A Castrovel Adventure: Part 5, Chapter 20

~O'mei Vaeol mi assama iqova dinathara dolyuvara Qabaratara o tiae-azathi.~ (In which Vaeol and her house witness Qabarat’s outlandish festivities at Floodtide’s end.)

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

13. Vinelae, 24,546 - 3rd Month in Qabarat
Semuane leaves tomorrow with Master Aeos for Lost Hoshiasa, with thought they can take a flatbark northward through the swamps and reach almost halfway ere the flood falls, and they must take to the treepaths. Yesternight was a small gatherdom for the hostfellows, which we went with our maidenlove. I shrive I could not help dropping hint to the hostreeve, Lady-Steadholder Soreaeul, that I would love to go. Her eyes straightly flicked to my babe, and I needed not even read her mind.
At word that I was the Sonne reeve who had found the Aslanta, however, I got many asks and what we knew of how the Aslanta had worked the worldgate. I shared what little we knew, mainly that Brand had believed the gate broken from Qolaryon’s end. Whether it could be mended none knew. This answer brewed talk of what the Aslanta know of gatelore, and dolefully since some believe they had first made the worldgates, although how such a thing came to stand within a Moqeva city becomes no good thought.
Has thus become my livelihood’s lot, one of those elder, childbearing outriders in name only, fit merely for trucebodes and hallcrafting among the ladyhood? Even much as I love my son, my heart yearns for fetch, the old thrill when I led my first scoutfare into the rainwood, when we first thwarted the Aslanta’s spoor. I would behold it again.

