Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 9)

“Well… I’m glad you’re safe.”

Ky nodded. “Me too… I feel very bad about it.”

“Well…” Tadaaki sighed. “You’re not going to do it again, right?”

“Obviously.” Ky scoffed. “I can’t make this right. But I’m going to stop making it worse. Somehow forgiveness makes me feel worse about it than wrath.”

Tadaaki laughed. “That’s because your conscience is even more sensitive than Aleth’s ego, somehow.”

Ky smiled a little.

They both froze as they saw Sera. Was Ky allowed to be out of her room? Were they allowed to be talking about this?

Sera glanced at them as she knocked on Rickard's door. She wasn't doing anything wrong. Mayeb they wouldn't care.
Rickard answered almost immediately, smiling as he saw her and already blushing at the ears. "Hello," he said awkwardly. "What's up?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to take some tea to one of the parlors," she said quietly, returning the smile. "Maybe a game of tafl, too?"
"That would be lovely." He stepped out, glancing very quickly down the hall and tensing when he saw Ky and Tadaaki.

“… hi,” Ky said after a moment when she couldn’t stand the awkwardness anymore.

"Hi." He gave a small wave, glancing nervously at Sera. "Er...how are you?"

Ky also glanced nervously at Sera. “…fine? You?”

"I'm fine." He stood still.

“Great!” She flashed a nervous smile and quickly retreated to her room.

Tadaaki felt even more awkward when she ran. Should he, too, hide? Or… uh…

Damnit. Ky was supposed to handle social situations. Tell him what to do. Not abandon him. He took a step backward towards his door. “Have… a… uh… good day?”

"You as well." Sera dipped her head and headed for the stairs. Rickard followed quickly.

Tadaaki quickly retreated to his room.

“… what is happening, Aaki?” Aashi asked with a sigh.

“… honestly? I have no earthly idea. But. Uh.. I think? Things are okay now?”

"Should they...I mean, shouldn't we be hiding this?" Rickard asked once they were out of earshot. "Won't Lord Ash disapprove?"
"We're adults," Sera pointed out, taking his hand. "Nothing to be ashamed of at all, Rickard."

(I’m still shook that I didn’t see it coming but I ship it so hard)

“Ky did not seem okay,” Aashi said.

“She… had a rough day,” he answered carefully. “Got herself into a very sticky situation. And… somehow… managed to get out of it again. She’s fine. At least. She will be.”

“Why won’t you just tell me the truth?” Aashi huffed. “I’m not a child.”

“She is,” Tadaaki said pointedly, glancing at Tasia before he looked back at his wife. “And given how the whole horsemanship incident went at breakfast, I would prefer to keep Ky’s privacy out of little mouths.”

Aashi looked at Tasia — who was playing with a little wooden block set and ignoring them entirely — and sighed. He was right. He generally was.

“Besides. I don’t tell Ky what you confide in me,” Tadaaki pointed out. “She deserves the same courtesy.”

(I'm so glad I shocked you)

"I just..." He sighed. "I've never done this before. I was never allowed to."
"I know." She squeezed his hand lightly. "I told you I'd help."
"And you are." Rickard glanced at her, smiling slightly. "I'm still bewildered that you're interested in me at all, Sera."

(Haha it was beautiful. I just thought he was like lost puppy like Ky was with Tomhas — but this is so much better it’s adorable <3)

Ky had finally settled down with her heating stone like she was supposed to. She laid tucked under her covers curled around the warm stone, reveling in Sera being right that it made her abdomen feel better.

And also reveling in Sera’s words.

Just a mistake.

Just curiosity.

Just getting disciplined for not asking rather than punished like she deserved.

And yet her other words still hit hard.

Gaius trusted you.

That didn’t seem true at all.

But. Then. Well. Maybe he did. He didn’t have her watched. Let her do as she pleased. Gave her a remarkable amount of freedom in a locked Keep. And what had she done? Gone and ruined that for them both.

For someone who claimed to be trying her hardest, she sure made a decision that hadn’t shown that. She wished she wouldn’t have. Wished she could go back to an hour ago.

"You're a good man, and handsome besides," Sera told him. "Hard not to like a man like that, Rickard."
Rickard blushed again. "I'm not all that. I just...stay out of people's ways. That doesn't make me all that good."

(*gently whacks with newspaper*)

She needed to think of what she was going to say to Gaius. He’d think her disgenuine if she fell all over herself with an apology. That she was doing it out of habit or anxiety rather than an actual promise of reformed behavior. She needed to think of something short and to the point that wouldn’t fall flat.