A Castrovel Adventure: Part 5, Chapter 12

~O’mei Vaeol mi assama kayana veiano-thinora, o’aesehassi hanzhinoea Hazhiyanya Ofu-Laubuya.~ (In which Vaeol and her housemates discover footwear, and prepare for Ofu-Laubu’s Newyear holiday.)

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

13. Asealae 24,545 - 4th Month in Of-Laubu
Vosaeth and her household today came back from their huntfare. They made a merry break from the last many days, and with sunburnt cheeks since we have never witnessed a Heaventide so sheer as here in the North. My oathsister and I hugged, traded babes, and then danced aring the midyard under their squealy laughter ere we gave them to Oshis their father, who, one on each arm, nibbled toes and blew wind on ticklish bellies.
Vosaeth's housemates also wore reckful sandals against the Waste’s chill. Even after they came inside, they kept hairwoven undersleeves on their feet, which they told stay wonderfully warm and welcomed us to try. Vosaeth shared the Shemez Clanfolk had told what she bespoke as the most shameless witchtale that, much like sunburn, one may cannily get chillburn when the coldstone falls. I answered the priests and lorewardens at the Hall of Stars had taught the same, and that some of them and the groundskeepers had worn not only footsleeves but also handsleeves. My teachers, however, had not owned the thick Shemez haircloth, which doubtlessly they would love.
Over wine and drycakes we heard their whole tale of the many queer sights and the beasts they had hunted. Threarde has well thickened beyond a year since her bechildness and will soon meet the midwife-priest, and maybe soon afterward reach birthtide. ~Mei o’nae-dei zinolini lashyelma, ollaeve,~ - “If now we need not ride any more, I am well with it,” she outspoke, which reminded my belly swollen with Aeosel unborn squeezing against the foresaddle. Even so odd as it is to hear a Retaea wife withhold from riding, I beguilt her not.
This news, however, nowise swayed Vosaeth from asking of Lady Marauqereth. We uneasily outlaid the thing beholds a dainty awkwardness, which besoothed not my oathsister. At last Taiase and I led her to a rear room, after ensuring the housegrooms stood unnear, and hushly outlaid this thing holds naught of our mistake or guilt, but rather Her Ladyship’s mindhealth. This word faltered my oathsister’s wrath, who looked at me, doubtlessly sharing the thought Taiase and I already had, although not without a warding beck against ill mood. Our elder friend answered it is unlike the Komori, but still earnest.
At this insight, Vosaeth asked what next. We shared Master Kaul’s rede to forbear. Our Retaea reaverwife shrugged. ~O’domi-hishi, ea Athala Motoraea,~ - “If nothing else, there are the Motorae Games." Then she called Semuane, Istae, Kaure, and Oshis, and beseeched tomorrow to cleave their drilltide.

14. Asealae 24,545 - 4th Month in Of-Laubu
A short writ: today while Vosaeth, Semuane, Istae, Kaure, and Oshis drilled at the citadel, we found a seamster who holds the thick Shemez haircloth and bade footsleeves for us all. They must be sewn. Yet we have deemed them worth the dearer fee under this Northern Heaventide chill. After another fare to a sandal-maker, we may now even wear them outside. Yet, although we have witted some Lauba neighborfolk doing samely, they are few. Eyesomely it is deemed a wont for crones, and unwarriorly. Yet our southern blood flows thin.

17. Asealae 24,545 - 4th Month in Ofu-Laubu
Tomorrow is Motorae’s Eve and the old year’s last market day, which outcomefully starts the Newyear holiday. This will be an overlong Motorae, five days unlike the wontsome two or three. Yet if the meanfolk must shirk work longer, hold mirthtide, and drink more ale to keep the sunlog true, they willingly yield the dearth. We have heard Ofu-Laubu does nothing so uncouth as choosing a He-Queen to rule the Motorae, as Lea does. Instead, the city holds a Children’s Alderhall, where the city’s children sit doom upon their elders and yesteryear deeds. I shrive myself enthriven wondering how ruthless or ruthful they may prove.
All our spear-riders who will take share in the Games stay easy. Semuane idles with me and Remaue. Vosaeth holds her babe and sits near Threarde, who, quoth the midwife-priest, may reach birthtide any day. Istae offwears her worry with Taiase and Neish’s loving help. Her wantonness got Vosaeth spitting jokes about being too weary to fight and ~di komodi fazere~ - “don’t overfill your belly,” which outshamed my sister-outrider under laughter’s howl.
We know Kaure worries, since she has erenever ridden in a game-trial. For whatever worth, we gave the small rede that she has already undergone war, and this is much less grim.
Oshis stays swy but for meek tide with Erymi and Tesine. Yet I know his thought. For the first time ever, he will tilt against outriders, which at home is ever forbidden. He aims on that forehap and, as I know, maybe even fears his own pride and wish to win.

