Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 9)

WARNING: TW for extreme child abuse, violence, implied sexual content.

Spoiler

Many pages were torn out here.
19th Day of Spring, 358
Took Gaius to the brothel a few days ago. Father said we ought to get out to the village more so that's where we went. Gaius didn't fancy the four girls I got for us and they didn't want to go at it with a boy of fifteen. I took the four into a room and left Gaius outside. Finished with them. The dame will complain to my father I'm sure but they didn't want Gaius and nobody says no to me.
Dealt with Gaius. I've been starving an old boar hog for a few days trying to think of something to do with it. Me and Lorry figured it out together.
I grabbed Gaius from his room after Father and Mother were asleep and gagged him, carried him down to a cellar where I put the pig too. Smeared him head to toe in pig slop after I ripped off his clothes and then I shoved him in, told him the boar was in heat and this was what he got for refusing two beautiful women. The pig was just hungry of course but Gaius didn't know that.
Locked him in there for the whole night and most of the day; Father didn't find out til Lorry broke and told. I'll punish Lorry for that later but point is, Father was furious. Gaius only got a few bites--too bad. But Father slit the boar's throat and then beat me unconscious. It was worth it and Gaius hasn't spoken a single word since. He looks afraid of me the way he used to when he was little.
I can't move my arm quite right after the beating so forgive the handwriting, or don't. Enjoy reliving this, Father?

Love,
Michael

Fifteen.

How old she was.

No wonder Gaius was the way he was. Her abuse had already ended. Three years. Gaius had had it for fifteen — and then got mauled by a hog.

What the actual fuck was wrong with Michael and their father. If he didn’t condone of Michael being a fucking psychopath, why not have him watched? Restrained? Rather than just waiting around for his precious little psychopath to nearly kill his other children again and again and again and do nothing about it but abuse him in turn?

Gaius rounded the corner toward her.

(Oh fuck oh fuck)

Ky saw her life flash before her eyes. She should have stopped when she’d wanted to. Fuck. Fuck. She quickly slid the journal down beside her leg and pulled the book off the edge of the arm, leaving it still propped slightly on top of it so her leg and the book covered the journal.

Deep breaths.

Don’t be suspicious.

There was no guarantee he knew what she was doing.

Play it cool.

Maybe he was just here about the trolls.

Maybe he wasn’t here for her at all.

She looked down at the book and pretended to read it, focusing on metering her breaths and wishing her face didn’t blush with her guilt.

(This sequence of entries is gonna be one of those things I post and then look back on a few years later and have so much shame and confusion hot damn)

Gaius stopped in front of her. He'd had his eyes on her; he'd been looking for her at Marcella's request. He had seen the quick change, the flash of fear in her eyes. What was she reading?
"Hello," he said warily, eyes flicking down toward where she had hidden the book.

(Haha it was a trip holy hell — almost makes me wanna write one for Aleth haha)

“Hello.” She looked up at him, forcing herself to be calm. He didn’t know. He wouldn’t be leading with this if he knew. “How’s the studying going? Learn anything new about the gods and such?”

Maybe if she could get him talking he wouldn’t force her to.

(Oofka
I'm definitely gonna wanna delete this later I feel like George RR Martin in all the worst ways)

"Mostly doing reviewing at the moment." He glanced again at the hidden book. "What have you been up to?"

(Yeahhh it is a bit intense xD But hey now you've fleshed out options and you can pare it down in revisions)

Had he seen her hide it? Probably. Why else would he be looking for it?

No.

No.

She had a book open in her lap. He very well could be looking down to see what she was reading. She didn't need to incriminate herself.

"I, uh, got part of the way through the letter to Tomhas and Anneke... the twins came in and started asking about Rönn and begging to meet him -- I said that was a question for you and Sara, so... heads up, it'll probably be coming soon... if they remember."

(For sure. Definitely not doing anything like that in detail ever again, I feel ill)

"It already came. Marcella told me to look for you as well." He rested both hands on his cane. "Ky."

( <3 )

Her breath caught, but she forced it out and took a new one. She needed to do something about this. She couldn't lie to this man. She needed to get out from under this before he left her without an out. "Did she hide in your office? Mattathias said she may -- but I didn't want to disturb you. Figured you were busy. We were just playing hide and seek."

(Just hoping I don't get tagged or something even though it's 18+)

(Should I go back and edit some parts)

"I know." He was hoping she would just fess up herself so he didn't have to snatch it. He straightened.

(Nah bro... I mean you can if you want, but the only thing off-limits in RPs are smexy times. You broke no rules -- we can get as dark as we like in this as long as we both consent and have it appropriately rated. So, I mean, if you wanna, go for it. Whatever makes you feel better about things -- but you didn't do anything wrong)

Gods, he did know, didn't he?

How could he, though? If Marcella sent him, then, well... she wasn't even in here to know and potentially rat her out. He was here for a different reason. She was imagining things. She needed to keep things going.

...Or she could run away.

It'd be suspicious as fuck.

But Gaius couldn't catch her if she did. They both knew it.

Maybe that'd be better than this conversation if things went as sour as they seemed like they were going to go.

"Has Yra made progress with compiling things?" she asked as a last-ditch attempt. "She seemed excited about it all earlier."

(Blech I just know some kids don't follow the ratings. If you don't think I need to or should then I won't but it's whatever you'd rather since you're a mod and my partner in the rp)

"How about you stop treating me like an idiot?" he said coolly. "Are you reading something you shouldn't?"

(totally up to you, dude! Like if you feel like you should then edit it out. I'm not going to tell you not to. If you want to save it you could always just enspoiler those posts with a specific tw/rating on them. Or you can just cut them. I honestly have no preference whatsoever as a mod or your partner and think you should do whatever you feel most comfortable with. Seems like you're leaning towards editing and I'm good with that if you want to; I'm good if you wanna leave it)

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

He did know

How did he always fucking know?

She blushed from the tips of her ears down to her collar, but forced herself not to break. Even though they both knew she was mere moments away from doing so.

Gods. What was she going to do?

What had she just done?

Should she apologize? Make the run for it? She clearly couldn't deny it. There was nothing stopping him from ripping her decoy away and seeing the truth himself. No point in lying. "I was under the impression I'm allowed to read anything in here."

(Spoiler/tw sounds like a good idea)

"That is true, to a certain extent and depending on when you read something and who you ask. May I ask what it is you seem so set on hiding?"