A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4, Chapter 31

In which the weapon-trial becomes a struggle between more than just two warriors.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

2. Zielae, 24,544 - 10th Day of Clanmoot
Today the clans gathered upon the cragside to witness the weapon-trial between Vohyd, Vosaeth’s benamed champion, and Haush of the Zhihuafa, whom Byreath benamed for her sake. By this fight, the Clanwives hoped to end the war between the Zhihuafa and the Miniada, though I beshrove worry.
Ereward, I had spoken with Lady Vei and had asked whether Byreath would happily yield the feud and the war if her champion loses (for that reck, I also wondered samely of Vosaeth, knowing my oath-sister). Lady Vei merely eyed me in that wise maddenly behinting both all and nothing, but answered she had already forereckoned the likelihood. Almost I asked what she had planned against this outcome, but withheld under better wisdom. Sometimes merely witting a secret is enough, and I needed know what what she deemed fit to tell.
The chosen fight-stead set as almost yesteryear’s same, when Lady Byreath had fought Eieli for the Zhihuafa’s clanwifeship. Unlike that yesterday, the Miniada and our house held the main share, and thus stood down on the moor, off from the Zhihuafa host, instead of watching from the crag overhead where the other clans gathered upon the ledges and Azaryau’s overspreading boughs. I stood with our flag, in a row of wives and maidens behind our Korasha, giving them sight, as well as aletting them the honor of forestanding between us and threat. To our right waited Vosaeth’s matewives, while on their right stood Vosaeth beside Lady Vei, and her older sisters at their mother’s far side.
Before Vosaeth waited Vohyd. Her stalwart haremmate was arailed in war-harness while he leaned on a greataxe. Likewise, Vosaeth faithfully leaned her free arm on his stout shoulder while her other arm held her son. She gazed with green strikerhawk fierceness over her champion’s head, toward the foe’s side. Athwart the watcher-ring’s far side, Lady Byreath gazed back. If she bewared anything from Vosaeth’s glare, she showed not. She stood beside her champion Haush likewise arailed as an axe-wielder.
While we waited, I witted their even weapon lengths, at three cubits each, with broad blades well tipped atop, the kind a strong Korasha can easily wield with two hands and quickly, with little more weight to slow it. This would be a swift match, where skill would reck so much as strength. I also reckoned that neither warrior bore shield, and with such long axe-hafts they would have little worth doing so. It also foremeant they would have little likelihood in outlivng through a telling blow, much like yesteryear’s axebill trial between the two Damaya. Although shorter, a greataxe under Korasha mightiness would chop through light Retaea leather like barkflakes. Sinkingly, I could not unmind the ill doom Eieli had undergone, and how so alike this new dare might unravel. Upon my breast, in my thought’s answer, my babe Aeosel fussed.
While I overrued this grimness, Lady Zhorofi of the Aloaha, in her right as Eldest Clanwife, stepped forth. In witness, Lady Kovael of the Shosa and Lady Kaum of the Maerena followed. From the ring’s midst they called forth the dare-holders. Lady Vei, Vosaeth, and Vohyd strode from our side, while Lady Byreath and Haush her champion came from the far side. Lady Zhorofi looked to both Byreath and Vosaeth and asked whether the foes could be overwon to seek truce-bargain. Wordlessly Byreath shook her head. Vosaeth, clutching her son ashoulder as if reminding the plight we had undergone under our southbound raid-stroke, likewise beckoned.
Lady Zhorofi then said that, since the foes’ two clans are at war, the Clanwives should reckon this trial’s outcome to deem the truce as settled, and with no further bloodshed. She then asked both Byreath and Lady Vei whether they would abide this foreword and yield the gathered Clanwives’ doom. Lady Byreath nodded yes, at which the Eldest headed to Lady Vei.
The Miniada clanwife stood wordless. What whits outstood to reckon at this late tide, I knew not. Haltingly she nodded.
While all else withdrew to their adighted sides, Vohyd and Haush stayed amidst. Under the bright Blighttide haze, their helms’ coppery damask gleamed. Their dark axeheads shone bright silver along their naked, sharpened edges.
Lady Zhorofi held forth her whisk-fan and bade the two Korasha fight worthily, to halt the fight at her bid, and to halt if a blow struck, so that the wounded might have hap to yield. Yet I guessed she worried under the same ill mood as I, that within this axe-fight any blow would be grim. Then she stepped back, swung her whisk-fan, and yelled start.
