A Castrovel Adventure: Part 3, Chapter 29

In which Vaeol and her Flag try to learn more about the Stormshield Elves.

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

4. Vealae, 24,542 - 2nd Day at Elfring Dale
Today marked our watch’s beginning for the Clanheads’ coming. I sent Oshis and our lead back to Reul’s Clanhold, with word to bring the gathered elders here as truce-stead. We also set a watch at the dale’s head, which we shall shift in half-day tides. I also sent Draue and Nae out over two scout-teams, each a rider with two footmen, to outseek both the dale’s sides. If they hunt any prey, even better. Yet we wish to learn this landscape and understand its thoroughfare, whereon we can then set watchpaths. Either Istae or I must ever stay acamp, for only we two speak enough Elvish, should the Elves come for speech. I have listened to Tae and Krastaes bicker goodsomely over the camp’s watch, while Remaue has taken the camp’s mistress-ship and oversees meals and the Korasha’s tasks, with Lanaryel riding her hip.
I wit we have a small window to make a lasting truce, which hinges on all happening rightly as I hope: the Clanheads coming on time, the Elves hearing, and each side understanding the other’s sake. Elsewise, this land breaks awar and enfounders all the Clans. I wonder whether even Son would be indrawn, though we have wontfully outstayed Highland business. It would be an awkward thing, for I foresee us wishing to uphold our Lashunta kin, even while we wish to keep good links with the Elves, for sake of our friendship with Qabarat. Ruefully, we have had no word from Master Mearthil or anyone such who might hold sway with these Stormshield Elves.
Though I am no tree-singer, I spent some time atrial to atune myself to this milk-tree whomunder we camp. Spoor enough to wit that once folk had once dwelt here, whether Lashunta or Elves I know not. So far, I have only had odd luck: shadowy yesterwhits with little shape other than fingers drawing teatworts, stairs and boughs beshapen, and fire burning, the things most mind-weighty to trees. I have guessed these dwellers likely rough and wild, who did little here but hunt, live, and breed their kindred.
Then one thing flashed bright and swift: a Damaya with jewels flashing amidst firelight, a golden crown like a phoenix-tail upon her head, naked breast and silken shroud rain-sodden.
Then the tree-sight was gone almost ere I witted, leaving me ahalt and foretaken. I outsought the tree’s mind, eager for more. Nothing forthcame, leaving me bewildered. Since then, I have thought on that tree-sight too short and what it may mean, but have upcome with little enough. Yet that crown’s wise I have seen, in stonelikenesses and drawings within our city, and not in anything meanly worn today by any matron or champion. It was a crown of the elder Sage-Queens, who ruled ere the Thief-Queens’ rise. Who knows what yore-deed this tree witnessed?

5. Vealae - 3rd Day at Elfring Dale
Yesternight we had a guest. While we sang aring the fire and the rain fell, an Elf crept near, stood within our camp’s firelight, and let itself be seen. Our watch first bewared, but made no swift stir. I bade the whole camp loosen and stand down. I sang an Elven greeting-song in hope they would take welcome, and offered seat by our fire.
The Elf stood, as if half-caught, and then faded from sight, almost in shame. The others looked awry, I could tell, trying to make thought of this queerness. Neither had I any outlay, only a guess: though Elves are hard to tell man from wife, I deemed our newcomer wifely, and likely a maiden. I hearkened to Lady Avaere’s tale of the Elf the Reul had caught and freed. I wondered that the same Elf might have reckfulness to learn more of the Lashunta who had so nearly slain her, but had chosen to spare her life. So I bade my sithmates let the thing go. We set watch and bedded, holding our lovers near.

