Ewan turned abruptly and nearly knocked the ladle into the well, where he'd set it down. "Oh. Hello." That was the last person he wanted to talk to--this was the girl Reputation Gowan seemed very keen to marry off...to him. And he'd bungled that interaction badly enough that his parents were probably cringing in their sleep now. And he was bad with names.
"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
Rana visibly tensed, startled by who had emerged. “Oh, um… um… hello… I… sorry, I didn’t expect to run into you here.” Was she blushing? She felt like she was blushing.
"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]
"I was getting some water." He gestured awkwardly. "Did you need something?"
"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
“I… um… was actually coming down here to ask for some water myself,” she answered, but made no move to approach.
"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]
"Ah, be my guest, then." He stepped to the side. "Er, are all the accommodations to your liking?"
"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
“Yes.” She nodded and hesitantly stepped towards the well. “The room was very comfortable and warm. It was a very nice rest after the journey.”
"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]
"I bet." Ewan glanced toward the door, then decided it wouldn't be proper to leave a guest alone, even if this guest had just become very uncomfortably associated with him via the meddlings of her father. "The mountains bordering the East are a trial to cross. And the weather has been strange of late...odd shapes in the snow and all that. There are reports of trolls wandering through the land."
"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
“And it’s so dry up here.” Rana nodded in agreement with his statement as she got some water. “It feels like the wind sucked all my hydration away. I’ve been perpetually parched since we crossed.”
"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]
Ewan chuckled, relaxing a little. "Yes, it's pretty dry--you know you can drink snow, right? If you melt it in your hands you can get a quick drink."
"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
“Is that safe?” She peered at him curiously. “It seems the same as drinking from a puddle.”
"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]
"Well, there's no mud." He smiled. "So a bit cleaner. And if you're thirsty you make do, right?"
"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
“Fair enough.” Rana sipped at her water and smiled. “This is much better, though. Refreshing.”
"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]
"Isn't it?" He leaned against the wall. "It's from a spring down below here--the water is just above freezing."
"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
“Makes sense. I guess I never really thought of how you’d go about getting water when everything is frozen. Must have been a pain to dig it out.”
"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]
"I guess so." He looked down at the well. "My ancestors weren't really in the habit of keeping records--believe me, I've checked--so I don't really know."
"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
