by L. Itram and Ben Yackley Main * Story * Setting * Cast * Illustrations * About * Comment

Chapter 19: (untitled) (Posted on 9/11/03 )

Stitch, stitch, stitch, snip. Bored, bored, bored, bored.

After an hour of tutoring, Viola had learned to sew a straight seam and thereby impressed the other women so much with her quick learning that Nati had promised to teach her cross-stitch embroidery that very day. Assuming I haven't stabbed myself to death with the pincushion by then, she thought sourly.

"It's turning into quite a warm afternoon, isn't it? Zarel, be a dear and bring out the lemonade for us."

"Let me help ye," Viola leapt to her feet and followed the young woman into the house.

"You're such a quiet little one," remarked Zarel, filling the pitcher from an urn in the pantry. Apparently wine wasn't the only beverage the Haliddis made in large quantities. "I can't imagine you racing off on adventures with my brother."

Viola glared into the cupboard, glad the Ertseti couldn't see her face. Little one indeed. "There's more ta me than meets tha eye, ye could say."

"That I believe," responded the younger girl with a laugh, then frowned as she took a sip. "All the sugar's sunk to the bottom again. Here, you go ahead and take those glasses outside, I'll follow you in a minute."

Viola made her way back through the house, a drinking glass in each hand.

"Thank you dear," exclaimed Mrs Haliddi, "Where's Zarel?"

"In tha kitchen. I'll, uh, go help her with tha lemonade, shall I?"

"Oh, you don't have to --" But Viola was gone as quickly as if she'd teleported away.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she warped througn an open parlor window onto the back lawn. Now to find Luen.

Kinto, meanwhile, was on his way to the forest, basking in the warm glow of a job well done. Suddenly a small figure materialized in front of him.

"And just what are ye doin' out here?"

"Viola, I c'n explain. There were these farmers, see, and --"

"We dunna have time fer that," she grumbled, grabbing him by the arm and heading toward the trees. "Tha question now is can ye track him?"

"Yeah, that's easy. He's th'only one'around here that's gonna leave slide marks."

"Good. I just hope we're nae too late."

Luen stared down at the clearing from his perch in one of the taller trees. Not a comfortable place for a Vadhan, but he didn't know the local wildlife too well and didn't want to risk getting run over before he could take a shot.

If the weather is anything like it was yesterday, all of the interesting animals will be looking for shade come noon. I hope I came early enough.

The clearing below was empty save for a small pile of multicolored stones. So far they'd drawn the attention of two crows and a bored rabbit, all of whom quickly lost interest upon realizing that they weren't edible.

Luen waited. Fancy spells were all very well and good, but what a summoner really needed was patience.

Viola trailed after Kinto, grumbling. "Ye canna find us a short cut? We must ha' walked through half tha forest by now."

"I can't find a shortcut if I dunno know where he's goin'! Jus' be glad th'ground's soft."

"If we don't --" Viola froze, listening.

Kinto looked back, head tilted at the faint sound.

Without a word they both hit the ground just before something small and blue zwooshed over their heads, weaving a complicated pattern around the trees.

Viola brushed dirt off her slacks, eyeing the sparkling indigo trail etched into the air. "I think we found our shortcut."

Kinto jogged after her. "I thought y'said there were maginaria all over th'place 'round here."

"Have ye seen any afore now?"

"Good point."

Luen heard a faint rhythmic whine, distant but gradually growing louder. He readied his chalice and peered into the trees. Within a matter of seconds something screeched to a halt in front of the chroma. It looked like a cross between a bird and a fish, covered in small blue feathers but with a sharp fin-like V running across its back instead of wings. It bobbed uncertainly in the air, stretching its neck out to nibble at the chroma.

Beautiful, thought Luen, taking aim.

The bird-fish swivelled an eye in his direction, distracted by the faint movement. Before Luen could pull the trigger it spun around and raced toward him.

Zwooosh!

The summoner reeled back as the corner of the creature's fin slammed against his chest. Seen from up close, the Zwoosh was all sharp edges, its little feathers stiff and pointed and its side fins gleaming like freshly polished knives. Only Luen's chainmail had saved him from being sliced open; even so, the force of the blow knocked him backwards off his perch, leaving him dangling by his tail in a decidedly ungraceful position.

