From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Zolaemaue be’Son
18. Zielae, 24,543 - 7th Day at the Blight-tide Clanmoot
Yesternight at foredusk, word spread among the clanmoot that Eieli of the Zhihuafa had died from her wound against Lady Byreath, the Zhihuafa’s new clanwife. Lady Vei called me, Vosaeth, Taiase, and Istae to her tent and told the Zhihuafa would tonight hold a wake under their fallen warrior’s worship, and that we all should go, along with Vosaeth’s elder sisters and the Miniada elderwives. She bade we should go so worthily as we could, barely and with full richness to make so worthy a show as we could. Istae and me she bade wear our champion-crowns and outrider-jewels, and me sunderly to go to the priests and have the blessing-glyphs redrawn upon my belly, and Vosaeth to bring her babe. ~
O’romi Byreath-Ile di zhilye loe-vya shaevya.~ - “Let Lady Byreath not doubt our queenly worth,” she said. She even asked Taiase whether she had a queen’s crown, though our old friend said it was long lost (without word that the Sholasa in the Stormshield Highlands still hold it). The erstwhile queen merely girded herself with a priestly browband golden with Burning-Mother’s sunburst.
Then Lady Vei sternly warned Vosaeth that her daughter must neither do nor say any uncouthness before Lady Byreath nor any of the Zhihuafa clanfolk, even if they had upheld Eieli. This feud must stay buried, she beread, lest war overtake the clans. Vosaeth listened, though misgivingly.
While we readied, I gathered Remaue and Kaure, along with Oshis, Less, and Hanos. We yaysaid that the clanmoot’s mirth had ended. I asked them to speak with Vosaeth’s haremmates and set watch upon our tents. My worry might be silly, though I could not offshake fear of strife underseething. They willingly undertook, and Remaue would share word with the other wives.
We together, a twelvesome all told, followed Lady Vei to the Zhihuafa tents, where bonfires burned high, and a mourning-dance stirred. Eieli’s body lay upon a bed, which at dawntide the Zhihuafa would bear out on the moor and raise onto a grave-deck. After their wont, the body would be left to wither under the rain and wind, and so free her soul to Green-Mother. Though the grave-deck’s height will stay it from swift-reavers and other low bone-pickers, it will not offstay birds, whom the Retaea hold a good omen sent from Father-Sky. Also, if a Qoelu happens along and swallows the body, the Retaea believe Eieli will find the World-Soul’s bosom even more swiftly.
Beside the bed and the fallen warrior she had slain, Lady Byreath waited. As mourners came to yield worship over Eieli, they must do so right before the new clanwife. The stack of grave-gifts, left to offdearth the clan after loss of a wife and warrior, sat right at her feet. I yielded a pouch with twenty Son silvermarks, one for each housemate. When I set it, I off-fought the thought I was yielding toll to Byreath.
Lady Byreath lissomely took Lady Vei’s worship and thanked the Miniada for coming. Then she overlooked our troop: Vosaeth and Lady Vei’s other daughters, the elderwives, and us - Taiase with her priest-band, and Istae and me with our crowns. She spoke it was good we have come, forwhy the Miniada have gotten much worship from an elder Sage-Queen and two Son Outriders, one whomof is the High Matron’s daughter. Lady Vei answered that worship belonged to the Zhihuafa in their own right, and nothing the Miniada or Son may do will sway it. I added it is the Miniada who indeed worship Son, forwhy Lady Vosaeth upraised me by making me oath-sister, and the Miniada took us into their camp when we wandered homeless on the moor.
Lady Byreath nodded. Then she said that the Zhihuafa would beseech a boon that Taiase come among their tents and dwell for a yeartide, for they would hear the elder tales and learn the Sage-Queens’ wisdom. I felt Taiase tighten and swiftly spoke that doom has forestirred against, for we have forespoken to go next to Lea. I outlaid that Taiase is grandmother not only to Son, but to Lea also, forwhy the great bridge of Lea was her brainchild, and she must oversee its opentide.
Lady Byreath nodded, and then said that mayhap we may meet again in Lea.
We stayed unlong at the wake, though Lady Vei and her daughters spent some while seeing which clans waited most. All the clanwives came, and no few elders. Yet some clans had sent more than else. The Miniada reckoned who gathered nearest Byreath, and who talked the most. Mildly we came back to our tents under great Azaryau’s boughs.
This morn, I did something I had not done overlong. I stilled my mind, gathered my soul, and cast a farseer-word to Her Highness Lady Zhaene, Son’s ambassador in Lea, which read thus:
~
Byreath-Ile ridizimae Zhihuafaue qoande. Kae kiezae kefi. Hithanma Learru o’ziadeni.~
“Lady Byreath has become clanwife of the Zhihafa. The clanmoot’s mood is tight. We will come back to Lea afterward.”
...Though I knew not what I might forelook, I stayed in mindfulness and waited. Bywardly I got answer:
~
O’ziae Learru o’shorassi saezaea lomya o’ahi. Maeile vi muze o stathi ruassisa.~
“Hasten to Lea, and bring all news you can. Your Lady-Mother asks when you will come home.”
Against my better self, my mother’s word angered me. No ask after my health or bechildness, but merely when I would came back under her mightiness.
Rather misgivingly, I sought Lady Vei, who was meeting with the clan’s elders in her tent. With a nod she beckoned me to sit while they talked plans for a hunt after the Clanmoot ends. I waited while their rede ended, and then lone elders beseeched her. When the last one left the tent, she smiled, named me daughter, and bade me near. Then she kissed my belly and asked my health.
