A Castrovel Adventure: Part 5, Chapter 3

In which Lady Vaeol and her flagmates meet the queen, and then find trouble.

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

15. Ashelae, 24,545 - 3rd Day in Ofu-Laubu; Afterword
We have come back from meeting the queen. I shrive I had not known what to forelook. The deedtide has left me more befuddled.
Again we rode the winchlift to the top, whence this time our host led us to the queen’s palace: a small but whitworthy hall. Its blend of Elven and Qabarati craftwise, ingathering silver springs and wreathlike stonelikenesses, bespoke proud wealth. We followed through the forehall, where we first met Lady Sel, the Palace Mistress of Wont and Couthness. She bestowed a short loretide on how our hearth with the queen should head forth, inmeaning how we must bow and kneel. The men must kneel along the rear wall. Since Istae and I wore breastdishes and Kaure a maiden-halter, we need not hide our bosoms. Yet the wives wearing bodyshrouds must hand-whelm their bare teat. Also (as Taiase had foretold), we must not feed our babes in arm unless dolefully given leave, and must not let them wail. Furthermore, walking children must wait in the forehall.
Here Draue willed to stay and mind the children, forwhy she outquoth she is too old for such high couthness. To our shock, Oshis also outspoke to stay. When I asked why he would not see the queen, he answered: ~O’kanvae iqovadaf riere ussere vi-losassere. Di naef shaere ollonassere,~ - “I have had enough wives shame me in my lifetime. I need not a queen to do it better.” Falteringly we let him.
Then we met Lady Thari the First Hallreeve, who led us to the queen’s foreroom. She spoke with a herald, who introd the hearthroom, through whose doorbough we watched, and came to a sheer golden shroud that split the room in half. At a nod, the herald swerved aside, and called our names. At the First Hallreeve’s beck, we marched inside, all under mindshare to soothe worry. At the doorbough, Vosaeth, I, and Taiase amidst, bowed and led our houses within, with Istae, Tae, and Threarde next, and our other eight wives in three more rows, and then our men. Before the shroud we wives shifted to two wider rows with Taiase ahead (in smart warriorly trim, I proudly bewrite) and the men arear as forebidden.
A bell rang, and we knelt and bowed brows to the floor, eyes downcast. We stayed while another herald aloud sang our houses, ingathering our names and stallworth. Then the first herald bestowed us the acknowledge of Her Hallowness, Queen Seri-Ilaueth, Warder of Berg and Sky, Heavenly Daughter, and Liss upon the City, bequeathed us guesthood, and bade leave to sit upright.
Through this while, the queen spoke not. As my eyes rose, I tried to see what beheld of her. The shroud’s golden sheen hazed whits beyond. Yet on its far side, not only did a foursome of broad lanterns blaze (their sweetburn smoke also thickening the haze), but a whole score of witchlights shone overbowing the far side’s midst, and together greated the dazzle glinting through the golden cloth.
Within that light-bough, a shape dimmed within the blaze. My eyes sought it, trying to unriddle whether it was a seat or body, and merely beheld a shadow that might be a crown.
I understood the subtle showcraft within this room, both to hide and beweigh. The Lauba believe their queen as a living god earthbound. Thus her self, and even her sight, are too hallowly sheer for mean eyes. This dithercraft spared us from yielding offthank while letting her see us, and the queen’s self from lowly besmirch. Idly, we caught Taiase’s reckful thought of this showcraft. Even so overworked as queenly wont and hall-couthness had been in her time, she had erenever witnessed this outstretch.
As if the hall thanes caught whisper of our thoughtspeech, the herald again spoke: ~Ashyaul kovya-shyaele Zhaeilere Relesantere Sonre, oeo’zayae sianya-ruaelye,~ - “The Throne wares Her Ladyship the Worshipful Grandmother of Son." Then she bade her rise.” Heedfully Taiase stood, since we had not forelooked this deed.
A halt then stretched, not long but enough to hint awkwardness while Taiase waited and we else stole glances. Then the herald outquoth that the Throne, acknowledging Taiase as a fellow queen, welcomed her to step beyond the shroud. Although Taiase witfully startled, I wonder the hall thanes’ shock, against couthness, might be greater. Our elder friend looked to the herald for leadership, right as two grooms hastened forth, fumblingly found a seam in the shroud, and opened it. ~Uthanmaue o’elyni-illi milimya-shyaelye,~ outlaid the herald: “The Heavenly Daughter would speak straightly.”
Taiase nodded, strode through the split shroud, and stepped beyond. Soon as so, the grooms shut the gap, and whatever whitsome sight of the room’s other half again hazed beyond, leaving us with dim shapes, drifts, and hushed words. Then a stark giggle shook the stillness. We waited aloss, even as the thanes tightened shamefully, at what mirth had overcome this hearth’s grimness.
And yet some hint in the whisper struck me as kith.
We waited maybe a farthingtide ere a light bell rang, the grooms again opened the shroud. I swiftly glanced at the throne standing, though it was already empty. Taiase stepped back to our side and again knelt with us. I tried to reckon her mood. Yet she had left mindshare and warded well when I tried to read her thoughts.
At the herald’s beck, we again bowed brows to the floor. Then we rose, stood, and withdrew rearward through the doorbough. Once back at the forehall, however, we swerved to Taiase and asked her happentide. ~O’hoveae linve,~ - she answered: “I am forbidden to speak,” and rather naughtily as if this secret begladdened. Against all beseeches, she withheld word, but that she had had a right merry speech with the godlike Heavenly Daughter.
While we rode the winchlift back to the Lowburgh, Taiase stumbled and grabbed Oshis’s shoulder. When she thanked him, she let slip that the queen had spoken of him. This drew our mind: how did the queen of Ofu-Laubu know Oshis? Then I reminded from the hearthtide, after Taiase had gone through the shroud, and their shared whispers ringing kith.

