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rainbowfic2022-09-16 08:57 pm
thisbluespirit) wrote in rainbowfic2022-09-16 08:57 pm
Nacre #12 [Starfall]
Name: Guessing Games
Story: Starfall
Colors: Nacre #12 (cipher)
Supplies and Styles: Charcoal + Seed beads
Word Count: 1099
Rating: G
Warnings: None.
Notes: 1337 Portcallan; Rodern Ylie (High Governor), Fena Modelen, Tana Veldiner. (Some brief bits of politicking in the capital!)
Summary: The High Governor is more than happy to see his least favourite District Governor go as far away as possible, but he’d be happier still if he knew why he was going …
“There is one further matter, High Governor.”
Rodern Ylie turned wearily to face his junior secretary. “Isn’t there always. What now?”
“There’s a request from Governor Delver.” Fena Modelen stepped back at Rodern’s glare.
Rodern swore under his breath, and then rolled his eyes at Fena’s attempts not to look shocked. He’d given the young man this post to please the family, but that looked likely to prove a mistake. “Come on,” he said. “What is it this time?”
“He has submitted a formal request to visit Northern District in his official capacity – Starfall Manor specifically. He says –” Fena studied the letter he was holding. “He says he has research he would like to carry out while he’s there – pertaining to North Eastern, apparently, and ask advice of Imor Kellen and her staff about, er, other matters pertaining to North Eastern.”
Rodern held out a hand and Fena scrambled to pass the sheet of paper over.
“He did say he would be happy to explain to you in person if you wished.”
Rodern scanned the official document, his eye passing over phrases such as research into certain properties of starstone, assistance with the alionrel issue. He grunted and looked up again. “What was that?”
Fena coughed and repeated himself.
“Oh, I’m sure he would be delighted to elaborate on the subject for an hour at my expense, and I’d be none the wiser as to what the man actually wants. Why Starfall? Why now?”
Fena’s gaze slid sidelong to the door. “I really don’t know, High Governor.”
“No,” said Rodern. “I wasn’t imagining that you did, Fena. Go – and send Veldiner in, will you?”
Fena hesitated. “Yes, High Governor. Did you want me to make an appointment with Governor Delver or not?”
A brief smile crossed Rodern’s face. “Oh, say I may wish to see him on the subject later – or I may not. Tell him to keep himself available or I won’t grant his request.”
“High Governor,” Tana Veldiner murmured, sliding in through the inner door, and holding her grey skirt out of the way of any possible hindrance.
Rodern gestured for her to sit, and then passed Governor Delver’s request across, and watched her brow crease minutely as she studied it. “Delver wants to go to Starfall. The request is all in order, but it’s Delver, damn him. What do you make of it?”
“Very little,” she said. “What goes through Governor Delver’s mind these days?” She held out her hands. “A mystery to us all, including his personal staff, as far as I can tell. I see what you mean, however. A reasonable enough request in many ways, but the timing –”
Rodern raised an eyebrow. “You think the Governor of North Eastern is charging across the country to winter in a forsaken place like Starfall just because I sent a member of my treasury department up there? The man doesn’t usually find it a problem to insert one of his own informants if he’s interested enough.”
“I am merely observing that particular coincidence,” she said. She laid the paper down on the desk between them. “It does seem unlikely, I admit. Unless he supposes there is something more to it. Perhaps we have inadvertently set him sailing after the wrong ship?”
Rodern lent forward, his elbows on the desk. “He could just wait and read the report when it’s published.”
“I don’t suppose he imagines you’d show him the whole thing.”
“Perhaps you’re right. He’s got a morbid streak, like half the rest of North Eastern – bound to fall over his own shadow sooner or later. But I don’t know – if this is more warmongering – if he wants to use Starfall in some way – this is exactly the kind of thing that I don’t mean to allow in future. Which would mean he’d have to get up there sooner rather than later.”
