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rainbowfic2025-11-20 09:11 pm
thisbluespirit) wrote in rainbowfic2025-11-20 09:11 pm
Entry tags:
Azul #15 [Starfall]
Name: Watchdogs
Story: Starfall
Colors: Azul #15 (Through thick and thin)
Supplies and Styles: Novelty Beads (11 Years of Dreamwidth Space Month & Book of the Day Challenges - "Never alone.")
Word Count: 1794
Rating: Teen
Warnings: Mild illness.
Notes: 1313, Portcallan. Leion Valerno, Tana Veldiner, Iyana Valerno. Takes place straight after after Turn to Dust and a few days before Sweet Interlude. (Just a slight linking piece, but I wanted to post something.)
Summary: Leion recovers from Chiulder's work - with a little help.
Leion made his way home, Tana walking alongside him, until they reached the door of his office. She folded her arms as he searched all his pockets fruitlessly for his key, before it dawned on him that he hadn't taken it—he hadn't even locked the door. Chiulder had been pulling the strings then, and he hadn't cared about such insignificant details. Leion straightened his shirt and pushed the door open. He stepped inside, turning back to say goodbye to Tana, but she followed him in, gesturing rather impatiently for him to move along when he halted in front of her in the hallway and tried to object.
"What now?" he asked. "I need to rest. I'm not writing a report, and I'm not doing any other bits and pieces you have in mind, either. Go away."
"Gladly. Who would you like me to send for, first?"
"What?"
Tana sighed. "The medic said not to leave you alone until you've recovered. I remember how nasty the after-effects of Chiulder's influence were from years ago and I only got the smallest dose of it, so I'm sure they're right."
Leion pressed a hand to his aching head and sank down onto the desk. He hunched up. "I just need to sleep. Please—go away and let me do that!"
"Who?" said Tana. "Leion. Your parents? One of your sisters?"
Leion dragging himself back onto his feet. "Anyone you like. I'm going to lie down." He walked out on her, swinging between exhaustion and absolute, unreasoning irritation without any sense the two might be the same thing. Why couldn't she leave him alone? He was fine; he only needed to collapse for about a day or so and forget it had happened. The whole incident kept playing back in his mind ever since and he shrivelled up further each time.
He stomped upstairs, where he managed to fetch himself some water and took a sip, put the cup down on a shelf where it didn't belong, and then sat down on the bed and passed out.
He half woke several times. The first time, the medic who had come to survey the non-existence of Chiulder in the alley seemed to be back, this time looming over him and asking stupid questions.
Leion remained lying on his side in the bed, not quite fully face first into the pillows. "Go away," he mumbled, and flung an arm over his head.
The man kept talking over him like something out of a textbook: "... unfortunately such an instance is so rare that the main advice I have to draw on dates from North Eisterland accounts of first century Idennic incidents in Norhyria, and this clearly isn't precisely the same thing in any case..."
Leion drifted off, not particularly inclined to stay for the rest of the lecture. It sounded very dull, worse than the law classes he'd attended. Better to slip away into dreams. Maybe he'd find Viyony there, although he ought to know by now that she never dreamed of him.
The other times he resurfaced were even more confusing—once there seemed to be an unnecessary lot of people arguing—another time someone was nagging him to drink something, as intensely irritating as a persistent wasp in the room.
When he finally woke properly, he was disorientated enough that he couldn't even guess at how long it had been. An hour, half an hour, a whole day? It was light now, so it couldn't be yesterday evening any more.
"Leion," said his mother from somewhere out of his immediate eyeline. "You're awake."
He screwed up his face. "Not really."
Iyana Valerno crossed over from the doorway, carrying a cup. She placed it down on the narrow bedside cabinet. "Drink some of that, darling. Slowly."
Leion rubbed his eyes and then pulled himself up against the pillow and the headboard. "What are you doing here?"
"The medic said someone should keep an eye on you. You've been asleep for around twelve hours, I believe. They said it was the best thing for you, so we let you be."
