A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4, Chapter 26

In which Vaeol and her housemates seek atonement while Vosaeth’s clan and the city of Lea react to the war.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

9. Afaelae, 24,544 - Miniada Campstead
Today we asked Kaure to lead a sheerness rite, in her new share as priestess, to outboot the guilt from the Zhihuafa raiders’ deaths. At my kneeling beseech, she took rainwater we had together blessed, and cleansed my brow, lips, breast, and hands. After she ended, she knelt, and I did her samely. My maidenmate wept when I cleansed her face, at the guilt at foes’ deaths, and that she had wielded my swordbill to do so, which brought tears from my eyes as well. In her yestermind, I caught the sick wit of the blade incoming bodies, their blood’s stench overwhelming as it stained, and maybe worst of all in aftersight, how awfully easy bereaving a life had outproven. In this ill deed I had taken my own share, for I had dither-held the first foe she had felled.
I was slightly forecaught when Remaue followed our wise and knelt, for while the fight, she had done nothing more than hold our daughter. ~Reas’sei mei,~ - “Your guilt is ours,” she outlaid as she took the water on her brow with hands folded abreast under Elindrae’s blessing and prayed for the god to shift her soul. Yet I was even more forecaught when Vosaeth followed likewise, for, of all my loves, I had foreguessed her the least shriftful. ~Evandaf nyaea,~ she spoke: ~o’illi ve di lesya-nazife.~ - “I have known hate, and would not be ruled by it.” ~O’dizimi ithaef uthastra yi-sohantastra~ “Neither would I see my son sickened by it.”
Afterward, all else were cleansed. Then at Kaure’s bid, Remaue uptook her thurse-whip. We bared our backs and in share got eight lash-strokes: one for each Zhihuafa we had slain. Though she skillfully tore no skin, my teeth ground under the smarting blows. My babe kicked balefully within, and I beseeched forgiveness. Then Vosaeth, Tae, and I as mother-priests sang a hymn for growth. We ended by kissing each of our housemates and wishing them peace.
While I write here, I hope we have done some small dole to outshrive the Zhihuafa’s deaths. Yet in talking afterward with Lady Taiase, she hearkened to the elder sages’ words: ~Zhiani kovodi shoali o’heien'nei,~ - “The greatest forgiveness is found in peace.”

10. Afaelae, 24,544 - Miniada Campstead
Today riders reached us from Lea, aftercoming Her Highness Lady Zhaene’s far-seer word. At their head rode Lady Loemi, the Son Embassy’s ward-reeve, and also to my shock, Lady Iman, Lea’s Mistress of Outriders. I overlooked the other riders, whomof none else was Sonna and all else were Lean, and though a Lea reeve made good thought leading Lea riders, why a high elder reeve so became I could not dream.
The outriders came before Lady Vei and the Miniada elders, where they laid spears aground, in the Retaean wise. The clanwife shortly acknowledged them. Then she and Vosaeth yielded milk. Both Lady Iman and Lady Loemi made doleful deed to kneel and kiss Vosaeth’s belly. In every whit, couthness and kindliness were followed to almost hurtful outreach.
Lady Vei gave the wontsome greeting: ~O’stimi loea Lea~ - “Ever faithful is Lea,” Then she asked what brought them hither, at which the guests outlaid they were here under behest from my far-seer word after the raid. Lady Loemi had come to afterlook our flag’s welfare, while Lady Iman had led the hosting troop, under further behest to stand before the Miniada as the city’s trucebode to ask things overall, and dolefully of the grim news that has overswept the Moors.
Rooted in our talks, Lady Vei had forelooked this inseech. She told the Miniada sorrowfully stand under war, but yet have made no wrathful stroke. They had sent wordbodes to the other clans, and her elder daughters had taken strength to speak with the western clans camping near the Zhihuafa, and who must answer for the raid against her daughter Vosaeth and me. Then she said to Lady Loemi that this had been a stroke against Son as well, but that, since my household stands under the clan’s guesthood, the Miniada would fight to save us as their own.
The ladies asked to see the war-thralls, at which Lady Vei bade the Zhihuafa brought forth. Lady Iman overlooked them witsomely, and acknowledged them as Zhihuafa. Yet when she asked the thralls why they had so warlikely raided, they answered not. She then asked whether the Miniada would yield the war-thralls to Lea. Lady Vei naysaid and instead she outlaid they will be brought to the Blighttide Clanmoot as proof of the Zhihuafa’s sin, and when she will bid war-geld before the gathered clans. Yet she offered Lea should welcomely send a trucebode to the Clanmoot as well.
Lady Loemi then greeted me and said she is bidden to bring my witness back to Her Highness Lady Zhaene. She asked leave to cleave mindshare. I yaysaid, at which we kissed. Within my shared yestermind, I reminded that fearsome day: the raid-sith overriding the ridge, arrows flying, the shriek of spearhead on shield, and the screams of Lashunta and Shotalashu while friends and foes fell. Forecaughtly, I was shaking when we ended. I had not forsoothed that day’s fright still overheld.
Lady Iman watched sorrily after we shed. She said she too is bidden to bring back witness. Yet, though she knows my honor, she feared she must unwillingly give me offthank. Yet knowing that I am a soul-seer, and furthermore since I am well bechild, she could not hope to withstand my birthmight. Therefore, she could not take my witness as Lady Loemi had done.
At this word, I witted Lady Vei and Vosaeth tighten as if they shared offthank, and even my housemates beside. Yet swiftly I understood that Lady Iman stands under the Matrons’ bid, and moreover I witted their tongue behind her word. Therefore, I outquoth I took no shame. Instead, I offered Lady Istae my spear-sister, Lady Vosaeth my oath-sister, and even Lady Taiase, who bears a greater nameworth here than anyone else alive. Lady Iman thankfully yaysaid. She went to Istae, kissed her as Lady Loemi had done me, and took mindshare. She then asked Vosaeth to swear on her clan’s worth, and Taiase to swear on her city’s, that the deeds as betold by Lady Vei, me, and Istae were true. They each then told their own share of the deedtide, after which Lady Iman outquoth herself afilled.
Laterward, after the guests had settled, I walked with Lady Loemi among the tents, where we gazed out upon the moors and watched the Shota wander and fight. I asked news of Lea as it raveled with things here. She told that Her Highness Lady Zhaene has loudly outnamed Lady Byreath for the raid-stroke against us, and also has called for inseech against the Zhihuafa for the raid against the tradefare. Yet the matrons have stood sharply split. Byreath’s skillfully curried goodwill while her stay in Lea has outmeant that many fear shame if they outcome as afellowed with an outlaw raider. Yet Loemi beread Lady Zhaene has rightly read the matrons’ mood and believes our witness brought back to Lea may likely shift thought against the Zhihuafa.
Lady Loemi also shared that Her Highness Lady Zhaene had boded Son of the raid-stroke. I took her word evenly, though haltingly asked what answer Her Highness had gotten back. Here a queerness overtook the outrider. When I besought, she said that, though Her Highness had gotten answer from Son, she had withtheld. Somewhat botheredly I bade why. Lady Loemi told that, quoth Her Highness, the withhold were better to mend the breach between me and Lady-Mother until soother minds overcome. Futhermore, Lady Loemi nodded at my thick belly and said she doubted I would reckon the wayfare back to Son.
Afterward, I overtalked these things with Lady Vei, Taiase, Vosaeth, and Istae. I outlaid why I had ataken Lady Iman’s offthank, which shows grim under the Retaea’s eyes, but which held nothing selfsome. We bespoke the matrons’ hallcraft at play, which Taiase understood, and that many now strive to save nameworth under Lady Byreath’s shame. Since Vosaeth is forespoken to come back to Lea and serve the matrons, we warned that such are the subtle thorns she will meet, and also that honor’s swift answer is the duckbill they hope to snare. This thought made her reckon, and though her mood is ever fierce, I think she understands her own weakness. We yaysaid one thing: whatever her latter loss, Byreath has mastered hallcraft among not only Lea’s matrons but also the clans. By this deed alone she will make more wickedness.

