Ky hesitated. She hadn’t considered having a toddler around stairs before. At least not a brand new tiny one. Gosh. That was a terrifying thought. She’d need to be extra vigilant. Gotta protect Raina at all costs.
"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 imagine Regulus gives you some trouble as well, eh, Lord Ash?" Harold glanced at Gaius, evidently hoping to extend the olive branch. "Regulus doesn't wander," Gaius said mildly, not taking the bait. "Mattathias and Marcella did, but Regulus just sits and eats."
"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 watched the interaction in silence, closely observing the dynamics. She was glad she’d told Ash. She doubted this was going to change anything, but she didn’t feel guilty like she otherwise would have if she hadn’t.
"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]
"Fair enough. An easy child to care for, then?" "Not in the least." Gaius leaned back. Harold watched him a moment longer, then sighed and let the silence grow. Ana glanced between them, still a bit flustered by the King's presence. Anneliese looked at Ky, raising her eyebrows at 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
Well, it wasn’t open hostility. But he certainly didn’t seem to be actively trying to fix the oopsie Marcella had created.
And if he wasn’t going to try to ease the tension, then she would. That was her job after all. “It’ll be interesting to see what sort of baby and toddler Raina will be.”
"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]
"Indeed!" Ana jumped in. "There are so many different temperaments. She seems very calm, though. Curious, too, which could pose a problem. Very clever, I expect, like all Loquitur children." Gaius nodded in agreement, though he remained silent.
"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
"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]
There was another short stretch of silence, then Mattathias's head popped out from under the couch. "I gotta go," he said, tapping Gaius's boot. "Do you, now." Gaius stood, pushing himself up on his cane. "Well, we've got to fix that. Can I trust the rest of you to make sure Regulus doesn't eat something he shouldn't?"
"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
“Of course!” Ky said with a smile. Here’s hoping one of the other kids wouldn’t say something they shouldn’t while Ash was out of the room. She was getting uneasy about having children in the same room as the king.
"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]
"Excellent." Gaius nodded to her and led Mattathias from the room. Regulus, who had begun to chew on the leg of the couch, watched him go and then burst into tears.
"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
“Hey, buddy,” Ky said soothingly, reaching towards him with the offer of picking him up but making no attempt to actually do so. “It’s okay. He’ll be right back.”
"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]
Regulus got up and toddled over to her. "Up!" He sniffled, nose already running. Ana smiled sympathetically.
"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
“Yeah, there you go,” Ky said with a smile, hefting him up into her lap. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the tiny rag doll she’d stashed there. They’d let her try her hand at sewing and she made a little doll similar to one she’d had as a child. Why? She didn’t know. And why did she carry it around like this? She had even less idea. But it worked out now. “Look at what I have here. Can you say ‘doll’?”
"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]
"Dah!" Regulus reached for the doll immediately, and Oscar looked up. "He's gonna eat it!" he warned.
"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. She let Regulus take the doll from her, but then gently held on to his wrist. “What do you think we should name 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]
