A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4, Chapter 24

In which Lady Vaeol’s journey to Clan Miniada hits a dangerous snag.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

Newyear’s Day, 24,544 - Leiss Farmhold
A short writ, for I beguilt tarrying while the others make readiness. Taiase, Vosaeth, Istae, and I have right taken leave from Their Highnesses Lady Nimizi and Lady Zhaene, whom we met after templetide. We go with their love and heed, even if the latter is unspoken. Neither lady is a fool, and rightly wit strife brews even if they dare not speak. Lady Nimizi got Vosaeth’s sure oath to come back, for she outquoth Lea is not fordone with my oath-sister’s faith. Lady Zhaene blessed us, and bade, as my mother’s friend, reckon a trucesome path. I forespoke to reckon well.
Aride back, we overtalked our way forth. The shrewd way would lie in heading southward to meet Clan Miniada at their forespoken Heaventide campstead. Yet Vosaeth has outspoken an else path. With her clan lately come southward, she beread we may rather head southwestward until we thwart their path and thereby catch them more swiftly, forwhy she would so bring news to her mother and also soon come among trusty folk. We yaysaid on foreword that I bode farseer-word to Lady Vei tonight, by which the Clan shall know our will and tell their path’s landmark.
Also, we shall not go forth as a peaceful wanderfare, but as a warrior-sith fully weaponed and ready. Our saddles, tents, and gear we had lost under the moldstorm are restocked. We have right come from the byrnie-crafter’s shop, where we spent some while getting a right-fit harness for Kaure, which was uneasy, since, though she is not Damaya, neither does she have a Korasha’s wontsome shape. We got her something shapen for her bosom and hips, worked from studded waxleather and canegrass in the Retaean wise, along with a spike-crest helm, a handy axe, and a damask shield. Over the last year, she has spent much time drilling with Draue, Nae, and Oshis, and also Vosaeth’s housemates. Though yet young, she has become a canny spear-rider. Even better, she shares Oshis’s knack, shared also by Vohyd and Onull (who also ride Shota) at being hard to hit, owing to her stout shortness. She has also drilled with the Retaean longspear, though I made deed to give her my grandmother’s swordbill, with word: ~Ea doma loeona ihaelassa,~ - “There is none worthier to wield it.”
Fiercely, right like an outrider swearing fetch-oath, our beloved Kaure knelt and held it overhead, which brought tears to my eyes and Remaue’s.
Last word: after Evening Treesong, a sheer sun set in the west. At the tree-yard’s edge I knelt (I shrive awkward, with my thick belly), raised hands, and sang for Burning-Mother’s blessing. My heart forewares we may need it.

8. Koelae, 24,544 - 6th Day Southwestward on the Moors; Three-thieves Gully
Ever ereward, this daylog has helped soothe my mind. I hope it so works again. As forespoken in my last log, we left Lea and Leiss Farmhold on the Second, six days ago, with blessed farewell from my brother and Elarue’s kindred. We behooved Heaventide’s chill and made good furtherness, by which, on the Sixth, we kept watch for the Hunting Brothers, the landmark Lady Vei had told to find the Miniada’s southward track. Yesterday we found the three hills overlooking the Dulmu Stream and headed southward, which puts the Clan maybe nine days ahead.
Against this good news, Vosaeth tightened as she watched the landscape. When I asked her worry, she answered we betrod a hilly swath. If she would undertake a raidstroke, she beread, she would foreset it here. I asked of our plan, whereby we had forethought safer to try this path and so reach Clan Miniada sooner. My oath-sister scowled ashamedly. She answered that it had made good thought, but now feared that a foe, maybe someone like Byreath, might have foreseen this path, and so might forethink to lay a snare here. Yaysayingly we set a twofold ward over our marchfare: three riders at forward a hundred strides and three more fifty strides at rearward, with two each flank-scouts ringing near or wide to overwatch the land.
Thus yesterday, while Istae led with Honosil and Nae at the forward, Vosaeth and I led the mainward along a low hill, ingathering Taiase, Nelehi Istae’s shieldbearer, all the children and our walking bowmen, and the Shieldhead. Gazing aring, I could see all our sith, even arear where Kaure rode with Oshis and Anmeth. Anon Vosaeth hissed and waved leftward. Aflank, Draue and Vohyd, who had drifted outward to a ridge-shoulder, now were heading back inward, fully dashing their Shota.
