Fall in the southlands is a subtle thing. The leaves do not change colour or drop, but the weather does turn worse; the dry summer slowly gives way to the rainy season, cold wet air whipping inland from the ocean and making the tree branches rattle sharply. The path through the woods is tramped down by the frequent passage of wheeled carts and mounted travellers, and a way station is being built near the border for those unaided by magical travel to rest the night.

Leah, Teo, and Soren face no such difficulties. Leah’s grasp of the wind-walk spell is shaky, but having Teo link her up to her much more experienced casting is a valuable learning tool in its own way; a way of moving the muscles without lifting the weight. The horses have been blinkered to not be distressed by the distorted movement of the scenery. Teo’s wears a masterful illusion to look black with a white nose and legs, but Leah recognises the gait.

They return to normal speed once they reach the first signs of cropland; wheat and rye and buckwheat and sorghum, tall in the fields. The fruit orchards are bare, with only a few shrivelled apricots clinging to the branches or fallen to the ground, rotting. Beeswax smells them and reaches down to eat some.

“No, sweetie, the pits have cyanide in them,” Leah says gently, tugging at the reins. Beeswax ignores her.

“What’s cyanide?” Teo asks. “Es that more of your weird otherworldly knauledge?”

The three ride through the farms and up to the location of the new bridge; speckled granite from the south of the province, assembled with the aid of Welleslassi and Bairish workers, and topped with Algic iron balustrades and lampposts streaming banners in the colours of house Valerid. The bridge is not as wide as the old one, which could support shops and stalls on both sides while still leaving room for three lanes of traffic, but it can still accommodate four horses abreast easily.

Foot traffic parts calmly for them, people distracted as they finish up the work day. Peddlers pack up their carts and wheel them away, labourers return home to the residential sections of the main island, fishing boats pull up to the lower docks. Leah notices a few instances of zipper lacing on the jackets of the citizens; it has apparently become rather fashionable lately. She bites back a goofy grin and tries to look dignified and official.

They cross and go into the city, then up to the inn closest to the central rapids bridge. The water churns over the fallen masonry, which has gradually settled and become part of the ecosystem of the river; fish cluster in the shadows and the deep pockets of still water, hidden by the current but easy catches for the fishermen who go down with nets and poles.

Leah deals with all the transactions in Volsti, paying for their rooms and the horses’ stabling with her share of the party funds which Meredith had sent to her after she had formally withdrawn from the five. Once everything is settled and she has spoken with the inn’s matron, she leaves her comrades to go run her errands.

Iris meets her on the bridge, waving. Leah beams and gives her a warm hug before pulling away and giving the hand-signs they co-invented for :Vivitha – where?:

:Courtyard – in. Guards – train – she – with.: Iris signs. :Food – now – question?:

:Later.:

Iris rolls her eyes then beckons for Leah to follow her.

Vivitha is in the courtyard, working on some hand-to-hand with one of the estate guards. Her eyes are squinted and she moves carefully, often wavering and hesitating at how far to put her hand.

“Is it any better?” Leah calls out, and Vivitha turns with a smile, dropping her fighter’s pose.

“Marginally,” she says, blinking a bit. “I can sort of see up to here, now…” she holds her hand a foot in front of her face.

Leah bats the hand away and pulls her in for a hug. Vivitha laughs and returns it. “You coming for supper?”

“I’ve got nothing else on, I should be able to make it,” Vivitha says with a grin. “Who else is coming?”

“Gotta ask the boss,” Leah says, heading into the keep.

She passes down through the kitchens first. It is early afternoon and nothing is actively cooking, but the heat from the baths warms the underground room just nicely. “Is the order in yet, Danya?” she asks.

“By the cellar, Miss,” the cook says, gesturing with a filleting knife.

Leah checks the bags, sniffing each and smiling. “Lovely as always, my dear.”

“Don’t you start that again, Miss,” the cook says warningly, her face flushing.