Evelae Treesong, 24,545 - 7th Day in Ofu-Laubu
A mild few days, for which, after the long wayfare, we are thankful. We got some sight of the neighborlands near the great crag, whereof Vosaeth and her housemates, missing the Retaea’s broad moors, asked of a hunt. Our hosts told that, under this yeartide’s long drought, game is seldom, and what hunt they now follow behooves tame strikerhawks after lizards, unless one is a skyrider and may overfly to seek ~vamu~ - the hardy wingless birds who widely wander among the hills.
Befitting the month’s first day, Treesong again brought us to the Ofu’s top, where we met and yielded worship to Aia, Ofu-Laubu’s Soultree. We were stricken by this tree’s oldness. Like Son’s, it first shows as a great and worn stump we almost bethought dead until we saw the leaf-sprigs right under Its beam’s break. Such harm these great trees undergo through yearthousands and still live.
With almost the whole cityfolk gathered upon the Ofu, even upcome from the Lowburgh, the holiday undertook a fairlike mood. After the true rite ended (overseen by Her Highness Lady Ziaral along with the tree-singers, and not the queen), gatherdances started in the streetyards and lanes, children afterhunted hoverballs, and showmen sang, undertook plays, and spelled dithersights, while hucksters sold meatcakes beside the aleyards.
Into one such mirthstead foreyielding ale and song our housemates aimed unswervingly and left us mothers rather forsaken. So bereft, Vosaeth, Tae, and Threarde deemed: ~Diahi linyaeayelme, o ruzaruaeme~ - If we cannot beat them, cleave them - and also went into the aleyard, along with our Lauba host-grooms, where I misdoubt Vosath matched the Korasha cup to cup. Thus outcame that Kaure, Remaue, Semuane, and I beheld ourselves, for the first time since reaching this city, oddly unawaited.
Atop a stairway, which gave some sight of the cityscape, we halted while I shifted Aeosel to my full teat and took forehap to look about. My loves watched me reckfully. ~Stya eiesis?~ - “What are you thinking?” asked Semuane bluntly.
My eyes aimed at barnlike buildings and spires standing on the crag’s ledge. Though our host-leads had not so named them, I guessed they were the Thakasa-aeries, where the Lauba sky-riders keep their winged steeds. Against recklessness, our hosts had clearly warned not to stray from the Temple-Farthing. Remaue caught my gaze, and mayhap a share of my thought. ~A ihe!~ - “You wicked thing!” she gleefully chided. Kaure and Semuane, however, answered more warily, reading we should shun our hosts’ offthank.I looked to little Lanaryel, who was holding Remaue her soulmother’s hand, and answered that, if were were caught, we could claim we had lost the girl and sought her.
Then I crouched low and stroked my mate-daughter’s cheek. ~Dei-samae neamise?~ - “Will you help us?” Lanaryel is her mother’s daughter in body and mind. At forethought of a wicked deed under our blessing, and furthermore with us, her antennae throbbed so hard they blurred.
We stole from the Temple-Farthing with Lanaryel scouting ahead to the next streetyard, witting lack of watchers or witness, and aftercoming. Then we repeated the deed for the next streetyard, and furtherward. So we made steady furtherness until we reached the edge of the aerie-barns, where we heard queer shrieks, and also grooms’ throats loud in speech. We dodged into a sidelane ere sight. Then we met a hard choice how best to foresee a hidden way to the barns. Witting the lane led further, we foreset to follow and sent Lanaryel to scout the far end, whence the girl waved us forward. We upcaught Lanaryel and strode into a bight.
Anon a shape strode from the other side. We found ourselves before Lady-Captain Marauqereth, whom we had met in Lea at the Hoverball game-trial. She stared back quite shaken as we. Neither could I forget our deedtide yesterday when we met the queen, nor the kithness that had run from her whispered throat. I had heard that throat in the Hoverball gamestand, when the young Lauba skyrider-captain had sat with us, and had even traded bets with Oshis and our other warriors. Neither could I forget her name given. Marauqereth, as Vosaeth had outlaid, has a joke meaning.
This happen-moot so beshook that we four lovers right fell into war-mind, which gave behoof of staying the children from wailing. Yet it affrighted the lady-captain, who doubtlessly took our threat. Straightway I forsoothed the miss and ended mindshare. Then my arms lifted and yielded my babe in peaceful token.
Lady Marauqereth faltered, and then stepped forth. She laid a mild hand upon my babe, but kindly did not take him. With a slight nod she said: ~O’kani reqoe miyae,~ - “It seems we have an awkwardness.”
In answer I bowed and wordlessy bade my fellows do samely. I outquoth we should not naysay our sin coming hither, but instead: ~Viruaelf ahi-syaru,~ - “We yield ourselves to your might.” Yet then I made my bet, saying that we would beseech Her Ladyship’s ruth: ~o’samae allathi-mei o’nili di qoanya-shyaeli sirrilaqaoe o’nae-yei.~ - to not let this hap become more upside-down than needful - whereby I hinted her joke-name.
