A Castrovel Adventure: Part 5, Chapter 31
~O'mei Vaeol-Ile mivuse losathyaru-orashyaru, oe samaea shole o'yaoma-mei mi homaelaura.~ (In which Lady Vaeol adjusts to her feud’s scandal, and finds grace in her flag and their new friendship with the elfmates.)
From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son
2. Asealae, 24,546 - 9th Month in Qabarat; Heavenwatch
~Huari ziae hozi,~ - Whispers fly swift. Yesternight I forbore a Treesong mirthtide at the Veialyshu, ingathering Taiase and Her Highness Lady Ivassil among the many soulseer masters. Whether the High Matron unheeded me through kindliness, unkindliness or mere unheed I could not tell. Of the few who willingly spoke with me, one was Lady Eneae, the matron whom we had met at Semuane’s household when first we came to this city, and Master Milos, whomwith I talked through the greater nighttide. If I still anywise recked my nameworth, I might worry of folksome sight with the master-inquisitor. Yet Lady Thauless his more bothersome fellow showed not, and we happily spoke of idle lore.
More dearly beheld tonight, however, when Indith, Leiendil, and Hauronil welcomed us at the blossomyard. We cheered Heavenwatch, which the Sun Temple had outcalled earlier today. All bedeem early Heaventide a good omen, and no few mirthtides and streetdances have begun. Yet our hosts had a doleful purpose when they outlaid groundshrouds and seatpillows upon the moss and bade us sit.
Somehow they foreknew the first glowmotes would bloom. Enthralled, we watched sparkles pink, blue, and orange hover high among the boughs and drift lower until they danced upon our breath almost overhead. Under this wondersight we worshipfully sat, and even our loudest housemates stilled, while Indith and Hauronil outshared small bowls of blossomwine (and our Korasha had brought bigger bottles of mead). The threesome sang an elfsong that thrilled even while it dazed. Under such fairness, we could not help falling into mindshare, wherein we likewise uptook the song.
Idly, we forsoothed Indith and Leiendil had likewise so cloven our ~Saiahi~. We felt their thrill sharing so many minds at once, almost fearful. Indith went to Kaure, whom she hugged to her bosom. I wared Leiendil witting Remaue, and then his blushing shame at her wicked lust. I outthought blessing and bade a hymn start, wherein we sang first to Father-Night for this nighttide’s thanks. Then we began a dance wherein we handed the children aring, begladdening in their merry bliss while we told of elder heroes, their sorrowful deeds, and noble deaths.
Laterward, while we caught breath and shared mead and more blossomwine, Hanos asked when Vuael’s Night befalls. I forespoke to check the heavenlog, but to my best swift thought, and if the sky opens, the earliest would be six days hence. This upbrought not only Vuael’s Night, which is not a holinight watched here in the South, but also that Kaure is Elindrae’s benamed priest. We learned no known temple to the Moon-God stands in Qabarat. Leiendil, however, spoke we may cannily get Kaure inread to the city’s priesthood. Along with Yaraesa’s temple (which is big), he underspoke Deznae’s, which forecaught me since, although I know Deznae’s shrine within the city, I had not known any priests belonged. To my question he asked back what we think a priest of a Wanderer-Goddess might do, to which I acknowledged fair word.
Somewhile later, we witted my father’s thoughts growing muddy, wherafter he soon fell out of mindshare. We found him hoarding a whole bottle of blossomwine, at which we chided his selfishness. Utterly shameless of his sin, however, he set forth to tell Indith and Leiendil what a proud othermate they belong in Hauronil, though which he reckoned as Son’s loss since we had offdriven such a worthy fellow. Then he headed to Hauronil, bowed, and tearfully shrove he knew Hauronil’s kindred, who had sorrily told their son had left Son, and that they rue his loss. Although Hauronil kindly soothed back, I read this knowledge’s hurt. I outthought to Kaure and Remaue the tide nigh to lead my father homeward and pour him into bed. Yet he stubbornly withstood my hinting touch until Kaure shoved her shoulder under his (which also had behoof of upholding his wobbliness).
Anon he swung to me. ~A shoeline~, - “My little darling,” he named (which he has not done since childhood and he was still taller): ~O’illi heieni-sya Maea iqoff,~ - “I would behold you and your mother’s peace.” To which he added: ~Si yaze,~ - “She misses you.” Although his words meant no ill will, they smote slaplike, which shamefully all within mindshare witted.
I forbore the slight, bestowed him his grandson to aim his mind, and held his other shoulder. Then we headed to Indith and thanked this wonderful nighttide. Our host openly hugged and bade me forgive my father’s blitheness. Then merrily she put forth I may send him back after his mind cleanses, and they will set him to work in geld. I laughed and so forespoke. Then she hugged Kaure, after which Hauronil followed, and we left with Remaue and me switching to bear my father’s weight while Kaure took his other side.
