(Aaand we're off! I have nothing to add, but unless you do, do you want to have a few interludes along the way or skip straight to the return? I have an interlude or two in mind unless you want to get back to Pratik and the rest, which I absolutely don't mind.)
"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 have no ideas, but I'm down for interludes! That'd give Ky a chance to get her sulkiness out of the way before interacting with Pratik and all the rest)
"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]
(Wonderful! Let's stretch maybe four days into the journey, then.)
Night fell hard and fast at the end of the fourth day of traveling, helped along by gathering clouds and the promise of a snowstorm. One of the soldiers tutted as he looked at the sky and called it "a happening sky," meaning it looked as if something important ought to happen on an evening like this. Gaius couldn't disagree, as he sat warming his hands by one of the campfires. The journey had been far too quiet so far, too solemn. It felt as if there were multiple things hanging over the party like spiders, waiting to drop down. For better or for worse, something wanted to occur under this happening sky.
"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 sulked for four days straight. Zander and Tadaaki had both made attempts to comfort her, but she actively ignored them. The closest she'd come to allowing it was last night at the campfire, she'd leaned into Tadaaki as he wrapped his arm around her.
She didn't know what was wrong with her. She should be over the moon ecstatic to have Zander here. She should be reveling in every last moment they had together because she knew he'd leave, eventually. She didn't know how long he planned to stay at Serpent Keep, but probably not long enough to suit her, so she needed to be enjoying his company on the ride.
But she wasn't. She wasn't enjoying anything about this trip or about being alive in general.
"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]
Somewhere, a wolf howled, followed by another and soon many. It wasn't nearby, but it wasn't far off either. Mattathias whimpered and leaned against his mother, shutting his eyes tightly. "Are they gonna come eat us up, Mama?" he asked her. Sara stroked his head. "No, dear." "Is the Manow Man?" "Marrow Man," Sara corrected. "And no, he's make-believe." Gaius glanced up, frowning. "He couldn't come get you even if he was real," he told Mattathias. "He can't sit at campfires with people. Remember the story?" Mattathias nodded nervously, looking out into the dark.
(The Marrow Man is the Goat Man from the story circle except I changed his name)
"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
A shiver ran up Ky's spine, but she didn't move. She was sitting with her knees pulled to her chest and arms wrapped around them, and hugged herself a bit tighter at the thought.
Maybe she should go 'have to pee' over in the darkness. They'd find her eventually, if she wandered long enough in the darkness. Let the Marrow Man take her. Gods knew she understood him at this point.
"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]
"Isn't he lonely?" Marcella asked, sitting up. "Very." Gaius nodded. "But he's not real," Sara said firmly, giving Gaius a stern look. "No sense telling scary stories about fake monsters when we're all around the fire in the dark. Getting scared doesn't do anybody any good." Gaius shrugged and turned his eyes to the forest, staring into the darkness.
"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
(watch her just sit still if they get attacked xD)
Tasia was whimpering, desperately asking Aashi what the Marrow Man was, and Aashi was trying to shush her and console her without an answer. She hoped no one else would explain it to Tasia, either, but it was hard to say what might happen. She couldn't very well yell at a noble for telling a children's story to her daughter. Even if it was going to result in a sleepless night for both of them.
Tadaaki, however, was watching Ky. Her face was perfectly neutral. Passive. And she stared directly into the fire. He'd seen that gaze many, many times in the past. It always started with disassociation and then moved into self-loathing and thoughts of self-destruction. But her expression was almost identical in all three states, and he couldn't tell where she was tonight.
"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]
"Diner's ready, milord," a soldier said, approaching Gaius. "Two hares as requested." "Excellent. Bring them here, please." Gaius gestured to his group's fire. "I wanna leave some out for the Marrow Man," Marcella said boldly. "You can waste some food, certainly." Sara shook her head. "He isn't real, Marcella. You'll eat some snow here and then go to bed, and in the morning we'll keep riding with full bellies." "But just in case," Marcella prompted.
"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
It'd probably suck to go out by wolf. She wasn't sure if they'd go straight for the throat, or if they'd maul her a bit first. Besides, it was probably too much to hope that they'd come near enough to do her any good.
She closed her eyes, resting her chin on her knees with a quiet sigh.
Zander watched her in concern. She'd been actively trying to stay upbeat after the attack. He'd bought most of the act, but even still, he could tell that there was something on her mind when he came to talk to her. But he thought she'd want to tell him eventually. He'd always been her secret keeper. Her best friend. When had he lost that privilege?
"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]
Gaius had turned his attention to Ky now and was watching her in silence. His children had a morbid fascination with the Marrow Man that he was partially guilty of fostering; their chatter wasn't new to him. Ky, however, looked positively miserable and distracted. Was she thinking of giving up on his challenge?
"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
Gods. Maybe she couldn't do anything for two weeks like she'd claimed. It'd only been four days since they left Caracal Keep and she wasn't sure she could tolerate a single day more. She was already three-quarters of the way through her original agreement of the two-week challenge.
But she didn't fucking care about that anymore.
There was nothing on god's green earth that was worth another moment of this hell. And there was certainly not anything in this frozen fucking miserable hellscape for her to look forward to.
They were far enough from home now. Four days was too far for Tomhas to come see the splatter of blood. And, well, worst-case scenario, if they took her back to bury her rather than just leaving her to the crows, she'd be frozen solid in four-day's time, so there wouldn't be all that much blood to stomach either way.
"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]
(High key wanting her to straight up run off into the night)
The hares arrived and were placed near the fire. Sara leaned forward, taking the knife sticking out of one and cutting off a slice for Mattathias, then another for Marcella, and a smaller bit for Regulus. She passed the knife to Ky.
"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
(ohoho I can make that happen :eyes: ) (oh god, Sara xD why would you arm her hahaha)
Ky reluctantly glanced up and took the knife, looking at it for a long, long moment. This was her chance. This was the universe giving her another opportunity to--
She forced the thought out of her mind. She wouldn't do it in front of them. They deserved that much. Especially the children.
She leaned forward and cut off a tiny sliver of the meat and passed the knife to Tadaaki, who watched her in concerned silence. It wasn't anywhere near enough food for an adult her size. But he supposed he was glad that she was eating anything at all, given how little she'd eaten the past few days.
He cut off pieces for Aashi and Tasia and then himself, then passed the knife to Zander, who cut off some of the meat and handed the knife back to Gaius.
"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]
Gaius dipped his head to Tadaaki and stuck the knife back into the hare. "Come on, Gaius," Sara sighed. Gaius raised his eyebrows at her; he didn't feel like stumbling off into the dark to be sick tonight.
"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
eyes:)
