He nodded. "Certainly." He looked around for moment, then strode toward a pair of young guards to his right. "Creed, Ragnarsdottir, you'll be escorting Lord Tomhas and his daughter to the village. I'll find someone to cover your watch." Both of them nodded to him and saluted. Creed was a woman about twenty years old with curly flaming red hair, freckles, and bright blue eyes. Ragnarsdottir was a tall woman of evident Far Northern ancestry; she was blonde and broad of shoulder, with blue eyes as well and a square jaw. She looked about twenty-two.
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
Wow, she was pretty. Ky blushed a little more, glancing away. And able to protect herself? And them, too? Wow. That was…
She shook her head slightly to clear it.
Falling in love with a fiery-haired soldier on duty felt akin to the men who harassed tavern girls during their shifts. It wasn’t okay. Ky would just… need to acknowledge her. And then ignore her entirely. Pretend like she didn’t exist. That was clearly the only solution here.
"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]
They both approached her and saluted her, too. "Miss," Creed said, standing at attention with her helmet in one hand. "I'm Infantrywoman Violet Creed; this is Infantrywoman Gamla Ragnarsdottir; we're at your and Lord Loquitur's command."
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
Ky stared at her with wide eyes. Everything she did got more and more alarming. Saluting her. Revealing they were the people she was supposed to be training with. Pretending to have to take the orders from her of all people.
…wait… did they have to take orders from her?
Holy shit.
She didn’t like that. Not at all.
“Oh, um, hi!” Ky’s face was as red as Violet’s hair as she smiled anxiously and gave an awkward half-wave. “I’m, um, Ky. It’s nice to meet you.”
There was no chance she’d ever be able to train with this woman. She’d be too distracted by her eyes. And then she’d simply spontaneously combust from sheer humiliation when she got thrashed in front of them. No. It just… no. It was bad enough having to train with Ka’Nor; she’d simply perish if she had to spar with Violet.
"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]
"You as well, miss." She dipped her head. Gamla kept silent; she seemed content to let Violet lead.
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
Ky blushed even more. She needed to get out of here. She didn’t know what she was feeling, but she didn’t like it. It was embarrassing to exist in the same place as her. Ky flashed another anxious smile, taking a step backward. “Um… thank you for um coming with us.” Not that they had much choice. Right. Because this was their literal job. Stay focused. “D…do you want to meet me downstairs in the courtyard in a few minutes? Or, uh, whenever is convenient? No rush! But, um, Tomhas — Lord Loquitur?” Was she supposed to call him that when referring to him to non-family? “And I are um meeting down there, um, soon. But, like, we’re not in a hurry or anything so… um…yeah.”
"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]
(If you google Amybeth McNulty, that's what Violet looks like)
"We can follow along and wait with you if you wish. We'll get our horses ready."
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
(Hah. Yep. I guessed right that Ky would be attracted to her haha beautiful)
“Oh, uh, yeah! Okay!” Ky nodded and took that as her excuse to turn around. Hide her shame. “That works. Um… yeah.” She started back down the wall.
"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]
Gamla and Violet followed, armor clanking as they walked. Both were furnished with warm furs over a set of mail, and they had standard swords at their sides.
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
Ky felt like she should engage them, but was too anxious, so she just ducked her head and sped up instead.
"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]
Tomhas was already down in the courtyard. He waved at them as they approached. "Hey, the stablehands are getting horses for you and me," he told Ky.
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
(Okay sorry for the random tangent but I needed a 500 word post for my bounty and this is what I came up with haha)
“Sounds good!” She smiled, refusing to acknowledge even to herself that the soldiers were still behind her. But then she realized she needed to make introductions. “Um… this is Violet and Gamla. They’re, um, coming with us. And Sera and Rickard are too.”
Ky focused on breathing deeply, desperately willing her blood back down to her body where it belonged and out of her face. She was too pale for this nonsense. Some of it could perhaps be attributed to the cold if someone was feeling generous, but even then, she was sure that she must be being dreadfully obvious with her embarrassment. How would she explain it if someone commented on it?
She couldn’t, that’s how. She obviously couldn’t admit this attraction. That was just embarrassing. And not okay anyhow. There was a power imbalance here — with Ky being on the side of it where it wasn’t okay for her to pursue something like this. No. Not to mention that there was no planet in which Violet would be attracted to her, of all people. This was unreciprocated from the very start. Unbalanced.
Violet was beautiful and could have her pick of men or women, Ky was sure. She didn’t even know which way Violet swung for that matter. But even if she did like women, she wouldn’t like Ky. Violet was gorgeous; Ky was a dog. Awkward and lanky and plain. Hair sticking up in all directions and colored like poop. Mannerisms awkward and annoying. No.
Ky tried to shake it off, but immediately was assaulted by the memory of Laani. Never in her life had Ky experienced anything more confusing than Laani and her older brother Lanyon. The secret friends she’d made on Temple Street before Aleth found out and put a stop to it.
…She missed them.
But it was probably just as well. They both made her feel a certain kind of way, and, worse yet, they were both straight. So Lanyon didn’t like her back because he thought her a man; and whatever Laani might or might not have felt for her as Kyber was moot for the same reason. Not to mention the base of their entire friendship was based on a lie.
And also not to mention it was so confusing to be around both of them at the same time. Laani made Ky feel strong and protective and willing to fight heaven and earth to keep Laani safe and happy. Her laugh was light like rain on the rooftop on a summer afternoon; her smile was warm like fresh baked bread; her eyes were gentle and Ky would rather die than ever see another tear in them as long as they were both alive.
But Lanyon made Ky feel protected rather than like a protector. Not from Aleth of course. But everything else. He exuded a gentle yet strong masculine aura that made Ky want to curl up in its warmth like a kitten laying in the dying rays of a perfect summer day. His broad shoulders and muscular arms made her feel small, yet safe. Like he was as willing to sacrifice himself on her behalf as both of them were willing to sacrifice themselves on Laani’s.
And now here was Violet, being the strong one and the pretty one all at once. It was too much.
558 words
"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]
"Wonderful!" Tomhas nodded to Violet and Gamla. "Pleasure to meet you, soldiers." He offered them his hand to shake. Violet went in right away, pumping his hand up and down. "You too, sir," she said with a broad smile. "Gamla and I will take good care of you." "I've no doubt!" Tomhas chuckled as Gamla shook his hand. "That's quite a grip, madam." "Thank you, sir." Gamla dipped her head. Her voice was fuller than Violet's and instead of an Eastern accent she carried one that suggested her native language was Nortung. "Hopefully I won't have to put it to use on the way to the village." "Oh, the road to the village is just as peaceful as it was when I was a boy," Tomhas said with a shrug. "There should be any trouble, should there?" "Shouldn't be," she agreed.
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
(Thanks! ^-^ I am running out of time but I think I’m gonna at least come close to getting all 31 daily bounties… time shall tell)
Ky watched them uneasily. That felt like famous last words. They were definitely going to run into trouble now that they’d jinxed themselves; she could feel it in her gut. Or. Maybe that was just the lingering nausea. Hard to say at this point.
"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]
"We were just on our way to fetch our horses," Violet added. "Should we wait for Ms. Sera?" "Probably." Tomhas nodded. "She's famously slow about getting changed."
"The artist deals with what cannot be said in words. The artist whose medium is fiction does this in words. The novelist says in words what cannot be said in words." --Ursula K. Le Guin
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