A Castrovel Adventure: Part 3, Chapter 58

In which Lady Vaeol and her housemates reach the freehold of Elahat, seeking Oshis after his banishment.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

3. Evelae, 24,542 - 2nd Day in Elahat-Freehold
I will start with ereyesterday, for I have fallen late in keeping this log. We had the flatbark offlet us on the far northern shore an easy dayfare downflood from Elahat, with will to reach overland, and whereby we could keep show as hunters, for, on Krastaes’s and Erymi’s rede, Elahat so behaves kindlier than to traders from the river. Though the bark will keep way until the freehold, the skipper (who is Krastaes’s kin) will withhold our word as her fareholders, though her stead in Elahat might later foreprove handy if we needed hasty leave. From our landing-stead, we made way northwestward, skirting the riverbank from mound to tree-limb through the marsh.
Elahat sits at the northernmost stead on Father-Yaro ere His headwaters bend back eastward into the Stormshield Highlands. Here smaller freightbarks may reach at high flood, kinderly in late Floodtide or Blighttide. The freehold also anchors a dykeway, built in elder times, that comes through the marshland from the Retaea’s southern moors, and which makes the steadiest path to reach the river while high flood. Elahat has behooved this waystead since ere the Time of the Sage-Queens. Yet for traders who wish to shun the freehold’s dear toll, other paths in low flood lead further southward, outcoming at Teamol, where the greater freightbarks harbor at Son, though this southward way runs threat of bemireness and the great baletoads, marsh-eels, and ~qu-snakes who love to prowl the sunken marshlands at Father-Yaro’s eastern shoulder.
Even against Elahat’s yearthousands, it showed a small, mean stead when we caught sight through the rainwood. We came down through a treepath to a low dyke at the outskirt. Although a raised footmound, marking an old stronghold, stands nigh the freehold’s midst, it now shows merely as a dry swath whereon the highfolk’s houses are built, along with a lonely milktree marking a temple. Further outward, a newer wooden wall stands atop the dyke marking the town’s edge. Within the gate, we saw many houses built right against the wall’s inner side, behooving of the dyke’s upbuilt ground to stay above Floodtide’s high water, which may income even within the town. Other houses not so lucky, and with no hometree to build among the limbs, are built on stilts. Many such ramshackles run along the wharf and market. The lone stone hall stands at the town’s midst, doubtlessly the elder stronghold though remade.
We reckoned about five hundred souls dwell here, whereof maybe half are children and youths. The freehold gathers its own fird, though Erymi, who had ere hithercome with Oshis and his kin, read they are a misdighted lot so ramshackle as their houses. I would guess their war-strength at less than tenscore. They see ~Qoelu-stroke more often than Son, both fearsome Queenslayers as once we hunted and the great Yaruks, owing to their stead, which also means they see much trade in teethstock, bones, and hides, and which often trade down to Son.
Soon as we came, we found an inn nigh the wharf and hired a room, which also got us the innwife’s wardship, as outlaid Erymi, almost like guest-right among the Highland clans or the elder tales. She also warned against bathing, with word that the Holdfolk deem overcleanliness a sure hint of Cityborn. After we bore gear up to our room - a broad undereave-bight with good wind-flow and a stout rail on the outer walls - Remaue and Erymi stayed to let slumber the children, along with Tae. Less, Hanos, and I headed downstairs to the meanroom, to get the town’s layout. Erymi also forewarned us to go nowhither alone, and also that one may freely bear weapons even idly through the streets, forwhy the freehold’s overall lawlessness, along with the many outlaws who dwell here, alets this need for self-wardship. Thus I slung a shortbill over my back, heedless of its hilt-butt and the sheath’s end outsticking sidewise.
Our dearest business forestood finding Oshis, for which we spoke with the innwife, a Damaya named Innistrae, who, at a coppermark from Less (these freehold-folk outwill a fee for anything), shrove she had news of Korasha lately outcast from Son. She beread us to a warehouse in the harbor-farthing, with word to ask for its housewife, who she heard has hired them. So hearkened, we headed forth.
We found the warehouse easily enough. The housewife told she knows of some Korasha outlaws lately come from Son, though they work not for her, but for a trademaster who is gathering a team to ward a freight-host overheading to Lea when the marshwater falls, likely within the next month. Her answer befuddled, for we were looking for a lone Korasha, and less than a few.
Then we ran into our bark-skipper, who had right lately hithercome. While Less and Hanos shared news, I wandered along, seeking faces among the holdfolk, and trying to find wit of these lanes crazily outstrewn, on a whim I might outluckily find Oshis.
As I watched, a Korasha came into the street. He halted and headed at me. Not Oshis, though his face showed kith. I knew him: Maeoras (so mistwisted a name as I have ever heard), one of the three whom Kaure had cursed, and who had been forbanned at the sake-trial.
He witted me, as I watched his heavy shoulders tighten. I bewared I stood alone in the lane, Less and Hanos beyond sight. I fully witted the evil Maeoras had idly misdone to Kaure. Under his grief, and beyond the City’s doomreach, what evil would he do, or reckfully his friends together, to me? Against belief that my housemates were waiting within a scorestride behind the house’s bight, I did not wish him to see me withdraw. I had not forelooked to fight another Korasha after Kazos, though now wondered if I must. My hand strayed to my shortbill’s haft.
