Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 15)

(Aw poor baby)

She nodded. "She's already berated Gaius; I expect she'll be coming for Tomhas next. I don't think she'll bother you, though."

~~

"Okay." She rested her hand on his shoulder. "Let's sit awhile longer. When you're ready I'll see if Jerica wants to talk."
"Mm." Rickard sighed into her dress, stretching out a little more despite his discomfort.

Ky nodded. Right. She couldn’t. Because Ky would simply lock her door and never come out.

(I also was envisioning D’Ara a bit different way back at the war meeting near the start when Ky said she liked D’Ara. I really like how she’s shaped up as a character but I think Ky has always been scared shitless of her with how rough around the edges she is lol)

(Yeah D'Ara suffers no fools and tells things very plainly)

"She'll be at dinner. We'd like you to be there, too."

(Queen)

Ky wrung her hands anxiously. She couldn’t refuse a direct request. She’d spent all these months begging to be told what to do. She couldn’t just say no now. She nodded hesitantly. Gods.

(Do you think Jerica would go looking for Rickard after her talk with Derik or is she gonna stay in the dorm)

"She'll be nice, I'm sure," Sara said, not sounding too confident. "You haven't upset her. So the worst you'd get is frankness."

(Hmm I think she’ll stay in the dorm because she will have realized what a nightmare of a political mess she thinks she made for Derik and knows that Ash knows she’s not supposed to leave the dorm and will also be gas lighting herself into thinking Rickard hates her. But if Sera or anyone else even vaguely alludes to Jerica going to talk to Rickard she’d do it an an absolute heart beat)

“She’ll recognize me,” Ky said weakly.

(Ok gotcha)

(Sera will definitely come down there in a few minutes and be like heyyyy)

"That's no problem," Sara said, brow furrowed.

(That’s perfect ^^ Jer tries so hard to be good but she’s got the impulse control of a toddler and does what she wants if she’s not actively restraining herself lol so she’d absolutely go with Sera to see Rickard)

“…She’ll recognize me from Aleth.” And it was a massive problem.

A little while later Sera entered the barracks and, with the young soldier's permission, entered the dormitory to look for Jerica.

~~

"What did you do while you were with him?" she asked.

Jerica was back to sitting in her corner with her knees pulled to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. The hilt of her sword was digging into her hip but she was too stubborn to take it off and at this point barely even noticed it. She had bigger problems to worry about. Gods. Her old nanny. How angry Derik was going to be with her.



“We were going to draft up a contract for her.” Ky waved her hand, brushing the question away. The what wasn’t the important part. “But she decided she didn’t like Aleth and chased us off.”

Sera approached her bunk cautiously, studying her. She looked like a temperamental young girl; she'd have to be careful to emphasize Rickard's jumpiness so Jerica didn't misstep. Though perhaps it might be good for both of them to test each other's limits.

~~

"She didn't like Aleth," Sara noted. "But what did she think of you?"

Jerica had her eyes closed but could sense a presence approaching her and opened her eyes to look. She swallowed when she saw Rickard’s friend. The woman hadn’t seemed like she liked her at all. She probably thought Jerica was a monster. Everyone did, and here they’d all just found out that Jerica had owned her nanny. What a horrifying thing to uncover.

She stood up, slow and deliberate so that she wouldn’t startle the woman. Was she here for Jerica? Seemed like it. Was she in trouble? Probably. Maybe Ash wanted an apology for her causing drama in his halls. Or maybe this woman wanted an apology for upsetting Rickard. She didn’t know what else it would be. “…hello.”

~~

“She thought I wanted to be with him,” Ky said miserably, rubbing her face. “She thinks I’m as bad as he is.”

"Hello." Sera dipped her head. "You're Jerica, right? My name is Sera."

~~

"Well, we'll correct her on that, right?"

“Nice to meet you.” Jerica dipped her head hesitantly, offering a hand to shake. What was she doing here?


“I don’t think she’s planning on being corrected while she’s here.” Ky started pacing again. Why couldn’t Sara just let her off the hook?

Sera shook the proffered hand. "Nice to meet you as well." She paused. "Rickard tells me you two knew each other back in Rhaebaki."


"She's willing to accept when she's in the wrong," Sara promised. "And if she's rude to you we'll give you permission to leave, alright?"