Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 8)

(We can skip! I'd be good for dinner or after dinner; I dunno that my characters will bother Ky much--Ada might, and Lyra might. And I'm sure Aashi would be entertaining!)

(Haha fair… hmm… Ky probably won’t engage unless she’s addressed directly tbh and will honestly probably be sulky for multiple days. But I’m good with prying her out of it haha whatever works for me)

(You know I’ve been thinking about this more… what do you think about going to breakfast the next morning? Could be fun for her to put on a Kyber persona because she thinks she should and have Gaius be like *squint* liar haha)

(This may be a weird compliment lol but your playlist continues to bring me joy haha I was really upset earlier (an asshole of a cop gave me a *$252* parking ticket)(spoiler: I do not know how I’m going to pay all my bills this month and do not have $252 to pay a bullshit ticket within the two weeks they gave) and was scrolling my Spotify looking for a playlist to cheer me up and saw I had listened to yours and remembered Tomhas’s being soothing and uplifting so I listened to it and felt a lil better — so, well done lol)

(Aw that's so sweet!! I'm glad you're still enjoying it. And I'm sorry that cop gave you such a big ticket! That's some full on bullshit. I hope you get it waived or something? I dunno how tickets work)
(We could absolutely do breakfast! We can shuffle around seating as well if you like.)

(Me either this has never happened to me before but apparently I can go to court to contest it? And then they may or may not waive it or at least reduce it. But either way I don’t have to pay until the trial so that’ll at the very least give me time to save)

Tadaaki had stayed with Ky all afternoon, as he expected. She finally broke down and shed some tears when he encouraged her to let it all out and reminded her that Aleth was guaranteed not to come in and punish her for them. He left briefly to request dinner for them both and warn Aashi it’d be a while. Then came back and forced her to eat half the food and then snuggle up with him again until she fell asleep.

The next morning she was exhausted. But felt strangely clear in the head despite that.

Which meant it was clear that she needed to snap out of her self-pity.

It was clearly worrying Sara. And was an asshole move besides. Sulking. Being a generally unpleasant nuisance. But, unlike other pests, they weren’t allowed to hire anyone to chase her away. So she needed to get her act together.

Which meant Kyber needed to come back. He could function even when she couldn’t. Just tap into the shallow charisma. Focus on getting other people talking about themselves so that she could deflect questions about herself. It was exhausting when she felt this bad. But, well, all she had to do was survive breakfast, then they’d probably let her go do whatever she wanted. Which meant she could sulk then.

Just had to get through breakfast.

She went to the dining hall.

(I have no preference whatsoever who is sitting where — whatever character dynamics you’re feeling!)

(I'm dying for some Aashi annoying someone or chatting with someone chatty, but I'll let you be in control of where your characters are sitting. Gaius and his family will be where they usually are. Sera will be sitting nearby with Rickard there as well, and Ada will probably also be next to Rickard or across from him. Lyra will be sticking near the Ashes. Imali, Ua, Ivar, and May will be scattered around the other places, with Ua and Imali sitting together and Ivar and May sitting together. Emery will be near the end of the table. Did I leave anyone out?)

Gaius awoke early the next morning from a restless and concerning sleep. He'd had a few nightmares, which weren't uncommon except that they were more about finding the Keep completely empty as opposed to his more volatile nightmares. He prepared for the day and then wandered the halls for the two hours before breakfast, at which point he collected the children from a nursemaid and met Sara down in the dining hall. They'd spoken briefly about her talk with Ky; it seemed like she hadn't had much success. The talk with Tadaaki seemed to have proven more fruitful, and Gaius hoped that had helped Ky a bit more.
Ivar and May had just entered when Gaius and his family came in. Gaius dipped his head to the stoic tribesman.
"Good day to you," he said in Nortung. "How do you fare today?"
"I fare well," Ivar replied. "It snowed overnight, and my window was adorned with ice. A pleasant thing to wake to, especially when one can see it from the warmth of a bed."
"Indeed." Gaius nodded. "A fine morning for snowshoeing, I wouldn't doubt."

(Oki hmm so Aashi and Emery? Would anyone else be chatty with her?)

Ky came in as Sara was getting the twins settled in their seats, hesitating just inside the door, no longer certain where she was supposed to sit. Emery wasn’t where he belonged. Zander wasn’t where he belonged. And now she didn’t know where she belonged either.

But she resumed striding towards the table, hoping someone would tell her where to sit. She forced a smile, but it looked far easier than it actually was. “Good morning!”

(Maybe Sara. Sera would be politely conversational and Gaius would have his figurative ears flat against his skull if she talked to him but he would conceivably make polite conversation if she talked to him.)

"Good morning!" Sara looked up and smiled. "How are you today?"
"I know this one," Ivar murmured to Gaius. "The girl taught this phrase to May and myself a few days ago."
"So I'm told." Gaius nodded approvingly.

(Omg I’m sorry I just realized I controlled Sara I wasn’t thinking about it at all my bad — just figured that’s where Ky would look first but sorry)

“Good!” She maintained the smile, but now hesitated by the table. Were they going to force her to ask? “And you?”

(No worries! She'd absolutely be doing that anyway)

"I'm very well, thank you. I'm glad to see you here!" She glanced at Gaius, who nodded in agreement. "Have a seat anywhere; breakfast should be served quite soon."

Ky nodded and looked at the table. That did not, in fact, help. She didn’t move.

Tadaaki and Aashi walked in just then, Tasia holding both of their hands and jumping as they swung her gently as they walked. They set her down when they got to the doorway.

Tasia sprinted across the room the instant her parents let go, launching herself at Ky. “Ky! You’re here!”

“Tasia!” She bent down just in time to catch her, pulling her into a hug. “Good morning!”

“Mornin’! Papa said you were sad all yesterday and had to rest a lot are you still sad today?”

Tadaaki cringed. He hadn’t meant for that to happen. He just didn’t know what else to tell Tasia when she asked five thousand times where Ky was.

Ky hesitated. People were probably listening beyond just Tasia. Did she really want to lie through her teeth? To a child, of all people. So she decided on good old fashioned deflection. She gave Tasia a playful grin and ruffled her head. “Do I look sad to you?”

“Nope! You just look like my friend!”

Ky gave a genuine smile at that, melting a bit as she pulled Tasia in for another hug — this one for herself.

Sara smiled at that. Gaius turned and limped to his place at the head of the table, seating himself delicately.
"How are you?" May asked Tadaaki and Aashi tentatively in Upper Tongue.

“We’re good!” Aashi said with a grin. “It’s a beautiful day already! Can’t wait to see what it holds for us. How are you?”

Tadaaki assessed the seating situation quickly. There were not four seats together at this point, and he felt like he should sit with Ky. So he tapped Aashi’s shoulder and gestured at the end of the table (where Emery would be sitting idk if he’s there or not lol) then he nudged Ky and stepped to the seats to the right of (where Ivar and May would be sitting), nearer the Ash family. She gratefully followed his lead and sat down.

"Good," May replied, looking a little surprised by the other words but catching that final phrase with relief.
Lyra entered at that point and seated herself at her usual spot. She gave Ky a little wave and a small smile.
Rickard and Sera came in next, followed shortly by Ada. The three of them sat down in a small cluster near Sara and the children.

Ky smiled and nodded to Lyra. Her stomach felt so tight. But she turned towards Lyra and asked, “how are you?”

Aashi got Tasia settled with her nearer the end of the table. She entirely forgot May didn’t actually know Upper Tongue and missed the surprise, so she continued, “glad to hear it! Do you have any big plans for today?”