A Castrovel Adventure: Part 5, Chapter 26

~O'mei dias Vaeol-Ileas erathas lomara.~ (In which Lady Vaeol’s father surprises everyone.)

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

7. Ashelae, 24,546 - 6th Month in Qabarat
Next step on the Ten-Thousand Stair: today I wrapped a halter maidenwise abreast. Then Semuane and I jogged up the Stormshield Path we had yesterday taken to the Stormy Shore. Istae clove, too, who is also eager to shape up, and as did Kaure, although she, like most Korasha, hates long runs, and would much rather go on a tree-climb. Yet after our illness, our long legs were not much swifter than hers, and she had behoof of not being the Breath-Thief’s wretch. Together we gamely upkept to match Semuane’s strength and outstrove through the Temple-Farthing, through the gate, and upon the path.
Once we reached the cliffstair, however, we reached maybe a hundred steps ere our lungs lost, and we halted at a landing. Although Semuane surely could have akept, Kaure happily halted with us. While we caught breath with our antennae drooping, up rode Remaue on Valos her steed, and bore Aeosel on her shoulder while Lanaryel rode the foresaddle, and also a skinful of winewater. Too gladly I took my son, and then asked why she had not cloven our run. She answered: ~Ve umalael o’zheieve-dei, oeo’nae name-ime avyrya zomye,~ - “I am a shieldbearer, not an outrider, and someone must follow wisdom.” I swore to find her more helms and byrnies to shine!
Kaure set my son ashoulder, and we walked back down the stairway. When we reached the Templefarthing, we jogged again, though at a weary, sorry stride. Thus at home we staggered into the midyard, where Less and Hanos were teaching Draue’s sons wrestlecraft. At our sight, Less laughed and outquoth what a bedraggled lot we looked. Yet Draue, our eldest firstspear, overloomed. ~Riyae ilamya-shyaele harasse, o’sasa-tei~ - “Your flagwife drills to strengthen herself, without you,” she chided: ~Stora hadis ollonassora satra o’hemnathi?~ - “What have you done to better yourself while qualmtide?”
Less’s nape shamefully bowed. An inkling overtakes we may have more drillmates on our next run.

9. Ashelae, 24,546 - Qabarat
Yestermorn Kaure and Semuane led a meeker troop of men to the Battle Yards, where they got good drilltide. We wives stayed home and did footwork, which even weaponless wearies. After noonmeal, Taiase, Istae, and I went to the Embassy to await Her Highness’s idleness, which happily proved unburdensome.
Today, true to forebode, we led almost our whole flag arun, Damaya and Korasha, up the same path as ereyesterday. We have forespoken a goal to reach the peak. However, we barely outstrove to reach three hundred steps ere our legs burned and lungs yielded. When we Damaya halted, the Korasha had no heart to keep forth, even though Semuane goaded them to follow.
My father has started work on the Embassy. Yesterday we wonderfully watched him rig a scaffold from the roof downward, although it did my mind no good beholding him climb down a spar, hang thirty ells aloft, and set footspans against the outer wall, under the eaves. I almost boded an ill word to Her Highness. Happily, he had a rope tied, and a helpmate downhanding boards wherewith he laid a framedeck. With that set, they can now work in rather safeness.

12. Ashelae, 24,546 - Qabarat
Today beheld two far-seer words from Lea. From Vosaeth:

~Laemave o tazhaho, hei vosave o vaeayelisa. Delanva o elma yana Thanru. Sheazi Oshisru o Marauqereth o’zhehue zeae. O’shoe-komi.~
“I weep at your leaf-writ, but gladden you live. We leave on the new month for Than. Tell Oshis Marauqereth thickens nicely. All my love.”

And straight from Lady Marauqereth:

~O’neami hoztave Learru shi rosae-komi. O’hiadeni olla mi shima. Sheazi Oshisru o li eiesave. O’lani heili-sya miaveaef mi Sealnea, oe naeshya velya-ruaelf.~
“We have safely flown to Lea under full guesthood. It is good to be again among kindred. Tell Oshis I think of him. I hope to earn your pride among the Sealnea, and pray for your health.”

…It is inthrifty Her Ladyship names Vosaeth’s household kin, which hints how she bethinks us. So I answered both:

~O’samae vusya-ruae, oeo’roae trei mithanya-ruaelva. Omoni-sei heieni. O’yiadeni zieraea-shyaeli. O’kehaeuni harya tollaea miaveaef oeo’sei loea-ruaelva. O’shoe-shahi.~
“Go lissomely, and know our heart comes with you. Your sake is peace. Therefore be noble. We will strive to earn our old strength, and to be worthy of you. In meek love.”

After I had read, I found Erymi and Oshis to share news, and could not help teasing him on whether Her Ladyship may thicken too heavily to fly upon her Thakasa. When he grew bothered, I handed him his son and kissed his brow. Then I nestled with Erymi while the men played in the midyard. To her I said Oshis’s harem is become a right haughty club. She yaysaid, but added maybe the time comes to forbid more fellows.

