A Castrovel Adventure: Part 3, Chapter 48

In which Vaeol deals with an awkward situation with Master Mearthil.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

3. Soelae, 24,542 - Son
Withholdingly, today we again came to the City. I left Erymi and Oshis with a fond kiss, and his oath in fee to aftercome soon. While the others settled at the townhouse, Istae and I stood before Lady-Captain and awaited bid. Then with Semuane we stood before Master Mearthil, who is staying with the lorewardens. The Elfseer gladly hailed us, though he upbrought word that he and Semuane must reckon their homefare to Qabarat, for they owe word as well to their city as well, and then he must afterward oversee a new fetch to the Dale of Amaea to outseek whatever else may lie at the Barrow’s bottom. This thought saddened me, though I acknowledged their duty. Even so, I overwon them to stay a few more days. They shall stay until market day.
I stood before Master-Captain Dosuaesh, who welcomed me with joking beseech not to go beating any more Korasha. I again serve as his wand-fellow, and, though it lacks thrill, is doubtlessly good loretide, dolefully if I wish higher rank, along with openness to his mild wisdom. Kaure waited on me, and Remaue brought us and Semuane noonmeal, along with a nutsweet more for Master-Captain, which he merrily athanked. Rather shamelessly she flirted with him, nevermind he is old enough to be our father, which begot him a low chuckle. Uplooking at his years and nameworth, he has grown withstandful of Damaya who believe they can sway him. Yet he answered lissomely, for which my good thought grew of him, and Remaue too yielded him further worship.
Then with Remaue and Kaure I went to hail Lady-Mother and tell we may go forward with my bridetide. She hugged me breathless. Then she asked to make all dightships, for, quoth she, the bridetide of a high matron’s daughter is no mean thing. We have set it for the first market day in Zielae, which gives us slightly more than a month to ready. Remaue forespoke to help, which soothes me, for she will keep it from becoming overly haughty.