A short grin broke the young captain’s face. She asked our purpose coming hither, whereat we answered we had hoped to brook the Treesong rite-tide to catch sight of the Thakasa. She told she had brooked the same forehap. Then seemingly she made a choice and bade us follow. Instead of leading us back to the Temple-Farthing (and the watchwardens), she led us to the aerie-barn.
When we strode onto the main lane, the grooms soon witted, and at Her Ladyship’s sight stood aside and bowed wordlessly. They did not so more meekly than they would for any high lady, whereby if they anywise misbelieved her a skyrider-captain, it was a sham well worn and kith. So we came through hinderlessly: Remaue tightly holding our daughter’s hand, I rubbing cheeks with my babe, and Semuane and Kaure following wardsomely.
The aerie-barn outproved a broad stone hall three decks tall. On our intread, we beheld the far side opened to the ledge whereon the barn stood. Along with the height, the outer floor delved downward stairlike, making an even broader gap. This open wieldiness soon showed eyesome while we watched, when a Thakasa bearing rider swooped in. The gap yielded room for its flapping wings while it landed, whereafter, the skyrider unsteeded, and grooms hastened to unsaddle. I shrive this great beast hovering aloft so near shook us. Their sight soaring afar, even so wonderful, recks nothing of their size and mightiness, and neither the loft’s heavy drift from their beating wings nor even the stone floor’s dim shudder when it landed, and which repeated while it hopped upward to a stone perch aside the wall after the grooms unsaddled it. They then stirred to feed it what looked a whole thurse-lich.
Lady Marauqereth watched our wonder. Then she asked: ~Dei kiaes lashura?~ - “Will you meet my steed?” Unless we would be fornamed cowards, we forsoothly could not withhold.
Her Ladyship led us to another of the many stone perches within the barn, whereon roosted a Thakasa blue and gray (which hue looks mean among these skybeasts, and maybe helps to hide their sight), who woke when she greeted. Straightway, its mind aimed to her under their soul-bond and happily unminded us, so long as we stood far and mild. When we neared, however, its gaze snapped with the flat scorn seemly for a strikerhawk, a hunting coeurl, or even a wild Shota. We were not its kith, I beread, but outstealers at best, food or threat at worst. It kept all heed and love for the lady we named Marauqereth.
The Thakasa’s birdlike snout forecaught me, which Her Ladyship coaxed to greet us. Yet the sameliness makes good thought, since Thakasa also grow and live aloft. The main unlikeness outstood in its featherlessness, fangs peeking from it mouth, and the batlike wings. Eyesome it could bear a rider’s weight and saddle, with heft enough to fly and fight. I wondered what else it could lift.
After the great wingbeast alet our hands stroke its smooth scales, Lady Marauqereth put forth that, if we would fly with her, she will towardly send a groom to again lead us hither. We looked at each other, sharing thrill and reckfulness, ere I eagerly bowed head. Then she shortly thewed her fierce steed, whereafter she led us to the Temple-Farthing, bestowed us swy leave, and headed into a lane toward the palace.
We reclove our household at the aleyard, who cursed our stealthtide and the worry it had brought, and also bewitted our queer mood. At their ask what had amissed, we bade them speak not, reading this word better unspoken until homecome. When we reached the house, we had no choice but to tell we had met Lady Marauqereth.
Straightway a qualm wafted from Taiase, who asked what had befallen. So we told how we had wickedly tried to reach the Thakasa aerie-barn and had run into Her Ladyship along the way. Our tale woke many questions (ingathering Oshis’s curse, forwhy he still owes her an ale keg bet from Lea’s Hoverball game) and a queer inkling from Vosaeth, who bade us tell more. Yet eyeing Taiase, we answered we feared to freely tell, else than: ~real-lei saqei sholi~ - her joke name is true, which merely stirred my oath-sister’s heed stronger, and she would not offlet.
At that word, Taiase bade we must speak sunderly. So we four followed her into a room, where she asked what we know. I answered we guess much, but have not sought the truth. After a thoughtful breath, she loosened, but beread we tread snaresomeness and may enwallow hallcraft she wholly understands not. Then she forespoke to speak next with Vosaeth, since my fiery oath-sister asking loud questions may not do well. Then she beseeched us to seek no more wild stealthfares.
Yet one last thing: after I chided Oshis for not settling his game-bets, I beseeched the house steward to send an ale keg to the palace, with a sorrow-writ for a dearth long outstanding.

