A Castrovel Adventure: Part 5, Chapter 54

~O'mei Kaure Arae-Vuaelya kise, oyei-hieshi qoani hisaiamara shiqehaeunyara.~ (In which Kaure leads Vuael’s Night, which rather becomes a rally for dissidence.)

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

2. Asealae 24,547 - 19th Month in Qabarat
Today at the Embassy, Her Highness Lady Sheneal called me. ~Mei stora hadis?~ - “Now what have you done?” she asked. I was amazed and asked the sake. She answered: ~Iheshya naztis,~ - “You have gotten a weapondare.”
Her Highness showed a bonded leafwrit with my name. I read the sender as Lady Thazani u’Zhale Anmaue of the Spearcradle Outriderhood. Her Highness asked whether I knew that name. ~O’beneae~ - “Dimly,” I answered, and dolefully since the dare-writ did not outspell the wrong I had beguessingly done. I struggled to remind whether Lady Thazani had shared our outrider foot-drills in the Battleyards and could merely bemark our yestermonth talk with Lady Kael the Spearcradle’s headmistress, who had brought ill word after Kaure had cloven our weapondrill. Her Highness asked whether I had ended the drilltide under her behest without yielding further offthank. I assured I had so done, which she scowlingly believed.
I asked Her Highness’s will and whether I should take this weapondare. She answered I may withhold, but that these feuds often get linked to the Motorae Games. Kinderly, these feud-trials are held and settled in the first list-set, whereafter the more earnest fights begin. Since my share in the Damaya foot-trial was already well known, this dare bade it held within that game. I asked Her Highness how this weapondare would besway her wish to show me in the Games. ~O’imi yazyelise,~ - “Only if you lose,” she answered. 
I outspoke that, since our wish stayed to win the game, I should take the dare.Lady Sheneal nodded and said she would bode answer. I asked whether she needed anything else, whereat she beread I should merely outstay from further bother, and if anything upcame, she would send Remaue as my shieldbearer.
With the business ended, I withdrew. After I came home, I sought Semuane. I beseeched all she might learn of Lady Thazani and why she may own feud.

6. Asealae, 24,547 - 19th Month in Qabarat
Yesternight witnessed moonsight, which made a great hue at late Firstwatch, even after most folk had gone to bed. It was all the more wonderful, since it happened ere Heavenwatch and has made a frightful strife among both the sunseers and broader folk. While some outquoth that Heavenwatch falls only when the sun shows, others speak moonsight may rightly start Heavenwatch as well. Some are betting the offshed, feuding sunseer fellowships may even fight. The mishap has become even worse with the holiday lagging late, and endless idle talk that it may mean an ill omen.
Reckless of the sunseers’ worry, the moonsight got us hosting Kaure to Yaraesa’s bookminster, where we read with the priests on tomorrow’s full moon and whether we will watch Vuael’s Night. Our thought swerved worrisome until an elder outspoke that we will witness open sky on the Seventh, and therefore should go ahead. We asked their sureness, whereat they swore honor on the forecast. So now readiness wholly begins.
Afterward, we withdrew to the Marshfarthing and Minal’s shipclan camp, where Hauronil, Indith, and Leiendil clove, and we tarried among friends and kin until late. I have wondered it would be a fairness to watch Elindrae over the marsh’s breadth and the reeds waving over moonsilvery water. Minal bade us come back after holinight, so we may see firsthand.