Neither Korasha waited, but both rushed in, recklessly driven to begladden their clanwives. At the same time they swung and together smacked hafts. As they brunted inward, they tackled shoulder to shoulder, each trying to shove the other off weight. This infight proved threatsomely wild when Haush grabbed Vohyd’s axe-haft in his left hand while swinging back his own axe in his right. Yet Vohyd loosened his right hand and instead struck his foe’s chin not once, but then twice and thrice. Thus he drove Haush backward and forestalled his axe-stroke while raining handblows, until Haush yielded his hold on Vohyd’s axe to take his own with both hands.
The two fighters reset, each readying weapons. From the Miniada on our side rose an buzz cheering our champion’s win over the first stroke. I feared to trust hope.
For the next stroke, the two fighters reckoned more warily, each outwitting the other’s will, much like Byreath and Eieli had behaved yesteryear. The subtlest flinches owned their feet and shoulders, seeking forehap to forecatch the foe unaware and set misbehoof. So warily they strove afar that together their shoulders ducked. Again they rushed in, swung axeheads, and met. This time the sharp edges hung handspans from their faces.
Then began a queer, earnest struggle as each fighter strove to shove his axeblade against the other. Vohyd’s lead-hand slid upward, grabbed the axehead at the socket, and bore downward. Steadily his blade bowed until the edge kissed Haush’s shoulder, cut the Korasha’s harness strap, and bit flesh while the two wrestled. All aring the watchers tightened while Vosaeth held breath, daring hope that her champion might win. Aside, Lady Zhorofi asked forth whether the fighters wished halt. Neither answered, for both minded the fight.
Anon Haush crouched low and offswept Vohyd’s axe with his haft, though his wound tore wider. He rose and swiveled while Vohyd refound weight. Then Haush struck his haft-butt against Vohyd’s helm-brim. Vosaeth’s haremmate faltered. At that split breathtide Haush swerved his axe-blade after the haft. He cut between Vohyd’s helm and shoulder-dish, into his neck.
Almost idly Haush withdrew his blade, stood back, and took ward while Lady Zhorofi yelled halt. Vohyd stood, though his blood was wholly spurting from the wound. He looked sorrowfully toward Vosaeth. Then he dropped his axe and sagged to his knees while he clutched his neck.
Vosaeth loosened a choked yell and leavelessly ran into the ring with her son in arms, thoughtless that the Clanwives had not yet deemed the weapon-trial ended. Wiselessly I followed, for my lone thought aimed on the dreadful gout of blood from Vohyd’s neck, and that, unless he got health in the next breathtide, he would die. So Vosaeth and I ran to the ring’s midst, our dear burdens weeping in our arms, baring the sorrow we tried to keep in. Haush let us near hinderlessly, for Lady Zhorofi and her witnesses had also started from the ringside. I witted blood flowing freely down his arm. Yet dreader glowed the red-gold pool swiftly widening about Vohyd, who toppled aground.
Heedless of the stain on our bodyshrouds and upon our sons’s swaddles, we knelt, laid our babes aside, and overwallowed Vohyd to bare the frightful wound. I gathered all the soulmight I could and poured health into him. Earnestly I watched the wound’s edges mend to a raw orange scar. Then I felt for his heart-throb and found nothing. Hopelessly I gathered more soulmight and aimed it into his heart.
Vosaeth tightened as we witted Lady Byreath coming. I worried my oath-sister might try a rashness. Yet she stirred not from her haremmate. Byreath laid hand on Haush’s shoulder, who stalwartly took the cheer, though to my thought he seemed unwell under his wound.
Grimly Lady Zhorofi and the witnesses acknowledged the Zhihuafa champion’s win. Then the eldest clanwife headed to the Miniada ringside. Loudly she outquoth the Zhihuafa had won. With Byreath gloating, Lady Zhorofi asked Lady Vei to come forth, likewise acknowledge, and under the dare-bargain take the Clanwives’ deemship of the war.
All eyes swerved to Lady Vei. The lissome, sorrowful Miniada Clanwife stood tall, but stirred not. The breathtide stretched awkward, and I watched Lady Zhorofi’s shoulders knot. Doubtlessly the Eldest Clanwife bereckoned need to chide Vosaeth’s mother and make the Miniada yield.
Then another shape shoved through the watchers and came into the ring: a Damaya whom I needed mind to know. Zaeofoth, the Zhihuafa headwife who had led the raidstroke against us, whom we had taken as war-thrall, and whom Lady Byreath had fornamed as outlaw (falsely, to our thought) who had undertaken the raid leavelessly, not twenty strides from us halted and beckoned hand at her erstwhile clanwife.
