A Castrovel Adventure, Part 3: Chapter 68

In which Vaeol seeks to settle the score with Lady Erenyae, find her manlove Oshis, and set a path for freedom.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

3. Senelae, 24,542 - Elahat
The fishing-boat from Hivaea left right at dusktide, bearing two Korasha. It made an easy ferry over Father-Yaro, led by the watchblaze on Elahat’s wharf. No oddness that fishers shelter on Elahat’s bank if Father-Night catches them on the river’s far side. They would be let to sleep by their boat, and even to leave if they paid the wharf-reeves, for smuggling is a mean trade in this land.
Foretrustily, none would wit that their boat’s stern dragged a rope underwater, better than a half-league’s length, which another Korasha was outletting from the landing-stead on Elahat’s side. After Darkwatch, we brooked this rope as our lead. A halter-link looped from it to our saddle-rings. With it we swam our Shotalashu into the river. No mean deed, even for a doughty troop well stocked and ready. In warcraft-drill, this ferry-swim we had much overtalked but seldom tried, under threat to lose someone.
As we rode into the dark water, I thought of Queen Eieshi, who had swum Taunu her steed over Father-Yaro’s even wider breadth to the Island of Aelau when she founded Son, and wonder how she had found the heart do so. I have ever feared the river. In childhood my sisters had told tales of the great river-eels who haunt Father-Yaro’s depths, of their slimy whisker-limbs reaching from the water, which they told would yank me to death. I had even feared to take boat and would not peer over the wale. I also reminded the wretched Aslanta, Brand’s sithmate, whom we had lost when we hosted them to Qabarat. Even without the great underlurkers, there are fang-snappers, whose shoals can flay a whole Shota of flesh and leave the bones. Father-Yaro is great and deep, and his many children are awful.
And yet, if we wished to find Oshis and free him from Lady Erenyae’s clutches, if we would offcast her oversway from our livelihood, I must meet the nightmares. With these fears to quicken my thought, we overswam. Erymi and I went first, wearing armor but no helms and lightly weaponed. Also, on another lead, we each towed a foot-warrior bearing axe or shortbill. If anyone met bother, they should cut halter, swim to nearest land, and reach safeness. Also, right ere the swim, I boded far-seer word to Oshis: ~Thanava.~ “We are coming.”
The ferry-swim’s half-belltide proved my lifetime’s longest while Ess paddled, I floated asaddle, and Krastaes towed behind. Slowly the watch-blaze on Elahat’s wharf brightened and neared. The rope, though drawn tight as canny, bowed downstream under the flood’s strength, which headed us below the town, to the side where the fishing-dock waited. Relief overwhelmed when I beheld it looming from the water. It took all my will to keep Ess from dashing splashingly up the bank, where our Hivaea friends, and Koviss from our Elahat friends, waved softly. They led us to a shed nearby, where we hid, checked our steeds and gear, dripping and shiveringly chill, while we waited for our fellows, one by one, to join us from the river.
Soon as Tae and Less last came. Krastaes and Hanos led us forth. From the riverbank, the hall lay unfar. Yet seven Shota with riders, and with five foot-warriors, cannot go softly, even though outspread by streetlengths. We found our best hap lay reaching it soonest. So I walked Ess out of the wharf-farthing, until the town’s midst.
The hall loomed high, a stony fist amid the ramshackle town. Remaue, Less, and I had reckoned its wards when I first had duskmeal with Lady Erenyae. Rightly it had been built to withstand an onslaught. My Korasha could spend a nighttide hacking the foredoor, only to repeat the deed for the stair-door and unhappily take too much time and raise warning. So I chose an unlike way inward. I steered Ess from the door, and instead to the sidewall. At the first buttress, at my thought's bid, he began to climb, as did Erymi and her Shaeva on the next. The marmlestone might crumble under our Shota’s claws. Yet when Less overlooked the hall, he had deemed it sturdy. So up the sides we went, and if anyone within heard our stone-scratches, our swiftness gave no time to ware.
