A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4, Chapter 16

In which Lady Vaeol makes a growing problem for herself.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

4. Shenelae, 24,543 - Leiss-Farmhold
Let me end my yesterday’s tale of our comeback to Lea. We underwent another hard ten days until we reached here, since we rode without saddles. Two days ago, we reached the shorewoods and cut sharply eastward, which yesterday brought us to Leiss Farmhold. Here Mirazael Elarue’s mother dearly welcomed us, though with outspoken worry at our lacksomeness. She and her manmates wept at word of our narrow flight from the moldstorm. They told Lea has stood under mold-watch for the last month after clanfolk brought word, maybe even of the same storm that had smitten us. Since Stormtide ought now to start any day, all so pray.
We have taken today to tarry after our hard southward wayfare, to ease the Shotalashu and let the children play for the first tide in a month. Tomorrow we shall go into the city for business. Vosaeth will yield worship to the matrons, in trial to regrow a friendship still worrisome after her ban’s end. I shall selfsomely bear word to Her Highness Lady Zhaene, whomto I have forespoken news of the Blighttide Clanmoot, inmeaning Lady Byreath, the Zhihuafa’s new clanwife and what we witnessed of her rise. Also I doubt not some word from my mother awaits, though I dread.
Another thing I did, for I could withstand no longer. Wordlessly I bade Oshis meet me beyond the farmhold’s further field. Half-mindfully I beshamed of this secret deed, and the other back after the moldstorm. Yet I no longer had will to withhold. I needed Oshis, fathermate to the babe growing within me, and also his musky smell and bristles on my skin.
More I have thought on other whits since the Blight-tide Clanmoot. Though the shrift shames me, over these last few months I have witted my mood sharpening and shortening. I have no forbearance, but the slightest bother may upcall wrath. I have had to bite tongue against Lanaryel’s childish deeds, and even Kaure, my giftfullest love. Remaue has sometimes asked what ails, whomto I dare not give answer. Then yesterday after we came to the farmhold, while I sat upon the deck ruing my ride-stiff thighs and even weariness from climbing the home-tree’s beamstairs and hauling my heavy belly, I snapped at my wifemate’s idlest question.
Straightway my wrath turned to fright, that I had so offthanked my first love. Remaue stared forebodingly. Then, against all outlook, she laughed, and even more when she beheld my face’s befuddleness. ~Rauzhiafi avei,~ - “Your birthmight is growing,” she outlaid merrily. ~Si sheili o di shaevonazyelise.~ - “It is a wonder you have not been haughtier.”
Reckfully, whether I should be relieved or shamed by this forsoothness I know not. I remind my sisters under their bechildness, and what utter, unbearable queens they became, nevermind their rights as forthcoming mothers, but wracked all aring them to the utmost, until even Lady-Mother unforethinkably chided them. I cannot stand the thought of behaving like my sisters. And yet I cannot help wonder whether my birthmight is the root of my other shame, forwhy I have behaved so unlike myself. Selfsomely, I would never offsneak to a man without Remaue’s knowledge and blessing. I cannot find better outlay, much as I wish else, though already I mind the forethought of plotting our next stealth.

