A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4, Chapter 45

In which Lady Vaeol watches the first day of the Hoverball Tournament.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

17. Asealae, 24,544 - Lea
Today, under the children’s eagerness, we came early to city’s gameyard. Our early cometide let us claim good seats in the watchstands, right on the rail near the midyard and unfar from the High Matrons’ box. At my will, the men brought a small shadefly, since the day foretold sunny, and I would have none fall to sunburn. I even drew my shroud overhead, so that when I held Aeosel, I could overshade him. The men also brought a winevat, whereby the day forespoke a rowdy but sleepy mood.
Our early tide yielded idleness to overlook the gameyard ere it filled, in which we all held inthrift as to how the game would play. We reckoned its length at more than two hundred twenty ells and eighty ells broad, falling matchsome to such gameyards in southern cities, and watchstands big enough to hold most cityfolk. The yardwall rose to eight ells, almost twice my height, which might fairly keep the ball bouncing ayard and shirk crowd-flight. I know many watchers love the ball’s crowd-flight, inmeaning the hap to meddle in the game’s outcome and help their team. Yet to my thought, this leads to unforewilled rowdiness. We let the children play along the railway, though we forbade them to go down to the yard.
Soon afterward, Her Highness’s grooms came to foreready the High Matron’s box and greeted us. Within the belltide, Her Highness Lady Vifaul incame, along with our ambassador Lady Zhaene, and both Their Highnesses Lady Glaethe of Than and Lady Kueth of Ofu-Laubu. About the same time, the first throng-dance started with some cityfolk on the watchstands’ far side, which busied the children trying to learn the song and steps.
While watchers still infilled and took seats, Lady Marauqereth came down to our stead. The young captain beseeched to sit if we held no grudge against a Lauba fellow, and since no room outstayed in the High Matron’s box. Lissomely we yaysaid, though I reminded Vosaeth’s word that she doubted the captain’s given name as true. I let the riddle lie, forethinking we might find hap to learn this secret, while Remaue yielded her wine.
When Third Bell rang and the watchstands were easily two-thirds full, the gamereeve came forth to the yard’s midst. She folded her wand abreast and bowed, first to the scoreteller’s bench on the far side, and then to the High Matron’s box. Her Highness, the ambassadors (though not Lord Ekishi, who was witsomely not there), and guests rose and stood at the rail, whereat the gamereeve swerved and raised the wand high. At that beck, horns blew a fanfare hushing the watchers, though my antennae tingled as an overwhelming thrill grew within the gameyard, and the children shuddered in answer.
Her Highness Lady Vifaul spoke at some length, loudly that most could hear even over the full watchstands, and whose words also broadcast from head to head lest any miss her throat. She blessed the cityfolk and welcomed Lea’s outland guests. She outquoth these Motorae Games were already well begun, and rightly to cheer the city’s welfare after another year and its hardships (behinting the war). Then she told that since elder times the cities had played in friendship, which wont we should oughtfully uphold. She bade the cityfolk to well behave their guests, Ofu-Laubu, Than, and the Sealnea Monkeyfolk of Akadru worshipfully, to cheer their wins, bless their boldness, forbear in loss, and in all wise make Lea worthy of hosting such noble and mighty folk.
Ever the inborn show-wife (as we had witnessed at the Blighttide Clanmoot), Her Highness halted, and then yelled: ~Dei aesehima enyorahevarru?!~ - “Are we ready for hoverball?!” All the watchers roared, as even did we, as the overthrilling mood-throe brought tears to our eyes.
Drums started as all four teams marched into the yard while the city dance began: Lea and the Sealnea from the north, Than and Ofu-Laubu from the south. At their heads came the teamreeves, and with the Sealnea’s teamreeve strode Lord Ekishi. All four met at midyard, where they halted, swerved to the High Matron’s box, hailed, and then hailed each other. Meanwhile the watchers danced merrily, singing so loudly as they could, and many with drums, horns, or clappers they had brought with. The throng-dance outlasted almost a tidefarthing, and with the mood-throe so overwhelming, most of our household clove as well, though we new mothers merely swayed with our babes.
At a new fanfare, the teams settled for the first game. While Lea and the Sealnea left the yard, two guests, Than and Ofu-Laubu readied to play. A loosely eager mood overtook the watchstands with sundry dances outbreaking in odd knots. Winewater stands opened at the gateways, and cakesellers began hawking among the benches, offering all kinds of fruits, cakes, cheese, and even meatworsts, which Remaue and Kaure scampered to buy. Luckily Remaue shared half with me, whose fat sap tasted of cloves and nettles.