Atop, we reached the same roofyard where Lady Erenyae had undertaken me: pillow-benches under awning, outleft in this yeartide’s fair weather, and also the stairway downward, which I had ere witted had no door. Softly we had the Shota step among the smudge-pots, lest we crash them, and shun the harpy jasmine. While Erymi cast a rope back over the edge, Ess hissed a warning. I headed to the stairway, where I beheld a groom with a hand-lantern, whom doubtlessly our din had bewared, running upward. His mouth gaped ere his brain yelled warning. I stilled him with a soul-dither, plucked the lantern from his hand, and then caught him ere he fell down the steps. Tightly I watched while Erymi cast and tied more ropes. 
Soon we had more warriors hand-drawing up the walls, and Shota scrambling up the buttresses. When Krastaes, Less, and Hanos joined, I led them lower, with Erymi to bring the next team ready. The stairway slanted to the next floor, which forestood our best guess where Lady Erenyae’s sunderroom waited. We strode among beds and pillow-benches, whereon bodies, some lone, some tangled, lay. On one, a tussled head lifted, sleepy antennae twitching. I dwimmered a fey-light, casting the forecaught bodies into stark sight, and drew my sword. Krastaes overstood the wakeful Damaya threatsomely while I overlooked the room. Here gathered were doubtlessly Lady Erenyae’s housemates and lovers, even now slumbersomely bewitting their plight. 
Then I saw my goal: on a great bed in the midst lay Erenyae, flanked by a Damaya and a Korasha. I knelt on the bed, overloomed, and aimed my sword-tip at Erenyae’s throat. I quoth she should best yield.
Lady Erenyae blinked at my sight. I cannot begrudge her trial to withstand. Yet I forewitted her mind gather, mighty even if untaught, readying to quell my will. Instead, I smote her mind and watched her eyes wallow into her brow, her body shudder. Her bedmates frightfully busied to hold her fast.
Then a roommate squealed, someone stirred, and we felt war-mind overtake of our foes, as if they would withstand. Erymi led Kaure, Nae, and Sievae within; axes and shortbills ready, with word she had set Draue and Koviss on the stairway. Shortly afterward, their thought-bode warned: wardens upcoming the stairs. I glanced about the room, recking how we needed to keep reeveship here. I bade back that Draue and Koviss should offstand from the stairhead. Then I bade Ess rush the stairway. He answered with a dreadful howl, whence rang yells of Korasha meeting a half-boatweight, snarling, tooth-gnashing beast under darkness. Draue followed my wise, and her steed joined Ess, who soon harried the wardens downstairs.
Erymi’s Shaeva soon joined us in the room, whose fangsome snarls kept all the roommates cowering. I dragged Erenyae from the bed and cast her at Krastaes’ feet while Tae led a team to the grooms’ floor, whence already screams were floating. Then I came back to the stairway, where with Draue, Kaure, and Koviss, we lowered, following the wardens’ yells and Shotas’ howls. We found the stair-door open, where they had fled into the lower hall. There we found a tight sight: Korasha driven against the outer door, which doubtlessly they had foremeant to unbar and flee, our Shotalashu snapping and hissing. Blood was dripping down Ess’s snout, and I saw a leg-wound upon Draue’s. We strode among our steeds, who stilled at our show. The wardens knelt and offcast weapons.
With the hall fast, we led all the thralls, with hands bound and heads hooded, up to the roofyard. There we set them, and also let their children, which eased the mothers. I far-boded back to Hivaea, where waited Remaue and the others, and told we had taken the hall. Then we waited for dawn. When the sky lightened, I outlooked over the townyard. First nothing stirred. We waited while also we wondered where Oshis was, and Zheye, too. Relief had taken me when we found him not in the hall, for the cunning warrior would have hidden so far from our goal as canny. Yet this left the riddle of where he was hiding, and a whole unfriendly townfolk to seek through. Erymi waited worriedly, as so I doubted Oloe and Avahi beyond the river.
