Ky was quiet for a moment. She hadn’t thought about it that way. She regretted running, now. But she supposed that she had managed to protect herself enough until Tomhas and Zander got there. “… I guess so.”
"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]
"So in my book, you did great. Surviving is all that matters in that situation, and you succeeded fully."
"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 sighed at that. She’d succeeded at putting everyone at prolonged risk is what she’d done. And she wished she could take it back. To have planted her feet and took it straight on. But she couldn’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]
They reached the top of stairs and Ka'Nor started up the second flight. "I do wish the ceremonial participants were allowed to have weapons on them," he mused. "That would have helped, I think, if you and Lord Loquitur were armed."
"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 also clearly didn’t see that her having survived it was a problem, not a fortune. “I wouldn’t have had the courage to use one regardless.” She had been 100% in flight mode.
"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 think you'd have surprised yourself." He smiled slightly. "I see the fight in you when we spar; you've got that spark."
"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 slightly. That spark was going to be the end of them all. Aleth had brought her to the brink of death multiple times in an attempt to extinguish it. She’d thought he succeed. But no. Now it was back. And putting everyone else in danger instead of just her this time. Great.
"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]
They reached the third floor, and Ka'Nor headed towards the infirmary. "Nearly there, now. How are you doing?"
"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’m alive.” She supposed she’d let him attach a value judgment to that statement. It was negative in her eyes, but apparently no one else’s.
"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]
"Sometimes that's all one can pray for." He shouldered open the door of the infirmary. Laura wasn't anywhere to be seen, but Gaius stirred from his half-doze and looked up. "Back so soon?" His brow furrowed as he saw the tiny procession. "What happened? Are you alright?"
"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’m fine,” she said sourly. It felt like she was a magnet and just kept pulling together more and more links of her humiliation.
"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]
"Obviously not." He shifted himself upright as Ka'Nor walked in and set her down on a bed. "Laura's out, but she'll be back in a few minutes." He studied her; the girl looked deeply discouraged and a bit frustrated by her treatment, but he couldn't see anything physically wrong aside from the unnatural pallor.
"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 settled back in the pillows and glanced at the men around her, then furrowed her brow and stared at her knees. There wasn’t any way at all to fix this now.
"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]
Wick glanced between the group. "Do you want me to stick around, Ky?" he asked her, all too aware of Gaius's off-putting nature. Ka'Nor looked to her 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
Ky glanced at them, then looked back at her knees. If she sent them away, she was going to be stuck in here alone with Gaius. If she asked them to stay, then she’d be forced to deal with their attempts of making her feel better. Which she appreciated as a gesture. But she was too exhausted to even pretend to be pleasant company and she didn’t want the guilt of being mean to them and of burdening them hanging over her. She just wished everyone would leave her alone to die. “No.”
"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]
