“I’m from Austraka, sir. Near the coast,” Ky answered. “He’s from Totallisa.”
"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]
"Ahhh, Southerners." Harold nodded thoughtfully. "You're a very long way from home, then. How long have you lived in the North? Your accent is impeccable."
"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
“Thank you, sir,” Ky said with a smile, pleased with the praise. It always felt nicest to get complimented for something she worked at so hard. “We’ve, ah, I suppose I’ve been up here about two months? Lord Tomhas helped Tadaaki get back to Totallisa.” She realized that wasn’t actually an explanation. “We traveled a lot before that, though. Aleth had business all across the continent, so I’ve been practicing with different dialects for quite a while now.”
"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]
"Ahh, interesting! A very useful skill." Harold tilted his head. "This Aleth fellow, like I said--he's been mentioned to me once or twice as a potential source of information. Is he any good?"
"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
“He was very good, sir,” Ky answered. “But he, ah, well… kind of… attacked me, a little bit, at the meeting. Which is kind of what, um, kind of ruined things. But I guess kind of worked out okay.”
She hesitated, glancing at him. Maybe this was her opportunity to be actually useful for once. “But I know all his business — so if you want to know anything he had access to, I’m at your service. The only thing I don’t know is who he…” Sent to finish the job. She glanced at Tadaaki then back at the king. “Well, the last job that he arranged before he died. I don’t know the details of that. But I know everything else.”
"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]
Harold stared at her, perplexed. "He attacked you? Why??"
"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
“Ah, I was kind of stupid and left the tent, so he had a chance to follow me out,” Ky said with a shrug. “I should have sat tight where there’d be witnesses. He wouldn’t have tried anything then. It was my fault, really. I didn’t mean to make such a mess of things.”
"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]
Harold blew out a breath, shaking his head slowly. "I'm afraid you've lost me, my dear. Completely lost me."
"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
"I, uh... I don't know what you've been told," she admitted. Or what she was supposed to say. Would it embarrass Tomhas and Anneke for her to tell the truth? Would they be mortified to find out she misled the king if she wasn't honest? "Are you familiar with, uh, well I suppose Aleth and my role in all of this? At least at the start?"
"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]
"All Lord Loquitur told me was that he'd found a young lady--you--in need of help. He said you were in a bit of a mess and he helped you get out of it, and you two grew close enough that he wanted to perform the familial rites with you. He asked for my signature and that was that."
"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 nodded. "I really appreciate your willingness to give it."
She took a deep breath.
"Well, ah, Aleth was... not a fantastic... master," Ky said. Screw it, may as well get it out there. "He did some things to me -- us --" she gestured at Tadaaki. "That were pretty... not great. And Lord Tomhas caught him, and took pity on us, and got us away from Aleth. And Aleth was, ah... very upset about that. And, ah, well... bad things happened to me when Aleth got upset." She flushed. "Very bad things. He, uh, had... methods and... failsafes in place, to get back at us, if we tried to escape. And, uh... it's just all very complicated. I'm afraid I've dragged the Loquiturs into a mess."
"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]
"What sort of mess?" Harold's brow furrowed. "Surely a Lord can handle whatever it is this man threw at you, right?"
"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," Tadaaki chastised gruffly. What was she doing -- doubting Loquitur in front of the King?
"I mean, yes!" Ky said quickly. "Yes, of course, he can. I'm very much indebted to Lord and Lady Loquitur. I'm sure I have nothing to worry about."
But she wasn't so sure; and neither was her tone.
"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]
Harold didn't look fully convinced. "Well, let me know--or have him let me know--if something is the matter. I'm sure I can expend a few of my resources on you behalf."
(I'm working on Rickard and Ada and a couple of the other characters from the cage in Hero Forge but they have like no way to represent age other than hair color and one (1) gaunt face)
"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
(Oh gosh, that's frustrating. But cool! I hope you figure out something you like ^-^)
"Thank you, sir," Ky murmured quickly. "That's very, very generous of you... I think it's more just a matter of... not knowing..."
Ky glanced at Tadaaki. He nodded encouragingly. Tadaaki still couldn't quite comprehend the fact that he was in the presence of a king -- but Harold seemed quite nice and friendly and willing to help. "He can't help if you don't tell him."
Ky flushed but nodded.
"Aleth was, well, he called himself a diplomat-for-hire, which was, kind of? like a mercenary? of sorts?" Ky said, looking at the king hesitantly. "He didn't do anything himself. But he had connections all across the continent. Mercenaries, assassins, spies -- you name it, he could get it for you. Which means, he, ah..."
Ky glanced at Tadaaki again.
He nodded again.
"Well, he didn't treat us very well," Ky said, looking back at the king, face flushing even more. "And he didn't want us turning on him, so he hired someone to come kill us, if anything ever happened to him. And now something's happened to him. And word of that's probably gotten out by now, which means someone is coming for us... but we don't know who or when or... well, anything."
"We were kind of afraid it was you," Tadaaki added sheepishly.
"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]