Since home, however, I cannot sleep. Beside this log lies an empty leaf. I have bethought to write my mother. Yet what words? How do I tell that I am so like her, born from her soul and mind, that I cannot yield, that in such a deed the shame is too great, and even my sorrow under her loss still shifts to anger?
Right now Remaue came behind, hugged my breast, and kissed my nape. ~Ahao sholi-sya shilya zhasis, a doauze valante,~ - “Maybe you tell her right that, you lovely fool,” she beread. Then she bade me one last tidewhit to end this log and cleave her abed.
3. Asealae, 24,546 - 9th Month in Qabarat
This morntide, my father was right sorry for his yesternight sottenness. ~Dei dehisaeadavas?~ - ~Was I uncouth?” he asked. ~Yei Shota o minneva!~ - “Like a Shota in a beehive!” we laughed, which well belikened his beloved blossomwine to honey. At his shame, we wickedly foreyielded he could today go back and mend the harm he had done. Our lie had him shakenly hastening back to the blossomyard, where he doubtlessly showed himself too sorry but relieved that the only harm done had been our hosts’ glee. He laterward came home cheering their yardcraft, and that he will look to show some things he had learned to his wifemate.
Through sheer will’s strength, I forbore writing the leafwrit to my mother and brought it to the Embassy, whence it will head upflood with the next herald-satchel. Whether it will mend our feud I have no good thought, thought at least it will let her know my heart, and how much I miss her. I would almost yield merely to behold her blessing her grandson.
4. Asealae 24,546 - 9th Month in Qabarat
This morn, I and Ess made the full run over the Stormshield, out to the beach, and back, without breaks. It wearied but felt good. I tried to rub him down at the stallbarn, but which he shifted into a game wherein he wished me to afterhunt, when Indith found us. Her intread faltered, whereat I had the inkling that she had erenever met Shotalashu. So I bade him to heel and to sit, and then welcomed her to meet him. Slowly she neared. He sniffed her reaching hand and let her touch his snout’s dainty scales. I showed her how to scratch his brow (whereat he almost shoved me off foot) and told that, if she spoke in Qabarati, he would listen. More reckfully, although Ess had ere met Elves, he seemed enthriven, sniffed her hair, and licked her ears.
While we walked to the household, Indith markedly deemed my father a good man and thanked his yesterday help, although she deemed his guilt-sorrow greater than the sin. I shrove we had spawned a small wickedness so beguilting him. We also forespoke they must come to my father’s workshow at the Blue Fey’s Shrine, which will happen at this month’s lattertide. At the house, we found Kaure, whereat I took leave to swiftly bathe and clothe, and came back when Kaure was boldly trying her newly learned Elvish. I overleaned my maidenmate, which let Aeosel clamber over us both. She tossed him upside down and swung him to me after I sat.
Indith anon grew shy. She had a doleful ask, but first knew not the forwardness: she would learn whether it is canny to reach straight mindshare, and whether I could so do. I answered frankly that, although I had witnessed Hauronil’s knack, I had never tried. She asked whether I would try.
Withholdingly, I fully wared plight lurked. I have fallen wretch to the Komori. Even so grim, still our Lashunta minds heal more readily than whatever harm to an Elven mind I could merely bedream. Yet I could not unheed the canniness, nor that it might lie within my might.
I grounded and outreached Indith. The Elfmistress gasped at our mind’s touch, our thoughts shared. I had earlier worried my mind’s strength frightened her, and so held lightly and let her loosen. Slowly I gathered Kaure in, and then my son. We wept together, sharing Indith’s overwhelmed mood while she outsought our hearts, and I could not tell whether she could not get enough of Kaure or my son. Then Remaue and Lanaryel found us and clove, whereat our daughter overgladdened at last finding the bond with an Elf she had ever sought. Too soon, against their outyells, I ended saiahi, since worryingly we might overweary our new friend’s mind. She left us with hugs and tears on her cheeks.
Lashunta Words & Phrases:
- Huari (spir): whisper; whispers
- Ziae (spir): swift; swiftness; swiftly
- Hozi (3rd-spir): flies
- Saiahi (spir): communion; psychic mindshare
- O’illi (adv): will; intend
- Heieni-sya Maea (spir acc): your peace and your mother's
- Iqoff (1st-trans cond): I/we would behold (~Iqovassi~)
- Si (spir): 2nd-person adverb; pertaining to you
- Yaze (3rd-fem): she misses/loses
- Ahao: maybe
- Sholi-sya (spir acc): your truth/accuracy
- Shilya (spir acc): merely; exactly
- Zhasis (2nd-trans): you write/tell
- A doauze (fem voc): you fool
- Valante (fem): beloved; lovely
- Dei: interrogative adverb
- Dehisaeadavas (1st-masc intrans perf): I was / we were uncouth
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