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rainbowfic2025-09-27 08:29 pm
thisbluespirit) wrote in rainbowfic2025-09-27 08:29 pm
Azul #23; Vert #20; Warm Heart #5 [Starfall]
Name: Dazzled
Story: Starfall
Colors: Azul #23 (Let your actions speak); Warm Heart #5 (Need); Vert #20 (Reunion)
Supplies and Styles: Portrait + Thread + Silhouette + Pastels (also forallbingo Colour fest square "Red Flag").
Word Count: 5364
Rating: PG
Warnings: None.
Notes: 1313, Calla Island. Viyony Eseray, Eollan Barra, Tess Hyan, Velin Ienkallis, Leion Valerno. Continues directly from Calla Island.
Summary: Viyony explores a sacred cave and gets considerably more than she bargained for.
Viyony woke, drawing herself up with a yawn; her legs tangled in the sheets as bright, speckled sunlight filtered in through the screen. She pulled the covers back and hopped out of bed, already feeling much better than last night. She opened the lattice and leant her arms on the window sill, stray trailing jasmine vines waving gently to one side of her in the cool morning air. Her room didn't overlook the sea, but the long courtyard outside was pleasing enough, full of well-tended beds of flowering shrubs and herbs, with neat white stones leading through the middle, and two sections of grass at either end.
She took in her fill of the view, and then closed the screen again to make a start on getting washed and dressed. As soon as she was presentable, she made her way to the dining hall—without getting lost this time. Breakfast was laid out on a long table at the side, ready so that everyone could help themselves to whatever they preferred. Viyony was glad to see that they didn't only have the cake-like maurzima she found too sweet for her taste, and dished herself out a large spoonful of fish-mess to accompany a piece of flatbread. She stepped to one side, surveying the jugs of different drinks, and after some brief deliberation, poured herself a chilled raspberry tea and took her meal over to the table.
Tess joined her a few minutes later, holding a plate with maurzima and peaches slices and a glass of the same bitter raspberry tea.
"Have you seen Eollan this morning?" Tess asked. "We're going to the grotto. I missed it last time I was here. You'll come with us, won't you?"
Viyony sipped at her tea. "He did mention it last night. What's so special about it?"
"Oh, it's supposed to be very old," said Tess. "Maybe the oldest thing on the island. Eollan gets very excited about things like that, but it's supposed to be very pretty—and afterwards we'll go for a walk along the coast. It'll be nice."
Viyony broke her bread into pieces, scooping up the fish-mess with each one, eating slowly. If the grotto was the oldest human-made site on the island, it might be one of the oldest such in the entire Southern District. It would be silly to let lingering annoyance with Eollan get in the way of seeing it, and she was more than ready for a good walk. From what she had seen of Calla Island so far, the views from the coastal path ought to be spectacular.
The shrine lay underneath a small square ruin situated less than a hundredlength north-east of Allin House, at the far edge of the grounds. Viyony could hear the sea on the other side of the line of trees beyond the tumbled pile of stones. The building had once been part of a very early first century settlement but there was very little left now beyond the foundations and one corner of wall, which Eollan claimed had been a watch tower. The entrance to the cave was beside that, close to the path that ran on through the copse towards the cliffs.
"Come on," said Eollan briskly. "Down here."
He led the way down a flight of narrow stone steps that led under the remains. The steps were far newer than the stones above, but still old enough to have been worn smooth and dipped in the centre by years of people walking up and down. Viyony kept her hand carefully on the brick wall as they went.
The cave below was long and angled seawards. Viyony could hear the sound of waves on the rocks much more nearly down here than she had up above. It had been successively altered over the years, so it was hard to tell what was the natural cave formation and what had been carved out to match it. Viyony stepped down onto a pattern of small tiles on the floor, brightly dyed in a way that suggested the extravagances of the ninth century. There were a series of alcoves, each one dedicated to a different Power. If the shrine dated back to the oldest days of Emoyra, these must have been significantly changed at some point, as there was one marked out for Vio, who hadn't been known before the sixth century.
Eollan beckoned her on and Tess gave her a gentle push from behind, impatient to move, so Viyony stepped forward into the body of the cave, examining the place in silence, while Tess hurried across to chatter to Eollan and Velin about how eerie it was, the way the light reflected strangely off the starstone set in the alcoves.
Each piece had been chosen to match the Power in question—white lightstone for Laon, carefully treated and glazed firestone for Maralon, blue waterstone or drystone for Shara, mottled, dark green earthstone for Aliah, unrefined starstone ore for Imora, and refined for Poll, with clearstone for Vio. At the far right corner there was another tiny cave, just large enough for two people to stand inside—an Empty place. Viyony entered, curious. It wasn't merely symbolically empty and separate, but the stone inside was different to the rest—it was the same dull, dark rock she remembered from the large cavern underneath the Empty Temple in Portcallan. Her ears buzzed and her teeth watered, but nothing like as bad as the level of dizziness she had experienced in the temple with Leion.
There was no starstone in this section, only a twisted pale piece of coral, pearlescent and oddly bulbous in shape. Viyony put out her hand towards it, then pulled it back.
"Strange, isn't it?" said Eollan quietly from behind her. "Don't worry. You can touch it, if you like."
Viyony leant forwards, and ran her fingers over the top of it. It was slightly spongy, sticky even, and she could hear, for a moment, a muffled kind of singing in her head. She raised her hand slowly. "What is it?"
"Something from the old world," Eollan told her. "There used to be a lot more untransformed creatures of all kinds in the seas around here. Centuries ago, of course—some of the larger sea-creatures used to attack the coastal areas, so people hunted them half out of existence. I think this is from somewhere more westerly, though."
Viyony rubbed her fingers against her jacket and stepped back through into the main part of the shrine. Suddenly all the starstone seemed to be present in her mind—confusing reflections dazzling here, and a rising, rustling chorus of whispers. She stumbled under the mental onslaught and lurched into the nearest alcove, the one set up in honour of Enna. There was no starstone in that space, only pottery shards and stones, Enna being the Power responsible for all kinds of artisanry. Viyony pressed herself back into the space and closed her eyes, breathing in and out as evenly as she could. The whispers persisted, if more softly, and shutting her eyes didn't keep out the images invading her mind—falling coins and rain, or maybe sea spray -
"Viyony?" Eollan only now followed her out of the Empty shrine. "Is something wrong?"
