Ky shook her head. “Not unless I had a report… which I haven’t since we got-since we left… Lord Tarr’s. We’ve been together since the beating.”
"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]
"How did that happen?" he asked "I mean...how did you all get so beat up?"
"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
“We had to, to sell the whole escaped slave story.” She shrugged, glancing away. “Aleth did most of it. He finds it fun… and I had it coming. I behaved poorly. But Tarr-Lord Tarr- took the honors of taking it a bit too far. And he thrashed Aleth, too.” And she couldn’t even enjoy it, since she’d taken her beating first and had been tiptoeing back and forth across the line of consciousness when Tadaaki and Aleth got theirs.
"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]
Emery stopped and stared at her. "They did all that to you for fun?" he asked, horrified.
"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-I mean… we had to, for the cover to work. But… they seemed to be enjoying it, yes… which is honestly probably why I got off as easy as I did. Tadaaki said Tarr-Lord Tarr— stopped after I passed out, and Aleth already had me close. Guess it’s less fun when I’m unconscious.” She shrugged. “But I thankfully pass out very easily. So. I got off easy. Only took a few blows from him to push me over the edge.” She glanced down the hall and added quietly. “Which is fortunate. He hits harder than Aleth. It…” she shook her head. “I wish I could have tired him out before he went after Tadaaki but…” she shrugged again. “… I pass out easily.”
"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]
Emery stared at her for another moment, then pulled her into a very gentle but firm hug.
"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 flinched, tensing as he grabbed her. And then she stayed tense for several beats longer as she tried to figure out what he was doing. Was… was he hugging her? Was… she supposed to reciprocate? She couldn’t remember how hugs worked. She hesitantly wrapped her arm around him awkwardly.
"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'm so sorry," he said quietly, sounding as if he were on the verge of tears. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."
"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
“It’s… it’s okay?” She tightened her grasp ever so slightly, feeling the need to comfort him now. She shrugged, awkward against him. “Like I said, I got off easy…est.” It wasn’t actually easy.
"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]
"Nobody should ever, ever have that happen to them." He let go of her, looking embarrassed. "I'm sorry--I should have asked."
"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
“It’s… okay,” she said hesitantly. She was still confused why he cared. She was a spy. Scum. She forced a little smile. “I… appreciate the sympathy?”
"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]
He gave her a heartbroken look and dipped his head. "Gaius will make sure Aleth never sees the light of day again," he promised. "Does he know about this?"
"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… I mean I told him we’re spies. I… assume he inferred…”
"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
“That’s just how he is.” She shrugged. Why was she defending him? Maybe she just would rather defend him than accept sympathy for something she deserved. “I had it coming. I… was bad.” She glanced at Emery and dropped her gaze. “I promise not to be bad here. I’ll behave. I swear it.”
"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]
