A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4, Chapter 43

In which the Hoverball Tournament comes to Lea, along with an unexpected guest.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

14. Asealae, 24,544 - Lea
I have not written these last four days out at the farmhold, since after our comeback, Vosaeth’s fell mood overtook us all, and we forewilled earnest drill. Along with tilting spears against the swivel-butt and each other while Tae and Less led bowmanship, Vosaeth showed the short-bladed axebill the Retaean Damaya love for foot-warcraft. I find it undandy and clumsy, lacking a swordbill’s misdrawing deftness, since its seems smithed to smash. Yet I cannot unheed the wreck it made when I witnessed Byreath slay Eieli in their trial for the Zhihuafa clanwifeship, how its blade had dazed the wretch’s mind even from a glancing blow to her helm, and how it had shorn through harness, flesh, and bone.
If I shut my eyes, I can still see the wound opening Eieli’s back, the red-gold blood pouring forth. Neither had I had taken share in other Lashunta’s slaughter until Byreath brought this war. I find myself hating her, maybe even as Vosaeth hates.
Today we got word at the farmhold that the Than and Ofu-Laubu hoverball teams would reach. Fittingly, we rode into the city to see this seldom wonder-show. We clove a whole throng of cityfolk waiting atop the lakewall, and the watchspires fully manned with more than their benamed wardens. When the children wearied, Vosaeth, Tae, and I withdrew to the wineyard, where we tarried, suckled, and watched the others playing, which unforecatchingly enfolded a hoverball with the neighbor children. Vesh and Donas have started to find their soul-knack, though Lenis, Lanaryel, and Shaess are still too young and must brook their feet. While we waited, drums started idly.
We got the beacon when, even ere the watch-bells rang, the crowd roared. While the horns blew and we strode out to the street, we witted a lakebark had come into sight, which a swift walk to the lakewall betrusted as not one bark but two, both nearing at the same time. Under the lake’s windlessness they flew sails not for drift but as flaglike heralds: Ofu-Laubu’s wings and a wavy purple swoosh for Than (betokening Father-Hisyho). More enthrivingly, as the crowd-song grew, we forsoothed the two barks were racing for the harbor, to which, after the song’s first row ended, grew to buzzes and howls. I shrive I understood not enough of these cities’ alliances to know which the neighborfolk loved better, though maybe under the wild holiday mood it recked not. We watched the two feuding barks rowing with all their Korasha’s mightiness for the wharf, where below already the cityfolk were cheering and goading.
Yet more eagerly we witted that, as they neared, neither bark would yield way to the other, even when their oars tangled, and at least one snapped. To worried glee, both barks halted upon the water while oars flailed, waved, and smote downward, for indeed a small fight outbroke while the two boats strove to unsnarl themselves. Korasha bereft of oars stood upon the sidewales and almost leapt the gap to loosen wrathfulness on the decks. Such might have happened if the two drifted nearer together, until the harbor watch-bark rowed out and plowed between the two tangled boats. Then under stern but kindly herdship they both limpingly rowed to the wharf where the thrilled throng waited. Where we stayed upon the lakewall to shun the wild crowd, the height gave us good sight of their landing and welcome, even if we could not hear the words. Yet even with the harbor-mistress and city-steward there to greet them, angry words flew between the skippers, the teams stared with eyesome anger, and Korasha shoved back and forth. The crowd’s mood did nothing to still them, but instead goaded forth and hooted so loudly the steward could not overspeak. I forelooked the citadel would soon send warriors to quell.
Anon, against all outlook, the watch-bells rang again, and dolefully when the citadel’s bell answered. While the crowd below stilled forecaughtly, from the walltop we easily shifted eyes back to the lake, whence we beheld a third bark had rowed into sight. Like the others, it flew a sail, though it showed an empty saffron field. Something in the boat’s shape, or maybe its rig, looked odd, though I could not lay thought.
Then a yell rang forth from the near watch-spire: ~Ea Sealnea!~ - "They are Sealnea!" The crowd gasped so much that even we heard as the word repeated. Though I could but dimly outmake fuzzy shapes at oar or running nimbly upon the rig, folk buzzed and howled.
