Poetry was his main one, but he couldn’t admit that to Rickard. Obviously. So, “I like horseback riding. And training. But I classify that more as work than a hobby — albeit it work I enjoy.”
"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]
"Training with weapons?" He raised an eyebrow. "Does Lord Ash let you do that here?"
"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
“I haven’t asked.” Pratik shook his head. “Not super interested while I’m here.”
"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]
"It's good to keep in practice," he pointed out. "But I'm not sure he'd let you."
"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
“Agreed,” Pratik said with a nod. “Besides. There’s little to be gained from it. I either look like a cocky asshole — which, I mean, is my default, but not great for working relationships. Or I lose and my credibility is undermined. Not worth it. I’m happy with conditioning for now.”
"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]
"I hear Ky is supposed to be training soon," he mused. "I bet you'd be a good trainer."
"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
“Oh yeah?” Pratik smiled, considering. “Huh. I’d like that… but she’d probably rather die then have me as a trainer.”
"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 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
“Well… actually, maybe not now. I think I’m winning her over. But she was wary of me when she first got here, and understandably so. She’d just had assassins come after her. I was the best assassin on Aleth’s payroll and that’s the only context she’d known me in. It makes sense she’d be scared of me, even though I’d never dream of hurting her.”
"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]
"Ahh." He nodded slowly. "You...worked for him, then? Her abuser?"
"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
“I didn’t know she was a slave,” he said defensively. “They both claimed she was an employee.”
"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 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
He sighed. “Happy enough it didn’t set off any alarm bells… I wish it would have. I feel terrible I didn’t rescue her from him — if I’d known, I would have. You know I would have.”
"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]
Rickard was quiet for a moment. "I know," he said finally. "I don't think you have to blame yourself; some masters try hard to make their slaves appear unbothered, for many reasons. This Aleth sounds like one of those. You're probably just one of many who didn't know to look closer."
"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
“Yeah.” He cringed. “And she’s always so sweet. I never thought anything of it, beyond being confused that she’d want to work for someone like him. But. Well. It’s not my place to tell people who to work for.”
"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 most important service rendered by the press and the magazines is that of educating people to approach printed matter with distrust. — Samuel Butler