Rodern sighed and leant back in his chair. He’d rather not waste valuable time second guessing what Delver was doing. When the man had been after the High Governorship, Veldiner could deal with that. His interference outside of Emoyra had been more worrying, but had never gone quite far enough to warrant his removal, and seemed to have ceased now, in any case. Lately, Delver was a mystery, and as someone who had always been a burr in Rodern’s boot, that was unacceptable.
“I know,” said Veldiner, as if reading his mind. “He is becoming a puzzle. I don’t wish to sound overly optimistic –”
Rodern’s face cracked into a smile. “I don’t believe you’re capable of that.”
“I did consider that he might be planning to step down as Governor at the end of his term. Sooner, even, perhaps.”
“Hmm. I’m not sure how I feel about that. At least as Governor I know exactly where he’s supposed to be at any given moment. I don’t think I want him wandering around anywhere he pleases as a free agent.”
Veldiner smiled. “Oh, don’t worry. There are positions one offers to retiring Governors. I would find something suitable for him, I can assure you.”
“Of course.” Rodern nodded. “I suppose the only way to find out what he wants is to let him go. I have that fellow there anyway now – what was his name again?”
“Merner, I believe.”
“He can send word if Delver starts trying anything too outrageous. Instruct him. With any luck, Delver will get himself lost in the Paths or the Waste or fall off a mountain, and you and I can get on with more important matters.”
Veldiner rose, and then hesitated before leaving. “I shall assume that is not a request on your part, High Governor?”
“Very amusing,” said Rodern. “No. Just keep an eye on our favourite District Governor – as usual.”
Curse Delver, he thought. Governing Emoyra would be a lot easier if he didn’t have to waste time and energy and public money making sure District Governors were busy attending to their own business instead and not playing games beyond their appointed borders. Even if Delver did stand down, North Eastern would probably only find someone worse to replace him.
“Oh, don’t worry, High Governor. I always know precisely where Marran Delver is,” Veldiner told him as she exited, and he shook his head.
He supposed he ought to find that comforting, but it only took him down the even darker path of wondering just what Tana Veldiner got up to when she wasn’t standing in his office being terribly efficient.
But that, as he had always known, really didn’t bear thinking about.
Story: Starfall
Colors: Nacre #12 (cipher)
Supplies and Styles: Charcoal + Seed beads
Word Count: 1099
Rating: G
Warnings: None.
Notes: 1337 Portcallan; Rodern Ylie (High Governor), Fena Modelen, Tana Veldiner. (Some brief bits of politicking in the capital!)
Summary: The High Governor is more than happy to see his least favourite District Governor go as far away as possible, but he’d be happier still if he knew why he was going …
“There is one further matter, High Governor.”
Rodern Ylie turned wearily to face his junior secretary. “Isn’t there always. What now?”
“There’s a request from Governor Delver.” Fena Modelen stepped back at Rodern’s glare.
Rodern swore under his breath, and then rolled his eyes at Fena’s attempts not to look shocked. He’d given the young man this post to please the family, but that looked likely to prove a mistake. “Come on,” he said. “What is it this time?”
“He has submitted a formal request to visit Northern District in his official capacity – Starfall Manor specifically. He says –” Fena studied the letter he was holding. “He says he has research he would like to carry out while he’s there – pertaining to North Eastern, apparently, and ask advice of Imor Kellen and her staff about, er, other matters pertaining to North Eastern.”
Rodern held out a hand and Fena scrambled to pass the sheet of paper over.
“He did say he would be happy to explain to you in person if you wished.”
Rodern scanned the official document, his eye passing over phrases such as research into certain properties of starstone, assistance with the alionrel issue. He grunted and looked up again. “What was that?”
Fena coughed and repeated himself.
“Oh, I’m sure he would be delighted to elaborate on the subject for an hour at my expense, and I’d be none the wiser as to what the man actually wants. Why Starfall? Why now?”
Fena’s gaze slid sidelong to the door. “I really don’t know, High Governor.”
“No,” said Rodern. “I wasn’t imagining that you did, Fena. Go – and send Veldiner in, will you?”