“Oh Danya, I would never make you mad.” Leah passes her the payment. “Have you had any luck finding the cassava?”

The cook shakes her head. “No-one recognised the description you gave, but I’ve been asking every merchant that comes through. No luck from Bair? It sounds like something they’d use…”

“I haven’t heard back, so it would seem not. But, I’ve got my almonds, my ginger, my cardamom, and my coriander, thanks to your gracious assistance – ” Leah gives a half-bow to the cook, who scoffs. “ – so I will stop bothering you.”

“Will you? I’ll believe that when I see it.”

Leah continues on through the servant’s passages and exits into the main hallways. The building feels lonelier without Kimry, but her occasional letters from Bair make up for her absence, as well as giving Leah the chance to exercise her Algic.

She stops next at the guard captain’s office and knocks shave-and-a-haircut before opening the door.

Meredith and the Baron very quickly separate and both straighten their hair and clothing. A few books tumble off the desk as Meredith stands. She clears her throat. “Leah,” she says pointedly, with acid in her voice.

Leah smiles and does not look at Lord Valerid. “Supper at the Rapids?”

“Yes,” Meredith says quickly. “Yes, I’ll be there. I’m off duty tonight.”

“I can tell,” Leah says, arcing an eyebrow.

Lord Valerid examines a tarnish on his ring. Meredith narrows her eyes. “Why didn’t you knock?” she hisses.

Leah tilts her head. “I did.” She closes the door behind her when she leaves.

She descends through the halls again and out into the courtyard. She walks down the stone steps to the rapids and waves to the nearest fisherman.

“My Lady,” the man says, nodding his head.

“Any big trout you don’t feel like carrying up the steps?”

“I got a nice brown one, still wiggling.” He tilts his head to a bucket balanced on the rocks beside him

“Perfect,” she says, dropping the coins in his bag and picking up the fish, wrapping it in waxed linen to cover the smell. “Hope the luck continues.”

“Thank you, my Lady,” the man says, nodding his head again and casting the net.

Leah carries the ingredients up to the inn and adds them to what she brought: the olive oil, the garlic, the sweet peppers, the endives – one of her latest inventions, technically, as no-one in the Gulf had yet figured out the two-step growing process. Some of it is to bring home, but the rest is for tonight. She tucks herself into a tiny corner of the kitchen, with a smile to the matron of the establishment, and starts preparing.

*

The four of the five still living in the southlands sit around a table in Leah’s room, the remains of trout with xató and a pale leafy salad on their plates.

“Has there been news?” Meredith asks, refilling Iris’s wine glass and then her own.

“Jeno’s struggling with Bairish, she says.” Leah passes her glass over to be refilled as well. “Even though it’s close to Ched. Apparently they don’t ever have two vowels together, and Jeno is finding it hard to do the glottal stop.”

“The what?” Vivitha asks with a snort. “That sounds dirty.”

:Dirty – sound – everything – you – to,: Iris signs. :So – horny – get – you – when?:

“I don’t know that one, the – ” :horny: “ – one. Is that new? It looks like bull horns but I can’t figure out what it – ” She frowns as Iris starts clapping her palms in laughter.

“A glottal is like the uh-uh sound,” Leah says, returning to the original topic, and Vivitha repeats it.

“Uh-uh. Oh, yeah, that’s weird to do in the middle of a word.”

Leah nods. “So she’s struggling with that, but she’s doing well otherwise. There’s a university in the eastern expanse that’s willing to take her on if she can get the language, and she’s reading up on botany in the meantime.”

“And Kain?” Vivitha asks.

“The caravan arrived about a week ago, so she’s finally in the city again, looking after Jeno. Won’t be able to come out and visit for a while yet, but she’s keeping herself entertained. She said she was going to see a scarf-dance troupe? Something like that.”

Meredith snorts. “With or without a chaperone?”

“Oh, is it that sort of dancing?” Leah smirks. “She didn’t say.”