She shook her head and forced herself to walk on—it was no distance at all back to the steps and fresh air—but doing so brought her level with Poll's alcove where the polished starstone reflected the light into her eyes. She turned away, but the images strengthened and clarified, overwriting the scene in front her with a whole rush of unconnected pictures and moments—a great wave crashing in above the rocks, a rope, a piece of stone and a broken knife, piles of shells and coins, and more vaguely, a great sapphire gem set in an engraved silver casing. The voices wouldn't shut up—weeping or singing echoed in her head and then, louder, innumerable intent, whispered words followed, like an endless list of wishes.
"Imai Eseray!"
She started and blinked twice, trying to focus on Velin, who was watching her in concern, but his voice slowed and he wouldn't quite stay still.
Velin caught hold of her arm. "Come on. Let's get you out of here."
"No," she tried to say, because there was something important—something about all those shells and coins, wishes, and glinting fragments of starstone she could make sense of if the other three in the shrine would stop interfering. But her voice wouldn't work properly and the cave wouldn't behave—darkening and swimming about, and everybody sounded as if they were speaking underwater.
The next few moments were even less clear—she was being half carried along, and then there was grass beneath her, blades tickling her skin—she was lying on the ground. Somebody said something about getting some water, and she opened her eyes, the world beginning to refocus and right itself again. She was lying on short, springy grass and above her the sun beat down, high and bright, in a hard blue sky. She breathed more easily, and the intensity of the images burned away in the sunlight.
She moved, meaning to try and sit, but someone put out a hand to prevent her. "Stay still until Velin's brought some water, I would."
Viyony turned her head sharply and then sat up, heedless of her weakness or his instructions. "Leion?" she croaked in disbelief. She rubbed her head and then shook it to clear it of this further hallucination. Leion couldn't be here. He was back on the mainland.
"Hey," Leion said, apparently unaware of his impossibility. The hand that he placed on her shoulder was undeniably warm and real. "Careful."
Viyony touched the sleeve of his shirt just to be sure he wasn't a figment of her imagination and then frowned up at him. "You can't be here. How—how?"
"It's all right," he said, laughter lurking in his voice. "Sorry to startle you. It really is me. I came over by fishing boat at some unearthly hour this morning. Just in time, it seems. What happened?"
Viyony stared at him, his features falling fully into focus—pale face, dark hair on end and brown eyes warm with concern. The world behind him also resumed full clarity: the line of trees danced half-heartedly in the light breeze and Tess was there, too, sitting on one of the old remnant blocks of stone; eyes dark and wide as she watched. Viyony looked at Leion. "I'm glad you're here," she said softly.
Leion dipped his head down in embarrassment, although he was still smiling. "Something must be very wrong indeed if you're telling me you're pleased to see me."
"Don't be so silly," she said, and now not only had the world been righted, but she was too. A knot in her stomach untied itself. "Where is everyone else?"
"Eollan went in search of a medic and Velin is fetching you water. Ah, speaking of which -" Leion got his feet and the moments later crouched back down with a cup in his hand. He passed it over. "Drink that. Slowly."
Velin's shadow fell over Leion, and Viyony lifted her head to give him a quick smile of thanks. She sipped the water.
"What happened?" Leion asked quietly, as Velin crossed over to Tess and drew her away somewhere.
"It was the starstone down there, I think. I saw things—images—visions, I think. I couldn't stop, and then I suppose I almost passed out."
All trace of amusement vanished from his face. He sat down beside her on the grass. "Has starstone ever affected you that way before?"
"Not really. I have felt odd when there's been a lot about, though. I can hear a sort of humming in my head. Do you know what I mean?"
Leion nodded. "Up to a point. Viyony, what you describe—it doesn't sound as if it was only the starstone. I don't have your sort of affinity, but I knew someone once who wasn't far off it, and she could stand in a room full starstone and be fine. But Atino dosed her with something to magnify affinity and then as soon as she went near all of it she had uncontrollable visions—pain—she collapsed. It was so severe that she never fully recovered."
"Yes, but I haven't taken anything," Viyony said, keeping her voice low. "Breakfast was laid out for us to help ourselves, and nobody got close enough to put anything in my plate or glass except me. I've had nothing since."
"Hmm. What about scratches, that sort of thing? Kadia's not here, so presumably no one came straight out and stabbed you at least."
Viyony shook her head. "Not that I can think of—not until after it happened. I've never experienced anything quite like it before, but I have had some odd visions since I've come to Portcallan, and I can't explain those either. Honestly, the only common factor is you."
"I walked over this way, and—bam?" Leion considered that. "It would be nice to think I could have such an effect on you, but I promise I didn't do anything."
Viyony put down the empty cup on the grass. "I never thought you did."
"If I weren't me," said Leion, distracted, "I would definitely be my first suspect. Who brought up this whole topic? Who tricked you in going down into the space below the Empty Temple? Who's coincidentally hanging around every time you see things that aren't there?"
She rolled her eyes, and laid a hand on his arm to stop him. "Leion! Never mind how it happened now. First, I have to go back down there. The things I saw are all nagging at me and I need to fix something."
"I might have known," he said. "Hang on, though." He fished something out of the pocket of his thin jacket and held it out to her, with triumph. "Here. Have this first."
Viyony took it, and found it was a sweet biscuit wrapped in waxed paper. Biting into it revealed something like shortbread with dried, tangy red berries in it. It helped. Midway through a mouthful she directed a quizzical glance at him. "How?" she said once she'd swallowed it. "Why? Do I want to know?"
"Like I said, I came over at some appallingly early hour," said Leion. "I brought food, including that, which I didn't eat."
She grimaced. "Lucky you. I threw up pretty much everything I'd had in the whole previous day on my trip over."
"Well, with that charming thought in mind, shall we go ahead and find out the stupid way if you're likely to keel over if you go back down there?"
Viyony grinned, and let him help her to her feet. "This is why I'm so glad you're here."
Aliah's shrine was at the far end of the cave, directly opposite the entrance. Viyony took a deep breath as she stepped inside and then hastily shut her eyes. "Leion," she said, as he hastily stopped behind her. "Will you guide me over to the far end—to the Aliate section?"
"Why not?" he said easily, and took her arm.
Viyony let him lead her towards the opposite end, where she remembered there being mottled earthstone with glints of green fire lurking under its cloudy dark surface, highlighted by a small ray of light coming in through a chink above, and beside that, a fall of fern-like fronds acting as a divide between it and the neighbouring alcove dedicated to Shara.
"Here," said Leion as they halted. "Feeling all right?"
There was a low buzzing in her ears; images and whispers rising in the back of her mind, but as long as she kept from looking directly into the starstone, it wasn't yet overwhelming. Viyony focused on the pressing vision of shells, tokens, and coins and followed its lead, with a certainty born of years of being directed by her dreams. She pulled back the yellowing greenery to reveal a low opening behind it.
