A Castrovel Adventure: Part 5, Chapter 10

~O'mei Vaeol o'kehaeuni zhealye leirya Marauqereth-Ileia, oe sinyeqaea hishya shole.~ (In which Vaeol struggles to answer Lady Marauqereth’s request, and finds more mystery.)

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

10. Shenelae 24,545 - 34th Day in Ofu-Laubu
Today as Lady-Captain Marauqereth had bidden, Taiase and I hosted Erymi to the palace, along with Remaue and Kaure, whom Erymi beseeched for thew-worthy uphold. I shrive forgetfulness that not all our housemates, even after many years, have ease among the high ladyhood, and rightly not with so awesome a name as Her Ladyship. When we came to the rear hall and hailed Master Kaul, however, the First Haremreeve told the lady-captain would not hear us. At our befuddleship, he merely answered we should go back to the Lowburgh and await further call. When we asked whether Her Ladyship had taken offthank (against her outspoken word at the mirthtide), he outlaid Lady Marauqereth’s mind had shifted with her mood.
Something in the haremreeve’s speech bewared my inkling, making me aimful of his word ~kae~: ‘mood’. I asked whether Her Ladyship was well (which uncouthness got me such a sharp look from Taiase that I could bedream her elbow striking my ribs). The haremreeve answered she is well enough. Yet his throat hinted the barest falter. Aloss, we could merely bow and withdraw.
Oshis waited when we came back to the guesthouse. We wryly told he was seemingly: ~sezas ti teinu zivazu~ - free of the angler’s spearhook - as Father-Yaro’s fishers say, and that, for all we knew, Lady Marauqereth’s inthrift had starkly ended. Since he is so wontsome to wives lusting him, even against his naysaith, I wonder this shift wounded his pride. Yet he shrugged and headed to steed-drill. Meanwhile Taiase, Semuane, Istae, and Vosaeth overtalked Lady Marauqereth’s mood. We all yaysaid it as unforewarned, and dolefully since the goodwill she had ere given. As to its root, we can only outlay that she had deemed to take offthank after the mirthtide, which still rings askew.
I could not forget, however, Her Ladyship’s queer mood at the mirthtide, like nothing in herself I had ever witted. I could tell Taiase was thinking something, though when I asked her thought, she withheld with mere answer that she would not speak any unproven sake. How we should read her word I was unsure, but that, throughout the mirthtide’s night two days ago, Her Ladyship’s thrill had seemed so unkith. What bemeans such a swaying, thrillsome mood?

12. Shenelae, 24,545 - 36th Day in Ofu-Laubu
Although today was market, we forsook, and we warriors stood drill at the Citadel, which proved full with many who had come from the hinterland. We thus got some good fights in readiness for the Motorae Games upcoming after next month.
Tonight we sat mirthtide at Her Highness Lady Ziaral’s, the First Alderwife. Yet aside from her guesthood, it was a queer deed. Many ladies withheld speech, and we swiftly beread they shunned us. As to why, we had no outlay until we spotted Lady Novoli, Lady Marauqereth’s steadholder, among the guests, and her haughty unheed. I bent antennae to my housemates and outthought ~Shanzuri o’komi irumi,~ - “The whisper-tale is in full play.”
Luckily, Lady Tiril Her Ladyship’s haremmate, unlike the lady-steadholder, nowise withheld. She beweighingly sang a leed, this time not from the Woe for Lost Valmaea, but from ~Shanyali Hivaenmorei~ - the Song of the Warrior-Princesses - when Queen Tessereie chooses to meet death before the walls of Hanazhyana, ingathering her speech on the forsoothness of queens and pride. This awoke Taiase’s further reckfulness, since these deeds had happened long after her sleep. We gladly taught our elder friend how this songtale had shaped outriders’ honor down through time. Lady Tiril’s friendliness also raised questions, bematched against Lady Novoli’s chill, since if the lady-steadholder so behaved guessing her captain’s ill will, how then to understand the haremmate? Is this feud doleful to Lady Novoli? If so, where stands Lady Marauqereth?

