A Castrovel Adventure: Part 5, Chapter 8
~O'mei Vaeol-Ile iqove yeia-o Ofu-Laubu yodinu vilya Anmathya.~ (In which Lady Vaeol witnesses how Ofu-Laubu celebrates Heaventide’s chill.)
From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son
3. Shenelae 24,545 - 27th Day in Ofu-Laubu
Yesternight colddust fell upon the Lowburgh, which I had not seen since the Hall of Stars (though we had heard it had ere fallen on the Highburgh). Big feathery motes floated downward, which, when we stood in the midyard, would lightly land ahand ere they withered to rain. The thrill begladdened us all until the chill struck, numbed our fingers, and made us shiver. Swiftly we deemed it better to watch the colddust from a sideroom, where I wrapped Aeosel and myself in my thickest bodyshroud and nestled him to my bosom, which Vosaeth and Tae likewise did. Yet even that stead chilled until we beseeched Master Vosh to bring wine. The good housereeve did even better by bringing it warmly nettlesome and setting another hearthstand on the inner wall, whose warmth upon our backs made the night’s chill forbearable.
This morntide, there must have been more than a fingerwidth’s colddust upon the moss-stones, and even upon the hometree’s outstaying leaves, shifting them from gold to silver, and even more fallen aground. I shrive it a queer sight witnessing this dwarf-tree’s naked, dead-seeming boughs. Even with Master Vosh’s assureness that it will live again with Floodtide, I have caught myself whispering more than one hymn before its beam.
I remind my dream of Qolaryon back after Kaure’s moondance forebode, of that world’s stunted scrubby trees overlooking the endless coldwaste. Do trees there likewise lose their leaves? Is that world evercold, or does it warm under the year’s trend, letting life bloom again?
Elsely, the dustfall bestowed witness of another Lauba wont. Children took shovels and scraped so much colddust as they could from the streetstones. They they packed it into balls, which they upset three or even four high, to which they added pebbles like eyes, noses, and mouths. Soon at every streetyard stood a small cold stonelikeness roughly half a Korasha’s height, whomto they sang hymns, and whombefore bywalkers yielded grassberry sprigs or copperbits. Master Vosh told this worship gives thanks for the end of this land’s long Droughttide, since Heaventide’s chill forebodes Floodtide’s soon comeness. The children also make a drink wherein they set the colddust in cups and drizzle candywine, which they sell at ramshackle hawkstands among their misshapen stonewights. We found it tasty, though it made our brows ache. Among the drinks’ wealth and the worship-tokens, we reckon they make a tidy fee to further their wickedness.
Lastly, while we walked through the Lowburgh, Hanos’s nape was stricken. Warily, we headed, whereat we saw streetchildren, who dared us for going by their shrine without yielding toll. They wielded balls of packed coldstone, which they threatened to cast if we yielded not. When Hanos proved understandably unkindly to their geld-threat and strode forward to break their troop, they pelted him ruthlessly, which happily had little harm else than sting and shame. The little reavers then fled, though merely to reload, since they again showed before our path and repeated the threat. When our Korasha brunted to scatter them, a stray cast stuck Vosaeth, who angrily gathered her birthmight and flung the ball’s shards back at the mislucky outlaw. At this breathtide, Taiase and I chose to undercome, caught the flying balls in mid-loft, and held them hovering. Then we aimed them back at their casters and bade them leave. The children wisely took truce.
After homecome, we asked Master Vosh on these childrens’ wickedness working their geldcraft. Rather shamefully, he begged sorrow on the city’s behalf and swore to tell the watchwardens. He read, however, that our answering deed might have gone further toward forestaying towardly sin than any lawbearer could.
6. Shenelae 24,545 - 30th Day in Ofu-Laubu
The last few days have gone swyly with drill and lore. Tonight we are lately homecome after a mirthtide hosted by Her Highness Lady Kueth at her Highburgh house. We had not seen Her Highness in some while since she had hosted us hither, and doubtlessly business with homely things after so long afare.
The mirthtide went mostly as forelooked, with talk mainly overheld by the upcoming Motorae glee and the great Floodtide Fair. Yet Her Highness made witsome deed to ask whether I will fight in the Games. Her frain set me aback. Rather stumbly, I answered that both Vosaeth and Istae have forespoken to ride in the spear-trial, and also Oshis and Kaure. Yet I still weighed motherhood’s reckonship and had not bethought. At my word, some lady guests spoke woe, saying they had eagerly forelooked to witness the hero who had slain the outlaw Byreath. Yet I stayed to my word.
Laterward, Her Highness beseeched to speak alone. Yaysayingly, I carried my son after her, where we went beyond the mirthhall, into an elfyard. Then she begged sorrow that her question had wrought such awkwardness, and dolefully from the other guests’ uncouthness. I bade her sorrow not, since I forelooked not anyone to understand my mind. Then I shrove that weapontrial’s thought within the Games’ weft unsettled me, since, after the war and Byreath’s murder, it no longer seemed sporty, but grimmer. Her Highness blessed me as wise.
Then, since we spoke alone, I dared to ask whether Her Highness had any latter word of Lady-Captain Marauqereth. Her Highness smiled and told she had lately seen the young captain, but said that she had also heard our household had been much in Her Ladyship’s fellowship. I yaysaid, but added it had been many days since our last moot, and now wondered whether we had somewise yielded offthank, or even that she had wearied of us.
Lady Kueth laughed. She told the Lady-Captain had been sternly (but couthly!) reminded to heed the city’s business, since: ~Eshi ile o’zierae-shaeve-yei o’nae illathyara hayele,~ - “Even a lady so noble and haughty as she must do her ought,” as she outlaid. Then she added she had yesterday overheard Her Ladyship speaking our names. She read me worry not, and that Her Ladyship would trustily call again.
Her Highness giftfully called a groom to change Aeosel. Then we came back to the fellowship hand in hand, whereat I thankfully took leave. Now home, I wonder on this endless play where we name not Lady Marauqereth’s true self, which even (by the slimmest whits) I uphold even while writing this log. Do we ever break the lie, or for that thing, does Her Ladyship?
7. Shenelae 24,545 - 31st Day in Ofu-Laubu
Almost true to Lady Kueth’s foresight, today came a wordbode bidding us tomorrow to the queen’s palace, to what we are told will behold a small and sundry gatherdom. No small flurry of bodyshrouds and jewels, forwhy how does one yield worship to a lady who is more than a mere lady? I do best not to fret, which Remaue boldly behaves. Yet Kaure not so much, as neither Semuane nor Vosaeth. We shall be a worried troop, like thurses wrangled to the feasthall.
Lashunta Words & Phrases:
- Eshi (spir): Even; although
- Ile (fem): lady; honored lady
- O'zierae-shaeve-yei: as so noble and haughty. Relative phrase. ~Zierae~ (fem): noble + ~Shaeve~ (fem): haughty; arrogant + ~Yei~ (spir): relative pronoun.
- O'nae: must. Verbal auxilliary adverb of ~Nae~ (spir): need.
- Illathyara - accusative of ~Illathya~ (com): ought; duty
- Haye - 3rd-person feminine conditiona of ~Hassi~: to do; make
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