5. Shenelae, 24,543 - Leiss Farmhold
Long daytide in the city, which began with us riding in and taking the ferry to the burgh-island. Taiase thrilled to see the bridge’s furtherness and let her eyes drink sight while we rowed along. We also beheld the blight-whelves flying over the streets, and the balefires’ smoke rising, forwhy Lea still stands under blight-watch. Since rightfully Stormtide should already come, folk mark the heat’s length, which is sake for worry.
We made meek way to the city’s heartyard, for none wanted fanfare. There we sent word both to Her Highness Lady Nimizi the High Matron, and also to Her Highness Lady Zhaene, betelling our income. We soon got anawer to come to the Matrons’ Hall, where we shortly waited, and there too Lady Zhaene clove. She hugged Taiase welcomingly, kissed both Vosaeth and her babe in cheer, and then knelt and kissed my thick belly. She prayed thanks for our comeback and bade that after we meet the matrons, we must withdraw to the embassy, for Son yearns for news of its grandmother and daughters.
Bywardly a thane led us into the hall, where Taiase and Vosaeth yielded worship to the matrons. Taiase spoke that she would serve Lea to be worthy of the honor they had given, and to keep her forespoken oath. Quoth Vosaeth, she believes she still owes Lea a dearth for offlifting her ban, and so would serve. She raised forth her son Sonnauf and told that, since her babe is a child of Son, and Lea and Son are longtime allies, she is likewise honor-bound. Furthermore, under her hard birthtide, she had foremet death and had feared for both her own and her son’s loss. She shrove she had ere ridden as a reaver in feud against her clan’s foes. Yet now, as a mother, she would seek peace not only for her son’s welfare but for all.
Her Highness Lady Nimizi came from her high seat. She kissed the babe, and Vosaeth also. She said that Vosaeth had ere been overbold, but never faithless. Now Her Highness witted a mother’s wisdom growing within her, and bade her spend the yeartide waiting on the matrons, where doubtlessly she will find worthy service while her babe grows. Then Her Highness likewise kissed Taiase and greeted us all.
Afterward, we went to the Embassy, where Her Highness Lady Zhaene yielded tea. We told our witness of the Clanmoot and of Lady Byreath’s rise to clanwife of the Zhihuafa. With some misforebode, I shared my inkling that Byreath had willfully slain Eieli her foe. Her Highness asked my thought on what this deed foremeant. I answered that not only did Byreath believe she could balk the other Clanwives’ will, but she had so outwon. As such, I outread, and if she deemed the happendom right, what would withhold her from trying again?
Her Highness reckoned my word, and then spoke this would beneed further rede. She told she would rightly bode this back to Son. Then she also asked whether I deemed it fitting to share with Lea’s matrons, too. Selfsomely I yaysaid, for this business recks them straightly.
Her Highness then shared news from Son, of which she had much. First she gave a farseer-word from Lady-Mother. This time, she at least asked my health and bechildness, but again bade me tell when I come home. I think Her Highness read my bother, and put forth that I should take a while and reckon answer. She next gave me a whole bode-set from Semuane, who eyesomely has been sending one or even two each month, and had filled each with the most words canny. What fee it bedearthed to send so many I cannot reckon! When I read them, they upmade a lone tale over the many writs, and whose poetic mood brought tears from my eyes. I asked Lady Zhaene’s leave to take them back to my flag, for I should rightly share it.
Then Her Highness shared other news, and which ingathered Elahat, whose doom I had not heard since our flag left that freehold more than a year ago. Elahat has chosen a new holdwife named Lady Raume u’Nolye, whom I knew not from our tide there. Also, Her Highness told the new wife is a matron. When I asked why Elahat has a matron, our host answered the lady stands for their sake within Son’s Matron Hall, since the freehold’s wives have chosen to become share of our City’s landhold.
At this news, a heart-qualm struck. Rather more grimly than I forewilled, I asked whether this outcome had anything linked with our raid on Elahat to free Oshis. Her Highness eyed me oddly, and then answered that Lady Erenyae’s downfall had surely understepped the way. Then she asked whether I understood that Lady-Mother and my sisters had earnestly sought any behoof to uphold their mightiness after the shame I had made. Son gathering Elahat has given our City ownership of the Marshland Dykeway’s eastern end. Thus trade with the Retaea and Lea is fastened, and trust given that the steep tolls Lady Erenyae had taken are henceforth quelled.
In the end, I reckon Elahat’s feud with Hivaea has been fairly deemed and dealt, with sureness and the City’s might to ward new outbreaks. Also, all outlaws who had dwelt in Elahat are now banned from that townhold as well, which made me remind the three men whom Kaure had banned, who had there taken shelter. Still, something misgives, though I spoke no more to Her Highness. From what I reminded of the Elahat townwives we had met, none seemingly had wanted gathership with Son.
We left the Embassy in less mirth that I had forelooked, and ruing a likely sin we had done even unwittingly. Even so, when we came back to the farmhold, I shared Semuane’s bode-set with the others, who overgladly heard them while I read. After talk, we have forespoken to first send her a like farseer-word to let her know our welfare. Yet since it must needfully be short, we shall follow with a written leafbode, for surely in this yeartide we can easily find a tradehost heading eastward to Son. Thence Father-Yaro will swiftly carry it southward. In likelihood, once we send it, she will have it in hand within three months.

6. Shenelae, 24,543 - Leiss Farmhold
Today’s business outstood to send Semuane the farseer-word forespoken. So I asked Oshis to host me to the City. We rode forth to the outfarthing, where we brought Ess and Tarami to the stallbarn. There while we settled the two Shota in a stall with fresh treeworts and whey to slake their greed.
On the burgh-island, we went to the farseer’s shop, which stands beside Lea’s seerhood school. There we sent the following wordbode, which I had crafted with rede from Remaue, Vosaeth, Erymi, and Tae, ere I read to our flagmates and got their yaysaith:

~O'vosodi naztam saeilya. Uthas Taevas mi Vosaethas ollas. Ve zeame hare. Oshis heilodas be saiadama-la. Taiase o'alli nize oezhora. O'vali siloama. Ruthilm saekeamora hisaeora.~:

"Overgladdened to get your farseer-words. Tae’s and Vosaeth’s sons are well. I am thickening strongly. Oshis is overproud of his harem. Taiase will soon open her bridge. Lovingly we yearn. Will send further wordbode.”

