A Castrovel Adventure: Part 5, Chapter 53
~O'mei Vaeol-Ile kie nozhere zhaovyazantere, oe Anmathi Kaurryeru zelya dokovya shyali.~ (In which Lady Vaeol meets her prospective nemesis, and Heaventide brings Kaure unforelooked attention.)
From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son
7. Shenelae, 24,547 - 17th Month in Qabarat
Today afternoon, Kaure took leave, forespeakingly to meet Hauronil and undertake something at Yaraesa’s bookminster. When duskmeal started and she had not come home, we first worried. Then ere meal’s end, she and Hauronil came through the household’s gate, but behaving oddly. We met them and soon beheld bloody noses and bruised cheeks. Shock overtook my better mind, and I yelled warning, which brought the whole household - our flag’s warriors, Mistress Shotheiae and Nimaue and their daughters, and the grooms - gathered aring our Korasha wifemate and her elflike manlove. I feared the worst outcome: that Kaure and Hauronil had been beset by Rightkind toughs or some same plight. Mistress Nimaue shared the thought and almost sent a groom to bring the Streetwatch.
Yet Kaure forbade and answered that, if any fight had befallen, she and Hauronil had well withstood. They showed bloody knuckles, and not all theirs. Thereat we beseeched the household to withdraw while Remaue and I stayed (although our flagmates under stubborn faith yielded a mere stride), took washcloths, and afterlooked their hurts.
Neither Remaue nor I would forlet this thing. So Kaure told that, on behest of Yaraesa’s priests, they had gone to meet the ~Searazema~ - Hoodwearers - the wifely Korasha fellowship haunting the Marshfarthing. ~Eiare,~ - “They are a fierce lot,” she said, and outlaid that, such mistrust owns them that they had dared our wifemate and Hauronil fight to show their worthiness. So proven, however, they now own fellowship. Anon we begged their tale and the Hoodwearers’ likeness. Kaure bespoke them as indeed clannish, with their elder wives wielding almost queenlike might. Yet inthriftily, their clans own more than Korashe, since they have children, and although some children are likewise Thwartkind, not all. Their elder kin go among the broader city, working as traders and wordbodes, thus upholding their mothers and spreading sway. To her word: ~Korashe-le di doahante,~ - “Those Korashe are not mightless,” and warned they may reach even the Richfarthing.
Even without Kaure, I would find these Searaze heedful. Yet this is my wifemate’s business. I reckon whether their outlaw pride may own too strongly to let them meet an outrider like me.
14. Shenelae, 24,547 - 17th Month in Qabarat
Today the household got a guest: Minal Oshis’s half-sister, which means the Raumoeva have come back! We met her at the midyard’s treeshrine, where I almost fought Mistress Shotheiae for right to serve tea. We had much talk: the outcome of Minal’s tradefare on the house’s behalf, the overall news from the Shattersea, and unleastly that Minal is bechild. Oshis overboldly yelled right to first worship his sister’s new motherhood. He knelt and kissed her belly, whereat we all followed wise.
I gladdened when Minal reminded Vosaeth, and that the shipwife and the reaverwife had swiftly stricken friendship at Kaure’s bridetide. We told that under qualmlock we had gotten a month more with my oathsister and her house, after which they had left back for Ofu-Laubu. Minal rued she may never again get hap to meet her, although she now reckons them as kin.
At the end, I asked to speak alone, whereat I asked Minal what she knew of the Searazema. She warned they are ruthless foes who let no offthank. If Kaure owns their goodwill, she beread it no small worship. Nevertheless, she bade us beware.
17. Shenelae, 24,547 - 17th Month in Qabarat
Today, since tomorrow we will again watch loreworship at Yaraesa’s bookminster, I sought spar-drill at the Battleyards. I caught a few light fights ere withdrawal to the Lemussa Yard. There after bath, I played with Aeosel, who fled out through the foregate into the greater yard. Laughingly chiding his naughtiness, I afterran.
My son ran straight into a Damaya warrior’s legs. I halted while she lifted him, and begged sorrow. I eyed her while bewaring I wore nothing more than a waistcloth. Yet she wore little more, but a breasthalter sweaty and harness-stained, as if she too had right ended drill. Thoughtlessly I reckoned her almost tall as I and, although I have become used to being stronger than most Damaya, looked so stout as I.
Lightly the warrior held my son to her breast and asked the little outlaw’s name. I answered he is Aeosel, and who behaves too much like his father. She laughed and yielded him back to me. Thankfully I spoke my name: ~Ve Vaeol.~
~Dei Vaeol-Ile?~ she asked: “Lady Vaeol?” I yaysaid while an oddness overcame. So I asked hers. ~Ve Demante,~ she answered.
I too had heard her name. We halted a heavy breathtide, each gazing at the other. I felt her eye heavy on my face, reckoning my scar. Samely I read her shoulders, arms, and hands likewise bearing a worthy wound network. She forelooked we will soon meet, whereat we both yielded nods. Then she left.