6. Vealae - 4th Day at Elfring Dale
This eve, we had guests again and more. While we ended duskmeal and sang, a voice hailed from the woods. I cast a witchlight and beheld Tolamad and five other Elves downslope. We welcomed them and spread our tent-hides wider to make room aring our hearthfire.
I beheld these Stormshield Elves and tried to wit them as sundry from Qabarat and Sovyrian: white skin, which I had forelooked, though they had smeared clay in streaks to break their shapes against sight, and hair of blue, gold, silver, and red. They clothed in scant gumhides little unlike our own in this weather, though the wives forwent halter. They had left spears and bows beyond our camp in peaceful token. Also among them came a she-Elf I misdoubted was the same who had upcome to us foreyesternight. When Tolamad begreeted them, he named her as Gladris.
The Elves sat tightly by our fire, in starkness to my sithmates’ ease. I reckoned that we had likely seen more Elves in our few years than they had seen of Lashunta over more, and harsher deedfulness. I mind-spoke to the others to keep things loose and kindly. Then, in a beck I newly athank, after reading of it in history and then taking share firsthand among the Highland Clans, I had Remaue bring forth of bowl of this tree’s milk, yielded it first to Tolamad, and then to each Elf in shift, and at last drank the rest myself, in fellowship.
I then asked, since surely others had dwelt within this tree ere us, whose hometree this had been, and did so not only in Elvish, but broadcasting so that all could understand. Tolamad looked awry ere answer, and then told that many kindreds had held this stead over time, but since it lies so high upland, it had never been most liked. I then asked whether any Lashunta had ever dwelt here, to which he answered he could not tell, which I bethought an odd word, almost as if he was hiding something. Yet I let the thing lie, and my tree-sight of the Damaya Queen.
Tolamad asked what news we have of the Clans and when we may forelook their elders coming. I told we had sent a rider and hunter back to the Reul’s clanhold the morn after our first meet. If all come astride, I beread, we may see them tomorrow or the afterday, though if I get no word by then, I will send another rider to seek news. I asked how long he is willing to wait. He answered they can afford some more days, which I took as good if but shadowy forespeech.
Lanaryel, for her share, became the glue that held our little dusk-fellowship together. She thrilled at words not Lashunta, and minds she could not reach. She squealed glee at the Elves’ sight and would not still until Remaue brought her near and let her fondle their ears and faces, which Tolamad let forbearingly. Straightway the Elves’ mood softened and stayed among us more easily.
After some songs and a rough belltide after full darkness, Tolamad rose and asked leave, whereat we gave worshipful blessing. I bade them farewell, and made sundry deed so to Gladris.
Then I mind-spoke to her that, if ever she would speak, I would hear. The wantsome youth almost jumped out of her skin. Then she bowed and left with the others, leaving me still wondering what beholds her.

7. Vealae - 5th Day at Elfring Dale
This morn, Gladris our Elf-guest came again while we were brewing breakfast tea. We hailed her. She withstood tea but took milk. I put forth we climb the milk-tree together and watch the morntide.
While we sat upon a limb that likely once had held a house, I spoke that Lady Avaere of the Reul had told of a wounded Elf whom they had bound but had freed. At my word Gladris stilled. Wordlessly she showed a scar still freshly red on her shoulder, which I reckoned from an arrow. I nodded acknowledge, but waited until she spoke further.
Gladris asked why the Lashunta Lady (as she called Avaere) had freed her. I answered that I could not surely say, but that Avaere, heart-sickened by this feud, could not will herself to let another be slain. I shrove that the Clan’s mood still stood angry, at which word she quailed, and I guessed her yestermind of the hunters’ wrath, who had wounded and bound her. So I asked of her kin’s mood at her catch, which she shrove had been grim. I then told that the Reul had lost a clanmate slain under this same feud, and that, if she would understand their anger, she must merely reckon her own folk’s. This beheaved her, and I let her think a while.
I asked what word she had of the feud with the Sholasa, though she knew not that name. She told, mayhap more than she should, that her clan had caught other Lashunta stealing further to the north, where they had come upon the heights overlooking Amaea. That name, though I said nothing, caught my mind, for the Dale of Amaea is sung in our holiest yore-tales as the cradle wherethrough Father-Yaro runs from His birthspring, though none have seen it since the Sage-Queens. I had not reckoned we stayed so near.
Then she asked why I am so unlike the Highland Lashunta. I shrive my mind lacked answer. So I asked back whether she was so sure I am unlike the clanfolk. I am ever Lashunta, I remarked. I have antennae and round ears and can speak with my mind and do other soulmight-tricks. Here won small laughter ere she answered nay. My unlikeness, said she, lies in other wise: wisdom and learning she afforded me, beyond my few years, which she even matched to her elders. I answered I cannot say rightly how I am unlike the Clanfolk, but that, as Cityborn, I am rightly unlike them as Gladris would be unlike the Elves of Qabarat or El. These things reck civilization, how we are raised and taught, and are wholly too much for us to understand in one talk.
Right then Remaue hailed from the main beam. She and Kaure bore dishes of fresh honeycakes made from the hometree’s milk and asked leave to serve our guest. Also came Lanaryel stoutly clutching her mother’s hip, and eyes already seeking the Elf. Soon as her sight fell on Gladris, she squealed. Gladris lissomely underwent to take the babe in arm and atook her kissing antennae and clumsy hands, including Lanaryel’s repeated misses to reach mind-share with her. A queer look overtook the young Elf, which made me wonder of her own stead within the Elfclan, and what children they have, if any, or thought of love. I withheld word for kindliness’s sake.
After she cleaned her leaf of cake crumbs, Gladris hied back to her folk. She left with our good leave, but Lanaryel’s, who wailed at loss of her new, odd-minded friend, and with me wondering what the Sholasa were seeking northward at the Amaea’s edge, which had once in yore-tide belonged to the Lashunta.