From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son
8. Ashelae, 24,544 - Leiss Farmhold
Today, maybe as gainsaith after our busy tide in the city, we chose to stay at the farmhold and begladdened of the stillness. Remaue and Less are already frighteningly plotting mealtides. Vosaeth’s haremmates are hunting. The others have helped our worthy hosts achore, until Kaure and Hanos sought Oshis, who started with knife-drills ere Oshis got my earnest maidenmate tilting spear at a swivel-butt. Likewise, Vosaeth and Tae found me in the treeyard. There we did footwork and strokeframes I showed wielding our babes instead of weapons, with forsoothness that, as our babes grow, so will our strength. Also, we swiftly made two laws:
- First, we shall not run, forwhy we are all three carrying our milk-weight.
- Next, under the same reason, we shall not strike each other’s breast.
This drilltide yielded the added weal of begladdening our babes, who thrilled at being lifted and swung, so that we reckoned not our shuddering arms, nor the ache in our backs and thighs. Then, since Vosaeth swiftly bored of this mild slow-work, we yaysaid to spar, which made a fun shift after so long peaceful. We took matched shifts while the third watched the babes, but soon had help after Remaue and Less drifted near, seemingly abreak from cookwork (but knowing them, setting bets on the outcomes), whom the older children followed. Then Kaure, Oshis, and Hanos clove the small watcher-throng, then Elarue with my nephew Shaess, and then both her fathermates, all who buzzed merrily while we traded kicks and grabs.
Then, mayhap from the watchers’ eagerness, mayhap from our babes, who read their sitters’ mood and also our own, our spar shifted matchsomely. Our strides and strokes quickened. Our blows gained strength, until we almost fully fought. Our babes’ mirth, who would each see their mother win, goaded us onward.
After a dolefully fierce match with Tae, who was tarrying while I sparred with Vosaeth, she called warning to my oath-sister: ~
Iloshi. Korashtra linyade!~ - “Beware. She has beaten Korasha!” At that word, taken as a dare, Vosaeth’s eyes hardened.
Her leg spun and kicked at my face. Thoughtlessly I instrode, grabbed her knee, and heaved her forward with my hips swinging.
Next I knew, we were tumbling adirt. Our arms grappled seeking a lock, no hap to even reckon, as if we were both fighting for life in a wrathful blur. Then warnlessly Less hauled me aloft, and Oshis likewise did Vosaeth. Unsoothly I witted blood leaking from her nose. I misunderstood why my feet scrabbled for earth and could not stand, which outcame from Less holding my armlock, keeping me too low to straighten my legs. Blood wettened my fingernails, and I wondered how it had come from Vosaeth’s nose.
Remaue’s wary shout brought us back to mind. Yet worse followed our babes keening straight into our hearts. Anon we both struggled afright to reach them, who heeded the shock that both their mothers had fallen under war-wrath, too wild a feeling that either could deal. In a new thoughtless hopelessness, we were no longer fighting each other, but fighting free of our holders and to reach our babes. At last the men wrestled us aground until we stilled. Then Remaue and Tae strode between, bearing our sorrowful boys. Yet only after we betrusted meek did they give our sons.
We sobbed together some while. I witted how filthy we were with mud slathering our skin and clothes and a bruise from a blow to my cheek. I heard laughter, deep and manly, from Oshis, Less, Hanos, and Elarue’s fathers, who had seen the whole misdeed. Not so merry was their wifemate Mirazael, who widely chided us for the fight. ~
Rauzhiafi siveari,~ she sharply told: “Your birthmight still holds you.” She outlaid our blithe babes, thrilled by our deed, had goaded us to dare. Yet when meeting the fight’s bare wrath, their thrill fell to fright. She beread their minds still feed ours as well, and that we as mothers must ward our thoughts to their heed.
Foolishly Vosaeth and I eyed each other while we held our sniffling babes. Then we knelt together, letting the brothers hug while we twined antennae and begged forgiveness. Saithlessly, drilltide ended with oath to never let it again grow so wild.
Remaue ruthlessly teased me while she cleansed mud and blood from my skin and I suckled Aeosel to sleep ~
A zhoe are!~ - “Two heroes!” she laughed, and then wondered what our fight might become if earnest. ~
Roea di naeaf,~ I answered, thinking of my fierce oath-sister: “I do not need to know.”
9. Ashelae, 24,544 - Leiss Farmhold
Today Vosaeth, Tae, and I tried drill again, though less wildly than yesterday. What rankled, however, was the crowd we garnered, as if they forelooked a repeat. Happily we yielded no such show.
