She nodded. "Absolutely. He admired your composure when things came out into the open. He understood it was a frightening time for you but he thought the way you kept your head was surprising and showed incredible self control."
"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 blinked again, hesitating for a long moment as she tried to process her surprise. Somehow, it was harder for the praise to register than it would if Lady Constance was rattling off a list of her sins. She already knew all the horrible things about herself. But... Lord Ash admired something about her? That...
Man. She really must be a manipulative rat after all. For him to see through their mission, and yet not be able to see straight through her and see there was nothing admirable about her whatsoever.
"That's... very kind of him..." she managed. "Very generous... to... interpret things... like 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]
"I wasn't there and he didn't give very much detail, but you seem very level-headed, certainly."
"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 was blushing an even deeper shade of crimson, having no idea whatsoever what to do with all of these compliments from nobles. She didn't deserve any of them. "I-I appreciate that, ma'am. Thank you. That's-that's very kind of you as well. I... do try to be. It's... very flattering for you to say so. Thank you."
"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]
"Should I stop?" she asked, amused. "You look about ready to burst, dear."
"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..." She smiled sheepishly, the color creeping up to the tips of her ears and crawling down her neck towards her collar. "Apologies. I just... am taken very off guard. Ma'am. In-in the best way. Very flattered. Thank you." And panicked. But. Well. The last thing she wanted was to seem ungrateful.
"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]
"Sorry." She smiled slightly. "Goodness, Ewan blushes just the same way when he's paid a compliment."
"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 rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. It was hot to the touch. Gods. She probably was positively glowing at this point. "It's... an unfortunate tell. Can't break it for the life of me." She smiled, also sheepish.
"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]
"Who says it needs to be broken? Plenty of people blush."
"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
"True." Ky dipped her head quickly, afraid she was accidentally offending her. She offered another sheepish smile. "Makes it hard to hide what you're feeling, though."
"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]
"Fair enough." She nodded. "I hadn't thought of that in a different context. You're among friends now, though--blush all you like!"
"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 was good that she'd given her permission, because that made Ky blush even more. Who was she, to be getting praised by nobles? No one, that's who. A manipulative little rat tricking them all. Had she finally transcended? Out-conned Aleth at last? Convinced everyone that he was the villain while she hid here in plain sight. Terrible.
She ducked her head, still feeling sheepish and giving a little, embarrassed smile.
"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]
(What Ky needs is some well adjusted non-traumatized fully adult people in her life)
Constance sat in comfortable silence, gazing around at the bookshelves.
"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 brushed her fingertips across the cover of the book in her lap, focusing on un-blushing. What could she even say now? It’d just sound like she was digging for compliments if she continued the conversation. But how did you move on from something like 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]
"May I ask how Gaius is dealing with Aleth?" she asked after a moment.
"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