4. Motorae - 66th Day in Ofu-Laubu
These last five days have gone far too swiftly to log each day, which began at Motorae Eve’s midnight when Her Highness Lady Kueth welcomed us to her hall. There we witnessed a twofold fireworks show, one launched from the Lowburgh whose bursts bloomed at our eyeheight upon the Highburgh, as well as overhead from those launched here. Among the falling starbursts and thunder flew dithersights of Thakasa, blazing phoenix-fowl, and three-headed flying elf-fiends spouting fire, in an overwhelming wonder whose likeness we had not seen since our ban from El, ten years ago. It made me think of my dream after Kaure’s moonsight forebode. Had I foreseen true of huge flying qoelu spitting fire over the sky on Qolaryon?
On the First Motorae, the Games began in earnest. Yet while this holiday tide, one everyday wont overcame our awe: the Skyriders’ Dawnfare. The city bells ring Afterdawntide, and full flights of Thakasa and their riders soar over the Highburgh and blowing silver horns. They then swoop low and skim right over the Lowburgh’s spires while the skyriders toss blossoms and leafwrapped sweetbits, made even more thrillsome by any fresh coldstone hardened ere morntide, ere they again ring the Highburgh and land. Also, I proudly bewrite our bow-warriors took share and shot well, with Tae and Nae in the steedshoot and Less and Hanos in the footshoot. All won their matchpools and furthered to the next pool, with Tae reaching the last match, and Less and Hanos reaching the two-hundred stride shot.
The next and third days beheld a Hoverball gameset, wherein we again saw many of the players who yesteryear had fared to Lea and played against the Sealnea, over which monkeyfolk we had shaped a right noble thought. They now played worthily with their neighborfolk. I reminded we had lately heard goodwill from His Highness Lord Ekishi, and that Ushna, who had played witchdriver on yesteryear’s Sealnea team was even now faring to Elder Nivaea.
At Her Highness Lady Kueth’s welcome, we watched the fourth day’s foot-trial from her box in the Lowburgh’s gameyard. This was the gametrial the city would have welcomed me to fight in, rooted in my nameworth beating Byreath, had I not withheld. I shrive I forbore until the erelast match ere I rued my choice, and found myself, while I watched the winner, a giant, two-stride tall Korasha named Afosh get his crown, and wondered whether I could beat him.
I shrive the deedtide left me more bothered than I like. That night, while the fireworks again bloomed over the Lowburgh and the mummers worked dancing dithersights, while masked men afterran masked wives and threatened lovely wickedness, I withdrew with my son and cast a farseer-bode southward, toward home and Krastaes:

~A homaeas, o’sevae Motorae si hisholi aveantas.~
“My friend, I hope this Motorae again finds you heroic.”

…To which Krastaes answer he needfully holds onto his last fights, and that he stays with his wifemate, children, and grandchildren. I shrive at his worshipful word, mawkishness overcame, and I boded back my heart held too much death. I had no taste for these sports. Then I beseeched his wisdom, to which he answered:

~A ile, assama o’stimi sholya-ruaelama. O’sae-sei ussayeli, o thanvas.~
“My lady, we your household stay ever true. If you give the word, I will come.”

At the dwimmer’s end, I hugged my babe and wept, wondering the unworthiness I feel at such faithful friends.

Lashunta Words & Phrases:

• Assama (com): household; housemates
• Kayana (3rd-pers com): discoveres
• Veiano-Thinora (neut, accusative): footwear
• Aesehassi: to ready; prepare
• Hanzhinoea (spir; accusative): holiday
• Hazhiyanya (spir; accusative): Newyear's Day
• Asealae (spir): the 10th & last month of the Lashunta Calendar
• Mei (spir): now; here
• O'nae-dei (aux adverb): must not; need not
• Ziniloni (spir): furthermore
• Lashyelma (inclusive com pass dependent): if we ride
• Ollaeve (1st-pers fem conditional): I would be well
• O'domi-hishi (adverb): nothing else
• Ea (com): there is
• Athala Motoraea (com): the Motorae Games
• Komodi (spir): too full; overly full
• Fazere (fem accusative): belly