Bywardly, a groom hastened from the High Matron’s box, who came and boded Her Highness beseeched me to come for doleful sake. Though I looked to Taiase and Lady Marauqereth, neither had outlay. Mildly femuddled, I listened and, with Kaure and Remaue ahost, went to the box-seat. There we hailed all Their Highnesses.
Lady Vifaul shrove they wished a canny witch-driver for the game’s start. ~Yeio se ahante-ye o’aezhi ridizamaere rahezyelis, o’leiri-seili bisya-shyaelis enyora,~ she put forth: “Since you so cannily yesteryear hovered clanwives, we wondered if you would bestow the boon of casting the ball.” She merrily joked of the misdeed at yesteryear’s masktide when I had floated Lady Byreath aloft after her leaveless kiss. I beheld a mild forgiveness, doubtlessly earned by Byreath’s outproven wickedness and the war’s outcome. From a groom Her Highness took a ball and gave it, at which I meekly nodded. I settled Aeosel on my left arm, while my right hand took the ball she bestowed. Then with a grin to Kaure and Remaue, I swerved to the yard and the crowd.
When the crowd saw the ball in my hand, their roar deafened. Their eager, gleesome mood dazed like a swig of meadbrandy matched with dreamsmoke, and glinted back twofold in my babe’s mind. I staggered, almost dropped the ball, but held while my wifemates rushed aside and upheld me. Chuckling with them, I caught breath. We let the crowd’s thrill overwash and steadily grew kith to it. Then I held the ball overhead, at which beck the whole gameyard forelookfully hushed.
With a light toss, and beseeching Burning-Mother’s blessing under whose blue palace we gathered, I soul-drove the ball heavenward. In this deed, my main inthrift forestayed in aiming the ball so near to the yard’s midst as canny. Even so, I felt the need to get a worthily high cast. I got the idleness of beholding the watchers’ necks twist backward, and though the sun was not yet at day’s height, some must shield their eyes. Gladly, the ball landed within a Shota-stride of the yard’s midst, and with so much strength that both teams let it bounce, whence it easily lifted to thrice anyone’s height. Then they hastened, and the game began.
Although Her Highness offered to let us stay in the box-seat, we chose to go back to our household. Still giddy from the crowd’s cheer, we made way back to our stead, where I felt the need to kiss all our housemates. Thus I but dimly remind the inning’s first half.
For this first game, both cities had chosen mingled teams both Damaya and Korasha, forespeaking a couth play-wise and aimful on deftness over strength. Both fielded tall Damaya middle-teams, fleet-dashing Korasha sidewings, and stalwartly threatful Korasha backrows. While Than fielded a Damaya witchdriver, Ofu-Laubu’s was Korasha. Herein also their play-wises shed. Though the Thana behinged on their witchdriver casting long shots at the Lauba goal-end, their foes undertook a bold running game, kicking and hovering the ball with tight teamwork. This playcraft proved wealthy when, at the first inning’s end, the Lauba outscored Than by three goals to two.
While the inning-break, I came back from the outhouse and overheard Oshis joking with Lady Marauqereth. He claimed the Lauba runners would weary and so yield the game’s behoof to the Thana. She answered the Thana witchdriver would weary more, thus keeping behoof with the Lauba, and then dared him to bet. They forespoke a stake of ten coppermarks and an ale keg. I soon went to Erymi and whispered we should heed what bets our housemates were staking, lest they leave us wantsome. We also kept a jealous eye on Oshis and our Lauba guest, since we begrudged the thought of adding more fatherkin to our household.
Over the gametide, we watched the bet’s outcome shape. The Lauba runners indeed tired, and for a short while at the third inning’s start, Than overtook the score’s lead. Yet eyesomely the Thana witchdriver wearied as well, and their forerunners could not overtake the burden. The Lauba lead came back, and unmerely from their runners, but from their witchdriver also. Ere the end-bell rang, Ofu Laubu had outscored Than nine goals to eight. While the two teams arowed thankfully in the yard, we all yaysaid it had proven a doughty first game between these two elder foes. Lady Marauqereth shrove it had even befallen kindlier than earlier games, which she deemed good.
While the last inning and into the breaktide, the watchstands had steadily filled, until right ere the next game’s start, not only were the seats full, but folk were standing in the lanes and along the railway, and overhead even perched upon the outer wall’s top. More enthrivingly, I also witted many watchers were children; some hithercome with mothers or fathers, though others alone, seemingly sneaked inside wickedly. I overlooked our household’s own children: Lanaryel grumpily rising from slumber under the shade-fly, Lenis with Donas hanging from the rail while unforbearingly they watched grooms raking the yard. I had an inkling why so many had come.