Beyond them, my eyes strayed to the ridge’s peak. A row of riders showed forth, hurrying downslope and toward us.
My hand tightened for a spearhaft I held not. Like Vosaeth, I wore no byrnie, and neither did Tae, for both bore their babes, and I could but hug my thick belly. Erymi, though she rode beweaponed, bore Tesine on her foresaddle, as did Remaue with Lanaryel.
So many things happened at once that doubtfully I have becaught all. Yet our midstead bestowed an unsooth sight of the fight’s start, as if farness hindered fear. The score of raiders, bearing longspears or nocking arrows, loped fiercely inward while Draue and Vohyd dashed ahead and angled toward our fore, hoping to slip their row’s end. Toward them, Istae, Honosil, and Nae had also seen the threat and were already racing inward to meet, while arear Oshis and Anmeth likewise rushed the foe’s right, though Kaure heedfully withheld.
Istae led the brunt from our fore against the raider’s left (our right as we faced them), warding Draue and Vohyd. Three foes offsplit to forestall them. While Honosil and Nae sparred and harried their foemates, Istae betrusted her heavier byrnie against her foe’s longer spear, withstood the blow, rushed in, and gave a felling stroke. Then she sped forth to catch the next rider on the foe’s end, shucking him off the row’s onslaught, lest he too fall prey. They then enwallowed afight, trading blows, harrying, and their Shotalashu snapping at each other.
Meanwhile, Oshis and Anmeth from our rear-left hit the raiders’ other end, whomof two more offshed to forestall them. Oshis beheaved his shorter, heavier swordbill to offbeat his foe’s longer spear, a Korasha even so burly as he, though who took Oshis’s stroke on his shield. Their Shotalashu then leapt biting and clawing while the riders held saddles and drew axes. They undertook a hard fight, until at the end, the foemate’s Shotalashu slipped a claw and raked Oshis’s arm. Yet Oshis overswung and chopped the steed’s onslaughting leg, crippling it. The rider withdrew and fled as he forsoothed his steed’s wound, whom Oshis followed, against his own wound. Anmeth harried her foe until almost the fight’s end.
Even doughty as these deeds, they could not behoove under the foe’s tally outweighing ours. At their midst, a full fourteen riders headed at our mainward. While their first arrows shot toward us, Threarde and Zhaunyth made the tight choice, fewtered spears, and brunted the oncoming row. Erymi halted merely long enough to overhand Tesine to me. Then she fewtered swordbill and fiercely followed while Less and Hanos boldly stepped forth, one at the Shieldhead’s head and the other at its tail and began loosing arrows at the onrushing raiders, as Leief and Eneash were already doing from atop.
Vosaeth led us riders under the Shieldhead’s lee-side, thus sheltered from the first arrows. Vosaeth and Tae had axes, and I Semuane’s elfsword. Yet with the babes in arm, what fight we could make would be dreadfully slight. Taiase was weaponless, Nelehi bore a shortbill, and Remaue a crossbow, which she could hardly wield while holding our daughter. Under my belly’s weight, I had never felt so hopeless as I sought thought for anything to save us.
On the Shieldhead’s fightward side, Threarde and Zhaunyth met the raiders’ onslaught. Threarde thwarted spears with one, struck her a deadly blow, and ducked another stroke. Though she lost her spear, she rode through and drew axe. Zhaunyth, however, facing likewise twofold foes, took a spearstroke that first hit her shield, slipped to her byrnie, and blew her from the saddle. She fell, and her foot dragged in the stirrup for another stride ere her Shotalashu halted. Yet Erymi afterfollowed and caught the foe who had felled Zhaunyth. She dealt him a wicked stab, on which he slumped and his Shota fled, letting her ride through and join Threarde. Yet they swung back too late to forestall the next clash, for then the onslaught hit our mainward.
