Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 17)

(Sure! If you wanna give a quick refresher of what'd be inside that'd be helpful ^^)

Kieran walked in, then stopped short, literally gaping at the room, brain refusing to process the sheer enormity. "What?"



"What's the catch?" Jerica asked, shoving the door to the bedroom open and looking around angrily.

Zander had made the mistake of trying to talk to her on the walk up and she was even angrier now than before.

"No catch," Zander said, hanging back. "Ash said do your worst."

"Why?"

"Fuck if I know." He shrugged. "Do you wanna get your aggression out or not?"

(Sure thing)

A genuine grin crossed Gaius's face before he quelled it, and he looked around the library with a contented sigh. "We do have books on animals," he said simply.

(Had to hunt for it a little but here it is!)

The room was mostly empty but had a large four-poster bed and fur blankets, as well as a tapestry on the wall and a chair beside the bed. Thick curtains hung over the single window. A bare desk and wardrobe were also inside.
The fur blankets that Ky had draped over the chair for Gaius was exactly where she'd left it. There was also a bathroom door leading off to the side.

(Thanks!)

Kieran was frozen in place, staring in all directions at once, mouth hanging open.

Derik chuckled, glancing at Gaius. "I think he likes it..."



This felt like a trap. Jerica hesitated.

"I suspect it belongs to someone Ash doesn't care for," Zander said after a moment. "Gods know that man has dirty laundry galore. Maybe it belonged to someone he disliked. I don't know. He said you could, so you can."

"...Not very many smashable things in here," she grunted, striding inside. Less to throw.

"Well if you can't..." Zander prodded, trying to provoke her.

"I didn't say that," she snapped, glaring at him.

"Okay...." Zander shrugged.

"Fuck you." She strode over to the hearth and picked up a fire poker, turning it over in her hand as she surveyed for the room for some low-hanging fruit. It'd be easier if there were trinkets to throw, but she could make due. She walked up to the chair and flicked the blankets off it, then gave it a tentative whack with the fire poker.

It felt good. Better than she'd like to admit. The noise was satisfying and left a gratifying reverberation going through her hands and arm. She gave it another half-hearted thunk.

"Weak!" Zander taunted.

"Fuck you," she spat again, turning this time and hitting the chair, hard. The fabric split, sending a puff of stuffing up through the hole from the impact. That felt good.

She went wild in an instant, hitting it again, and again, and again, getting progressively harder as she did so. Zander stepped back into the hall and closed the door, well out of range of flying debris.

(Get it queen
Septimus is livid)

"Both of you may explore as you wish. Just avoid that shelf." He pointed in the direction of the journals.

Septimus had followed the group out of the office when they left and, upon hearing Gaius's directions, hurried after Jerica. He now stood off to the side where the posture bench had been, giving Jerica a gimlet-eyed stare as she destroyed his remaining belongings.

(lmao big "stop blowing holes in my ship" energy)

"Yes sir." Kieran nodded, finally pulling himself together. "...May I ask where the Rhaebakian books would be?"



Jerica's blows came increasingly faster and stronger. Before long the back of the chair snapped off and she kept beating it until the individual planks fell apart. Stuffing ended up strewn across the floor, tossed about with the wind her swinging iron made with each pass.

She moved to the desk next. This one was harder, but it was still leaving gratifying dents in the wood with each pass and emboldening her to keep going. She eventually got some of the upper shelves knocked off and then ripped the drawers out, turning and throwing them as hard as she could for the posts of the bed.

Her entire body was heaving for breath before long from the intensity and her chest was screaming for air. "Godsdamn son of a bitch--!" She threw another shelf, watching it shatter against the post of the bed. "Weak my motherfucking--!" She threw another, then picked up the two sides that had somehow held together and threw them against the wall. "Ass. Goddamn bastards!"

(I keep picturing anime distress like clutching heads and jumping up and down)

"Follow me." He limped down the middle of the shelves.

Septimus didn't move from his spot for a solid three minutes. Then he huffed and strode out, going in search of Ky.

(hahaha "Kylia Loquitur control your fucking sister")

Kieran followed a respectful distance behind, eyes wide and full of wonder as he tried to take everything in. Derik brought up the rear.



Jerica was still going wild. She turned her attention back on the chair and beat it until both arms fell off, more stuffing flying everywhere. Then she turned her attention on the wardrobe and started beating on it with brute strength paired with strategic angles. Before long she had it sitting off-kilter and weakened enough that it eventually broke apart. She picked up the pieces of that as well and threw them at the wall, screaming at the top of her lungs as she did so.

