Akeno nodded slowly. “…may I ask what she’s like? Miss Ky?”
"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's very timid," Gaius mused. "But polite. She's afraid to speak her mind. She's getting better about it--she had a rough time of it before."
"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
Akeno nodded thoughtfully. “…Hopefully Jer-ica,” pet names was taking it too far. “Can help her with that. She tends to… embolden people. Her confidence is infectious.”
"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 was amazing! Super fun; I found a feminist exhibit about how female artists have been overshadowed and the exhibit demonstrates it with depictions of women in art as well as male artists. Super cool!)
"I certainly hope so. They seem like they'll be good for one another."
"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’s good.” Akeno nodded, contemplating it. “…I think she’ll like having a sister. Quite a lot.”
"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
Akeno nodded, glancing around. “…well… thank you.” He dipped his head. “It was nice to meet you, 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]
"You as well. Have a good day; I expect you'll all be at dinner this time around."
"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]
"The secret is out, so I see no reason to exclude you 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
Akeno grimaced at that but dipped his head. “…thank you.” Levin would send him back to his Aunt’s farm in a heartbeat once he found out about him and Jer. Why would they have told Ash? He didn’t want to have to leave Jerica. But, then, he supposed she had told him — multiple times — not to get attached to her. So this was his own dumb fault for not listening and falling for the one girl in Rhaebaki he shouldn’t. Best to just enjoy their time together now and hope it took a few more weeks to get back South.
"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
Akeno nodded anxiously and stepped backward quickly, taking that as his dismissal. Best to find out what exactly Ash knew from War Lord Ainsley or Jerica to know what he should say… perhaps War Lord Ainsley. He’d need to go find him. He was blushing as he turned away.
"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]
(Did anyone ever explicitly mention that to Gaius?)
Gaius looked back down at his book.
"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
(Nope. Derik made a comment that Jerica was sure to have told Akeno the truth but I don’t think he would have shared why. I just assumed Gaius guessed and Akeno’s angst gave it away haha)
Akeno quickly took his leave deciding to wander a bit until his blood left his face and went back to his brain instead before he looked for anyone.
Rek had settled down in the library long ago reading and finished up a book about ten minutes after Akeno left, then went wandering through the aisles looking for another. Derik had filled him in… enough… to conclude it was best for him to stay out of the way and let Jerica come to him whenever she wanted him again. So best to read so he didn’t have to actually think about the situation. It was very complicated on his emotions and he’d rather not deal with it yet.
"...So... you've never met our parents, either?" Ky asked eventually, voice as small as her body as she curled up on the couch.
Jerica glanced at her, then blushed and glanced away, shaking her head. "...I was led to believe I was orphaned. Derik raised me... you?"
Ky shook her head as well. "I was adopted before, apparently... he never told me."
Jerica sighed and rubbed her face. "Assholes."
Ky furrowed her brow at her, defensive as if she hadn't said something similar a few hours before.
Jerica glanced at her. "...sorry? I guess I didn't know yours."
"It's..." Ky sighed and shook her head. "...I guess I didn't, either. He spent my whole life lying to me."
Jerica nodded in agreement. "How could they possibly think this was okay? Keeping our families from us for fifteen years?"
Ky shook her head in agreement. It was obscene.
"And I bet they weren't going to tell us," Jerica continued, pacing again. "Schlep us off to the village so you and I can't talk to each other. Trying to keep us apart even now."
Ky sighed and shrank more.
"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]