Leion reached for the cup, and stared down at the deep pink of cold raspberry tea. "Shouldn't you be at work?"
"I reorganised a few appointments," she said calmly, as if that were no problem at all for a High Justice. "You drink that. I'll fetch you something light to eat."
"Fuss," muttered Leion.
Iyana raised an eyebrow. "Is that likely?" She straightened the end of his bedcovers and took one more measuring look at him, before she headed off downstairs at her usual brisk pace.
Leion took another cautious sip of tea. He felt more as if he had done a thorough tour of every bar and tavern in Portcallan than slept the clock round. He closed his eyes and waited for his mother to return.
She passed him a plate with two round slices of seeded bread, each spread thinly with oil and accompanied by a quartered orange. "How are you?"
"Urgh," said Leion. "My head's splitting. All right otherwise, I suppose." He poked gingerly at the food on the plate, but looked up. "Mother. How are you here?"
Iyana pulled a wooden chair forward and sat on it. "Tana sent for the medic after you passed out. He insisted she send for someone to look after you, and I drew the short straw."
"Oh, yes," murmured Leion vaguely. "The medic. Idennic activity. I remember. I'm ancient history."
"Yes, darling." Iyana stood again. "I'll get you some hayiba powder. That should help a little with the headache—and do drink the rest of that tea." She hesitated. "Once you have, I'm afraid I'm going to ask you to come home with me."
"Is it an order?"
"A formal request." She smiled. "One with which you would be wise to comply."
Leion raised his head. "Oh?"
"Yes, or I shall have to send Tam in to persuade you." She perched on the end of the bed. "I have work to get on with, so I need my study, and even if the medic hadn't been so categorical about keeping you under observation, I'd still want you under our roof until you've properly recovered. I don't like what's been happening lately."
Leion bit into the bread. "Fine," he said, through his mouthful. "As long as you don't fuss."
"When have I ever?" She rose again. "Eat that, and then try and get washed and dressed—see how you are."
"What are you doing?"
Leion paused in the act of rifling feverishly through the shelves of books in the living room. "I was feeling better."
"And you wanted to read fifteen books at once?" Iyana gestured at the stacks of volumes now placed on the tiles, the low table, and the desk.
Leion flopped back onto the couch. "I was looking for one that has something about dispersal. It's important. I can't sit here and wait—I'll go to Yita's. He'll have something. If not, there's the High Council's library. Maybe the hospital library."
"Not today," said Iyana as she sat down at her desk and deftly set about retrieving her papers from underneath Leion's bibliographic chaos. "I hate to keep bringing Tam into things as a threat, but if you can't stay relatively quiet for even one day, I will be forced to do so."
Leion frowned at the unhelpful shelves. "I don't think a walk to the bookshop would do me any harm."
"Perhaps not," said Iyana. "A compromise, then—Tam should be home soon to take over from me -"
"Taking turns at babysitting me, eh?"
"If you must put it like that, then yes. If you are still feeling well enough when he gets here, I'm sure he'd be happy to walk over to the Pollens place with you. How does that sound?"
Leion shifted his position. He stared up at the ceiling. He kept thinking about Chiulder and dispersal, and Viyony, and what if someone did that to her, too. A book would be a step forwards in making sure that didn't happen. "Like a plan."
"Good," said Iyana. "So, be quiet, and let me finish this."
Gathering up her files a short while later, Iyana paused. "Leion. This isn't really the moment, but there was something I wanted to ask you."
He raised his head, wariness in his eyes. "Oh?"
"Yes. There's a wedding coming up, and it would be politic for me—or someone from the family to attend—and I can't possibly, so -"
Leion closed his eyes. "I expect I'll still be too ill."
"Oh, now you're an invalid, are you?" She shook her head. "You don't have to stay long—you don't even have to attend the ceremony if you'd rather not. Just show up at the house afterwards, present them with my gift and give the three of them our best wishes for the match. It's one of the Qerentas."
"Hmm. When is it?"
"I'll check, but I'm fairly sure it's this coming eighth day, so you shouldn't be busy."
