[Ficlet -- Chalion] Illumination
February 1st, 2009 11:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shimotsukiThere has been some discussion lately about how we could all do with a little more Chalion fanfic in the world. So here's a little ficlet -- no major spoilers, except for the ship itself, which you can see coming in the book from about chapter 3 anyway, hee.
Illumination
Cazaril finished a kiss and pulled away, just a little. Betriz looked up at him, flushed and beaming and slightly out of breath.
She had been Betriz dy Cazaril for six hours or so, he calculated. But after the wedding came feasting, and speeches, and eventually dancing. So the sum total of their time alone as husband and wife so far was all of maybe fifteen minutes.
Still, they had made a striking amount of progress in that quarter of an hour.
They were sitting very close together on the edge of the bed—their bed. Richly embroidered tunic and trousers and gown lay draped over a chest in the corner. Now Betriz was wearing nothing but a simple linen shift, dyed some lovely pale color that was impossible to identify by candlelight, and worked along the modest neckline with violets and snowdrops and other symbols of the Daughter. This shift was much finer than the plain white ones she had worn for swimming lessons a year ago, but it had much the same effect on him.
And that was about the only thing that could have stopped him kissing her. He wanted to look his fill while he still had the chance.
When Cazaril returned his hungry gaze to Betriz’s face, he saw that her smile had widened. At least she didn’t mind him looking. Now, in fact, she was doing some looking of her own. There probably wasn’t much that his own linen shirt and trews left to the imagination.
Not much—but something, withal.
And so, when her deft hands found the laces of his shirt and began to untie them, he felt his smile turn slightly wry against her lips. “Let’s blow out the candles,” he murmured.
“No,” said Betriz placidly, “let’s not.”
He swallowed. That wasn’t in the scene he had painted in his head for this night.
She was eyeing him rather shrewdly, but then her dimple flashed. “I can’t believe you’re tired of looking at me already!”
“No—of course not—”
Her hand settled on his thigh. He drew a sharp breath.
“Well, I’m not, either. Tired of looking at you, that is.” She leaned in and found his lips with hers, and her fingers continued their nimble dance down his chest until his shirt hung open.
Her warm hands slipped under the smooth cloth to rest on his shoulders.
He stiffened. He couldn’t help himself.
Betriz went very still, but she didn’t take her hands away. “Caz. I love you—all of you.” She leaned up and brushed her lips along one eyebrow. “There’s no shame in anything you’ve done.” Her voice grew stronger. “You know that better than I do.”
Cazaril opened his mouth to speak, but his mind failed to supply him with any useful words.
“Besides—” the dimple returned—“you can’t possibly imagine I won’t want to be doing this again in the morning!”
The impish glint in her eye provoked an answering grin from him before he knew it. How was it that his imagination had never carried him past this one night?
He kissed her again, softly.
And then, quite deliberately, he shrugged his shoulders, letting the shirt slide down his back to pool on the bed behind him.
. * fin * .
[ To Chalion/Vorkosigan story index ]
.
- Illumination
(541 words | PG-13 for intimate situations)
The sum total of their time alone as husband and wife so far was all of maybe fifteen minutes. Still, they had made a striking amount of progress in that quarter of an hour.
Cazaril finished a kiss and pulled away, just a little. Betriz looked up at him, flushed and beaming and slightly out of breath.
She had been Betriz dy Cazaril for six hours or so, he calculated. But after the wedding came feasting, and speeches, and eventually dancing. So the sum total of their time alone as husband and wife so far was all of maybe fifteen minutes.
Still, they had made a striking amount of progress in that quarter of an hour.
They were sitting very close together on the edge of the bed—their bed. Richly embroidered tunic and trousers and gown lay draped over a chest in the corner. Now Betriz was wearing nothing but a simple linen shift, dyed some lovely pale color that was impossible to identify by candlelight, and worked along the modest neckline with violets and snowdrops and other symbols of the Daughter. This shift was much finer than the plain white ones she had worn for swimming lessons a year ago, but it had much the same effect on him.