Six raiders struck the Shieldhead, Less, and Hanos. Though the bowmen had already scored a few wounds, now they shot earnestly, almost in reach of their foe’s weapons. Eneash shot a foe straight down his mouth while Leief mastered the frightened great beast and drove it forward to make it harder prey. Hanos shot a Shota’s throat as its rider strove to overrun him, and then had to offhold the dying beast’s wracksome claws and fangs until it fell. Less loosed his last shot and then heaved his axe, swinging it with two hands and yelling wildly to misdraw the foe, though he risked stroke underfoot.
The other six raiders swung about the Shieldhead’s tail, witting our mothers’ and grooms’ withdrawal. I spotted the first on our further left, coming into sight. Whimsily, I seared his mind and made all his thought seethe as once, as I had done Kazos. Whether I felled him I know not. Yet he flinched asaddle, and his Shota slowed. That outcome proved enough, for next thing, Kaure, who had unforsakingly followed near, with my swordbill struck his flank. She knocked the foe fully from saddle while her Shota caught the other’s throat. While Vali shook and rent the dying Shota, Kaure stabbed downward wildly at the wretch who had ridden against us.
Against the outstanding five foes, however, we had no ward. Nelehi, to her lief, rode forth, even byrnieless and wielding merely her shortbill, and Hanos fell back to stand with us, though too slow afoot. We else, bearing children and small weapons, readied to flee over the empty moor.
Then Taiase’s steed strode forth while she outreached a hand, her other on her brow, and antennae unfurled straight. I felt soulmight wave forth. While I watched, four of the five foes’ Shotalashu staggered ahalt. Their riders dropped their bows and spears and lolled in their saddles. The last rider, anon finding herself alone, and meeting Nelehi’s yelling rush, chose flight.
Meanwhile, a last mad clash happened right on the Shieldhead’s other side, who, heading wrothly, swiped a foe with his bony ruff and crushed her underfoot. Yet this drift upset the tailing wagon, sending the three boys tumbling out. Sievae and Onull, coming far from the right flank where they had been scouting, clove Draue and Vohyd. They dashed about the pack-Qoelu’s fore and brunted the three outstanding raiders. Their misdrawal opened a foe’s back to Less’s axe, who struck him down handily. Hanos ran back into the fight and wounded another, who, though her Shota knocked Hanos off foot, chose flight. Eneash shot another, while Sievae and Onull rode down the last.
Then a raider from the right, fleeing Honosil, dashed into the midst and brunted straight at Less, who had raised his axe gleefully. Too late our nimble shieldbrother witted. Though he dodged the spear, the foe’s Shotalashu leapt straight upon him, and he fell under its claws. Yet the raider’s evil was not ended, for as they kept path, Draue’s oldest son Vesh, who had staggered upright after the wagon’s fall, wandered forth. The foe straightly overran him. After this woe, Kaure drove her steed straight into the other, beating wildly with both swordbill’s blade and haft. This withstand proved enough for Erymi and Nae to leap in, and the foe went down under their blades and the Shota’s rending claws.
Our warriors then threw themselves at the four foes Taiase had dither-held. So fiercely had wrath overtaken that they would upkeep slaughter, until I rode forward yelling and bringing them into war-mind, forwhy we should take thralls. Even so, we forelooked a grim deed, for Vosaeth bade we must slay their Shotalashu. If they stayed linked, they would be a threat under our thrall’s will. So those with swordbills and axes swiftly split the wretched beasts’ skulls, which woke their riders screaming from Taiase’s dithermight, but then felled them straight into ~rofozori~ - link-shock.
Together we overlooked the awful warfield, where afar Istae was gathering the others, whomunder the other raiders were slain or fled, and near where golden blood stained the ground. Tae and Remaue rode fearfully to Less, who lay torn and bleeding. Taiase and Hanos hastened to Vesh, where the Korasha held the wantsome boy while the elder queen sought his wounds. Vosaeth looked woefully to Zhaunyth also fallen, whose Shota stood wrathful ward, even forbidding Eneash to near and help.