Her throat felt raw.

Entire body heaving.

She couldn't tell if she felt better or worse.

At the very least, it was a release. And one she probably needed.

Scratch that. One she definitely needed. It made her feel powerful and weak all at once as her body trembled, muscles screaming from the exertion. Her chest was screaming for air. She ran to the window and grabbed the curtain and yanked on it as hard as she could, yanking it down and accidentally hitting herself with the rod as it fell.

"Goddamn motherfucking son-of-a-bitching cunt-ass bastard!" She punctuated each syllable with smacking the curtain rod against the desk until the rod shattered into multiple pieces.

Her tears were starting to bubble up and so she angrily grabbed the curtains again and ripped them. She began systematically shredding them into smaller and smaller pieces as she caught her breath, tears streaming down her face freely.

"Fucking liars." She ripped another piece, angrily rubbing at her face as she choked on some tears. "Don't need those goddamn bastards." She ripped another piece. "Don't need a goddamn fucking person." She picked up a piece of the broken curtain rod and threw it across the room, making it bounce off the chimney. "Motherfuckers." She picked it up again and threw it again. "Fuckers... who fucking needs them." She smashed another drawer. "Not me. Fuck them." She ripped the curtains again. "Fuck 'em... fuck 'em." She coughed on her own snot.


Ky was still asleep in Tomhas's arms.

Tomhas was still anxious and hurting but he was trying to sleep as well.
Septimus found them after about five minutes and stood over Ky, arms crossed.

"Here." Gaius stopped. "Everything from this shelf to the third from the end and...." He paused, looking up. "...Eight from the top."

A bad feeling crossed Ky and she slowly opened her eyes, brow furrowed. She had a headache and felt like shit. She cracked an eye and then started when she saw Septimus looming. "Ff..." She huffed, breathless from the start. "What?"


"... how are they organized?" Kieran asked, a little overwhelmed.


Zander had been waiting in the hall and after he hadn't heard anything for a few minutes he stepped inside. Jerica had collapsed by the foot of the bed, arms wrapped around herself and sobbing quietly. It looked like a warzone had gone in her wake between the shattered bits of wood, sea of stuffing, and shreds of fabric strewn across the entire room.

Zander shut the door after himself and quietly walked across the room and sat down next to her, gently pulling her into his arms. She resisted for half a moment then turned and collapsed against him, sobbing.

"Oh, Jer..." He shushed, pulling her close. "You're okay. I've got you now."

Tomhas jerked out of his daze. "What? What's happening?"
"Tell Gaius to call her off," Septimus said. His feelings was the same as it always was but his voice was icy cold. "Now."

"Animal books would be..." He paced down the row and pointed to four shelves. "Here."

Ky collapsed back against the sofa, exhausted and still laying on Tomhas's arm. She blinked at Septimus. "What?"


Kieran followed him and knelt down next to the shelves. "Thank you!"


Zander held Jerica tightly, letting her cry it out as he offered her sweet nothings in an attempt to comfort her. But mostly just being there. Showing up. Protective.

"What?" Tomhas shifted under her.
"Your sister. She's defacing my room. Get her out."

Gaius dipped his head. "Be careful, please."

Ky shifted to let him get his arm free if he wanted to, taking a moment to process what Septimus had said. "...Jerica?" Obviously Jerica; it obviously wouldn't be Lyra. "What? Why would she be doing that?"


"Yes, sir." Kieran dipped his head and very slowly reached for one of the books, pulling it off the shelf and flipping it open to read the title.

"Because my son." He drew himself up. "My son sent her there."
"Who are you talking to?" Tomhas sat up straight. "Ky? Is it..."

Gaius watched him, then turned and left.

"Well, what do you want me to do about it?" Ky scoffed, sitting up a little straighter herself as she looked at him. "He's Lord, not me." And this was kind of hilarious besides. Though that hadn't fully dawned on her. Yet.


Kieran glanced through a few more book titles, reading slowly.

"Whatcha got?" Derik asked when Kieran took a particularly long time on one.

"Um..." Kieran glanced up from where he was kneeling on the ground. "Un-g..u...lates?"

"Mm?" Derik strode forward and squinted at the word. "Ungulates?"

"...I guess so," Kieran agreed with a nod. "Ungulates: large...hooved... mam...als: biology... and...ec...ology."

"Seem interesting?" Derik asked.

"...Seems difficult," Kieran said.

"Not what I asked," Derik pointed out.

Kieran hesitated, then nodded. "...Yeah, it probably will be."

"Then let's go read it." Derik offered a little smile and nodded for the nearby chairs.