And that was about the only thing that could have stopped him kissing her. He wanted to look his fill while he still had the chance.
When Cazaril returned his hungry gaze to Betriz’s face, he saw that her smile had widened. At least she didn’t mind him looking. Now, in fact, she was doing some looking of her own. There probably wasn’t much that his own linen shirt and trews left to the imagination.
Not much—but something, withal.
And so, when her deft hands found the laces of his shirt and began to untie them, he felt his smile turn slightly wry against her lips. “Let’s blow out the candles,” he murmured.
“No,” said Betriz placidly, “let’s not.”
He swallowed. That wasn’t in the scene he had painted in his head for this night.
She was eyeing him rather shrewdly, but then her dimple flashed. “I can’t believe you’re tired of looking at me already!”
“No—of course not—”
Her hand settled on his thigh. He drew a sharp breath.
“Well, I’m not, either. Tired of looking at you, that is.” She leaned in and found his lips with hers, and her fingers continued their nimble dance down his chest until his shirt hung open.
Her warm hands slipped under the smooth cloth to rest on his shoulders.
He stiffened. He couldn’t help himself.
Betriz went very still, but she didn’t take her hands away. “Caz. I love you—all of you.” She leaned up and brushed her lips along one eyebrow. “There’s no shame in anything you’ve done.” Her voice grew stronger. “You know that better than I do.”
Cazaril opened his mouth to speak, but his mind failed to supply him with any useful words.
“Besides—” the dimple returned—“you can’t possibly imagine I won’t want to be doing this again in the morning!”
The impish glint in her eye provoked an answering grin from him before he knew it. How was it that his imagination had never carried him past this one night?
He kissed her again, softly.
And then, quite deliberately, he shrugged his shoulders, letting the shirt slide down his back to pool on the bed behind him.
[ To Chalion/Vorkosigan story index ]
.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 07:57 am (UTC)Anyway, I love this. It stands to reason that Caz would get a bit silly at this point, and Betriz would know how to sooth him. I also find it totally adorable that he hasn't thought beyond that first night.
So yeah, this is lovely, and I'm so glad you're writing Chalion. Long may it continue.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 02:10 pm (UTC)Hee! No, I didn't start until after supper...but our conversation definitely inspired this attempt. :)
Thanks for the kind words. I was afraid I didn't know Betriz well enough to be able to write her, but she asserted herself very cooperatively.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 10:35 am (UTC)I just finished Chalion yesterday, so you posted this with perfect timing for me!
It was perfectly Caz and Betriz. I loved how you linked back to their swimming lessons with his thought of how she looked in the shift and also his uncertainty about his own body. And Betriz is just adorable. I loved Chalion for how both her and Iselle were strong females whilst still being in synch with their more male-focused world (does that make sense??) Anyway, you strike that balance perfectly here.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 02:12 pm (UTC)I loved Chalion for how both her and Iselle were strong females whilst still being in synch with their more male-focused world (does that make sense??)
That makes total sense, and I completely agree with you. It's one of the things I like about the series. (Bujold has set up a similar society in the futuristic world of her SF series, too.)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 12:01 pm (UTC)And this seems a very likely scenario, too. Cazaril isn't really as bright as everyone seems to think - good thing he has Betriz to show him the light. (no pun intended on the title of your piece ;))
I just finished Paladin of Souls (well almost - there are 6 pages left, but I really had to leave for work and couldn't read them). And I loved it! Even more than Curse of Chalion, actually... Ista is such a lovely grumpy reluctant centre-piece in the story.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 02:16 pm (UTC)I really liked Paladin of Souls too, especially Ista, who is just fantastic. But I can't say which of the two books I liked best. Maybe I should read them again and check. ;)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 02:37 pm (UTC)That sounds like a good plan! ;)
I think they are two very different books, and even though Bujold does a really good job of not delivering all her ideas on the world of Chalion as exposition, the first book is probably always going to suffer a bit story-wise from having to introduce so many unknowns. I just think Paladin is a stronger story. ;) Now I might have to read them both again to be sure... lol! Ista is awesome, which is also a huge part of why I like this book the best.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 02:51 pm (UTC)I think that's exactly right -- even just thinking of the time-span for each story. They have very different structures.
