A Castrovel Adventure: Part 3, Chapter 28

In which Vaeol and her Flag seek the Stormshield Elves

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

1 Vealae, 24,542 - Afare Westward from the Reul’s Clanhold; 14th Day Afetch
Today we left the Reul’s Clanhold and headed westward, downslope, toward the Elfring Dale, which holystead we have reckoned as best to find the Elves. After a day’s rest under thatch, we found it hard to again undergo the everward downpour. Yet we have grown somewhat used, and even little Lanaryel no longer cries under Remaue’s gumcloak. Most of my warriors now forgo any overwhelve, letting rainwater offrun instead of clinging soddenly acloth. The Korasha wear only their kilts and let the rain beat their naked shoulders and breast. Our Damaya wear merely halters, whereto the spear-riders add their breastplates. Only I wear my harness under cloak, for if any rust starts under the damask, Remaue will surely slay me.
In good news, we have grown better at upsetting our tents under the rain, which gives small haven. Kaure, Remaue, and I huddle herein with the babe. It feels peaceful with the rain drumming against the hides.

2 Vealae - 15th Day Afetch
The rain has somewhat lessened (though not halted), and we have made good furtherness through the upper dales. Our lead tells that we are near. I write this ere nighttide, for I have forbidden fire or light, for fear that any Elves may mistake our will here and strike, and have set twofold watches. Now I will hold my mates and our babe tight and pray nothing mishappens.

