A Castrovel Adventure: Part 5, Chapter 6

~O'mei Vaeol mi Vosaeth o'hoae aroea thae.~ (In which Vaeol and Vosaeth decide to take a risk.)

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

10. Evelae, 24,545 - 16th Day in Ofu-Laubu
Today, by my starlore, marks ~Hanaraeshi-Kemyathi~ - Stormtide Evennight - when night henceforth grows longer than day, not that this deed is mindful to most beyond the Hall of Stars. I went to Burning-Mother’s temple (a building with a fair eyehole amidst its dome and four spires ringing) within the Highburgh. Yet when I asked the priests, they seemed forecaughtly ashamed. I bethought best to forsake the thing, sing a swift hymn before the altar, and leave. After all, what does this yeartide even reck? In the next month begins Heaventide, though from what the neighborfolk have bespoken, it is a tide of doleful, chill drought in this land, even moreso than now. Even so, it will be idlesome to see Heaven and the stars.
These last few months after first the wayfare to the Blighttide Clanmoot, and then hither, have left us fit, though maybe not in the best fighting doughtiness. Thus, eyesome that the city will hold a weapontrial for the Motorae, we have bidden our whole household restart drill, with thought that some may take share in the Games. Also since we have witted the Lauba follow the same warrior-wise as the Retaea, and many Korasha ride Shotalashu, I have beseeched that both Kaure and Oshis may take share in the spear-tilt, which shall become a good deedtide, and may even luckily bestow nameworth.
For my share, Taiase and I went to the seerhall, which yesterday yielded the inthriftiest hap. We got a showfare of the ~Zezhena Roalaraua~ - the Loremasters’s Wreathway - as is named the network of delves and hollows the Lauba and their former Elfneighbors have carven down through the crag. As betold, the first hollows here began from tin-delves, hunted and dug since ere the Warrior-Queens overran the moorlands. Then the Elves, willful to make the cragtop a stronghold matchless to withstand any threat, had behooved their weirdcraft to sink the first wellshaft through the crag’s heart, to which over yearthousands both they and the Lauba Lashunta added. The wynchlift rising from the Lowburgh to the Highburgh we have ridden many times. Yet along with this crafty wonder a whole wellworks raises water to the Highburgh and fills pools against Droughttide, and stands quite a loomwonder in its own right. Furthermore, a whole delvework of slopes and hollows winds its way aring the shaftworks, wrought by the wellwrights to better and keep their gears in good fit, thus bestowing the name ~Zezhena~ - Wreathway. Also, as outcome of the many bold and crafty delvewright-masters who have led the work, loremasters began the wont of setting their workshops and bookhoards down within the Wreathway, whereof they reckon such a right bestowed as an honor.
Elseward on a whim, mayhap from the Lauba’s overall ill will we had witnessed back on Lea, I bethought Ushna, the Sealnea team’s witchdriver who had played so worthily in the Hoverball Games. With Taiase’s help, I boded farseer-word, though with no sureness of reaching her, thus:

~A homae, o’tolli kidalame. O’lani ollaea-ruaelise ruassasse. Eava Ofu-Laubu. Sei hizelya-ruaelf. O’homae, Vaeole-bei:~
~My friend, it is long since we met. We hope you are well and have come home. We have come to Ofu-Laubu. We remind you. In friendship, from Vaeol.”

Although unsure, we were gleefully forecaught when we got this answer:

~Sae-sei vosi. Eave Akadru, o’allae-hei delanve Nivaearru. Vusive Veieniroaurru Yaraesaurru o’zhiathassi. O’arei-thini dinya-shyae o’venassi kanzhaoea narantya:~
“Your words gladden me. I am in Akadru, but soon will leave for Nivaea. I go to learn at Yaraesa’s Minster. Cheer me this seldom honor and pray a thrilling towardness.”

Misluckily, Ofu-Laubu has no shrine to Yaraesa’s worship, nor Sealnearas’s. So in wantsome stead, Taiase and I knelt before the hometree and sang a hymn for our far friend’s welfare.

11. Evelae, 24,545 - 17th Day in Ofu-Laubu
Erenow a wordbode came, telling that Lady-Captain Marauqereth beseeches to come tomorrow. Although we welcomely yaysaid, this word has wrought a worry-storm I cannot bewrite. Along with clothes, the grooms cleansing, blossomsets, and gleecraft, what the young captain wishes we have no good thought, even against our fierce talk. Taiase’s ereward warning floats amind when we had gotten the Tearu hide Her Ladyship bestowed: such a gift comes with a dearth. Yet at this tide we have little choice but to await what her guestfare may tell.

