Gaius flexed the fingers of his good hand; they were already losing feeling in the frigid morning air. He'd be glad to get himself in front of a fire. And maybe he'd try to get some soup down; he felt as if he were on the verge of collapse.
"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 finally made eye contact with Zander and instantly regretted it.
Suddenly she was 12 again and in the soldier’s arms. And this was the very last time she looked in Papa’s eyes, forever. Only instead of getting bashed in the head, she had to watch. She wished someone would knock her out. That she didn’t have to return his nod, and watch as he turned his horse towards the gate.
"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]
The gates stopped, now open enough for Zander to ride through. Guards stood on either side, ready to close them once he was out. Emery huffed out a breath of air.
"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
Zander didn’t look back. He couldn’t. He’d lose himself entirely if he looked into her anguished gaze again, and that would do no one any favors for him to start blubbering. She still needed him to be strong.
So he rode through the gates.
Ky stared after him, long after he was out of sight.
"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]
A few seconds after Zander was past the gates, the guards began pushing the gates closed. Gaius sighed softly. Sara looked over at Ky, opened her mouth, then shut it. She glanced at her husband and when he gave no reaction she let go and approached Ky slowly.
"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 kept her gaze on the gates, every bit of her focus on keeping herself from falling apart. On going to the little cabinet in her head she always crawled into when Aleth was being mean. To get numb so she wouldn’t notice the pain so much.
"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]
Sara came to a stop a couple feet away. Gaius watched her. She was probably trying to be present for Ky, if she needed a shoulder to cry on. He suspected Ky wouldn't let herself break down until she was in private.
"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 didn’t notice her for a long moment. But finally she came to and turned towards her numbly, expression completely blank. Should she say something?
"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]
Sara didn't move. She knew whatever she said wouldn't help; Ky already knew she would see her uncle again eventually. Gaius glanced toward the doors of the Keep. "We should move inside," he said quietly.
"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 numbly and obediently took a step towards the Keep. She was probably making this awkward. But she had no capacity to do anything about that. She just needed to do as she was told. And, as Aleth always said, obedience didn’t need her opinion.
"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]
Sara followed along behind her. Emery kept pace with Gaius, who was moving slower than usual. Gaius looked over his shoulder at the gates of the Keep, now shut, and then started up the steps.
"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 walked up to the door and opened it, holding it for everyone. Was she physically numb? Or just emotionally? She didn’t know.
"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]
"Ky, are you okay?" Emery asked her as Gaius and Sara stepped inside.
"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 blinked at him. How was she supposed to answer that? She wasn’t supposed to be asked questions about herself in this state. “… yes, sir.”
"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]
Gaius paused as he heard that, giving her a hard look. Sara nudged him and he huffed. "Ky," he said, trying to sound as inoffensive as possible, "it does you no good to slip back into that routine. If anything it makes things worse. Alright?" She was constipating herself emotionally going around talking like this again. She ought to let herself feel.
"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
