He dipped his head. "Lady Ash is called Sara; you can call her Lady Sara. Sera is the apothecary; she and Sara will sit near the kids."
"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
“Yessir.” Ky dipped her head and Tadaaki followed suit. Gods. Gods they were both dead. They’d made it a few hours longer than Aleth. Whoopdedoo. Now they were to be swiftly on their way to join him.
"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]
"Hm. What else? Oh, take as much food as you want."
"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
“I’m sure Ms. Miller will insist on it.” Ky smiled but it faltered when she realized that she wasn’t going to like them anymore. She’d feel betrayed. Because. Well. They’d betrayed her. How terrible of them.
"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]
"Absolutely. She's all about getting people to eat enough, make no mistake!"
"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 forced another little smile, but it was just that: forced. “…how many people are at meals usually?”
"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]
"Usually family and a few close friends, maybe General Xander and Captain Bay."
"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 nodded. So, they shouldn’t be there. She and Tadaaki weren’t friends, much less close ones, and they certainly weren’t family. So why were they intruding on the family meal? They shouldn’t be. Not if they were going to be the only slaves there.
"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 reached the dining hall, and Emery opened the door. Gaius and his family and Sera were already seated.
"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
“Thank you.” Ky nodded to Emery. She and Tadaaki were side-by-side and there was a half second beat of awkwardness before she reluctantly strode in first. Tadaaki shuffled in on her heels, hiding behind her, despite himself. They both glanced at the others in the room and gave very small, very anxious smiles.
"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 dipped his head. Sara smiled enthusiastically and gave a small wave, while Sera dipped her head as well. Mattathias got to his feet on top of his chair immediately. "Hi!" he said. "Who're you?"
"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
Well, that was a warmer reception than they’d expected. And far, far warmer than either of them deserved.
Ky looked at the little boy warily but kept her anxious smile. “I’m Ky… this is Tadaaki.” He gave a little wave and dipped his head but continued hiding behind Ky.
"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]
"Hi Ky and Tadaaki!" He got down from his chair and hurried over to them before Sera or his mother could stop him. "I'm Mattathias Ash and that's my sister Marcella and my brother Regulus, and that's my mama and my papa!"
"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 and Tadaaki both instinctively clasped their hands — well, Ky tried, and then remembered her left arm was in a sling and had to settle for just awkwardly folding her right arm — behind their backs and tensed as he approached. Proof beyond the shadow of a doubt that they weren’t touching him inappropriately.
“A pleasure to meet you, young sir.” Ky dipped her head to him and glanced at his parents and, seeing that they didn’t look about ready to smite her for being near their child, decided to cautiously offer him her hand to shake.
"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 was watching them but not with any alarm or caution. Sara was smiling slightly. Mattathias held out a pudgy hand for her to shake. "Nobody's called me sir before!" He said excitedly.
"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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