Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 6)

(That implies wish.com has good quality products)

Rickard hesitated, completely aghast at being called a noble's friend. Finally he nodded shyly. "I'd be honored," he said quietly, darting a glanced over at Sera. She gave him an encouraging smile.

(D'aww)

Ky glanced between them with a little smile. She wasn't sure if he wanted it and was too embarrassed to ask, or if she was forcing him to learn something he didn't want to, just because he felt the need to please her. Perhaps she'd ask Sera later, to see if she had a better feel for him. It seemed they'd formed a strong bond.

Zander pretended to be focused on his plate, but smiled, ever so slightly, as he listened to the conversation, being careful not to look over at them. He always felt a certain measure of pride watching his nieces make friends. He never knew why. He supposed it was tangible proof that others liked them as much as he did. That they were capable of taking care of themselves without his intervention.

And, somehow, this was as cute as it'd been when he watched her making friends with people when she was six. Classic Ky: making friends with literally any living creature. Not that Rickard seemed like it'd be a challenge, beyond his anxiety. He seemed like a kind, although deeply broken, man. Zander approved of the blossoming friendship.

"What is she saying?" Ivar prompted, noting Rickard's discomfort. Rickard looked up, giving Ivar a small grin.
"She's teaching me to read in exchange for me teaching her Nortung," he explained.
"Tell her I wish to speak the words of the settlers as well."
"You--you do?" Rickard blinked. "I--of course." He wasn't sure he should ask her for something else, even if it wasn't for him. But he'd try. Switching to Upper Tongue again, he said, "Ivar has expressed an interest in learning Upper Tongue..."

"Oh!" Ky grinned, looking at Ivar with a nod, then back to Rickard. "I'd be happy to... well... I've never actually taught someone a language." Besides herself, but that didn't count. She couldn't very well just thrust a book at him and hope for the best. She knew how to teach reading, but she didn't have the first idea where to start with teaching a new language. "But I'd be happy to try... or, well, you're probably far more apt to teaching him than I am, since you can already speak both, but, um, well... I'm happy to offer a conversation partner," Ky said with another grin and nod, pleased that she was already winning Ivar over.

Rickard dipped his head and relayed this information to Ivar.
"That will do," Ivar said with a nod. "And she will speak with May in my words and settler words as well."
"He'd like to know if you'll be a conversation partner for May as well," Rickard informed her.

“Of course!” Ky grinned at that, too, and glanced at May, wondering if she could speak Nortung as well to know what the plan was. And to see if May wanted to learn, too. She couldn’t teach someone who didn’t want to learn.

(Ivar: you will teach me and May new languages.
Ky: sure thing, I’m happy to help!
Ivar: that is good because it was not, in fact, a question
Haha)
(Ky really out here starting her own school xD teaching four people how to read and two more a new language… Tadaaki and Aashi will probably want Tasia to get in on the language learning, too. But not sure if Tasia would consent to learning anything but Ua’s language haha we shall see)

(Heck yeah I love this)

May had been focused on eating; she seemed to lack any curiosity in anything. Rickard followed Ky's gaze.
"She doesn't talk much," he said with a small sigh. "She lost everything when she was taken."

“I understand,” Ky said, looking back at Rickard. “I’ve only recently started talking again myself.”

Zander felt like a knife twisted in his gut. What kind of a monster had taken away Ky’s impulse to talk? Of all people, she was the one who talked the very most. It hurt to watch how silent she’d been in the infirmary and on the journey here, before she’d resolved to stop sulking. Is that what she was, now? Someone who had to force herself to talk, rather than force herself to shut up? He did glance over at her this time, having an overwhelming impulse to hug her. To protect her. But he didn’t. She didn’t need him.

That hurt worst of all.

She didn't need him. She wanted him. But she’d learned how to rely on herself and to a lesser extent Tadaaki. But not him. She wasn’t honest with him anymore.

Tadaaki also glanced over. He was glad to see Ky coming out of her shell. Finally.

“But that’s okay,” Ky concluded. “In her own time. And I’ll be here for her in silence until then.”

Rickard's respect for Ky grew; he could tell she would be patient, and that was exactly what May needed, and Ua as well. Ivar and Imali seemed more adjusted--Ivar hadn't been a slave for more than a year. He hoped this language teaching session would help May and Ua come out of their shells.

Ky realized she hadn’t addressed Imali yet, and wondered if she knew any of the languages they’d been speaking and had been following along. So she turned towards her next and asked in her language. “And how are you? I don’t think we’ve spoken yet.”

Imali nodded to her, then shook her head and looked to Rickard. Rickard took a deep breath. "She's mute, miss," he told Ky. "She has no tongue."

Ky looked horrified for the briefest moment, before she caught herself and returned to a neutral expression, trying to convey sympathy but not pity. No one liked to be pitied. “I’m sorry to hear that.” It must have been so, so painful for that to happen. Physically, but also emotionally. She couldn’t even imagine. “It’s nice to meet you, all the same.”

Imali dipped her head again, tapping the book Ua was drawing in. Ua handed it to her along with the pencil. Imali wrote out a few glyphs and passed them to Rickard.
"You speak excellent Rhaebaki," he read out in translated Upper Tongue. "It's a pleasure to meet you also."

“Oh, she can write!” Ky said excitedly, grinning, then realized she was talking about Imali rather than to her, and turned her gaze towards her once more. “You can write! That’s good! My reading skills are iffy — though I appreciate the compliment—“ she smiled shyly. “But I’ll learn, so we can be friends, too.”

Learning how to read a new language was far, far easier than learning to speak it. She’d pick up Rhaebaki far faster than she would Nortung. She’d probably be able to get by with reading within the month.

Imali smiled back, reassuringly, and the scars around her lips and on her cheeks crinkled into smiles as well.