Appearances were the least of his worries, though, as the creature flew around in a graceful arc, preparing for another pass. He reached for a yellow chroma crystal, then cursed. Opening the pouch in this position would send its contents spilling onto the grass, and at this height trying to follow them down would be stupid if not suicidal.

There's nothing for it, then, though Luen, grimly raising his chalice and sighting down it at the zig-zaggings streak of light. Guess I get to see just how good my aim really is.

Zwooooo-crack!

The maginaria skidded to one side, narrowly avoiding being struck by the bolt of lightning. Luen squinted up through the leaves at the cloudless sky. That wasn't his doing, at least.

Crack!

There was a faint smell of hot metal. Luen frowned. He wasn't a big believer in miracles, but he was in no condition to argue with this one. If the lightning came any closer, though, he'd be out a maginaria. The Zwoosh evidently came to the same conclusion, for it performed a neat three-point turn and fled back into the safety of the trees. Luen sadly watched it vanish, then shrugged and turned to the task of disentangling himself.

He was soon distracted by the sound of laughter. Very familiar laughter.

"So that's why y'didn't want us t'come along, huh? Y'look like a possum!"

The summoner glared down. "It obviously doesn't matter what I want since you're here anyway."

"An' a good thing, too," chortled Kinto as Viola climbed up the tree. "Couple minutes more and y'would've been Vadhan sushi."

"All sushi is Vadhan," corrected Viola. Luen noticed, however, that she was having trouble keeping a straight face.

"I was doing just fine by myself, thank you very much." Luen tugged at his tail.

"Evidence suggests otherwise," commented Viola, pulling a branch out of the way. "Here, take me hand."

For a second, she thought Luen was going to slap her hand out of the way, but instead he grabbed it and allowed her to help him onto the branch. "Thank you," he grumbled, rubbing his sore tailfin. "Now would you mind telling me why you're here?"

"We'd like ta ask ye tha same thing. But let's get out o' this tree first." Viola vanished, leaving Luen to clamber down as best he could.

"Just what do you mean by that?" he asked, when they were safely on the ground again.

"What we mean," responded Kinto before Viola could say anything, "Is who sent ya an' why an' what yer doin' out in th'wilderness alone!"

Luen gave him a puzzled look. "The Dean, of course. He wants a Shard for whatever reason. You were there for all that, why're you asking me?" He bent over stiffly to pick up the chroma he'd been using for bait. "And you -- ow -- already saw what I was doing out here."

Viola folded all four of her arms. "We ha' reason ta believe there's more ta tha story ... yer not here fer tha shard at all, are ye?"

"That's ridiculous - why else would I be on this moronic quest?"

"That's what we wanna know," agreed Kinto. "An' who's been sendin' ya letters?"

"Letters?"

"Yeah. Letters tellin' ya t'keep an eye on us an' keep us out 'f trouble. 'Zat why we're off in Ertset 'stead of on our way to Featherglass? So we c'n stay out 'f trouble 'til Davro gets th'shard?"

"Letters? Davro?! You think I'm spying - for Davro?! Hah! That's the funniest thing I've heard all week!"

"Ye have a better explanation, then?"

"Of course!" Luen snapped at her. "I'm here for the same reason you are - so I can graduate."

"And th'letter?" pressed Kinto.

"I'm not a spy!"

"Yer tha one talkin' about spies, not us." said Viola. "We're not accusin' ye o' anythin', we just want tha truth."

"The truth?" Luen took a deep breath. "Okay, fine. I'll give you the truth. I was indeed spying on you, but not for Davro, understand?"

They nodded.

"When we were in Estevas, I was approached by ... well, I can't reveal who just yet. No, wait," he held up a hand. "Let me explain and you'll understand. This individual had been keeping an eye on certain...promising students. I don't know why, I don't know what sort of criteria he was using, so don't ask. He was especially interested in you two; again, I don't know why. All I know is that he wanted me to keep an eye on you and report back how you were doing, what you did, et cetera, so that he could see if you were really worth his attention or just bumbling neophytes."

