Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 11)

Lyra dipped her head. "Hope this helped. Do you...have anything else you want to talk about?"

“…I don’t think so… you?”

She shook her head. "Nope."

“Okay…” Ky nodded and took a step backwards. That was that, then.

"See you at dinner." She pulled the door closed.

Ky stood in the hall for a moment. She supposed she did have to go to dinner, didn’t she? Meh. She wandered back to her room, contemplating writing the letters. On the one hand, she wanted to. On the other, that took effort. Hm.

Gaius finished writing the letters and sighed heavily. No putting it off now. He'd get these to the rookery, and then it was time for real.

Ky took a few minutes to settle herself and shake off the pissyness that Lyra had brought out of her, then began writing a letter. Anneke first.


Mother,


Still felt so wrong.

I am very glad to have received your letter today! I miss you all very much and the letters help ever so slightly. It sounds like there have been lots of things going on there as well! I appreciate getting to hear about them : )


Gods. That was juvenile. Why had she added that? She should start over. Purge the immaturity. Her mother deserved better.

(Oh my god Ky)

Gaius had a servant take the letters to the rookery, then limped toward the infirmary. He hadn't eaten all day, on Sera's instruction and without much effort. He felt lightheaded on the short walk there, moreso than usual. He supposed it was so he didn't vomit, but he wasn't sure vomiting would be the biggest problem. He was more worried about fainting; the pain would be unimaginable even with the poppy milk.

(Ky: teenage girl? Never heard of her)(mother mustn’t know I’m a real person)

Ky deliberated for several long moments, then slowly, reluctantly, decided to leave it. Sara and her fucking challenge. She was done with it now. But it still bugged her in the back of her brain. Every time she wanted to be someone respectable.

Rönn is absolutely fantastic. He looks as the stories say. But he’s still far more human than the stories lead us to believe. He’s just a very, very lonely man treated poorly by the gods. He’s going to talk to Builder if/when he wakes up. For now, he’s accompanying Zander to keep him safe until the border.

He’s turned into something of a bodyguard for me somehow. I made him a little bracelet and he kept it. It was really sweet. I’m glad he liked it. But he made me promise to stay inside until he got back. I’m sure he’d make an exception if I were allowed to come home, but otherwise, I’ve been honoring his requests to stay inside until he gets back. So, no need to worry about me! I’m safe and snug here.

"Are you ready?" Sera asked as Gaius entered the infirmary. Sara and Captain Bay were with her, as Gaius had requested.
"No," Gaius replied. "But we might as well get it done."
"That's the spirit." She gestured to a screen. "Get into the clothes back there, please; it's just a shirt and a pair of short trousers. I don't want to get your finery messy."
"Naturally." He went behind the screen, trying to control his shaky breathing.

(Aww got a lil blooming Bay bae bromance)

I didn’t know you’re friends with Captain Bay! That certainly makes him slightly less intimidating. He seems very kind

… until he wasn’t.

but a bit hard to read. But to hear you and Tomhas and Ka’Nor sing his praise makes me more confident, so I think you for that.


Still. She wanted nothing to do with lessons anymore so she certainly wasn’t going to be the one to bring them up. But. Well. If she couldn’t talk her way out of them then she supposed she had her answer of who to pick.

(That bromance been blooming since they moved to that town my dude; they're diehard bros)

Gaius returned, making a conscious effort not to look down at his feet as he sat down on the prepped bed. He knew what he'd see; the right was a twisted mess, gnarled into a nauseating shape. All the way up past the knee, which hadn't healed into the right position in the first place. This made his leg a bit longer than the other. Scars from the only brace he ever wore could still be seen running up and down its length all the way to the upside-down and sideways curled toes.
"Well," Gaius said quietly as Sara came to sit on the other side of the bed, "let's get this overwith. Where's the poppy?"
"Here." Sera handed him the cup, which he downed immediately. "Lie down and take this leather belt into your mouth. Sara's going to hold your hand and Bay will hold you down, alright? I'm going to count down from ten and then start."
Gaius nodded and laid down, taking Sara's hand in his undamaged one. She planted a kiss on his forehead.
"I'm afraid," he murmured.
"I know," she replied, giving his hand a little squeeze. "It'll be alright, love. Sera knows what she's doing, and we won't let anything happen to you." He knew there was fear in his eyes as he took the leather and clamped down on it with his teeth. There was the glint of metal out of the corner of his eye; Sera was holding the saw.
"Ten."

(Damn that’s the most ominous ten I’ve read in my life lol)

Lyra seems to be doing fine as far as I can tell. I’m told Gaius has been trying to spook you so I’m sure you know already, but I’ve been in the mood to spend time in my own company lately. Unfortunately, the consequence of that is being slightly out of the loop, even though I’m here.

I talked to her a few minutes ago, though, and she seems well.

…Enough.

"Nine."
Gaius shut his eyes, well aware that he was shivering, though whether it was from cold or from terror he couldn't tell.
"Eight."
"Get on with it," he snapped around the leather. "Gods, just do it!"
There was a pause. Then his leg was on fire.