I think what I love most about Chalion -- and I do understand that some people might view this as a negative, maybe as a certain lack of sophistication/taint of pulp fiction -- but I love the plot twists, especially the way so many different past events that appear to have no connection all come together in the end.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 03:08 pm (UTC)I think you are absolutely right about the plot twists being one of the best aspects of Chalion - and the many past events that come together serves the underlying idea of a man sat on a path a long time ago, and only slowly coming to realise exactly how long he has been travelling it.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 01:06 pm (UTC)I very much enjoyed the echoes of the swimming scene and how shifts are apparently the fashion item of choice for modesty (only not necessarily;)), and Cazaril's understandable embarrassment about revealing the scars to Betriz once more. The way she reassures him - that it's pointless being in the dark, anyway, as she's looking forward to a repeat in the morning - is very her. Being mischievous, clever and exactly what a man on his wedding night must want to hear!
I do like the way he's working out the mathematics of how much time they've spent together and how much they've achieved. LOL. That's very him!
I think you've captured them perfectly and hope you'll do so again. The world definitely needs a little more Chalion from you.:D
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 02:20 pm (UTC)*snort* I have no self-discipline, and Order needs some serious thought. Anyway, it's been a while since I'd posted fic, so I thought a little ficlet to get the wheels moving might be a good idea. Or that's my excuse. ;)
shifts are apparently the fashion item of choice for modesty
Hee! I was assuming that a shift was just standard female underwear, although I don't know much about medieval/Renaissance clothing. (So a special embroidered one would be the equivalent of modern lacy bridal lingerie?)
Thanks for the kind words. It was fun writing these two, and Chalion in general, so who knows...
ETA: Now that I can actually edit these things, I'm getting awfully careless! :(
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 02:42 pm (UTC)I'd say you were about right. It was pretty much what I'd assumed, and then I have been doing some research on medieval/renaissance
undiesclothing, cos I'm a bit of a historical costume nerd, and it seems to be the case.no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 02:53 pm (UTC)I did think I'd run across shift-as-underwear in the Catherine LeVendeur mystery series (12th century France).
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 03:34 pm (UTC)Thank you for writing this--the characters are so perfectly themselves.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 03:55 pm (UTC)Also, thank you for the kind words!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 01:31 pm (UTC)Loved this: How was it that his imagination had never carried him past this one night?
LOL, poor Caz...I can just see him fretting about the scar thing and thinking if he can just put the light out before they get naked, he'll be safe. LOL
Oh, and can I just say, that Chalion clothes make the story even more suggestive? Unlacing shirts? Yum. ;)
On another note, you might consider linking this at
Lovely job, m'dear. I do hope you'll do some more...
*bemoans lack of Chalion icons*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 02:08 pm (UTC)I did find a couple on the second site someone had done, but they were quotes from the books. The Paladin one was actually a great one about praying for help to the Bastard, but I thought how much chaos could I cause using that if you hadn't read the book? ;)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 02:33 pm (UTC)*snort* Good point. Chalion theology, taken out of context, might get some people very exercised! ;)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 02:31 pm (UTC)I'm glad you thought the "OMG! moment" was okay, because I know the situation is more complicated than this -- they both know that Betriz has seen his scars before, and she'd be able to feel them in the dark, anyway. But I didn't want to turn the dialogue into some giant expositional exercise, so I kept it kind of minimal.