Asealae Treesong Eve, 24,545 - 44th Day in Ofu-Laubu
We have reached a choice here at Shenelae’s end: we are fordone waiting. This thing has us foredaring queenship’s whole thought, and wryly thinking back to our ereward talk with Lady Tiril on the Song of the Warrior-Princesses. Taiase had caught Queen Tessereie’s speech while she met her death and rued her livelihood, dolefully: ~Nama koma rie-imerru shizhehyela, o’zhaoami-yi rie-ime heile shizhehye theiara komara,~ - “When a whole folk binds itself to one wife, one proud wife believes she can so bind the whole world.” Quoth Taiase, that speech’s ghost rang true with her own deedfulness, which then made her ask her own new frain: ~Stya ham malassya kaolya rie-imeia?~ - “What are we doing waiting on one wife’s goodwill?” We full-wit this thought may be deemed betrayal. Yet we are from the Yaro, where queens toppled long ago.
Afittingly, today Taiase, Istae, Semuane, Vosaeth, and I sought hearth before Her Highness Lady Kueth at her stallroom, since Her Highness had so earnestly beseeched our guesthood here. We asked what purpose we thew, and if lacking any, that we may take leave to go. Her Highness heard our beseech and begged sorrow. She then asked that after a belltide we come to her house, where we might all talk lissomely. Yaysayingly we left, whereafter we ducked into a wineyard and dangled our heels while we wondered what Her Highness’s shift of stead might forebode. When the bells rang Midday, we gathered our babes and went to the hall.
Lady Kueth welcomed us in a sideroom off the midyard, shut with a carven screen to keep the hearthfire’s heat. She thewed tea, which we lissomely shared. Then she seemingly gathered thought. At last Lady Kueth thanked us coming, bereading we could talk here more easily, and with fewer ears overhearing than at the palace. Again she begged sorrow at our unhappiness, and furthermore for this manifoldness. Then she reminded that here we are the queen’s guests and, as such, had not the queen’s leave to go. However, if Her Highness's mightiness could make our stay more idle, she would so hasten.
Instead of easing our worry, however, Her Highness’s word woke it. We struck with a yellstorm: how we should read Lady Marauqereth’s mood, did she still bestow goodwill or no, and why she had gainsaid her forespeech to meet us. Lady Kueth forbearingly outwaited, and then begged leave to answer. She assured we have not lost Lady Marauqereth’s goodwill, and bespoke our latter moottide with Lady Tiril her haremmate, who she told has worthily spoken of us and had shriven overgladness at teaching Taiase of the newer booklore. Yet Lady Kueth also begged us to understand that her own doomreach is bound, and that for some folk she could not speak (giving a weighty look), and even some things she knew not.
More boldly than forbearing, I asked who could tell these secrets, while Vosaeth asked what her household should do, being that they are an eightsome of moorland clanfolk cooped in the city for two months. Here Her Highness foreyielded to dighten a huntfare into the neighbor-hills and to give Vosaeth’s housemates the open land’s freedom. She put forth, however, that Taiase, Semuane, Istae, and I should stay in the city, halfly as warrant for Vosaeth’s good behavior and homecome, and halfly forwhy we should forelook Lady Marauqereth to call again.
Then to answer my ask, Lady Kueth forespoke to find someone who can tell truly. We asked whom. Yet she withheld, merely saying she must seek, and also bade us welcome to tomorrow’s mirthtide, whereby she would do her utmost to behold us gleeful.
This hearth left us little afilled, else than to understand that Lady Kueth worries for our ungladness. We overtalked choices. We could farseer-bode Lady Zhaene in Lea, though after fleeing her will, we find the thought shameful. Lady Nauve in Qabarat we reckon overfar, unless we send a leafwrit through the elfgate. Yet Semuane warned that all bodeship is overseen and even read unless borne by a city’s installed trucebode. I remind my talk with Lady Vei Vosaeth’s mother ere we came hither. She had warned the Lauba might ensnare us in their own games. Eyesomely she spoke true.

