A Castrovel Adventure: Part 3, Chapter 25

In which Vaeol and her Flag learn of a new attack by Elves.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil u’Zhasaele Zolaemaue be’Son

10. Afaelae, 24,542 - 5th Day Afetch in the Mountains toward Noruma
Today afare, we met hunters from Noruma, who though they first warded warily, beheld Ianare and their clanmates, and greeted us. They brought news of another raid: hunters from Clan Sholasa have been stricken, and fear grows they may strike back in wrack-feud. They forespoke to head back to the freehold and bear our arrival’s word. I asked them to give their headwife Lady Karami our goodwill and tell that we look forward to our meet tomorrow.
I can tell that Ianare worries. She told me that the Sholasa are oddly warlike among the other clans. If they choose to strike back, things will worsen swiftly. I have come to our tent and sit wondering what I have brought our housemates and babe into. I reckon sending Remaue homeward, though she will hate.

11. Afaelae - 6th Day Afetch; Noruma
We have reached our goalstead. Noruma dwells within a deep highland dale with cliffs and waterfalls on all sides, and within and aring a great hometree doubtlessly so old as any in Son, and maybe even as our soul-tree. Beyond a ridge northward a great stone hangs wedged between the river cliffs, bemaking a bridge between the Yaro’s sides. Two sixsomes of houses dwell within its great limbs, and another score underneath. Of folk I tally about sixty grown and a hundred children. Within the lowlands near Son, it would be a small town. Here it is the greatest freehold for a weekfare in any way. A laid stone wall wards it.
Soon as we rode in, Lady Karami the headwife greeted us: a spare older wife green and blue-tressed, maybe of my mother’s years, but face lined. She stood forth, and soon as I unsteeded upyielded a milk-bowl. I had heard of this wont among the Highland Clans, and truly from much further, for this has been done and retold even within our eldest legends. Meekly I bowed and gave worship at our welcome. Then I drank of her home-tree’s milk and handed it back.
Lady Karami gave the bowl aside. Then she stepped near and kissed me. When our antennae touched, her trial became clear. Kindly but swiftly she found mindshare, and even more swiftly deemed me. I read her thoughts even while she sifted through mine. She is eager for a truce, and rightly fears war, sunderly from the strong bonds Noruma holds with the other clans. She cannot foresee a wise wherein her folk do not get enmeshed. Eyesomely, however, she has blessed our arrival as peacebode.
With the Shota unsaddled, foddered, and left to settle lordship with the neighbor Shotalashu, we withdrew to the hold-hall, where gather-meal swiftly readied. I sat with Lady Karami and Ianare, and brought Istae and Krastaes among us, and also Remaue with Lanaryel. Karami happily cooed and played with the babe ere we fell to talk. She said she recalled Lady-Mother from younger matronhood when she had gone to Son, and that she had dealt fairly.
From Lady Karami we got more whits of this Elf-feud. Since time beyond yesterness the Elves have dwelled on the mountains’ western shoreside, ingathering the dales among the heights. Two hundred years ago, a short feud had outbroken over hunting lands, which had mended but hardly. The Elves had withdrawn to the Dale of Amaea, which lies northwestward, and the Lashunta clans had withdrawn to this mountainside. Aftwhile, Lashunta, mainly with Clan Reul, had driven over the heightridge and had made home on the far side. Nothing ill had happened, however, until they had come upon an Elven holystead. Right afterward, hunters were stricken. Then, whenever any had come near the holystead, Elves had stricken, and then even hunters further away but who trod upon land elderly claimed by the Elves. She also told of Lady Avaere, Reul’s headwife, who she told is kindly and and witsome, but now stands awkwardly for fear to ward her clan.
I asked what Lady Karami knows of the Dael of Amaea, whence Father-Yaro is born, and is bewritten in Son’s histories. She told none of her folk have ever gone, not even in oldest legend. It find it heedful that such a holystead, which the Sage-Queens so worshipped, has been lost to our kind.