Until I first came to Lea, I had never even seen a Sealnea, the wise, speechsome Monkeykind whose main land lies east of Mother-Arasene. Yet they are the afterbears of Sealnearas, the Golden Monkey-Hero, who was his folk’s he-queen and a fellow to Holy Yaraesa, and who learned enlightenship under Them, and, quoth the tales, retook his throne only after Yaraesa's heavenly uplift, until later he also clove his teacher as an uplifted hero-sage. Although little I know of these monkey-folk, yore-tale tells that Sealnearas bequeathed philosophy to his underlings and afterbears, who still follow. I have also heard they hold strong ties to Than, unforecatching since it lies nearest to their land, and also Nivaea, since Holy Yaraesa’s minster stands near that city.
While the city’s watchbark wheeled about and headed to dare the newcomer, the wild crowd on the wharf soothed offdrawnly. We all witnessed a short word-trade between the boats ere the watchbark offdrew and hosted the newcomers into harbor, where not only the cityfolk but the guest teams and boatcrews eagerly waited.
By luck, the Sealnea bark took berth right under our wallstead, yielding fulsome witness to their income as if we were standing at the crowd’s fore. The harbor-mistress and city steward stood forth while the bark shipped landward oars and sidled in, where ropes were tossed to waiting longshoremen. While a gangboard was set, I reckoned the crew of short hairy shapes adeck, most shades golden or brown, but a few silver, red, or almost black, their bare faces fringed.
Down the gangboard a lone shape offcame. In height it was nearer a Korasha, though slimmer. Its whole hair was brown streaked with gray, though its longer head-tresses updrew into an outworksome topknot. It bore a wand with the ringed head, doubtlessly a token of reeveship, and wore an off-shoulder bodyshroud of mere saffron, not unlike a matron. Yet I faltered guess whether it was wife or man. Even more wonderfully, a tail rose arear, waving proudly.
The Sealnea halted before the two ladies, bowed head, and spoke in clear but oddly lilted speech, and gave name as Ekishi, skipper and trucebode on behalf of the Sealnea of the city of Akadru. It beseeched guesthood for itself and its crew, and asked whomwith it might deal.
Rather stiffly, the city steward bowed back. She answered, under the nameworth and yestermind of the Golden Monkey-Hero, whom Lea has worshipfully never forgotten, High Ekishi and the folk of Akadru were surely welcome, and she would host the trucebode to the matrons. Yet as foreword, she asked what thing brought the Sealnea hither.
In answer, Ekishi yielded: ~Nirdaf o thaes Enyorahevara, oe va o’leiri enyoaea-ruaelf,~ - “We have heard you will hold Hoverball, and beseech to play.”
At that word, the crowd sheerly maddened. Under outlook of not only holding games with the city's wontsome foes, these monkey newcomers made it an erenever beheld wonder, from which the cityfolk could not withhold glee. So wild became their cheers that the city steward and harbor-mistress could not offhost the guests until warriors came from the citadel to clear a thoroughfare. Watchers nevertheless followed, shouting crowd-song and offering winebowls to the outlanders (and doubtlessly drinking their selfish share). Though this holiday had been foreseen, it has begun early, and wildly.
So thick did the crowd become that we could not reach the Matrons’ Hall to witness the greeting-show, but instead withdrew to the embassy, where we awaited Lady Zhaene’s news. Bywardly Her Highness came, looking weary but thoughtful. She told the matrons have welcomed all three cities' team-bodes, though they must needfully reframe the game-set for four teams instead of three. Also, she shared, not all fellowships are wholly happy with the Sealnea. Yet so beloved are the Sealnea that the matrons could not naysay. Thus this hoverball trial shall become a gameset of doleful worthiness, moreso than wontsome.
I have written this while slumbertide, though I cannot sleep. We will soon ready for the Matronhood’s mirthtide, where I hope to see more of these wonderful guests and maybe meet them. I asked my brother whether he and Elarue wished to come. Yet they chose to go home with their son Shaess and her kindred.
While I write this, warning bells shortly rang over the city and then quelled. We saw folk in the streets looking skyward. When we did so, we beheld great wings flying low: Thasaka and their sky-riders. From Ofu-Laubu I misdoubt it is a swift flight. Yet Lea has not seen this likeness in a long time.