Leion drew himself up a little onto the cushion behind him. "The Qerentas, did you say? Will the Gerros be there?"
"Very possibly," said Iyana. "Imai Eseray in particular ought to be."
"Fine, then," said Leion. "I'll do it. If you insist."
Iyana looked at him. "Darling. I know it's absolutely none of my business, but you will be careful there, won't you?"
"Mother!"
"I know, I know. But she has her own wedding to get to soon and promises to keep—and I didn't bring you up to be cruel."
"Why does everyone keep on at me as if I'm some rotter in a play? I am trying to keep Viyony safe for Tana," said Leion. "Well, that and I promised her I'd try and help her have some fun while she's here, but, stars, that takes some doing. If you knew the trouble she's caused, you wouldn't have the nerve to lecture me. I even went to Calla Island for her!"
"We noticed."
"Besides, going by past experience, if either of us is going to wind up hurt, it'll be me," said Leion. "Did I tell you her father poisoned me? It was an accident, but still. That's what I have to put up with!"
Iyana pushed back her chair. "I suppose it's no good warning you against breaking your own heart, either?"
"What a ridiculous idea," muttered Leion. "Viyony and I know what we're about."
Iyana rose. "I see. Well, don't come running to me when it's the end of the world."
"As if you'd actually turn me away."
His mother paused at the door and smiled, before she left. "Also a valid point."
Story: Starfall
Colors: Azul #15 (Through thick and thin)
Supplies and Styles: Novelty Beads (11 Years of Dreamwidth Space Month & Book of the Day Challenges - "Never alone.")
Word Count: 1794
Rating: Teen
Warnings: Mild illness.
Notes: 1313, Portcallan. Leion Valerno, Tana Veldiner, Iyana Valerno. Takes place straight after after Turn to Dust and a few days before Sweet Interlude. (Just a slight linking piece, but I wanted to post something.)
Summary: Leion recovers from Chiulder's work - with a little help.
Leion made his way home, Tana walking alongside him, until they reached the door of his office. She folded her arms as he searched all his pockets fruitlessly for his key, before it dawned on him that he hadn't taken it—he hadn't even locked the door. Chiulder had been pulling the strings then, and he hadn't cared about such insignificant details. Leion straightened his shirt and pushed the door open. He stepped inside, turning back to say goodbye to Tana, but she followed him in, gesturing rather impatiently for him to move along when he halted in front of her in the hallway and tried to object.
"What now?" he asked. "I need to rest. I'm not writing a report, and I'm not doing any other bits and pieces you have in mind, either. Go away."
"Gladly. Who would you like me to send for, first?"
"What?"
Tana sighed. "The medic said not to leave you alone until you've recovered. I remember how nasty the after-effects of Chiulder's influence were from years ago and I only got the smallest dose of it, so I'm sure they're right."
Leion pressed a hand to his aching head and sank down onto the desk. He hunched up. "I just need to sleep. Please—go away and let me do that!"
"Who?" said Tana. "Leion. Your parents? One of your sisters?"
Leion dragging himself back onto his feet. "Anyone you like. I'm going to lie down." He walked out on her, swinging between exhaustion and absolute, unreasoning irritation without any sense the two might be the same thing. Why couldn't she leave him alone? He was fine; he only needed to collapse for about a day or so and forget it had happened. The whole incident kept playing back in his mind ever since and he shrivelled up further each time.
He stomped upstairs, where he managed to fetch himself some water and took a sip, put the cup down on a shelf where it didn't belong, and then sat down on the bed and passed out.
He half woke several times. The first time, the medic who had come to survey the non-existence of Chiulder in the alley seemed to be back, this time looming over him and asking stupid questions.
Leion remained lying on his side in the bed, not quite fully face first into the pillows. "Go away," he mumbled, and flung an arm over his head.
The man kept talking over him like something out of a textbook: "... unfortunately such an instance is so rare that the main advice I have to draw on dates from North Eisterland accounts of first century Idennic incidents in Norhyria, and this clearly isn't precisely the same thing in any case..."