Then into the townyard a Shota and rider strode forth: Remaue astride Vahuil, followed shortly by Lady Sael, Oloe, Avahi, and another sixsome weaponed Korasha, who had come by ferry after my far-seer word. Beside them stepped Mistress Anovaeul, followed by another score of warriors. I went down, where Krastaes and Hanos watched, and we opened the door. Remaue rushed into my arms, where she told the children stayed safely back in Hivaea. I greeted the others, bowed to Mistress Anovaeul, and asked them to come to the hall.
Right then a couple shapes hailed from the street. Warily we swerved, and then beheld Oshis and Zheye, him with axe and her with spear. Straightway my mind latched into his, even while a whole team of wives rushed, hugged, wept, and beat his brow. I waited until they soothed. Then I stood before and outquoth: ~A Das, ruthondis herya ezimya.~ “You have wrought me much bother, Man.”
Will-lessly I drew tale from his thoughts. Zheye had found her father earlier in the foreday. After my word, they had hidden in a wineshop. At foredawn a stir had swept the streets when Anovaeul’s fellows gathered and had told the townsfolk they would soon hear word of a shift forthcoming and should elsewise stay peaceful. Oshis had taken hint to head toward the hall, where they had hidden at warriors’ sight, but then had witted Remaue and his mother. I took his arm and bade I should yield him to Erymi.
With Anovaeul’s fellows watching the door, we climbed to the roofyard, where our bond-thralls knelt under our snarling Shotalashu’s snouts. While I led Oshis and Zheye to Erymi and their kindred, Mistress Anovaeul began unhooding and recking the bond-thralls. She freed the most, but for some sundry housemates whom she set aside. 
At last Lady Erenyae knelt alone, whom I bade Krastaes draw afoot. I drew the hood from her head. She had rewhelmed from my mind-smite, and her eyes locked fearfully on mine. Then they flitted over the room, where she beheld her foes gathered. She sagged in Krastaes’ grip, though he held her steady. I set my will on her, against her hopeless wards, and let her understand how wholly she waited under my mightiness. Then I quoth aloud that she had tried to use my flagmate and manlove’s welfare against me. But with a little goodwill and frankness, I would not have stirred against her. Yet beyond my sake, she had kept a manmate from his wifemate, and a father from his children.
I then headed to Erymi and asked what doom-geld she would have. My bronze-gold wifelove strode forth, a fell mood overtaking, and answered she would have a word. Looming over Erenyae, she asked whether the lady was bechild. When Erenyae faltered, my wifelove headed to Mistress Anovaeul and asked whether a priest stood among her fellowship. At the mistress’s leave, a Damaya nodded and stepped forth, saying she is Green-Mother’s priest in the freehold. Erymi asked whether Lady Erenyae had lately outquoth bechildness to the temple, thereby setting her under their ward. The priest answered the lady had not. Grimly Erymi headed back. She spoke that Erenyae had used her manmate leavelessly, and that such offthank could not be forgiven geldlessly. 
Then she kicked Erenyae’s belly. The erstwhile lady flung back on Krastaes’ shoulder, who offlet not. My wrathful wifelove neared the wretch, grabbed her shoulders, and drove her knee into Erenyae’s guts. Soon both Tae and Sievae joined, beating such wrath into Erenyae’s midriff again and again until I feared true harm. At last they let her topple wretchingly. Erymi overstood and spoke they should never let Erenyae claim kinship with Oshis, their children, or any else of his get. Then she asked Anovaeul, the priest, and other gathered elders to swear in witness. They left Erenyae curled against herself, where, if haply she had been bechild, she would likely miscarry.
Erymi next went to her manmate newly won. She kissed Oshis’ brow, who wisely waited in meekness. Then she asked Less and Hanos to bring him to the bath and wash him clean, for she would have no hint of Erenyae’s stench besmirching when she reclaimed him. Merrily they took his arms, doubtlessly with some bullyship in mind while they outled him.
