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rainbowfic2026-01-26 08:27 pm
thisbluespirit) wrote in rainbowfic2026-01-26 08:27 pm
Warm Heart #20 [Starfall]
Name: Loose Ends
Story: Starfall
Colors: Warm Heart #20 (Conceit)
Supplies and Styles: Giftwrap + Thread
Word Count: 1788
Rating: PG
Warnings: None.
Notes: 1313, Portcallan; Leion Valerno, Tess Hyan. Continues on soon after Against the Flow.
Summary: Leion makes some enquiries.
Gathering 15
The Sea Festival was overflowing with ways to get Shara's attention: tokens were only the start of it. Leion, though, ignored any urge to invest in a vial of sea-water or dried seaweed, regardless of the implausible claims made by street sellers as he passed, and reached the sanctuary of his office with his money still in his pocket. By that hour, if he had wanted, he could also have gone to the coastal area by Calla Tower to join in more formal petitioning ceremony led by the Sharan attendants and listen to choirs singing Sharan songs. But he had already been away from his office for long enough—he didn't want to miss a message from the hospital about Viyony.
He threw himself into his chair, scowling at the wall and kicking the side of the desk, not ready to pretend everything was normal and get on with some work. Thoughts chased each other wildly round his head. Eollan, like Atino before him, had tried to ramp up people's affinity with no concern for their safety. It was easy to focus his anger on Eollan, on both Barras, but there had to be someone else behind them. Someone who had funded their efforts, maybe directly given them access to the necessary materials.
Last year, Leion had seen a boy run into the sea and drown, driven to it by the sudden and wild increase in his affinity. Others with affinity had disappeared, dismissed by the authorities as merely yet more runaways who'd stowed away on board a ship or found themselves a place under a new name. Perhaps some of them had—awkward abilities often made home life too difficult to stay—but Tana, Leion, and his friend Jousine, who kept a small hotel down in the docklands, shared Leion's suspicions that someone had offered them money and a place to go if they were willing to let them experiment with their affinity. And neither Atino nor Eollan had been in Portcallan before this year—Atino had been in exile ever since he'd hurt Aima, and Eollan had been away in the army for the same length of time.
Vollo Hyan was the most obvious suspect. He owned Calla Island, which was an ideal place for conducting experiments out of reach and knowledge of the authorities. He certainly had the money, influence, and interest in starstone and affinity—but there wasn't a shred of actual evidence against him. Perhaps it was Kadia or some other member of the Barra family using the family's wine business to cover more sinister transactions. Atino was out there, too—somewhere in West Korphil, Leion had heard. He could be operating in Portcallan by proxy, having people and supplies shipped out to him. Nevertheless, Leion and Tana were sure that the chief culprit, if there really was one, must be here in Portcallan or close by. Perhaps it was someone neither of them had thought to suspect at all and that was why they were still none the wiser.
Leion grimaced. He wasn't going to get any further sitting around speculating—and it occurred to him that there was someone else he should ask some questions, if Tana hadn't pulled her in for that purpose already. He should probably ask even if she had—the personal approach was quite a different thing again. He needed to find Tessine Hyan.
He slipped off the desk, ready to run off and do just that, but then hesitated, not wanting to risk missing news of Viyony. Leion paced about the room, weighing up his options, but it didn't take long before action won out over inaction. He knew where his quarry would be tonight, for one thing—Tess wasn't much in favour of the solemnity of the second night of the festival, but she was due to attend one of the pageants, as some young cousins of hers were taking part.
Leion went to join her.
He found Tess standing on the grass close to the cliffside, watching the children go through the motions of their performance a length or so in front of the crowds. He leant in and tapped her on the shoulder. "Tess."
She turned her head, and smiled at him. "Oh. Hello, Leio."
Leion laid a hand on her arm, and nodded to one side, indicating that they should move, find somewhere more private to talk.
"If this is about yesterday, I've been bullied enough by Tana as it is," she said. "And at least that's her job. You don't have the right."
"Maybe not, but unofficially, I think you owe me an explanation."
Tess hung back, drawing in her breath to make an excuse.
"I'm not going to hurt you, whether or not you deserve it," he added. "Besides, you hate all these stuffy ceremonies. Come on."
They turned off into the first side road they came to, once they were through Watersgate; Tess straggling behind Leion, although she didn't make any attempt to escape.
"I know you're angry about Viyony, but it really isn't my fault," said Tess. "How is she?"
