A Castrovel Adventure: Part 3, Chapter 31

In which Vaeol presides over negotiations between the Highland Lashunta and the Stormshield Elves.

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

9. Vealae - 7th Day at Elfring Dale
Our flag awoke ere dawn, broke fast, and readied for the day. Krastaes got all the bowmen armed and helms and shields shined, and stood them at watchsteads at all paths to the hometree. Draue oversaw the scouts along the dale’s upper paths. Remaue busied with meal and drink for the truce-moot, and Istae in full harness I sent with Nelehi her shieldbearer to wait on the Elves. Kaure helped me clothe and ready, while else I drilled mindfulness to soothe my unsteady heart. Then Tae blew her horn and hailed the day.
We let the Clanheads gather idly, for there was no haste until the Elves came. I stayed within our tent, but when Krastaes or Remaue came with a question, and overwent my speech to open the talk. Maybe two belltides after first horn, Istae’s horn sang downdale, hearkening the Elves coming. I stood and sent Kaure to read with Remaue that all forestood ready while I peeked from the flap. I watched the Clanwives and elders gather in the main stead, where they watched for the Elves’ forthness. After they came into sight, Remaue and Krastaes bade the elders stand at their given seats, which they slowly did.
Istae and her shieldbearer led Tolamad and three other Elves to camp, at whose edge she unsteeded. I timed my outcome sharply with their intread to the main stead, so that my showforth misdrew from the Elves and any ill will the Clanheads might bear. I wore my champion’s crown silver-golden, silver breast-dishes over a halter, armbands, and greaves, and over all the one bodyshroud I had brought with: Semuane’s gift of golden-blue glowsilk. I reckoned that few enough of these Lashunta had even seen a matron. Of the Elves I could not tell, though by their rough clothes I doubted little better. For all they knew, I showed like an elder queen, like the Damaya in my tree-sight.
I welcomed all to this truce-moot, broadcasting in both Lashunta and Elvish, and claimed right of host and hearer. I forespoke my will that all gathered should have hap to speak their sakes and seek fairness. Then I greeted each clanhead in trend. Lady Karami of Noruma I thanked for bringing me here and marked she recalled merrier years, through her foremother’s yestermind, when the Highland Clans and Elves had held friendship, and that she yearns to see those days again. Then I bowed to Lady Lavi and said that, to my best knowledge, she held no sundry sake, but came as witness to see peace again over the fells, and asked her strength and wisdom in leadership. Then I headed to Lady Avaere of the Reul and said that her folk have suffered the most in this feud, which sorrow we should not belittle. Yet I added that her thanks had made this truce canny, for against the strokes, spilled blood, and calls for more, she had chosen to let a bound Elf live and go back to her kin. I told that the same Elf still lived, whom I had met but a few days earlier.
Then I headed to Lord Tolamad and thanked his yaysaith to this truce. I acknowledged that doubtlessly he reminds the old feud’s deeds better than any Lashunta here. However, I asked him to show ruth to our young lives and that, instead of yore’s rue, we should settle yoretide to craft our towardness together. I then asked him to hear these clans’ sakes with open heart and mind, and find giftfulness.
Lady Karami rose to speak. Eldest is Son, she greeted in wontful wise. She praised our welcome and thanked us coming. She recalled my mother from her youth, when she fared to Son for trade, and that I belooked her worthy spokeswife, and that she had heard from her kinswife Ianare that I had gone and dwelt among the Elves in far Sovyrian. She added she reminded her grandmother’s tales from childhood of friendship with the Elves, who had even come to Noruma. As told her grandmother, it had been a wealthier, happier time, for the Elves had brought pearls and wonderful shells from the sea, which Noruma had traded for goods, glassware, fine gemcraft, brandy, and corn from Son. For her share, she would see that wealth again come and share with all the Highland Clans if peace could be reached with the Elves.
Then she drew forth a bundle, and told this hoardloom had stayed within her kindred for more hundreds of years than she recked. She unwrapped and showed a wondercraft: a lantern made from a swirlshell, carven openwork shimmering through the shell, upheld upon a golden stand shapen as a leaping maiden. She then cast a witchlight within, which glowed most comefully and brought gasps from the onlookers.
At this sight, Tolamad quickened. He rose, came near Lady Karami and the lantern, and said he knew the crafter who had made it: Halmeth, who he said had died six hundred years ago, and whose work he had erenever thought to behold again. Then Lady Karami yielded the lantern, saying it was her house’s dearest heirloom, but that, if the Elflord had known and held dear its maker, then she would willingly yield it from goodwill. Worshipfully Tolamad took the gift, stroking its masterful carvework, then again wrapped it, and set it aside.