"Come on," she said to Leion. "You need to come too. I don't want to fall if I pass out."
He dug in his heels. "Through there?" he said. "Does it even go anywhere?" A moment more, and his frown deepened. "Wait—fall?"
Viyony ducked in under the opening and into a narrow, well-like space that lay beyond it. "Yes," she called back softly. "Be careful. I don't think the ground is all that solid."
Leion followed her through more warily, screwing up his face as he took in their surroundings. There was a grating a length or so above their heads and they were standing on a circular stone rim around a hole that should have continued downwards, but it was clogged up with rocks, a broken spar, and other debris. The whole space was covered with tokens that had been cast down into it. There were very few of the shell-shaped starstone trinkets sold on Portcallan's market stalls—these were a motley mix of real shells, rough chips of starstone, low value coins, patterned, glazed or carved pebbles, and wood tokens of the kind she and Leion had burned when they attended a Maralonian ceremony on the clifftop outside the city.
"We shouldn't be in here," said Leion, keeping close against the wall, his hand stretched out against it to keep his balance. "We're walking over people's hopes and dreams."
"They were meant to go to the sea," said Viyony, gesturing at the blockage. "We should send them on their way."
"Superstition."
She bit back a smile. He was the one who was barely moving for fear of desecrating somebody else's dreams. "It's the right thing to do," she said. Thinking of it caused the voices and images to flash into her mind: it made sense of why she'd heard such a disconnected chorus of whispering and weeping—it really had been the cries of a hundred people's wishes or prayers lying forgotten here. Viyony manoeuvred herself into a kneeling position and let the visions play out further, ignoring the returning dizziness, and then, following their lead, tugged at the piece of wood that seemed to be clogging everything up.
"Wait," said Leion. He lowered himself down beside her, and waved her away from the debris. "Stop that. You'll get splinters." He studied the mess, a dent forming in the middle of his brows. "Hmm."
"I keep picturing a particular rock," she said. "A largish block—bluish-grey, with a jagged triangular point."
Leion laid himself almost flat on the ground now to get his arm into the hole. "Yes, yes. I see it, I think. Hang on."
Viyony waited, watching him straining as he pulled awkwardly at something out of her view with so little result that she itched to tell him to get out of the way and let her try; the picture of the precise nature of the blockage still vivid in her head. She stifled the impulse. Leion was probably stronger than she was and he had longer arms. She must be patient. She leant back against the rock wall, putting out a hand against its rough surface to ensure that she didn't fall, despite the warning rise of a humming in her ears.
A rock gave way and tumbled down the steep incline of cliff below: it knocked about against stone as it went, striking something with force near the end before a heavy splash finally echoed upward. Leion straightened up and pulled out the obstructive piece of wood with ease. Gravel and smaller rocks and sand were released by it, sliding away; a slow susurration, followed by the rattle of larger stones and tokens.
Viyony looked at Leion, picking himself up on the opposite side of the opening. They caught each other's eye, and then, as one, set about sweeping out the remainder of the tokens down after the debris.
It was only superstition, as Leion said, but nevertheless each one represented somebody's prayer to Shara, and who knew all the mysteries of the world? The people who had cast them down here over the years had done so in hope, meaning them to go to the sea, to Shara. It was only right to honour that.
They squeezed themselves back through the small opening into the main shrine, and Leion turned to her. "How are you?"
Viyony closed her eyes, new images slipping into her mind as she caught sight of the waterstone embedded in the Sharan alcove beside her. "All right—but lead me out quickly—please."
Leion took her hand and pulled her on, across the rainbow patterned tiles to the worn stairs, where he gave her a hand up onto the first step. She risked opening her eyes and Leion stood back to allow her to pass, hurrying up the stone stairs and out into the sunshine as fast as she dared.
Eollan was waiting at the top, with an older woman standing next to him—presumably the physician.
"What possessed you to go back down there?" Eollan demanded, pouncing on Viyony. "Wasn't the first time bad enough?" He rolled his eyes as Leion emerged behind her. "Oh. Your idea, was it, Valerno?"
Viyony halted, stiffening with anger. "No, it wasn't. I had to see to something, and Leion helped. I'm fine, really. It was only all that starstone in one place."
"Imai Eseray," said the woman, moving forward. She was shorter than Viyony, slight-framed but wiry and when she folded her arms, Viyony saw a tattoo pattern against brown skin. "I'm Pollavena Ezulla, the medic here on the estate. How about you sit down here for a little while, and I can ask you a few questions? Best to be on the safe side, don't you think?"
Viyony nodded. "Of course. Could I have some more water, too, if there is any left?" She looked at Imai Ezulla, as she sat on the grass, leaning against the stones, while Eollan headed off to see if Velin had provided a bottle or only a glass. "I only went back down there because there was something I had to do—and Imai Valerno took good care of me."
"Did he?" Imai Ezulla looked up and laughed. "Well, well. Last time I met young Valerno, he was having trouble walking in a straight line. I'm glad to hear he's improved."
Viyony looked at him. "Leion, do you know everyone?"
"No," said Leion. "And I certainly don't know this woman—don't believe anything she says."
"Hush with your nonsense, Valerno. I need to speak to Imai Eseray and I daresay she could use some piece and quiet. Take the other one away with you, too, if you can."
"And no doing anything to him," added Viyony in an undertone, catching at Leion's arm before he could move. "Eollan can't be to blame—it was only the starstone."
"Oh, I'll refrain from shoving him off the cliff as long as he returns the favour. But I want you to know—that floor was very slippery and nobody warned me. I didn't walk into the shelves—I skidded."
Viyony waited while Eollan brought her the empty glass and a small bottle, half full of water, and Leion ushered him away towards the cliff path; Eollan clearly resistant to being taken anywhere by Leion.
"I used to be a medic at Chamber Square," Imai Ezulla said comfortably. "I remember Valerno because he gave himself a concussion on his first day at the archive—a novel achievement. Careered straight into the shelves. I sent him home, and his stepfather came to collect him—and he turned out to be Imor Jadinor, head of the Guardians of the Peace. You don't forget a thing like that in a hurry."
Viyony put a hand to her mouth. "I don't suppose you would."
"Now," said the physician, "why don't you tell me about what happened down in the shrine?"
Viyony sighed, and obliged.
The others returned half an hour later to see how Viyony was doing. She informed them that she was fine and Imai Ezulla hadn't found anything seriously wrong with her, so they set off on their planned amble along the cliff path together. Viyony, if she was more honest, had a low, sick headache and was still a little shaken, but she hoped the walk would help on both counts.