I yielded Lady Erenyae to Mistress Anovaeul and benamed the town to her heed on foreword that, when the flatbarks come, first that they would worthily beguest Lady Taiase until we fare northward, and then they should send the freight back to Son for my sister’s care. Anovaeul yaysaid giftfully, and merely asked to shift us to an inn, so that her fellowship might claim the freehold’s main stead. We yaysaid, whence we made swift trek back to the Harbor-Farthing, and even the same inn where first we had stayed. There our settleship betook a holiday mood as we took rooms, stalled the Shota, offstripped and cleaned harness, and then bathed. The townsfolk seemingly were offsetting the morntide’s befuddleness, since many we saw made merry under Mistress Anovaeul’s rise, and any who bemoaned Lady Erenyae’s downfall stayed meek. 
We gathered in the main room, where Erymi came and kissed me thankfully. Oshis introd, freshly begroomed in a clean loincloth, shoulders and beard shorn, and locks braided, at which our whole throng buzzed. He came before Erymi, knelt, and took her hand, where he asked forgiveness from his many mistakes. She looked down, named him her beautiful foolish man, and hugged his head to her belly, which he kissed eagerly. Then she bade him pay worship to all his wife-folk, first by calling Oloe his mother, who chidingly waved a finger even while she chuckled, and then kissed and blessed him. Then came Avahi leading Zheye their daughter, who she said stands under wrack-bond from having sneaked hither ahead of our raid and wrought no small worry. Next, Erymi called forth Sievae, bidding Oshis yield her worship as his son’s mother. So he knelt and did, at which tears filled her eyes. She spoke that this household is their son’s only kin, and she bade Oshis show wisdom and so teach their son. Here he bowed and kissed her hand. Linked as we are, I felt tears in his eyes, too.
Erymi held me for last. She sat and bade Oshis come beside. Then she asked me to stand forth and tell all that I and others had undergone so that Oshis might fully athank our deed to win his freedom. Where I sat with Remaue and Kaure, I haltingly rose. Even as I strode to the room’s midst, I began to weep. The others bade me soothe, which only made me weep more. At last I said I could not speak unless I had drink, whereat Remaue hastened with a wine cup. She held my hand while I sipped, stiffened my will, and gathered words.
Slowly I spoke the strength of my mother’s love, which I had known over my whole lifetime, even ere I had become my own self, and her fear for her daughter stricken by the Komori. Under my illness’s fright and shock, her wrath had thoughtlessly sought the nearest butt, which had been my bridetide’s First Man, Oshis. I told I begrudged not my mother. Yet I rue her, first for her misdeed, but mostly for her stubbornness against beshriving and rightening it. So I had uprisen against her will so soon as I healed, which had led us to seek Oshis here in Elahat.
Lady Erenyae had been a cunning fool, I further spoke, for thinking she could oversway me and so gain behoof upon my kindred and the City. Yet little she understood both my mother and me: my mother would never forgive, and I would never yield threat. So I had played Erenyae’s greed against my mother’s stubbornness, and thus had planned to strike Erenyae from the first. Breaking my mother’s will had outfallen as an added boon.
Oshis rose to speak. Yet I stayed him, and instead told how I had wakened from the Komori believing Tesine my daughter and Erymi my wifemate. I had forsoothed I was missing a share from myself, unwhole. I spoke how with his blessing I had become a wife, and that his love had made me whole again. I then said I would share this life with him, with Erymi and Tesine, with Kaure, Remaue, and her little Lanaryel, with all his children and kin, and all our house. Tearfully he rushed forward, though I caught him ere he could kneel and held his head against my bosom. Then we wept together while all aring us blessed our love.
