Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 18)

(Most of them will be between 8 and 10 pages but I have two that will be closer to 15.)

(Some very interesting topics though! I'm taking a BUNCH of art history courses and one essay will give me the opportunity to rant about "Saturn Devouring His Children" and "Ivan the Terrible and His Son, Ivan" at the same time.)

"I'm not particularly tired," he admitted. "Mostly anxious and excited. But I should still try to sleep, however briefly."

(haha that's beautiful
but still an oof
best of luck!)

"Okay." She nodded. "...If you're sure... then I can come to your office when I'm done?"

(Thank you!)

"You can," he confirmed. "Don't bother knocking."

She looked stricken. "...W-what?" Like hell was she walking into his office without knocking; was he completely insane?!

"Don't knock," he repeated. "Just come in. If I'm asleep I'll wake up when the door opens."

"...Oh." She nodded stiffly. "...Okay." That sounded horrible; what was he thinking? That sounded like the way to die; walking into a powerful man's office while he was asleep in it. She shook the thought off. She was being absurd. Gaius was nice... well... okay, that might not be a fitting word. But he was reasonable if nothing else. And he'd never hurt her. So... it was fine. This was... fine. It was what he wanted. She could do that.

"Right, then. I'll see you there." He brushed past her and out the door, heading for his room first.

She waited a moment to give him space to get ahead, then hesitantly headed up for the infirmary. She really hated her orders. Would he not also wake up when she knocked? Why did she have to walk in? She swallowed hard and walked quickly, resolving to get done before he could possibly fall asleep.

Gaius reached his room and, leaning on the handle so it wouldn't creak, opened the door. He could see Sara's sleeping form in the bed, as well as two small lumps he presumed to be Mattathias and Marcella. Nightmares, probably. He very carefully walked across the room to his wardrobe and took out a fresh set of clothes, then went about the difficult task of changing without a sound. A soft sigh came from the bed and Marcella turned over in her sleep. Sara's arm found her and drew her close without consciousness. Gaius watched them for a moment. It was too dark to see their faces, but he imagined all three looked perfectly at ease and contented. Just as they should be.

Ky walked up and let herself into the infirmary, taking a moment to check and be sure the room was empty before she walked in, half afraid of walking into something she shouldn't.

He finished dressing and left his clothes in the washbox, then slipped into the bathroom to wash his hands with the water bucket. He finished that fairly quickly and then slipped back out of the bedroom, closing the door softly behind him. He headed for the office.

Ky bandaged her hand quickly and quietly, determined not to wake Sera up. It's not like she hadn't rendered first aid to herself hundreds of times in the past at this point. She wrapped it tightly and then headed back to the library and continued with her bone.

Gaius reached his office and took a wool blanket from the chest beside his desk, wrapping himself in it and settling into his chair. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, letting out a slow breath as he tried to get himself to sleep.

Ky knicked herself again in her haste, but refused to go back to the infirmary a second time. Instead, she wrapped it in the handkerchief and kept carving, forcing herself to slow down a bit. Then she started for his office.

He did manage to get to sleep, but as he slept he began to feel ill--he was fully aware of it even unconscious, and he fought to stir himself. His limbs felt stiff and his throat was constricting, and his head was splitting--it throbbed horribly.