"And?" asked Kinto.

"And I did. After we finish up in Featherglass, he'll let me know whether you've got what it takes or not. If you do, I'm to take you back to Estevas to meet him."

"And if we don't?" asked Viola.

Luen shrugged. "Then I don't. I already got paid for doing my job."

"I see," said Viola. "Kinto, a word wi' ye?"

Luen sat down on the grass as his companions talked. At this point he didn't particularly care about blowing his cover; he was bruised and tired and he'd lost his maginaria. Again.

After a short time, the two mages returned.

"Luen..." said Viola softly.

"Well?" he asked, standing up again.

Viola prodded him in the chest with a finger. "That was tha most ridiculous piece o' tripe I've ever heard in me life!"

"Ow!" Luen staggered back as Viola's finger hit his chest in an area already bruised by the maginaria. "If you don't believe me ---"

"I don't. Firstly," she ticked off points on her fingers. "Why would this mysterious person trust ye on a task o' this importance? Especially if he knew ye were already a friend o' Kinto's. Secondly, who in Estevas would *care*? Thirdly, why did ye not tell us this when it happened? Fourthly, how could ye keep an eye on me when I'd already left ye? Fifth --"

"Viola, that's enough. He gets th'idea."

"All I'm sayin' is, if yer gonna lie ta yer friends, at least stick with somethin' simple."

Luen sighed. "Fine."

"Fine, what?"

He sat down again. "Fine, you want the truth, I'll tell you the truth. But I'm not spying for Davro, okay?"

"Who, then?"

"The Dean."

"What?" exclaimed Kinto.

"Luen," Viola warned, "I told ye ta keep yer lies simple."

"This one's not a lie, Viola. I wasn't going to tell you, obviously, but if it's that or getting taken for an accessory to -- to -- whatever it is Davro's been doing..."

"Why would tha Dean send ye ta spy on us?" asked Viola.

"It's less a matter of 'spying' and more ..." Luen smirked. "Don't take this the wrong way but I'm supposed to be babysitting you two."

"Excuse me?" asked Viola.

"Keeping you out of trouble. Making sure you don't kill yourselves - or anyone else, I suppose. Getting the Shard was of secondary importance, as you've probably guessed."

"Iff told us," admitted Kinto.

"Oh," said Luen. "Right...I'd completely forgotten about that."

"So this whole quest was just t'keep us out 'f trouble, huh?" said Kinto.

"We knew that from tha start," remarked Viola.

Luen shook his head. "No, the Shard's important. I haven't a clue why, but the Dean needs it badly. In fact, he was rather short with me in his last letter or two for being more concerned with you two and Zeph than with the Shard itself. So you can spare your egos that much bruising -- you're on a very important quest."

"Ye'r so considerate o' our feelings," grumbled Viola.

"What I wanna know," said Kinto. "Is how much 'f what we know about you is really true."

"He has a point," added Viola. "here we've been assuming ye were a reprobate and a troublemaker."

"Just like us," agreed Kinto.

"I would nae go that far, Kinto."

"What, you mean flunking my classes, smoking the lab supplies? That was all true; when you come right down to it, I was in just as much trouble as you guys. The Dean chewed me out in private, gave me the same threats he gave you, and then said that what I needed was a taste of real responsibility." He grimaced. "So he sent me off with you guys."

"Wait, when did all this happen?" asked Viola. "Tha Dean could nae ha' known about our prank afore we were caught."

"An' y'd think he'd choose someone with a better track record f'r followin' rules," added Kinto.

Luen shrugged. "Sometime in the afternoon, I don't remember. He sent me out with a note for the bursar and when I got back you two were dripping dragon-slobber on his doorstep."

"The man works fast when he wants to," he added, "and if I haven't been keeping you out of trouble, I've at least been letting him know what's going on. But if you don't believe me, fine. I really don't care anymore." He slumped his shoulders staring down at the grass.

Viola glanced at Kinto, who nodded silently. "We'll believe ye ... fer now. Let's get back ta Kai's house an' get yer tail looked to."

"What have you been doing with yourself?" demanded Kai, tying yet another bandage around Luen's ribs.

