Rated Teen, Beryl/Darcira and Ishnah/Veil, Oathbringer spoilers
Cross posted on ao3
“I’m sorry I only have three cups,” Beryl said as she passed them out, then poured red wine in each. Veil thought it was sweet of her.
"Don't worry about it, I'd rather drink from the bottle anyway," Veil said, and traded with Beryl. After all, she had an image to maintain in front of the other members of the Unseen Court.
They sat in various places across Beryl’s small living space. Veil sat on Beryl's small bed with Ishnah close beside her, which she took as a hopeful sign. Darcira was curled up in a chair, looking like she was trying to spontaneously enter Shadesmar. Beryl sat cross-legged on a small rug on the floor. There were no windows, but the room was lit with topaz chips, giving the space the cheerful orange glow of a cozy fireplace, if not the warmth.
“I’d say it’s about time we got to know each other better,” Veil said to her assemblage of Lightweavers. It was just the women tonight. They were mostly new, and they needed a chance to relax and have fun together. “How about we play Heralds?”
Darcira groaned, but the others perked up. “Full ten?” Beryl asked eagerly, wiggling a bit as she sat.
“How about just the female Heralds, since it’s ladies’ night tonight?” Veil suggested with a small smirk. Shallan Davar was their boss, so this drinking game would be completely inappropriate. Veil, though…she thought she might get a chance to kiss Ishnah before the night was through.
A few turns in, Darcira had drank a few times but hadn’t been picked yet, and she was a bundle of nerves about it. Were they excluding her, or did they see she was nervous and they were trying to be nice? Darcira couldn’t tell. She knew it was important to spend more time with fellow Lightweavers, but everyone was so intimidating! Veil and Beryl were so cool and collected, and Ishnah was practically attached at the hip to Veil. Darcira couldn’t blame her, but where did that leave her? On the outside, looking in as usual. She absently wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt as she worried.
“Next up,” Veil said. “Hmmm, I pick…Darcira!”
Oh storms, here we go. Which Herald was the least likely to get her in trouble? Certainly not Chanarach or Vedel, and her mind went blank when she tried to think of a skill that the others wouldn’t know… “Shalash?”
“Aw, come on!” Ishnah complained, but Veil nodded approvingly.
“It’s a good frostmelter. Tell us a truth we don’t know about you. If any of us know it, you have to drink. But if we don’t know it, we all have to drink.”
Darcira was sure she was the most boring person alive. She knew these were supposed to be interesting! “Well,” she said, bringing her knees tighter to her chest, “the first time I ever Soulcasted something, it was completely by accident. It was Mother’s birthday, and her very favourite food is sweet kumaballs. I wanted to make it for her, but we were out of lavis. So, I held the empty jar in my hands and prayed to the Almighty to give me a miracle. I heard a voice asking for change, and, well, I’m sure you know the rest. I heard a pop, and when I opened my eyes, the room was dark and the jar was full of lavis!”
“Did you make the kumaballs with it? How did it taste?” Beryl asked.
“Oh, it didn’t taste especially good,” Darcira said, smiling wryly as she remembered. “But Mother says it’s the best birthday present she ever got.”
The others awwed and clapped, and as they all took drinks, Darcira started to relax. Beryl’s smile especially seemed so inviting, Darcira decided maybe she could join her on the floor.
As Darcira joined her, Beryl took a long draught of wine to show her appreciation for the story. Darcira really was very sweet, and the story had just made it more apparent. “It’s your turn to choose someone,” she reminded her.
“Oh! How about you then?” Darcira asked. “If you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind,” Beryl chuckled, then gave Ishnah a fleeting, but meaningful, look. Before the party, they had each admitted a certain truth to each other, and had offered to give each other help. “I choose Chanarach.”
The others oooohed. “Darcira, you have to make up a rule for Beryl to follow!” Veil explained. “What will you have her do? You could make her say ‘yes Brightness’ after everything you say.”
Ishnah clapped her hands. “No no I’ve got it! How about every time Beryl wants to say something, she has to whisper it to Darcira first for her permission.”
Beryl laughed, but inside she was thanking Ishnah. “Yeah, I’d do that!” she said casually.
“Oh, that seems like…a lot,” Darcira said quietly. Storms, she was so shy. It was adorable.
Ishnah reconsidered. “Okay, how about this, Darcira: Whenever you want, you can whisper something to Beryl, and then she has to say it on your behalf. Doesn’t matter how vulgar or rude.”
“Do it!” Veil said, swinging her bottle around.
Beryl reflected on the fact that she was so very grateful for her friends.
“Okay,” Darcira said, looking down. “Not every time, right? Just when I want?’”
“You’re the boss!” Beryl said.
Darcira met her eyes, and her heart fluttered. Then to her great joy, Darcira leaned in and whispered, “Tell them I’ll do it.” Darcira’s nose brushed against her hair.
“She says she’ll do it!” Beryl announced. Storms, it was starting to feel warm in here.
“Your turn!” Ishnah announced to Beryl. “I think you should choose Veil. She’s hardly had a chance to drink.”
“Or make any of you drink,” Veil swaggered.
“Veil,” Ishnah said, and pointed at her. “Choose your Herald.”
She was ready with an answer, of course. “Vedel,” she announced.
Ishnah's heart skipped a beat. This is it!
Beryl grinned. “You have to kiss…Ishnah!”
Thank you Beryl, Ishnah thought. You blessed woman.
“I accept the challenge,” Veil said, then looked to Ishnah. "Do you?"
"In the spirit of competition, I accept," Ishnah nodded graciously, but she was singing inside.
They were already side by side on the bed, but it wasn’t close enough for Veil. She got up on her knees, then swung a trousered leg over Ishnah’s lap. She took her by the cheeks, leaned in with a smile, and gave her a long, searing kiss that made Ishnah feel the heat between Veil’s legs where she straddled her.
Ishnah couldn’t contain her dumb smile after that. Veil patted her cheek, then got off her. Beryl winked at her, and Darcira was staring with her mouth open. After a moment, she leaned over to Beryl and whispered in her ear.
“Darcira says that was hot,” Beryl said, and then the two of them cheersed and took a drink.
Ishnah was inclined to agree.
Veil could feel the smoothness of Ishnah’s lipstick on her face mixing with the warmth of wine in her belly. This was going very very well. “I choose Ishnah next,” she said, only slightly slurring.
Ishnah grinned. “Chanarach.”
Veil looked her up and down. “Every time someone says ‘storms’ you have to undo a button on your havah.”
“Oh, it’s that kind of night,” Beryl giggled. “Do it Ishnah!”
“Yeah, I'll do it,” Ishnah grinned. Veil knew she would. After that kiss, all of Veil’s suspicions had been confirmed. They were going to get sloppy tonight.
Darcira whispered in Beryl’s ear, and Beryl laughed uproariously.
“What did she say?” Veil asked, but Beryl wasn’t able to contain her laughter long enough to talk. “You have to drink if you can’t say it!” she called out, pointing at Beryl.
Beryl took a long drink to calm her laughter. Then she looked at Ishnah. “Darcira says storms storms storms storms storms storms storms!”
