"Poor guy," he said sympathetically. "What's his story?"
"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
“Born and raised a slave,” Ky said very gently. “He’s older now. Knows every language. Is…” It was not her place to gossip about him and Sera. “Just a gentle soul all around… I’m sure you’ll meet him soon!”
"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 look forward to it, then!" They reached the third floor. "Poor man...I imagine this must be all very strange to him now."
"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 nodded in agreement. She was going to offer that he may be in the infirmary when they got there, but then she would have to explain why she thought that, which also seemed dangerously close to gossip. So instead she settled for, "... he'll learn to relax, I think. Maybe. Some day... hopefully."
"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 sure it'll help to have people who've gone through similar experiences nearby instead of being the odd one out."
"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 couldn't work out if there was something deeper to that comment or if it really was as innocent as it seemed.
Was he saying she should be grateful to be here and around them? Or was he saying she needed to stop being so pissy and help the others more? She supposed either of those were fair statements. She had been sulking almost non-stop since they got here. Before that, even.
But. Well. She'd scarcely emerged from her bedroom at all the past week and a half: not for meals, not for exercise, and certainly not for language lessons. Or swordsmanship. Or reading. Or any of the other things that would actually help her feel better about herself.
She inclined her head. "Probably so. There are a bunch of others, too. May and Ivar, and Imali and Yua. Gaius freed them all from the slaver that took Pratik."
"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]
"Is that the skull up on the wall?" Tomhas asked. "I wondered about that...sounds like he saved a lot of people this time around."
"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. She'd forgotten to notice it and feel sick when she went out to the courtyard like she had every single time she'd gone outside to this point. Finding her father half-dead was a sobering distraction. But. She nodded.
"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]
They reached the third floor. Most of Tomhas's soldiers were nearly to the infirmary. Tomhas himself paused and glanced at Ky. "Let's just go find Gaius now," he suggested. "I don't want to go in there yet."
"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
(behold, all the characters in all of the RPs converge on the third floor)
She furrowed her brow at him. "You're 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," he insisted. "Less hurt than the others. I'm not ready yet." He glanced toward the stairs. "Come on, let's find your uncle."
"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
"Not ready for what?" But she followed his gaze reluctantly. He did seem to be carrying his weight just fine -- not leaning against her at all, really. And capable of conversation.
"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 just don't want to deal with...you know, everything. It's a whole ordeal when you're getting patched up and I'm not feeling like explaining everything right now."
"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 wished she could bottle his hypocrisy and keep it on a shelf for the next time he overreacted about her. But. Well. He was a grown man. Her father, even. The clear authority figure here. Who was she to tell him he had to go get his boo-boo patched up?
So instead she hesitated, then dipped her head.
Perhaps this meant she should fuck off.
She wasn't interested in seeing Gaius. Not while he was in his current state and she was in hers. And especially not with Tomhas between them. That wouldn't end pretty; the temptation would be too great to point out to Gaius how every bit of Tomhas's looking like a tattered ragdoll was his fault.
"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 headed for the stairs. "Are you coming?" he asked, turning to look at her.
"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
