Talia stopped moving immediately when he said no, then stared at him with wide eyes as he continued talking, subconsciously wrapping her fingers around her strap tightly. Young lady from Lytias? Ky--? She shook the thought away. No. Ky was gone. She'd been gone for years. She glanced away, brow worried and face flushing at last. She didn't know what to make of this; she hadn't been faced with this sort of situation before. She slowly slipped her strap back up on her shoulder properly.
"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]
Gaius, sitting tensely in his chair, took another deep breath. "I am offering you freedom and full asylum in Venholm," he continued. "I understand this is a lot to take in, but I need to make this abundantly clear: Nobody here wants to harm you. I intend to free you."
"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
Talia blinked quickly, not at all sure what to say. She glanced over her shoulder, hoping the messenger or Lieutenant Mikaelson had by some miracle come in as well to speak for her, but they hadn't. She glanced at the other girls but they never felt like they knew what to say; they sure as fuck weren't going to be the ones talking now. She glanced back at Gaius with a tiny nod. Was this some sort of roleplay? She didn't understand.
"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 glanced between the girls. They seemed confused and put-off but he wasn't sure they understood. "Do any of you know a girl named Ky Ruiarc?" he asked.
"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
Talia gasped and looked at him immediately. It was Ky? She was... alive, still? Here? How? What did that mean? Where was she? Was she okay?
She realized she absolutely tipped her hand and bit her lip and glanced away, blushing, forcing herself to calm down once again. Her face flushed. "Yes, sir...I know 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]
He sat up straighter. That made things easier, hopefully. "That's fantastic." He nodded encouragingly. "May I have your name, miss?"
"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]
"Talia," he repeated, dipping his head. "I suppose you know who I am already. Ky arrived here a short time ago; she mentioned you'd been taken alongside 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
"She's...here?" Talia glanced around despite herself; she didn't understand.
"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 nodded. "I expect she's in her room or the library." He glanced toward Bay. "Terran, have you sent the others off yet?" "The solders are being shown to the barracks as we speak," Bay said with a nod. "The Lieutenant and the other one have been sent to the fourth floor bedrooms, where they'll remain unless you have another wish." "It would be undiplomatic of me to execute or imprison them," Gaius said with a shrug. "I'll send them on their way tomorrow with a bottle of mead for Makata. One of the cheaper ones, I think."
"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
Talia's heart lurched when he said 'execute' even though he was saying it in terms of not doing it. Kaelan. "M-may I... see them off, sir?" she asked timidly. "If it's not too cheeky? Sir?"
"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]
"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
"Um..." She hesitated, blushing. "One of the soldiers is rather important to me, sir. I'd just like to say goodbye -- I promise I'll be quick."
"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]
Gaius hesitated. "I can have whoever it is brought here, if you wish. I'd like to keep the truth of this exchange in the shadows. But that can be done."
"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
"Yes sir." She dipped her head. "Thank you, sir. His name is Kaelan." She glanced back at the soldier behind them. "The one who stood up." Like a fool.
"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]
