A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4, Chapter 40

In which Vaeol’s & Vosaeth’s households celebrate Vuael’s Night and witness some interesting developments

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

3. Asealae, 24,544 - Leiss Farmhold
As I had ere written, yesternight we cheered Vuaeul’s Holinight. Inthriftily, I learned that we share this yore-tale with the Retaea, who yaysay that Vuaeul was Elindrae’s lover, and thus the mother of the Vuzhota and other shapeshifters. Furthermore, the Retaea have many hedgetales of the Vuzhota, whom they bespeak as tricksters, folk who can willfully take the shape of either Lashunta or Shota. Thieves who come into a camp and then fade without spoor or footswath are believed as Vuzhota. If a wild bull-Shota follows a maiden, they believe him Vuzhota seeking to win her lust. On Heaventide’s first full moon (but only if it shows), the Retaea worship Elindrae and outleave snacks for the Vuzhota’s worship-geld, to leave them trucesome while they dance to offward their wickedness. This deed we did with Vosaeth’s house and our hosts, who likewise follow this wont.
In childhood, I had loved Vuaeul’s Tale, forwhy I bethought my name like hers, though to my best knowledge, no mother would so name a daughter, since it is deemed an unlucky name. Here is the tale as meanly told down from the Time of Legend, and which has the most meetness between the Yaro and Retaea:
"Vuaeul was the youngest of Queen Tess’s thirty daughters and still a child when her mother died in war against the Moqeva. When her father Shotaviras forsook all Lashunta and fled into the rainwood’s depth, she, who had been his most beloved, sorrowed the most from his loss.
As Vuaeul grew to maidenhood, she hunted the rainwood, as her mother had done in youthtide. Yet, whereas her twenty-nine older sisters took steeds among the rainwood’s Shota and became clan-queens, Vuaeul brooked her Shota-kinship to run and hunt with the packs, dwelling wild, hunting game, and suckling the milk-trees’ teatworts. When her kinfolk asked her to come home, she naysaid, telling that she ever sought her father.
On a full moon’s night in Heaventide,while Vuaeul camped beside a glade, an Elfmaid stepped forth from the moonlight, with hair like Father Night’s cloak and milky skin. She sang dear words, overknelt Vuaeul, and tried to kiss her brow. Yet Vuaeul drew a knife, set it against the Elfmaid’s belly, and bade her begone. At her threat, the Elfmaid faded.
On the full moon’s next night, while Vuaeul camped beside the same glade, an Elfman stepped forth from the moonlight, with skin coal-dark but set with shining gems even like Nightheaven, and hair like spun silver. He knelt before Vuaeul, wooed dearly, and tried to kiss her brow. Yet she set her knife against his manliness and bade him begone. At her threat, the Elfman faded.
On the full moon’s third night while Vuaeul camped, a shape again stepped forth from the moonlight. Yet now it showed as both man and wife, Elf and Lashunta, forwhy it was Elindrae wandering earthbound and seeking sport. They bade Vuaeul tell why she withheld love and what boon she would take to let the Moon-God love her.
Vuaeul answered: ~O’imi shoaf Shotara. Tara yuaef o’domara-tei o’mimesassi o’ta-yei~ - “I only love Shota. I would love them or none to dwell with them and as them.”
Before her eyes, Elindrae shifted shape until they stood forth as a great Shota-bull. When Vuaeul neared and laid hand on his snout, she shifted as well and became a Shota-queen. Then the Moon-Good straddled her, and they swived mightily.
Afterward, Vuaeul ran with the Shota packs as a mighty queen. Yet Elindrae had laid a great egg-clutch in her womb, which she bore and nested. When they hatched, half were Shota, and half were Lashunta. As they grew, they learned to shift shape even as their mother and father could. So they became the Vuzhota, wandering and dwelling among both Lashunta and Shota as they would."