18. Vinelae, 24,546 - 3rd Month in Qabarat
Word has reached that a small fair has started in Ship’s End, since the rain has halted, and namefully under Blighttide’s onset. Yesterday Remaue dragged us all thither, her eagerness recking no bounds to behold the city’s wonders. We beheld an idle but wearisome day walking among the shops, tradestalls, and danceyards, where we watched danceplays, dithershows, and fireworkers of subtle showcraft as we have never seen.
Yet these shows did not catch our wonder, but instead the great misshapen, billowing ball we saw hovering over the Harbor, and with a queer bin hanging underneath. On our ask, we learned it is an ~eaemateiu~ - a loftship, and, as the hawker gleefully told, an elder wonderwork of the Sage-Queens, who had unwhelmed lost Aslanta lore. This speech seemed farfetched even for a hawker, and Taiase almost bewrayed him as false, telling she knew something of Sage-Queens’ lore. Yet Remaue would not swerve and led us all to the loftship’s anchorstead, which looked a smithy holding a great mooring rope leading skyward, tethering the loftship. We also found it open to ride for a fee not too dear.
While we watched, a team of Korasha hauled the loftship down until it settled on a berth (although it was driveless, wind shoved it away). The shipmates then set a spout stemming from the smithy into a hole under the ball and bellowed hot smoke inward. While we watched, the loftship’s great cloth ball swelled and stiffened, and, had the shipmates not set more mooring ropes, the ship would have leapt back into the sky.
We hastily deemed who should take the next ride, which we must do in threesome, as bound by both weight and the bin’s size. Draue and her boys went first, and next Nae, Sievae, and Hanos, who all came back down babbling of the height’s wondersight, and also of the dread, since they bespoke it unlike and more fearful than a tree’s height. Then flew Erymi, Oshis, and Tesine, who landing laughing afterward. Less, unwilling to look less bold than his shieldmate, went with Tae and Yaraess, although Tae crouched in the bin’s midst and would not let her son overlook the edge. Then Taiase few with Remaue and Lanaryel, who likewise landed laughingly, and our daughter begged to go back to Ofu-Laubu and fly Thakasa with Lady Marauqereth.
Kaure and I went last, although my maidenmate needed a coax. For the longest while we rose, she would not leave the bin’s midst but stood locked, eyes on the sky-edge, and withheld to look down. At last I bewon her to stand at the wale with my arm on her breast, and together we beheld almost the whole city at a height matching the Stormshield’s ridge, and all the neighborhoods’ hometrees looking toylike. We could see the household where we stayed, and even the ships of Minal’s house at the Marshfarthing’s edge, and all the marshes enringing. My maidenmate shuddered, reckoning the boughless, beamless emptiness underneath, and I kindly brought her into warmind with me and Aeosel.
For my share, this was a soothing idletide, steadier than swooping on Thakasa-back. I asked the shipmate whether they take mapmakers. He answered they sometimes do, and who buy a whole daytide to draw. When I asked the furthest loftfare he had ever flown, he told once on an east wind they had slipped the anchor and blown over the Stormshield to sea, where a small fleet had waited. On the ships’ sight, they had lowered to water so near as canny, whereon the ships had hastened to draw them aboard ere the cloth sank and dragged them down. I asked whether they ever flew inland, which I bethought safer, although he answered the dare with overland flight was a safe landstead where treeboughs may not snag the ball. Although one might behoove a farmhold’s ricefield, the farmers would begrudge. At the wind’s ruth and without sure steerwise, the aim on such a far mark would be rough at best. The shipmate then showed how the loftship lowered by a rope hanging within the ball’s nether hole, which opened a windowflap at its top, thereby freeing the smoke, and whereat the loftship mildly fell back to it landing-stead. While we lowered, we spotted our housemates idling at a near wineyard, whence they merrily waved, and where afterward they told brooked the best health from flight’s fear.
Yet Remaue had a plan more. At dusktide, she left Lanaryel with Tae and Less, and bewon me to leave Aeosel with Erymi and Oshis. With our fathermates so babysitting, she led me and Kaure from the household and back to the Marshfarthing. At first, I thought she was leading us back to Minal and the Raumoeva. Instead, she took us back southwestward, toward the Stormshield’s Lesser Arm. She led us to a neighborhood upon a ledge at the cliff’s foot, where I swiftly witted the halls showed old, even elvenbuild reminding of the Elf-Farthing, and yet also something else, little more than wrecksteads, lone broken shafts that might once have upheld a roof, which although I would swear I had erenever seen, looked weirdly kith. I almost wondered I had dreamed them, maybe a foresight that one forgets until one beholds the thing. Then else, however, did I remind someone else’s dream, something I had glimpsed in mindshare? It might have been the Komori under Oshis’s sway, although if the yesterwhit belonged to him, I should surely know…
