A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4, Chapter 47

In which Lady Vaeol witnesses Lea’s farewell to the Hoverball Tournament as Heaventide brings the new year.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

2. Motorae - Newyear’s Eve
Today’s game started easily late, which gave the morntide for the spear-tilt’s last bout-set, though under hoverball’s shadow I fear this trial happened shamefully unwatched. Also, after the Motorae’s bawdiness, too many cityfolk bear wine-heavy heads. I shrive we guiltily have forsaken the spear-tilt as well, though from needful reason that we must heed the children.
After slumbertide, nighmost the whole cityfolk again gathered in the Gameyard to witness the champion game between Ofu-Laubu’s team and the Sealnea of Akadru. All wondered whether this would repeat the second game wherein the two had first played. While Lady Marauqereth happily hailed us, she stayed in the High Matron’s box with Her Highness and the ambassadors, though inthriftly she sat next to His Highness Ekishi. What speech they had I wonder.
The two teams introd the yard, much to the crowd’s buzz (though some hisses at the Lauba team reminding their ereward misdeeds). To our inthrift, instead of the all-Korasha team they had fielded against the Sealnea two days ago, today’s Lauba team forelooked both Damaya and Korasha, an eyesome shift from their earlier gamecraft that grew much talk. How their playwise would shift, and how the Sealnea would behave, we must see.
I have thought much on this game since witness, both on its wonder and dread. It proved better, beholding fewer fouls than the first game, but also worse, in that the teams, already after four days straight, were wearier. Unhappily, this weariness weighed heavier on the Sealnea, mayhap forwhy they had fewer players to switch. Wiselessly, they had already played their best game while the Lauba team drove unswervingly over the yard. For all the monkeyfolk’s amazing leaps, Damaya height kept the ball hovering right higher to shirk their grasp. And yet neither did the Sealnea yield the game, for though the Lauba scored first, when next Ushna took the ball, she drove it over the field and right through the Lauba players’ rows with so much strength they could not even slow its flight. Yet the end-bell beheld the Lauba with one goal-score more than the Sealnea, five goals to four, of which Ushna had scored three as her team’s witch-driver, while the Lauba witch-driver had scored two. The crowd cheered the Lauba win (though mayhap not so loudly as they would if the Sealnea had instead done) while the team leaned breathlessly proud on each other, and the Sealnea bowed too outworn to sob. Then Her Highness, with Lady Kueth, Lady Glaethe, and Lord Ekishi hosting, came down to the yard, and under the full buzzing watchstands showingly yielded the prize-vat to the Lauba team.
Laterward at tonight’s mirthtide, Her Highness at the wine-tithe blessed the Lauba championship. Lady Kueth, in a marksome deed, acknowledged the Sealnea team, naming them the worthiest in doughtiness and honor. By my read of the crowd, wherein some still whispered the Sealnea should have won the game-set, begladdened of her shrift.
His Highness Ekishi then stood forth, bowed, and acknowledged the ambassador’s high praise, and dolefully coming from Ofu-Laubu. Then he reminded that a thing yet outstood: the last bet, that against the Sealnea’s loss, Ushna had again outscored the Lauba witch-driver. Therefore, Ofu-Laubu owed another crown.
Lady Kueth’s face fall while he spoke. Almost I wondered her fearful. Yet Lady Marauqereth strode forth. At her bid, a groom incame, bearing a crown allwise so well wrought as the matron’s crown Lady Kueth had ere yielded. The young captain took it, knelt, and gave it to Ekishi.
His Highness Ekishi took it lissomely. Shortly he halted, and then said that when the team-bode comes back to Akadru, he will tell their folk that Ofu-Laubu bestowed these crowns under friendship, forwhy only friends would so do. He added that Akadru would be blessed to name Ofu-Laubu as friend. Then he likewise knelt before Lady Marauqereth and beseeched her leave. The young captain clasped the wizened monkey’s hand.
While I write this log, I find more riddles, on a subtler rede, in these nobles’ deeds than answers. I have wondered right how forgiftful Ofu-Laubu truly is toward the Sealnea. Is their elder grudge asoothed, outcomefully by the game-set’s championship beating the Sealnea and Ekishi’s lissome words? Or is it emblazed hotter by the old Monkey-Lord's cunning side-bet, whereby, against the championship’s loss, he has gained not one Lauba crown but two, which doubtlessly shall show as dear prizes when the teambode comes home. Maybe the deed is more muddled, whereby the one deed gainsays the other, or not. Maybe they fave found a small yard of friendship amid their feud? The truth falls under neither under my thoroughsight nor foresight.
Wiselessly, one thing I did ere we left the mirthtide and again came to the embassy. I found Ushna the Sealnea team’s witchdriver. I knelt and gave her my brow-bead, which I had gotten after uprise as soul-seer at the Ihezhoshu, with word that, by my witness, none shall doubt the mightiness of Sealnea soulcraft. The slight monkey-wife clasped my hands, even with tears in eye, and said she shall hold me to our forespeech to play witchball again when I am ready. Then she laid a kindly hand on Aeosel’s merry brow, bowed, and left.

