A Castrovel Adventure: Part 3, Chapter 34

In which, after her fight with Kazos, Vaeol gets some help she did not expect, even though she asked.

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

10. Vealae, 24,542 - 8th Day at Elfring Dale [continued from Chapter 33...]
...Next I knew, I was staring upward at fearful, tearful faces. Kaure weepingly hauled me upright to sit against her. I tried to ask what besorrowed, but found I had no strength to send thought. Krastaes overknelt and kissed me, saying it was the most cursed deed he had ever seen. I tried to answer with words and ask what, but was anon weary. Tae kissed my antennae and warned me to slumber not too hard, for they would not lose me after such a wondersight. Then again I dazed.
I remind being borne in Oshis’s broad arms, walking through mushrooms lit with blazes and witchlights, and shapes following about. Ess’s boxlike snout snuffled near and licked blood from my face until Oshis shooed him. Next I witted, I was lying upon a blanket with Remaue worriedly overlooking. Then I slept...
When I awoke this morn, I saw not Remaue, but Tolamad looking down. He greeted me and said he had heard I have quite a tale. I misdoubted he had sent watchers to the Sholasa’s moot, who had brought him the whole deed’s witness. I mistakenly touched my nose and yelped hurt. Tolamad read he could reset it, but could do nothing for the swell and bruise. I answered that if he could reset, I could heal the rest. Remaue also neared and lovingly held my head while he meddled with my nose, until it crunched into stead. After my tears halted, I healed myself, which they said bettered all but some bruises under my eyes. Remaue and I hugged a long while, thankful I had so well outcome against the Sholasa’s plight.
When I wobbled from our tent, buzzes smote from my gathered flagmates and the elders. Krastaes, in champion-wise, knelt at my feet and upyielded a crown of braided milk-tree leaves in rough but hearty token. He repeated his yesternight words that my deed had been the most cursed thing he had ever seen. Istae kissed me, and then Draue, followed by Tae and Nae. Then came Oshis, who lifted me in a Shota-hug that I feared might crack ribs, along with a kindly threat that I should never so do again. When I asked what he would answer if I ever did again, he dared so boldly to spank my rear, which drew shaky, shameful laughter from the throng. After I kissed him, Less gave me a strangling hug of his own, which Hanos repeated. Then Lady Karami, Lavi, Avaere, and the other clan elders yielded worship, all saying they had witnessed a wondersight ere heard but in yore-tale. I thanked them all and said I had done so not for nameworth but to safeward our peace.
Idly I wondered where Kaure was, for I saw her not. Yet too much business was happening.
Tolamad said he would take leave until we call, for he understood we Lashunta must overtalk much weight ere we all meet again. I thanked his healthcraft and forespoke to call soon. Then I sat to a breakfast of honeycakes and hoodblossoms, which forecaught my hunger’s strength while we talked of yesternight and what would likely happen today.
A short while later, a horn rang updale. Soon Raeas came running into camp, and told he had seen five Shota and riders, along with three Korasha. I bade we should ready to meet the Sholasa.
Into camp came Kazos, his four housewives, a fifth rider I knew not, and two more Korasha warriors as host. Shakenly I beheld the shift in Kazos’s look. Even with his swollen and smashed nose, my nailmarks on his face, and the bruise marring his neck, he seemingly had grown years older overnight. Unleastly he stirred slowly, which matched my own feel after our rough fight.
Neither did the other Clanwives miss his loss. Lady Lavi asked the Sholasa housewives if they would offcast Kazos as Clanhead. She outquoth so evil a man should not be let to lead, and should even be banned from the Clans. I witted the other offstanding Clanheads readily yaysaying.
Kazos flinched, but said nothing. Instead, Eieli, the eldest housewife, whomwith I had spoken after the fight, answered that they would hold true to the word they had given yesternight, and that things would change. Henceforth, the four housewives would together speak for their clan. She warned, however, that they would not ban or outcast Kazos, but would keep him as war-leader, for under his thanks they had found peace when all ereward had lain under strife. Kazos’s sixteen years of clanheadship had given the Sholasa time to heal, and furthermore all the headwives’ children are kin under his fathership. She swore Kazos would pay dearth for his yesternight misdeed, but the Sholasa would set his doom as fitting their best interest.
Although the other Clanheads bickered this thing, I witted a shift, slight but weighty, among Kazos and the headwives. They no longer stood behind or waited his leave. I reckoned the might-weight has already shifted within the clan.
Eieli then bade forward the fifth rider who had come with them: a Damaya maiden maybe a head shorter than I, but stocky, who strode with the ease of one who has hunted the highland rainwoods over most of her young life, bronze hair like Eieli but green skin like Kazos. Eieli named her Damyane, her daughter, and Kazos’s eldest. She put forth that Damyane is foreset to lead the Sholasa upon reaching wifehood. This deed somewhat heartened the other Clanheads, though still they misgave Kazos’s standing.
