Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 5)

"I'd love to decide for you both," Anneke added, sighing. "I'd like to keep you both here where I can see you and make sure you're alright. But I understand why you want to go, Ky. And I understand why Tomhas wants you to go."

Ky nodded, guilt bubbling up in her. Well, what was she supposed to do here, if her father wanted her to go and her mother didn't? She wanted to please them both, and a difference in opinion meant that was impossible. And she'd still rather stay here -- where she had a family and familiarity and comfort. But she steeled her resolve. She'd decided to go because that was what was safest for everyone.

"I'll miss you both terribly," she murmured, then glanced at Anneliese. "All three of you, if you decide to stay here." She looked back at Anneke. "And the kids, too."

"We'll see you again in a few months." Anneke forced a smile. "But we'll save goodbyes for three days from now, yes?"

"For sure," Ky nodded. She certainly didn't want to do them twice -- once was going to be hard enough. She'd need to brace herself before then. Lyra deserved her -- their -- parents' emotional energy more than she did. And Anneliese doubly so. She'd need to be stoic. "... I wonder how Zander is going to take this."

"He seems a reasonable sort," Anneke mused. "Hopefully he'll be alright with it, but in the end it isn't really his choice."

Ky nodded. "That's true."

She just hoped he wouldn't make her feel guilty about it. She wasn't sure she'd have the resolve to go if both Anneke and Zander wanted her to stay here. Especially given the rest of her siblings -- and conceivably Lyra too -- were staying here along with her parents. It'd be too much.

Tomhas was on the lookout for Zander. He guessed he would be outside or in the library, perhaps.

Zander had spent the entirety of the three days from the attack agitated. Well, at least uneasy. His sheer anxiety had waned after a day or two as Ky assured him that she was fine and felt okay and wasn't too badly shaken by it all. She seemed unsettled by it still, sure, and depressed. Far less talkative than usual, though he heard that wasn't uncommon for her these days. But if she said she was fine, he was going to believe her.

He also was going to exact his revenge. He hadn't had time to interrogate Nyler or Jaerek -- at least, he hadn't had the presence of mind to think about it in the moment. If he could do it over, he'd drag Nyler off Ky and have a good ol' heart-to-heart with the bastard before he killed him.

But it was too late for that now.

So now he was in the library scouring it for any books or maps of the North that may be helpful for him to memorize before he set out again.

Tomhas checked outside, then eventually reached the library. He looked around, then began to walk through the shelves in search of Zander.

Zander had meant to take the books back to a chair to read them, but he'd taken several off the shelves to skim them, and eventually got so distracted by them that he'd sat down in the middle of the aisle. He now sat on the floor with five different books cracked open in a semi-circle around him, with a sixth in his hands.

Tomhas stopped abruptly as he nearly tripped over Zander. "Oh! Hello, there!"

Zander looked up as Tomhas suddenly appeared next to him. It was at that moment that he realized how ridiculous he looked -- spread across the floor like a child scattering blocks. Only he was a grown man, and had just been discovered by the Lord of the Keep himself.

"Hi." He stood swiftly, snapping the book in his hands closed as he did. He briefly considered offering an explanation, but instead offered, "How are you today?"

Tomhas chuckled weakly. "Heh, oh, you know. Could be better. I was actually looking for you; I need to talk to you about Ky."

Well, that didn't sound promising. Had she taken a turn for the worse? That would surprise him. She should be out of the woods by now, given the nature of her injury. But what else could it be? Had Tomhas changed his mind and now wanted him to take Ky with him? Hopefully not. It'd be much harder to protect her now that he knew literal assassins were after her. Still, he'd make it work if he had to. Ky's well-being was the only thing that mattered. "Oh?"

"My brother and I were talking. And I was talking with my wife, and he was talking with his. And we talked to Ky as well, and to our children, and Ky thinks she might be safer at Serpent Keep. I'd like to send her there for a few months while we locate the assassins and anyone who might try to do her harm, just so she's secure. I figured since you're her uncle I ought to talk to you about it as well."