12. Afaelae, 24,544 - Miniada Campstead
Today Lady Iman, Lady Loemi, and the Lea riders headed back to the city, where they will bear our witness. Alongward, the Miniada are breaking camp, with will to fare northward tomorrow. As it stands, the Clan is belagged for its wanderfare. Scouts have brought back word of Qoelu seen. Yet owing to this wait for Lea’s trucebode, we have stayed overlong. Wordbodes have outhastened to find Vosaeth’s sisters Lady Rashe and Lady Ahun, and let them know whither they can seek us.
Although she shows not, I guess the worries haunting Lady Vei’s mind. Are her daughters safe, or have they met warfare on the moors while faring between the neighbor-clans? Has this lag lost us the Qoelu hunt, and will the Clan forelook starvedom? What new evil will Lady Byreath upwork? How will Lea behave under its ashamed matrons as more truth forthcomes? Whatever her thoughts, she hides them from all but her nearest elders. To the Clanfolk she is proudly forelookful, broadcasting the faith they need to meet the trials upcoming.

17. Afaelae, 24,544 - 5th Day Northbound
Luck has blessed us. First, yesterday the Clan caught and slew three Duckbills, which we are now butchering. Not so wealthy as last year’s Yaruk, and we shall need to hunt more to eke stocks. Yet this win so soon after breaking camp has eased worry, for now the hunters need not spread so thin over the moors.
Needless to say, neither I, Vosaeth, nor Tae took share in the hunt, which bothered my oath-sister witlessly. I shrive I shared her mind. Yet with my belly so great, and her and Tae’s sons still abreast, we had no better choice. Remaue stayed too while we oversaw the children and waited on Lady Vei overwatching the hunt from afar, and our housemates boldly taking hand along with the Clan.
As we have walked among the Clanfolk, and even though the butcherwork keeps forth, a mirth has overtaken war’s erstwhile worry. We have followed Lady Vei while she cheers her warriors. She has forespoken many hunters’ cups in award, and I reckon takes gladness in sight of antennae merrily shaking and smiles splitting in bright laughter. Under the hunt and her liss, the whole Clan has eased.
The other thing that happened was today Vosaeth’s elder sister Lady Ahun and her riders reclove the Clan. They brought dread news: the other clans they met are sorely split under the war, and not merely with the Zhihuafa but with each other, for the Zhihuafa have allies. While the Miniada are not alone, neither are their foes. Yet Lady Vei took her daughter’s word evenly.
Afterward when I asked how this strife will outcome, she answered all will settle in a half-year’s tide at the Blighttide Clanmoot. Then she went onward as if all worry faded. I wonder at her soothness and wish I could grow that same lissomeness toward faith.

Lashunta Terms & Phrases:

• ~Reasi~ - wrong; wrongness; guilt
• ~Reas’sei mei,~ - “Your guilt is ours.”
• ~Nyae~ - hate
• ~Illi~ - will
• ~Evandaf nyaea, o’illi ve di lesya-nazife.~ - “I have known hate, and would not be ruled by it.”
• ~O’dizimi ithaef uthastra yi-sohantastra~ - “Neither would I see my son sickened by it.”
• ~Zhiani~ - forgiveness
• ~Heieni~ - peace
• ~Zhiani kovodi shoali o’heien'nei,~ - “The greatest forgiveness is found in peace.”
• ~Loea~ - faithful; loyal
• ~O’stimi loea Lea~ - “Ever faithful is Lea,”