Name: Astray
Story: Starfall
Colors: White Opal #8 (wandering)
Supplies and Styles:
Word Count: 2015
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Notes: Portcallan 1313; Viyony Eseray, Ivina Gerro, Nin Valerno, Leion Valerno. (A very slight linking piece, but sometimes you need them.)
Summary: Viyony has an unexpected visitor.

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“Viyony,” said Ivina poking her head round the door of the study. “You have a visitor!”

Viyony caught the tremor of humour in her cousin’s tone and shot her a curious glance as she laid her pen down on the paper. She wasn’t expecting anyone, and her acquaintances in Portcallan were limited as yet. She crossed to the door as Ivina opened it fully to reveal a girl of about twelve or so standing beside her.

Iyanin Valerno, or Nin, Leion’s second-eldest niece, raised dark eyes to meet Viyony’s gaze. A momentary quiver passed over the girl’s face, but then Nin stepped forward, raised her chin, and held out her hand, giving Viyony a bright smile. She had perfected her uncle’s approach to life already, it seemed.

“Imai Eseray!” Nin said, breathlessly. “I wanted to ask you about North Eastern District. You’re from there, I know. You said so.”

Viyony bit back a smile. “I did, and I do. You didn’t come here alone, did you?”

“Well, yes,” said Nin, meeting Viyony’s gaze in a suspiciously frank and open fashion. “It isn’t very far and I’m just as responsible as Leily is. More, Mother says, sometimes.”

“Hmm.” Viyony cast a glance over at Ivina, who had remained hovering in the doorway. Her cousin raised an eyebrow in return. “Does your mother or anyone else know where you are?”

Nin shifted from one foot to the other. “I told Vonna. I expect she heard, and anyway, Imai Roddin said I had to do my schoolwork, which I am, because I have to write about any Emoyran District except for Southern. Imai Roddin’s busy with the younger ones anyway, so she won’t notice.” When Viyony didn’t immediately reply, Nin added: “And Uncle Leion says it’s fine to find out answers from things that aren’t books.”

“Yes, I remember,” said Viyony. “His trip to the Empty Temple was deeply educational for everyone.”

Nin edged her way into a tentative smile. “There, see!”

“It doesn’t change anything – I have to let your family know where you are. Ivina – where do the Valernos live?”

Nin gave a small hop of alarm. “No, no, don’t! Imai Roddin will scold, and tell Mother and Father – and I only wanted to ask you a few questions and it’s for school.”

Viyony and Ivina exchanged a look.

“What about telling your Uncle Leion?” said Viyony. “And while we’re sending the message out, I will try to answer any questions you care to ask about North Eastern.”

Nin pulled a face and muttered something about no one needing to know, not really, but then concluded with a sigh and a reluctant nod.

“Ivina,” said Viyony, turning back to her. “Can you send a message?”

“Already on my way,” called her cousin, heading off down the hall, as the door fell to behind her.

Nin sighed. “I suppose I should have asked, but what if Imai Roddin had said no?”

Viyony’s mouth twitched and she had to hide her face as she ushered Nin over to the nearest chair. Nin, once seated, promptly produced pencil and paper, looking the picture of the eager student.

“Was it very dull at home this afternoon?” Viyony asked.

Nin wriggled her way down into the chair until she was in a satisfactory position and then nodded. “Vonna’s no use when she’s reading and Imai Roddin kept telling me to go away and do my school work. So I have.”

“So I see! And what do you want to know about North Eastern District, then?”


Viyony did her best to answer the questions that Nin fired at her, although one or two of them, like the precise size of the District, she’d told her was something she would have to look up in a book.

“And is it true that the alionrel vines grow to up to ten lengths and eat people?”

Viyony caught the glint in the girl’s eyes. “What do you think?”

“Probably not, but it would be more exciting.”

“Inconvenient for people who have to live and work there, though.”

Nin wrinkled her nose as she made a note. “There is a lot of alionrel, though, isn’t there? We had to learn about all its different uses last year and made funny sort of cakes out of the paste, except not really cakes –”

“Nothing like Dala’s, I can imagine.”

“No. Not too bad, though.”

Someone tapped at the door, and they both looked up. Nin’s uncle, Leion Valerno, was standing there, leaning in the doorway in a bottle green jacket, surveying his errant niece with eyebrow lifted and his arms folded.

“What have you been up to?”

Nin shot a look of appeal at Viyony.

“Her schoolwork,” Viyony said. “Like her uncle, she employs unconventional methods to get things done.”

Leion straightened and moved into the room. “Well, Iyanin?”

Nin shrank back into the chair. “Are you angry?”

“I’m not very happy with you, no. Why do you think that is?”

Nin hit her notebook with her pencil. “That’s not a fair way to tell people off.”

“Come on – why might I be unhappy with you?”

Nin sighed. “All right. I know. I didn’t tell Imai Roddin where I was going and I suppose you think I could have been eaten by something or fallen in the river, which isn’t exactly very likely.”

“No, but Imai Roddin is responsible for you while your parents aren’t there, and it’s not fair to her to slip out like that. Besides, unlikely things do happen sometimes. You never know. That’s the trouble. Not to mention it being rather unfair and dishonest – and what else?”

Nin frowned. “Um. I don’t know?”