Draue came with the other riders but dashed forth when she saw the overfallen wagon in which her boys had been riding, her youngest Donas forlorn with bloody brow, gazing at a crumpled shape in Hanos’s arms. She uprode with fright draining her blue skin gray, leapt from saddle, and tearfully tore Vesh into her arms. Blessedly, the boy lived and had but a broken arm. Zhaunyth ailed from a cut where the spearhead had stabbed her byrnie, but shallowly ran along her ribs: bloody but luckily undeep. Elsewise, she lay mindless from her head knocked aground and a wrenched knee from the stirrup’s drag. Our worst wound was Less, whom the Shota’s claws had not only torn his shoulder, breast, and belly, but also crushed. I feared his blood pooled inside. Those still upright also bore lesser wounds, the worst of which was Oshis’s torn arm, which beneeded cleanse and wrap against sickness.
We who could stand bore the wounded and gathered near the wagon. Erymi weepingly kissed me and took Tesine into her arms. Tae and Remaue frightfully hurried to bind Less’s wounds so best they could while minding their children, and Threarde and Leief stooped to kiss Zhaunyth’s broken head. We reckoned our hurt against the fee our foes had paid: four riders thrall-bound, seven dead or dying, and, of the rough nine who had fled, at least three were wounded either in their body or their Shota’s. We had offwarded the raid-stroke, though it felt so sorry.
I looked to Kaure, who choked my bloody swordbill, nevermind the foes had off-fled, and stained until her elbows. Her mind showed a fiery meld of fright, wrath, and worried quickness, so that when I touched her shoulder, she flinched as if she might strike. Then she witted, and such an awful sorrow overtook, who had erenever seen such deadliness, and for the first time ever had taken lives both Lashunta and Shota. For that thought, neither had I ever taken share in another Lashunta death, for I had wounded Semuane and healed her right afterward, and Kazos and I had beaten each other bloody but outlived. This deedtide weighed as both the heaviest thing and the slightest, as I could tell looking at my housemates, even our eldest veterans, at right how easy it had been to slay a life.
When I headed back to Kaure, I saw her tears welling, and fright-madness growing. I took my maidenmate in my arms, and gave her all my soothness.
Vosaeth overlooked the war-thralls, who knelt listlessly under their steeds’ loss and link-shock. Against Istae’s and my war-mind, we could hardly keep our our housemates’ wrath underheld, and Vosaeth wished not even to try. She strode to one, lifted her chin, and named her Zaeofoth: a Zhihuafa headwife and lead warrior. My oath-sister’s fist struck her down. Yet she withheld her growing hatred as the truth rose eyesome. This was Byreath’s warcraft, doubtlessly as wrack-stroke after many overthought ills: her old feud with Vosaeth, Taiase’s gainsaith to guest among her clan, and even my thoughtless offthank at Lady Nimizi’s masktide against her leaveless kiss. Vosaeth warned that we new mothers, children, and Taiase would have become dear geld-thralls to overhold against Clan Miniada, Lea, and even Son.
Then she asked: ~O haelno-sto erivaeadam aroe-mya eiarya?~ - “By what god-boon have we outlived this awful threat?” forwhy we had beaten a raid-sith that had outtallied our weaponed warriors. I waved at Taiase and outspoke the might of the Sage-Queens had not grown from weapons or warcraft, but from lore, the greatest of which was their soulcraft. No other soul-seer I know could dither-hold four riders and their steeds.
At my word, Taiase shuddered and wept, who had never known such warfare. Istae hugged her tight, heedless of the blood on her breastplate. I hugged Kaure’s back, kissed her head, and added we should not downplay any warrior’s doughtiness who had given fairness or more than they had gotten. By our worth and faith in each other had we overcome, I outlaid, as I tightened arms on my maidenmate’s bosom: ~Mei doma nethanaza o’stimi-zhaoe,~ - “None of us are newlings any more,” at which Kaure sobbed anew.
I then asked what should outcome next, and warned we beneed time and fastness to heal. Vosaeth nodded, though her eyes swept the moor. I knew her thought: somewhere in the grassy hills our foes lurked, even shamed and wounded, and could still do us ill, or worse find friends to outwrack their loss. My oath-sister bade the Korasha righten and mend the wagon. She then overlooked who outstood: Oshis must stay, against his wrath and sorrow, for we deemed his wound too grim, Draue too, to watch her boys, and Sievae and Erymi for their children. Thus Istae should go, and Honosil, Threarde, Anmeth, Vohyd, Onull, and also Nae.