13. Evelae, 24,545 - 19th Day in Ofu-Laubu
This morntide has woken late. My housemates kindly let me sleep and tarry, which has let me tide to write these whits while fresh amind. I cannot shirk the mood that we have taken a weighty step.
Yesterday, true to word, Lady-Captain Marauqereth came to a late duskmeal at the house. Small forsoothness that we had forereadied the whole daytide, all cleansed and idle-set, wherein I think we worked so hard as even the grooms. Taiase, Vosaeth, Istae, Semuane, and I tightly waited in the midyard with our household in right trooplike rows when the Her Ladyship intread, where together we bowed.
The lady-captain seemed witful of our tightness while we yielded her seat. After we shared tea, she looked at us five, and then at our housemates waiting arear. She bemarked we already knew her from our time together in Lea, and that nothing had shifted. Then she asked leave to meet the children, which proved her shrewdness, since the whole mood witsomely loosened. She thanked but naysaid when Vesh and Donas asked her to play hoverball (forespeaking to play at her next coming). She also seemed quite overtaken with Lanaryel, who boldly sat on her lap and who, when Her Ladyship asked what she will become when she grows, answered she shall be a princess with her own harem (wherein she has already deemed that her father Less, Hanos, and Lenis shall be fellows) and a pet shieldhead. Jokingly we bade Remaue shrive what she has been teaching her souldaughter. Yet my wifemate naysaid any wrongness, warding that no misdeed stems from the girl’s self-worthiness.
Thus, by the tide we outsent the children to bed and sat duskmeal, we were all joking with Lady Marauqereth as we had done back at Lea’s Hoverball Games, but for Vosaeth, who stayed wordless and with eyes switching between her dish and our guest. I needed not reckon hard to tell my oathsister reminded the yesterday when we had met Her Ladyship at the aerie-barn, and Vosaeth had not found the boldness to fly with her. Neither did I alone wit, when while the sweetdish, Lady Marauqereth headed to her and said: ~A Ile, eshoni di illaeayelve, o’dei losya-ruaelzif?~ - “My lady, though it is not my will, have I shamed you?”
My oathsister had the shrewdness to answer: ~A Ile di losya-shyaeldis. Vere losya-ruaeldaf.~ - “Your Ladyship has not shamed me. I have shamed myself.”
Lady Marauqereth halted eating. She reached forth and took Vosaeth’s hand. Then she outquoth she should let no shame overhold. She acknowledged Vosaeth as a proven warrior whose honor rises beyond dare. As such, if my oathsister beheld need to overcome fear, then she must let Her Ladyship serve in any wise to help. ~Losi-stimi haiafere siyayeli, o vi losya-ruaeli o’rose-yei.~ - “Any shame our guest has is our shame as host,” she deemed.
Her words berang with mine spoken to Vosaeth after Byreath’s death, when she had forgiven me. I wondered if Lady Marauqereth had somehow overheard. Neither were the word’s weight lost on Vosaeth, who swayed meekly. To this mood, the lady-captain added: ~O’seili-dei homaea zayaea-shyaelzif. O’hieshi miaveaea-ruaelf,~ - “It is not my wish to bid your friendship. Instead, I would earn it.” Then she beseeched the forehap.
Against our earlier dread, I witted Lady Marauqereth was overwinning our goodwill, as proven in Vosaeth yielding her hand and leaning into the young skyrider captain. Neither could I unwit a weighty forehap overheld, which I sought in my loves’ and housemates’ thoughts. Taiase seemed warily open, while Remaue shone downright eager and the others eased. Yet reckfully, Oshis still withstood, whereof even I had no good rede but thwartsome stubbornness. Thus while the sweetdish ended and the grooms came to pour a light mead, a doleful canniness reckoned fearfully, such that I almost dared not.
Beseechingly I yielded my babe to Kaure. Then I rose, knelt beside Vosaeth, and laid my antennae with hers. At our touch she startled. Yet as our antennae entwined, so did our thoughts, and she answered my ask. Where Vosaeth’s and Lady Marauqereth’s hands clasped on the mealboard, I laid my hand over theirs. I could feel Her Ladyship’s warm flesh under mine.
Then as the question shaped on my tongue, I shuddered. ~Dei-samae araeathya temya-ruaelis?~ - “Will you stay the nighttide?” I asked.
For the first time since ever we met, the lady-captain’s sureness cracked. In its stead, a hidden shyness shone while hand tightened on Vosaeth’s, under mine. My antennae lightly squeezed Vosaeth’s ere we stood. Then we came about the board, took Lady Marauqereth’s arms, and led her to the bower.
Laterward, Remaue overgloated when she and Eneash brought our babes. Why she so gladdens I know not, else than she reckons this a bold stroke our flag may bear as worthiness. Yet I am not so beswayed, since the only deed we may claim is that Vosaeth and I made love to Lady Marauqereth, skyrider captain of Ofu-Laubu, and none else. Her Ladyship also behooved this tide to wake, rise, and clothe, doubtlessly under couthness’s sake. She took leave of me and Vosaeth with soft kisses, and also for our sons. Then as she strode by Remaue, too, she swiftly stole a kiss and squeezed her bosom.
Against this night-idleness, today I have chosen to stay home, where I have begged Remaue, Kaure, and Semuane to cuddle, have spent time with the children, and have tried to lot my mind, whereof this logwrit is the outcome. I wit a strong want to reassure faith, which is odd in that I did nothing to break faith with my wifemates, nor did anything unforeseen to yield worship to a noblewife whose guesthood honored our house. Yet Oshis after drilltide has been swy, since else than minding our son and changing his mossnapkin, he has hardly spoken me two words. I asked Erymi’s outlay of any misthank. Yet she assured my ereward deemship that he is being stubborn…which mayhap bemeans that he wishes I was more stubborn, and that he believes I have unworthily yielded. His wordless reproof hurts. Yet I forgive him.
One question, however, outneeded answer, which I sought from Taiase. ~Dei teami zhiandi?~ I asked: “Is our dearth forgiven?”
To my beseech, our elder friend leaned her head. ~Kaushunilona,~ - “It is more manifold,” she answered, and then outlaid this dearth is not so mere as a lone deal, and that I must understand the meaningfulness of living under another’s might. ~Di erosi erivunyassi,~ - “Not so easy to slither out,” she read.
Her words have grown my worry, though not only I. I witted Vosaeth quite enwallowed under thought, as if she too overreckoned our idletide with Marauqereth. At last, right ere this belltide, she left, bringing only her son and Threarde ahost. When I asked, Leief answered she had spoken of going to the Highburgh and beseeching moot with Her Ladyship. I sought Taiase, Semuane, and Istae with this news. Yet none understand what it may forebode