Luen winced, partly from the pain and partly from the awed stares of Kai's siblings who had crowded into the living room to watch him "do his doctor stuff". "Maginaria hunting."

"I won't ask who was doing the hunting here. Honestly, if this is your idea of relaxation...don't move, I'll be back in a minute."

"Do we tell him?" whispered Kinto to Viola.

Viola glanced at Luen, who was attempting to evade the questions of a small child who wanted to know whether he scared away the evil maginaria and did it try to eat him and what's that funny dish thing and will it come and eat everyone else tonight and...

"I suppose..." Viola responded reluctantly. "he is part of the team, after all."

"But was he spyin' on him, too?"

Viola shrugged as if to say that she didn't know. "Best ta let Luen decide. His ego's been bruised enough fer today."

Luen's ego was saved from further bruising by Kai's return, accompanied by a small dish in one hand and a steaming mug in the other.

"What's all this jabbering?" he said, setting down his burden on a nearby end table and lifting up the small boy who had been pestering Luen with the quesitons. "Leave the poor man alone, Netze, he's had enough trouble for one day. Here, you sit with Viola." He started to put Netze on Viola's lap, then remembered the size difference and set him down on the floor instead. "And give your mouth a rest or it'll be too tired for pie."

Kinto crouched down on the floor as well. "An' later I'll tell ya th'story 'f how Luen battled th'big bad Maginaria."

"Kinto..." Viola chided.

"Here," said Kai, "eat this."

Luen eyed the biscuit. "Thanks, but I'm not really hungry..."

"No, no, it's a healing potion. I baked it this morning."

"Riiight."

"I thought it would be useful for travellers. Liquids are a pain to carry, and then what do you do with the bottles afterwards? These are lighter, make less of a mess, and taste better, not to mention --"

"Okay, okay, you sold me." Luen grabbed the biscuit and took a bite. "Right now I don't care what they -- hey, this isn't bad. I wouldn't mind a couple of these for breakfast."

"Medicinal use only," said Kai sternly.

"Okay, okay. What's that?" He nodded at the mug.

"Cocoa, to wash it down with."

"Medicinal?"

"Not at all."

"Good." Luen gulped it down.

"I only made about a dozen for us," Kai apologized. "There would have been more but I spent most of the morning working on the pies.""

"Pies?"

"For Eduar's birthday?" interrupted the small child sitting next to Viola.

"That's right," said Kai. "An old friend," he explained. "His birthday is today, and he'll be leaving town next week. The Duke's astrologer sponsored him to study at the Observatory on Aezo."

"Was that th'big tower we saw?" asked Kinto.

Viola nodded. "'Tis quite an accomplishment. Yer village must be proud ta have two such scholars."

"Yeah... well..." Kai shrugged, trying to look nonchalant, but he was obviously touched by the praise. "Actually, the boat he's on is making a stop at Featherglass. I was thinking ... unless you'd like a longer vacation."

"I think I've had enough vacation for one year," smirked Luen. "Though I'd like to give maginaria-hunting one more try before we go."

"Aye, we should be gettin' home soon. We still have a quest ta finish, after all."

The remainder of the week passed uneventfully. Kai and his friend, Eduar, suffered the not entirely unpleasant attentions of the rest of the family while Viola suffered through several sewing lessons. Kinto and Luen returned to the woods but failed to catch any maginaria; either the Zwooosh-creature had warned its friends or they were in the wrong neighborhood altogether. Luen took the disappointment better than Kinto had expected, pointing out that he'd have plenty of time to search after they returned the Shard.

"He's in a much better mood now," Kinto told Viola the evening before they left. "An' I dunno if I oughta be relieved or worried."

She seemed less than concerned. "Probably just glad we're not watchin' his every move. Couple o' weeks, we'll be goin' our own ways an' it won't matter what he decides ta do."

"Yeah. I wonder what's gonna happen t'that Shard."

"We'll soon find out," she said. After a slight pause. "Kinto?"

"Yeah?"

"Ye're not gonna get seasick on us tomorrow, are ye?"

Kinto groaned. "Why'd y'have t'remind me?"

"I'll go see if Kai has any biscuits fer that, shall I?"

"Don' talk 'bout food, please."