“Oh… makes sense.” Ky nodded. “I’d also be wary of letting strangers into my home I think, if I had one. It’s reasonable.”
"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]
"Certainly." He kept walking as they reached the stairs. "Especially if you were a high-ranking official, right? Assassins are around every corner, so to speak."
"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 shivered a little. Yes. Yes they were. At least she knew the names of some of the assassins and some of the corners they were sent to. And then she caught what he said. “Wait. He thinks I am an assassin?”
"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]
"More likely he's concerned you're all spies." He shrugged. "We are at war, you know."
"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…” Ky was quiet for a moment, pretending to consider it. “Well, I’d be a terrible spy. I’ve got the memory of a fruit fly and even less courage. But… I guess that’s a reasonable concern, since none of you know me. Yet.”
"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]
"Exactly! So Lord Ash just has to get to know you all, put his mind at ease, and then everything will be fine. He's slow to trust but a great friend once he does trust you. Saved my life once, you know."
"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
“Did he?” she asked curiously. Imagine being the friend of a Lord. And not being a terrible human in the process. She’d never met one of those.
"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 nodded. "I owe him big time, though he insists I don't." He glanced at her. "And I don't mean I showed up at his doors asking for help. He went out of his way to get me out of a very bad situation and brought me back 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
“That’s very kind of him,” she said thoughtfully. Lord Ash was terrifying, but clearly must have humanity to him. Unlike Tarr. If Aleth wouldn’t kill her childhood friends for it, she’d go tell Lord Ash about this whole scheme herself. She had the feeling she’d be on his side. But. Well. That wasn’t an option. She cared about Mr. Myrond far more than she cared about any of the men in this Keep, aside from Tadaaki — it’d be a hard choice between the two of them if it came down to it. “I’m glad he was able to help you. How long have you been 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]
"About ten years. I came here when I was thirteen. Close to your age, right?"
"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’m sixteen,” she said simply. It was irritating that people consistently underestimated her age, though she didn’t let even a hint of that show. It made more sense to her when she was pretending to be a boy — she didn’t have facial hair, obviously. So people assumed she was young. But they all knew she was a girl here — why did they still think she was a child?
"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]
"Close," he said with a shrug. "Three years apart. Though puberty makes a difference, certainly. Were you enslaved very long before 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 waa taken when I was twelve,” Ky said, dipping her head. “It’s felt like an eternity.”
"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 frowned sympathetically. "That's terrible! I'm so sorry to hear that--you've been stuck for quite a long time, then."
"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
“Yes sir.” Ky dipped her head again. “I’m very grateful to be rescued now… hopefully. Feel far more secure than I have in ages already.”
She honestly couldn’t have told you if that was the truth or not. On one hand, she kind of did. She knew when Aleth committed to a role there would be no breaking character, so she wasn’t going to get anything more than perhaps a blow or two in passing. Not any sort of proper punishment.
But, then, at the very same time she was here. As a spy. And all it would take was a single slip up from any of them and they’d all end up with their heads in a basket. But. Well. Perhaps that would be fast at least.
Trade offs.
"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]
A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it. — Roald Dahl