Leion drifted off, not particularly inclined to stay for the rest of the lecture. It sounded very dull, worse than the law classes he'd attended. Better to slip away into dreams. Maybe he'd find Viyony there, although he ought to know by now that she never dreamed of him.
The other times he resurfaced were even more confusing—once there seemed to be an unnecessary lot of people arguing—another time someone was nagging him to drink something, as intensely irritating as a persistent wasp in the room.
When he finally woke properly, he was disorientated enough that he couldn't even guess at how long it had been. An hour, half an hour, a whole day? It was light now, so it couldn't be yesterday evening any more.
"Leion," said his mother from somewhere out of his immediate eyeline. "You're awake."
He screwed up his face. "Not really."
Iyana Valerno crossed over from the doorway, carrying a cup. She placed it down on the narrow bedside cabinet. "Drink some of that, darling. Slowly."
Leion rubbed his eyes and then pulled himself up against the pillow and the headboard. "What are you doing here?"
"The medic said someone should keep an eye on you. You've been asleep for around twelve hours, I believe. They said it was the best thing for you, so we let you be."
Leion reached for the cup, and stared down at the deep pink of cold raspberry tea. "Shouldn't you be at work?"
"I reorganised a few appointments," she said calmly, as if that were no problem at all for a High Justice. "You drink that. I'll fetch you something light to eat."
"Fuss," muttered Leion.
Iyana raised an eyebrow. "Is that likely?" She straightened the end of his bedcovers and took one more measuring look at him, before she headed off downstairs at her usual brisk pace.
Leion took another cautious sip of tea. He felt more as if he had done a thorough tour of every bar and tavern in Portcallan than slept the clock round. He closed his eyes and waited for his mother to return.
She passed him a plate with two round slices of seeded bread, each spread thinly with oil and accompanied by a quartered orange. "How are you?"
"Urgh," said Leion. "My head's splitting. All right otherwise, I suppose." He poked gingerly at the food on the plate, but looked up. "Mother. How are you here?"
Iyana pulled a wooden chair forward and sat on it. "Tana sent for the medic after you passed out. He insisted she send for someone to look after you, and I drew the short straw."
"Oh, yes," murmured Leion vaguely. "The medic. Idennic activity. I remember. I'm ancient history."
"Yes, darling." Iyana stood again. "I'll get you some hayiba powder. That should help a little with the headache—and do drink the rest of that tea." She hesitated. "Once you have, I'm afraid I'm going to ask you to come home with me."
"Is it an order?"
"A formal request." She smiled. "One with which you would be wise to comply."
Leion raised his head. "Oh?"
"Yes, or I shall have to send Tam in to persuade you." She perched on the end of the bed. "I have work to get on with, so I need my study, and even if the medic hadn't been so categorical about keeping you under observation, I'd still want you under our roof until you've properly recovered. I don't like what's been happening lately."
Leion bit into the bread. "Fine," he said, through his mouthful. "As long as you don't fuss."
"When have I ever?" She rose again. "Eat that, and then try and get washed and dressed—see how you are."
"What are you doing?"
Leion paused in the act of rifling feverishly through the shelves of books in the living room. "I was feeling better."
"And you wanted to read fifteen books at once?" Iyana gestured at the stacks of volumes now placed on the tiles, the low table, and the desk.
Leion flopped back onto the couch. "I was looking for one that has something about dispersal. It's important. I can't sit here and wait—I'll go to Yita's. He'll have something. If not, there's the High Council's library. Maybe the hospital library."
"Not today," said Iyana as she sat down at her desk and deftly set about retrieving her papers from underneath Leion's bibliographic chaos. "I hate to keep bringing Tam into things as a threat, but if you can't stay relatively quiet for even one day, I will be forced to do so."
Leion frowned at the unhelpful shelves. "I don't think a walk to the bookshop would do me any harm."
"Perhaps not," said Iyana. "A compromise, then—Tam should be home soon to take over from me -"
"Taking turns at babysitting me, eh?"
