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rainbowfic2024-03-28 08:38 pm
thisbluespirit) wrote in rainbowfic2024-03-28 08:38 pm
Vert #9; Light Black #19 [Starfall]
Name: Bitter Fruit
Story: Starfall
Colors: Vert #9 (Courtly love); Light Black #19 (endure)
Supplies and Styles: Resin + Novelty Beads (June 2021 Candy Green - image).
Word Count: 921
Rating: G
Warnings: None.
Notes: Portcallan, 1313. Isiyan Eseray, Leion Valerno, Viyony Eseray, Imoren Fioris. Written forno_true_pair's March 2024 mini-round, for March 28th "1 [Leion Valerno] & 3 [Isiyan Eseray] trying something new." This takes place very late in Viyony's visit, so well after any of the other posted pieces. (Isiyan Eseray is Viyony's mother.)
Summary: This is something new. Leion doesn't like it.
"I believe we have met before," Isiyan said. "But you were a lot smaller—I doubt you would recall."
Leion smiled and held out his hand to her in greeting. "I'll take your word for it, then. I do remember your aunt being very kind to Mother and I after Father died. And I was always being parcelled up and passed on to someone, including Imai Diyela, so it's likely enough, I suppose."
"Yes, that was it," said Isiyan. She was about to take a sip of her drink, but lowered the glass. A shadow crossed her face.
Leion turned to see what had caught Isiyan's attention. Viyony was standing nearby, with Imoren. He was dressed in a dark blue jacket—tall, grey-haired, making polite conversation with Laida Modelen. He was impeccable in every way, and absolutely unforgivable in his mere existence. Leion's reaction mirrored Isiyan's. His good humour vanished, and he abandoned his wine glass on a nearby cabinet.
"If Aunt Diyela was kind to you," said Isiyan quietly, "then I gather you have repaid us in full lately. Viyony tells me you've helped her in all sorts of ways ever since she arrived."
Leion's gaze flickered back to Viyony. "No, no. Nothing of the sort. That's not how Viyony puts it when she's talking to me, I can assure you."
"I asked her to make this trip," said Isiyan. "She didn't want to, but I thought she must at least have a season in Portcallan—try new things, before she tied herself down with this marriage. I've been wondering ever since if it was a good idea."
Leion shrugged. "That's something only she can tell you."
"Yes," said Isiyan. Her face cleared. "Sorry. A mother worries, you understand."
"Of course. No apologies needed—save for inflicting your daughter on me all these months. Probably good for me to have all my flaws pointed out to me—almost enjoyable once I got used to it."
Isiyan gave a soft laugh. "Oh, dear. Do I need to apologise for that?"
"No," said Leion. They'd moved on through the guests. "Just my terrible sense of humour. Viyony is—something new in herself, though."
Isiyan nodded. She laid her hand on his arm. "Will you come out into the garden with me? It's so stuffy in here and all this chatter is giving me a headache. I don't think anyone will miss us for a few minutes."
Leion obliged, leading Isiyan through the crowded Gerro town house and out into the narrow strip of garden at the back. He settled her down on a small bench under a clump of flowering, scented vines. Beside them, close to the wall, was an apricot tree cultivated by Ivina Gerro's partner—a whole new variety, supposedly. He'd won some kind of prize for it a couple of summers ago.
"Did you want to ask me something?" Leion enquired.
Isiyan laid her hands on her lap. Peach-coloured drapes fluttered around her in the light breeze. "Do you like him?" she asked bluntly. She nodded back to the house where, through the open door, they could see the bridal couple, talking to their guests.
Leion backed away into the shrubbery and had to steady himself by stretching out a hand to the wall. Isiyan watched him, waiting, although laughter lurked in her eyes.
"Well?" she said.
He screwed up his face. "Not for me to say, is it? I know nothing bad of him as far as that goes. Speaking purely personally, though—no, I don't."
"Oh, good," said Isiyan, relaxing. "I thought you would agree with me."
Leion laughed.
Isiyan lifted a curious face in his direction.
"Sorry," he said. "It's just that Viyony told me several times that I'd get on well with her mother. I'm not sure she meant it as a compliment, though."
"And she is right?"
"Looks like it," he said.
Isiyan nodded. "Well, then, let me ask the other question I should not ask: do you like her?"
"Viyony?" said Leion. "Like her? Not in the least. She's impossible - autocratic, mercenary and ominously prophetic. She makes me charge about the back streets of this city, half drowns me, and worst of all, takes me to attend all the eighth-day observances. I've never met anyone like her before, and I trust I never will again."
"A novel experience for you and Portcallan, as well as for her, then, this trip?" Isiyan rose from the bench and moved across to examine one of the flower beds more closely. Perhaps they were original Gerro varieties as well. "Reohr and I didn't do too badly, I'd say."
Leion swallowed. "No. You should be proud. Moren is a lucky man." He would have liked to say more. Isiyan was inviting him to, and he was tempted, but Viyony had always been clear about what she was here to do. She'd never pretended that it wasn't going to cost her dear, or that she had any other options. He wasn't going to make matters worse for her, or for Isiyan.
It was something new for him—wanting something utterly out of his reach, and not even being able to try for it. He could only stand here and smile at Isiyan, and hate Imoren for having Viyony when he didn't even want her—an inconceivable stance as far as Leion was concerned.
Leion was trying something new, and unlike the Gerro apricot, it only left him with a sour taste in the mouth. He didn't like it.