15. Asealae, 24,544 - Lea
I must bewrite yesternight’s deeds at the matrons’ mirthtide. Arailed in breastdishes, jewels, and bodyshrouds, and with our babes wrapped in new silken swaddles from Lady Zhaene’s early Newyear gift: Taiase, Vosaeth, her harem, me, Remaue, and Kaure. We hied over the heartyard, and then must have the Korasha open a path, forwhy the cityfolk still made a crowd hoping to glimpse not only the Sealnea, but also the Lauba and Thana teams, who though they are enshadowed by the Sealnea’s income, have still gleaned a share of cheer.
One inthrifty whit when we introd the hall: the Sealnea guests shunned the guestbath, forwhy to beshirk their bodyhair befouling it. Yet they all showed freshly and featherily kempt and nosesome of myrrh-oil, topbraids knotted high. With but High Ekishi (whomof whispers told is indeed a man) and a few else outstanding who wore bodyshrouds, all else wore wrapped skirts, sporting a couth hole arear whence their tails outreached, but which with their hair made it even harder to tell wife from man than even with Elves. Unlike the Thana and Lauba team-bodes, whomof came only the teammates and elder worthies, the Sealnea also brought their whole boat-crew. Thus, on the mirth-hall’s first overlook, it seemed overrun with monkeys.
Also, a hall-thane greetingly told that the Sealnea make sport of small theft. She waved at a board set at the hall’s midst and beread that, if any belonging went lost, we should look there. Even while we watched, we witnessed a matron no less come to the board, take a crown, and rather shamefully set it ahead. I shrive some wonder at how a Sealnea, so much shorter than a Damaya, could even offpluck it. Nevertheless the Sealnea acknowledged our motherhood by not stealing from Vosaeth or me, though Leief twice lost his belt and had to tightly knot his skirt ere he took it back from the board, a deed that drew our laughter, and which seemingly was this trick’s goal. Leief muttered an unkindly word about thieving Sealnea but elsewise stayed praiseworthily trucesome.
This theft-deed gave me hap to watch how the other guests were behaving toward the Sealnea. Whereas the Lea neighborfolk cheered their wonderful guests, the outland team-bodes showed unlike. The Thana, ingathering Her Highness Lady Glaethe whom yesteryear we had met, as the Sealnea’s nearest neighbors behaved in almost staid wise, as if the monkeyfolk’s tricks were nowhit unselfsome. Not so staidly, however, showed Lady Kueth and the Lauba, who withheld from the Sealnea trucebode and sightfully tightened whenever a monkey neared. I looked to Lady Zhaene and Vosaeth for this ill will’s outlay, though we had no hap to speak.
The mirthtide’s main business, which the matrons and the cities’ trucebodes talked openly, was to set the bylaws for the upcoming games. The cities had ere planned for three teams. The fourth teams’ add made the match-set more manifold. In the end, all yaysaid that each team shall play all others, and then two teams with the best win-scores shall play for championship, which shall begin aftomorrow.
Yet then Lezh, the Lauba teamreeve spoke forth a question: the game bylaws forbid hands, though the Sealnea have not true feet, but hands on their lower limbs as other monkeys. Furthermore, since the Sealnea have no soul-knack, how can they play hoverball? Then this Korasha teamreeve, who seemingly forelooked to take behoof from High Ekishi being a man like him, snidely asked whether they even have a witch-driver.
High Ekishi answered: ~Eafa raulanoza,~ - “We have a witch-driver,” and beckoned forth a smaller monkey, named Ushna with dun hair, who he bespoke is moreover a tried and uprisen soul-seer. Then he dared a bet that Ushna will outscore the Lauba witch-driver, and offered a silver-gilt phoenix cocktail fan as bond-gift. At his word, Her Highness Lady Kueth, mayhap more eagerly than couth, forespoke she would match the bet. Then she doffed the crown from her head and set it on the theft-board as Ofu-Laubu’s bond-gift. This started a strife-storm of samely bets among all the teams, on who will beat whom, who will take the most wins, and even by the score-spread on a doleful game. In the end, the trucebodes and teamreeves yaysaid that the Sealnea may use their feet’s lower hands, but not their arms’ upper hands, and furthermore may also use their tails, which leave will offset their soul-knacklessness. Seemingly this afilled all the teams, even the Lauba.
We had hap to yield worship to Their Highnesses Lady Glaethe and Lady Kueth while they traded idle threats on the games’ outcome. Her Highness of Than happily greeted us, blessed and kissed our babes, and cheered the war’s outcome, bespeaking her city will be glad of the strife’s end. Lady Kueth more feudsomely asked which team we will cheer. I answered that, as outlanders, we have not the idleworth to choose sides. Instead, we should wish all the teams play well, and shall surely watch.