Asealae Treesong 24,545 - 45th Day in Ofu-Laubu
Lady Kueth’s mirthtide was unmarksome enough, but for the many outland traders. Her Highness as the city’s main trucebode dolefully welcomed all who have come early, though more than three months outstay ere the great Floodtide Fair. In this guesthood, however, showed many from Qabarat who behooved the elfgate hither. This deed caught our mind toward likely canniness.
Semuane laterward took my arm and begreeted me to Master Eialas, whom she named her mother’s tradefellow. The elder Korasha greeted me kindly, and then, hearing my name and kindred, asked whether I am kin with Master Nesh u’Navomyas Zolamauas. I answered we were house-kin, since Master Nesh had been my mother’s manmate, though he had died ere my birth, and father to my brother and elder sisters, both whomof had become matrons after our mother’s wise. Master Eialas blessed our kindred’s doom and outquoth in youth he had known Master Nesh as a mightily unmean and beswaysome fellow.
(Offhand, though I never straightly knew him, I have wondered on Nesh’s sway over my mother. He had been well older and wealthily settled ere he had cloven our household, and their match had had my grandmother Efadi’s blessing. Although he had done much to further her livelihood in the Matrons’ Hall, I also know my mother had never taken other manloves until after his death - namely my father. Elsewise, however, I have but some odd hints I guess bequeathed from my mother’s yestermind. They hold an inkling of him: someone who had craved mightiness, and maybe had beheld my mother as the wise to reach where a Korasha could not. These thoughts bother me in whits about my mother I deem best unguessed.)
I bethought to beseech Master Eialas whether he would bode word back to Qabarat on our behalf. Yet Semuane squeezed my arm. Instead, she asked how long he will stay in the city and whether we may have forehap to call him. He giftfully answered he will be here through Floodtide, else than short trips homeward to settle sundry business for the fair, and that he would glady wait hap to earn the goodwill of two noble and fair ladies. At our nod, he bowed, and we withdrew.
Right afterward, Semuane outthought to me that Qabarat has a saith: ~Vaeanza o’daemi zunya diasra ialyaru zhehuearu,~ - “Traders will sell their fathers for a pretty song.” She warned we must deem whether we may trust him, or else outlearn what worth will make him trusty. Although I have heard my whole lifetime of untrustworthy Qabarat traders, I had reckoned them witchtales. I meekly learn something new everyday.
Vosaeth and her housemates leave tomorrow for their huntfare among the hills. I want their freedom, though it is false. Under the skyriders’ watch, one can flee nowhither without their heed, and under this yeartide’s drought they will be fully beholden to their Shemez leads to live in the wilderness. Still, the open land will behave them well, and they may even learn something to our welfare

Recap: Lady Vaeol struggles to appease the insult she paid Lady Marauqereth while supporting her flagmates' wishes.

Lashunta Words & Phrases:

• Sezas (masc): free
• Teinu Zivazu: fisherman's harpoon (~Teinu~ (anim): spearhook; harpoon + ~Zivaza~ (com): angler; fisherman)
• Shenelae (spir): the ninth month (of ten) in the Lashunta Calendar
• Kae (spir): mood; spirit; humor
• Shanzuri (spir): whisper-tale; rumor; gossip
• O'komi irumi: fully plays; is in full play (~Koma~: full. ~Irumassi~: to play)
• Shanyali (spir): song-tale; epic poem
• Hivaenmore (fem): Warrior-Princess(es). Honorific reference to the rulers of Lost Halla.
• Nama Koma (com): (the) whole folk; whole population
• Rie-Imerru - alla/dative of ~Rie-Ime~ (fem): one wife/woman
• Shezhehyela - 3rd-person common dependent of ~Shizhehassi~: to bind; submit
• O'zhaoami-yi: so believingly. Adverbial phrase as verb auxilliary (~Zhaoami~ (spir): belief + ~Yi~ (spir): relative pronoun
• Heile (fem): proud
• Theiara Komara - accusative of ~Theia Koma~ (com): the whole world/planet
• Stya - accusative of ~Sti/Stei~ (spir): interrogative pronoun
• Ham: we (you & I) do/make - incusive of ~Hassi~: to do; make
• Kaolya - accusative of ~Kaoli~ (spir): favor; goodwill
• Vaeanza (com): trader; merchant
• O'daemi Zunya: will idly sell. (adverb: ~Daemi~ (spir): idleness; pleasure + 3rd-erson common conditional of ~Zunassi~: to sell
• Diasra - accusative of ~Dias~ (masc): father; uncle
• Ialyaru - alla/dative of ~Iali~ (spir): a choral song
• Zhehuearu - spiritual alla/dative of ~Zhehua~ beautiful