Then Kazos rose, and I beheld him withholding misgiftfulness in his soul. Yet he spoke greetingly and acknowledged my win yesternight. When he said they came to meet trucefully with the other clans and Elves, I still felt pride awar in his voice, and shame at his loss. Yet he also outspoke he has never broken his word, and would not do so now.
I welcomed the Sholasa, and read that, if we gathered here wish peace, then we must not meddle in the Sholasa’s leadership. I brought forth the milk-bowl for all to drink, and bade them take ease. I added that yesternight Kazos had done a right noble beck when he had upset a rainfly for his housewives. I offered that he and his daughter might again do so for their seat, and also that my warriors would help. So bemet, they set a nook for the housewives, where they sat, and the one suckled her babe.
Kazos sat among his housewives while the Clanheads likewise settled. The Sholasa asked about the truce-moot with the Elves and whether they might bring their clan’s sake. I answered they surely might, and that we would hear. Kazos then headed to Eieli, almost beseechingly, at which she nodded leave.
Told Kazos, the Sholasa believed that the Elves hold lands northward, neighboring west of the Sholasa’s, that rightfully belong to Lashunta. Straightway I offheld my inlkling and instead asked what proof upheld this sake.
In answer, Ezhani, the next-eldest Sholasa housewife, stood and brought forth a wide bundle. She unwrapped and showed a crown golden and wrought like a phoenix-cock’s tail, and set with rubies and sapphires, at which sight all the Clanheads wondered awesomely.
This crown I had already seen. It was the same the Damaya Queen had been wearing in my tree-sight. A shade touched my heart.
I asked Kazos where this thing had been found. He answered it came from a high dale lying west of his clan’s landhold, wherein stood many wrecksteads under the peaks. Hunters had begun bringing trinkets only this last year. Heedful of these finds, he had gone, where he had found a barrow under a crag, which had yielded this hoard.
Ere we could speak further, a horn blew downdale, from the Elfring. We all halted and wondered, for the Elves were coming early. We readied to meet while we talked of what might have behappened this shift.
Bywardly the Elves came to the tree-camp, and not only Tolamad and his fellows, but a shape elsely clothed, though Elven, but in a wise I knew from Qabarat. I greeted Master Mearthil, bowed, and named him most welcome, though I was forecaught at his sight. Then I witted another,, the harness she wore with Qabarat’s badge, and heavenly tresses crowning her blue face: ~A Semuane!~ I rushed and hugged her. Our erstwhilely grim truce-moot atook mirth while we welcomed the new guests. Semuane and Remaue were overglad to meet again, and our heavenly maidenlove gushed awe over our babe. All my warriors who had followed to Valmaeyana cheered heartily.
At once I bethought to begreet her to Kaure, but then again witted that my maidenmate was off I knew not where.
I got a queerness from Tolamad at the Elf-seer’s arrival, though neither look nor word outlaid anything. I asked how they had hithercome, at which Semuane answered it had been like a timely elfgate that happened, like a breach in the world’s weft, and through which they had stepped to a stead upon the seashore some days hence. Master Mearthil told he had gotten my wordbode and, after rede with the Elf-Elders and the High Matron’s Hall in Qabarat, had deemed to answer my call. He most kindly greeted the elders and spoke gladness at meeting Tolamad, whom he shrove he had not seen in a great while (whereby I wondered whether he meant thousands of years). I outlaid we had made hopeful furtherness in our truce-talk (outleaving word of my fight with Kazos, though I misdoubt neither Mearthil nor Semuane witted the bruises we bear), and the steadship we had yesterday left. Then I again welcomed the Elves and thanked the Sholasa for forsaking their warfare. I said their sake outstands lastly to make peace with the Elves.
After this kindliness, Kazos kept forth his tale that the Sholasa hunters had crossed the high ridge, the elder march between Elven land. What they had found behinted not Elves but Lashunta. He would have answer why Elves had claimed these lands. Then Ezhani again showed the queen’s crown, which brought a stir. At its sight, I watched Tolamad’s face, whereon came a dark mood.
I asked whether Kazos spoke of the Dale of Amaea, whence flows Father-Yaro’s headwaters. He knew not that name, he answered, but a stream runs from that dale’s northern reach and southward swiftly grows to a great rush. Whence it goes and how named he knew not, though he reckoned it likely it must cleave the great river. I then answered that if it is indeed Amaea, then it is written that Lashunta once had come there in the Sage-Queens’ Time, though it had been erelong forgotten.
At my ask, Tolamad shrove that the stead bespoken is indeed the Dale of Amaea, as Lashunta once named it. He told his folk have dwelt there for many thousands of years, since they came to these lands. Kazos swore that, though he and his warriors had clashed with Elves in the heights, they had not raided any Elven household. They had only gone to the barrow within the fells and other wrecksteads among the near heights, and there had found the elder hoardlooms. He asked by what right Elves would keep Lashunta from their foremothers’ bequest...

[...To Be Continued in Next Chapter]