She, Velin and Tess trailed along behind Eollan and Leion, admiring the view. Tess pointed with unflagging delight when she glimpsed familiar city landmarks over the Calla Strait, so distant and strange from the island, while Velin told a story about his embarrassing errors on his first visit to Portcallan—he had been more at sea on land than on his ship, he claimed—but they couldn't ignore the low-key but hostile conversation drifting back to them from the two in front.
Viyony only caught occasional snatches of Eollan's words, but Leion was more audible; asking supposedly casual questions about what they had done so far since they'd arrived for the house party, and whose idea it had been to go down into the shrine, and if he imagined he was being subtle, he was sorely mistaken.
"This is no use," Viyony said to Velin and Tess. She gestured towards Leion and Eollan. "If you two take Eollan, I'll deal with Leion."
Tess patted her arm. "Don't worry, Viyony. It's not about you. Leion hates the Barras since that trouble with Atino, and they hate him right back for the same reason. And he isn't even supposed to be here!"
"Come on, then," said Velin. He winked at Viyony and took Tess's arm, leading her onwards.
Viyony sat down at the cliff edge. The breeze whipped her hair back from her face, and she was grateful for it. Walking hadn't improved her headache very much. She probably should have returned to the house and lain down, but it would have been a terrible waste of her short time on the island.
"Do you need to go back?" said Leion from behind her.
She smiled out at the sea, watching sunlight shimmer on the waves. She must be worse than she had thought, for she had to blink away water from her eyes, only because her prediction that this might be the best way to draw his attention from Eollan had proved true. "I probably should," she agreed. "But I'd rather sit here for a little while, if you don't mind."
"My pleasure," said Leion. He lowered himself onto a tussock of wiry grass next to her. "I wasn't getting much out of Eollan anyway."
"We all heard you trying."
He studied the Calla Strait, not looking at her. "I had to ask."
"Leion, what are you doing here?" She turned her head towards him, putting a hand up to keep the wind from flapping her hair into her face. "Don't tell me you've started having prophetic dreams as well?"
He met her gaze. "Ha, no. I kept worrying about if I'd given you the right advice about coming here, and whether I should ask Lynah if she'd let me join the party. But then—well, I didn't want to follow you about unasked, turning up where I'm least wanted."
"So, what decided you?"
He bit his lip, slow to respond as he stared across the Calla Strait. "Have you ever heard me mention someone called Aima? She was involved in that mess with Atino, along with Tana and me."
"I think so. The one who was badly hurt, you said."
Leion nodded. "Yes. Well, I saw Tana yesterday. Aima's dead. Had a particularly bad episode and her heart gave out. So I sent a message over last night and arranged passage with one of the fishing crews. If Lynah didn't want me here, I was going to wait in the village until I could go home again, but at least I'd have the chance to check whether or not you were safe and well first."
"Which I am," Viyony said.
He moved sharply to face her. "Is that what you call it? Someone told me you were out visiting the shrine, and when I arrived everyone was running about in a panic because you'd collapsed. I thought I'd arrived too late."
Viyony shivered suddenly. "Leion. It was the starstone. Really. I should know."
"I don't think it can have been," he said. "Please. Even if you don't believe me—take the possibility seriously."
Viyony rubbed her aching forehead. "I'll try. I'm going to go back to my room for a while now, and I should be safe enough there."
"Will you, though?" said Leion, jumping up and stretching a hand down to her. "That's a thought!"
"What is?"
Leion walked alongside her as she headed towards Allin House with new purpose in his stride. "If nobody put anything in your food and your drink, what about soap, tooth powder and the like?"
"No!" said Viyony. "That's ridiculous. Leion—stop! What are you going to do?"
"Get Lynah to replace them," he said airily. "I'll escort you to the house and speak to her at once."
Viyony sighed. "You're not going to start tasting my food as well, are you?"
"No, that wouldn't be any use, unfortunately," said Leion. "I don't have your level of affinity. I'd only notice something was wrong if it tasted odd—but so would you."
She shook her head. "It can't be soap—that's silly. You wash it right off!"
"Still, best stay on the safe side. I'll see to it."
"I'm not sure I am pleased you're here after all," said Viyony.
"Yes, you are," he said, turning his head towards her, a smile in his eyes. "You can't take it back now."
By the time Viyony and Leion reached the house, it was time for lunch. Leion paused to examine the food, laid out in the same long dining room as it had been at breakfast, and then went in search of Lynah. After having eaten, Viyony returned to her chamber, where she found that Leion hadn't been joking about replacing her wash things. Someone had been in and changed the soap and given her a new tin of tooth powder. She muttered under her breath about the waste, but if Leion was that concerned, she supposed she had better accept it with reasonable grace.
What annoyed her more was that now she started to worry about other items—like the scent Aunt Diyela had given her, and a cream Father had brought for her from Mother when he had visited. Could they have been tampered with? Viyony reluctantly packed them away in her case and shut the lid. She could get someone to examine them once she got back to Portcallan, to make sure they were safe—one of her father's chemist acquaintances would oblige. Or if not, Leion would know someone. Leion always knew someone, didn't he?
She lay down on the bed. She didn't like all this lazing about in the day, but even aside from her episode in the cave earlier, it really was the best way to deal with the heat. She turned over, onto her side, her mind still busy.
It wasn't Leion's absurd yet not quite dismissible suspicions that occupied her thoughts, though, nor the episode in the grotto earlier. No, there was one chief thing going round and round in her head: Leion had come all this way, just for her sake. She had wished yesterday that he was here with her, away from Portcallan's plots and the demands of business. If he had been, she'd told herself last night, it would have been the perfect moment to have their promised 'affair'. Now he was, and in such a way that dispelled any doubts she'd had as to whether or not he still wanted her.
Tonight, then, was the night.
Viyony's mouth curved upwards at the thought. It really was more than time she did what her mother told her, after all.
Story: Starfall
Colors: Azul #23 (Let your actions speak); Warm Heart #5 (Need); Vert #20 (Reunion)
Supplies and Styles: Portrait + Thread + Silhouette + Pastels (also for
allbingo Colour fest square "Red Flag").Word Count: 5364
Rating: PG
Warnings: None.
Notes: 1313, Calla Island. Viyony Eseray, Eollan Barra, Tess Hyan, Velin Ienkallis, Leion Valerno. Continues directly from Calla Island.
Summary: Viyony explores a sacred cave and gets considerably more than she bargained for.
Viyony woke, drawing herself up with a yawn; her legs tangled in the sheets as bright, speckled sunlight filtered in through the screen. She pulled the covers back and hopped out of bed, already feeling much better than last night. She opened the lattice and leant her arms on the window sill, stray trailing jasmine vines waving gently to one side of her in the cool morning air. Her room didn't overlook the sea, but the long courtyard outside was pleasing enough, full of well-tended beds of flowering shrubs and herbs, with neat white stones leading through the middle, and two sections of grass at either end.