:So – fat – Beeswax – why?:

:Rude – do – not – act.: Leah finishes with a slap on Iris’s wrist. “She’s putting on some winter weight, is all.”

“Are you sure she’s not pregnant?” Meredith asks, and Leah sits back, stumped.

“But…when would it have happened? She almost never runs loose unless I’m there with her, and the stable-hands would have said if they’d seen anything like that. Could it have happened pre-memories?”

Vivitha tilts her head. “It’s possible…”

“Yes?”

“No, I mean…” she grimaces. “That night we spent in the farmer’s house? The horses were in the barn, but there weren’t stalls for them so they were there loose with that old plough horse. I thought at one point during the night I’d heard something, but…”

Leah puts down her fork with a cross expression. “Beeswax had a one-night stand with a plough horse?”

“Oh? Is the match too common for your standards, Lady Talesh?”

“My name’s not Talesh anymore, Vivi.”

“Well damned if I will call you Lady Seffon.”

“I’m not even properly a Lady, either,” Leah says with a grin. “I can’t formally be adopted as a sibling when his parents are dead, and damned if I’ll be his daughter, so we’re just siblings in practice, not law. So – ” She grins into her glass. “ – I will not end up being the first ‘Lady’ at this table.”

Iris sniffs a laugh and grins wide. Meredith raises her eyebrows in an innocent look but immediately blushes dark pink.

“Besides, I’m not worried about the quality of the match, I’m worried for the mare. That plough horse was pretty big, from what I remember. Is she gonna be okay?”

“She’ll be fine, she’s from good stock,” Vivitha says. “But if you want I’ll write to my cousin and get him to come look her over, when she gets closer to due.”

:That – when?: Iris asks.

Vivitha watches the hand-signs carefully. “When? Uhh…sometime in the spring, I don’t remember off the top of my head when it happened, if it happened that time at all.”

:Baby – horse – want – see – I.: She taps the table for emphasis. :Baby.:

“It’ll be a mystery foal,” Vivitha says with a grin. “Mystery colour, mystery shape, mystery size. If it’s not the plough horse, any ideas?”

“Maybe when she was hiding at the docks? Who knows?” Leah chuckles. “I’ll bring you over when it’s almost time, Iris. You can finally have that fight with Adan you’ve been waiting for.”

Iris claps her palms. :Her – prepare – do – not. Fair – fight – want – I.:

:Promise.:

:Good.:

“Is there dessert?” Vivitha asks, finishing her glass.

“That’s not my specialty,” Leah says with a shrug, and Iris rolls her eyes with a breathy scoff. “I’ve got a few of the honey candies left, but that’s a bit meagre.”

:Captain – from – question?:

:Yes – captain – from.:

Meredith snickers. “How’s that going for you?”

“She’s accepted that I don’t want to run away with her to become a pirate, but she still sends me gifts now and then.”

“And Edvellu?”

Leah sighs, and Meredith laughs.

:New – spear – bring – you – question?:

Vivitha’s eyes widen. “Yeah! I want to see it!”

:Want – see – I.: A few taps on the table for emphasis.

“It’s in the stables,” Leah says with a nod. “With the shield, and the rest of my gear.”

:Shield – replace – not – you – why?: Iris gives her a doubtful look. :Cheap.:

:Shield – like – I,: Leah signs with a shrug. “Sentimental value, you know. A trophy from the war. If it breaks I’ll mention it to Nedies first, though; I don’t want Edvellu to feel I’m taking advantage of him.”

“Pfft.” Vivitha grins.

:Take.: Iris taps the table. :Stupid – you. Take.:

“Do you want to see the new spear or no?” Leah says, crossing her arms.

*

Leah and Meredith spar in the alleyway while Vivitha and Iris watch. Both are un-armoured, and being careful not to hit each other too hard.