Recap: Lady Vaeol had a very personal, inquisitive conversation with Lady Marauqereth, after which the skyrider-captain has extended her house an unusual sign of favor.

Lashunta Words & Phrases:

• Hanaraeshi (spir): Evennight; Equinox
• Kemyathi (spir): Stormtide; Autumn
• Zezhena (com): Wreathway; Spiral
• Roalaraua - common possessive of ~Roalara~ (com): loremaster; scholar
• A homae: my friend; vocative of ~Homae~ (fem) friend
• O'tolli - adverbial of ~Tolli~ (spir): old; long time
• Eava - 1st-person common of ~Eassi~: to be
• O'homae: in friendship; friendlily. Adverbial of ~Homae~ (spir): friendship
• Veieniroaurru - allative/dative of ~Veieniroau~ (anim): minster; monastery
• Yaraesaurru - allative/dative possessive adjective of ~Yaraesa~: god of wisdom & learning
• Zhiathassi - to learn; study
• Arei (spir): honor; glory
• Venassi: to pray
• Kanzhaoea - accusative of ~Kanzhaoe~ (spir): towardness; future
• A Ile: My lady; vocative of ~Ile~ (fem): lady
• Losya-ruaelzif - 1st-person perfect conditional humble-polite of ~Losassi~: to shame
• Losya-ruaeldaf - 1st-person perfect indicative humble-polite of ~Losassi~: to shame
• Losi-stimi (spir): any shame
• O'rose-yei: as host - relative adverbial phrase of ~Rose~ (fem): host
• O'hieshi: instead
• Miaveaea-ruaelf - 1st-person honorific-politic of ~Miavaeassi~: to earn
• Dei - interrogative particle
• Teami (spir): dearth; debt
• Zhiandi - 3rd-person spiritual perfect of ~Zhianassi~: to forgive
• Kaushunilona (com): more manifold; complicated. Comparative of ~Kaushunila~
• Erosi - 3rd-person spiritual of ~Erosassi~: to be easy
• Erivunyassi: to slither out