A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4, Chapter 2

In which Vaeol and her flag-pod seek Lady Vosaeth, her Retaean oath-sister from the Formian War.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

8. Vinelae, 24,543 - Leiss Farmhold
Let me begin where yesterday I offleft…
Across the treeless Retaea we followed the elder road-markers toward the city of Lea, for in many steads the grass oversweeps any track, and the windworn shafts, worksomely heaped from stones dragged over the moors, are the only steering-leads. Lea I had named as our goal in the farseer-word I had foresent not only to Son’s Embassy, but to my brother Devaeas who dwells there with his wifemate Elarue, and also for Vosaeth, for though her clan dwells not in Lea, that city keeps links with many clans wandering the treeless moors. Thus a question grew in our mind of when we might see Vosaeth and Clan Miniada, whether we might meet them at Lea or elsewhere.
Along with our hope, a worry grew, rooted in the tales Vosaeth had told while awarfare in Valmaeana. By her own bold shrift, she had boasted of fights and raids in youthtide and had even taken share in blood-feud. The Retaea clans make bloody sport in such thurse-raids and wrack-stroke. In her lewdest tale, her mother had once stolen a man-thrall, who, quoth Vosaeth, had become her elder sister’s father. Though wayfarers from the Yaro cities and elsewhere are wontfully deemed withheld from such feuds, to my thought it would need little heartenship to set greed upon a lone outland tradefare, such as ourselves, unknowing the land and weighed with children, and merely our blades and arrows to offsway.
Under both hope and worry, eleven days after Heavenwatch, on the eighth of Asealae, we spotted riders against the land-edge while we overfared the moors. I overlooked their tall-legged Shotalashu, built not for climbing and leaping but the race, their long spears almost twice my swordbill’s length, and their bright head-scarves. With some misgiftfulness, I bade the archers stay behind - although to string bows - while I rode forward in truceful token and lowered bill-blade to ground.
For an awful breathtide the Retaea riders sat stirlessly. One wearing a twisted scarf upon her brow rode forth. She lifted her spear bearing a short flag of lavender and gold, which I recalled rightly were Vosaeth’s hues. Then she dropped her speartip in same beck as mine. She rode forward, and I hastened Ess to match. Soon as we came within easy sight, she loosened her scarf, I knew: Honosil, who had been Vosaeth’s sith-rider to Valmaeana, and beside whom we had served and fought. I could not hide my grin when we touched stirrups, leaned near, and kissed.
Mindful of how earnestly the Retaea hold guesthood, I asked whether there was good campstead nearby. Honosil answered she would show a stead. We followed the Miniada riders a short length, until a small dell with a stream running through. There the other riders gathered while we set tents and quickened a fire. Then I held a bowl while Remaue poured tree-milk, which I offered Honosil and her fellows (two whomof were Korasha, though they rode like Oshis). Only after we had passed the milk-bowl and all had drunken, did they give us news from Vosaeth. She had indeed gotten our word from Lea, which had found their clan already wandering southward from the Blighttide Clanmoot. At once Vosaeth had outwilled to meet us and had split her house from the clan, after which they straddled the tradeway that even then we were following.
We learned selfsomely how she was faring when the next day Honosil and the riders led us to a handful of tents set aring a hearthfire and an awning. Thereunder waited Vosaeth upon a seatpillow, like the queens whomfrom she is afterborn, and her belly greatly bechild, like an orb of dark glass-stone. Straightway she rose, and that beswaying grin split her face while tears ran from her eyes. ~Mi assama komafa:~ - “Now our household is whole,” she outquoth, and kissed me.
As we had yesterday done, Vosaeth served us tree-milk with her own hands. She first yielded to Tae, and while our golden Firstbow drank, knelt and kissed her belly even greater than her own. Then she yielded to Erymi, who drank, but then clutched Vosaeth’s hands when the lady tried to bow. ~Imae kadaea oya eista-sas kondas, yio kaoli-sya yiromassya himoayelm:~ - “Look upon the blessing your manmate has wrought, for I would repay your goodwill in so letting,” gainsaid Vosaeth. Yet Erymi’s head shook. ~Kadaea usya emolif:~ “It is blessing enough to share with you,” she answered, and then knelt and kissed Vosaeth’s great belly as the lady had done to Tae.
None gainsaid Vosaeth when she broke couthness and next went to Oshis, who meekly knelt with tears streaming down his face in thankfulness. She held his head, and then laughingly asked what misdeed he had wrought that he must come aflight to her door. We all laughed ere she lovingly greeted all else she knew from our southern warfare.
Then Vosaeth came to Taiase and Istae, who stood with hands held. ~Ste-me?~ she asked Istae, while she wondered on the elder queen: "Who is this?"
Taiase, for her share, looked as if all blood had fled while her eyes widened. She spoke, only not in our Yaro speech, but in something else. Then Vosaeth’s eyes likewise widened, for Taiase spoke an elder tongue once of the Retaea, unlike in time, but like enough that some words understood. Vosaeth ahiveringly asked if this was a soul returned from the World’s bosom. I stepped near, took Taiase’s other hand, outlayed she is one who has come from elderyore, which news Vosaeth had gotten from our far-seer bode. Nevertheless, Taiase’s sight stirred her greatly. She knelt (even against Taiase’s chide, as much from Vosaeth’s swollen bechildness as from the erstwhile elder queen’s shame) and bowed over Taiase’s hand. What beheld Taiase I could not tell. Even since we reached the moors, her mood had stilled and deepened. I had wondered what she was reminding of her youthtide here, for she had had strong ties to the Retaea. How she would behave on meeting the folk who had become the Thief-Queens after her queentide I could not tell. She seemed enthralled at Vosaeth’s folk, staring and listening to their speech.
