Derik scratched his chin. “I’m not telling them the truth until Zander gets here and can help me…” placate? Comfort? Control? “… with Jerica… I’m not sure what I’ll tell them in the meantime. Will you move our quarters today?”
"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. "It's best to move you before Ky returns. I will organize a meeting between you and Tomhas, though."
"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
“Thank you.” Derik nodded to him. “And I agree… so you’ll be housing us in the village?”
"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]
"That might be best. We should talk to D'Ara, too, if you don't object."
"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]
"We should tell her there are some conflicts of interest that prevent you from staying here and that you would be safer in the village. I'm sure she'll ask questions--do you trust 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
“…I do not,” Derik said after a moment. “It’s not personal; but it is absolutely vital that this information stays completely confidential. As I said before, secrets they aren’t known can’t be shared. I myself stay as ignorant as possible while remaining useful… is there a way we can come up with an excuse that would satisfy her? I think I may tell my kids that you want us to get a first-hand experience with the culture of up here… I recognize that’s weak, but it’s what I’ve got so far. But D’Ara doesn’t need to know about the girls, and I’m not okay with you sharing most of what I told you in this meeting with her or anyone else outside of Zander.”
"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 dipped his head. "She understands confidentiality. If I assert that it's a sensitive subject I expect she'll leave well enough alone."
"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
“Thank you.” Derik nodded to him. He glanced at Sara. “You’re being awfully quiet. Do you have any input?”
"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]
Sara had been looking through the letters Zander had sent, but she looked up when Derik addressed her. "I feel like the less everybody knows, the better," she said. "But Ky and Jerica will have to find out eventually. And what happens then? Are they heirs to this throne? Will they be torn away from what they know?"
"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
(Congrats!! I’ve only been to one but they’re a blast!)(also I just almost literally killed myself with a dryer plug and I’m so shaken up rn haha)
Derik took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “Good questions… I feel like we need Zander here for that conversation. And Tomhas. And the girls.” It was going to be a long, long chat. Or Jerica would throw a tantrum and storm out in two minutes. One of the two. “…and I don’t know. I don’t know which sister each one is… but all four are the eldest children collectively so one of them is, yes. But we’ve not figured out how to get them home yet. If ever. Who’s to say they’d even want to go? This is the life they know.”
"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 expect Ky wouldn't," Gaius mused. Sara nodded. "She's had too much turmoil already. From what I've seen she's content to hang back," she agreed. "We should talk to Tomhas before either of them," Gaius suggested. "He ought to decide what Ky should and shouldn't know, being her father and all."
"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’m a fucking idiot. I have to switch my new dryer from a 4 prong plug to a 3 prong plug. I was like hey I better make sure the three prong plug will fit before I go through all the effort of installing it. And I went over to the plug to line it up and was like ah yup that’ll fit but then my hand slipped and the plug went in the socket barely maybe 1/8th of an inch and there was a huge spark and so I instinctively yanked the plug out and it’s fine but I have no earthly idea how I didn’t get electrocuted. The plug is burnt)
“Mm… he should be part of the conversation with ourselves and Zander, yes,” Derik allowed. “I know we all want what’s best for the girls… well, for Ky, anyhow. And Zander and I with Jer just as much.”
"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]
"Then we'll meet as soon as he and Ky return from the village. Then we'll move 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
“That works.” Derik said with a nod. “I’ll wait in the barracks… or… wherever you’d like, I suppose. Your turf, I’ll abide by your rules. But the child obviously can’t see me or Rek.”
"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 want to shake off the dust of this one-horse town. I want to explore the world. I want to watch TV in a different time zone. I want to visit strange, exotic malls...I want to live, Marge! Won't you let me live? — Homer Simpson