She took in her fill of the view, and then closed the screen again to make a start on getting washed and dressed. As soon as she was presentable, she made her way to the dining hall—without getting lost this time. Breakfast was laid out on a long table at the side, ready so that everyone could help themselves to whatever they preferred. Viyony was glad to see that they didn't only have the cake-like maurzima she found too sweet for her taste, and dished herself out a large spoonful of fish-mess to accompany a piece of flatbread. She stepped to one side, surveying the jugs of different drinks, and after some brief deliberation, poured herself a chilled raspberry tea and took her meal over to the table.
Tess joined her a few minutes later, holding a plate with maurzima and peaches slices and a glass of the same bitter raspberry tea.
"Have you seen Eollan this morning?" Tess asked. "We're going to the grotto. I missed it last time I was here. You'll come with us, won't you?"
Viyony sipped at her tea. "He did mention it last night. What's so special about it?"
"Oh, it's supposed to be very old," said Tess. "Maybe the oldest thing on the island. Eollan gets very excited about things like that, but it's supposed to be very pretty—and afterwards we'll go for a walk along the coast. It'll be nice."
Viyony broke her bread into pieces, scooping up the fish-mess with each one, eating slowly. If the grotto was the oldest human-made site on the island, it might be one of the oldest such in the entire Southern District. It would be silly to let lingering annoyance with Eollan get in the way of seeing it, and she was more than ready for a good walk. From what she had seen of Calla Island so far, the views from the coastal path ought to be spectacular.
The shrine lay underneath a small square ruin situated less than a hundredlength north-east of Allin House, at the far edge of the grounds. Viyony could hear the sea on the other side of the line of trees beyond the tumbled pile of stones. The building had once been part of a very early first century settlement but there was very little left now beyond the foundations and one corner of wall, which Eollan claimed had been a watch tower. The entrance to the cave was beside that, close to the path that ran on through the copse towards the cliffs.
"Come on," said Eollan briskly. "Down here."
He led the way down a flight of narrow stone steps that led under the remains. The steps were far newer than the stones above, but still old enough to have been worn smooth and dipped in the centre by years of people walking up and down. Viyony kept her hand carefully on the brick wall as they went.
The cave below was long and angled seawards. Viyony could hear the sound of waves on the rocks much more nearly down here than she had up above. It had been successively altered over the years, so it was hard to tell what was the natural cave formation and what had been carved out to match it. Viyony stepped down onto a pattern of small tiles on the floor, brightly dyed in a way that suggested the extravagances of the ninth century. There were a series of alcoves, each one dedicated to a different Power. If the shrine dated back to the oldest days of Emoyra, these must have been significantly changed at some point, as there was one marked out for Vio, who hadn't been known before the sixth century.
Eollan beckoned her on and Tess gave her a gentle push from behind, impatient to move, so Viyony stepped forward into the body of the cave, examining the place in silence, while Tess hurried across to chatter to Eollan and Velin about how eerie it was, the way the light reflected strangely off the starstone set in the alcoves.
Each piece had been chosen to match the Power in question—white lightstone for Laon, carefully treated and glazed firestone for Maralon, blue waterstone or drystone for Shara, mottled, dark green earthstone for Aliah, unrefined starstone ore for Imora, and refined for Poll, with clearstone for Vio. At the far right corner there was another tiny cave, just large enough for two people to stand inside—an Empty place. Viyony entered, curious. It wasn't merely symbolically empty and separate, but the stone inside was different to the rest—it was the same dull, dark rock she remembered from the large cavern underneath the Empty Temple in Portcallan. Her ears buzzed and her teeth watered, but nothing like as bad as the level of dizziness she had experienced in the temple with Leion.
There was no starstone in this section, only a twisted pale piece of coral, pearlescent and oddly bulbous in shape. Viyony put out her hand towards it, then pulled it back.
"Strange, isn't it?" said Eollan quietly from behind her. "Don't worry. You can touch it, if you like."
Viyony leant forwards, and ran her fingers over the top of it. It was slightly spongy, sticky even, and she could hear, for a moment, a muffled kind of singing in her head. She raised her hand slowly. "What is it?"
"Something from the old world," Eollan told her. "There used to be a lot more untransformed creatures of all kinds in the seas around here. Centuries ago, of course—some of the larger sea-creatures used to attack the coastal areas, so people hunted them half out of existence. I think this is from somewhere more westerly, though."
Viyony rubbed her fingers against her jacket and stepped back through into the main part of the shrine. Suddenly all the starstone seemed to be present in her mind—confusing reflections dazzling here, and a rising, rustling chorus of whispers. She stumbled under the mental onslaught and lurched into the nearest alcove, the one set up in honour of Enna. There was no starstone in that space, only pottery shards and stones, Enna being the Power responsible for all kinds of artisanry. Viyony pressed herself back into the space and closed her eyes, breathing in and out as evenly as she could. The whispers persisted, if more softly, and shutting her eyes didn't keep out the images invading her mind—falling coins and rain, or maybe sea spray -
"Viyony?" Eollan only now followed her out of the Empty shrine. "Is something wrong?"
She shook her head and forced herself to walk on—it was no distance at all back to the steps and fresh air—but doing so brought her level with Poll's alcove where the polished starstone reflected the light into her eyes. She turned away, but the images strengthened and clarified, overwriting the scene in front her with a whole rush of unconnected pictures and moments—a great wave crashing in above the rocks, a rope, a piece of stone and a broken knife, piles of shells and coins, and more vaguely, a great sapphire gem set in an engraved silver casing. The voices wouldn't shut up—weeping or singing echoed in her head and then, louder, innumerable intent, whispered words followed, like an endless list of wishes.
"Imai Eseray!"
She started and blinked twice, trying to focus on Velin, who was watching her in concern, but his voice slowed and he wouldn't quite stay still.
Velin caught hold of her arm. "Come on. Let's get you out of here."
"No," she tried to say, because there was something important—something about all those shells and coins, wishes, and glinting fragments of starstone she could make sense of if the other three in the shrine would stop interfering. But her voice wouldn't work properly and the cave wouldn't behave—darkening and swimming about, and everybody sounded as if they were speaking underwater.
The next few moments were even less clear—she was being half carried along, and then there was grass beneath her, blades tickling her skin—she was lying on the ground. Somebody said something about getting some water, and she opened her eyes, the world beginning to refocus and right itself again. She was lying on short, springy grass and above her the sun beat down, high and bright, in a hard blue sky. She breathed more easily, and the intensity of the images burned away in the sunlight.
