Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 4)

(hahaha)

"I appreciate that," Zander said with a genuine smile. "Seems I got here right in the nick of time."

Ky was recovering from her embarrassment -- it was too wonderful for Zander to be here to focus on how utterly horrified she was at herself. But it struck her at that moment. This meant she did still have a real family -- well, a birth family, anyway. The Loquiturs were very real.

But could the adoption still happen now? Gods, here she was, causing problems again. The king was here. Had she really wasted everyone's time in coming here, only for Zander to whisk her away?

"Oh... I guess you are my guardian now, aren't you?" Ky said, looking at Zander.

"Nah, I'm your uncle," Zander said, guessing what she was asking. "I'm too flighty to have a kid."

"I'm not a kid."

"No," Zander agreed. Gods knew Ky had probably seen enough horrors to last a lifetime by now. "But I'm also not going to drag someone I love into the mess that is my life."

Ky frowned at him, so many conflicting emotions. Part of her was offended, and maybe a bit hurt, that he didn't want her. That he was underestimating her like this. But the rest of her did want to stay here.

"I mean, if you don't want to stay here, you don't have to." Zander shrugged. "I can take you with me. But I'm just going to find you a different family I trust to watch over you."

"I'm not a child," she huffed, increasingly offended.

"Maybe not, but you're not coming with me, no matter how old you are. My life is dangerous. Yours shouldn't be."

Ky glared at him.

"Is this you asking me to crash the adoption?" Zander asked calmly, raising an eyebrow. "'Cause I can do that."

"No! Of course not. I want to stay here -- I never had to. I like it here."

"Good! Then we're all agreed," Zander said, demeanor brightening as he looked back at Gaius and Tomhas. "I guess we're something of brothers-in-law now, aren't we?"

"Seems so," Tomhas agreed, glancing nervously at Ky. That had been...he didn't know what that had been, but it had spooked him. "Would you look at me, raking in new family members this year! Two new daughters, a sort-of brother, a disgraceful former son in-law and all of his family members."
"And all in the span of three months." Gaius looked Zander up and down, trying to decide how he felt about this man now that they were face to face. He seemed a good sort of person, perhaps a bit jumpy, which he couldn't fault him for at all. Steadfast, as well.

Ky watched Tomhas, horror settling over her. She’d been so ungrateful. She hadn’t meant to.

“I’m sorry,” she said, looking at him earnestly. “I didn’t mean anything by that. I do want to stay here and I lo— care about you all very much. I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to sound so ungrateful. My emotions are just very confused right now.”

"I understand," Tomhas said swiftly, now distressed that he'd upset her. "I completely understand, Ky. I'm not offended at all!" Offended wasn't the right word. "If you need some time, we can postpone..." Gods, he'd rushed this just like he always did. He should have searched for her other family members before claiming her as one of the family. He shouldn't have let her get attached!

“No, it’s okay.” Ky shook her head quickly, chest tight. “I do want this. I wouldn’t have agreed if I didn’t.”

She wished she could take the past two minutes back. Okay, well, the past five. So Ash wouldn’t have heard her talking about him. But, most importantly, she wished she could take back everything she’d just said in front of Tomhas. She’d hurt his feelings. And she hadn’t meant to. Gods, she was the worst.

Zander looked between Ky and Tomhas. He’d created a mess, hadn’t he? Perhaps he should have waited until the adoption was finalized. But, then, he hadn’t known for sure what day it was going to happen. He certainly hadn’t expected it to be today.

He softened, deciding they needed to work things out here before Ky or Tomhas got even more distressed by their own thoughts and assumptions about the others’ feelings. He knew what Ky had meant by that.

“Do you really want me as a papa, or do you just not want me to leave?” Zander asked gently, looking down at her.

She hesitated, face flushing. “I don’t want you to leave.”

“So, let’s say, hypothetically, I accept guardianship of you — and your choices are we both stay here, or you come with me, which would you pick?”

