Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 9)

(Sounds good! Straight to meeting? Or do you have something else in mind first?)

(I'm down to skip to the meeting!)

Ky was fairly certain she woke up more times than the total number of minutes she slept. But she still, however tensely and fragmented, got a bit of rest.

Now she was bundled up and ready to go out to meet Rönn, trying to think about what questions she wanted answered. And what she was going to take as a sign that she should leave. If Rönn even hinted towards it, she was gone.

Gaius, Ada, General Xander, and Tale Master Yra were all there as well. Yra was carrying a charcoal pencil and a notebook.
"Are we all ready?" Gaius asked. His energy had not ceased; he had pulled an all-nighter in the library, drunk some tea, forced some toast down, and was now practically vibrating as he stood by the south door. He was dying to talk to Rönn and to see the footprints of the troll, though those would be a bit further into the forest. Xander had insisted on coming both to gauge what he perceived to be an enemy and to keep his Lord safe. Yra was there for recording purposes. Ada, apparently, was curious.

Ky looked at the right proper assembly that had formed. Pratik came strutting up right then, too. Rönn wasn’t going to be happy about having this many people. He didn’t even want to meet Gaius and Zander and Pratik. Much less double that number now. And all at once. In the daylight. Ky hesitated. “Are… we… um… sure? That this.” She gestured. “Is a good, um, idea?”

"We have important questions that may determine the preparation of the Realm for catastrophe," Gaius replied. "This is a necessity." Couldn't she see that?

Why was he being so terse with her? Was he so quick to forget that he himself was an addition to her friendship with Rönn? He didn’t have a right talk to him. And he certainly didn’t have a right make demands of him. “Everyone?” Ky pressed. “He didn’t like meeting the three of you at once. And now you’re doubling that number?”

"If he wants someone to leave, he can say so," Gaius pointed out. "But Yra and Xander are vital at the moment. They will be gathering information."

Ky nodded. It wasn’t going to be her, if anyone left. That much was certain. She wouldn’t be surprised if Gaius tried to make her go away — he clearly thought she was too stupid to be a part of something this important. But she wasn’t going to cave this time. And Rönn would back her on that. She was certain.

Pratik clasped his hands in front of himself. Ky had a point. She usually did. He supposed he just needed to hope that Rönn was okay with all of them. Or that if he wasn’t then he would name who had to leave rather than leaving that up to Gaius — since he and Ada would be at the very top of the list of expendables.

"Ready?" Gaius looked at everyone. Yra and Xander nodded, followed shortly by Ada. He dipped his head and opened the door, stepping through.
Rönn was pacing outside, rubbing at his bracelet again, but he looked up when the group stepped out. His ears flicked in surprise, and his eyes narrowed.
"Why so many?" he asked.
Ada gasped, stopping short as she saw Rönn.
"Forgive me," Gaius said, inclining his head politely. "I have with me a librarian and my general; they were both curious for differing reasons in regards to what you have to say. Ada here was curious to see you," here he gestured to Ada, "and Pratik and Ky are here as well. We can shrink the group if you wish."
Rönn looked between the group, grinding his teeth thoughtfully. "Ky go," he said finally. "What I saying she might not want hear."

“What?” She both felt and looked betrayed. “You’re sending me away?”

"You want hear what I say?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You sleep last night or you stay up thinking about troll that I tell you not to look at but you look anyway?"

He did have a point about her looking when she wasn't supposed to. But. That didn't change anything. And she was glad that she could tell the truth, "I slept! More than the rest of them, probably."

She was probably right, at least between her and Pratik. Pratik slept when he laid down to do so. But he only allowed himself an hour or two -- when he needed a break from Gaius's mania -- before he went back to it. Ky had had a fitful several hours. But had probably managed a bit more than him all the same.

"But you want hear my words still? They worry you, without doubt. They worry you all. And I want hear what Ash find about gods."
"I have much to tell you on that subject," Gaius mused.

(I just realized if Ky runs away then we won't get to do the Sera period thing
I bet we could still fit in her panicking about it during her runaway though if you want)

"I want to hear," she said firmly.

(I thought of that too, but I think? it should still be okay... I was thinking she was PMSing not on it properly, so if she runs away today and gets brought back in a few days, then maybe she could start bleeding at some point in there and then conclude that she somehow injured herself when she was away? When I got periods they bothered me a solid week before I actually started bleeding haha)