Newyear, 24,545 - Leiss Farmhold
Heaven showed on the walk to templetide and right as the bells rang, an omen the sun-seers will doubtlessly read. It felt good to sing the Blessing-Sake after this last year undergone, against all its boons, like the babe sleeping in my arms, with all its ills: the war, Vohyd’s death, and the many else sorrows Lady Byreath had wrought, which thought I could not withhold from hymn: ~O’samae mashi eayi ma-tei.~ - May her evil be behind us.
Though the mirthtides akeep tonight, we have chosen to again come to our stalwart hosts, Elarue’s kindred, and spend this holiday with them, and bearing gifts to worship their good guesthood: a new shovel for Rosh (he had cracked the blade yestermonth), nettlethorn bonebalm for Nath to ease his ache, and a new silken skirtshroud for Mirazael her mother, brown with a bold strip of pink and gold, and a goldleaf pattern repeating on the background, along with a stout alekeg, a thurse-kid roast Tae and Less had bargained to good cheapness at the butcher, and a box of meadbrandy spicecakes Remaue found at a bakeshop. These tasties we yielded to our worthy farmwife and beseeched to ready her kindred a holiday duskmeal. Then rather haughtily Remaue and Less bade all else from the kitchen, though Nath overwon inlet to make grassberry cake, while Vosaeth and I yielded Mirazael and her daughter cups and thewed them ale, against their outcry, and in dearth let them nestle our babes.
Erenow I walked the meadow, checking on what wickedness Ess and the other Shota have upcaught, and rocking my son while I sing the sun-hymn. In mayhap another omen, sunlight bathed the hometree. I witted our flag, our household, kindred, loves, and friends all gathered, and was overcome by the unsoothness of our time eregone.
Ten years ago, on this day I became an outrider. Right afterward, I first met Remaue as my shieldbearer, and also Erymi and Oshis. Soon afterward, Remaue and I shared our first, keenly dear breathtide wherein we twined antennae (while Oshis was rutting Erymi like a wild beast) and we became maidenloves. A little laterward, we met Tae and Less, and then found Brand and the Aslanta, the deedtide whereon our lives hinged. Nine years ago, I won the City Games. Then the queenslayer hunt, Remaue got her bridetide, and Oshis and I were downstood. Then came the Formian Warfare with its wasteful, sorrowful span, but cleaving us with Vosaeth and Semuane, and then the deedstorm sinceward. Against all life’s dread, thankfulness has overcome me.