Then Vosaeth’s thought headed inward. I could tell her weighing something heavy while she squeezed little Sonnauf to her bosom. She shuddered, as if from a sorrowful choice, and then handed me the babe. ~Tifya-shyae uthastra neamassastra,~ - “Ward safe my son,” she beseeched. When I took him in arm, he fussed almost at once. an unhappy mood under which all nearby ground their teeth. Forbearing her soul’s hurt, Vosaeth called for harness and weapons.
Ere she upsteeded, she had one last thing: ~Dei thanise?~ she asked Kaure: “Will you come?” I watched sorrow overwash my maidenmate’s face. Yet she swallowed it down, bowed, and called her Shotalashu. My beloved maidenmate has become a warrior indeed.
After Vosaeth and Istae led forth our war-troop, Leief and Eneash led us a half-dayfare further, for the dead would bring more than bone-pickers, misluckily even a Queenslayer. They knew a wardsome campstead among some sandstone gullies, where now our tents hide. It was slow wayforth with Vesh, Zhaunyth, and Less lain awagon, Oshis riding weakly, against his outclaim that we should not reck his wound, and the other boys riding arear their mothers’ saddles, for at every bump we feared Less’s wounds reopening. Yet at last we reached here, loosened the Shota to hunt and watch the neighborland, upset the tents and got broth simmering. Then Taiase and I began a long songtide to bestow soul-health on Less, who we feared lay nearest death. The others added prayers so best they could to our song, which ended in the last belltide ere dawn, with him still sleeping almost deathlike, but hopefully amend.
I slept today almost until noontide and woke to find Remaue and Nelehi had splinted Vesh’s arm and were fighting with Oshis (who is the worst illness-bearer) to bathe his wound in myrrh-honey and rewrap it, until Taiase and I grew fierce with him, at which he sulkily misnamed me haughty in birthmight. Rather more wrothly than I forewilled, I answered it is his worst doom, forwhy not only am I birth-mighty, but furthermore his flagwife and mothermate. Thus he should owe me threefold listfulness, sit still, and shut mouth. Against my right, the others wiselessly cringed under my outburst, looking back at which I feel some shame.
Tae has tried to suckle little Sonnauf along with her own babe. Yet Vosaeth’s son has wailed endlessly, bereft for his first time ever of his mother’s mind he believes his own. Since Less has lain steady, we have left him unbothered. Instead, we repeated our songtide for Zhaunyth’s health, whose head-wound, after Less’s, beweighs the most worry. We offleft after dusktide, and though my body wearies almost sickly, I worry too much and cannot sleep, and so am writing this log…
…Ere I end, I right came from watching the moorland over the gully’s rim with Ess, who sits faithfully, tasting the night wind like a bull warding his queens and cubs. I thought of Vosaeth, who has wontsomely watched the moor and has safewarded our sleep, and who now, with my loves and housemates, is meeting whatever unknown threat out on the moor. I outthought to her under the night: ~Mei milatha-va,~ - “Now is my watchtide.”
The sky has split into the most fulsome sight of nightheaven I have ever seen away from the Hall of Stars. There floats ~Qolaryon~ - Kyonin the Blue-Queen - a bright sapphire gem in Father-Night’s cloak. I have thought of Brand, all those years ago in Sovyrian when he walked through the Worldgate with that last dear smile. I miss him hurtfully. I wish him all blessing, but now would dream him here in a heartbeat. Now Remaue comes and will snatch this pen from my hand and thieve my inkwell, and I must sleep.

Lashunta Terms & Phrases:

• ~Koelae~ - the first month of the Castrovellian Calendar. Note months have only eighteen days.
• ~Ea doma loeona ihaelassa,~ - “There is none worthier to wield it.”
• ~Rofozori~ psychic link-shock caused by the death of a rider's bound Shotalashu steed.
• ~Haelno~ - miracle, literally, 'token from the gods'.
• ~Aroe~ - threat
• ~Mei doma nethanaza o’stimi-zhaoe,~ - “None of us are newlings any more.”
• ~Uthas~ - son; male child
• ~Dei thanise?~ - “Will you come?”
• ~Mei milatha-va,~ - “Now is my watchtide.”
• ~Qolaryon~ - Lashunta rendition of Golarion. Also known as Kyonin or ~Shaealisse~ - the Blue Queen.