A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4, Chapter 5

In which Lady Vaeol recounts a new addition to their flag-pod.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be'Son

11. Vinelae, 24,543 - Leiss Farmhold, Lea
I am eager to tell of our arrival here at Lea. Yet other wordworthy whits must be bewritten first.
Soon after my bechildness’s good news, the Clan again packed and headed northward, beginning the two-month wanderfare toward the Blighttide Clanmoot. We rode with them, though already we overtalked whether we should stay or head further eastward to Lea, where we knew we were already forelooked. Taiase was torn between these choices, for she had so begladdened of her time among these newfound young Retaea. Yet she had also had strong links to Lea, back when as a princess she had ayore fared these lands.
While we tarried, the choice was formade. On the Ninth of Vealae, a fit overcame Tae while we rode, and she outquoth her water broken. The other mothers came and called the midwife-priest. Vosaeth read with her mother, and deemed that our households should stay behind while the Clan went onward. Swiftly our two tents upstood, and we ushered Tae inside while the Clan’s wagons faded at the mist-edge.
We wives and maidens gathered aring the main tent’s dais, where Tae strove while the men and children waited tightly outside. Tae entered a queer war-mind, whereby she upheld her child through their wrackship-throes. The midwife-priest helped them reach a deep daze, which numbed the hurt and helped her body ease. Vosaeth and I held her hands while the others took shifts soothing her brow or serving the midwife’s bids so best as we could.
A long daytide later, the midwife-priest called the tide was come, and Tae was overtaken by a need to shove. Wonderingly I watched her bring a new soul into the world: a boy, ruddy like Less, who wailed strongly at first breath. Straightway the midwife-priest laid him on Tae’s bosom. We all looked on this small babe in wordless awe.
Ere the prayer to cut the afterbirth, Less showed at the door, for he had heard the babe’s wail. At once the wives hissed that he came too soon. He knelt, bowed head to ground, and begged to see his blessed wifemate and child. Taiase, Istae, Remaue, Kaure, Erymi, Draue, and Vosaeth’s housewives all stood as a wall to forbid him until the midwife-priest fulfilled her work. When it was done, she nodded leavingly at me.
With a kiss I left Tae in Vosaeth’s good care. I strode through the wall of warding bodies, beside Remaue until I overstood Less groveling at the door. The babe’s wail had faded, leaving the tent eerily still. Yearningly Less looked upward. I saw want glowing great in his face, and also fear that some ill might have overtaken mother and child.
I had no heart to withhold news. ~O’relesi thanis eistrye-serru, o’ollaelassi uthastra.~ - “Come worship your wifemate, and welcome your son,” I bade.
Less laughed tearfully. He bolted afoot and rushed through the wives, almost overknocking Remaue, which earned her chide (though unearnestly, for she forgivingly understood). He slowed only when he reached the dais, where Tae lay against a pillow, with their son nuzzling. He stumbled and sagged at the edge, where I think wonder, unbelief, and love overtook him. When Tae glanced upward, he kissed her feet while his mighty shoulders shivered. Giftfully she nodded leave, whereat he climbed abed, crawled beside and meekly lay. His broad fingers softly outreached and stroked the tiny head’s hairy whisps.
I stood arear Remaue and hugged her to my bosom, for I had ever rued we had fared to war and missed when she bore Lanaryel, and understood that Less had felt samely. At last he had witnessed his child’s birthtide, and I witted an inkling of what his heart underwent. Then Tae called forth that Remaue should bring her new babe’s big sister to meet. Our little wife-moot broke with songs of thanks and liss, which the men answered gladly and greeted us with hugs and kisses when we came outside. Less came out laterward, for I think he had wished to stay with Tae. Yet soon as he stepped, the other men cheered with roars and howls. They hugged him, beat his back, and lifted him high while he wept.
While I stood in arm with Kaure watching, Less stayed Remaue while she bore Lanaryel inside to meet her little brother. Swiftly he knelt at her feet. Remaue smiled blessingly and stroked his head ere she kept way within. Then I beheld Erymi with Tesine and Vosaeth hugging Oshis, and also, I gladly tell, Sievae with her boy Lenis. At Erymi’s nod, she beckoned me join, whereat I left Kaure with a kiss and joined their ring by hugging Oshis from behind. Playfully he nuzzled my bosom, and then knelt and kissed all our bellies. Then he gave all the children rough whisker-kisses, which sent them away squealing laughingly.
We slept early that nighttide, with a bare watch on the moors. I was forecaught at how weary we all were after sharing Tae’s birthtide. Yet her hurt and work had outworn us through mindshare, even though our bodies were spared.
The next day, the Tenth of Vealae, Vosaeth deemed a holiday in cheer of the birth, and bade that fathermates should serve mothermates. This made a funny offmatch between Less and Oshis, for Less had only to serve Tae and Remaue, which he did gladly. Indeed, he would let none else serve Tae, but doted while she suckled their babe, behaply offsplitting to check Remaue, who proved an easy mistress (for once!) with Lanaryel already five years old. Yet Oshis had to serve not only Erymi but Vosaeth herself, and also Sievae and me. We kept him running over the whole camp, fetching winewater, cooking fruitcakes, and filling our cups. When he whined, Erymi bade him forereckon more work if all his other mothermates were also here! Less, true to himself, could not offlet a hap to tease his friend, and made even greater show with Tae and Remaue, outcalling them as kindly and loving mothermates and his ease in their service. This drew a wroth eye from Oshis, right ere we bade him bake more sweetcakes.