Next Lady Lavi spoke. She told she had heard of the feud among Elves and Lashunta, which news has bothered her. She shrove her clan holds no feud or sundry sake with the Elves. Yet they hold kinship with both Noruma and Reul. If war comes to the Clans, she warned her young warriors would wish to come to their kin’s side, and she feared she could not keep her clan from war’s ensnareship. She yearns for peace, and to keep her folk safe thereby.
Then Lady Avaere rose. She spoke that she gladly heard that the Elf she had freed has outlived. She shrove her folk had grown unhappy at her choice to free the Elf, but she had believed it the right thing, and now stands fast in belief. She then warned that a blood-dearth still stands between the Reul Lashunta and Imlarim Elves, for the Reul lost a hunter to an Elven stroke, which must be answered. Yet she begged Lord Tolamad to hear her sake, for she would see war forshunned, even against her folk’s anger.
At last Tolamad stood to answer. First, he acknowledged we Lashunta had given him much to think. Then he thanked me for working this truce and giving this hap to speak openly. He shrove that his folk had never met much with Lashunta, even when they traded with Noruma’s foremothers. He was relieved to hear Lashunta wish to shun war, which he named the first and weightiest step to find it. Yet he added that feuds, in his own deedfulness, are hard things to unravel. They cling to folk’s hearts and yesterminds, their ill will besmirchingly hard to cleanse. It is a riddle with no easy answer or neat. If we would deal, he said, then we must deal fairly and hold to our sworn word. He also understood that the Sholasa had not come, who have undertaken their feud shed from the other clans. This worried him, for he fears that any truce reached here the Sholasa may break. Yet he forespoke to hear and see what forehap may arise.
Then he told that the Imlarim Elves also have a sake to hear: this land, and even the land where the Reul’s clanholds now stand, and the land they hunt on this side of of the fells, are all Elf-owned, by the old truce two hundred years ago between the Imlarim and the Lashunta Clans. He would see this old claim resettled, and if the Lashunta go back to fells’ eastern side, then all shall have peace.
Lady Avaere again rose. She spoke that the Reul had dwelt at their homesteads on this fellside for fifty years with no hindrance or gainsaith from the Elves. Even ereward, she told, Reul hunters had come over the fells and had hunted this land. Never had they found any Elves, and little enough spoor that Elves had ever dwelt here, until they had stumbled upon the holystead, the stone Elfring, which had eyesomely first gained the Elves’ wrath. She said that if her clan had found Elves dwelling ere they came in, they would have yielded the land and sought home elsewhere. Yet now two kindertides of Reul children were born and grown from their clanholds, inmeaning her children and grandchildren. She asked how the Elves could ask them to yield their home.
Here Tolamad answered that, by his reckonship, this recked not Lashunta’s short yestermind, but that the Reul had foreknowingly come upon Imlarim land. He then asked why the Lashunta deemed the Elves guilty when the Lashunta had broken the old truce. Avaere asked back why the Elves had not gainsaid when the Reul first came to the western fell-side, for it beseemed that the Elves were claiming land on which they were neither dwelling nor hunting.
Then she asked a keen question: what was it about the stone ring’s grove that had prodded the Elves’ wrath when for fifty years Lashunta had hunted over these dales hinderlessly?
Here I deemed she hit a wicked mark, for Tolamad answered not. After a long halt that all witted, Tolamad traded looks with his fellows. They spoke not, and I wondered they might fear overhear through my speech-dwimmer. Then he faced us and asked leave to withdraw, to read with his kin. I gave leave but asked when we should again meet, whereat he answered this afternoon at slumbertide. Swiftly I read the clanheads’ minds, and then agreed. The Elves rose and left.
The Elves’ leave sparked a talk-storm among the clanheads, who earnestly tried to read what their behavior tells. Lady Avaere came and asked what thought I have, as to whether the lands beweigh not so much as the holystead. I answered I shared her thought, under the Elves’ dearness, and that we must now wait and see what they answer to craft a truce.
Another thought I shared not: the Elves are hiding something that they wish not Lashunta will learn. No good rede I have of what it may be. Yet I think it includes both the Dale of Amaea and also this stone Elfring. Also, I think more on my tree-sight of the Damaya Queen and what share she might play.