A Castrovel Adventure: Part 3, Chapter 40

In which Vaeol tries to learn something of the ancient Damaya Queen they have woken.

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

1. Vinelae, 24,542 - the Barrow (32nd day afetch)
Today was fraught dealing with our newcomer. When Tolamad, Master Mearthil, and Semuane headed back into the barrow to keep their outseech, dolefully of the Queen’s Room and its weird gear, I gave Damyane my stead and stayed behind, where I spent time with Kaure and overwatched our guest, who slept late, such that we wondered whether she was restrengthening from her bound timelessness.
Thus I was sitting nearby when the Damaya Queen stirred. Happily, she screamed not. Instead, her eyes blinked and looked about, as if she did not understand. Softly I knelt beside, held her hand, and bade her soothe. Wildly she looked but befrightened not. When Kaure brought water, I held it forth and let her drink thirstily. She then lay back down, as if outworn, though her gaze oversought wantingly.
So kindly as I could, I tried to mind-share. At first I got a bewildering thought-rush I could not understand, and shrive my High Tongue has never been well learned. When at last I reached meaning with her, it was through Elvish, which she speaks, but with an odd lilt. I reckon that Elvish has changed less than Lashunta over the yearthousands.
Her name, she told me, is Taiase, which rang couth, though the history of the Latter Sage-Queens was never my strong lore.I reminded word of an uprisedom while the Thirteenth Yearthousand when Son outcast our queen. I wondered whether she is the same Taiase. If so, what had she done that our city would so do?
At first only her name she yielded and nothing else. I read she was fearfully mistrustful, and let it stay. She asked of this stead, which I told is our camp. Then she asked whether I had come with the Elves. Withholdingly I answered yes.
While we talked, I could read her mind working on a worry. After a halt, she asked what had befallen the Dalefolk. I answered that, if I rightly reckoned whomof she spoke, then they were long forgone. This word befuddled her, and she bade me tell whence I came. Awkwardly I looked at her eyes wide, and beheld she knew nothing of myself, neither my clothes nor my harness sitting not three strides off. So kindly as I could, I asked whether she knew how much time was gone since last she wakened.
My question shook her, and greatened her befuddleship. She next forsook Elvish and spoke aloud in Lashunta, though a speech so old I maybe understood but every sixth word. In kind I answered, though my tongue’s clumsiness shocked her. Yet I ended my speech with a word: ~A Taeile~ - Majesty, which nameworth has not been spoken in more than seven thousand years since the Thief-Queens were outdriven. I watched its outcome run through her: acknowledgement, for which she yearned. Yet also she wilted, from shame.
I told we are from Son, which forecaught her even more. I could tell her trying to make wit of our unlikeness, for we spoke and did as nothing like the city she had known. A long while she sat, and then asked what years have gone since she came here. Since I knew no better way to tell, I answered it has been longer than twelve thousand years.
She sat in unbelief, speechless, hugging herself, only her antennae twitching whiplike.
A while later, Master Mearthil, Tolamad, and Semuane came back and wished to see our awakened guest. I took them aside and swiftly spoke of what I had learned and who I believe she is. Though Tolamad’s clan has no true yearlog of history, he reckons it likely their war with the Moqeva likely happened near Taiase’s queenship and Son’s uprisedom. I told that she had some knowledge of Elves coming into the Dale, though eyesomely Lashunta had still dwelt here.
They wished to speak with her, though I warned that her mind is weak. I then begreeted her to them, naming Tolamad, whose folk now dwell in the dale, Master Mearthil of Qabarat, who is a great Elf-seer, and Lady Semuane, who like me is an outrider. We were forecaught when she shrove she knows not what an outrider is, which reminded us this is a newer thing than her time. I then told that we had found her asleep within the barrow (I outleft whits of the weirdloom we had found her in) and said we would reckfully learn how she had come there, and asked what she would tell us.
Dumbly Taiase stared. Then she screamed again. Her scream halted not, though we took her hands, held, and tried to soothe her. At last Master Mearhil again put her to sleep. We have put her back to bed, where sinceward we have overtalked this queer-wonder and soothed our own hearts.

2. Vinelae - Afare eastward from the Barrow (33rd day afetch)
Taiase yesternight awoke screaming, and seemingly not knowing where she was. Ever since dusktide she had grown uneasy and withholdingly bedded, which then outcame in her nightmare. We sought to soothe her while our camp tried to find sleep. At last Semuane and I held her between us and sought mindshare, by which our lissomeness might overweigh her.
Queer dreams stole within me when I again fell to sleep…
...I stand within hearthlight ringed by shadows and stunted Korasha of such roughness as I have never seen, who hooted, howled, and reached….
...A Damaya, skin whelmed with twisting scars, wickedly smiles. She is greatly bechild….
...Shadowshapes whelm me again, clutch, and lift me. Helplessly I fight, to no weal. Against their bodies I feel scales on their skin. They carry me into a cleft, in whose darkness their glowing eyes show black slits…
Bothersomely I awoke this morn and shared thought with Semuane, and so could tell the right same dreams had haunted her. They behinted things we could guess but wished to not name. After breakfast, we offdrew with Master Mearthil, Tolamad, and Kazos and overtalked our next deed. We yaysaid our time was come to leave. We will go to the Sholasa’s clanhold, which path will lead back to Noruma, where we will meet our flagmates and the other Clanheads.
We also told what we had learned from Taiase’s dreams. Though little, Master Mearthil and Tolamad looked grim. Tolamad betrusted these whits matched what his folk had seen when they fought war with the Dalefolk, both of the Lashunta and Moqeva. He shrove the mistwistness he had witnessed still haunted him after yearthousands, and also that it had broken minds of those who had undergone.
Kazos to our speech listened broodingly. At first, he misbelieved, but then grew bothered. He asked, if all we told is true, whether it might be a ruth to slay her. Though I naysaid, shamefully I shrive the thought has haunted me. Though I know not all Taiase has undergone, I fear, and wonder whether indeed it may be more than she may forbear.
So bedeemed, we broke camp and readied eastward, at which we found another riddle unforeseen: Taiase does not ride Shota. We were all forecaught. Eyesomely she had no bound steed. Yet she shied from our steeds. The thought of anyone, dolefully a Damaya, having no kith with the beasts was unbelievable. At last I coaxed her upon my saddle, where Ess forbore her before me.
Tonight we camp right under the fell, under the last tree great enough to hold our tents. Chill is coming, so that the Shotalashu huddle near the fire. With darkness Taiase has already grown worried. She cowers between me and Semuane.