“I only know nine.” She shrugged, giving a self depreciating smile. “Perhaps you can give me some tips sometime on how to pick up some others. I’m sure you’ve had an interesting life to know so many.”
"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]
Rickard glanced up and forced a small smile. "I've had to travel a lot," he replied. "Nine is still a very impressive amount for someone your age."
"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 cringed slightly. Was he a slave? Had she just poked a sore? She hadn’t meant to. “Hopefully you can get some rest here, then. Traveling can be exhausting.”
Especially as a slave. But he knew that all too well, if he 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]
Rickard nodded in agreement. "I'm so grateful to Lord Ash for taking me in...I was an extra, you know. Pratik was kind enough to bring me here."
"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. Definitely a slave, then. She’d be less careless in the future, then. Slaves didn’t like being flattered. And she’d stopped that now, but she couldn’t quite seem to stop the fountain of compliments that spewed from her. But she still would. To make him comfortable. “I’m glad he did.” She offered another small smile.
"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 am I." "Ky, Rickard's from Austraka as well," Sera said. Rickard blinked, surprised.
"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 perked up, grinning enthusiastically. “Really? That’s cool!”
Someone who understood.
“What part?”
"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]
"Um," Rickard glanced awkwardly at the floor and then to Sera, then back to the floor. "I don't know, exactly. I was a nomad, maybe."
"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…” Goddamn it, she fucked up again. He must have been snatched young. “… well… it’s still nice to have another Southerner around.” She glanced at Sera and Gaius. “No offense.”
"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]
"None taken," Gaius assured her. "There are a lot of us here," Rickard said. "An old woman and a little girl, and Ada. All of us saved." His thumbs quickened their circles on the book cover. "I heard you, um...are also saved."
"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, uh…” Damn, word traveled fast. “Yeah. Fairly recently, in fact…” She resisted the urge to say she was indebted to Tomhas. He didn’t like that. “We’re both very lucky, I think, that this family is so kind.”
"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]
Rickard nodded in agreement. "I didn't think I'd be allowed to stay, but Lord Ash is very generous." His eyes flickered to Gaius, afraid for just a moment that if he acknowledged his presence in the room he'd be thrown out.
"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 also glanced at Gaius, not sure what the right move here was. Her gut reaction was a compliment. But Gaius didn’t like those. She didn’t know why, but she didn’t want to upset him all the same. But she also couldn’t not agree without looking like an ungrateful ho. She looked back at Rickard, deciding to risk a, “Very.”
"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]
Rickard was silent, watching Ky as he waited for her to speak again or to leave. It was obvious he was a bit uncomfortable, both with Gaius's presence and the presence of a new face.
"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 was also silent for a moment, the weight of the silence settling over her already. She couldn’t handle it. She considered tapping into Kyber, but she didn’t want to. Not unless Gaius forced it by refusing to make a decision here. She looked up at him.
"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]
