A Castrovel Adventure: Part 5, Chapter 21
~O'mei Vaeol-Ile shine mashya diyodya mesassya o Qabarat kolama taea.~ (In which Lady Vaeol experiences the worst dangers of living in the big city of Qabarat.)
From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son
10. Soelae, 24,546 - 4th Month in Qabarat; 10th Day of Qualmlock
First, let me sing thanks since I am alive. A deadly qualm has taken Qabarat. It began on my last log’s day when Tae begged help for little Yaraess’s illness. Taiase and I swiftly shaped a hymn-ring and gathered so many as we could to sing. We spent a long nighttide while Tae held the feversome, coughing little boy in her arms. At last in the foredawn watch his fever ebbed, and we meekly tarried.
~Verazi-Sei~ Mistress Shotheiae named it: the Breath-Thief. Qabarat has often met this qualm, which takes its wretches swyly, and who sicken ere they know. Right as she spoke, the city’s bells rang. She read they told qualmlock, which forbids all cityfolk from leaving their neighborhoods. The farthing-gates should shut, and the Streetwatch should bind anyone caught wandering, and even Treesong forgotten.
That morntide while the bemasked Streetwatch outside yelled qualmlock, Donas, Lenis, and Tesine swooned feverishly, as did Mistress Nimaue Semuane’s matemother and two grooms. We shaped another hymn-ring and hoarsely sang all the healthmight we could. Then we fell and slept where we lay.
I woke after dusktide, fed Aeosel, and staggered to the kitchen. I had found a bowl of riceberries and was hungrily eating when Remaue rushed in; face gray as I had ever seen. ~E Lanaryel!~ she moaned. Together we hastened upstairs, found the bewretched girl sweating on our bed, and called the others to shape another hymn-ring. Tae and Less clove, too, hopeless to save his daughter, as we knelt, sang, and held hands merely to uphold our wills after the long day’s weariness.
After Midwatch, Remaue felt our daughter’s brow, and deemed the fever sunken. We bowed heads as our hymn-ring broke. I kissed my wifemate, who wept thankfully, and outreached Taiase’s hand. Then we left them under Kaure’s heed and stumbled down to the yardwalk. I met Erymi and Oshis, who had stood watch, still caring for Tesine sleeping. I bestowed our son to his father, and then hugged Erymi, weak after the ordeal. I said I yearned for sleep, which she answered was a good thought.
Then I swooned...
…I dreamed of unknown things, dimly reminded and mostly forgotten, of shapes I understood not but seemed so great as the world, rising, spreading, crushing all underneath. Were they gods or something else? Idly they witted me, whereat I quailed fright, Then they so swiftly forgot, and I curled into a fearful ball and prayed they might never behold me again. They looked with but one eye, although they had many…
…I read a thought and witted Aeosel. He wailed and wanted me. I outreached, linked with his mind, and bade him ease. Yet then our link dazed, and against all my soulmight, I could not keep him. I felt his young, witless fear and loss, glinted in my own, and shrieked dread. Was my babe dying? Was I dying?...
Yesterday I woke abed, in our bower in Semuane’s household, hearing rain and songbirds in the midyard. First thing, I beheld Aeosel crawling on my breast, and sobbed relief. At my thought, he laughed, and his gladness throbbed so strong it matched mine.
Yet something was wrong. What I understood not.
Kaure incame, bearing Lanaryel on her mighty hip. I gleed to see our daughter strengthened again after the Breath-Thief’s mark, and tried to rise while they ran near. Yet weakness overtook, and I could not, I took their hug when my maidenmate leapt on the bed and tearfully overknelt. Then another hand touched my brow. ~Kademnya delya shyaeldis,~ - “You gave us quite a fright.” I looked to Remaue, who sat beside on our bed, propped on pillows. She smiled with bright eyes. Yet I witted their hollowness and her thin cheeks, illness’s hint like mine: the mark of the Verazi-Sei.
I soon learned the qualm’s full weight when Oshis, Less, and Hanos rushed in, bowed heads to my belly, and would not leave. Soon followed Mistress Nimaue, who thankfully kissed my hand for healing her. They told Erymi and Tae lay healing in the next bower, and also Draue, Sievae, and Nae in theirs. Mistress Shotheiae still lay fallen, as did most of their Damaya housemates, all whomof had fallen under the qualm. Of the Korasha, about half like Kaure and Less had withstood, with the others like Oshis had mildly offshrugged. Grimmer bestood Taiase’s and Istae’s plight, who still sleep feverishly. After I and others swooned, Taiase strove another two days to heal so many as canny, ere she fell. Then Istae, against her own illness, watched until she fell. Of them we worry the most.
