"He does like flowers," she agreed. "But he likes a lot of things."
"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…” she glanced over at the other boxes Sven had brought out.
"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]
One was a light pine box with deer motifs cut completely through to let light into the interior. The other was stained maple with a northern landscape scene etched into the wood to reveal the lighter original color underneath.
"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
“Oh, those are pretty.” Ky was drawn over towards them, eyes lingering on the maple box.
"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're some of my favorites," Sven said humbly. "I don't get a lot of requests for etchings, but I enjoy when I do."
"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
“So those are commissions?” Hm. That complicated things.
"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]
"No, they're meant to be premades. Nobody's claimed them 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
“Oh.” She kept looking at the second one. It was beautiful. Would Tomhas like it? Or should she think up an etching design herself and get it custom? That would be more special, right? If she played a part of the design of the box? “…does the etching take a long time? Like… can you do anything in the wood, too?”
"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]
"It can he a bit more involved depending in how much detail or stylization I'm doing," he replied. "But theoretically I could do anything, yes."
"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 looked at Sera. “What if we got one of the dark boxes with… with… caracals?” That was weak. “Or… what about… do people put peoples names on it? Maybe we could put our names around the edges because I know we are some of what he cares about most, right? Is that a thing? …is that dumb? That’s probably dumb, sorry.”
"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]
"Names don't usually make it on," she mused. "And there's a lot tied up with caracals for Tomhas. But they're good thoughts."
"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
“Hm…” she nodded thoughtfully, considering. She was grateful Sera was here to help. It was less overwhelming this way. “Do you think he’d like this one?” She gestured at the maple box. “Or… I don’t know. Do you think he’d rather it be custom?”
"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]
Sera examined the maple box, nodding slowly to herself. "It's very, very nice," she said finally. "I think a heartbox of any kind will be more than he ever expected to have. But Tomhas has never struck me as extremely attached to the vastness of nature. He loves it, certainly, but it's not something as close to his heart as other things. He likes small things, simple aspects of life and the world around him."
"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 slowly. She was running out of ideas. If not Caracals and his children, then what? She wanted to get him the perfect box she just didn’t know how. “…like what?”
"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]
She thought for a moment. "He's always loved creeks and birds," she said. "Candles, wildflowers, food. Little things, like I said. Something you wouldn't appreciate unless you looked for 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