18. Ashelae, 24,546 - Qabarat
Today my father put forth a sundry fetch. He led us while bearing Aeosel to a hall unfar from the Embassy, where after a mild wave to the doorman, we introd. We beheld a broad and lofty room, and overall with sheerglass skylights set in the roof, such as might wontfully be in a temple, and which on a bright Blighttide like today greatly belightened. And at first I thought it a temple from the many stonelikenesses belithing the floor. Yet we also saw paintlikenesses hung awall, amid inworked carvecraft. If it is a temple, it is one to the ~Yazaea~ - the Muse-Fey. We stood in a ~remeaemnizhya~ - a faircraft hall, which my father named ~Elim-Yazaealissu~ - the Blue Fey’s Shrine, which so benamed to the hall’s midmost stonelikeness: an elfwife winged like a dragonfly (with cunning gold veins running), carven from blue marmlestone, and standing upon a footshaft.
We spent an idle belltide walking among the faircrafts and hearing my father tell their make, and even the crafters, their lives, and their more moodsome tales, and who seemed almost as if he had known them. His lorefulness forecaught our housemates. They had erever bethought Aeosiss the meek stonecarver who had won a matron’s goodwill after her manmate died, had so begotten me, and had held his other kindred secret under fear of fuddling under hallcraft. I felt good to witness his worth acknowledged, and dolefully by Taiase, who asked much of the faircrafters who had lived while this latter time. They then enwed an earnest talk of the great craftmasters from the Time of the Sage-Queens, wherein my father eagerly learned all she taught - although rather to our boredom else!
So enwed were they that they bewared not when a lady came and bade our business. At once my father knelt and greeted Lady Loeve, whom he named as the hallmistress. She seemed right shaken, greeted him back by name, and said she had not known he was in the city. He answered he had come yestermonth to find me, and so undermet me as his daughter. I begreeted her to Taiase, at which tide the whole talk overbegan on the Sage-Queens’ faircraft. The hallmistress rued they had nothing so old nor seldom, since their oldest works are Elven. So we spent another belltide whereby Lady Loeve bestowed a selfsome showfare of the hall’s dearest things.
Our host ended outspeaking that my father: ~O’eri-tollodalas yo mau,~ - “Had been too long up the strath,” (meaning Son), and that he should rightly spend time here in Qabarat, and furthermore that the faircraft hall should forebid him a work. My father answered he even now was ending the Embassy’s work, but that, if the faircraft hall would bestow a workroom, he would gladly atake. ~Thaf emathonara,~ - “We have the workroom,” smartly answered Lady Loeve, and bade him come when ready. She then gave us welcome to a Treesong mirthtide the hall will hold tomorrow, adding she would outreach to Her Highness Lady Sheneal as Son’s ambassador, whereafter we took thankful leave.
My father, however, had not ended his sightshow. He next led us to the Diremoshu, where on speech with that nameworthy lorehall’s First Hallreeve, we got leave to climb the dome by the narrow stairs and stoneboughwalks wheron sat the many sages’ stonelikenesses. So we got a near look at Burning-Mother’s and Green-Mother’s great idols who fill that lofty dome, where my father outlaid the subtle chiselcraft upon their cloth-seeming shrouds, and that he had met the master-stonecarvers who had wrought them: already old in his youthtide.
Then he showed a door, which led to the roof. Thence we climbed the dome’s outside, stepping amid the glass skylights, to the spire. There stood a stone angel raising a lantern. Proudly my father stood beside. ~Vas hadaf,~ - “I did this,” he softly said, and told he had made this as his last work when he had learned here as a tradethew ere coming home to Son.
Many times I had seen my father’s work, and could even read his craftwise in the feather’s dainty chisel cuts. Yet I had never known he had made such a work, nor that it stood here, at one of the highest steads in Qabarat. Looking about the city, I reckoned we had flown higher when ereyestermonth we had ridden the loftship. Yet hence the scape dropped steeply from this peak, and I beheld us gazing on a maplike sight of hometrees, neighbortrees, toylike halls, and antlike folk drifting astreet, as if we minded the world as from a mountaintop like the Hall of Stars. I reckoned my father had added to the city’s fairness, even in this small far spot that all unheeded but those who knew where to look.