...In childhood, my sisters, like me, had witted the sameliness of my name to Vuaeul’s and had teased me, warning I would get lost in the rainwood and become a Shota. Yet I had dreamed of wandering wild in the rainwood, and even of running at will in a Shota’s shape. I remind my mother had first told me this yore-tale. Now I miss her keenly.
After this misdrawing side-tale, I now bewrite yesternight. We set mealboards and groundclothes in the meadow beyond the hometree’s shade. True to Mirazael’s forecast, Nightheaven cleared, and silver, leering Elindrae’s full face breached the sky-edge. We quickened witchlights, outset dishes with fresh honeycakes as the Vuzhota’s geld-tithe, and cheered when we spotted Heaventide’s first glowmotes floating from the rainwood. Unforecatchingly, the men had bought so much grassberry-ale as they could find.
For the holiday, Kaure, as Elindrae’s leading priestess, bequoth that Damaya should serve Korasha. Here I witted more than merely my maidenmate’s will, but also Remaue’s, who ever has a thwartsome mood. To her word we yaysaid, though aftercoming this doom we set some more bylaws. First, Vosaeth beseeched that she might serve Threarde, forwhy not only is her housemate a newcoming mother, but also she gave reason that, in serving Threarde she also would serve Vohyd’s soul, who had been Korasha. Then Vosaeth drew forth a thurse-whip much like Remaue’s, tied the tongue over her neck, and yielded tearful Threarde the handle. My oath-sister thus spent the greater nighttide akneel, thewing her beloved housemate winewater, feeding her by hand, and with many kisses on Threarde’s red-freckled belly, or with the bechild wife sitting on her thighs, whence Vosaeth hugged her tight, squeezed her bosom, and nestled brow against her housemate’s back. Remaue and I tellingly witted Vosaeth’s new behavior, forwhy selfsomely she would have wildly thrown herself among her haremmates.
Outseeking her haremmates, I found Leief, Eneash, and Onull shedly taking ownership of Vosaeth’s other housemates: Honosil, Zhaunyth, Anmeth, and Eimyl. It is a happy sooth that Zhaunyth has mostly strengthened from her grim wound gotten in the Zhihuafa raid-stroke, though she still has hardship speaking. Though Vosaeth had freely lent her haremmates to her fellow wives, I had ere witted a withholdingness. No such mood now withtheld them as the three men seemingly foreset.
Then a truth upcame that had almost forgotten amid this holiday mirth: young Anmeth was still a maiden. A stillness oversettled our gathership as we beheld her kneeling before Leief, whose speech we had shakenly overheard. She looked up at him with wide, glistening eyes while he faltered, aloss at the boon he had unwittingly spoken. Aside from her bethralled knees, Vosaeth called: ~Dei soreathara seilis?~ - “Do you wish your bridetide?” she asked.
Though Anmeth spoke not, I could tell the thrill and fear warring in her mood. Her bright eyes shifted from Vosaeth to Leief. Slowly she nodded.
After the cheers, we called a swift doom-moot among Kaure, Vosaeth, Mirazael, and me to overtalk the deed’s rights and wonts. Warily I asked whether such a swift bridetide would yield wifeship’s good worship. Vosaeth outlaid that, though the Retaea worship wifehood so much as the cities, they make not such an overdone rite as we. Meanly when a maiden chooses wifeship, it befalls on such a holiday as this, and often at the Clanmoot or Heaventide mirth, whereon may happen one or many.
I glanced where Anmeth and Leief waited, ringed by their housemates, with Threarde stroking her hair. I witted Leief had knelt beside, nothing overreevesome in his mood. Her arm held his shoulder, and his hand set on her belly. Her brow leaned on his and their antennae tangled, as if they earnestly feared our doom-curse. Then we looked to Kaure. Vosaeth asked if my maidenmate would oversee the bridetide rite. My darling maidenmate stutteringly asked if such might alet, since bridetides kinderly fall under Green-Mother’s priesthood. Glibly Vosaeth answered that now was Elindrae’s holinight instead. Mirazael wisely beread that, if all undertook under the true rites, and under the law Kaure had already outspoken, then it would be right.
