Ky smiled. "True enough. You do have quite a track record of success so far."
"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]
"But you can share the title with me, since you'll be good at it too," she said generously. "And you say you can't be a politician," Gaius snorted. "Look at that compromise!"
"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. "That's okay, you can keep the title. I'll settle for being the favorite biggest sister."
"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]
"Ah ah ah--careful, now." Gaius held up a finger. "You can't choose favorites; there's still Lyra." Sara nodded in agreement.
"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
"No, no, sorry," Ky said quickly. "I was just joking. Biggest. Since I'm the only oldest. I was just joking. Sorry."
"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]
"Ah." Gaius nodded; he'd forgotten Ky was older than Lyra by a year. Lyra seemed older somehow, perhaps because she was so reserved. He'd always related to her better than hos other nieces and nephews because of it; they'd liked reading in the library and discussing books before this mess happened. Now she just seemed to push him away. He didn't blame her, really; this was partly his fault, and she'd suffered badly for it. "Of course."
"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
"Sorry." She felt so awkward now. Why did she keep running her mouth? Literally every single time she tried to be playful she said something wrong. She needed to just shut up. "My uncle Zander used to do that -- say he was my favorite uncle since he was the only one I had."
(lol tonight -- Ash "so, you were picking favorite uncles..." lmao)
"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]
"Well, I look forward to meeting this fellow. I expect he'll still be your favorite a decade from now--you don't have a great many good ones to choose from." "Oh, hush that." Sara slapped her husband's arm lightly. "You'll be a wonderful uncle, and so will Wick. And she'll never meet Arcus."
Last edited by Ljungtroll on Sun Feb 06, 2022 4:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
"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
This. Exactly this. The reason why she needed to keep her mouth shut. Should she just leave this in awkward silence; or continue to dig this hole deeper for herself?
"I didn't mean..." Ky flushed again. "I really do just talk too much. I'm sorry."
"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]
(Just edited that!! Completely forgot for a second cuz I was thinking about Gaius's siblings. Aw beans I feel bad now.)
(He's off somewhere else because the servant told hin the king's here, he's working up the nerve to go to the sitting room to socialize)
"No, no!" Sara shook her head. "Gaius, see what you did?" "It was meant in good humor," Gaius assured Ky, looping his arm through Sara's in embarrassment. "I had no intention of distressing you. My apologies, Ky." Damn him, he had overstepped. This was why he never made jokes. Even half jokes like that one were risky at best.
"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
(aha aww it's all good I legit noticed because I was thinking of having Ky compromise that Zander was the only uncle on her mother's side, then remembered Wick haha) (also completely valid, seems the king is gonna be a dick to him >:[ )
"No, it's okay!" Ky said quickly, flushing a deeper shade of red but forcing a smile. "I don't expect I'll ever see Zander again, but if I do, I'll be sure to tell him he's got some competition for that title now."
Even though Ash was probably right -- Zander would stay her favorite, at least in memory. And she didn't see anything wrong with that. And maybe that was just her being entitled and ungrateful. But she didn't see why she should have to renounce the good in her birth family just to fit in with her new family.
"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 honestly don't know how Harold would react. He'd definitely be uncomfortable but not openly hostile.)
"He isn't dead, is he?" Gaius's brow furrowed. "It's possible you'll see him again, if not."
"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
"Perhaps," Ky agreed with a nod. She wasn't going to hold her breath on that one, though. "I'd certainly like to see him again. But he very well could be dead, for all I know. I don't have any idea where to find him, and he doesn't know where I am, either. Just doesn't seem likely."
"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 does pass really well though so it could be that Harold just doesn't notice. We'll see)
"I could try to help, if you like," he offered. "I have an extensive network of informants across this continent, and one or two contact on the others as well. I could track him down within a year, I'd wager."
"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, I wouldn't want to impose," Ky said quickly, shaking her head slightly. She hesitated a long moment, having a hard time trying to squash the hope that'd sprung up at that offer. Zander was gone. He just was. She needed to accept that. "... it would be nice to see him again, though. If it were possible."
"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]
