"No, that's alright!" Tomhas waved a hand dismissively. "I've got all the spots memorized anyway. If you leave them out, I or a servant will put them back when you've finished."
"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
Zander dipped his head. "I'll clean up after myself, but I appreciate leaving them out for now. Makes it easier to go back to." Zander took a step down the aisle towards the nearest table he'd seen on his way to this aisle.
"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]
"Certainly." Tomhas followed after him. "I do the same thing with my books in my room. They do tend to stack up if I'm not careful, though."
"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
"Hah! No doubt," Zander agreed with a grin. He couldn't fully relate -- he never stayed anywhere long, after he'd been run from his home fifteen years ago. It was too dangerous to sit still. Too dangerous to accumulate belongings. But he certainly felt the temptation to tear all the books off the shelves when he was in a good library -- as this one was.
"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]
Tomhas went to stand by the door to wait for Zander. "I think Ky would really appreciate you coming along, honestly. She seems like she's getting more comfortable around Gaius, but it would still be nice for her to have a more familiar face to turn to."
"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
"Makes sense," Zander said with a nod, setting the books down and going to join Tomhas by the door. "You won't be coming along, then?"
"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'm afraid not." His face fell. "I'm a father, but I'm also a Lord. I've got to oversee my territory."
"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
"Understandable," Zander said, dipping his head as he pushed the door open and held it for Tomhas. "It's an unfortunate reality when work separates us from family. I'm sure she'll miss you."
"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'll certainly miss her. She's a great kid; I'm proud to call her my daughter now." Tomhas stepped through the doorway.
"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
"No doubt," Zander agreed. "Getting the honor of tacking 'Uncle' onto my name was one of the best things to ever happen to me. And I know she absolutely adores you. All of you."
"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'm really glad to hear that." Tomhas smiled slightly. "I kind of entered her life a bit jarringly."
"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..." Zander walked down the hall next to Tomhas, scratching his chin. Ky wouldn't tell him the truth about what she'd been through. He didn't think she was properly lying per se, but it was painfully apparent she was downplaying what had happened and omitting things she shouldn't. He'd been trying to give her a chance to recover before he pushed too, too hard. But now there was a timeline on that. Granted, he didn't know what the timeline was. But it was probably soon. "The impression I'm getting is it was a situation she wanted jarred out of, 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]
Tomhas nodded in agreement, shuddering as Aleth flashed into his mind. "She's a strong girl, to have put up with that for as long as she did. I only wish I'd gotten to her sooner. She's still struggling. She was doing better, you know, before..."
"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
Zander considered him for a moment, nodding gently. He felt like he was missing context -- and he didn't think he'd ever fully understand. What had Ky been like by the time Tomhas had gotten her from Aleth? What had she been like before the attack? He'd had most of the day with her, of course, but she was oozing anxiety and he didn't feel like he was getting an accurate read on her. And he certainly wasn't getting one now.
"It scared me," Zander agreed. "I can't imagine what it was like for her. Even if they hadn't been coming after her -- which they were -- she wasn't built for violence... it's always gotten to her."
He couldn't help but remember the way she'd sobbed the first time she caught him butchering a chicken and realized what was happening. She'd been a child, sure. But that'd been a chicken. And now she had to deal with watching him kill assassins in front of her instead.
"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 that's still true to a certain extent," Tomhas said carefully. "But she's learned a lot. She's had to survive." He took a deep breath. "Even the way she is now is an improvement from how she was when I met her. I'll say that."
"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'll admit the two turtle doves are growing on me, but there are ten birds in this house already and we both know geese are feathered bioweapons of mass destruction. — Silvern
