(That would be good! I'm a bit pressed for time this week; would you mind writing up a post? We can plan a bit further beforehand if you want)
"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
(Sure thing! Are we good with an awkward break here and just do an intro post for Serpent Keep?)
"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
Ash seemed an equal mix of terrifying, austere, and dull from all accounts she'd heard of him. Walking around with a stick the size of his cane up his ass. But by the time they'd made their way from the Barrasters' to to the Ashes' she was ready to be back inside and in the warmth once again.
She'd decided she liked the Barrasters well enough. Ewan seemed genuinely kind, and held his mothers in high enough regard Rana figured they must be much the same, although they continued to intimidate her. Perhaps in a different life, with a different father breathing down her neck, she may have had less anxiety around them. But, that wasn't in the cards for her this visit at least.
Rana peered out the window as they paused at the gates, eyes widening as she realized there was a corpse hanging off the wall. What the actual fuck? She leaned back in her seat, cheeks flushing a little. This was going to be rough. Gods.
(Did we have a subplot of her father trying to marry her off on this visit, yeah? Like to Ewan or Tarr... anyone else?)
"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 think so? Tarr and Ewan, right? Ewan and his moms were against it)
Gaius, since making his connection with Froenig, had withdrawn further and further from his family and his work life. Letters had gone unanswered, bids to come to dinner ignored. His ribs grew ever more prominent and his hair grew ever more wild.
Yet he could not seem to find it in himself to feel hungry, nor did it seem to matter. He was wasting away in the mirror and yet he went on as if nothing was happening. Sara and Sera were worried, he knew. But he could not explain what was going on. He'd explored the paths, the possibilities, and determined that it needed to remain a secret for everything to play out as it should.
But gods, the present was dull. He couldn't sit still, he couldn't think straight with all the knowledge pouring in day in and day out. He couldn't focus on a single task without being thrown forward or backward at an alarming rate, and so instead he sat huddled at his desk or in the library staring at a book he had read a thousand times over. All this knowledge, everything he ever wanted to know, and he'd never felt so miserable.
"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 pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders, trying to erase the gruesome sight from her mind's eye. This man must be a brute to think that was a good decoration. But, then, she'd heard he had an impressive library. Perhaps she could disappear in there for the majority of the visit and be forgotten. That would be ideal.
"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]
Bay met them at the gates, and Gowan and Shea stepped out of the carriage.
"Reputations," he said by way of greeting, and bowed low. "It's an honor to have you back with us again. Please be welcome; Lady Ash will greet you inside."
"Only Lady Ash?" Gowan said, brow furrowed.
A shadow passed over the colonel's face, just long enough for Shea to catch it. "Lord Ash will join you when time permits; he's been quite busy since the war began. I will of course see to it that he's notified of your arrival."
"Of course." Gowan seemed placated.
"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 and Lia watched the exchange quietly, standing a safe distance behind their father. Rana noticed that something was off, but she wasn't quite sure what. Whatever it was didn't seem like her business, and she was thrilled that it sounded like she wouldn't have to interact with the Lord of the Keep much, if at all. Ideal.
Lia missed all of that, instead just trying not to cower. This man seemed scary, with his cold, dead eyes. She felt unsettled.
(Narrator: Rana's plan to hide in the library is exactly the wrong place to avoid Gaius lol)
"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]
Bay led them inside. "The servants will see to it your bags are carried up to your rooms," he informed them. "Follow me, please."
"Girls, follow the baggage," Gowan said boredly. "We're going to speak to Lady Ash in private."
"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, Father!" Lia chirped cheerily, immediately turning towards the baggage. The ever-obedient little kiss-up.
Rana simply dipped her head and followed her sister. She didn't particularly love the undertone -- that they were too young, or too stupid, to be involved in that conversation. But, she supposed it wasn't surprising that they were nothing but additional baggage in his eyes anyway. And she was exhausted from the trip and wouldn't turn down the opportunity to relax in her room rather than have to saunter around and make good first impressions.
"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]
Gaius registered their arrival vaguely, a small spark in the massive whirl of knowledge, and supposed he should move from his armchair to greet the ambassadors. He could bring himself to do so, though--a migraine was coming on. He didn't even bother to look ahead to see what the consequences of this action would be. Instead, he remained staring at the page he'd had open for over an hour.
"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 grabbed one of her bags off the floor and started after one of the servants moving one of the smaller chests Father had brought. Lia scuttled after her anxiously.
"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 room Rana and Lia had been placed in was down the hall from Lord Septimus's old room. The door had been closed, but damage from Jerica could still be seen on the outside.
"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
(What did Jerica do again? The damage fully tracks for her character, but I don't remember lol)
The girls exchanged a glance. What in the world had happened there?
Rana glanced ahead of her at the servant carrying the chest. "... Oh dear, what a shame such beautiful woodworking got damaged somehow!"
Indirect comments could sometimes bait gossip, which she hoped for.
(fat chance)
"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 used it as a rage outlet after finding out she and Ky had been lied to)
The servant made eye contact with her before looking away. "Oh, that was the work of a recent guest. We've not had time to repair it."
"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
