She glanced at Helge, who gave her a little nod. She huffed and turned back to Ky. "...I wanted to see how Lyra's doing."
"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
"Lyra?" Ky blinked, surprised that that's who she was asking about. What did Lyra have to do with anything? "She's fine... why?"
"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 shrugged. "I gave Tomhas a tongue whipping the other day but I didn't get to talk to her properly."
"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
"Yeah." Ky buried her free hand in her pocket, glancing away sourly. She certainly did. Threw her father into a deep spiral. Good going.
Jerica glanced between them, surprised by the ice coming off Ky now. She straightened slightly, trying to determine if she needed to interfere, though she didn't, yet.
"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]
"Anyway." She gave a curt nod. "Sorry to bother you."
"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
"It's fine." Ky shrugged, glancing at her and away again. "...I'm not the one who deserves the apology."
What came over her? She regretted saying it immediately and blushed, glancing at the door as she had an impulse to sprint. She needed to stop hanging around Jerica so much -- she was getting too bold, backed by her sister's confidence.
Jerica watched her sister in silence, but was absolutely emanating silent support, not quite sure what Ky's relationship with this woman was or what had happened but ready to back her no matter what. Had she come and yelled at Tomhas like she'd promised? Is that why he was sulking these days? She didn't know.
"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]
Viol's face flushed, but not in shame. She opened her mouth to retort, and Helge cut her off. "Tomhas doesn't deserve an apology," he said firmly. "I'm sorry to you, Ky, but what he did....maybe Viol could have handled it more quietly...less yelling, but he needed to be told what's what. You can't do something like that."
"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 blushed a bit more, glancing way up at the big man. She was angry. But she didn't have the courage to say anything else so she glanced away.
Jerica looked between them, confused. "What happened?"
"Nothing." Ky turned to leave. "C'mon."
Jerica caught her arm, stopping her. "It's not 'nothing' -- if you've got something to say, say it."
"It's fine." Ky shook her head, taking another step backward, desperately wanting to run 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]
Viol and Helge made no move to follow, though Viol was still looking tense and very angry.
"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
Jerica positioned herself more fully between Ky and the others, though she didn't let go. "Don't run away. They won't hurt you. I guarantee it."
Ky blushed profusely and dropped her gaze, but stopped trying to pull away. She knew Jerica was much stronger than her and she'd only look foolish if she kept trying.
"You're clearly not okay with whatever she did," Jerica said, glancing at Viol and then back at Ky. "Say why. You have just as much right to an opinion as anyone."
Ky was quiet for a long moment, then glanced up hesitantly, face burning. "The Reeve's son had nothing in it. That... wasn't..." Okay. It wasn't okay at all. And yet she couldn't bring herself to be so bold as to say that.
"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]
Viol softened almost immediately. "Oh." "You brought up--" Helge tugged at his beard. "Oh, Viol..." "I am sorry for that," she muttered. "Genuinely. I shouldn't have mentioned him."
"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 nodded, relaxing ever so slightly. "He's... not okay now." Should she have admitted that? Maybe, maybe not. But if these people were actually his friends, maybe they'd be decent to him and be able to help... at the very least, maybe she'd apologize. She didn't know if that would help or not. "I've... never seen him like this..."
"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]
Helge's brow furrowed. "What happened? What's he like?"
"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
"... quiet," Ky said, blushing. She definitely felt like she shouldn't be admitting this. "... he's not eating, not smiling, not talking. Just... there. Sometimes. But mostly just vanishes."
"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