We waited until the farseer betrusted the send, after which I bade that any answer should be sent to Son’s embassy. Then we left, heading downward back to the ferry.
While we walked, darker sky overflew off southward. Then a bell rang a long-awaited song. Oshis and I looked at each other even while heads outstuck from doors and windows, and throats gleefully sang thanks. Stormtide at last came.
We hastened to the ferrystead, which gave good sight of the overcoming storm-sky. Bonfires blazed upward, first laid in readiness to offward any mold-fall, but now lit in cheer while their owners hurriedly reeled down the blight-whelves. The first sprinkles fell ere the ferry left the burgh-island. The neighborfolk, already singing thanks, merrily doffed clothes to shirk rain-smirch, to which the ferryman giftfully yielded a tarp to understow. Recking no good thought why we should let our clothes be besmirched, Oshis unbuckled and stepped from his loincloth, and I unwrapped my bodyshroud. Then together we awaited the boat's leave, holding hands. When we boarded, to yield room, I sat upon his thighs, which other twains were likewise doing, and under the mirth Stormtide’s onset brought, gave sake for much jokes, laughter and kisses. No few of our boat-fellows yielded me worship, witting my thick belly, and even cheered Oshis, rightly guessing him my fathermate. He basked under their praise, and I set his hands on my bosom.
The storm struck almost at mid-boatfare, a stout gale that updrove waves, warily wobbled the ferry, and thrilled our hearts. No true plight, though the ferryman quickened his row. We boat-riders laughingly howled when the rain smote, and wiped it from our eyes. It also brought a smart coolness that raised birdflesh on our skin. I hugged Oshis and huddled warmth from his mighty shoulders. Thus too selfsomely our antennae twined together, and if I had already foreknown his thought, now he knew mine as well. At the ferry’s landward end, we took our clothes tightly wadded against the downpour and met a merry throng of workers tarrying from the bridge, and unleastly Taiase among them, who cheered right as nakedly as all else. Ere she saw us, I grabbed Oshis’s hand and led him into a lane, where we tossed our clothes under an eave.
We hurried to the stallbarn, where the Shota were hooting gleefully at the rain’s smell. Within we overtalked whether to stay or go to the farmhold. The rain had chilled, and greedily I would keep Oshis to myself a little longer. Yet we reckoned a stormtide rain may last for days. So we chose to go back, upsteeded, rode outward.

7. Shenelae, 24,543 - Leiss Farmhold
Yesternight, Erymi asked speech. We went groundward and walked among the fields, under an easy drizzle that came after the storm. We followed the riceberry dikes out to where the Shota hunted frogs.
Erymi took my hands and kissed me. She said I know her love. Furthermore, she blesses my love with Oshis and surely begrudges not his service to me. Yet she worries of the thing growing between me and Remaue. She outlaid Oshis had shriven her yesterday’s whole tale, forwhy she had uplooked something amiss when we came back. Also, she had already known Oshis and I were swiving, since even back on the moor, since she ever has a good wit of her manmate’s deeds.
At her word, a weird unsoothness overcame. Full-forth I met my sin. I misliked this mood and the deed it forethreatened, for it brought a growing worry. I bewared as if we stood under an unknown watch, though I witted none else when I sought aring.
I asked what Erymi would have. She answered I should not enwed her manmate in strife between me and Remaue, and that the best thing, to her thought, should be that I speak frankly with my wifemate about my wish.
My worry swelled, and something weird happened, I did not first wit, forwhy I was so overwrought on my own heart. Yet the wind shifted, swirled, and the raindrops hit sidewise. I bewared while the Shota nearby hissed, right ere the ghost fizzled, puffed, and faded.
Erymi glanced shakenly, and then at me. She asked what behappened. Though I felt queer, I had no answer. I put forth we should head back to the hometree. Furthermore, I forespoke to talk with Remaue, but only that I need time. She yaysaid and came back with me.
Today I set a happy task. I began gathering words from our housemates to send to Semuane and, where anyone needed, helping them write. I have also begun writing my own share, for I have much heart to tell my beloved heavenmaid in far Qabarat. Also, it has eased my mind over how to meet my upcoming talk with Remaue.
Also, at odd tides I still feel under watch. Against all good thought, I worry.

Lashunta Terms & Phrases:

• ~Rauzhiafi~ - birthmight; Lashunta psychic power augmented by late-term pregnancy.
• ~Rauzhiafi avei.~ - “Your birthmight is growing,”
• ~Sheili~ - wonder
• ~Shaeva~ - queenlike; haughty 
• ~Si sheili o di shaevonazyelise.~ - “It is a wonder you have not been haughtier.”