So yaysaid, we stood before the two lovers aknelt. At Kaure’s leave, Vosaeth outspoke. As Anmeth wished, we would hold her bridetide tonight. Yet she must know it would happen under Elindrae’s blessing instead of Green-Mother’s, and thus must fall under the laws Kaure had bequeathed: tonight she would not be raised to wifehood, but rather would merely yield her maidenhead. Then tomorrow she would be named wife with full rights, and they would talk of what service Leief would yield, but that must wait for sunlight. For now while the moon flies, she would be a Korasha’s plaything. 
We waited while Anmeth and Leief shared eyes. His head nodded grovelingly, yielding her choice, and she squeezed her hand. 
Ere she chose, she had one question: ~Shiafyelf uthara, o’dei eaya Vuzhota?~ - “If I bear a child, will it be Vuzhota?” Wordlessly we stared. Sillily we laughed, but then begged forgiveness from her eyes' shameful tears and outlaid than any tale of wives bearing Vuzhota is witch-talk and no forsoothness. Thus she needed not fear. We knelt before and even crouched on our hands, beseeching her goodwill. At last she eased, and Kaure meekly asked if she would have her bridetide, to which Anmeth said: ~Yei haea-ruaelf.~ - “So will I do.” Then she goaded Leief to stand, headed kneeling to him, and kissed his stonelike belly.
Then with Kaure’s good leave (though Vosaeth in good sport let her thrall-leash’s handle in Threarde’s hand) Vosaeth and her housewives hastily hosted Anmeth back to their tent to swiftly ready her while the men loosely talked and joked, but for Leief striding tightly. I shortly went to him, kissed his brow, and gave my blessing cheer, for ever since we met, he is my most beloved of Vosaeth’s haremmates. Then I hastened back to Kaure’s knee, since Remaue and I had our own share to play, when enwed my neckband-gift locked on my neck while Remaue, like Vosaeth, got her thurse-whip tied smartly. Playfully Kaure tugged until we meekly laid brows on her belly.
My overleaning stead gave behoof to behold the others, and dolefully what newfound wickedness the men were making. Nearby Oshis had Erymi knelt. Yet he seemed happy to merely stand arear, as if begladdening of the wit seeming taller than she, and leaning her head upon his breast. He stroked her antennae, locks, neck, and bosom, and laid a kiss upon her brow. Of all my flag, I had forelooked him to seek the greatest naughtiness. Yet he truly loved so being with his wifemate. 
While I watched, I caught Erymi’s eye and beread she likewise bewondered of her manmate’s mindfulness, even as she dearly clutched his dark thewsome arm. I outthought to her: ~Ve ime-hishe kovaf o’ezimi-yei sere valas, o’zimi-yei valaf.~ - “Only I else wit how much he loves you, as I do.” I watched her face darken blushingly as tears flooded her eye. Her mouth whispered back throatless worship. Fiercely I wished to crawl forth and show her my love, though the fetter hindered.
Further off, we witted Less had let Tae bring Yaraess their babe to the mirthstead. Though he had tied a thong on her neck, he was happy let let her suckle their son akneel while he overstood watching. Remaue proudly named him her fathermate and hinted that, if he wearied of Tae, he might beseech Kaure for our wifemate’s idleness. Though Less laughed, his arm tightened over Tae, who merrily looked upward at him and answered that, if Remaue wished Less’s love, she might wait long. 
Jeeringly I called whether this wickedness was the most Less’s man-right could wield. Less grinned back and answered he had been thinking of the Aslanta, Brand and his fellows from Qolaryon, whom we had found. ~Dei eiesim o tas o’linae shoayas, yeio’shili das kaoellayelas?~ - ~Are we to think they love kindred less merely forwhy men overreeve?”