Then the gamereeve strode to midyard. At bows to the scoreteller and the High Matron’s box, she again raised her wand, and the full crowd cheered. When the next two teams, however, took the yard, I feared the roar might burst our heads as Aeosel wept fitfully on my breast. Both Lea and the Sealnea introd, and for which team the cityfolk yelled more loudly, their homefellows or their wonderful guests, I could not reckon.
This game’s start-toss did not need me, since the headmistress of Lea’s Soul-Hall had come. This deed freed me to help mind the children, who were almost falling over the rail under thrill. Our seat gave me good sight to read the matched teams while they readied for the toss. At the Sealnea team’s rear I spotted Ushna their witchdriver, and reminded our idle witchball-spar.
Thoughtlessly I found myself wishing her winfulness.
The headmistress drove the ball right high aloft, and which came down almost at yard’s midst like a thunderbolt. At first, both teams’ forerunners withheld, samely as had done with my cast. Yet then the Sealnea midrunner made an uncannily high leap and bodyslammed the ball forward, in a blow that must have hurt so much as it wealed. Recklessly he tumbled aground and rushed forward, dodging his matched foe. At once the other Sealnea forerunners followed and brunted through their foes as the Lea team found itself playing ward, and the crowd cheered the bold start.
As I reckoned the game’s playwise, eyesome it showed that the Lea team had long and well drilled, under pride as the games’ host and their neighbors’ sight. Yet two words bespoke the Sealnea’s playwise: boldness and nimbleness. At times, we watched a lone monkey dodge two oncoming Lashunta, even warmind-linked. Furthermore, their mean players’ lack of soulmight seemed no great lack, forwhy their leaps, grasping tails, and hands upon their feet doughtily upmade, snaring the ball aloft even when the Lea players swerved it. Lastly and unleastly, in their boldness, the Sealnea played with a recklessness I can only name gleeful. The watchers among whom we sat so bewitted their mood and loved them for it.
On a deeper whit, I tried to reckon the outcome of war-mind on the game, for the Lashunta stirred timely together, backing each other in a wise that helped offset the Sealnea’s nimbleness. As the Lea players brunted further toward the Sealnea backfield, however, and nearer where Ushna waited, I witted a shift among the Sealnea players. Their deeds tightened until they shared timeliness almost so well as the Lashunta. I beread the witchdriver’s might, bringing her teammates into a kind of mindshare to withstand the Lashunta’s behoof.
Then we got a show of Ushna’s mightiness when the Lea onslaught grew overbold and their backrow came forward to strengthen the drive. Anon the ball hovered by the witchdriver, at which she shoved, and I almost felt her soulmight’s shock from afar. The ball flew straight at the Lea goal-end, and with no warders to forbid, easily scored. The crowd cheered rather to their home team’s shame.
After the inning-break, the Lea team came back earnestly. I reckon it behaved more from loss’s shame, but also want to prove worth under their neighbors’ sight. Right from the cast they made a hearty and well teamed onslaught, cannily hovered the ball into the Sealnea’s rearyard even over their foe’s leaps, and ruthlessly overwhelmed Ushna the witchdriver, and then with a stout kick drove it through the endgoal. The crowd cheered their home team so loudly as they had ere cheered the Sealnea, much to heal their pride. Their will also stiffened, for again they drove the ball into the Sealnea rearyard, where a fierce and hopeless strife overheld most of the inning’s last half, and wherein the Lea team even brought their backrow and witchdriver forward to strengthen the drive. Right ere the bell rang, the Lea witchdriver ran straight at Ushna, whereat I misdoubt some kind of soul-fight outbroke between, Whatever the forsoothness, the mindshare-like canniness Ushna had wielded to link her backrow fell. At once, the Lea runners swarmed and again drove the ball through the endgoal, taking the score-lead.
While the last inning-break, the teams withdrew to their goal-ends to draw breath and overread. I caught short sight of Ushna, who crouched with shoulders heaving. The Lea witchdriver’s deed to come so far forward and dare her alone within the Sealnea rearyard was an odd stroke and threatsome, since the Lea team had almost forsaken their own rearyard. A timely and well aimed Sealnea shot could easily score, even over the yardlength. Deeply I wondered while the teams gathered at midyard for the last inning’s ballcast, if the Lea had twice outwon with the same deed, how likely would they try again?
