A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4, Chapter 34

In which Lady Vaeol reckons lives and reputations lost and contemplates how her household needs to prepare for the war’s next phase.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

6. Ashelae, 24,544 - Lea
Today shall be our last in the city, ere tomorrow we go to Leiss Farmhold and rejoin our housemates. After Vosaeth and Taiase waited on the matrons, and I on Lady Zhaene, we undertook doleful business. We went to a house on the mainland, in the farthing where wealthy ladies build house-halls. There we found Lady Nimizi, who had been High Matron on our first coming to Lea, and had lately stood down before Her Highness Lady Vifaul.
Lady Nimizi met us in an elfyard so fulsome as any, but only marred by the flyshrouds upstrung against moldstorm and a bonfire forelaid amidst. She welcomed us with a lissome bow, kissed us each, and spent a long time cooing over my and Vosaeth’s sons. Then she sent a groom to bring sweetcakes for Lanaryel while she poured mead-tea. Then she thanked us for the worship our coming yielded.
I shrive my forbearance could no longer withhold and frankly told we had come to ask her welfare. Easily she answered, though which did nothing to allay our worry. So bluntly Taiase said that a high matron’s downfall is no slight thing, as we knew from my own mother’s deedfulness, and while we were relieved at Her Highness Lady Vifaul’s leave to seek Nimizi, we feared her hurt festering.
Lady Nimizi smiled thoughtfully. At length, she said that the strife within Lea after outcome of Lady Byreath’s deeds had indeed been harsh and, as we rightly guessed, was unended. She shrove she had been intaken and had misreckoned Byreath’s will, as had many other matrons, even ingathering Lady Vifaul. She told, however, that, as the city’s strife had grown, it had become eyesome that someone needed to take the guilt and save the city’s peace. Thus she and Lady Vifaul, even though they belonged to feuding fellowships, had reached a bargain to shift the High Matronship, on foreword that they should both stand against Lady Byreath. Both matrons yaysaid the Zhihuafa Clanwife outstood too fell a threat to unmind and must be fordealt. Thus Lady Nimizi had stood down and had yielded the High Matronship.
She then headed to Vosaeth and asked whether she would uphold the new High Matron. My oath-sister frowned and answered this thing misgives. She had willingly served Lady Nimizi, forwhy she had liked what she had seen of Nimizi’s fellowship, and was less sure of the friends Lady Vifaul’s friends and underlings. Lady Nimizi told that one of the reasons she had sought Vosaeth’s service to the city was that she had witted a mightiness within my oath-sister, a bold forthrightness to try great deeds. She warned, however, that a share of hallcraft is dealing peacefully with foes, for the cityfolk cannot seek open feud as the Retaea can, and this may be the hardest lorewhit Vosaeth must learn, and even may be the reason forwhy her mother Lady Vei had sent her hither. She then beseeched Vosaeth, as a boon, to uphold Lady Vifaul, both within the city and outside against Byreath. She read that this alliance can only help the Miniada’s war.
Begrudgingly Vosaeth nodded, though I could tell worry still haunted, for even young Sonnauf fretted on her bosom, likewise bothered under her thought, and so eyesome to all.
I asked heedfully whether Lady Nimizi had merely stood down as High Matron or had fully withdrawn from the hall. She laughed and said that, while she is still a matron, the less she walks the hall, the more peacefully the other matrons stand for now, forwhy ~ime o’nae nyaumo qoelo qoanzyele:~ - someone must become the qoelu-bait. We then asked how she busies herself lacking duty. Merrily she answered she has grandchildren, the oldest whomof is almost old enough to begin firdhood. She spends so much time as she can with their growth and lore.
We took Lady Nimizi’s good leave, feeling somewhat more relieved for her welfare after the shock running through Lea’s Matron Hall. Even so, I could hardly rue her doom, at standing so high among the city’s ladyhood, and then being stripped of such nameworth. It made me think of what my mother had almost undergone ereyesteryear, from the threat I had wrought, and she had striven so hard to shirk.