Fena hesitated. “Yes, High Governor. Did you want me to make an appointment with Governor Delver or not?”
A brief smile crossed Rodern’s face. “Oh, say I may wish to see him on the subject later – or I may not. Tell him to keep himself available or I won’t grant his request.”
“High Governor,” Tana Veldiner murmured, sliding in through the inner door, and holding her grey skirt out of the way of any possible hindrance.
Rodern gestured for her to sit, and then passed Governor Delver’s request across, and watched her brow crease minutely as she studied it. “Delver wants to go to Starfall. The request is all in order, but it’s Delver, damn him. What do you make of it?”
“Very little,” she said. “What goes through Governor Delver’s mind these days?” She held out her hands. “A mystery to us all, including his personal staff, as far as I can tell. I see what you mean, however. A reasonable enough request in many ways, but the timing –”
Rodern raised an eyebrow. “You think the Governor of North Eastern is charging across the country to winter in a forsaken place like Starfall just because I sent a member of my treasury department up there? The man doesn’t usually find it a problem to insert one of his own informants if he’s interested enough.”
“I am merely observing that particular coincidence,” she said. She laid the paper down on the desk between them. “It does seem unlikely, I admit. Unless he supposes there is something more to it. Perhaps we have inadvertently set him sailing after the wrong ship?”
Rodern lent forward, his elbows on the desk. “He could just wait and read the report when it’s published.”
“I don’t suppose he imagines you’d show him the whole thing.”
“Perhaps you’re right. He’s got a morbid streak, like half the rest of North Eastern – bound to fall over his own shadow sooner or later. But I don’t know – if this is more warmongering – if he wants to use Starfall in some way – this is exactly the kind of thing that I don’t mean to allow in future. Which would mean he’d have to get up there sooner rather than later.”
Rodern sighed and leant back in his chair. He’d rather not waste valuable time second guessing what Delver was doing. When the man had been after the High Governorship, Veldiner could deal with that. His interference outside of Emoyra had been more worrying, but had never gone quite far enough to warrant his removal, and seemed to have ceased now, in any case. Lately, Delver was a mystery, and as someone who had always been a burr in Rodern’s boot, that was unacceptable.
“I know,” said Veldiner, as if reading his mind. “He is becoming a puzzle. I don’t wish to sound overly optimistic –”
Rodern’s face cracked into a smile. “I don’t believe you’re capable of that.”
“I did consider that he might be planning to step down as Governor at the end of his term. Sooner, even, perhaps.”
“Hmm. I’m not sure how I feel about that. At least as Governor I know exactly where he’s supposed to be at any given moment. I don’t think I want him wandering around anywhere he pleases as a free agent.”
Veldiner smiled. “Oh, don’t worry. There are positions one offers to retiring Governors. I would find something suitable for him, I can assure you.”
“Of course.” Rodern nodded. “I suppose the only way to find out what he wants is to let him go. I have that fellow there anyway now – what was his name again?”
“Merner, I believe.”
“He can send word if Delver starts trying anything too outrageous. Instruct him. With any luck, Delver will get himself lost in the Paths or the Waste or fall off a mountain, and you and I can get on with more important matters.”
Veldiner rose, and then hesitated before leaving. “I shall assume that is not a request on your part, High Governor?”
“Very amusing,” said Rodern. “No. Just keep an eye on our favourite District Governor – as usual.”
Curse Delver, he thought. Governing Emoyra would be a lot easier if he didn’t have to waste time and energy and public money making sure District Governors were busy attending to their own business instead and not playing games beyond their appointed borders. Even if Delver did stand down, North Eastern would probably only find someone worse to replace him.
“Oh, don’t worry, High Governor. I always know precisely where Marran Delver is,” Veldiner told him as she exited, and he shook his head.
He supposed he ought to find that comforting, but it only took him down the even darker path of wondering just what Tana Veldiner got up to when she wasn’t standing in his office being terribly efficient.
But that, as he had always known, really didn’t bear thinking about.
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