me sometimes, too," he said. "Mistakes are made and feelings are hurt, but eventually hearts are mended, right?"

"I hope so," Aashi murmured, attempting to force a smile, but it was weak. Tadaaki had been through so much. He didn't need her to make it worse. "We're still relearning how to support each other, after... I'll learn how to do better. I know it."

"That's all one can really do," Tomhas mused. Gaius tapped absently at his plate, gazing off into the distance.
"You and I should talk sometime," Anneke told her. "Woman to woman, if you're alright with it. It can help to have somebody with an outside perspective."

"I would very much like that, ma'am," Aashi answered, relief washing across her. She didn't know what was going on with this family -- not really. But Tadaaki had said Tomhas had had a rough time of it, too. It seemed, unlike her, Anneke knew how to be a good wife. "Thank you."

Anneke dipped her head.
"And with that," Gaius said, "I believe I must excuse myself." He rose carefully from his seat. "I brought some business with me, I'm afraid, and it cannot wait. Thank you for the meal, brother." Then he turned to Aashi and Tasia. "It was a pleasure to meet you both; I expect I will be seeing you on the morrow." He nodded to them.

"A pleasure to meet you as well," Aashi said, dipping her head.

"Why do you walk with a stick?" Tasia asked, too loud.

Aashi clamped her hand down over Tasia's mouth.

"Sorry. Good luck with your business."

Gaius took a deep breath and tapped his cane on the ground. "Well. One of my legs is broken," he explained slowly. "The stick works as a support so I can walk a little better; I'll fall over if I don't use it." His stomach churned, and he took another deep breath. "Goodnight." With that he limped quickly out of the room. Tomhas watched it all with a deeply pained expression, fingernails digging into his palm as he gripped his knife.

"Don't be rude," Aashi chided Tasia, removing her hand from her daughter's mouth as the door closed.

"Why was that rude?"

"Stop talking."

"But--"

"Stop." Aashi handed Tasia another piece of bread, then focused her attention on her own plate, face still burning with embarrassment. At her own behavior. At Tadaaki's storming out. At Tasia being rude. Gods, none of them should be here. Ky probably regretted inviting them; Tomhas and Anneke certainly would regret having invited this mess into their otherwise peaceful home.

Ky watched Aashi, then glanced around the table, gaze locking on Tomhas. She wanted to help -- but how? And who? There was something nagging at her to go look for Tadaaki, but she didn't want to be rude by leaving the meal sooner than she should. She also didn't want to risk running into Ash, now that that was a possibility.

Tomhas met her gaze; he looked at lost as she did. That wasn't at all how he'd wanted this to go; he'd hoped everyone would get along fine. Of course that was always a bit of a stretch with Gaius in the room. His brother wasn't as good at hiding his feelings as Tomhas had grown to be, and he was so easily offended. Not to mention poor Tadaaki and Aashi's misstep there. Tasia couldn't be blamed for her question; his own children and Gaius's as well had all asked that same question and had been answered similarly. But gods, this whole dinner felt like the most awkward moment in the world, and they were all trapped until they excused themselves. Which now seemed like a desperate escape, because it was, so it would be rude to follow. Ugh.

Ky let out a quiet breath, pretty sure Tomhas had the exact same thoughts and feelings about all this that she did.

She needed to figure out a way to salvage this. But how? She used to be good at being a distraction when things got too tense -- but nothing was coming to mind just then. Somehow, spilling another cup of mead didn't seem like it would be helpful in this situation. Hell, it hadn't worked the first time, for that matter.

"So, uh..." Ky cleared her throat, searching for a way to carry the conversation far away from Michael and Aleth and Tadaaki's pain as possible. "I..."

She'd thought something would come to mind once she started, but it didn't. So she'd just fueled the awkwardness.

"I don't actually have anything to say, sorry," Ky admitted, flushing. "But this is good venison! Delightful meal."

"Sebastian will be very glad to hear it," Tomhas said quickly, forcing a smile. "He prepared it with a new recipe; hoped we'd all like it. Suffice to say he's forgiven us for the incident with the wheat cakes."
"What incident?" Marcella piped up.

"We went on a secret mission," Ky said, welcoming the distraction. "Swiped some wheat cakes and honey from the kitchen. Sweet crime."

"That sounds fun! How come we never do that, Mattathias?" Marcella asked.
"Don't even think about it," Sara said with a small smile. "Things work differently here than at home, little ones."