The city stays under qualmlock while sickness spreads, ebbs, and grows again, and with no end foreseen. News has reached that more than two thousand folk have died. How many more have ailed none can tally, although it must be in the ten thousands. Mistress Nimaue, while she fraughtly watches Shotheiae her wifemate, foretells it will surely last through month’s end, and maybe the next.
Yet, although others so worry, it is not my greatest heed. I have forsoothed what has gone wrong between me and Aeosel my babe. I first understood when he wailed at thought of leaving me, even for Remaue, Kaure, or his father: he fears to lose me as he did while I ailed. The truth smote like a kick to my heart. A dread dawned that curled me over him and I sobbed the whole daytide. While I write this, it still makes my breath shake.
Erenow, my son had never understood we are shed lives. He has found his self, and well younger than most children so become. All my thoughts and yestermind dim when I leave him, and he knows not how to deal. I fear for my boy with no wise to help.
11. Soelae, 24,546 - 12th Day of Qualmlock
I swooned again after yesterday’s log, though merely from weariness. Remaue found the strength to twist my hair and chide me, though not too much, for she wholly understands my dread, and that writing helps lighten my mood. We have mostly lain with Aeosel between us. Else than this log while he sleeps, I scarcely have strength to do else than soothe him. He unreadily frightens at a greater, lonelier world than he had ever witted.
Even worse, my birthmight has faded, and although Master Kaff had forewarned me back in Ofu-Laubu, still it becomes a rough shock. I had rather liked far-boding friends from a half-world off. I cannot do so now.
Under Blighttide, the rain has halted. The Korasha kindly bore our beds out to the midyard, where we lay under more light and wind, and ingathering Mistress Shotheiae, who has woken. We gladly tarried with our housemates, shared worry, and mildly held hands. Our main worries stays Taiase and Istae, who still lie afever, and Aeosel less so, for none have lore of mind-shedness so young. Mistress Nimaue has forespoken to find a midwife-priest to reckon my babe’s plight. Yet under the qualm, they busy helping the ill (if not ill themselves) and have no time to read a babe.
Oshis has right left from yielding us winewater. He and Less watch the children. We also watched them dealing with the housegrooms, showing a proud forthrightness and trust. Erymi, also witting, chucklingly quoth: ~O’eriae vemyas lari-mya thassya,~ - “They must surely begladden having our mastery.” Her word sparked an odd thought of Brand and the Aslanta, and what we know of Man-Right and their wise. ~Allatherya evolyelas shizhehassya theiara, o’mei,~ I answered: “If they sought forehap to take over the world, this would be it.”
13. Soelae, 24,546 - Qabarat; 14th Day of Qualmlock
Today Taiase and Istae woke, which right gladdened us all. Mistress Shotheiae outquoth it would be woeful if Taiase died under the qualm, since surely she is foremeant for greater deeds. Taiase meekly naysaid, although she outspoke thankfulness to not yet forsake our household and this world’s wonder.
I am still so weak I can hardly walk, much less bear my babe, which makes him wail forlornly when another bears him. His hurt and fear wounds my heart. I fear I may never strengthen again. Am I still the outrider who beat Semuane at weapon-trial, won the City Games, and felled Kazos and Byreath? Or am I a mere shell, hollow but for dread and want.
Lashunta Words & Phrases:
- Verazi-Sei (spir): the Breath-Thief; highly contagious respiratory plague.
- E (3rd fem): she is / they are; there she is / they are
- Kademnya (spir acc): fright; emotional shock
- Delya (spir acc): quite; stark
- Shyaeldis (1st-pers perf trans): to give; bestow; distribute
- O'eriae (adv): surely; certainly
- Vemyas (3rd-pers masc cond): he/they may/would enjoy/have fun
- Lari-vya (1st-pers demonst acc): my/our mastery; mastery over me/us
- Thassya (spir acc particip): having; taking; keeping
- Allatherya (spir acc): forehap; opportunity
- Evolyelas (3rd-masc depend): if/when he/they may/would seek
- Shizhehassya (spir acc particip): take over; subjugating; conquering
- Theiara (com acc): world; planet
- O’mei (adv): now
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