“Staying here, obviously,” Ky said, looking up at him like he was asking a stupid question. “It’s wonderful here. Why would I possibly want to leave?”

“That’s what I’m asking you,” Zander challenged gently.

“I don't want to leave,” she said firmly, digging in her metaphorical heels. “I like having them as my family. Our family.”

Zander nodded. “I like that too… now can you honestly look me in the eyes and say you’d rather come with me than you stay here?”

“…no,” she admitted, dropping her gaze.

“I didn’t think so,” Zander said. “You don’t want me as a guardian, you want me as an uncle. And I promise I’ll come visit you more often — if Tomhas and Anneke will have me?”

He looked up at him.

Tomhas felt the tension leave his shoulders, and he nodded vigorously. "Without a doubt, Zander!" he promised. "Our doors are always open for you, that's a promise. Any family of Ky's is family of ours as well." Gaius nodded in agreement, though he did not extend the same invitation. His home was his sanctuary and the sanctuary of unfortunates, not an inn. Zander would have to prove himself a true friend or at the very least an asset before he found himself welcomed into Serpent Keep.

“I appreciate that!” Zander said with a grin, then looked down at Ky and gave her a squeeze with the arm still wrapped around her shoulders. “You’re a good kid, and you found yourself a good family here.”

“I did.” Ky perked up, grinning up at him before she grinned at Tomhas. She sobered slightly, face warm. “I really did.”

Tomhas smiled back at her, comforted by her affection. "How about we all get in from the cold. I'm sure Zander will want to meet Tadaaki and everybody else, right?"

“Absolutely!” Zander said brightly. He looked down at Ky as he took a step towards the Keep. “Who’s Tadaaki? I don’t believe he was on the list?”

“Aleth owned him, too,” Ky answered.

Zander’s jaw tightened at that. ‘Owned’ ‘too’ — not a goddamn person or god alive owned Ky. He was grateful Tomhas had rescued Ky — but he almost wished he hadn't killed Aleth. Zander didn’t know how slowly he’d died, but he was sure it hadn’t been slow enough. He’d have dragged it out for weeks. See how much he liked ‘owning’ his niece then.

Gaius noted Zander's discomfort with that phrase, and his opinion of the man improved further.
Tomhas opened the doors of the Keep, holding them for each person who passed. "Are you hungry, sir?" he asked Zander. "I can see to it some food and drink be--"
"Food!" Gaius shook his head suddenly. "Dammit, I've got to get to the kitchens. Tomhas have you seen Ana?"
"I think she's already in there."
"I have to go." Gaius dipped his head to Zander. "It was a pleasure to meet you; I'm sure we'll speak further at a later hour."

“You as well,” Zander said quickly, dipping his head to him.

He looked at Ky with a question on his face.

“He and Ms. Ana are making pies for the celebration later,” Ky said with a grin. “I hear they’re quite good.”

Gaius nodded and hurried towards the kitchens, holding back a pained grunt; he'd pulled something for sure on the way down the stairs, but that was a matter for another time. He had pies to bake.

"Then I look forward to trying them," Zander said with a grin. He still had his arm around Ky. They were both vaguely aware that it was reaching an awkward length for an embrace, and yet neither could quite find the will to be the first to pull away. They had three years to make up for. "I've never been to a ceremony like this -- no idea what to expect!"

"It's fairly simple," Tomhas said as he walked. "There are words said, gifts given to Ky, a contract signed--the King himself came! And were you hungry?" He was still a bit anxious, but he was hiding it better now. Ky's revelation had shocked him, as had Gaius's sudden loss of composure at her belief that he could read minds. He had never, never heard his brother laugh that hard or that long in his entire life. He hadn't thought he had it in him. And Zander's presence, though Tomhas was pleased that it made Ky happy, somehow made him feel a bit threatened. He wasn't sure why; he wasn't a possessive person.

(haha he's adorable)

"I mean, I'm always hungry," Zander said. "But I'm not dying from starvation by any means and I'm happy to wait until the next meal. No need to cater to me."