8. Asealae, 24,547 - 19th Month in Qabarat
True to outlook, yesternight the full moon showed, and we watched Vuael’s Night. Within the Yaraesa Bookminster’s midyard and under the roof eaves, a big throng gathered under Elindrae’s light, and unmerely the Wise Lady’s worshippers in kindstarkless clothes, but also Damaya-Elves, Korasha Hoodwearers, Damayas and Korashe Thwartkind belonging to neither fellowship, some heedful Rightkind, and even a few true Elves. Seth’s household proudly outstood in full Retaea clothes while Hauronil and Riardon stood at the Damaya-Elves’ fore, and Indith and Leiendil nearby, all who came to uphold Kaure.
Although we had worried Kaure’s shyness might overtake, our wifemate sang Vuael’s Tale, and which was well heard. Since the priesthood had bestowed Shotalashu masks, we housemates came forth playing ~Vuzhota~ shapeshifters. Kaure told their myth and warned we were mighty tricksters who must get geldcakes or would make wickedness. Remaue, Less, Sievae, and our house’s children forsoothly took tricksomeness to heart and wrought endless small pranks. I and the others started a Shota-dance with Kaure playing Vuael’s share within the myth, so wooed by Elindrae in Shota-shape and at last shifting into a Shotalashu herself.
Seth’s house came forth yielding the first geldcake. Behappenly, I stood nearest, though Less gamboled threateningly near. They first sang a Retaea song. Then Seth bade us take the cake and in bargain do no more sin. I took the cake, kissed her belly, and then leapt away. Thereafter, we bestowed the geldcakes among the children while the greater throng clove the Shota-dance.
While the dance, I drifted to the edge, where under the moonlight I beheld Her Highness Lady Sheneal and her thanes. They nodded with wary antennae when I daintily bowed. I doffed the mask, whereat they eased. Her Highness said she had witted inkling of my will in her welcome-bode. I answered she might find no lawlessness here. She answered back I had called her to a heathen worship-rite. I answered back this rite owne nothing heathen, and that the Retaea believe Thwartkind take the Moon God’s blessing, and not a curse as the Strathfolk believe, and that as priests they own the power to beshrive sin-filth. ~Eiesi diyavoe,~ said Her Highness: “A wry thought.” ~Oe avyroni~ - “And wiser,” I answered. Then I took leave, donnws my mask, and took the Vuzhota mood to heart.
I gamboled away, where I soon found Indith playing with Remaue, who hugged her behind. Remaue seemingly whispered in the elfwife’s ear through the mask, making her giggle. I leapt before them and bade shrive their naughtiness. Indith smiled shamefully, but Remaue told the elfwife had withheld geld, and thus my wifemate was telling how Vuzhota renownedly woo and besway Lashunta maidens, to their great shame when afterward they bear a Shota cub. Indith merrily answered she was rightly no Lashunta, and surely no maiden, to which Remaue spoke it recked not. I doffed my mask, kissed the elfwife’s belly, and whispered that, since so, she should yield geld all the more sweetly.
I laterward skipped near Seth talking with the high priest, who greeted and cheered me belonging to such a worthy wifemate as Kaure. We looked off where she and Hauronil danced wearing Shota-masks amid a ring of children, and even lifting them to ride aback (with Kaure bearing the bigger). I outspoke it a wonderful balm to witness my wifemate so worshiped. Seth looked about the midyard, ingathering not only Damaya-Elves but hood-wearing Korashe mingling with the bookminster’s worshipers. ~O’ezimi-shili dothalmyaru Yaraesaearu,~ - she quipped: “So much for Yaraesa’s kindlessness.” The priest asked back whether it is so much. They looked from Seth to me and smiled: ~Os-ima shoassa veara yi Difithalma. Os hisha shoassa dothalmya. Hei veara-shoe milimassi koea, ei ahanti-shili.~ - “It is one thing to love oneself as Rightkind. It is another thing to love kindlessness. But loving oneself while ataking one’s truth, that is rightly mighty.” Then the high priest bade me fetch Kaure, saying the nighttide was nigh. I strode through the dance-ring and waved my wifemate’s eye, took her hand, and led her forth to them, who beseeched her yield the holinight’s fit blessing. At a bell’s ring and the crowd’s stillness, Kaure doffed her mask and cradled it abreast.
A breathtide she shut her eyes. Then she opened, breathed deep, and sang this word from Holy Yaraesa in her wonderful, mighty throat:

~Sevaea doshoanta, yeio’illi veara shoayelm.

Sevaea shifoanta, yeio’illi-naeshi aveyelma.

Sevaea tiryanta, yeio’illi assamara veauara sholyelm.

Sevaea zhiananta, yeio vayelma o leaume Vatheieaue .~

***

“Blessed are the unloved, for we will love ourselves.

Blessed are the broken, for we will heal and grow.

Blessed are the outcast, for we will find our home.

Blessed are the forgiving, for we live in the World-Soul’s bosom.”