While our tent was upset, Vosaeth led us into her main tent, full broad and with a midpole ten armspans high, with windows atop. At its foot stood a bed, whereon she set Tae, in worship of her bechildness, in elder wont from even ere the Time of the Warrior-Queens, and also Taiase, as worthiest guests. Vosaeth went to sit with me. Yet I stayed her, made her also sit upon the bed, and laid brow against her thick belly. ~Se mi loyise,~ - “You too are worthy,” I reminded. She grinned brightly and answered she hoped that I soon would be worthy, too, which made me blush.
Along with Honosil, Threarde and Zhaunyth, all who had gone with us to the Formian War and now had joined Vosaeth’s household, two younger: Anmeth and and Eimyl had likewise cloven. Then four Korasha incame, whom Vosaeth named her harem. The Retaea have upkept this elder wont, long since forsaken among the Yaro cities, though Taiase remindfully shrove she too had once kept a harem. Seemingly they forsake any jealousy over Vosaeth’s love by swearing to stand together as mean fathermate to her children, though for she openly acknowledged her growing babe as Oshis’s.
I made deed to begreet Vosaeth and Kaure, wherein I shrive worry. Yet instead of taking oddness from my Korasha maidenmate, Vosaeth glowed gladness. She hugged Kaure to her bosom, and declared that she is blessed by Elindrae, God of the Moon, who is, among many things, an Elf and a trickster, and moreover wife or man, Damaya or Korasha, as They wish. Thus she deemed Kaure should have worship, and furthermore that sundry thought be given when we join her mother’s clan. This kindliness overwhelmed our shy maidenmate. We hugged her between us and deemed the thing well owed.
Vosaeth’s household readied a full feast for our sake. Hunters had been gathering meat and other tasties over some days, which they now fell to cook. They withstood our help, for as guests we were forbidden (I reminded Vosaeth that such could not upkeep, for we forewilled to spend a long tide with them and must do our share), though they did take bubblemead we yielded. Soon thurse-runner meat was roasting, along with cracked grassberries, stench-leeks, and tu-nettles.
After meal, Vosaeth flirtingly blessed us each in share, and then wearily withdrew back to the dais, though not from lack of will. I cuddled with Kaure until Hanos neared, bearing a tray with ale cups. He wished us blessing. Then he knelt, and not to me, but beseeched my maidenmate to rise. Haltingly Kaure stood over him, though I felt at any breath she might bolt. Hanos kissed her hands, and then her belly, as a man fittingly woos a wifelove. In answer, Kaure’s cheeks blushed, and tears glistened anew in her eyes. I witted Remaue behind her, who bent and kissed her nape. While I watched, she hauled Hanos afoot and wrapped antennae with him while we else buzzed. Then she gave him leave and withdrew, hiding her teary face. I hugged Kaure to my bosom, bowed my face against her earthy-smelling hair, and kissed my antennae with hers. I had no words, only heartfulness, and thankfulness at being her wifemate. ~Vere yostis:~ she whispered into my breast: “You uplift me,” which word made me sob with her.
Afterward, Remaue came and asked whether I know how greatly she loves me. She spoke the wonderful thing I had done for Kaure, and that Remaue had never loved me more.
I slept until Heaventide’s night chill made me find a shroud, whereafter I snuggled with the nearest warm body. When morntide woke, I found Vosaeth oversitting beside. She began a song, which, to my shock, bespoke me. She had shaped an idlesong in elder wise, which praised my love-deeds. The others gathered laughingly while I blushed, and buzzed at its end. I thankfully kissed Vosaeth. Then I brought forth my daylog from last yesteryear, from which I read the writ of our mirthtide in Qabarat with Semuane. This gladdened not only Vosaeth, but stirred the others, who, though they had surely known I keep the daylog, had never asked what I write, but Remaue, whomto many times I had read. They then asked what else I have written, and whether it ingathers them. So I forespoke to read from the daylog and tell our deeds to spend time.
We needfully told Vosaeth our tale, not only of how we had found Taiase, but also of my bridetide, the ~Komori~ and Oshis’s banship, and of my feud with Lady-Mother and our raid against Elahat. After short thought, Vosaeth read our deeds must be told to her mother Lady Vei when we join the clan. She bade we should tarry here another day, and then go eastward to where the clan was waiting.
I have more to write, though thrice Devaeas my brother has called duskmeal, and Remaue has threatened that, if I come not soon, she will bind me, and I know better than to dare her. More I shall write laterward.

This daylog entry continues Lady Vaeol's tale of her flag-pod's travel across the moors, toward Lea.

Lashunta Terms & Phrases:

• ~Mi assama komafa:~ - “Now our household is whole,”

• ~Imae kadaea oya eista-sas kondas, yio kaoli-sya yiromassya himoayelm:~ - “Look upon the blessing your manmate has wrought, for I would repay your goodwill in so letting,”

• ~Kadaea usya emolif:~ - “It is blessing enough to share with you."

• ~Se mi loyise,~ - “You too are worthy.”

• ~Vere yostis:~ - "You uplift me."

• ~Komori~ (spiritual): mental illness caused by a failed psychic mindshare.