4. Koelae, 24,545 - Leiss Farmhold
Yesterday the Lauba, Thana, and Sealnea team-bodes took leave of the city, with much crowd, cheer, and song, to the outstretch that their leavetide made almost so much wildness as them coming. It was enthriving to watch the by-play among the ambassadors while they made their last prayers, betelling some of the trucecraft that had underplayed while the Games. While Ofu-Laubu held the prize-vat as the game-set’s lawful champions, few unminded the Sealnea had become the game-watchers' most beloved. Neither could we forget that, against the loss, the Sealnea were going home with two Lauba matrons’ crowns, which prize would surely soften any shame. More enthriving forestood the thought that somewise the noble and subtle Monkeyfolk had outwon in offswaying the elder feud between them and Ofu-Laubu.
With Than’s wantsome show as the lone team who had won no games, one might bethink them ashamed. Yet, though they got little cheer, I had often seen Lady Glaethe their ambassador cloven alone with Her Highness Lady Vifaul, who bequeathed an outstanding lot of goodwill. To my thought, Than was seeking to win an else game than Hoverball.
Lady Marauqereth, the Lauba captain whose name had given us so much riddlesomeness, left today with a small sith of Thakasa-flyers. She had given us kindly blessing and repeated the hope (and Her Highness Lady Kueth’s welcome) that she may again see us at her city. We still have no else clue on who she might truly be, though she had ever behaved us fairly.
Afterward, we met Her Highness Lady Zhaene, Taiase, and Vosaeth and overtalked these whits and else. Now that Newyear’s thrill has ebbed, we find ourselves aloss for our next deed. Unforecatchingly, Vosaeth bestirred to recleave her clan for the Floodtide Hunt. Yet Her Highness beread wariness, since Byreath and the Zhihuafa still run loose. Taiase halted betorn, forwhy she sorrowfully misses Istae (as do we all). So we yaysaid to outreach the Miniada by far-seer word and beseech news.
Under that thought, Taiase and I together boded to Lady Vei:

~O’heieni mallafa o Lea. Siroaf dizamara o’hiruzaruassi o’vellathya-zhaoe:~
“We wait trucesomely in Lea. We yearn for the clan and would recleave for the hunt.”

…To which we got this answer:

~Zau bealdu ealura eshi zhosishura-dei. Adu vearu karaeantu. O’temi neamisa, oe zayaea-ruae Vosaethru utherru horusolasserru:~
“The mamba has fled the tree, but not the rainwood. It fangs are still deadly. Stay safe, and bid Vosaeth our daughter forbear.”

I shrive some withholdingness in giving this word to the others, forwhy Vosaeth atook it with foreseen ill liss. Insteading of soothing, she bemaddened that Byreath her foe still rides free. After all we had yesteryear undergone, I cannot rightly beguilt her.
Today, under Vosaeth’s will, we brought the thing to the whole household. Though Honosil and Zhaunyth outspoke for Vosaeth’s wish to seek the clan, all the mothers else, ingathering Threarde bechild and myself, outspoke to stay in Lea. Taiase withheld choice. Yet all the Korasha, incleaving Vosaeth’s own haremmates, outspoke to stay here, forwhy their honor as fathermates owes to keep mothers and children safe. Eneash answered best against his housewife’s unspoken wrath, that if the Zhihuafa wish another fight: ~O’romi-tei thanisa retaeara-qaoe, eshi olue di vara sholyela,~ - “Let them come over the moor, but not find us upon it.”
Vosaeth’s antennae slumped. Then she bent nape and offwalked, hugging her son. I afterfollowed to assure her mood. She was merely standing in the meadow, letting Sonnauf pet Kaef her Shotalashu. She looked at me ashamedly and said I must bethink her silly for so wanting her kin amid all plight. I naysaid, gave her my son, and took hers, as two brothers evenly beloved. I answered I bewanted her having kindred so worthy. ~Shirama koma o’maeavi iloa omue,~ - “All my kindred worth belonging is here.”

Lashunta Words & Phrases:

• ~Samae~ (spiritual): liss; grace; thanks
• ~Mashi~ (spiritual): plight; danger
• ~Heieni~ (spiritual): truce; peace
• ~Mallafa~: 1st person passive of ~mallassi~: to wait
• ~Siroaf~: 1st person active of ~siroassi~: to yearn; want
• ~Dizamara~: accusative of ~dizama~ (common): clan; tribe
• ~Zau~ (animal): hood-adder; mamba
• ~Bealdu~: 3rd-person animal of ~bealassi~: to run; flee
• ~Ealura~: accusative of ~ealu~ (animal): megadendron; tree
• ~Shirama~ (common): kindred; family
• ~Koma~ (common): whole; all
• ~Maeavi~ (spiritual): ownership; belonging
• ~Iloa~: 3rd person common of ~iloassi~: to be worth
• ~Omue~ (spiritual): here; inclusive location to both speaker and listener