Then Hanos upstrode beside; hand upon his axe-head. With a glance he nodded, and then glared at Maeoras. The outlaw scowled and backstepped, doubtlessly to tell his cronies of our coming. Hanos took my hand and led me back, where swiftly we told Less of Maeoras’s sight. Misluckily, it made good thought that the outlaws would come hither. The downriver cities, under the Pact, would uphold the ban-doom and make the maiden-reavers’ stay unfast at best. The same would hold widely true for the odd freeholds along that way as well, which are strongly bound to the cities by trade. Yet Elahat’s ties are freer and less friendly, which means ease in shelter, becoming one of the few steads where such outlaws can stay.
We headed back toward the inn to forewarn the others, which while I used to soothe down. Less spoke I seemed markedly upwrought at my moot with the outlaw, for eyesomely I had stood ready to fight. Hanos told I had looked foreset to loosen woe on Maeoras’s shoulders, and then marked it would be a merry tide to watch me beat the outlaw, as I had done Kazos.
Thus we were even laughing when we strode into the meanroom, though swiftly halted. On a rail sat Oshis, and beside him a dark lanky girl whom I had erenever seen, but knew at once: Zheye my (his!) eldest, who eyesomely had left her kindred to stay with her father. My two housemates rushed forth to hug Oshis, beat his brow, and call a score of curses that Korasha so love in their bullying. Yet I froze.
What I felt I could not tell, muddled in a hundred wits: glee at his sight, relief at his haleness, dolefully after finding the outlaws here, and also shame. By my thought, even against my unwillingness, I own a share of his doom. Yet I could neither stir nor drag my eyes from him, nor even speak, even when his gaze halted on me.
I beheld his stalwart shortness, from thick thighs, to slim waist, to brawny bronze shoulders fuzzy from two months unshorn. My eyes lingered on his craggy brow and cheekbones. I wondered at every drift, every stir he made, ere he stirred. I witted I could foretell them. I knew right what he was thinking, ere he shifted, and ere he spoke, and what words would float from his tongue, which was queer only in that we were not in mind-share. Such is the ~Komori’s outcome.
Right ere we found hap to speak, Erymi burst downstairs, a coppery-gold treelike bundle that leapt into his arms, weeping glee and babbling how Tesine would love to again see her father. I understood her heart, and also his, with more love than I could tell. Almost so swiftly followed Remaue, though she halted short while Oshis handled his wifemate. Softly she cast look at me.
Oshis set Erymi down, arm about her waist. Remaue hugged his shoulder, and then nudged him toward me. For the first time, folk left him alone long enough to give me thought.
I could tell he was going to kneel ere he started. So I forestalled and knelt first, nevermind the shame of a Damaya folksomely yielding to a Korasha. I could tell him overcome, with wet eyes bright. Yet he neared warily, for he feared to hurt me again. Awkwardly he knelt with me and asked my health. I smiled sadly and tapped my brow. Then I reached for his hand and asked forgiveness for his ill doom, at which he outquoth he should ask my forgiveness from the harm he had done. I shook my head and answered that none rightfully beguilt him, and that even Kaure wants his forgiveness for what she had first guessed at my hurt.
At talk of guilt, I felt him tighten, and understood he bethought his ban-curse. I squeezed his hand and swore to bring him back home. ~Maeile iveare rease.~ - ”Lady-Mother stands wrong,” I told him, and also that no outlay can outrighten her misdeemship.
Still he withheld mind-share, even as I laid antennae on his. I bade I was unafraid, and would show him the gift he had given. Then I added I would have something else from him. He asked what.
~Kadaea,~ - I answered: “Your blessing.” ~Vya eshya istis riere bishere.~ - “You left me but half a wife.”
Oshis began to weep, and I with him. Then Erymi and Remaue hovered near, overstood, and blessed our forgiveness. Remaue joked that we have the worst misluck in our bridetides, and ever it enweds Oshis, and playfully boxed his ears. Sharply I bade her leave him easy, for I would have him suffer no more from my sake.
I also witted a bruise by his eye. Oshis had been fighting lately. I looked to the others, rose, and brought him astand, too. I told we had seen Maeoras in town and asked if they had met. Grimly Oshis nodded. ~Ea homaea omue,~ - “They have friends here,” he warned. ~Zhyeayelma shira, o’domodomi alimas.~ - ”Were it not for my kin, it would go badly for me,”
Oshis outlaid that, after my mind-bode, he had spread word about the town to outlook and send word of any wayfarers from Son, for he rightly guessed we would aftercome even against his warning. When he heard word of a Sonna hunter-team with babes at this inn, he had come forthwith. He overgladdened to see Tesine his daughter and let Erymi lead him upstairs, while the others spoke with the innkeeper to assure our fastness against Maeoras and his ilk.
I kept my eye open on Zheye, for I had an inkling she bore me some ill will from her father’s doom. Even though Oshis had forgiven me, she might unmind the reason and aim merely on his welfare, which had suffered under my sake. Nevertheless, I would not be gainsaid from my goal.
We bade baths, and Tae and Less agreed to watch the children. After the bath, Remaue shaved my sidelocks, brushed my hair, and drew myrrh-sap upon my neck, nipples, and thighs. My wanton but forethoughtful wifemate had even brought a small pouch of gold-dust, which she merrily sifted upon my bosom. She also drew luck-runes in the smudge-row, as she named it, under my belly-button. Then she playfully tickled me. ~Dei aesehise?~ - “Are you ready?” she asked. Then she quoth me bridesome...

[The rest of Lady Vaeol’s 3. Evelae, 24,542 daylog entry as Chapter 59]