In all, it made an idle daytide. Yet I could not help witting some other behavior. When Vosaeth’s harem-mates whined that they might not serve her, she bade them begladden her childless housewives. Draue and Nae called Hanos and offered that, only if he wished, he might serve them. This deed heartened him, and he listened. I knew that long sinceward he and Nae had been lovers, along with behaply Draue and Sievae, though no hint that Nae had ever gotten bechild.
I also witted Kaure, a lone maiden among us wives, stealing off toward the Shotalashu, and wondered whether we had done an unfairness. While the others dallied, I took soft leave and followed.
I found Kaure with Taiase and Istae, who had stayed shed in our house-tent while we others were dallying in Vosaeth’s. They were braiding Kaure’s hair. Hailingly, Taiase asked why I was not begladdening of my man-groomship with the others. I answered I had gotten my fill and sought my maidenmate’s fellowship. At their welcome, I sat behind Kaure, and against the tent-pole to prop myself under her mighty weight, and drew her head onto my bosom, where I could kiss her hair, knead her great shoulders, and twine antennae with hers. Her thoughts ran deep and tangled, as usual. One question shone: what if she may never bear a child, and so never earn the worship the fathermates even then were yielding?
I answered thoughtsomely she would stand in good fellowship, even with Taiase and Istae here, and furthermore Semuane our beloved in Qabarat. The truth, however, I full-witted more manifold than I bespoke. Taiase here was rightfully a wife, though she had born her children long ago. Istae I had wondered whether she would follow Semuane’s path and stay evermaid, or not. Semuane, my warlike heavenly beauty, I knew had made a hard choice, unleastly for her mother and kindred’s sorrow that she would have no children. Also, it is easier to stay childless as an Outrider, while Kaure, our beloved ~Korashe~, had no such behoof, and even less. Others beyond our household would doubtlessly look down on her, not only as Thwartkind, but also as childless. So I added to my answer that, if she needed me here or ever, so I would be, and not among the mothers, and also that, at one swift word, Remaue would come, too.
While we spoke, I sifted thought of what goodwill had grown between Kaure and Hanos, for he had been wooing her. I gathered that, though she gladdened from his friendship and mindfulness, she wished for deeper love. Guilt chewed at her choice, for she feared she was missing forehap to further herself. I soothed her doubts and bade her stay sheer to her truth. ~Doloma doatha vae-bei.~ “All else misdraws from the soul,” I quoth philosophy.
Soon inward came Oshis, shoulders sagging downcast. We asked what misfell, whereat he answered Vosaeth had bidden him bring a body-pillow, at which both Erymi and Sievae had added their wishes. Warily he looked at me, as if he feared I too would build his till. Guilt overtook that I had so added. I spoke him peace and bade him sit, whereon he sat with us and laid head on my shoulder.
My mind dwelt on both Kaure and Oshis, matching them, both Korasha. I beheld him, who wished his pride acknowledged and not cast aside, whereas she yearned to find that pride. I reckoned the unfairness we Lashunta, and dolefully Damaya, wreak on others we deem lesser.
Bywardly Oshis with a kiss rose, saying that he would be missed and bechided for forsaking groomship. I answered he rightly served Vosaeth in her thickness, but that Erymi’s and Sievae’s children were grown enough. Thus, if he wearied of being their sport-butt, he should forewhelmingly claim I bade him to service, and he might find kindliness here. Wryly he left, though laterward he came again, laid head on my thigh, and slumbered.
Toward fore-eve, Remaue sauntered in and beheld Oshis sleeping on my lap. She yelled shame and, against my beg, ran to tell the other wives. Vosaeth and Erymi came together and overstood grinningly while Oshis warily woke. Then they chided me for betrayal, that I had withheld our fathermate when he rightfully owed service. When I answered he is my fathermate, too, and I could rightfully bid him to wait on me, they naysayingly deemed the betrayal mine and not his, for I had behaved against our shared motherhood. Vosaeth chided I might think lovingly on him now, but that I should wait until my belly swells, my back aches, and I could hardly ride a saddle, to which Remaue and Erymi yaysaid wholeheartedly. Then Erymi bade Oshis help with duskmeal, which listfully he did. Remaue kissed me with warning that they should deem me after duskmeal.
The next day, after we packed and rode eastward to Lea, Tae rode her steed beside while she suckled her baby son in her arms. I reached and touched her arm while our Shotalashu jogged ashoulder through the grass, and beckoned her my blessing. Tae lovingly looked down. Then she spoke she had bethought a name and would ask my leave to give it.
~Sti real?~ - “What name?” I asked.
~Yaraess~ she answered meekly: ‘Sun-flag’s Thane.’
Tears welled in my eyes. ~Real loe,~ - “A worthy name,” I spoke huskily, and reached my hand to take hers. We rode for a breathtide so linked, whiled I added: ~Assama relesya-ruaelf o uthastra thayelf shorasasstra reali-mya.~ - “Our house would be honored to have a son bearing that name.”
~Yei illif,~ - “So it shall be,” quoth Tae. I spoke the name Yaraess upon my house-son’s sleeping head while we rode forth.
Even this log-writ has made me weep again. I must halt now, but will reach our end soon.

Lady Vaeol continues her summary of her flag-pod's trip across the Retaea Moors.

Lashunta Terms & Phrases:

• ~O’relesi thanis eistrye-serru, o’ollaelassi uthastra.~ - “Come worship your wifemate, and welcome your son,”
• ~Doloma doatha vae-bei.~ “All else misdraws from the soul,”
• ~O’illi sere nolya-shyaelm o’shimnya-zei.~ - "We shall deem you after duskmeal."
• ~Sti real?~ - “What name?”
• ~Real loe,~ - "A worthy name."
• ~Assama relesya-ruaelf o uthastra thayelf shorasasstra reali-mya.~ - “Our house would be honored to have a son bearing that name.”
• ~Yei illif,~ - “So it shall be,” As/so we intend.