The new spear is about a foot shorter than her old one, and ever so slightly thicker; better for close quarters and blocking. Meredith’s sheathed sword clacks against the wood as they advance and retreat, feet shuffling in the dusty street. In the cool dusk air the exercise is refreshing, and when combined with good wine it becomes exhilarating.

“I think Iris wants to take bets, but no-one’s paying attention to her signing,” Vivitha calls, a minute into it.

“Well we’re not gonna stop – ” Leah says, struggling to adjust as Meredith switches from two hands to left hand, “ – just to let her take bets. I can’t – ow – ”

“Sorry,” Meredith says, with a cheeky grin.

“I can’t translate – and fight at the same time. Not – against Meredith – ow!”

“Sorry,” Meredith says again, standing down and watching Leah shake the knuckles of her right hand. “See, this is why you guys need proper armour.”

“We can’t all be tanks,” Leah says, flexing the fingers with a wince.

“Tanks? What’s that have to do with it?”

:Metal – badass – means – it. Big.: It hurts to sign, but it’s worth it to hear Iris’s clap-laughter and to see Meredith’s expression as she struggles to follow. “I’m better in leather. More flexible.” For a moment she blushes at how easily she set herself up for the joke, but no-one takes it. Ah, right. Leather’s just a normal sort of clothing here. Heh.

“Not flexible enough,” Meredith says, swinging up with the sword without warning. Leah twitches the butt-end of her spear between Meredith’s feet and trips her before she can finish the swing.

“Oh, that was the wine, Meredith,” Leah says, shaking her head and holding a hand over her heart. “If it weren’t for the wine you’d have seen that coming, oh, I’m so sorry – ”

Iris is slapping her hands against her stomach in laughter, a grin splitting her face.

“Playtime’s over, children,” Teo calls into the alley, and Leah turns around from helping Meredith to stand. “Little Leah needs teu be up early en the morneng, tomorrow.”

Iris claps Leah on the shoulder and then takes her face in her hands with a smile, patting her cheeks. :You – bet – I – for,: she signs, then waves and walks off.

“I’ll get you back next time,” Meredith says with a quick hug.

“Don’t do anything that’ll make you tired beforehand,” Leah whispers, and Meredith punches her arm.

“See ya, fake Leah,” Vivitha says with a wave, collecting Meredith and walking out after Iris.

Leah waves and watches them go, then heads back inside the inn. “Who gave you permission to set bedtime?” she asks Teo in Olues.

Teo looks over at Leah, almost eye-to-eye, a recent ‘growth-spurt’ having granted her another few centimetres – in reality just a heeled pair of boots and some carefully-constructed body and clothing illusions. “I’m older, I get to make the rules.”

“Oh that’s right, yes,” Leah says with a grin, meeting the eyes and then looking down to where she knows they properly are, faint mottling on the illusion’s surface allowing light to pass through. “I will bow to your wisdom, then.”

“Oh please do, I love a good grovel.” The illusory eyes wink, and Leah laughs. “But really though, it’s going to be an early morning if we need to make it to the port by sunset, and we can’t even use wind-walk for most of it.”

“Don’t complain about having to move the same speed as the rest of us humble folk,” Leah teases. “Appreciate the weather. Watch birds. Sing fieldtrip songs.”

“You’ll have to teach me some,” Teo says fondly. “Are they special?”

“Nah, just things for kids.”

“Ah, to be young.”

They go up the stairs together and to their respective rooms. Leah’s has been cleared, the dishes removed and the table folded up and tucked against a wall, next to the case containing the first prototype spyglass. The almost-empty wine bottle remains on the bedside table, and Leah finishes the last two sips in a go.

The Cheden civil war is getting ugly, and not a single magical scry has found a target within the country in almost two months – but neither magic nor batteries can block basic optics, and Leah’s latest ‘invention’ may finally reveal some of the situation. Paranoid, she opens the case to make sure it was not jostled too badly on the ride over, but the brass-and-leather construction is as spotless as it was when she first put it away.