"If you must put it like that, then yes. If you are still feeling well enough when he gets here, I'm sure he'd be happy to walk over to the Pollens place with you. How does that sound?"
Leion shifted his position. He stared up at the ceiling. He kept thinking about Chiulder and dispersal, and Viyony, and what if someone did that to her, too. A book would be a step forwards in making sure that didn't happen. "Like a plan."
"Good," said Iyana. "So, be quiet, and let me finish this."
Gathering up her files a short while later, Iyana paused. "Leion. This isn't really the moment, but there was something I wanted to ask you."
He raised his head, wariness in his eyes. "Oh?"
"Yes. There's a wedding coming up, and it would be politic for me—or someone from the family to attend—and I can't possibly, so -"
Leion closed his eyes. "I expect I'll still be too ill."
"Oh, now you're an invalid, are you?" She shook her head. "You don't have to stay long—you don't even have to attend the ceremony if you'd rather not. Just show up at the house afterwards, present them with my gift and give the three of them our best wishes for the match. It's one of the Qerentas."
"Hmm. When is it?"
"I'll check, but I'm fairly sure it's this coming eighth day, so you shouldn't be busy."
Leion drew himself up a little onto the cushion behind him. "The Qerentas, did you say? Will the Gerros be there?"
"Very possibly," said Iyana. "Imai Eseray in particular ought to be."
"Fine, then," said Leion. "I'll do it. If you insist."
Iyana looked at him. "Darling. I know it's absolutely none of my business, but you will be careful there, won't you?"
"Mother!"
"I know, I know. But she has her own wedding to get to soon and promises to keep—and I didn't bring you up to be cruel."
"Why does everyone keep on at me as if I'm some rotter in a play? I am trying to keep Viyony safe for Tana," said Leion. "Well, that and I promised her I'd try and help her have some fun while she's here, but, stars, that takes some doing. If you knew the trouble she's caused, you wouldn't have the nerve to lecture me. I even went to Calla Island for her!"
"We noticed."
"Besides, going by past experience, if either of us is going to wind up hurt, it'll be me," said Leion. "Did I tell you her father poisoned me? It was an accident, but still. That's what I have to put up with!"
Iyana pushed back her chair. "I suppose it's no good warning you against breaking your own heart, either?"
"What a ridiculous idea," muttered Leion. "Viyony and I know what we're about."
Iyana rose. "I see. Well, don't come running to me when it's the end of the world."
"As if you'd actually turn me away."
His mother paused at the door and smiled, before she left. "Also a valid point."
no subject
Are you also writing about shared dreams? Haha
I guess this explains a little more why someone at the wedding recognized him, but he didn't recognize them.
no subject
Are you also writing about shared dreams? Haha
LOL, I couldn't possibly comment! (I might be). XD
no subject
Psst! Beta note: "Yes, or shall have to send Tam in to persuade you."
You're missing an I in that sentence!
no subject
no subject
Absolutely a great definition of fine, totally.
"Oh, yes," murmured Leion vaguely. "The medic. Idennic activity. I remember. I'm ancient history."
I just like this line.
"Why does everyone keep on at me as if I'm some rotter in a play?"
It is true that in keeping with parts of his origins, Leion has been spectacularly terrible so far at being a rake, even when more or less point-blank asked to.
no subject
It is true that in keeping with parts of his origins, Leion has been spectacularly terrible so far at being a rake, even when more or less point-blank asked to.
It may amuse you to know that when I saw this I did a double take and then laughed out loud, because I haven't even posted the next piece yet. XD (Soon, I hope!)
no subject
Look, you build time-weirdness into your story, this sort of thing happens!
(Soon, I hope!)
(I look forward!)
no subject
Also I think it might be a bit late for you two not to break each other's hearts. I will weep oceans. Unless the author has pity on me.
no subject
Also I think it might be a bit late for you two not to break each other's hearts. I will weep oceans. Unless the author has pity on me.
*author sheepishly passes hanky*