Recap: Lady Vaeol has arrived in Ofu-Laubu.

Lashunta Words & Phrases:

• O'kanvae - in [my] lifetime
• Iqovadaf - 1st-person perfect of ~iqovassi~: to behold
• Riere ussere: enough wife/ves. Accusative of ~rie~ (fem): wife/woman + ~usse~ (fem): enough
• Vi-losassere: feminine accusative participle of ~vi-losassi~: to shame in relation to the first person
• Di naef: 'I don't need'. ~Di~: not; negative adverb + ~Naef~ - 1st-person active conditional of ~naeassi~: to need
• Shaere - accusative of ~Shae~ (fem): queen/s
• Ollonassere - feminine accusative participle of ~Ollona~: better
• Ashyaul (fem): the Throne, as a polite, indirect reference to the Queen.
• kovya-shyaele - feminine honorific aspect of ~kovassi!~ to wit; sense; notice
• Zhaeilere Relesantere Sonre: Worshipful Lady-Grandmother of Son. Accusative of ~zhaeile~ (fem): lady/honored grandmother + ~relesante (fem): worshipful; full of honor + ~Sonne~ (fem): female of Son
• oeo’zayae sianya-ruaelye - polite imperative clause, ~oeo~: clause+adverb-marker + zayae (spir): bid; command + conditional femine humble aspect of ~sianassi~ - to rise
• Uthanmaue (fem): Heavenly Daughter; title of the Queen of Ofu-Laubu
• O'elyni-illi - adverbial phrase, ~elyni~ (spir): straight + ~illi~ (spir): will; intent
• Milimya-shyaelye - femine conditional honorific aspect of ~milimassi~ - to converse; confer
• O'hoveae - adverbial phrase of ~hoveae~ (spir): forbiddenness
• Linve - 1st-person conditional feminine of ~limassi~: to speak
• Diahi (spir): negative potential; cannot
• Linyaeyelme - inclusive feminine dependent of ~linyaeassi~: to win 
• Ruzaruaeme - inclusive feminine conditional of ~ruzaruassi~: to join
• Stya - accusative of ~stei~ (spir): what; which
• Eiesis - 2nd-person active of ~eiesassi~ to think
• A ihe - vocatative form of ~ihe~ (feminine): wicked
• Dei (spir): interrogative particle
• Samae (spiritual): grace; liss
• Neamis - 2nd person active conditional of ~neamassi~: to help
• O’kani - adverbial phrase, ~kani~ (spir): seeming; resemblance
• Reqoe (spir): awkwardness; faux-pas; breach of etiquette
• Miyae - 3rd-person spiritual of ~miyassi~: to possess inclusively of both speaker & listener
• Viruaelf - 1st-person active conditional of ~viruaelassi~: to yield myself
• Ahi-syaru - accusative 2nd-person possessive of ~ahi~: might; mightiness
• Allathi-mei - inclusive demonstrative of ~allathi~ - occurrence; hap
• O’nili - adverbial phrase; ~nili~ (spir): many; more
• Di qoanya-shyaeli - negative 3rd-person conditional honorofic aspect of ~qoanassi~: to become
• Sirrilaqaoe (spiritual): upside-down
• O’nae-yei - comparative demonstrative of ~nae~ (spir): need
• Kiaes - 2nd person active conditional of ~kiassi~ to meet
• Lashu-vura - accusative 1st-person possessive of ~lashu~ (animal): steed
• Real-lei - 3rd-person possessive demonstrative of ~real~ (spir): name
• Saqei (spir): joke
• Sholi (spir): true; accurate