His word struck a note that shortly stilled the mirth, though not under sorrow but thoughtfulness. Whereas truly the mean wisdom had taught that a civilization reeved by men would topple under warfare and strife, our thought of the Aslanta proved elsewise. Whatever evil they undergo under Man-Right, quoth Brand they still have mighty queendoms (He-queendoms? Which sounds like something from a Motorae game!), lore, and faircraft. I remind even Brand’s yesterwhit of the evil man who had slain his mother, and whom Brand had slain in wrackstroke and so ataken outlawhood. Surely Brand’s misdeed stemmed from love and wrath, which we Lashunta understand well. Maybe even if there is evil, good men hate it. Even Kazos when he led the Sholasa, against his many sins, had spared his clan from strife and had given them more peace than the war he had sought, and surely had warded his wifemates and children. In Less’s word, maybe we have found deeper wisdom.
Which sport left Nae and Hanos alone, not that they bemoaned, forwhy they already entangled with each other: Nae sitting upon the young Korasha’s lap, her legs clenchingly wrapping his waist while his face buried within her bosom. Yet something else was taking shape, reckoning by a weighty mood they broadcast. With thoughts instead of words they were talking, and with reckfulness woken I could not help overhear.
~Sei kaoadeni loemas,~ outthought Hanos: “I would be faithful to you over all others.”
Aswive the two lovers stilled, and which more than I witted. Nae, with her hands hugging his head, stared widely. ~Dei mileavis?~ - “Will you swear with me?” Though Hanos answered not, and they shared no further forsooth word, glee waved from them both, such that none near could unmind. I quivered wittingly and earnestly patted Kaure’s arm so she could bewit.
With Remaue and me crawling atow, Kaure came to our flagmates and asked what betided. Nae and Hanos, flesh still cloven, grinned at her. Then they answered they would swear to each other as manmate and wifemate and beseeched Kaure's witness. My dear maidenmate knelt, hugged them both, and gave her blessing. Then they spoke the elder oath to take them together in life and bed, in love and heed, forespeaking truth, and beseeched the gods’s blessing, even as I have sworn to Remaue and Kaure.
Kaure stirringly knelt beside them, our flagmates and friendloves. ~O’kovi mishili,~ she gave the old blessing. Then she hugged them both, entangling limbs and antennae while they kept aswive.
We had hardly breath to rewhelm when a great warble rose from the hometree. From the tents Threarde and Vosaeth (still gamely wearing the lash on her neck) led forth Anmeth, who wore a red-gold sash and a milkblossom wreath, while the housemates sang an elder Retaea hymn whose meaningness shed little from ours. We added buzzes and shared the song and gathered where Kaure and Leief earnestly waited.
At Remaue’s wicked yell (ere Kaure hushed her), she bade Anmeth kneel, keeping the night’s law. The maiden listened, again looking upward with glistening eyes to Leief who, against the night’s law, unwillingly almost knelt with her. Beside them, Kaure sighed deep and looked to me. I took her hand and also outreached through mindshare, strengthening her and becleaving Remaue as well. With a small stutter, she opened the rite and began the bridetide.
I found myself staring at Anmeth. Under couthness I did not read her thought. Yet reading her face, I wildly wondered at her mood, and whereby how her heart might match mine.
To begin the blessing, Kaure laid hand on Anmeth’s brow. Yet to sing the womb-hymn she likewise knelt to lay hand on Anmeth’s belly. When she ended, Anmeth caught her arm thankfully. ~Yeio Arae-Vuaeuli eayeli, oe utha rahyathalma shiafelya, o sevaea nolya-ruaelf,~ she said: “Since it is Vuaeul’s Night, and if my child is born thwartkind, I would deem it a blessing.” 