Unlacing shirts? Yum. ;)
Hee hee. I wondered about the logistics of the linen undershirt for a while, and finally decided that they probably wouldn't waste buttons -- which would have had to have been hand-carved -- on underwear. ;)
On another note, you might consider linking this at bujold_fic and lmbujold.
Thanks for the suggestion. I had wondered about the first one (didn't know about the second one!). Maybe I will... although I have been trying not to look too hard at any Bujold communities, because I'm only two thirds of the way through the Vorkosigan series and don't want to end up accidentally spoiling myself by chancing upon the wrong fic summary, heh. (I've already seen a reference to a dismaying character death, but at least it wasn't clear if it was canon or fic-specific.)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 03:39 pm (UTC)You can always be a member of a community, with posting access, but just not watch a community! I did that for a while with some of my Heroes ones because I was afraid of being spoiled.
I had never thought about hand-carved buttons before. But you're right! lol
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 04:03 pm (UTC)Oh, very true, and that's what I decided to do for now. I just feel a little funny about advertising a fic on a community that I'm not very active commenting in. (Although I guess I've done that with
But I really do need to be careful -- just looking down the top page at
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 04:05 pm (UTC)Whoops, sorry about the spoilers! I guess I hadn't thought about that because I haven't read the Vorkosigan series so none of the names mean anything to me.
Which reminds me, I am interested in reading...what's the first book in the series?
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 04:24 pm (UTC)what's the first book in the series?
This is a surprisingly difficult question! First, because the earliest books were published out of series-internal sequence, and second, because many of the books were published once as stand-alone novels and then later in anthologies, and there are novellas/short stories that fit into the sequence and may only be in the anthologies.
I like reading according to the series chronology (although there are a couple of stories set in the far distant past that I haven't read yet). So my personal suggestion would be to start with the two novels about Miles's parents, Shards of Honor and Barrayar, before moving on to the Miles books. (Miles's mother, Cordelia, is an excellent specimen of a strong Bujold heroine.) Confusingly, of course, these two books have been republished as one volume, Cordelia's Honor.
I actually use this Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lois_mcmaster_bujold#The_Vorkosigan_Saga) as a guide for what order to read the series in! (Yes, I am a geek.) I've read through Mirror Dance so far.
I think you will enjoy the Vorkosigan series if you do give it a try. It's set in a world with planetary governments and space travel, but it's really about people and complicated political situations. And although there are certain similarities between the patriarchal structure of Barrayaran society and what we see in Chalion, I've actually been quite struck by how different the two series feel -- LMB isn't just rehashing her futuristic galactic politics in medieval pseudo-Spain, more power to her.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 04:46 pm (UTC)I knew I liked this author. ;)
Thanks for the info! I'd actually seen that Wiki page, but didn't realize it was the recommended reading order!
I cannot hear the name Cordelia without thinking of Anne Shirley and cracking up...
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 05:16 pm (UTC)I know exactly what you mean! ;)
I cannot hear the name Cordelia without thinking of Anne Shirley and cracking up...
Yeah, too true, heh. But Commander/Captain Naismith is worth the cognitive dissonance. ;)
totally OT
Date: 2009-02-03 04:20 am (UTC)as the COLONEL!!!
*swoons*
*is being a nerd again*
Date: 2009-02-02 06:09 pm (UTC)And also, since I'm pretty sure that washing was done by bashing clothes with cricket-bat type things, the buttons would have got smashed. For centuries people rarely, if ever, washed their outer clothes since they would either be too delicate or (in the case of wool) take too long to dry, so they wore linen next to their skin as it was easy to wash.
Re: *is being a nerd again*
Date: 2009-02-02 06:38 pm (UTC)Good point about smashing buttons... I did know that outer garments were rarely washed -- I remember reading something years ago, maybe even in a children's book, about how somewhere in Scandinavia you would wear undergarments under your woolen dress (or skirt?), and an apron over the top, so that the dress itself wouldn't have to get washed all winter.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 03:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 03:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 04:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 05:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 06:01 pm (UTC)Regardless, I liked it. (even though I have no idea who these people are) LOL.