I chose to speak frankness and told I had shared farseer-word with Son’s ambassador in Lea, who eagerly wishes all news of the Clanmoot, and that I had told of Lady Byreath’s rise. I shrove some things I had witnessed at this clanmoot worried me, and asked what would be alet to tell.
Lady Vei sat a still breathtide, face unreadable. Then she answered that wontfully she would withhold such knowledge. ~
Ma Dizima, oe ta Kolama,~ - “We are the Clans, and they are the City,” as she said. Yet now she knows not what will happen.
She told that Byreath had held feuds with else than Vosaeth. Lady Shith, the Zhihuafa’s former clanwife, had had full hands dealing with Byreath’s meddlesomeness. Yet Byreath had a knack for choosing wretches whomfrom she could wring behoof, even if not for her, but for the clan. Thus her wickedness had been forborn, and her nameworth had grown. Now that Lady Byreath leads the whole clan, she fears that trend will akeep. Lady Vei also shrove that she and other clans had tried to bargain with the Zhihuafa to chose Eieli instead of Byreath. Since that trial lost, she doubted Byreath would forget. She fears the clans head toward greater strife, and cannot foresee the outcome. Lady Vei then bade I may tell all to Lady Zhaene, which word she guesses will soon reach Lea’s matrons as well. ~
Te avyrya shyaeyele, o nirim,~ - “If they have wisdom, I would hear it,” she said
We then spoke of the Clanmoot, which she said would last for another week while the clans choose paths southward and hunting lands for Heaventide. She asked my will, at which I told our plan to go to Lea and to keep Taiase’s oath for the bridge’s opentide. Lady Vei foretold that Vosaeth will wish to go with us, for she knows how strongly her daughter’s heart is bound to mine. Therefore, she will make Vosaeth her peacebode and spokeswife to the matrons, to bear gifts and heal the breach her erstwhile feud had wrought. She spoke that, in the towardness she fears, it will be good to have more friends. With that word, I kissed her daughterly and took leave.
3. Ashelae - 10th Day at Blighttide Clanmoot
I have not written in a few days, for there is little to tell. The Retaea Clans have busied with their rites, which we have watched, though have had little hap to share. These enweave mainly beseeching Azaryau for omens, whereby the tree-singers seek answers within the soul-tree’s Overmind.
I was given hap to seek meanhood with Azaryau, which I most worshipfully took. Also, the tree-singers so offered to Oshis as well, forwhy, since he is the father of Vosaeth’s child, they would tally him among the clanfolk. We beread him that this is a great worship, for our yesterminds and thoughts shall live on among the Retaea within the Overmind long after we go to the World-Soul. He unsurely yielded himself to the Soul-Tree, for although he is mind-mighty, he is unlearned, and needed coaxing to reach.
For my share, meanhood with the Soul-Tree was like a homecome. I yielded to the Overmind, and more kindertides of Retaean yesterminds than any Lashunta could understand. For all I know, our kind have worshipped this Soul-Tree since ere the Warrior-Queens swept into Father-Yaro’s strath. I got a wit of souls ebbing and flowing like endless sea-tides, drifting with the wandering year. Then a hint of wrath: something proud and dreadful, the Thief-Queens holding belief that the Retaea could rule the whole world. That whit ended in sorrow, dying on these same moors as they tore themselves ashred. Such is the doom of queens.
5. Ashelae - 12th Day at the Blighttide Clanmoot
The clanmoot is spinning to an end. Things have been mild since Lady Byreath’s rise over the Zhihuafa, which is well, since in these last days hunting-lands have been dealt, southward paths and campsteads set, and sundry little things. I must also bewrite that Lady Byreath has shown markedly giftful, bestowing boons to other clans she need not, striving beyond to garner goodwill.
Such deeds, however, do not allay my inkling of Eieli’s death in their weapon-trial, nor my belief that Byreath willfully slew her. Vosaeth shares my thought, and also maybe even Lady Vei.
Reckful whit: Clan Zhihuafa Byreath chose a southward path leading further west, which takes them away from Lea. This struck me odd, forwhy at Eieli’s wake, she had forespoken to meet us again in the city. Lady Byreath does not mark me as the kind who speaks unforewilled words.
Some clan-households have aleady left, foreset on sundry business or a huntfare going into the Voliahu, the great rainwood that stretches from here eastward and north of Lake Arasene, and which, quoth our oldest legends, was the Lashunta’s first homeland, where Tess tamed Shotaviras ere the Warrior-Queens overran the Retaea and reached Father-Yaro. Elarue and my brother Devaeas have gotten leave to follow Miniada warriors on such a hunt, where they hope to catch Qoelu and some of the great fur-beasts who come so far southward. They forelook to again come to Lea for Heaventide, where we will await. Told Devaeas, they may even make way homeward aboat from Tihes, which lakeburgh lies unfar.
7. Ashelae - Clanmoot’s End (14th day)
Today we witnessed the Clanmoot’s end-rites, which Azaryau’s tree-singers oversaw. They gave each clanwife a blossom-sprig tied to an arrow, as token of their shared folk. The priests then gave leave, with bid to follow peace. I bethought it an inthrifty reminder, and wondered what undermeaning follows their word.
Tomorrow Lady Vei shall lead the Miniada eastward, for they will stay and trade at Tihes, while some hunt within the Voliahu with Elarue and Devaeas. Vosaeth’s house and our Flag shall head straight southward and host Taiase back to Lea, for she eagerly would again come to the city. If all outcomes well, we will all gather again at Heaventide.
Another thing: I sent farseer-word to Lady Zhaene in Lea, telling our leavetide, and that we shall straightly come. I hope that soothes any worry.
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