Leion shrugged.
"She'll get better, I know she will," Tess said, patting his arm. "And you can't blame me. It was the festival! I was drunk—I took Viyony to a party at the Zillence place. Then I felt a bit sick, so I left. That's all, and I told Tana so, too."
Leion leant back against the wall behind him and folded his arms. "You and I both know that's not true. Seven years ago, almost to the day, we both followed Atino into that cave. Start of the Sea Festival—auspicious timing for calling on the Powers. And yesterday, there you were again."
"That's got nothing to do with it! I didn't know what Eollan was up to, or even that he'd be there—and he's not like Atino anyway. Well. That's what I thought until now. I'd never have taken Viyony there if I'd known - " Tess held out her hands. "Eollan's very boring about the Powers these days—he even goes to the eighth day devotions every single time, can you imagine?"
Leion's lips curved upwards. "I go too, you know—on the odd occasion. Viyony made me."
"But that doesn't mean someone's going to turn around and do something awful, so how could I know? You know, I don't believe even Eollan actually meant to hurt her."
"So he says," said Leion. "He seems to have seen himself as being on a mission for who knows what. Not the Powers, though, because he doesn't think they exist as such." Leion wasn't especially superstitious, but he instinctively warded off the words with the familiar gesture, pressing a hand to his right shoulder.
Tess sighed. "He worried sometimes about some awful thing he seemed to think might happen in the future. I don't know. I don't care about all that. Last night was only a party. You'd upset poor Viyony, so I was trying to cheer her up."
"Oh, really? I was in that house last night, Tess. That was no party. The only rooms being used were the kitchen and the basement. You couldn't have failed to notice Eollan and his set-up down there. Yet, despite that, you left Viyony behind with him! Come on, admit it—you lured her there deliberately."
Tess shrugged again. "I told you. I'd been drinking—I wasn't in any state to play detective or take part in horrid plots."
"Don't give me that! You knew, you must have done. But I don't believe it was your idea. Did Eollan ask you—or somebody else? Give me the name. I won't ever tell anyone else where it came from, and I'll find a way to help you if I can." He drew in his breath. "Even after last night, and, believe me, I'm not feeling kindly towards you right now."
"I don't suppose you are," said Tess. "You've got it wrong, though. You know, you've grown quite boring these days, too, Leio."
Leion moved in nearer and lowered his voice. "As you said, I'm not an official anything. This is just us talking. Give me the name. I might be able to use it to protect others. Aima died a few weeks ago, did you hear that? And Viyony—she isn't out of danger yet. They aren't the only ones."
"Oh, really," said Tess. "I wouldn't do Eollan's dirty work for him! I thought it was a party, but it wasn't much of one, and then I felt sick and went home. I feel awful about forgetting Viyony, truly I do, but you've no right to be so unkind about it."
Leion barred her way. "You're a Hyan, with a particularly powerful and persuasive cousin—a dangerous soul to cross, and hard to get away from when he's family. If I'm right, just say the name. Give me a nod, even."
"You're imagining things," said Tess. "You do look a bit wild-eyed. You should go home, get some sleep, and then you'll remember that I would never hurt anyone.
Leion stood back. "I hope that's true. Because if I'm right I have a nasty feeling you might wind up dead sooner or later, too."
"Are you threatening me?"
"Warning you," he said. "For which you ought to be grateful, because let's get one thing straight. I know what you did was deliberate, whether or not I'm right about why. I'd might not want to see you dead, Tess, but we are not friends any more."
Tess stiffened. "Well, I don't like you much today, either!" She swept past him towards the main street without turning around.
Leion sagged back against the wall, watching her walk away; a diminishing figure soon lost in fast deepening shadows of dusk. Viyony would never have stayed willingly at the Zillence house once she saw Eollan, let alone his followers in the cellar and there simply hadn't been any activity anywhere other than the kitchen and the cellar. It wasn't possible for Tess to have been as ignorant as she claimed, even if she had been drinking. Leion ran a hand through his hair. Of course, if Vollo Hyan really had asked Tess to help Eollan get hold of Viyony, she wouldn't have had much choice. He would be a very uncomfortable relative to disappoint. If, Leion thought with a sigh, and grimaced.
"That went about as well as expected," he muttered. He straightened and then ambled back into the upwards road, turning towards home. He'd been out long enough as it was, and he really didn't want to miss any news about Viyony.
