"That makes sense," Ky said with a nod. She certainly didn't want to delay that for Anneke. "I'm ready for someone else to have a turn." She looked at Tomhas, then down at Raina, then back at Tomhas. "I'm not standing up with her, though." She gave a shy smile, gesturing for Tomhas to take her.
"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 took Raina back and nuzzled her gently. "Thanks for stopping by," he said to Ky, grinning back at her. "I'm glad you could be the first to meet her! Can you send Gaius and Sara in next? Then we'll have Auntie Ana."
"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
"For sure!" Ky grinned back at him, then at Raina, then at Anneke. "It's an honor."
She strode towards the door, quickly, but making sure it was calm and wouldn't startle or agitate any of 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]
Tomhas bounced Raina in his arms and sat himself down beside Anneke, kissing her forehead. "You did absolutely wonderfully," he told her. Anneke rested her head against his arm, sighing. "This is the last one, though. I'm not sure I can go through a sixth, Tom." "I would never ask that of you."
"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 had just held a brand new BABY. Oh my gosh! She didn't know what to do with herself. A baby! Newborn! Her sister! Now that she didn't have witnesses, the excitement of the situation was settling over her and she was getting bubbly. A whole new little life -- and she was one of the very first people in this world to get to hold her. Incredible.
She pushed the door to the sitting room open, forcing herself to settle a little even though she was still grinning.
"She's wonderful," Ky proclaimed as she walked into the room. "They asked I send you in Sara and..." Ky hesitated, realizing she should have just gestured to them rather than addressed them. It was in that horrifying moment that Ky didn't have any idea whatsoever what to call Ash.
On one hand, he was to be her uncle and so she should probably just address him by his first name. On the other, he'd never actually told her that they were on a first-name basis like Sara and all the others had. And yet on a third, saying the word 'Gaius' almost felt sacrilegious. It wasn't a word she was meant to use, it felt like.
She flushed, the moment getting awkward. "....... G...aius?" she finished awkwardly, very much inlecting it like a question and ready to fall over herself apologizing if he so much as narrowed his eyes at her.
"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]
"That'll do," Gaius said to her with a nod, pushing himself up with Sara joining him soon after. "Thank you, Ky." Somehow her calling him "uncle" would have made him feel like an intruder. He was nobody's uncle, really, despite his biological nieces and nephews insisting on calling him one. He had the wrong energy for being an uncle; his was the energy of an unpleasant grandfather, or perhaps of a snake disturbed from a warm rock. He was perfectly happy being called just Gaius. It was his name, after all, and a fine enough one at 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
(he really does have such grumpy old man vibes and I'm lowkey contemplating Zander telling him as much haha start the relationship off tense why not lol)
Thank the gods, she'd guessed right. A wave of relief washed across her at the confirmation that he wasn't angry about being called Gaius. She nodded.
"Of course." Ky stepped back, holding the door open for both of 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]
(When I first started writing this book it was about three decades forward and he was an old man, and the vibes just kind of stuck. He's very tired.)
They stepped through and down the hall. "What's her name?" Ana asked her with an eager smile, wheeling herself a bit closer.
"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
(haha valid -- I was musing about this earlier and I feel like Zander is probably at least baseline familiar with who these people are even if he hasn't met them and I just imagined a "lord ash! I've heard much about you, nice to finally meet you" "what have you heard? >:[ " "That you're a grouch, but have your redeemable qualities" ">:[[[[[" )
Ky shut the door gently and stepped towards her. "Raina! She's perfect -- she's so chubby and has these beautiful blue eyes and is just so gentle and charming. It was love at first sight."
"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]
"That's wonderful! I'm glad she came out healthy." Ana grinned. "Did you get to hold her?"
"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 did!” Ky grinned back at her, sinking down in the chair next to her and leaning towards her slightly. “She’s perfect. I’ve never felt like I did when I was holding her. It was nice. She’s so perfect.”
"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]
"Oh, it makes me so glad to hear that. I'm sure the other children will be delighted!"
"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
“For sure!” Ky agreed eagerly. “And I know you’ll fall in love as soon as you see her, too… have you seen many newborns?”
"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've seen Wick and Anneke," Ana mused. "And every one of the older Loquitur children. I helped deliver a couple children in my village as well."
"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
“… that sounds scary,” Ky admitted. “I was so scared of even holding her now that she’s safe. I can’t imagine when she first came out.”
"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]