3. Vealae - 16th Day Afetch; Elfring Dale
This morn at first light, after checking the watch, I prayed and read the omens. They were muddled, but at least no threatsome foretoken. I beread that we stand wholly on our own deed, whether good or ill. Withal, I armed and readied for the last march.
Soon as we were packed, steeded, and railed, I asked Kaure for my flag, tied to a spearhaft, set it in stirrup, and held it high. Then I bade Tae take forth her horn and blow three long blasts. The silvery notes rang throughout the dale cliffs and back. If the Elves had not already recked our coming, now they did.
At the next height, our lead waved downward into the dale. ~Lua Aola-Elora~ - “The Elfring lies there,” he told. Then he halted and came afterward only as last in line. I bade Tae blow again, foreboding our intread, and slowly led the path into the dale.
A league further, and we found a well-sized milktree, one of few in this land, where we chose to make camp. As a nice whit, a copse of giant glass-cap mushrooms grow under its boughs, giving shelter from the rain without broad need of tents. Though we found hint that once someone had dwelt here, it looked so long ago that no house, nor deck, nor even holdbeam among the boughs outstayed, though we found a stair grown from the main beam. Whether its dwellers had been Lashunta or Elves we cannot tell. We hung our tents from its boughs among the glass-caps. Nae and Hanos got a fire and stew simmering.
I waited long enough to see us well encamped. Then I kissed Remaue and told her my love, and kissed Lanaryel, too. I asked Krastaes to afterlook our flag, who bowed over my hand. Then I asked Istae and Kaure to join me and upsteeded.
Oshis stood before. He knelt and begged leave to come. I answered that he is so dear as any to my heart and my first Lashunta at war. Yet this bodefare should seek peace, and therefore must stay small. I asked him to wait here and pray winfulness. Then I leaned low asaddle and kissed him.
I lifted high my flag when we three rode out and had Istae blow the horn, and at every league blow again, for I wished no seemliness that we were stealing upon the Elves’ holystead. Rather, I wished them to heed our coming and fully see. Hopefully by this show, they would deem us peaceful and not slay us asight.
As we came down the dale, a down fell below us, and among the mushroom-trees at its foot, we spied the stone ring, right where our lead had said it lies. Here I handed Kaure my spear and flag, and also my sword and shield. Weepingly she took them, and I blessed her with a kiss. I kissed Istae, too, and bade them wait here. Then alone I rode onward, feeling truly bare under the mushroom-fronds and cliffs, and reminding so many tales of how well Elves can steal and hide amidst wilderness.
I halted less than a bowshot from the ringstead, in open sight. I unsteeded from Ess, doffed my helm, and held it under arm. Then I began to sing, in Elvish: a song I had heard in Sovyrian of war’s loss and wreck, behearkening the sorrow Elves outspeak so well. I sang slowly and so loudly as I could, and prayed they heard.
My song ended. Nothing stirred. A stillness had overfallen the narrow dale, ingathering me, the stone ring below, and the ledges about. I waited, seeking any hint, but nothing. At a guess, I bowed toward the ring, in Elven wise.
Then a throat rang overhead. An Elf bade enough of my Qabarat nonsuchness (as he named the song, and interesting he could not tell between Qabarat and Sovyrian) and asked why I was here come, arailed for war and bringing more warriors at my back. I greeted so fairly as I could and answered that I am Vaeol an outrider of Son, and though it is true I am a warrior, war I hoped to forestall. I asked leave to speak with him and his folk’s elders.
The Elf unseen halted a breathtide. Then he asked why they should bother speaking with Lashunta when we had brought only war to this dale. Here I answered that, if they were already foreset on war, I could do little. Yet if they knew anything of Lashunta, which I guessed they did, they would know Lashunta do not shirk war once started. Yet I was not of the Highland Clans and have no interest in war. I had come with my household and wifemate, and also our young daughter, for we still believed peace. If the Elves still wished this forehap, then I asked them to speak now.
A long while I waited, and almost wondered if the Elf had left, mayhap to speak with his elders, mayhap to forsake my beseech. I stirred not. Then, almost when my legs ached, the Elf spoke again. It bade me come forth into the stone ring, alone and without my beast, as he named Ess. So I bade Ess stay, though he whined and scratched the ground ere he listened. I strode forward alone.
I tallied a hundred-twenty spans from Ess to the stone ring, which I did to soothe my mind against thought of Elven arrows aiming. I kept my right hand free while my left held my helm. When I reached the ring’s first stone, I had an awkward breathtide, for I was unsure whether I was bidden to come until the ring or inside. So I sang another prayer I had learned in El, which one utters on a temple’s intread, loudly enough that I hoped they would heed, and stepped within.
The stone ring opened about me, a stead clear and maybe five spans wide: misshapen boulders stood on end, and some even laid over two, benchlike. Moss covered all, the stones and even the ground I overtrod. Something befelt odd about this so-called Elven holystead. Whatever its name, it held a starkly un-Elven mood. I halted right before its midst.
A new throat greeted even ere I saw a shape. I blinked, and where none had shown, now stood an Elf. I greeted back, and he said that a right long time had gone since last he beheld such Sovyrian kindliness. I answered I had gone to Sovyrian and even El. Then I gave my name and purpose, and asked leave to speak.
The Elf named himself Tolamad. Though he gave not his years, and I knew better than to ask, I treated him as an elder, sunderly since he witted my kindlywise as Sovyrian. Elves have dwelt in this land since the Time of the Sage-Queens. For all I knew, he had come here then. His folk he named the Imlarim, and told they have dwelt within and below this dale for many thousands of years, since wandering up the seashore from the lands near Qabarat.
Tolamad asked what word I brought from the Lashunta Clans. I told that Son had been asked to come by Noruma, which freehold I put forth he might remind, for Noruma recalled trade once with the Elves, well more than two hundred years ago. However, I also read that the Imlarim Elves stood afeud with two other clans: the Reul whomfrom we had come and knew their fights over this same dale, and also their bondship and freedom of an Elf; and also the Sholasa, whomof we had heard and sent word to speak, but had not met. I offered frankness that the strait looked grim. I told that the Noruma and Reul headwives wish peace, but the warriors are angrily upstirred and and wish blood-geld for their fallen hunters. Yet if all truly wish peace, then I believed it is reachable.
Tolamad then asked what dearth the clans would ask for peace, since they had already come onto Elflands and dared their claim. I answered that he must speak straightly with the clanheads themselves, but I yielded oath they will hear his sake even as he will hear theirs. I offered that my troop shall stand as truce-foster, our lives in bond, for the clan elders I forelooked to come in three days. In meanwhile, I asked leave to let my troopmates hunt the eastern dale above our campstead, with foreword not to come to this ring-stead.
Tolamad listened and spoke that seemingly he has little choice but to yaysay, unless he would let war overloom all. I thanked him, bowed, and asked leave to withdraw, at which he stepped backward among the stones and faded.
I needed all my will’s strength to show my back to the Elves, under fear they might cast a bolt or dwimmer, and to walk from the ring, where Ess prowled restlessly. We upsaddled and rode back to where Istae and Kaure waited, who waved earnestly at my sight.
Kaure did not even let me unsteed, but hugged my leg while Istae kissed my hand. I told them we have a short truce with the Elves, who will meet the clanheads and hear their sake. Then we rode back to camp, where the others buzzed cheeringly. I told that we shall camp here and overwatch the truce, that we have leave to hunt the dale’s eastern end and should watch against any unbelet income, and that we should not go near the stone ring. Then I offstripped harness, stood out in the rain, and took a cool, cleansing shower to soothe my overwrought nerves.