“What about Imai Gerro and Imai Eseray? They might have had other things to do, and here you are, making them do your homework for you. Not very considerate, is it?”

Nin glanced at Viyony. “I’m not being a nuisance, am I?”

“No,” said Viyony. “But some days I am very busy, it’s true.” She couldn’t look at Leion or she’d have ruined his little lecture by pointing out his hypocrisy, given that he had pretty much coerced her into making a trip out with him last time they’d met.

Leion nodded, his attention on his niece. “And?”

“Sorry, Imai Eseray,” Nin said flatly. She brightened again immediately: “And thank you for telling me all about the mountains and the dyes and the Last Lady and all of that.”

“I enjoyed it.” Viyony smiled. She turned her head towards Leion. “I imagine you’ll have to take her home now?”

Leion’s expression softened. “Yes, although I let Imai Roddin know where she was before I came over. So, young nuisance, Imai Gerro has a snack waiting for you – run along and while you enjoy your undeserved treat, you might want to start thinking about how you’re going to put things right with Imai Roddin.”

Nin jumped up and hugged Leion briefly before racing off into the hall, calling out for Ivina, footsteps clattering on the floorboards.

“Somehow,” said Leion, taking a step nearer to Viyony, “I have a feeling you’re going to blame this on me.”

Viyony rose. “Well, it is your fault! You can’t take your nieces with you when you’re investigating people. It’s irresponsible! No wonder Nin thinks I’m a safe person to know.”

“Aren’t you?”

Viyony stopped. “Yes, of course. But you thought I was involved in the assassination!”

“No, no,” said Leion, smiling. “I was so sure you weren’t, even aside from your great-aunt being a family friend, that I took you to the Empty Temple to save you the trouble of further official questioning. I wouldn’t have brought my nieces along if I’d thought you were a real suspect.”

“I don’t think you should ever combine that sort of thing.” Viyony refused to let him be reasonable at her. She drew herself up. “Do you?”

Leion’s brows drew together. “It’s not something I’ve done before or plan to do again.”

“Good.” She raised her chin. “You seem to think you can behave however you want – and then try to charm your way out of it with nothing but a smile.”

Leion lowered his head. To her annoyance, he was biting back laughter. “Any other faults you’d like to bring to my attention while I’m here?”

“Yes – all those warnings you insisted on giving me were extremely vague and unhelpful!”

Leion looked up; brown eyes gleaming. “If I had specific information, I would give it to you, I promise. You know, if we’re getting personal, you might want to remember that Portcallan isn’t Eseray and you don’t get to lay down the law to everyone here, whatever you do at home.”

Viyony turned away. “I’ll go and see if Nin has finished yet.”

“No,” said Leion, the humour fading out of his voice. “Imai Eseray – I’m sorry. I hoped I’d apologised enough last time. Not merely with a smile, even – I did buy you cake.”

Viyony closed her eyes momentarily, making up her mind, and then swung back around to face him. “You did. And I’m told you can introduce me to the sorts of people I need to know – for the business.”

“For the business,” he echoed, faintly mocking.

“I am trying to save Eseray. You may not understand, but it is important.”

He gave a small grimace. “I really am sorry. I’ll introduce you to whomever you wish, if it’s humanly possible. I won’t make any more personal remarks, and I suppose I could try not to smile, but that’s much harder to guarantee. I won’t let my niece bother you again, though, certainly.”

“I didn’t mean that,” said Viyony. “I enjoyed Nin’s visit, even if she shouldn’t really have been here. I liked what I saw of Leily the other day, too.”

Leion put a hand on his heart, as if she’d wounded him. “Only me you detest, then? Oh, well, I suppose that’s fair enough. But here’s the thing – you want my help and I must keep an eye on you for the moment, at least until you understand the danger you might be in. That being the case – how about we try and start again?”

“It does sound practical.”

He shook his head. “I should have known that was the way to win you around! However, since we must meet, I’ll make it my duty to ensure you have some fun while you’re here.”

“You sound like my mother. She was the one who sent me to Portcallan in the first place.”

“A wise woman, then. I’m sure we’d get along.”

Viyony rolled her eyes. “Wise? Nonsensical is more like it – she even seemed to think I should amuse myself with an affair while I’m here, as if that would be any way to start my marriage!”

“With your sort of marriage, it might be the only way,” said Leion. “I wasn’t planning on going that far myself, although if you want, I’m sure I could oblige with something brief, charming and painless enough, why not?”

“That doesn’t sound very enticing.”

“No. ” He broke into a laugh. “I was actually proposing we see the sights, or visit the theatre – that sort of thing. What do you want to do with yourself while you’re here – aside from business and refusing to do what your mother tells you?”

Viyony paused. She’d assumed vaguely that she would at some point take in the sights and taste some of the Portcallan’s attractions, but she’d mainly concentrated on Eseray, the business, and her wedding. She hadn’t made any definite plans for pleasure alone.

“A concert or a play, then? I could invite you and the young Modelens, make a nice little party of it. What do you say?”

Viyony unbent as far as a half-smile. “A play might be nice. We go to Eisterway sometimes for concerts, but the theatre is more of a rarity where we live.”

“Consider it done,” said Leion with a small, unnecessary bow. “Thank you! Now, where has your cousin taken that young scoundrel of mine?”

Viyony showed him the way.