I misdoubt Demante has taken my math, and ken the warrior to beat at the Motorae Games.
Asealae Treesong, 24,547 - 18th Month in Qabarat
Today one would forelook Heavenwatch. Yet the day has gone without sunsight and even rained. Folk at Treesong are already talking ill omens, although such weather is not unwontsome. Everyone believes themself a sunseer merely forwhy the sky is a few days late opening.
Yesterday we again watched loreworship at Yaraesa’s Bookminster. Kaure’s upcoming Vuael’s Night was outspoken and became the folksome talk. We got many asks about the holinight and Elindrae’s priesthood, and Kaure got more mindfulness than she easily takes, even for a Korashe among a gatherhood that has forsworn kindstarkness. We upheld and soothed her so best as canny, and without letting our moonpriest hide arear our shroud hems.
Yet today that same mindfulness sprouted fruit. Mistress Shotheiae and Nimaue were kinderly hosting a small moottide of underlings ere Treesong, and thus were overseeing while we readied in our bower. Anon a groom came boding that someone waited outside the foregate and bade to meet Kaure. We all bemarked this oddness. Then we looked to Kaure and asked her thought, which she knew not. Downstairs, Mistress Shotheiae met us in the midyard, since this news outstood queer enough that she withdrew from the underlings. We asked the wontfulness of someone beseeching a meeting in the streetyard. She answered it is not wontful at all, and maybe even strifesome. On that whit, we called all our flagmates, and then strode through the foregate in warriorly wise, with me and Kaure leading.
An eightsome waited in the streetyard: five Damaya wives and three Korasha men, well clothed but odd scarves and beads. Yet soon as their headwife spoke, we kenned them as Retaea. She named herself Seth a headwife of Clan Ifiha (whom we knew not). Then she overlooked Kaure and becraved by what right a strath-dweller, outnamed herself Elindrae’s priest. At such feudsome word, Kaure, even so bold as she has grown, flustered. Yet our whole house at her back so glowered that I brought them into warmind, forwhy I would not let mishapful wrath. Yet our warmind outcomefully threatened the Retaea, who tightened wardingly.
Then I laid hand on Kaure’s shoulder and beseeched leave, who thankfully alet. I outspoke in the Retaea tongue that the headwife had boldly spoken to my wifemate in wise that, knowing her folk, we could only take as offthank. Seth answered we mistook much believing we might know her folk. I answered back we had dwelt three years with Clan Miniada and owed oathkinship. Then I bade her tell whether they stood afeud with the Miniada, and if so, whether we should brawl in the street like besotten heathens.
Seth glared at me so wrathfully that we all tightened. Then she laughed in a beck so like Vosaeth my oathsister that I felt a sorrowful qualm. The headwife outquoth many years had gone since her house had left the Retaea, and she no longer even knew which clans the Ifiha feuded. Yet she would hear the tale of how a strath-dweller flag had become oathkin with the Miniada and how their Korasha wifemate had become a moonpriest. At this breathtide, Mistress Shotheiae inbroke that we should let no more talk of feuds and brawls, but that they could come inside and take guesthood. Seth and her Ifiha housemates incame.
Kaure, on our behalf, instead of sharing tea, brought Retaean milkbrandy, which our guests merrily tasted. Then with our backing, Kaure told our fare from Son to the Retaea, ingathering Byreath’s War (wherein I blushed to hear my deeds bespoken) and our wifemate’s rise to Elindrae’s priesthood.
At the end, Seth thoughtfully outquoth that even so far from home, they had heard of Byreath’s War. She then bemarked that, under Qabarat’s weather, one seldom witnesses Vuael’s Night (as yesteryear). Yet ~El o’zhei-mei osya-shyalyela,~ - if the moon smiles this year - they would happily take share. In trade, Seth beseeched one boon: that Kaure bless her house. So Kaure donned her priestly kit and danced a hymn, whereat they knelt and took blessing.
Our guests left with Kaure’s good worship. An inkling also grew that, right as Seth had happily heard our whispertale, she would also outspeak and so spread Kaure’s nameworth. I also bade our wifemate speak with Yaraesa’s priesthood about selfsomely boding welcome to Her Highness Lady Sheneal to watch Vuael’s Night. Thus, against her own witness, she cannot laterward say the gatherdom may be anywise lawless, as she had with the Motorae’s Elfqueen showmarch.
Lashunta Words & Phrases:
- Searazema (comm): collective of ~Searaze~ - Hoodwearers
- Eiare (fem): she is/they are fierce
- Korashe-le (3rd-distal fem): those Korashe
- Di (adv): not
- Doahante (fem): mightless; powerless
- Ve (fem): I/we; first-person feminine pronoun
- Dei (adv): interrogative particle
- Ile (fem): lady
- El (comm): the moon
- O’zhei-mei (adv): this year
- Osya-shyalyela (3rd-comm depend honor): if/when it/they smile
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