Story: Starfall
Colors: Vert #9 (Courtly love); Light Black #19 (endure)
Supplies and Styles: Resin + Novelty Beads (June 2021 Candy Green - image).
Word Count: 921
Rating: G
Warnings: None.
Notes: Portcallan, 1313. Isiyan Eseray, Leion Valerno, Viyony Eseray, Imoren Fioris. Written for
no_true_pair's March 2024 mini-round, for March 28th "1 [Leion Valerno] & 3 [Isiyan Eseray] trying something new." This takes place very late in Viyony's visit, so well after any of the other posted pieces. (Isiyan Eseray is Viyony's mother.)Summary: This is something new. Leion doesn't like it.
"I believe we have met before," Isiyan said. "But you were a lot smaller—I doubt you would recall."
Leion smiled and held out his hand to her in greeting. "I'll take your word for it, then. I do remember your aunt being very kind to Mother and I after Father died. And I was always being parcelled up and passed on to someone, including Imai Diyela, so it's likely enough, I suppose."
"Yes, that was it," said Isiyan. She was about to take a sip of her drink, but lowered the glass. A shadow crossed her face.
Leion turned to see what had caught Isiyan's attention. Viyony was standing nearby, with Imoren. He was dressed in a dark blue jacket—tall, grey-haired, making polite conversation with Laida Modelen. He was impeccable in every way, and absolutely unforgivable in his mere existence. Leion's reaction mirrored Isiyan's. His good humour vanished, and he abandoned his wine glass on a nearby cabinet.
"If Aunt Diyela was kind to you," said Isiyan quietly, "then I gather you have repaid us in full lately. Viyony tells me you've helped her in all sorts of ways ever since she arrived."
Leion's gaze flickered back to Viyony. "No, no. Nothing of the sort. That's not how Viyony puts it when she's talking to me, I can assure you."
"I asked her to make this trip," said Isiyan. "She didn't want to, but I thought she must at least have a season in Portcallan—try new things, before she tied herself down with this marriage. I've been wondering ever since if it was a good idea."
Leion shrugged. "That's something only she can tell you."
"Yes," said Isiyan. Her face cleared. "Sorry. A mother worries, you understand."
"Of course. No apologies needed—save for inflicting your daughter on me all these months. Probably good for me to have all my flaws pointed out to me—almost enjoyable once I got used to it."
Isiyan gave a soft laugh. "Oh, dear. Do I need to apologise for that?"
"No," said Leion. They'd moved on through the guests. "Just my terrible sense of humour. Viyony is—something new in herself, though."
Isiyan nodded. She laid her hand on his arm. "Will you come out into the garden with me? It's so stuffy in here and all this chatter is giving me a headache. I don't think anyone will miss us for a few minutes."
Leion obliged, leading Isiyan through the crowded Gerro town house and out into the narrow strip of garden at the back. He settled her down on a small bench under a clump of flowering, scented vines. Beside them, close to the wall, was an apricot tree cultivated by Ivina Gerro's partner—a whole new variety, supposedly. He'd won some kind of prize for it a couple of summers ago.
"Did you want to ask me something?" Leion enquired.
Isiyan laid her hands on her lap. Peach-coloured drapes fluttered around her in the light breeze. "Do you like him?" she asked bluntly. She nodded back to the house where, through the open door, they could see the bridal couple, talking to their guests.
Leion backed away into the shrubbery and had to steady himself by stretching out a hand to the wall. Isiyan watched him, waiting, although laughter lurked in her eyes.
"Well?" she said.
He screwed up his face. "Not for me to say, is it? I know nothing bad of him as far as that goes. Speaking purely personally, though—no, I don't."
"Oh, good," said Isiyan, relaxing. "I thought you would agree with me."
Leion laughed.
Isiyan lifted a curious face in his direction.
"Sorry," he said. "It's just that Viyony told me several times that I'd get on well with her mother. I'm not sure she meant it as a compliment, though."
"And she is right?"
"Looks like it," he said.
Isiyan nodded. "Well, then, let me ask the other question I should not ask: do you like her?"
"Viyony?" said Leion. "Like her? Not in the least. She's impossible - autocratic, mercenary and ominously prophetic. She makes me charge about the back streets of this city, half drowns me, and worst of all, takes me to attend all the eighth-day observances. I've never met anyone like her before, and I trust I never will again."
"A novel experience for you and Portcallan, as well as for her, then, this trip?" Isiyan rose from the bench and moved across to examine one of the flower beds more closely. Perhaps they were original Gerro varieties as well. "Reohr and I didn't do too badly, I'd say."
Leion swallowed. "No. You should be proud. Moren is a lucky man." He would have liked to say more. Isiyan was inviting him to, and he was tempted, but Viyony had always been clear about what she was here to do. She'd never pretended that it wasn't going to cost her dear, or that she had any other options. He wasn't going to make matters worse for her, or for Isiyan.
It was something new for him—wanting something utterly out of his reach, and not even being able to try for it. He could only stand here and smile at Isiyan, and hate Imoren for having Viyony when he didn't even want her—an inconceivable stance as far as Leion was concerned.
Leion was trying something new, and unlike the Gerro apricot, it only left him with a sour taste in the mouth. He didn't like it.
no subject
Congratulations; I'll still require some research to know how he sounds when he says this, but I do know exactly how he looks.
(no subject)
no subject
Heh! In other words, he's at least half in love with her!
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
Aww, Leion has a crush! It's very cute but also very sad!
(no subject)
no subject
But it's not over til you're dead.
(no subject)