Her Highness then begreeted us to Lady Marauqereth of Ofu-Laubu, a stern wife but young for her high stalworth, whom she bespoke as a skyrider captain, and also rider of the Thakasa we had ere seen overflying. Lady Marauqereth couthly bowed and told she had ere heard my name. When I hinted shock, she outlaid she had also served in the Formian Warfare (though Ofu-Laubu sends warriors not nearly so often as the Yaro cities) and through their city’s elfgate gets steady news from Qabarat, ingathering the war’s deeds. She found inthrifty the tale that I had bargained a truce with a Formian Myrmarch, and furthermore had stood under doom-bench. Then she cheered my guiltlessness and quoth she wished she had found the same forehap to save her warriors. From her words, I asked whether her warfare had ended sorrowfully. She answered unstraightly that, if her will outwins, Ofu-Laubu shall nevermore send warriors to Valmaeana.
While speech with Lady Marauqereth, I caught a queer wit from Vosaeth. Afterward, I asked what befell. In mindshare, she told that Marauqereth is a joke name, which in the Northern Shemez speech means ‘Rider Upside-Down’. Why would a high reeve of Ofu-Laubu hide her true name, and furthermore, why would the city’s ambassador uphold her stealth? We neither had good answer.
Bywardly, my heedfulness toward the Sealnea overrode couthness so that I undertook to find greetship, which I found through Taiase, who likewise had beseeched Her Highness Lady Vifaul for the same boon. Remaue, Kaure, and I together followed on her shroud hem, which brought us before His Highness Lord (even now I shrive hardship witting that word) Ekishi, who sat upon a bench eating snapnuts with his fellows. At the High Matron’s nighness, he rose not, and neither did Her Highness take offthank, as one might forelook from an elder whose limbs no longer stir easily. When Her Highness named Taiase, however, Lord Ekishi at once rose and yielded his bench. When Taiase asked why, he answered in good Arasene that, among his kind, the highest worth is paid to the eldest. Then a smile cracked his wrinkled face: ~O’dumi eise tollode mue~ - “Clearly you are the eldest here.”
At the old monkey’s mild mirth, Taiase helplessly laughed. Then she knelt, bringing herself to near his height. She answered that His Highness nobly bestowed her worship. Yet if she is old, then she is so long beyond the world that she has become as one newly born, for His Highness’s kind grew to greatness only after she left. When he naysaid to take back the bench, she forespoke to share with him, since clearly he needed it more, if he would teach her of his kind. So together they sat and shared snapnuts while they talked.
We stood nearby, not wishing to break their speech. Yet a while later, I witted Lord Ekishi’s eyes. Ere I could bow, he bequoth to Taiase: ~Dumaf o thaea-shyaelis moarrya zirassara,~ - “I see you keep warriors in fellowship.” I dropped a bow while Remaue and Kaure followed wise, and answered that, though I am a warrior, I am prouder as a mother. Taiase added that her aftergrandchildren had indeed become warriors while she overslept the yearthousands, but of us she could not be prouder. She then begreeted us, telling how we had found and saved her from the Moqeva’s sleep-wrack, brought her to a worthy home, and had shown true love of rightwiseness.
Under my elder friend’s kindly words, I fell aknee and answered that, if Lady Taiase so bids, I would serve His Highness. The monkey-lord’s grin hinted that he reckoned my offer. Then he said that it would begladden him if Taiase, I, and our househould should come to the house the matrons have belet them. He put forth we should come for noonmeal after the ballplayers tarry. To this bid we yaysaid to come tomorrow, after which we withdrew with the monkey-lord’s goodwill and the thrill to spend time knowing such folk.
Afterward, we regathered at the embassy and matched whits. Lady Zhaene shrove she had no good outlay forwhy the Lauba captain named Lady Marauqereth would be hiding her true name. None know Ofu-Laubu well, owing to its northern farness and many queer wonts. A queen still rules, though her selfness is held hallow and forbidden from mean folk, nor why they hold feud with the Sealnea, which seemingly has overlasted yearthousands.