Reassured, she returns to her bed. The charm on her wrist is warm, and has been since partway through her conversation with Teo. Finally alone, she picks it up. “Hello?”

“Areiu would like me to tell you that she’s lost another tooth.” Seffon’s voice is whimsical.

“Excellent! Is there still time before winter to plant it and get a flower?”

“There should be. She wants you to help her plant it, though.”

“We’re on schedule here, passing the night in Valerin’s capital and leaving in the morning. Have you heard from the ships?”

“Captain Nedies passed them near the Delta Islands this morning, so they’ll likely be at the city just before you. She says hello.”

Leah groans. “I’m sure she does. Hey! I’ve actually got some news for you too, and for Areiu.”

“Oh?”

“The five think it’s possible that Beeswax’s chubbiness isn’t fat. She apparently spent a night unsupervised with a plough horse, during the siege.”

“Really? Not the standard sort of match, but if it ends up being a solid-built working horse we could use new blood. Let’s hope it’s that and not just too many snacks; Areiu would be ecstatic over a new little one.”

“Well, you and Sewheil just keep trying.” Leah grins and waits for him to catch on.

He sighs heavily. “Leah, by the Gods, don’t…ugh.”

“You are trying, right? I mean I’m sure you are, but – ”

“Family doesn’t ask family about – ”

“So anyways good luck with that,” Leah says, snickering. “Teo gave me orders to go to bed, so I gotta let you go soon.”

“You outrank her, you know.”

“Not really, but I’ll try telling her that and see where it gets me.”

“Goodnight, Leah.”

“G’night Seffon.”

She drops the charm, and it goes cold. She flexes her throbbing fingers a few more times, then takes off her suedes and crawls into the narrow bed for a too-short night’s rest before riding off in the morning.

The other charm on her wrist turns warm, and she sighs fondly, picking it up. “Hello my dear,” she says warmly, pulling her arm in close and speaking into her wrist.

“Jou got dere safe?” Adan asks, in her accented Olues.

“Yep, no trouble at all on the road,” Leah replies, in equally accented Olues.

“How fas everyfon?”

“Vivitha’s eyesight is sort of better. Iris still wants that duel with you, I think.” She hears chuckling across the charm. “Meredith is still trying to keep her thing with the Baron a secret and failing utterly. She beat me in a fight, after supper. Well, I got back at her afterwards, but during the formal contest I lost.”

“Jou’ll fin next time.”

A faint tingle spreads across her wrist, and Leah frowns. “Teo, stop listening in.”

“Fat?”

The tingle passes again. “I think the person the next room over doesn’t like listening to me talk to myself.”

“Go to sleep,” Teo’s voice comes through the wall faintly.

“Fell den fon last ting. A letter came for jou from Bair.”

“Already? That was fast. From Kain, or Kimry? I’m not expecting anything from either of them, not so soon.”

“From Master Edvellu. Fould jou like me to read it, or is it possibly private?”

“Hmm, best save it for when I get back. No, read it. No – ” Leah laughs. “How is it addressed?”

“It says ‘Leah Seffon’ on de outside, and de fax seal is his own, not of de Tribjunal.”

“Oh? I’m curious now, read it.” Leah sits up in bed, the room dark.

There are sounds of paper ripping, and then of something dropping. “Oops.” A moment of silence. “De letter reads: Fe do not share dese lightly, but jour trust in us deserved a token. Dey fill take jears to grow to harvestable size, but all good tings take time. Instruction for deir care…it’s a packet of seeds.”

“What kind?”

“I don’t know. Apparently a tree?”

“Oh. Oh!” Leah grins. “Tea seeds. Keep them somewhere safe until I get back. Heh, I’ve got two things to plant now when I get home. Was that all?”

“Dat’s all. Take care my dear,” Adan says.

“You too darling,” Leah makes a kiss sound, and hears a chuckle in response, followed by a kiss sound. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”