From the High Matron’s box the ball soared midyardward. The Sealnea midrunner leapt wildly, even ere it landed. Under its flight he tumbled backward and kicked the ball, back toward the Sealnea rearyard. Straightway the Lea forerunners brunted forward, eyesomely thinking to dare their foes ere they could start their drive downyard. Yet instead of following the ball, the Sealnea runners met the oncomers, hindering their brunt: a foredoomed deed, forwhy Lea’s Korasha wingmen overplowed their slighter foes, and even the Damaya outweighed and outreached them. Yet we soon witnessed the stalwart monkeyfolk’s will lay not in halting their foes, but merely slowing.
From the witchdriver’s wontsome stead at fullback, Ushna dashed forward right to where the ball bounced. Soon as it came within her might, it hovered upward. Five more strides she ran forward with the ball overhead, almost to where the Lea forerunners were wildly trying to break through the Sealnea ward-row and could see her readying the stroke. Then she leapt and punched her fist forward in strong token, at which beck the ball shot over the yard.
Though the Lea witchdriver and rearward had not forsaken their rear yard, still they had come forward. The ball sped maybe five armspans overhead and aside from the witchdriver’s head, who stared shakenly. If he tried to hinder or otherwise slow its flight, he missed. The ball flew into Lea’s goal-end while the crowd’s buzz shifted to a roar at this doughty witch-deed.
While the teams reset for the kickoff, I could read shock again shifting to shame and anger upon the Lea’s antennae. They reckoned they had let the goalstroke and so bethreatened their scorelead, with full will they should not let it happen again as the Sealnea rearward kicked the ball downyard. The ball landed before the Lea rearward, who smartly sped it forward to their midrunner. Ere she began a whirl, however, the whole Sealnea forerow gathered upon her, right like (I ashamedly write) a pack of wild monkeys. Even with the ball whirling aloft, their tails grabbed it. Then again they hurled it backward, where ready Ushna waited. Again she lifted and drove it forward with strength like a boltloom dart.
This tide, however, the Lea witchdriver was forewaiting. His mightiness caught the ball and swung it back to answer her shot with his own as the ball flew back over the yard.
A Sealnea wingrunner leapt into the ball’s path and slammed it back aground. Anon the whole Sealnea forerow, with their halfbacks upcoming, swarmed the Lea rearyard. For the first ever within this game, they foot-dribbled the ball downyard, tossed it to each other with their nimble feet-hands and tails and if they played at any misbehoof for lacking war-mind or soulmight, they showed it not. A grim gametide began before the Lea goal-end with the whole Lea team striving to offstay their foe’s onslaught. Many times the Lea outwilled to send the ball back to the Sealnea yardside, but merely to have Ushna hinder and drop it back into the Lea rearyard.
While we watched, I witted a new mood grow, both in the watchers and in the Lea team below: they had foredeemed their soulmight and tighter teamwork as behoof to keep the onslaught upon the Sealnea goal-end. Yet the Sealnea had offstripped that slight thought. In its stead, something like doubt crept into the Lea team’s mind. In hopelessness, the Lea rearward drove the ball toward the farside wall.
The Sealnea wingrunner, however, instead of hindering that drift, inleapt and kicked it against the wall. The ball bounded back midward, where the left forerunner dashed forth and kicked mightily, again sending the ball through the Lea goal-end. The crowd howled gleefully, against their neighbor-team’s shame.
More tidewhits ticked off until the endbell. Yet though the teams still played and strove, I felt the game had already ended. The crowd lost all hold of dance and song and cheered afoot, seeming witless that their city’s team lost, for in the Sealnea, a folk who had seemingly come out of yore-tale, they found outlandish darling heroes, and who even seemed to have won against the odds. Maybe, as a game well played, it recked not. Wiselessly, the two teams again met at midyard, where they bowed, and in a Sealnea beck clasped hands.
The watchstands cleared while the cityfolk flooded into the streets, where doubtlessly unwatered wine and ale waited to strengthen the mirthtide. Lady Marauqereth took soft and thankful leave, recleaving the Lauba bodehost. Her eyes betrayed thought at the game’s witness, and I misdoubt some purpose drove her, and furthermore that the Lauba will take earnestly the bet Lady Kueth had made with Lord Ekishi, which will come to a head tomorrow when their teams play. Our household forbore until we could carry the children out and come to the embassy. Then happily the children, and no few grownups, slumbered, and I have had hap to get these deeds written aleaf while Aeosel nestles ashoulder.

Lashunta Words & Phrases:

• ~Dei~: interrogative sentence-particle, roughly 'Do/Does/Did'.
• ~Aesehassi~: to ready; be ready; make ready; prepare
• ~Enyoraheva~ (common): Hoverball; a game played by kicking and levitating a ball.
• ~Enyo~ (neuter): an infatable bladder-ball
• ~Rahevassi~: to hover; levitate