Gaius dipped his head, wishing heartboxes had never been mentioned.
"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
Tasia tore into her food eagerly, hoping to get through breakfast as fast as possible so they could get to the heartboxes sooner.
"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 took his sweet time even more so than usual. Tomhas kept his head down.
"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 got through her food quickly, making herself feel ill. She wasn't sure she'd keep it down; but definitely wasn't going to if she marinated in the social anxiety pulsing through this room. "May I be excused? I ate all my food." She gestured at her plate, hoping Tomhas looked.
"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
Oh well. At least he'd acknowledged her; perhaps he'd glance at it eventually. She pushed herself away from the table. "Thank you." Her stomach churned. Perhaps she should go throw up -- would that make her feel better?
"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]
Tomhas dipped his head. Gaius watched her carefully.
"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 put a hand on her stomach despite herself as she turned towards the door and pulled it open, fighting her queasiness with every step. She felt awful. She’d definitely throw up on Michael’s face if he showed up in the hall.
"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 and Lyra glanced at each other again but said nothing.
"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 pulled the door shut behind her and made a beeline for the front door. She needed fresh air. Or shrubs to puke in. Or both.
"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 outside was crisp and snowy; the sky still resembled early dawn due to the shortening days. Only the soldiers were out and about, and they were up on the walls.
"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 stepped to the side of the doors and breathed deeply, focusing on not throwing up. She felt weak and shaky. She leaned against the Keep.
(I’m going exactly nowhere with this I’m out of ideas lol)
"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
"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]
At the end of the meal, Gaius allowed Mattathias and Marcella to usher him and Tasia upstairs so they could show off the heartboxes. Sara agreed to get his, since Tasia had asked, and now he was sitting in the nursery with the expensively carved box nestled in his lap. It was a standard size and decorated with a serpent motif on the border, and the lid of the box depicted a legendary scene from one of the stories about Venr Ash, the first ancestor.
"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