2. Evelae, 24,546 - 7th Month in Qabarat
Yestereve beheld the mirthtide at the Blue Fey’s Shrine, where I gladly write not only Taiase but my father outstood as the hall’s darlings, and wherein we met the lot of Lady Loeve’s ~Zieraeama~ - the noblehood who own this hall. Things went well, although as odd outcome, the ladyhood outspoke wish that my father shall make Taiase’s stonelikeness, and furthermore that a work showing the elder Sage-Queens’ lissomeness would be right comeful. On that whit, both Taiase and my father seemed bothered: he for not having forelooked such a bid, and she under wry shame, since Taiase rightly thinks of herself no longer as a queen. Nevertheless, under couthness neither straightly gainsaid.
This morntide, I woke early, at foredawn. Since none else stirred, I ran, with only Ess afollowing. He surely minded not our slow jog (by his reckonship) to the Templefarthing Gate and up the Stormshield Path while he bounded up the way, sniffed walls and streetyards, and awaited me to reach. I read his befuddleship that I rode him not. Even so, for the first tide since illness I reached the peak without halting.
There we tarried, me breathless and him letting me lean on his strong flank. We watched the sky lighten silver, the sea staying gloomy underneath until daylight overcame the ridge. I sang a swift hymn to Burning-Mother unseen in the East, thanking her for the lost strength I have rewon, and beseeched more.
Then I wept, anon missing my babe whose mind had too soon shed from mine. Maybe the greatest hurt belongs not to him, but me. Ess rubbed his snout and brow against my belly, and I heartily scratched him.
I rode Ess bareback homeward. Remaue swiftly brought me Aeosel when I came into the house, who wailed not only from hunger but loneliness. My wifemate eyed me queerly while I fed him. While I said nothing, she understood. Of all the steps so far, I have reached a waystone on the Ten-Thousand Stair.

3. Evelae, 24,546 - 7th Month in Qabarat
First day wearing harness since the qualm, which Remaue has held right shiny, but felt heavy. Istae and I followed Semuane, Kaure, and Oshis to the Battle Yards. No weapons but merely root riding-drills, reminding my body’s and byrnie’s bounce with Ess’s leap, and ruing weariness. I watched my loves tilt well (although Semuane must beseech the Korasha’s sakes against misforedeemship) and reckoned their skill as champions. They would do well in this city’s games, although Qabarat, tallying so many, lacks not doughty riders. We must think thereon. If we find forehap to prove their worth, I would take it.
Tomorrow we shall follow with some root weapondrill, building more strength and sureness.

Recap: After qualmlock's end and Semuane's homecoming, Vaeol's flag spent a holiday on the Stormy Shore. 

Lashunta Words & Phrases:

• Ve (fem): I; we. 1st-person exclusive.
• Umalael (fem): shieldbearer; squire
• O'zheieve-dei (fem): not an utrider
• Nae (spir): need; must
• Name-ime (fem): one person; someone
• Avyra (spir acc): wisdom
• Zomye (3rd-pers fem cond): she would/may practice
• Riyae (fem): flagwife; leader of a flag-troop
• Ilamya-shyaele (3rd-fem honor): she drills
• Harasse (fem part): strengthen
• O'sasa-tei (masc): without you
• Stora (neut acc): what; what thing
• Hadis (2nd perf): you did; you have done
• Ollonassora neut acc partic): being better
• Hemnathi (spir): qualmtide; plague season 
• Laemave (1st-fem intrans): I/we weep/sorrow
• Tazhaho (neut): leafwrit; letter
• Hei: but
• Vosaf (1st trans): I/we gladden
• Vaesa (2nd-comm intrans): you live
• Delanva (1st-comm cond): I/we would/may leave
• Elma (comm): month; 18 days
• Yana (comm): young
• Thanru (comm alla/dat): to Than
• Sheazi (imper): tell
• Oshisru (masc alla/dat): to Oshis
• O'zhehue (adv): fairly; beautifully; nicely
• Zeae (3rd-fem): she thickens
• O'shoe-komi (adv): in whole love
• O'neami (adv): safely
• Hoztave Learru (1st-fem instrans): I/we flew to Lea
• Shi: under
• Rosae (spir): guesthood; hospitality
• Komae (spir): full; whole
• O'hiadeni (adv): again
• Olla (3rd-comm): it is good
• Mi shima (comm): with kin
• Li eiesave (1st-fem instran): I/we think of him/her/them
• O'lani (adv): hopefully
• Heili-sya (spir acc): your pride
• Miaveaef (1st trans cond): I/we may/would earn
• Mi Sealnea: with the Sealnea (monkeyfolk)
• Naeshya (spir acc): health
• Velya-ruaelf (1st cond honor): I/we will/may pray
• O'samae (adv): in thanks; thankfully
• Vusya-ruae (honor imper): go
• Oeo'roae: and know
• Trei (spir): heart; feelings; thoughts
• Mithanya-ruaelva (1st-comm intrans honor): I/we may/will accompany
• Omoni-sei (spir): your sake/cause
• Heieni (spir): peace; truce
• O'yiadeni (adv): therefore
• Zieraea-shyaeli (honor imp): be noble
• O'kehaeuni (adv): strivingly; in strife
• Harya tollaea (spir acc): old strength
• Sei loea-ruaelva (1st-comm cond intrnas): I/we will/may be worthy of you
• O'shoe-shahi (adv) in meek love
• Yazaea (comm): Muse-Fey; lillendi
• Renzhehuedya (comm): faircraft hall; museum
• Elim (anim): shrine
• O'eri (adv): too long/much
• Tollodalas (masc plup): he had been longest; oldest
• Yo: up; over
• Mau (anim): strath; river valley
• Thaf (1st trans): I/we have/hold/take
• Emathonara (comm acc): workroom
• Vas (masc): I/we. 1st-person exclusive
• Hadaf (1st perf trans): I/we did
• Zieraeama (comm): noblehood; society dedicated to a noble cause