Story: Starfall
Colors: Warm Heart #20 (Conceit)
Supplies and Styles: Giftwrap + Thread
Word Count: 1788
Rating: PG
Warnings: None.
Notes: 1313, Portcallan; Leion Valerno, Tess Hyan. Continues on soon after Against the Flow.
Summary: Leion makes some enquiries.
Gathering 15
The Sea Festival was overflowing with ways to get Shara's attention: tokens were only the start of it. Leion, though, ignored any urge to invest in a vial of sea-water or dried seaweed, regardless of the implausible claims made by street sellers as he passed, and reached the sanctuary of his office with his money still in his pocket. By that hour, if he had wanted, he could also have gone to the coastal area by Calla Tower to join in more formal petitioning ceremony led by the Sharan attendants and listen to choirs singing Sharan songs. But he had already been away from his office for long enough—he didn't want to miss a message from the hospital about Viyony.
He threw himself into his chair, scowling at the wall and kicking the side of the desk, not ready to pretend everything was normal and get on with some work. Thoughts chased each other wildly round his head. Eollan, like Atino before him, had tried to ramp up people's affinity with no concern for their safety. It was easy to focus his anger on Eollan, on both Barras, but there had to be someone else behind them. Someone who had funded their efforts, maybe directly given them access to the necessary materials.
Last year, Leion had seen a boy run into the sea and drown, driven to it by the sudden and wild increase in his affinity. Others with affinity had disappeared, dismissed by the authorities as merely yet more runaways who'd stowed away on board a ship or found themselves a place under a new name. Perhaps some of them had—awkward abilities often made home life too difficult to stay—but Tana, Leion, and his friend Jousine, who kept a small hotel down in the docklands, shared Leion's suspicions that someone had offered them money and a place to go if they were willing to let them experiment with their affinity. And neither Atino nor Eollan had been in Portcallan before this year—Atino had been in exile ever since he'd hurt Aima, and Eollan had been away in the army for the same length of time.
Vollo Hyan was the most obvious suspect. He owned Calla Island, which was an ideal place for conducting experiments out of reach and knowledge of the authorities. He certainly had the money, influence, and interest in starstone and affinity—but there wasn't a shred of actual evidence against him. Perhaps it was Kadia or some other member of the Barra family using the family's wine business to cover more sinister transactions. Atino was out there, too—somewhere in West Korphil, Leion had heard. He could be operating in Portcallan by proxy, having people and supplies shipped out to him. Nevertheless, Leion and Tana were sure that the chief culprit, if there really was one, must be here in Portcallan or close by. Perhaps it was someone neither of them had thought to suspect at all and that was why they were still none the wiser.
Leion grimaced. He wasn't going to get any further sitting around speculating—and it occurred to him that there was someone else he should ask some questions, if Tana hadn't pulled her in for that purpose already. He should probably ask even if she had—the personal approach was quite a different thing again. He needed to find Tessine Hyan.
He slipped off the desk, ready to run off and do just that, but then hesitated, not wanting to risk missing news of Viyony. Leion paced about the room, weighing up his options, but it didn't take long before action won out over inaction. He knew where his quarry would be tonight, for one thing—Tess wasn't much in favour of the solemnity of the second night of the festival, but she was due to attend one of the pageants, as some young cousins of hers were taking part.
Leion went to join her.
He found Tess standing on the grass close to the cliffside, watching the children go through the motions of their performance a length or so in front of the crowds. He leant in and tapped her on the shoulder. "Tess."
She turned her head, and smiled at him. "Oh. Hello, Leio."
Leion laid a hand on her arm, and nodded to one side, indicating that they should move, find somewhere more private to talk.
"If this is about yesterday, I've been bullied enough by Tana as it is," she said. "And at least that's her job. You don't have the right."
"Maybe not, but unofficially, I think you owe me an explanation."
Tess hung back, drawing in her breath to make an excuse.
"I'm not going to hurt you, whether or not you deserve it," he added. "Besides, you hate all these stuffy ceremonies. Come on."
They turned off into the first side road they came to, once they were through Watersgate; Tess straggling behind Leion, although she didn't make any attempt to escape.
"I know you're angry about Viyony, but it really isn't my fault," said Tess. "How is she?"
Leion shrugged.
"She'll get better, I know she will," Tess said, patting his arm. "And you can't blame me. It was the festival! I was drunk—I took Viyony to a party at the Zillence place. Then I felt a bit sick, so I left. That's all, and I told Tana so, too."