She moved, meaning to try and sit, but someone put out a hand to prevent her. "Stay still until Velin's brought some water, I would."
Viyony turned her head sharply and then sat up, heedless of her weakness or his instructions. "Leion?" she croaked in disbelief. She rubbed her head and then shook it to clear it of this further hallucination. Leion couldn't be here. He was back on the mainland.
"Hey," Leion said, apparently unaware of his impossibility. The hand that he placed on her shoulder was undeniably warm and real. "Careful."
Viyony touched the sleeve of his shirt just to be sure he wasn't a figment of her imagination and then frowned up at him. "You can't be here. How—how?"
"It's all right," he said, laughter lurking in his voice. "Sorry to startle you. It really is me. I came over by fishing boat at some unearthly hour this morning. Just in time, it seems. What happened?"
Viyony stared at him, his features falling fully into focus—pale face, dark hair on end and brown eyes warm with concern. The world behind him also resumed full clarity: the line of trees danced half-heartedly in the light breeze and Tess was there, too, sitting on one of the old remnant blocks of stone; eyes dark and wide as she watched. Viyony looked at Leion. "I'm glad you're here," she said softly.
Leion dipped his head down in embarrassment, although he was still smiling. "Something must be very wrong indeed if you're telling me you're pleased to see me."
"Don't be so silly," she said, and now not only had the world been righted, but she was too. A knot in her stomach untied itself. "Where is everyone else?"
"Eollan went in search of a medic and Velin is fetching you water. Ah, speaking of which -" Leion got his feet and the moments later crouched back down with a cup in his hand. He passed it over. "Drink that. Slowly."
Velin's shadow fell over Leion, and Viyony lifted her head to give him a quick smile of thanks. She sipped the water.
"What happened?" Leion asked quietly, as Velin crossed over to Tess and drew her away somewhere.
"It was the starstone down there, I think. I saw things—images—visions, I think. I couldn't stop, and then I suppose I almost passed out."
All trace of amusement vanished from his face. He sat down beside her on the grass. "Has starstone ever affected you that way before?"
"Not really. I have felt odd when there's been a lot about, though. I can hear a sort of humming in my head. Do you know what I mean?"
Leion nodded. "Up to a point. Viyony, what you describe—it doesn't sound as if it was only the starstone. I don't have your sort of affinity, but I knew someone once who wasn't far off it, and she could stand in a room full starstone and be fine. But Atino dosed her with something to magnify affinity and then as soon as she went near all of it she had uncontrollable visions—pain—she collapsed. It was so severe that she never fully recovered."
"Yes, but I haven't taken anything," Viyony said, keeping her voice low. "Breakfast was laid out for us to help ourselves, and nobody got close enough to put anything in my plate or glass except me. I've had nothing since."
"Hmm. What about scratches, that sort of thing? Kadia's not here, so presumably no one came straight out and stabbed you at least."
Viyony shook her head. "Not that I can think of—not until after it happened. I've never experienced anything quite like it before, but I have had some odd visions since I've come to Portcallan, and I can't explain those either. Honestly, the only common factor is you."
"I walked over this way, and—bam?" Leion considered that. "It would be nice to think I could have such an effect on you, but I promise I didn't do anything."
Viyony put down the empty cup on the grass. "I never thought you did."
"If I weren't me," said Leion, distracted, "I would definitely be my first suspect. Who brought up this whole topic? Who tricked you in going down into the space below the Empty Temple? Who's coincidentally hanging around every time you see things that aren't there?"
She rolled her eyes, and laid a hand on his arm to stop him. "Leion! Never mind how it happened now. First, I have to go back down there. The things I saw are all nagging at me and I need to fix something."
"I might have known," he said. "Hang on, though." He fished something out of the pocket of his thin jacket and held it out to her, with triumph. "Here. Have this first."
Viyony took it, and found it was a sweet biscuit wrapped in waxed paper. Biting into it revealed something like shortbread with dried, tangy red berries in it. It helped. Midway through a mouthful she directed a quizzical glance at him. "How?" she said once she'd swallowed it. "Why? Do I want to know?"
"Like I said, I came over at some appallingly early hour," said Leion. "I brought food, including that, which I didn't eat."
She grimaced. "Lucky you. I threw up pretty much everything I'd had in the whole previous day on my trip over."
"Well, with that charming thought in mind, shall we go ahead and find out the stupid way if you're likely to keel over if you go back down there?"
Viyony grinned, and let him help her to her feet. "This is why I'm so glad you're here."
Aliah's shrine was at the far end of the cave, directly opposite the entrance. Viyony took a deep breath as she stepped inside and then hastily shut her eyes. "Leion," she said, as he hastily stopped behind her. "Will you guide me over to the far end—to the Aliate section?"
"Why not?" he said easily, and took her arm.
Viyony let him lead her towards the opposite end, where she remembered there being mottled earthstone with glints of green fire lurking under its cloudy dark surface, highlighted by a small ray of light coming in through a chink above, and beside that, a fall of fern-like fronds acting as a divide between it and the neighbouring alcove dedicated to Shara.
"Here," said Leion as they halted. "Feeling all right?"
There was a low buzzing in her ears; images and whispers rising in the back of her mind, but as long as she kept from looking directly into the starstone, it wasn't yet overwhelming. Viyony focused on the pressing vision of shells, tokens, and coins and followed its lead, with a certainty born of years of being directed by her dreams. She pulled back the yellowing greenery to reveal a low opening behind it.
"Come on," she said to Leion. "You need to come too. I don't want to fall if I pass out."
He dug in his heels. "Through there?" he said. "Does it even go anywhere?" A moment more, and his frown deepened. "Wait—fall?"
Viyony ducked in under the opening and into a narrow, well-like space that lay beyond it. "Yes," she called back softly. "Be careful. I don't think the ground is all that solid."
Leion followed her through more warily, screwing up his face as he took in their surroundings. There was a grating a length or so above their heads and they were standing on a circular stone rim around a hole that should have continued downwards, but it was clogged up with rocks, a broken spar, and other debris. The whole space was covered with tokens that had been cast down into it. There were very few of the shell-shaped starstone trinkets sold on Portcallan's market stalls—these were a motley mix of real shells, rough chips of starstone, low value coins, patterned, glazed or carved pebbles, and wood tokens of the kind she and Leion had burned when they attended a Maralonian ceremony on the clifftop outside the city.
"We shouldn't be in here," said Leion, keeping close against the wall, his hand stretched out against it to keep his balance. "We're walking over people's hopes and dreams."
"They were meant to go to the sea," said Viyony, gesturing at the blockage. "We should send them on their way."