Cloven in mindshare with Kaure, Anmeth’s word’s whole strength struck unspeakably. Utter meekness overcame my maidenmate as a sob so weakened her throat she could not even sing the elder hymn. We all halted, Remaue and I gripping her waist, Anmeth her arm, while Leief overlooked with tears. Then we together lifted throat and helped her sing.
Kaure outsqueaked whether Anmeth was ready, to which we all laughed. The newly blessed bride headed to Leief, her First Man, who overleaned and kissed her. Then for her intread into wifeship, Vosaeth and Threarde laid her back in their arms. The deed hailed the watchers’ buzz and the other men's thought to follow their example.
Kaure’s hand stroked my hair. I looked upward at our mossy-fair maidenmate, who thoughtlessly overwatched the mirthtide she had wrought: wafty love and idleness dazing our minds. I read while she reckoned inward, bethinking her holinight deed, the sharing she had taken in witness to Nae and Hanos’s mate-oath, two beloved friends whomwith she had shared much, and her blessing bequeathed on Anmeth’s bridetide, even still lying forspent in Leief’s arms. She had also yielded a worship still ringing in our maidenmate’s mind, that the new bride would behold her child blessed if it grows ~rahyathalma~, whether male ~Damayas~ or female ~Korashe~. 
While we have ataken Kaure into house, love, and bed, until now none had ever outspoken wish to become like her. Such a manifold mood filled her that I cannot bewrite: meek thankfulness, yet also unworthiness, and somewhere further down anger that life, foredoom, and we her folk had so made her feel unworthy, which wit she could not shirk. 
It made me ashamed I had not yielded it first.
I caught her hand, drew it to my brow, and then to my lips as I looked up. ~Se sheile,~ I whispered so only we three could hear: “You are wonderful.”
Laterward, I woke to find my son, whom Taiase and Mirazael had been watching with the other children, and hastened back to enfold us both in his two matemothers’ arms. Then we slept long until the children made us stir and have undertaken today to tarry. Later this morn, I greeted Vosaeth, who thoughtlessly still wore the whiplash tied about her neck while she bore Sonnauf. While we sat together and overtalked the night’s deeds, anon she laid her brow on my shoulder. I asked what befell.
Though my oath-sister stirred not, her babe added a sob. ~O’eimi yazif saemazastra hishastra o’aearae,~ - “I fear I lost another haremmate yesternight,” she shrove. She bade my wit of the love’s strength between Anmeth and Leief, to which I could merely yaysay. Yet I answered that surely he would not forsake her. She reckoned he would not, though such deed-lack does not mean his heart has already shifted.
Her thought made me dwell upon my own love’s manifoldness, my mateship with Remaue and Kaure, which, even dear as it is, beneeds heed between a wifemate who ever dares my leadership and a maidenmate who wallows under shame. Then there is Oshis, whom I think I would beswear if he were not already Erymi’s mate, and Erymi too, forwhy under the Komori’s outcome his fierce love has soaked into me. Overall, I reckoned my deedfulness yields little wisdom I could give.
Warily I beread that, if all behave out of love, then surely no ill may happen. Vosaeth bitterly chuckled and answered that forsoothly I know her unwell. She would wish my word true, she further shrove, but that so soon after Vohyd’s death she fears her heart has not the strength to yield.
I left her with a prayer for peace and forsoothness, and a kiss upon her brow and another on her darling son who is brother to mine, too heedful to foreyield any more rede than might outstrip my wantsome wisdom. Yet laterward, I witted the tightness when in a short rite we acknowledged Anmeth’s wifeship, which Vosaeth must lead as housewife. My oath-sister’s worry showed along with her love and heed as she blessed her young housemate, knelt, and kissed her belly, and even moreso when Leief as First Man followed. It was hard to math Anmeth’s blithe, giddy pride, the wise she stroked Leief’s shoulders as he set brow against her waist, nor how she held her own waist, as if already cradling a babe. Yet neither could she unwit Vosaeth’s worry.