Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 6)

"No, thank you." Emery said quickly. "That's fine. I'll just keep watch like before...if you need."

"Don't we all." Gaius glanced toward the stairs. "Emery won't be taking this well, I think."

“Figured,” Ky said with a little smile. “It’s okay, though. Really! He’s super super nice and he’s going to protect all of us.”


Pratik also glanced towards the stairs and cringed. No. Based on what he knew about Emery — no, no he wouldn’t. “You think he’ll, uh… be able to keep his mouth shut?”

"I heard. You're brave," Emery murmured. "Very brave."

"No doubt about that" Gaius replied. "He likes to talk, but he knows what not to say."

“I mean… not really…” Ky shrugged, mind flicking back to the sheer panic she’d had sprinting from the assassins… and from Aleth… and the way she’d completely collapsed at the slightest prod from Gaius at the meeting… and all the times she sobbed in front of Aleth. The way she didn’t breathe around him for a year straight. The way she’d sobbed when the soldiers took her. She’d been running and sobbing for three years straight now, barely breathing. Hell, she still anxious most moments she was around Gaius, especially when they were alone. She’d folded when he asked about Lyra; folded when Zander asked about Rönn. It wasn’t brave. She just had no choice. “I’d be very scared of him if he wasn’t so nice.”


“That’s good.” Zander nodded. He hesitated. “… you planning to write stories about Marrow Man?”

"But he still does, like....he kills people....and eats them."

"Not stories," Gaius corrected. "A history."

“I mean…” Ky considered for a moment, then nodded. “You’re right. But. Like. I don’t know. The three of them—“ she nodded toward where she’d left the others downstairs. “Obviously don’t eat anyone, but they still kill people. But none of them would hurt either of us… Rönn won’t, either. I know it.”


Zander nodded. “I’d be interested to read it, if you’ve gotten a solid start on it by the time I come back.”

“As would I,” Pratik agreed quickly. “That’s a tale I would love to know.”

"Killing is different from eating," Emery said quietly.

"I'll see if I can write out two extra copies," Gaius said with a wry smile.

Ky considered for a moment, then nodded. “It is… but it’s not like he does it for fun. I can respect hunger over sport.”


“Perfect,” Zander said with a smile. “And I’m sure Ky would be delighted to help, especially if you meet with Rönn alone sometimes and she doesn’t get to hear for herself.”

“And probably even if she does,” Pratik added. “She memorized my every move when I met with Aleth, and doubly so when I met with her when he wasn’t around. She’ll help fill in any details, I’m sure of it.”

"Still." Emery shivered.

Gaius nodded thoughtfully. "I don't want to make a slave out of her. I'll keep it in mind, though."

Ky nodded in agreement. “I know… I walked up on him eating a white bear. It was… unsettling, to say the least.”


They both knew that he meant it colloquially, but it still made them uneasy to have that word used in a sentence referring to her. It’d been what, three months since it’d been true?

Emery looked sick. "Oh..."

(No he absolutely meant an implied "again")

Gaius looked up as Ky and Emery reached the bottom of the stairs. Emery looked even worse than Gaius had expected; his face was pale and sweaty. Gods, had he really been that scared?

(Oh oop hahah — well, good, then, since it made them adequately uneasy xD)

Zander couldn’t help but get a flash of the memory of Ky’s face, immediately after the attack. Was Emery going to lose his shit, too? He supposed he couldn’t blame him if he did. Still. He hoped Gaius was right and that Emery could keep his mouth shut.

"How are you doing there?" Gaius came forward, taking one of the crossbows to relieve him.
"I'm okay." Emery smiled nervously.
Gaius didn't believe that for a second. "Go inside and get yourself a warm cup of tea," he told him. Emery gave a quick nod.

Zander considered trying to give him a reassuring word, but what could he even say in terms of encouragement? He settled for, “thanks for keeping watch. I’m sure it wasn’t pleasant up there by yourself.”

Emery offered him a small nod. "Er...Gaius, what about..."
"I'll see him to bed myself," Gaius assured him. "Or I'll get Pamela to do it."