~A Byreath~ she outcalled: ~A Domonyaze!~ - “Forsaker!” and then: ~Vi amya halaeaes!~ - “You have broken faith with us!”
All the clans understood the the Miniada’s outspoken sake that the Zhihuafa had opened warfare with the raid-stroke upon our and Vosaeth’s houses. Lady Byreath had naysaid the sin at the Clanmoot’s start and had answered it had been wholly Zaeofoth’s and her ilk’s misdeed. Sinceward, I had wondered what answer our war-thrall had bethought to Byreath’s forsakenness. Now I beheld it in the headwife’s bewrayal of Byreath’s guilt.
Needless to say, Byreath naysaid her former clanmate’s word. She outspoke an outlaw’s sake holds no worth before the Clans. When Zaeofoth strode nearer and akept her bewrayal. She cursed Byreather as ~nyaeante~ - hateful, as Vosaeth had done. Scornfully, the clanwife waved to Haush her champion, as if bidding him to fell her.
Haush stepped forward. Before the watching Clans, he toppled to his knees, unfar beside where Vosaeth and I overknelt Vohyd. Even more enthriving at this eyesome loss of Byreath’s will over her champion, was the stir from the Zhihuafa rear. Some clanfolk asked whether Zaeofoth and her followers were truly outlaw, forwhy they doubted this word. Others yelled this was a Miniada craftiness, and Zaeofoth had betrayed her clan for wealth.
While the strife loudened, a horn rang from the crag. Another answered from its side. All headed to see, at which we beheld a march oncoming from the East. When they came into sight, they inclove byrnied outriders wielding the Retaean longspear, but flying Lea’s flag. At their midst rode a matron in golden bodyshroud, wearing a glittering crown, and if her sight behaply hearkened to the elder queens, then she beweighed her watchers even more.
The Lea march-show upcame to the trial-ring’s edge, where the watchers split, and the crowned matron rode to the midst. She halted, looked to the clanwives, and asked leave to speak before the Clans. Lady Zhorofi asked her name, at which the matron answered she is Lady Vifaul, newly chosen High Matron of Lea, and who would bring the city’s goodwill to the Retaea.
At her word, whispers blew through the Clanfolk, for never in reminded history had a seated High Matron come to a Clanmoot. By then the other Clanwives had stepped forth to join Lady Zhorofi, and even Lady Vei, whom I saw stride upon the ring and near where her daughter and I overknelt Vohyd. Sorrowfully she looked at us, but then shared eyes with Lady Zhorofi. The Eldest hastily read with the gathered Clanwives, and then headed back to Her Highness Lady Vifaul.
Lady Zhorofi greeted Lea’s High Matron and bade all should withdraw to the camps and yield a right welcome to so high and sundry a guest. Atop her Shotalashu Her Highness nodded, but then halted. Looking aring at all the Clanfolk watching, as if assuring she had their whole mindfulness, she outquoth she must first fulfill a dread fetch ere she could thankfully take the Retaea’s guesthood, for such grimness needfully had brought her from Lea. Her Highness then beckoned to Lady Byreath. She spoke that she, on the city’s behalf, would yield the Zhihuafa clanwife a doleful welcome-bid.
Shed from the other clanwives, Lady Byreath eyed the High Matron. She answered she had gladly athanked Lea’s guesthood and asked back what Lea now beseeched. Her Highness answered that Lady Byreath should bring her Shotalashu and follow her to Tihes, where together they would take boat to Lea. There, outlaid Lady Vifaul, her fellow matrons would read with the clanwife about sundry dread things, which they believe only Lady Byreath can speak truly, for the weal of the city and the Clans.
At this so-called welcome-bid, Byreath’s head shook. She naysaid, forwhy her clan would never fare by boat. Her Highness Lady Vifaul answered that the clanwife misunderstood: the welcome-bid foreheld for Byreath alone, and who must come alone. While the whole clanfolk heard, whispers loudened. Yet Lady Byreath naysaid that she would not leave her clan and become Lea’s bond-thrall, and furthermore that such a bid would foremean war. Her Highness Lady Vifaul answered that Lea set no bond on Clan Zhihuafa, who was free to follow the yeartide and hunt the moors as they have hinderlessly ever done.
Another shape came into the ring: Her Highness Lady Kueth, Ofu-Laubu’s ambassador. She outspoke that her city also has a reckful inthrift in this business, forwhy they had heard many queer things over the last year. She quoth she would follow Her Highness Lady Vifaul to Lea and hear the truth from Lady Byreath’s throat.