Although a few might know the words as Holy Yaraesa’s speech when They helped Wicked Nevaea’s brokenfolk after a fell stormflood, they now outcame as rather else. A growl overtook the throng, namefully the Damaya-Elves and Hoodwearers, and shook the others. It almost seemed they had heard Kaure’s song as an anthem, and a call to…what? Gatherhood? Strength? Uprise? I alone was not asking, as I guessed when Her Highness Lady Sheneal swiftly left. I wondered whomto she would bode word, and to whose behoof.
Today at the Embassy, I almost thought Her Highness might unheed me. Almost when we readied to go home, her wandbearer called. I introd Her Highness’s sunderroom, where again she left me standing.
Lady Sheneal crossed her knees upon her bench, foot tapping in beat with her antennae. She said she seemingly reminded a talk we had ereward held about not meddling in Qabarat’s business. I asked how we had so meddled. ~Os aearaea,~ - “Yesternight’s thing,” she answered. I outlaid Yaraesa’s priesthood had welcomed Kaure to oversee Vuael’s Night, and that they had outboded word and welcomed the worshipers. Her Highness almost believed me not, but instead bade me reckon how the priesthood might be misusing us for their own ends. ~O’dosholi-yei,~ - “Doubtlessly so,” I answered, and added that if I believed not their ends noble, I would not alet. Her Highness warned that here in Qabarat outcome means more than wish, and the Matronhood would seek the most eyesome person as the sin’s root. ~Te eisryere imaulyele, o’nae thanye vere-hoe,~ I dared: “If they want my wifemate, they must come through me.”
Lady Sheneal held my eye. She spoke that someday I will learn I cannot fight my way over every threat, and that she merely wonders whether she may selfly witness my downfall, and how many others will fall with me. ~Ahao hani thani,~ I answered: “The day may come.” Then I asked what idleness else I might yield. She bade me away and no more speech, whereat I too gladly took leave.

Recap: Lady Vaeol met Demante her chief compettion for the Motorae Swordbill Trial while Heaventide got off to an inauspicious start.

Lashunta Words & Phrases:

• Mei (adv): now; here
• Stora (neut acc): what
• Hadis (2nd-trans perf): you did/made
• Iheshya (spir acc): dare; challenge
• Naztis (2nd-trans perf): you got/receieved
• O’beneae (adv)
• O’imi (adv): only
• Yazyelise (2nd-fem depend): if/when you lose
• Vuzhota (comm): Half-Shota shapeshifters
• Eiesi (spir): thought
• Diyavoe (spir): wry; wrong; twisted
• Oe (adv): and
• Avyroni (spir): wiser
• O’ezimi-shili (adv): so much; merely much
• Dothalmyaru Yaraesaearu (anim alla/dat): Yaraesa's kindlessness
• Os-ima (comm): one thing
• Shoassa (ccom partic): loving; holding dear
• Veara (comm acc): self; oneself
• Yi: relative adverb; like; as
• Difithalma (comm): rightkind; cis-clade Lashunta
• Os hisha (comm): another/else thing
• Dothalma (comm): kindlessness
• Hei (adv): but
• Veara-shoe (spir): love of self
• Milimassi (spir partic): ataking; accepting
• Koea (spir acc): truth; reality
• Ei (3rd-spir): it/that is
• Ahanti-shili (spir): rightly mighty
• Sevaea (comm): blessed
• Doshoanta (comm): unloved
• Yeio’illi (adv): since [they/we] will
• Shoayelm (incl-trans depend): when we love
• Shifoanta (comm): broken; downbroken
• Naeshi (adv): heal
• Aveyelma (incl-comm depend): when we grow
• Tiryanta (comm): outcast
• Assamara (comm acc): house; housemates
• Veauara (comm possess): of oneself; of our own
• Zhiananta (comm): forgiving; full of forgiveness
• Vayelma (incl-comm depend): when we live
• O leaume: in the breast
• Vatheieaue (fem possess): of the World-Soul
• Os aearaea (comm): about yesternight; yesternight's thing
• O’dosholi-yei (adv): doubtessly so
• Te (fem): ultra-distal pronoun; she/they
• Eisryere (fem acc): [my] wifemate
• Imaulyele (3rd-fem depend): if/when she/they want
• O’nae (adv): need; must
• Thanye (3rd-fem cond): she/they will/may come
• Vere-hoe (adv): against me/us