Ky nodded. “That sounds really neat! I’ve always been interested in black smithing.”
"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]
"Maybe she'll teach you," she suggested. "Ishai's very nice as well, though. I think she's going to be a Librarian one day, but right now she's just the daughter of one of the soldiers. She talks quite a lot."
"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 smiled at that, making a mental note to seek her out. And also to remind herself that Aashi and Tadaaki were here. Even if everyone else in the Keep happened to be somber and boring, she’d still have the two of them. “Being a librarian seems fascinating.”
"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]
Lyra nodded. "I might try to apprentice as one. A library is a good place for someone like me to work, I think."
"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 agree,” Ky said with a nod. “Would you want to do it back home?” It still felt weird to say that. “Or, like, here? Or elsewhere?”
"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]
"Ideally here. Or I suppose abroad, or with the Barrasters." She glanced at Ky. "What are you thinking of 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 don’t know,” Ky admitted with a shrug. “I’d kind of given up on the idea of having a choice in the matter, and don’t quite know what to do with myself now… maybe a librarian. Or the king wants me to come be one of his translators once I’m older, so I guess I’ll have to do that.”
"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]
"Why do you have to? It's an offer, not an order." Lyra started braiding her hair again. "He won't order you to be his translator, Ky. King Harold isn't like that. He's a lot of things, but he isn't power-drunk."
"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
“Oh…” She hesitated. “I didn’t think you could say ‘no’ to a king.” She hesitated. “I’m not used to saying no to anyone.”
"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]
Lyra nodded. "I understand. You just have to get back in practice."
"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 in agreement, then hesitated, thinking back to her childhood. “You know, come to think of it, I didn’t say it much even when I could. Always been a people pleaser I guess, even when my safety didn’t depend on it.”
"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]
"Best to break that habit now that you're a noble," Lyra mused. "My father can never say no; that's his weakness."
"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 wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She couldn’t very well agree without critiquing Tomhas, and obviously she could never do that. But, well, Lyra wasn’t exactly wrong, either. “You think 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]
Lyra nodded. "He's always been afraid of it. It limits his political movements, the way I see it. And makes him do things he regrets."
"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
(In a shocking turn of events, I just woke up instead of still being awake lol — altho you posted at a concerning hour… hope all is well! xP)
Ky nodded. “I understand.” Oh, did she understand. Not that she had a choice with Aleth— saying no made things worse 100% of the time. But she still lived under the crushing guilt of the horrible things he’d made her do this past year. She sighed softly. “It’s a curse.”
"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]
Education is education. We should learn everything and then choose which path to follow. Education is neither Eastern or Western; it is human. — Malala