Not to be pushy or anything, but I was just wondering if you would write any Tonks and Lupin updates. I'm really looking forward to that.
Anyway, nice fic. And if you could be so kind as to tell me who the heck these people are and what series they're from I would enjoy reading others that you've written pertaining to them.;P
Thanks!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 06:49 pm (UTC)The Chalion series is a fantasy series by Lois McMaster Bujold, and (so far?) it consists of The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls, which I have read, and The Hallowed Hunt, which I haven't gotten to yet. This fic is based on the first book, and Cazaril actually has a fair few things in common with Lupin -- although I think I'd like him even if I'd never met Lupin. ;)
I am definitely working on some Potterverse projects right now, too, but it felt good to take a break and try something (a) short and (b) different. ("Messages" really tired me out, heh.) But I do see "Order" and the "Kaleidoscope" series as my primary writing projects, never fear!
Edit: If you haven't read Chalion, you're probably wondering what Caz is upset about here... He was whipped very badly once, leaving him with a lot of scars on his back, and since that is the punishment for some very serious crimes in their society, it's something he's quite ashamed of -- although of course Cazaril isn't guilty of anything despicable. (Quite the opposite, as you'll see if you read the book someday. ;) )
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 11:09 pm (UTC)It looks like someone snogging someone else. Please tell that that's a man and a woman and not two men or two women. Lol!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 11:11 pm (UTC)Thanks!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 11:13 pm (UTC)It's Tonks and Lupin.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-02 11:15 pm (UTC)It's a new one! :) Sometimes you can find out more about someone's icons if you look at their Profile page and click on "userpics" -- they at least should be crediting the sources of their icons. Here are mine. (http://www.livejournal.com/allpics.bml?user=shimotsuki)
Here is the original art (http://community.livejournal.com/hp_fringeart/1913160.html#cutid1) that I made my icon from, by
That said, would it matter to you if they were two men or two women kissing? It wouldn't matter to me. I think love is beautiful, no matter what kinds of people are involved. :)
EDIT: I see you figured it out, heh.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-03 12:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-03 12:15 am (UTC)Perhaps I'll have to check the books out--I see you've give someone a quick rec on where to start.
I love your phrasing throughout: her fingers continued their nimble dance down his chest until his shirt hung open--so much nicer than focusing on the mechanics of lacings or buttons or whatever. I also liked the 'pooling' of the shirt.
Glad I got to read.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-03 05:24 am (UTC)I see you've give someone a quick rec on where to start.
Although I may have been reccing a different series by the same author, heh. This story is a missing moment from (well, after) the book The Curse of Chalion, by Lois McMaster Bujold. Cazaril is the point-of-view character, and he's a new favorite of mine.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-03 04:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-03 05:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-03 06:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-03 01:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-04 09:33 pm (UTC)This is beautifully compact and packs a wonderful punch.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 03:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-07 05:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-07 07:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-12 01:14 am (UTC)When do you think you'll be writing another R/T fic? I was thinking that it'd be fitting to have one out by Saturday, considering Saturday is Valentine's Day.
Anyway, love you and your fics and keep writing! :)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-13 03:32 am (UTC)Not sure if I'll have an R/T fic for Valentine's Day. I've thought about it a little, but no good ideas have struck me yet. Maybe I can write a drabble? (I am working on the new chapter of "All Will Be In Order," though...that should be done pretty soon.)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-12 05:19 am (UTC)A very nice slice of Chalion here. I think everybody needs to be wearing linen shifts in fanfic. It's so sexy!
Looking forward to more!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-13 03:34 am (UTC)Thanks for the kind words, and I think you're right about the shifts. ;) There's something about clothes that cover-while-revealing, isn't there!