Thus our talk again came to those wonderful monkeyfolk and our upcoming guestship to their house. Lady Zhaene shared she knows a little of the elder war between the Sealnea and Ofu-Laubu, seemingly fought for ownership of the Voliahu Rainwood, though the Lauba had also income the Sealnea’s homeland and wrought slaughter. The warfare had become bitter with both sides enmired and wracksome, until Holy Yaraesa Theirself came between as trucebroker, after which truce Sealnearas himself had gone southward as Their loreling. Yet what had begun the war or the Lauba’s wrath (which seemingly the Sealnea have answered not), she had never heard nor read in any history or tale.
At this word, for another time tonight, a queer wit overtook Vosaeth. Falteringly she shrove a tale is told among the clanfolk’s campfires about the Sealnea War, though whatever truth it holds she cannot reckon. At our beseech, she told:
Sealnearas, the Golden Monkey-Hero, had come to Lea after gathering and drightening his folk, as a wandering outlaw, with great trickster-mightiness as a soulseer and a shapeshifter. Ere he came, Lashunta and Sealnea had ever feuded for the Voliahu’s ownership and the lands east of Lake Arasene. Quoth the yore-tale, Sealnearas had come to learn his Lashunta foe and find behoof or wise to beat them. Yet when he came to Lea, he brooked his wiliness to help the city uprise and outcast the Thief-Queens, after which Lea benamed him friend and hero. 
Laterward, a trucebode went from Lea northward to Ofu-Laubu, who had welcomed them with great worship and idleness. Since until lately Lea had served the Thief-Queens, they wished to end war between the two cities. Unbeknownst, Sealnearas has come with, cunningly whelmed under dithercraft to seem a Korasha (under his soulmight). In this fare, he again brooked his wiliness to help his Lea friends, who thus behooved a good peace-bond with their Lauba hosts, who welcomely bade them tarry the next year as the queen’s guests.
While they stayed, the queen bestowed her goodwill by taking one of the Lea trucebode’s Korasha as her manlove. He became her most beloved, and thus the queen bechild. Yet when the trucebode went home to Lea, the queen withheld the Korasha within her harem, against all the ambassador’s beseech. Yet ere the birthtide, as Vosaeth told, the queen’s manlove fled, somehow stealing from the harem against the doors and wardens. Though both skyriders and outriders hastened forth, they found no hint of the fled haremmate, and even though they sent wordbode to Lea and threatened war if they yielded him not. Thus the queen fell to sorrow even while she thickened, and so came to the birthbed wrathfully offthanked that a man had so forsaken her. 
Then outcame the babe, although strong and healthy, wonderfully wrong. Here Vosaeth halted, while we else, as mothers, helplessly misthought that at some time we had feared our babes might be sickly, misshapen, or so weak as might not outlive, as even Vosaeth’s Sonnauf had flirted with death after their hard birth. My oath-sister’s halt stretched begrudgingly while we waited, until almost I yelled her to tell.
~Ilina aveada fozura,~ Vosaeth softly told: “The babe had a tail.”
We matched my oath-sister's speechlessness, since we minded that afterward Ofu-Laubu had gone to war against the Sealnea. Even if Vosaeth’s tale were true, which I doubt, the Lauba would surely never shrive it. Though I understand they hold their queen hallow, how could such a deed berighten warfare, in which, as quoth Lady Zhaene, thousands had died? Furthermore even true, could they hold this grudge for longer than four thousand years? Yet mayhap I should take back that question, since once I had withheld foot from Hanazhyana forwhy twenty thousand years ago their foremothers had burned Son. The loretide herein may be that I should keep my mind mild.

Lashunta Words & Phrases:

• ~Ea~: 3rd-person common gender of ~eassi~: to be; to be located
• ~Sealnea~ (common): Golden Monkey-folk; an intelligent simian species native to Castrovel
• ~Ea Sealnea~: they/there are Sealnea.
• ~Eafa~ - 1st- person exclusive common gender of ~eassi~, most closely corresponding to 'we are'; 'We include'
• ~Raulanoza~ (common): witch-driver; a position on a Hoverball team unique for its potent psychic talent.
• ~Moarrya~ - accusative of ~moara~ (common): warrior
• ~Zirassi~: to associate with; be in fellowship with
• ~Ilina~: (common): little one; baby
• ~Aveada~ - perfect tense 3rd-person common of ~aveassi~: to grow
• ~Fozura~ - accusative of ~fozu~ (animal): tail