Leion leant back against the wall behind him and folded his arms. "You and I both know that's not true. Seven years ago, almost to the day, we both followed Atino into that cave. Start of the Sea Festival—auspicious timing for calling on the Powers. And yesterday, there you were again."
"That's got nothing to do with it! I didn't know what Eollan was up to, or even that he'd be there—and he's not like Atino anyway. Well. That's what I thought until now. I'd never have taken Viyony there if I'd known - " Tess held out her hands. "Eollan's very boring about the Powers these days—he even goes to the eighth day devotions every single time, can you imagine?"
Leion's lips curved upwards. "I go too, you know—on the odd occasion. Viyony made me."
"But that doesn't mean someone's going to turn around and do something awful, so how could I know? You know, I don't believe even Eollan actually meant to hurt her."
"So he says," said Leion. "He seems to have seen himself as being on a mission for who knows what. Not the Powers, though, because he doesn't think they exist as such." Leion wasn't especially superstitious, but he instinctively warded off the words with the familiar gesture, pressing a hand to his right shoulder.
Tess sighed. "He worried sometimes about some awful thing he seemed to think might happen in the future. I don't know. I don't care about all that. Last night was only a party. You'd upset poor Viyony, so I was trying to cheer her up."
"Oh, really? I was in that house last night, Tess. That was no party. The only rooms being used were the kitchen and the basement. You couldn't have failed to notice Eollan and his set-up down there. Yet, despite that, you left Viyony behind with him! Come on, admit it—you lured her there deliberately."
Tess shrugged again. "I told you. I'd been drinking—I wasn't in any state to play detective or take part in horrid plots."
"Don't give me that! You knew, you must have done. But I don't believe it was your idea. Did Eollan ask you—or somebody else? Give me the name. I won't ever tell anyone else where it came from, and I'll find a way to help you if I can." He drew in his breath. "Even after last night, and, believe me, I'm not feeling kindly towards you right now."
"I don't suppose you are," said Tess. "You've got it wrong, though. You know, you've grown quite boring these days, too, Leio."
Leion moved in nearer and lowered his voice. "As you said, I'm not an official anything. This is just us talking. Give me the name. I might be able to use it to protect others. Aima died a few weeks ago, did you hear that? And Viyony—she isn't out of danger yet. They aren't the only ones."
"Oh, really," said Tess. "I wouldn't do Eollan's dirty work for him! I thought it was a party, but it wasn't much of one, and then I felt sick and went home. I feel awful about forgetting Viyony, truly I do, but you've no right to be so unkind about it."
Leion barred her way. "You're a Hyan, with a particularly powerful and persuasive cousin—a dangerous soul to cross, and hard to get away from when he's family. If I'm right, just say the name. Give me a nod, even."
"You're imagining things," said Tess. "You do look a bit wild-eyed. You should go home, get some sleep, and then you'll remember that I would never hurt anyone.
Leion stood back. "I hope that's true. Because if I'm right I have a nasty feeling you might wind up dead sooner or later, too."
"Are you threatening me?"
"Warning you," he said. "For which you ought to be grateful, because let's get one thing straight. I know what you did was deliberate, whether or not I'm right about why. I'd might not want to see you dead, Tess, but we are not friends any more."
Tess stiffened. "Well, I don't like you much today, either!" She swept past him towards the main street without turning around.
Leion sagged back against the wall, watching her walk away; a diminishing figure soon lost in fast deepening shadows of dusk. Viyony would never have stayed willingly at the Zillence house once she saw Eollan, let alone his followers in the cellar and there simply hadn't been any activity anywhere other than the kitchen and the cellar. It wasn't possible for Tess to have been as ignorant as she claimed, even if she had been drinking. Leion ran a hand through his hair. Of course, if Vollo Hyan really had asked Tess to help Eollan get hold of Viyony, she wouldn't have had much choice. He would be a very uncomfortable relative to disappoint. If, Leion thought with a sigh, and grimaced.
"That went about as well as expected," he muttered. He straightened and then ambled back into the upwards road, turning towards home. He'd been out long enough as it was, and he really didn't want to miss any news about Viyony.
no subject
Psst! Beta note:
I'd might not want to see you dead, Tess, but we are not friends any more.
That should be "I might not"
no subject
Hmm, well that doesn't seem to get him closer to any answers. But I guess maybe Tess helped him before, with Atino, so that his step-father wouldn't target her?