10. Ashelae, 24,544 - Lea
Today went not as forethought. Taiase and Vosaeth had early gone into the city to await the matrons. At midmorn, they sent back Threarde with word to meet them at the highway’s outer stronghold, forwhy Clan Merukatha and Clan Neuyila have come. So heard, I donned breastdish, armbands, and bodyshroud, sat Ess with my son swaddled in arm, and outrode with Remaue and Kaure, along with Draue, Nae, and Hanos ahost.
We beat the Lea welcome-bode to the outer stronghold, where the two clans were setting camp. We waited at the gate and hailed the watch-reeve.
Within a tidefarthing we bewared a march-show from the city, which soon reached us. Upon a Shieldhead rode Her Highness Lady Vifaul, and with her our ambassador, Her Highness Lady Zhaene, and Lady Taiase. Together we outrode to where the clanwives waited. At the campstead’s lane we met Lady Soath of Clan Merukatha and Lady Lavial of Clan Neuyila. In the city-wise, Their Highnesses unsteeded (which we did not) and stood before the clanwives on their Shotalashu. Then Lady Vifaul welcomed the clans and bade them tarry under the shorewood. Lady Soath bade the matrons come to their camp and take milk as guests, to which Lady Vifaul answered they would gladly do so, if afterward the clanwives come to the city and stay within her house, since in this land they are forsoothly the guests. This got their laughter, after which the clanwives unsteeded, leading their steeds hosted us into camp.
After the clanwives yielded mead-milk, Lady Vifaul broadly thanked both clans for keeping their forespoken word and coming hither. Lady Lavial answered that, against their shame for having first allied and then broken faith with Clan Zhihuafa, they were worshipful of Lea’s giftfulness bequeathing peace. Then, at the clanwives’ bid, Korasha brought forth gifts. From Clan Merukatha they gave a Shieldhead with harness and litter, bundles of linen, and a set of raw Yaruk tusks, while Clan Neuyila gave a score of thurses and a Duckbill hide. They brought these before Lady Vifaul’s seat, at which Lady Lavial asked whether Lea would take them as tokens of their clans’ friendship.
Her Highness stood, reckoned the gifts, and then bowed. She answered she indeed found them worthy. Yet neither clan owed any such dearth to Lea, as Her Highness had sworn at the Clanmoot. She then headed to Her Highness Lady Zhaene and asked that, since Son was the stricken share in the Zhihuafa raid upon the tradefare, would Son take these gifts as our loss’s geld?
Lady Zhaene likewise rose. She faced the clanwives and spoke that Son’s sorrow at our lost folk is great, and also that Son lies far beyond the Retaea, and the clans have no sake or inthrift to go thither. Yet if by taking these gifts we might tally Clan Merukatha and Clan Neuyila as friends, then she would reckon Son blessed and strengthened. Moreover, such friendship becomes a gift that outweighs any dearth.
Then Lady Soath and Lady Lavial both kissed Her Highness and outspoke they would yield Son friendship. Lady Vifaul blessed them and quoth the Matrons shall hold a high mirthtide to worship the clans and this new alliance.
Laterward, we behaply spoke straight with the Merukatha and Neuyila. We learned they had scant news from Clan Miniada and Vosaeth’s mother, forwhy last they had heard, the Miniada had driven westward. Whatever winfulness or loss they had, however, our guests had not heard.
I write this late by witchlight in our room at the embassy, forwhy the mirthtide lasted late. Kaure, Remaue, and little Lanaryel sprawl on our bed, and even my little son sleeps between my elbow and bosom. I look upon their dear faces between the glow and shadow and deem it is time to cleave them.
12. Ashelae, 24,544 - Leiss Farmhold
Yesterday again came to the farmhold, though Vosaeth and Taiase stayed late - my oath-sister to speak with the Merukatha and Neuyila clanwives, and our elder friend to overtalk bridgework (we dearly underlook that her elflove-flirt with Mistress Veiemi upkeeps). While Remaue and Less overtook cookcraft with dreadful glee, it gladdened me and Kaure to wait upon our worthy host Mirazael, talk with Elarue and Devaeas of their next huntfare, and then undertake drilltide. I even sparred with Kaure, which rather went as forelooked: I dared not let her Korasha strength catch me, and we soon wearied of running. As we reminded my ereyesteryear fight with Kazos, it became a loretide in how to fight Korasha. Kaure, however, proved limber than my erstwhile foe when her arm outwinfully reached my head while in a rear necklock. Duskmeal sat early at Remaue’s behest.
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