…Right now the queerest thought struck me while I write: was the yesterwhit Brand’s? I had sought meanhood with the Soul-Tree after his mindseech and had seen his lifetime’s shallow show. Had he once seen a like wreckstead? The Aslanta had once held a settlement on our world, ere the Fallen Star’s Curse. Were those wrecksteads Aslanta?...
...I witted we were not alone when I heard drums and song and saw bonfires glowing among the wreckstead, but oddly no witchlights. Under these dancing lights a wildness grew. Watchfully we neared, and so beheld a dance, wherein, although the dancers stirred shedly, neither were they alone. Something they bore on arms and shoulders. While I looked, their arms' burden shifted in a wise that hinted life, but not like ours. It writhed up the dancers’ arms, wrapped their shoulders and breasts, and even looped their necks, which bestowed a shudder against myself. Kaure almost strode back into the night, only Remaue would not let her, and I stepped behind to hug and strengthen her (and maybe a little myself). Yet Remaue would not withhold and hastened into the dance’s ring, where she skipped among the dancers and their scaly burdens, who crawled against the beat: ~Qu~ - snakes!
My yestermind flashed of the great writhing ~Qutau~ I had slain in Candares, alone in a watery cleft but for the Moqeva it warded, where fear had waved from its open jaws, its heavy loops striving to knot and strangle me. I also reminded small silkrunners I had playfully hunted in childhood in my mother’s idleyard, until I bore her my prey in token, and she yelled and bade all the grooms hunt until they slew every last one. I had sorrowed at my playthings’ loss. Yet thus I had first learned to fear snakes, along with witchtales of the Moqeva with their slit eyes, snaky tongues, and even tails instead of legs. Maybe even now I understand not. True I had learned to fear, but never the true reason. The great ~Qutau~ who haunt the swamps and marshes are indeed plighty and grow big enough to swallow a whole Shota. The talllyless adders can kill with a bite, as had befallen Vosaeth’s sorry steed in Lea. Yet forsoothly they are beasts, hardly unlike the mighty Qoelu who feet shake the earth or the treetoads hopping. I could tell these snakes were lesser stranglers, maybe two spans long at most. If unthreatened, they would not strike and wish to be forgotten. If rightly handled by a canny beast-tamer, they become easy pets.
These dancers seemed canny enough to handle them, let them twine their arms, and stir so smoothly so as to not overshake and make them bite or tighten. I could also tell Remaue shared my rede when she went to a handlers and beseechingly bowed, who answered by setting the strangler on her shoulders. She then swerved to us, grin wide, and I beheld the queer sight of its scaly head and slit eyes sliding over my wifemate’s bosom. Even so long as I have known my love, here was a share of her selfness I had never seen. I recalled tales I had heard of snake cults out in the hinterland - forbidden in Son - where folk danced such as here. Had she so done in youth? Or maybe she had seen this forehap enwed in shock and worry as she so loves?
Remaue beckoned us near while she danced. I listened, with Kaure more withholding. Our wifemate yielded her bosom and bade us pet the snake thereon. I did, wondering at its softness where I had forelooked hard scales. Then to my shock, the handler set another on my neck. I stilled, fearing to shake it. Although I am no beast-tamer, I felt outward, seeking its tiny mind. In answer I found sleepy reckfulness, and yearn for warmth. Its neck wrapped my arm as a bough. I held it to Kaure, who shyly set hand before its nose. Its tongue flickered. Then it writhed forward, loops lightly throbbing in trend, and went from my arm to hers. She shivered while it squeezed her elbow, and then wound up her shoulder. I stood near, cheered her boldness, and kissed her brow.
Bywardly, the handler yielded milk and wine and took back the snakes to share with other dancers, and we thankfully tossed coppershells into a bowl. We then strolled to another hearthfire where more snakehandlers danced. Yet, although these snakes were smaller, we swiftly witted they held them in hands only, and with more heed: they were adders. A watcher told us this was a trial of boldness to see who could handle without getting bitten, although she added some dancers may even try the bite, which may bestow soothtells under the poison’s fit - if one outlives. Needlessly, we forwent share.