I then asked of Clan Sholasa, whomof the hunters yesterday had spoken as stricken. Lady Karami gave the queerest look. I asked what behinted, whereat she shrove the Sholasa, who dwell on Father-Yaro’s northern side, are unlike. When I asked how, she answered they have no headwife. Instead, they are led by a Korasha.
I shrive that, against my worship for Master-Captain, against my high mind for Krastaes as a reeve and for Oshis, Less, and the other manmates within our little house, and even against all I have lately undergone and learned from my newfound love with Kaure, this word forecaught me. Among these highly wontsome clans, who still do as they have done since Lashunta first came to these fells, I could hardly believe. So I said to Lady Karami that here must lie a tale, and I would deem it a boon if she would tell me. She bowed yay, whereat I got this word.
A rough year-score ago, Clan Sholasa had fallen to strife. Many elderwives claimed the headwifeship, and none would atake the others’ choice. Things grew so bad that feuds had outbroken between households, fights had ended in death, and others had forelooked the clan to sunder. Yet that had shifted about sixteen years ago when a Korasha named Kazos had taken mightiness, ended the feud, and had banned the misdeedful housewives. When a wife had upraised her household against him, he had slain her warriors and sent her aflight into the wilderness. Sinceward, the Sholasa stayed widely at peace, both within and with other clans. Yet if ever strife outbroke or feud brewed, the Sholasa ever have but one answer swift and mere: they go to warfare. Thus none else wish to deal with them but seldomly.
Within this news I beheld much that bothered me. I asked what business the Sholasa had had in this feud until the later news that the Elves had stricken them. Lady Karami answered she knows not. For all she knows, this might be the first war-stroke between the Sholasa and Elves or the last in a long feud. She believes, however, that if the Sholasa had gone to open warfare, she would have heard, which means that it has not happened yet, though given that clan’s nameworth, it merely beneeds time. I yaysaid her reckonship that this happendom forebodes grim, and added we will need to find a tangled path through to peace.
While we spoke and shared spiced mead-milk from a bowl, I witted Lady Karami’s gaze fall sometimes on Krastaes. I first wondered that she might offthank against a Korasha inbrought among Elders’ speech. Yet then I deemed her eye held kindlier inthrift, and loosened. Still, I was forecaught when she asked whether I follow the Outrider’s wise and keep maidenhood. Blithely I answered yes, and only afterward understood her subtler inseech. I begged leave to forgiveness, which she giftfully yielded, for her question inheld offer to choose my idleness among her clanfolk, and likewise her right to choose among mine. Amind, I then outlaid that Krastaes is oath-sworn to his wifemate, who came not with us, and so cannot give leave.
I added, however, that Krastaes’ son follows us, and overnodded to where Raeas sat with his friends and the grooms. Lady Karami gazed thereward, and I reckon begladdened of his sight. She then headed to Krastaes and asked whether his son is beholden to a wifemate. He met her gaze weightily, and then with a wry smile answered he is not. Lady Karami then asked if he would call his son over.
Krastaes rose and waved to Raeas, who left his friends and came. He bowed to the headwife, who scooted aside on her pillow and bade him sit near. She then handed him the mead-bowl and bade him hold it while she drank. Shen then set hand on his face and praised his comeliness, and that he is a fine youth who bears his father’s look.
Then full-willfully she spilled mead-milk on her breast, blamed Raeas for holding the bowl unsteadily, and bespoke a grim breach of couthness. When he gainsaid, she chided him for doubting his elder. Then she bade he must do as a good boy and not leave any drop wasted, but must do as he had done at his mother’s breast, whereat we hid grins and giggles.
Lady Karami took hap to kiss him, running her antennae with his. She then asked if he found her comely, even against her years. Raeas answered forthrightly that, if he begladdened her love, then he would happily serve. This drew Karami’s laughter and praise as a good boy. Krastaes whispered swift rede in his son’s ear to strive well. I reckon in these clans’ wontsomeness, this love-deed has made a kinship-bond between us, even slight.