"Superstition."
She bit back a smile. He was the one who was barely moving for fear of desecrating somebody else's dreams. "It's the right thing to do," she said. Thinking of it caused the voices and images to flash into her mind: it made sense of why she'd heard such a disconnected chorus of whispering and weeping—it really had been the cries of a hundred people's wishes or prayers lying forgotten here. Viyony manoeuvred herself into a kneeling position and let the visions play out further, ignoring the returning dizziness, and then, following their lead, tugged at the piece of wood that seemed to be clogging everything up.
"Wait," said Leion. He lowered himself down beside her, and waved her away from the debris. "Stop that. You'll get splinters." He studied the mess, a dent forming in the middle of his brows. "Hmm."
"I keep picturing a particular rock," she said. "A largish block—bluish-grey, with a jagged triangular point."
Leion laid himself almost flat on the ground now to get his arm into the hole. "Yes, yes. I see it, I think. Hang on."
Viyony waited, watching him straining as he pulled awkwardly at something out of her view with so little result that she itched to tell him to get out of the way and let her try; the picture of the precise nature of the blockage still vivid in her head. She stifled the impulse. Leion was probably stronger than she was and he had longer arms. She must be patient. She leant back against the rock wall, putting out a hand against its rough surface to ensure that she didn't fall, despite the warning rise of a humming in her ears.
A rock gave way and tumbled down the steep incline of cliff below: it knocked about against stone as it went, striking something with force near the end before a heavy splash finally echoed upward. Leion straightened up and pulled out the obstructive piece of wood with ease. Gravel and smaller rocks and sand were released by it, sliding away; a slow susurration, followed by the rattle of larger stones and tokens.
Viyony looked at Leion, picking himself up on the opposite side of the opening. They caught each other's eye, and then, as one, set about sweeping out the remainder of the tokens down after the debris.
It was only superstition, as Leion said, but nevertheless each one represented somebody's prayer to Shara, and who knew all the mysteries of the world? The people who had cast them down here over the years had done so in hope, meaning them to go to the sea, to Shara. It was only right to honour that.
They squeezed themselves back through the small opening into the main shrine, and Leion turned to her. "How are you?"
Viyony closed her eyes, new images slipping into her mind as she caught sight of the waterstone embedded in the Sharan alcove beside her. "All right—but lead me out quickly—please."
Leion took her hand and pulled her on, across the rainbow patterned tiles to the worn stairs, where he gave her a hand up onto the first step. She risked opening her eyes and Leion stood back to allow her to pass, hurrying up the stone stairs and out into the sunshine as fast as she dared.
Eollan was waiting at the top, with an older woman standing next to him—presumably the physician.
"What possessed you to go back down there?" Eollan demanded, pouncing on Viyony. "Wasn't the first time bad enough?" He rolled his eyes as Leion emerged behind her. "Oh. Your idea, was it, Valerno?"
Viyony halted, stiffening with anger. "No, it wasn't. I had to see to something, and Leion helped. I'm fine, really. It was only all that starstone in one place."
"Imai Eseray," said the woman, moving forward. She was shorter than Viyony, slight-framed but wiry and when she folded her arms, Viyony saw a tattoo pattern against brown skin. "I'm Pollavena Ezulla, the medic here on the estate. How about you sit down here for a little while, and I can ask you a few questions? Best to be on the safe side, don't you think?"
Viyony nodded. "Of course. Could I have some more water, too, if there is any left?" She looked at Imai Ezulla, as she sat on the grass, leaning against the stones, while Eollan headed off to see if Velin had provided a bottle or only a glass. "I only went back down there because there was something I had to do—and Imai Valerno took good care of me."
"Did he?" Imai Ezulla looked up and laughed. "Well, well. Last time I met young Valerno, he was having trouble walking in a straight line. I'm glad to hear he's improved."
Viyony looked at him. "Leion, do you know everyone?"
"No," said Leion. "And I certainly don't know this woman—don't believe anything she says."
"Hush with your nonsense, Valerno. I need to speak to Imai Eseray and I daresay she could use some piece and quiet. Take the other one away with you, too, if you can."
"And no doing anything to him," added Viyony in an undertone, catching at Leion's arm before he could move. "Eollan can't be to blame—it was only the starstone."
"Oh, I'll refrain from shoving him off the cliff as long as he returns the favour. But I want you to know—that floor was very slippery and nobody warned me. I didn't walk into the shelves—I skidded."
Viyony waited while Eollan brought her the empty glass and a small bottle, half full of water, and Leion ushered him away towards the cliff path; Eollan clearly resistant to being taken anywhere by Leion.
"I used to be a medic at Chamber Square," Imai Ezulla said comfortably. "I remember Valerno because he gave himself a concussion on his first day at the archive—a novel achievement. Careered straight into the shelves. I sent him home, and his stepfather came to collect him—and he turned out to be Imor Jadinor, head of the Guardians of the Peace. You don't forget a thing like that in a hurry."
Viyony put a hand to her mouth. "I don't suppose you would."
"Now," said the physician, "why don't you tell me about what happened down in the shrine?"
Viyony sighed, and obliged.
The others returned half an hour later to see how Viyony was doing. She informed them that she was fine and Imai Ezulla hadn't found anything seriously wrong with her, so they set off on their planned amble along the cliff path together. Viyony, if she was more honest, had a low, sick headache and was still a little shaken, but she hoped the walk would help on both counts.
She, Velin and Tess trailed along behind Eollan and Leion, admiring the view. Tess pointed with unflagging delight when she glimpsed familiar city landmarks over the Calla Strait, so distant and strange from the island, while Velin told a story about his embarrassing errors on his first visit to Portcallan—he had been more at sea on land than on his ship, he claimed—but they couldn't ignore the low-key but hostile conversation drifting back to them from the two in front.
Viyony only caught occasional snatches of Eollan's words, but Leion was more audible; asking supposedly casual questions about what they had done so far since they'd arrived for the house party, and whose idea it had been to go down into the shrine, and if he imagined he was being subtle, he was sorely mistaken.
"This is no use," Viyony said to Velin and Tess. She gestured towards Leion and Eollan. "If you two take Eollan, I'll deal with Leion."
Tess patted her arm. "Don't worry, Viyony. It's not about you. Leion hates the Barras since that trouble with Atino, and they hate him right back for the same reason. And he isn't even supposed to be here!"
"Come on, then," said Velin. He winked at Viyony and took Tess's arm, leading her onwards.
Viyony sat down at the cliff edge. The breeze whipped her hair back from her face, and she was grateful for it. Walking hadn't improved her headache very much. She probably should have returned to the house and lain down, but it would have been a terrible waste of her short time on the island.