While we went among these idlers, watchers, dancers, and handlers, I tried to get a hint of who they were. While most wore loinclothese or skirts like us, I saw no few bearing silver neckbands or begemmed hairpins. I beheld less hinterland meanfolk and more young upper-farthing dwellers and wealthy who slummingly sought wicked thrill. It made me doubt this snake-cult’s roots. Since such wonts behave seldom in cities, the most eyesome root would be the Qoaronae, the threeling-goddesses of war whose worship doubtlessly was brought from Valmaeana. Yet else than the snakes, I saw none of the warlike tokens the Qoaronae so belove, nor the ~Loeiari-Zae~ - the Three Grim Worths - they embody: Wrath, Cunning, Strife.
The path of watchers led further into the wreckstead, right against the cliff. There we came to a hollow, looking almost like a shrine, whereabout worshippers stood and knelt, swaying together. While we neared, two wholly shrouded Damaya reached into a raised nook and withdrew a gilded board. Thereon sat a dark stonelikeness carven to look like a coiled adder with hood spread. While they set it afloor, a third yelled: ~Iqovi Yiqura shyaelassura ezimora! O’veli samaea-ruae!~ - “Behold the Yiqu who bestows great things! Give thanks and pray!”
Remaue stirred forward. Yet we withheld her, and this time at least she listened. We spent some while more among the dancers and snake-handlers. Yet a strong wish had overtaken to go home,
I spent a long mis-sleepy nighttide and dreamed of queer snakes that hissed words, bidding worship, and threatening when I withstood. When I woke, I took my son to the midyard, heedless of the rain, where I knelt, sang a hymn, and scattered my milk in prayer-geld.
Later today, my bother still so upheld that I went to the Inquisition’s Hall and asked for Master Milos. I waited in a forehall, under whose roof rose a cunning stonelikeness carven as a hood-shroud. Yet when one underlooked within, it showed empty, only the hood in shape that something unseen filled. I reminded small wardshrines set at on farmholds’ furthest edges, or on strongholds’ watchsteads, where one throws a shroud to make such a likeness, as shrine to Diaraeas - Father-Night. I wondered at finding such a stonecarven thing here: the Warder of Secrets, and whomof warning comes that we earthly folk should not peer too nearly at His face. On afterthought, what better god to overwatch the Inquisition?
Master Milos came and greeted me worthily, although he outspoke this as a glad forecaughtness. He led me to a sideroom and bade me sit while he brought tea. After we shared the cup, he worshipfully waited while I switched Aeosel’s moss-napkin and settled him abreast. Then I began saying I came to beseech the master-inquisitor’s rede, although I feared after my tale he would doubtlessly deem me an upper-strath bumpkin. Master Milos heartened me to reck not. So I yielded the tale of yesternight’s snake-fair we had witnessed and bespoke all the whits. Then I asked what he knew.
Master Milos gave weighty answer that this worship stems from the marshes, where snake-worship is right mean, as should not forecatch in the rivermouth’s land overfull with marsh and swamp and the snakes there dwelling. I told I rightly kenned these hinterland worships, and that furthermore in Son and near cities they are not inlet. He laughed saying that was a worthy answer, but that, with so many folk coming through Qabarat, they could not forbid them. He also outlaid as I had witted, that this snake-worship had become the glee of wealthier, highborn households, mainly youth with more idleness than duty, and forsoothly as a wise to rise against the city’s wontsomeness and even shock their mothers, and with slight sway from Formian War veterans who know the Qoaronae. I spoke that, although I hold no love for the Qoaronae, nothing in their worthiness matches what I had yesternight seen.
I then asked what he knew of the Yiqu, as they had benamed the snaky stonelikeness. Master Milos stilled grim. He answered the Yiqu is forsoothly an eldritch, godly thing, and with weird mightiness. He warned me to deal not, nor touch it, nor ever to sing hymn or yield. Then he forespoke to send inquisitors to my bespoken stead and see what they could learn.
Relieved but meek, I came home. Straightway I found Remaue and Kaure, and bade we should go to the suntemple. When Remaue withheld, I answered I should take no gainsaith and we must so do. My word shook her, and she listened. So together we went and beseeched blessing and knelt at the altar, whereat I led a hymn. Now afterward I feel better and have forethought to seek no further snake-worship, whether beastly, the Qoaronae, or else. I shall now set it from mind, and dolefully since Tae has right hastened and told that Yaraess is ill. While I end this, she has sought Taiase, whomwith we will sing a healing hymn…
[11 days will pass until the next daylog]

Recap: Lady Vaeol had met the mysterious ~Dahaza~ - whiskerlings - who haunt Qabarat's lost tunnels and myriad cisterns.

Lashunta Words & Phrases:

• Eaemateiu (anim): loftship; hot-air balloon
• Qu (animal): strangler-snake; constrictor
• Qutau (anim): great-strangler; megapython
• Loeiari-Zae (spir): Three Grim Worths; virtues of the Qoaronae
• Iqovi (imp): behold; witness
• Yiqura shyaelassura (anim acc): the Yiqu who bestows
• Ezimora (neut acc): much; much things
• O’veli (aux adv): in prayer
• Samaea-ruae (humble imp): give thanks