Ky smiled. "Yeah, you've gotta have an inside man to pull it off." She gave a playful grin towards Tomhas.
"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 gave a little hand flourish. "I'm a master of espionage when it comes to purloining pastries and breads from my own kitchen. All it takes is a little elbow grease and honey! And a willing accomplice."
"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
(another example of your admirable vocabulary lolol)
Ky grinned. "And people to help eat them."
"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]
"Absolutely." Tomhas nodded in agreement. "Couldn't possibly eat two trays of wheat cakes myself...or could I?" He raised an eyebrow. The atmosphere was a bit more relaxed now, though he could feel remnants of the tension in the room. He himself felt a bit better.
"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
"Only one way to find out," Ky said with a playful grin, pretending that everything was fine. Tomhas made it easier to focus on the little bit of joy that did still exist in the world.
Aashi was recovering quickly. Still felt embarrassed at the mess she'd created, but she was grateful for Ky and Tomhas smoothing things over and taking the attention off her. She'd need to thank them both later. And apologize to them. And apologize to Anneke. And, well, they probably all deserved an apology -- but those were the three people she probably embarrassed the worst, so they deserved individual apologies.
"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'll have to have a go at it sometime when I'm not stuffed full of venison." Tomhas patted his stomach. "Anneke, dear, are you still hungry?" "Not in the least," Anneke promised. "We've both had our fill." "I'm glad to hear it." He gave her belly an affectionate grin. "That little one's got an appetite as big as mine, eh?"
"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's gaze also traveled to Anneke's baby bump. It looked so uncomfortable for her to have to deal with. On one hand, childbirth seemed absolutely traumatic and she didn't want Anneke to have to deal with it when their house was packed full of visitors -- that just seemed stressful for her. On the other, Anneke seemed more than ready for the baby to make an appearance. And Ky was certainly ready to meet the new baby.
"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]
"Bigger, I'd bet." Anneke massaged her stomach, gazing down at it in contemplative thought. "Sebastian will be delighted to hear that, I'm sure," Tomhas snorted. "Poor man's been cooking for me gods know how long, plus Anneliese and Oscar. How will he cope?"
"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 laughed at that. “I believe in his potential to prevail.”
"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]
"He is a hardy fellow," Tomhas agreed, serving himself another helping of venison. "Came with me from Serpent Keep, you know."
"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
“Did he?” Ky asked, genuinely interested. She hadn’t known that.
"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]
"Yep! Said he needed a change of scenery and that was that. He always liked me best out of the whole bunch, I think. Packed his bags and his lucky ladle and never looked back!"
(He and that maid at Serpent Keep are probably the only two people who know the cause of Gaius's eating disorder, I just realized)
"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
"Lucky for you!" Ky said with a grin. "Well, lucky for us! His wheat cakes are unmatched."
"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'm not sure either of them would spill but I'll tell you if'n ye wish)
"Aren't they?" Tomhas clapped his hands enthusiastically. "He's a master! Gaius didn't know what he was doing, letting him go!" Well, in hindsight Gaius probably didn't care about the skill of a cook; it was all the same to him. But still!
"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
"His loss," Ky said with a smile, settling back into her seat and taking a drink of wine. She glanced down at the table at Aashi. She seemed to have recovered and no longer looked like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. But she was still clearly subdued rather than bubbly like before.
It reminded Ky of Tadaaki. Which reminded her of the fact that she still wasn't sure whether she should go look for him now or not.
"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]