7. Soelae
Master Mearthil and Semuane have gone, though I will not start with their leave. Instead, let me first tell of yesternight.
As is our market-day wont, and in cheer of our friends’ leave, we held mirthtide at the glowrose idleyard behind our townhouse. Along with Semuane, Master Mearthil came, whomto we gave worshipful seat. We asked forgiveness, for we had readied no Elven food. Yet lightly he gainsaid, for he holds not against Lashunta cook-craft and happily tasted Son’s upland dishes. Also came Taiase, whom we gave merry welcome and set her beside the Elfseer. She quoth this Lowertown farthing is much changed since her time, though, after looking about our townhouse’s walls and its lower feet, she beholds old bones still strong. We yielded her bubblemead and toasted our friends’ blessing in their hereness. Then we fell to a tasty dish of upland-wise egg-dumplings stuffed with figs, pitchnuts and mushrooms, and slathered in berry-oil and smoked cheese, followed by slow-roasted, sour-soaked grubworm, and as sweetdish a pudding made with crumbled brandycake and topped with spicecream, of which we scraped clean the dish and craved more.
While we talked and sipped idly, anon Oshis introd. To my shock, he wore a full skirt. His locks, beard, and bodyhair were freshly trimmed and oiled, and he bore a bundle of twineblossoms. I looked to Erymi, reminding her word that Oshis should woo me more, and bethinking she had so beput him. Yet her face showed right amazed as mine.
While we watched, Oshis came forward. He knelt and yielded the blossom-bundle, which I took, trying to sit so lissomely as I could. Again he stood and took a rather dramatic stand. Then he began to sing, which was a nice forecaughtness, for he has a wonderful and mighty throat. Yet he sang in Elvish, for truly Oshis speaks no more Elvish than my steed Ess, which swiftly grew eyesome as Master Mearthil’s eyes widened, along with Semuane’s, and Queen Taiase’s, and mine.
An unbearable breathtide the Elfsong akept while we prayed its end, until too slowly Oshis witted the look on my face was not as he had forewished. Slowly his throat died, and he grew such a ruthful look that broke my heart. He then looked from me to Erymi, and even until our worthy guest. Then so shamefully as a youth newly grown to manhood, he fled the idleyard.
Still dumbstricken, I shared thought with Erymi, for we could not forget our last week’s idle word of Elven poetry. Someone must have overheard. We found answer when hoarse and wicked glee outbroke from Less, who had watched the whole show. Straightway Tae swatted his head and outnamed him a loutish trickster. Less had somehow overheard our talk at the treehold (nevermind this stealthy breach) and had overbewon his shieldmate to sing an Elf-poem for my wooship, twisting Oshis’s true wish to earn my goodwill into clownishness. Tae then stood, twisting his ear and dragging him afterward while Remaue and Kaure hastened to help. The three together strongarmed him from the room, against his yells for ruth (and his misdeed’s ongoing chuckles) and with more unkindly slaps, while we others sat stunned.
I headed to Master Mearthil and knelt. With Queen Taiase and Lady Semuane onlooking, I shrove my house had given him a grim slight. I knew no wise to offset and asked only he reckon that we ~Sonna~ are rough upland folk lacking Qabarat’s smooth couthness. I then begged he forgive this misdeed for what it was: a trial at low fun that had woefully missed. Beside me knelt Erymi, who likewise begged her manmate’s forgiveness, saying he is but a rough, nice soul who would never knowingly shame our house, and now had fled forwhy he forsoothed his guilt, and had merely sought to earn my goodwill. She asked the Elfseer to name any dearth, but until her child, and she would see him afilled.
Master Mearthil sat with that unreadable wise that Elves must spend yearhundreds drilling. His stern silver eyes fell on me, ere he said: ~O’ikani assama-sa ilamis iryaea dohisaeassya Elaurya.~ - “Beseemingly, your house has a wont of working unkindliness on Elves.” He so bespoke of our misdeed to Lady Aleriel back in El, whom we had misbehooved to send Brand and the Aslanta to Qolaryon. At that word, I wished to sink through the ground, for even though I have upyielded any hope of going back to El, I have yearned to prove my worth and goodwill to Master Mearthil and High Lord Amendaris.
Then came forth the oddest, seldomest sound: Elven laughter. Master Mearthil chuckled until I thought we might weep. We all watched, looking among each other - Taiase, Semuane, Istae, Erymi, and me - trying to read what his deed betided while we dreaded hope that he might not take slight. At last the Elfseer stilled, though mirth still bubbled in his throat. He outquoth our house never misses to bemark, though knowing my deeds of slighting Elven couthness, he should not be forecaught (which made me cringe again).
Then, as to the so-called smooth couthness of Qabarat I had bespoken, the Elfseer added, he reminded a time when the Lashunta in Qabarat were not so smooth, when the broken Valmaeans first settled there, and also when even the Outriders were not so lissome. Here Semuane asked what he meant. He answered that the first outriders he had met were not as us now, who ride for their cities, but who rode for their queens. Forebodingly he pointed northward, to the Retaea Moors, Vosaeth’s homeland, and that of her foremothers, the Thief-Queens.
Semuane swiftly gainsaid, for she answered the first outriders had been raised to offdrive the Formians and Queen’s Riders, as she named the the Thief-Queens’ elder thanes. ~O’alli-yei Lashunta doveisa,~ - “How soon you Lashunta forget”, answered Master Mearthil. Then kindly he added: ~O’dovei, Lashunta samaeantona aveadisa.~ - “You Lashunta have grown more lissome in your forgetfulness.”
Taiase upspoke that, though things are much changed from her time, they have changed not for worse. She hoped Master Mearthil would agree that these younger Lashunta hold good worth, and even some that their elder foremothers lacked. If Master Mearthil knows Lashunta so well as she guessed, read she, then he knows these are mean Korasha games, as ever they have been. She also said she too might remind these elder Queens’ Riders whomfrom we outriders had grown. Yet at that word she stilled thoughtfully, though what she brooded I know not.
Back came Tae and Remaue, who told that Less was banned for the nighttide, and whether he slept astreet or in the Shota-barn they recked not. Kaure they said was standing fierce ward, lest he try to sneak back to the house. Erymi asked of Oshis, who they told was wandering the orchard. She asked leave to seek him, which I swiftly gave. I kept eye on Master Mearthil and asked whether this boot would meet his worth. Lightly he yaysaid.
Laterward, I asked leave to afterlook Oshis with Erymi, for I would not leave my manlove so bewronged. I found them at our house’s rear, where Oshis was crouched against a wall, and Erymi soothed his antennae. He gave me a rueful look when I knelt beside. I kissed him and chided that all is well, for Master Mearthil has forgiven all, and as an elder Elf, doubtlessly wits someone has upset another through such trick-craft.
At that word sidewise of Less’s misdeed, Oshis stirred. I witted his shame already shifting to anger. Erymi and I traded looks and feared Oshis might seek wrack on Less’s tricksome brow. We reminded the last time these two Korasha had fought, and the harm for-wrought. I heartened him to come back and share mead, though he withheld. Even more than the slight to Master Mearthil, Oshs rued shame under my eyes. So I asked his outlay of how Less had played him, at which he shrove it had happened as we had guessed: Less had come saying he had gotten whisper of our speech of wooship, though he had insewn that I had spoken wish for Elven poetry, and then had offered help to learn and sing it.
Against myself, I found it hard not to laugh. I named Oshis a beautiful fool. Then I kissed him and hugged him to my bosom. Though he would not come, Erymi spoke she would bywardly follow. I left them lovingly and came back to the mirthtide bearing the twistblossom he had yielded.
Shortly laterward, both Taiase and Master Mearthil took leave. The queen kissed me thankfully, and then asked Istae to host her back to Lady-Mother’s house, which my maidenlove gladly atook. Master Mearthil stood before and bowed in lissome Elven wise, and said he would gladly bring word back to Qabarat of our good deeds, and not only of the Barrow, but also of the peace we had made among Lashunta and Elves. Then he added he knows sundry other enthriven fellows who will look blessingly on this deed. I gave back his bow and yielded to his good liss.
This morn, our household, along with Lady-Mother and a good sith of matrons and lorewardens, saw Master Mearthil, Lady Semuane, and her shieldbearer to the harbor. My mother spoke Son has had high honor hosting an Elder Elfseer, and that he need only send word on his next fetch to the highlands, and we would send all help he needs. Then she kissed Semuane, and laughingly said that she wishes all Son’s foes love us so much as she.
Our own farewell with Semuane was much more tearful. This leave proved as hard as our unforelooked gathership had been merry. She forespoke to send far-seer word so soon as they reach Qabarat, and I swore to dream of our love when we towardly meet. Then we all kissed, and they boarded the flatbark. We watched them float away.
Oshis has come back to the house, though our ruth for his plight (we Damaya all reckon dear what he tried, even missingly) only sparks his shame, and he storms off whenever someone bespeaks. As for Less, Tae has forbidden him her bed until next market-day, and Remaue and the other wives have all upheld this doom, with smart word that, if his lust overquickens, he may try his luck with the Shota. All his whines and moans oversway not, and he forelooks some smelly nights in the Shota-barn, for which none feel any ruth.