Bywardly, we headed to Erymi, who kissed us both. We sat with him amidst and us two hanging on each arm, antennae running together. We fell into an easy mindshare and let anyone join who would while the inn-mistress doled wine. Oloe outspoke she would go back to Hivaea, along with Avahi and Zheye, and laterward would bring the grandchildren hither. I called Zheye near and sternly read that a warrior should rightly be bold, as she had well shown, but should also be listful, for other’s lives may behang her faith and deed. Then I took her hand and forespoke that, when she starts firdhood at the Citadel, she should seek me, and if I can, I will take her into my sith. Then I kissed and named her daughter. Remaue added she would also go and bring back Lanaryel, who is hardly of years enough to stay alone. She kissed Erymi, and then Oshis, me, and Kaure, and left with the older wives.
I called Kaure and bade her sit beside, beyond me from Oshis. I headed to her and took hands. She withheld mindshare. So I shed from Oshis and Erymi, and clove her alone. I witted she was reckoning what would happen, the worry bewrought, and still some small guilt lingering from my bridetide when she had blamed Oshis for my illness even as my mother had done. I soothed her thought, and then upspoke that, if she would settle shrift with Oshis, she should speak straightly. She shuddered, for nothing wakes her shyness like strife. Yet then her will hardened, against fear, and she stood.
Before Oshis my maidenmate came, and though she did not kneel, she bowed. Then before all she spoke that she would yield guilt, for she had wronged him, along with Lady-Mother at my bridetide, when she struck and outnamed him my evil-doer. Then she asked what dearth he would take, for she would not bear this shame.
Oshis rose. Shortly he waited, as if reckoning answer. Then softly he laid hand on my Korashe maidenmate’s shoulder. He spoke he reminded both the deed and hurt. ~Ziari reasi domi hayeli shoe-shei o’diahi zhianyei.~ - “Yet no misdeed done under love cannot be forgiven,” he outlaid, and added: ~Eise valante valante-meve, o assama mi miaele. O’rei si vearvas o nela, oeo mae qoanyelise, oyei vas tifya-ruealf, o’eshi vaea ruaelf.~ - “You are beloved of our beloved, my housemate and shield-sister. I will stand beside you in war, and if you become a mother, I will ward you, and even give my life.” Then he bent brow to hers, and they hugged.
Hanos began a song, which thrilled, for he has a fine throat, and we all joined, with Tae proudly showing her thick belly, and Draue and Sievae dancing. Erymi and I looked over Oshis’s head and shared a thought. At the song’s end she grinned, and then loudly asked Less whether he and Hanos had well scoured all of Lady Erenyae’s stench from Oshis. He answered they had done so well as they could, and the only stench left was Oshis’s. Then we dragged her manmate to his feet, whence Erymi shoved him to a bench against the wall. I followed and squeezed Kaure’s hand.
At late morn today, the flatbarks came. We met Lady Taiase and Istae when they stepped onto the wharf, where almost the whole town, headed by Mistress Anovaeul and a fellowship of alderwives, waited for the Sage-Queen’s sight. The showforth of a sixsome outriders and Taiase wrapped in a priestess’s shroud, even crownless, did not besorrow. Anovaeul and the others welcomed their elder guest, who looked about heedfully. I witted now is not the first time Taiase had come hither. Laterward, she marked that, though this stead has everywise changed, it ever stays the same.
Now I lie here upon our bed while I write this. Tonight will soon have a mirthtide duskmeal at the hall, where the townwives will welcome Taiase. I must dress too late, for Remaue earlier hindered me wantonly, and I would end this log ere I go. Who will become holdwife here in Elahat we know not, though I reck unsurely, forwhy we shall soon go from this stead.
The wild North with its wide moors and broad skies awaits, and far-seer word has already flown to Lea, whence riders will go seeking Clan Miniada and Vosaeth our oath-sister. Though we may lack our City’s good liss, we have our household whole, our friends, and our steeds. Even without the embassy-writ and Taiase’s great nameworth, if still we fared outlaw, I think we should do well. Our towardness forelooks bright.

~Tiao Siluo Zairo~

End of Part 3