"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 week and a half later, Tomhas and a bedraggled few guards came riding into Serpent Keep. Most of their supplies appeared to be gone, and Tomhas had grown a bit of a beard on the journey. He and all the guards had wounds of varying degrees. Gaius had been bedridden for the entire time while he recovered from the amputation, and Sera had insisted he eat as much as he could manage to keep his strength 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
Ky had stubbornly settled into sulking. Not even Tadaaki could convince her to leave her room or eat more than a few bites, if she even do consented to eating at all that day. She didn’t realize until it was entirely too late to do anything about it that she’d lost a noticeable amount of weight. Hopefully Tomhas was as oblivious to details as normal so he wouldn’t notice.
She was alerted that he was approaching and made it down to the courtyard shortly after he arrived, though not there to see him the instant he entered it. She had to take a few moments to get herself in the right headspace to act well. To not treat him coldly. He’d just spent two weeks coming to see her. She needed to appreciate that.
She forced her energy up and smiled as she strode towards him. Her smile disappeared instantly when she saw what a state he was in and she stopped walking. He’d been attacked. Gods. This was exactly why he shouldn’t have come.
"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]
Tomhas dismounted when he saw her and, despite the state he was in, hurried to her. "Hey, kiddo!" He wrapped her in a hug immediately. "How are you?" "What happened?" General Xander asked, coming down from the wall.
"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 hugged him tightly as well, but didn’t answer. She wanted an answer to General Xander’s question, too.
"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]
"Two trolls," one of the other guards said, approaching in makeshift crutches. "We started out with a group of ten." They were a group of four now. "They..." He rubbed his beard and looked away. "We need medical attention," he finished. Tomhas was silent.
"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’d chosen to come, and now he was staying. She wouldn’t let him travel again either. Not after that. He was either staying, or she was going with him, or they were going to have to arrest her. There was no other option. She’d ensure that.
"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]
"Best get you all up to the infirmary then," Xander said with a small sigh. "Follow me." "How are you doing?" Tomhas asked Ky again as he straightened.
"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
“Good.” She wrapped her arm around him in the offer of supporting his weight and turned towards the door. “What about you? How badly are you hurt?”
"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 fine, I'm fine. Dislocated my shoulder when one of em threw me against a tree, that's all." He wrapped his arm around her as well, but didn't let her take any of his weight. "How is everybody here? What have you been up to this week?" He was forcing lightheartedness into his voice. "You look like you've lost weight..."
"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
She was having none of it. “A troll threw you against a tree?”
"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 was better than getting crushed." He shrugged and winced. "Can we not talk 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
She let out a pained whimper-groan and looked away. He almost died. Because of 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]
"Hey." He hugged her again. "I'm here, aren't I? I'm alive. And I'm not going anywhere for awhile. Now tell me all the latest gossip!"
"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
She hugged him again, too, even tighter. This was painful. So, so painful. She was so upset with him for coming. And yet she had to be strong for him. “… Gaius cut his leg off.”
"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]