"Do you need to go back?" said Leion from behind her.
She smiled out at the sea, watching sunlight shimmer on the waves. She must be worse than she had thought, for she had to blink away water from her eyes, only because her prediction that this might be the best way to draw his attention from Eollan had proved true. "I probably should," she agreed. "But I'd rather sit here for a little while, if you don't mind."
"My pleasure," said Leion. He lowered himself onto a tussock of wiry grass next to her. "I wasn't getting much out of Eollan anyway."
"We all heard you trying."
He studied the Calla Strait, not looking at her. "I had to ask."
"Leion, what are you doing here?" She turned her head towards him, putting a hand up to keep the wind from flapping her hair into her face. "Don't tell me you've started having prophetic dreams as well?"
He met her gaze. "Ha, no. I kept worrying about if I'd given you the right advice about coming here, and whether I should ask Lynah if she'd let me join the party. But then—well, I didn't want to follow you about unasked, turning up where I'm least wanted."
"So, what decided you?"
He bit his lip, slow to respond as he stared across the Calla Strait. "Have you ever heard me mention someone called Aima? She was involved in that mess with Atino, along with Tana and me."
"I think so. The one who was badly hurt, you said."
Leion nodded. "Yes. Well, I saw Tana yesterday. Aima's dead. Had a particularly bad episode and her heart gave out. So I sent a message over last night and arranged passage with one of the fishing crews. If Lynah didn't want me here, I was going to wait in the village until I could go home again, but at least I'd have the chance to check whether or not you were safe and well first."
"Which I am," Viyony said.
He moved sharply to face her. "Is that what you call it? Someone told me you were out visiting the shrine, and when I arrived everyone was running about in a panic because you'd collapsed. I thought I'd arrived too late."
Viyony shivered suddenly. "Leion. It was the starstone. Really. I should know."
"I don't think it can have been," he said. "Please. Even if you don't believe me—take the possibility seriously."
Viyony rubbed her aching forehead. "I'll try. I'm going to go back to my room for a while now, and I should be safe enough there."
"Will you, though?" said Leion, jumping up and stretching a hand down to her. "That's a thought!"
"What is?"
Leion walked alongside her as she headed towards Allin House with new purpose in his stride. "If nobody put anything in your food and your drink, what about soap, tooth powder and the like?"
"No!" said Viyony. "That's ridiculous. Leion—stop! What are you going to do?"
"Get Lynah to replace them," he said airily. "I'll escort you to the house and speak to her at once."
Viyony sighed. "You're not going to start tasting my food as well, are you?"
"No, that wouldn't be any use, unfortunately," said Leion. "I don't have your level of affinity. I'd only notice something was wrong if it tasted odd—but so would you."
She shook her head. "It can't be soap—that's silly. You wash it right off!"
"Still, best stay on the safe side. I'll see to it."
"I'm not sure I am pleased you're here after all," said Viyony.
"Yes, you are," he said, turning his head towards her, a smile in his eyes. "You can't take it back now."
By the time Viyony and Leion reached the house, it was time for lunch. Leion paused to examine the food, laid out in the same long dining room as it had been at breakfast, and then went in search of Lynah. After having eaten, Viyony returned to her chamber, where she found that Leion hadn't been joking about replacing her wash things. Someone had been in and changed the soap and given her a new tin of tooth powder. She muttered under her breath about the waste, but if Leion was that concerned, she supposed she had better accept it with reasonable grace.
What annoyed her more was that now she started to worry about other items—like the scent Aunt Diyela had given her, and a cream Father had brought for her from Mother when he had visited. Could they have been tampered with? Viyony reluctantly packed them away in her case and shut the lid. She could get someone to examine them once she got back to Portcallan, to make sure they were safe—one of her father's chemist acquaintances would oblige. Or if not, Leion would know someone. Leion always knew someone, didn't he?
She lay down on the bed. She didn't like all this lazing about in the day, but even aside from her episode in the cave earlier, it really was the best way to deal with the heat. She turned over, onto her side, her mind still busy.
It wasn't Leion's absurd yet not quite dismissible suspicions that occupied her thoughts, though, nor the episode in the grotto earlier. No, there was one chief thing going round and round in her head: Leion had come all this way, just for her sake. She had wished yesterday that he was here with her, away from Portcallan's plots and the demands of business. If he had been, she'd told herself last night, it would have been the perfect moment to have their promised 'affair'. Now he was, and in such a way that dispelled any doubts she'd had as to whether or not he still wanted her.
Tonight, then, was the night.
Viyony's mouth curved upwards at the thought. It really was more than time she did what her mother told her, after all.
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I'm glad that paid off the way it looked as though it was meant to!
This is a terrific chunk of narrative and I am really enjoying it. I can't remember if we heard about the sea monsters before, but if not, I appreciate the infilling of the ecosystem.
(I can see the relationship perfectly well in the foreground, but I really just like the weirdness of a world.)
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Aw, thank you!! <3
I can see the relationship perfectly well in the foreground, but I really just like the weirdness of a world.
Don't worry, I know that if I go and bring up strange sea creatures, that is bound to be what gets your attention the most! And while I'm pretty sure I have mentioned that there are untransformed creatures in the seas quite a few times, I don't think I've gone into any real detail about different kinds or anything like that.
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Interesting - her reaction started when she touched the piece of the sea monster, or whatever it was right? If Leion thinks someone tampering with her soap could affect her, that probably could, too. I wonder if Eollan had any idea that would happen?
Sort of curious how the resolution of this relationship (or her attempt to resolve it, anyway) will go, too.
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All very good questions! XD
Sort of curious how the resolution of this relationship (or her attempt to resolve it, anyway) will go, too.
Also a good question, hehe. <3
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Some beta notes.
1 - The entrance to the cave was beside that, close to the path that ran through on through the copse towards the cliffs.
You don't need through twice.
2 - If the shrine dated back to the oldest days of Emoyra, these must have been significantly changed at some point, as there was marked out for Vio, who hadn't been known before the sixth century.
There should be a one before marked, surely?
3 - Viyony ducked in under the opening and into a narrow, well-like space that lay beyond it.
Well-lit, not well-like? Or do you mean it's like a well? (If so, forgive me!)
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And thanks for the corrections - done, except for the last one where, for a wonder, I actually did mean what I typed. XD (No forgiveness even needed, heh. <3<3<3)
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I loved that part!
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I'm really not sure if Eollan is just trying to marry Viyony or if he's up to something more sinister. I guess we'll find out!
And, re: Viyony's decision: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
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And, re: Viyony's decision: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
I'm sure nothing could possibly go wrong!! XD