7. Ashelae, 24,544 - Leiss Farmhold
Ere we left the city and outrode to the farmhold, today I sought a saddle shop on Lea’s lower slopefarthing. I went in and met a Korasha shopkeeper wearing apron, who greeted me worthily. Forthwith his eyes were drawn to the babe on my breast, as one new with newborns. I asked whether here was the household where Lady Thefel had lately dwelt. Shock startled his face ere he yaysaid and asked my business. I gave my name and answered I had yesteryear met Lady Thefel, while both bechild. I told Lady Thefel had bestowed me friendship, and I would yield back the worship.
A Damaya came from the shop’s rear, bearing a babe almost like my Aeosel’s size, and followed by a pack of children. At her ask, I gave my name, which she acknowledged she had heard, since she had been Lady Thefel’s shieldbearer and wifemate.
While her manmate served tea, the wifemate named Heiath and I sat with our babes. We traded words, at which she gave her babe’s name as Thefeyil, under her blood-mother’s worship. I then witted her blessing in suckling herself, to which she answered that had outcome from the midwife-priest’s wisdom, without which they would have feared for the babe’s life.
My next question came hard, and unleastly from the already sorry mood. Yet I felt beholden to ask. ~Stiadeni karaeade?~ - “How did she die?” Heiath told her womb had torn too badly while birthtide and had outbled. She shrove she had shared mind with Lady Thefel at the end, who had begged her to raise and heed their daughter. Sinceward, she and her manmate had lived under unsooth shock, earnest to shield the blithe little one in her slightness, and uncannily grieving their outrider-wifemate.
In answer, I could yield little, else than I have an oath-sister whomwith I share fathermate, and yesteryear when my babe’s older brother was born, they both had almost died samely after a hard birthtide. Thus by a mere vein our dooms were shed. Heiath lissomely took my ruth. I could tell, however, she was becoming overworried.
While I bided, she then shrove the hardest thing about raising Thefeyil in her blood-mother’s aftermath is that bywardly, even day by day, the babe’s mind was slowly becoming less like Thefel’s, and more like Heiath’s and the father’s. Everyday the babe became less like her blood-mother, to which Heiath said she almost could not bear. To this word I thought weightily. Then I spoke Lady Thefel had brought this child into the world to share with Heiath and their fathermate, and moreso that she would come to grow from their minds as well, even as she grew from Thefel’s. Thus was this babe becoming more like them not as Thefel had forewished?
Heiath’s mood broke to tears, to which our babes clove, and I could merely reach forth and take her hand. At her wail, a twosome of older children outcame, one girl whomof looked about eighteen years, and soothed their mother. After she regathered herself and sent them rearward, she told they are their eldest, both hers and Thefel’s. I quoth they seemed worthy children of proud mothers, and by my utmost belief Heiath would do right by her mate-daughters.
I left with oath that, if ever Heiaf needs an outspeaker for any of her children, and she would call an outlander, she may so call me. She bowed tearily, and then we kissed each other’s babes. When I left, I softly sang a prayer for Thefel’s mind to the World-Soul.
All else had already gone to the farmhold but Oshis, who in good mind would not let me go alone. Together we left the embassy and rode from the city, wordlessly but side by side where my leg could touch his while I hugged our son. Though he asked not, I reckon he witted my depth and settled for loving glances.
When we reached the farmhold, we beheld Tae and Less afield, and with Remaue aseat nearby, forwhy she was watching Lanaryel and Yareass while the babe’s mother and father so busied, which reason soon cleared when I saw Tae raise bow, draw arrow, and shoot downfield, which deed her manmate soon followed. I reckoned how they both hit the butt. Though Tae forsoothly cannot draw so heavy a bow as Less, her shot lacked no trueness, and also I have seen what she can do from Shota-back. After they emptied quivers, Less walked downfield to take arrows while his mothermate took her babe from Remaue, loosened her halter, and fed him a short while. We uprode right as Less yielded her reloaded quiver. We hailed while she belched her babe, and then handed him back to Remaue.
We kept forth to the hometree, but the thought of Tae drilling arrowshots held my mind. A warlike mood must have overtaken, for in the treeyard we found Vosaeth and her harem. Likewise, her babe sat in Leief’s strong arms while his mother mindfully wielded an axebill, drilling strokes so grimly as Tae had shot, and so aimfully she witted not our coming.
After we greeted Elarue, her mother Mirazael, and my brother Devaeas, Erymi hastened down. With a kiss I yielded back her manmate, at which she asked: ~Dei shahadas?~ - “Did he behave?” With a smile I answered: ~O’miae~ - “Awesomely,” at which she smiled and kissed me back. Then she bade Oshis lift and bear her uptree, though we forespoke to speak more later.
My thought drove back to Vosaeth, who was still drilling in the treeyard. I clove her harem, and when little Sonnauf fussed, took him from Leief and gave him my free teat. Thus I fed both brothers until my arms wearied, for Sonnauf has grown much in the last year and three months.
I handed my slumbering babe to Leief right as Vosaeth ended. She came glistening, tossed her axebill to Eneash, and took her son whom she tossed merrily aloft ere she kissed me. I marked she has lost no time starting drill since reaching the farmhold. She told she had much thought on my example back at Clanmoot, watching me drill weaponless with my babe. Until now, she had busied with the southward wayfare, and then dealing with the matrons. Yet now here she could not but reckon her mother, her sisters, and clanmates, and even our beloved Istae, enwed in the warfare we had forsaken, and whose fellowship she craved. Thus she deemed the time to start as well.
Then she asked if I would also drill. I thought deep ere answer. I forespoke that, if there is footwork or handwork, I will drill. Yet I am unready for weaponwork. This answer begladdened my oath-sister, who hugged me and went to bathe while I found Remaue and Kaure and settled into our bower.
We erenow ate a hearty duskmeal Less cooked with Elarue’s fathermates: frog stew with beanworts and fresh grassberry cakes to soak the broth, and to which Remaue became an eager backer. Already they are overtalking toward meals, and even what we will do for Heaventide.
Asideward, however, I could not help witting more than a few flirtsome words from the men, whitsomely Less, Hanos, and even Vosaeth’s haremmates, namely Leief. Eyesomely word of me dallying with Oshis has spread swifly as they guess my afterbirth sheerness ended. Frankly, however, I shun the thought. I now wish merely to share a bed with my wifemates and our babes.

Lashunta Terms & Phrases:

• ~Qoelu~ (animal): Saurian megafauna native to Castrovel.
• ~Ime~ (feminine): one; someone
• ~Nyaumo~ (neuter): morsel; bait
• ~Stiadani~ (spiritual): which wise; how
• ~Karaeassi~: to die; dying
• ~Shahassi~: to be meek; behave
• ~Miae~ (spiritual): awe; awesomeness