Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 19)

(Aw yis ^^
I’m also having to figure out slavery in my world. Cause ick)

“Yay!” Tasia spun around. “You guys hear that? Mr. Gaius said yes!”

(I've made mine not race-based because that's what it was before. It's more of a Viking or Roman-type deal where prisoners of war or people in debt end up as slaves, but they're not brutalized the way people were in Europe and America.
Rickard is also now a free-born translator for a governor but he's still a nervous sweetie)

"Yeah!" The twins hugged their father was well, and Gaius caught his breath.

(Awww! Yes! I approve of those changes SO much go Rickard!! I forgot about him for a hot minute
I think I’m going to keep slavery in Ky’s story but make it outlawed in Jerica’s
I can’t find a way to reconcile her moral compass with not pitching a holy fit over it and she’s not naive enough not to know like I pretended here lol
Derik also wouldn’t be chill with it)

The Ainsleys had made it outside and were approaching. Derik was in the lead and nodded to Sara. “Lady Ash. Thank you for your hospitality to me and my family.”

(That's a good idea; fuck slavery honestly)

Sara dipped her head. "We're glad you were able to reunite with Ky. I hope you have safe travels to Caracal Keep."

(100%!)

“Thank you.” Derik nodded to her and stepped towards Gaius, hand outstretched for a shake. “Lord Ash. I thank you as well.”

Gaius eyed the hand, then reluctantly shook it, keeping as loose a hold as he dared with his left hand. It still hit him, and he managed a tight nod.

There were a million things going on in Derik’s mind. Near the forefront was anxiety that Jerica was about to offend the Ashes and sour the tenuous relationship they’d built the past few weeks. Also uncertainty about whether Gaius would do something stupid the instant they were gone and bring the wrath of The Council down upon them all. He hoped not. Dearly. And then of course concern for Ky and everyone’s safety on the way back.

But it was a brief shake and he moved on, giving Jerica a wary glance.

“It was nice to meet you.” Jerica offered a hand to Sara.

Gods, gods, gods...Gaius inhaled slowly, bracing himself. He needed reinforced gloves, badly.
"You as well." Sara shook her hand with a smile.

(Poor Gaius I actually feel a little bad over this one lmao)

Jerica mirrored the smile and nodded to her, then offered her hand to Gaius and parroted Derick’s words, “thank you for your hospitality to me and my family.”

Jerica’s aura was even more volatile than Ky’s, somehow. It was primarily focused around concern for Ky and their journey and a surprisingly strong sense of duty that it was her job to protect the party and it’d be a personal failing if a single person got a single scratch before they arrived safely at Caracal Keep. Anxiety about running into weird goat man again with flash backs of him pinning her to the tree in the chokehold. Gruesome, gruesome executions she’d done, always circling in the pit of her stomach, guilt grasping at her and pain and fear and remorse. Them prominent in her mind. Fantasies of Strithr. Love. Anguish. Anger. Fear. It was flaming hot, like a furnace out of control.

(Yeahhhh)

Gaius's vision went staticky as they made contact, and he stumbled, gasping in pain. His control over the torrent faltered and those memories were swept away by all the rest of the world.
"Gaius!" Sara's voice and her memories pulled him back as her hands grasped his arm and torso, holding him up. He could feel himself going cross-eyed, and he swayed in her arms for a moment, feeling nauseous and weak.

Jerica gaped, hand still awkwardly extended in front of her as she stared at him. What. The. Fuck? She made no move to help, too stunned by his melodrama.

"Sorry," he managed once the nausea had passed and his mind was beginning to set itself to rights. "Sorry. I think I've forgotten to eat..."
"Gods," Sara sighed, still holding onto him.

He always didn’t eat, though. Jerica looked down at her hand. Had she done something to him? Was Strithr making her do something to people just by touching them? She hoped not. And Sara hadn’t flinched when they shook hands. Maybe it was just men? Or maybe just her left hand? She didn’t feel like that made sense, but, well, something was clearly happening.

Without a second thought she turned towards Derik and planted her left hand on his shoulder. He raised an eyebrow, completely unaware of her thought processes. “…Yes?”

She shook her head, satisfied that it wasn’t that, and glanced back at Gaius. “Are… you okay?”

"I'm fine." He nodded, though he didn't look or feel fine. "I'll have some oatmeal or something later. Sorry."

She furrowed her brow, not buying it. “…Do you want help inside?”