Lady Byreath stood stone-still, but for her antennae and eyes, which I watched twitch back and forth. Then loudly she asked why she should fare to Lea with Their Highnesses when Lea holds no mightiness over the Zhihuafa. At her word, Her Highness Lady Vifaul yaysaid. ~Lea di ahya tha Zhihuafa-qaoe, o’dei kao dizama doma Retaea,~ - “Lea holds no mightiness over the Zhihuafa, nor over any clan of the Moors.” Yet then she added that yesteryear Lady Byreath had sworn doleful oaths of friendship to Lea. If Byreath now withstood Lea’s welcome, warned Her Highness, those oaths may be deemed false, and Byreath’s friendship might fall under doubt. Furthermore, the same doubt may outreach to any who ride or ally with Lady Byreath.
Meanwhile, I witted the watchers to this hallcraft-show, and dolefully the Zhihuafa, who stood arear Byreath at the ring’s edge. I beheld the doubtful spark Zaeofoth had first set enblazed under Her Highness’s threat. I guessed that unsureness was likewise oversweeping their allies, and wondered that both Zaeofoth’s sake-word and the High Matron’s coming were fulsomely betimed, even forecrafted. My eye went to Lady Vei, who still stood wordless and shed from the other Clanwives, as if forgotten. To my mind, she had not yet yielded the war, but merely watched these outcomes.
At last, Lady Byreath outquoth that she did not believe Lea’s word of not working mightiness over the clans. She again outnamed this welcome-bid as a snare to take her in thrall and so make the Zhihuafa beholden to the city. She would rather die than put her clan under such haughty plight. Then she called on all free clans to withstand Lea’s threats and beswayness. ~Lea reia evolyela, o’romi-lei nazya! Va risif shima-stamara aroassara sezya!~ she outspoke: “If Lea seeks war, let them have it! We will fight any foe who threatens our freedom!”
Against this outquest, however, some clanwives stayed mild. Some throats lifted, bidding Lady Byreath listen to Lea. Byreath withdrew amid her clan’s fastness, though not wholly from the strife outgrown from Zaeofoth’s curse, and amid loud words and even shoves. This year's Clanmoot forelooked a wild and wrathful end.
Meanwhile, healers had joined me and Vosaeth overkneeling bloody Vohyd, as others went to Haush likewise fallen. Under their rede, however, they shook heads. Vohyd had lost too much blood, and my healthcraft had not saved him enough. Our housemates gathered, and the other three haremmates, along with Oshis in shield-brotherhood, lifted and bore him to camp. Then we followed with Vohyd’s blood staining our shrouds and our babes’ swaddles.
Not only our houses, but the whole clan has gone into mourning-watch under Vohyd’s death. Vosaeth will not besoothe, for she had made him her champion and now bears guilt. To her ruth, I bethink that, when I have fought dares, I have bet merely my own life and welfare, not my loves. Selfishly I take some small soothingness that I have shunned this misdeed.
I end this log after rede with Lady Vei and her daughters, though what input Vosaeth had else than sorrow I know not. She yielded a harsh word to her mother after she witted the underhand played with Zaeofoth’s sake-word and Lady Vifaul’s swift coming, which was all forecrafted even as I guessed. Vosaeth cursed her mother for letting Vohyd die, which surely the Miniada clanwife had not willed and swiftly forgave her daughter.
After Taiase and Istae offled Vosaeth and her weeping babe, I stayed behind. I remarked Lady Vei had made a cunning side-bet against Vohyd’s loss, for she had not needed to yield the war, and Lady Byreath’s stead was now shakier than ere the fight.
Wearily Lady Vei nodded, and anon looked older than ever I had witted. ~A Shoante, diyadis dearya. O’eiesi kafatha-stara Byreath ruvazye o Vohyd linyazyelas o’zimi doloma aeyofoassa?~ - My Dear, you have missed the goal,” she said. “Think on how low Byreath would have fallen if Vohyd had won, along with all else forecrafted?”
We stared at each other, and then together wept. Against Lady Vei’s loss, her foresight had forestalled our loss. We will keep onward, though without Vohyd.

Lashunta Terms & Phrases

• ~Domonyaze~ (feminine): forsaker; abandoner
• ~Ami~ (spiritual): faith
• ~Nyaeante~ (fem): hateful
• ~Dizama~ (common): clan; tribe
• ~Shoante~ (fem): dear; darling
• ~Deari~ (spir): goal; objective