"No no, they're not directly related. And it's not the nursery proper--that's up near Gaius's room."
"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
"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 secret one." He shrugged. "It's weird, I don't know why it was built and Gaius is still combing the diaries for a mention of it."
"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 grimaced at the mention of the diaries but nodded. "This all seems so spooky. Like something out of a scary story. Corpses. Mirrors. Abandoned nurseries."
"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 chuckled. "You think that now, just wait til you see it for real! This Keep is the weirdest ever."
"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 gestured invitingly at the opening in the wall. She'd been joking about making Tomhas go first; only, she hadn't been. No chance in hell was she going in first. "Let's get to it, then!"
"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 grinned and stepped through. "Mind the step; this one's a bit wacky. Pull the lever behind you when you come through."
"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
"...wait, should we get a lamp?" Ky said, realizing how hard it already was to make him out in the darkness of the tunnel now that he'd taken a few steps.
"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 paused. "Hadn't thought of that. I suppose we should!"
"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 glanced down the hall, sheepishly realizing how very little she knew about this Keep. She'd been here for how long now? And yet the only thing she really knew well was her bedroom. Where would a lamp be easy to acquire? Especially this time of day? Especially without raising suspicion. Secret tunnels would just be boring old tunnels if everyone knew they were going mucking about in them.
"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 the thingy, I'll go grab one." He bounded off, almost immediately slowing to a brisk walk as his shoulder twinged.
"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 furrowed her brow as she watched him go, but did, in fact, close the thingy. Then she leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, trying to work through these wildly complicated emotions.
She wanted to be mad at Tomhas. No. She didn't want to be mad at him -- but she was. That's what the issue was. She was angry. And felt incredibly guilty for it. She didn't want him to feel bad about himself -- and it seemed like Gaius and Sera were intent on making him do so. And. Well.
It was complicated.
Because he'd made some objectively horrible decisions. And she felt like she had justification in being upset at him. But it made her feel bad to make him feel bad. And her compulsive need to un-ruffle feathers and pacify tempers was in hyperdrive now. She couldn't let everyone be against her father. Someone had to be on his side.
And that was a hard side to pick, when she was angry with him.
Why hadn't he just let her go home?
"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 returned a few minutes later with a lit lamp. "We've got a few hours on this," he told her. "So we could explore for awhile!"
"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
"Perfect." She smiled a little. She would be on his side. She'd sworn that she would be. Forever. How ungrateful had she already gotten? She'd been a Loquitur less than two months and was already turning on her savior. What a bitch. No. She'd humble herself. Act as a daughter should and be loyal to her father. She turned to the wall and opened the passage again.
"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 stepped inside. "Let me know if you're feeling like exploring and taking the lead, okay?"
"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
