A Castrovel Adventure: Part 5, Chapter 63

4. Afaelae, 24,548 - 21st month in Qabarat (five days since last log)   I started this log on Treesong morn three days ago, but only now found time to write. I owe more but can find only this much time. More will aftercome.   The weapondare’s evetide, we went to Lady Eneae’s mirth-hall, and where she made Kaure and Oshis the gatherhood’s darlings even while she sold her new matronhood run. As friends we played along, and dolefully since other worthy friends came. Lady-Captain Veiemi showed with her wifemate Mistress Treshoess, and who showed easily mild, though we got no while to talk. Kaure undergreeted us to Mistress Anauess, a right stout Korasha wife, and whom we guessed a foremost fellow among the Hoodwearers. Elsewise, Riardon poured a meadgeld to his shortlived matronhood run. Lady Eneae shared bubblemead and thanked our deed. After the strife of Riardon’s run and her own matronhood bid, she said our win was right what the city needed. I answered our shametide had doubtfully gotten more friends. Yet she naysaid, and instead answered the deedshow had strengthened our allies’ hearts. She blessed our flag, swore goodwill, and wished us safe homefare to Son.   While the throng mingled, we bewared many guest ladies and mistresses foredeemed Oshis a tasty catch. Yet Erymi deemed he should withhold his mighty goodwill from the huntresses. At her behest, we ringed him wardingly as only warriors can. When a lady gainsayingly sniveled, I answered: ~Las eistia-vas,~ - “He is our fathermate.” Then she bewared not only my threat, but also Erymi, Sievae, Remaue, and Tae, and withdrew. Our wardsomeness of Oshis, however, did not withhold Remaue from trying to shove Kaure into ladies’ arms. My shieldbearer said some ~relesyue zierae~ - noble lustworship - would do our wifemate well. Yet shyness drove Kaure to hide behind me. I soothingly hugged her, warning that ladies forestood as more likely sorrow in lovesport, nevermind lissome dandiness.   The next morn, Erymi, Sievae, and Oshis left for the elfgates, taking Lenis and Tesine, since we had gotten a welcome-bid from Her Highness Lady Nisaueth of Ofu-Laubu to come to that city and meet a doleful noblewife and her newborn daughter ere our homecome’s leave. Much as I would have loved to go, I sorrowfully withheld but bade our flagmates bode Lady-Captain Marauqereth our whole love and faith.   We had also gotten a wordbode from our Embassy: Her Highness Lady Sheneal had gotten a bid from the High Matron to watch Treesong at Greenmother’s Temple and wished our fellowship. While Draue minded the children (though I kept Aeosel), we hastily clothed and left for the Templefarthing. The rite happened mildly while we danced as share of the Sonna peacebode. Yet I got an inkling Lady Sheneal awaited something. After treesong ended and the hobnob mingled, Her Highness touched my shoulder and bade me follow, I guessed to talk on what might be a whit for homefare.   Lady Sheneal led me from the main fane to a rear hallway. Yet there waited not Her Highness Lady Ivassil but Lady Maiali, Qabarat’s new outland alderwife and whom I kenned from old feud. I stared as if I had set foot in an adder nest.   ~Ayasya shyalf,~ - “I would bestow you ruth,” began the big alderwife. Then she outlaid she had lately heard of my illness some years earlier: ~Sheneal-Haueil sheazya-shyalde Komori-sya,~ - “Her Highness Lady Sheneal told us of your Komori bout.”   My face heated, and Aeosel fussed in my arms. I reminded the Komori: the worry Oshis and I had first found at my bridetide, the shameful month I had spent in Son’s healthward when my mind had become more than my own, and of all the evil fordone when my mother had misguiltily banned him, then our feud and Lady Erenyae’s snare when I strove to win him back. For that unlucky month, I had become Oshis so much as myself. From it, I still bore his mind’s share.   I asked why my old illness even recked. Lady Sheneal answered it was mean knowledge, since all Son had known and nothing should forkeep it from Qabarat. ~Ziari ezimya deanala,~ - “Yet it outlays so much,” added Lady Maiali, and dolefully why I upheld Korasha and Thwartkind. She reckoned I outcomefully belong to Oshis’s Korasha mind dwelling in my head, and that even rather makes me Thwartkind.   I asked whether she would spread my tale through the city to misbelieve my deeds and nameworth. ~Aeashoni roa,~ she answered: “it is already known.” Then she beread folk may henceforth look me elsewise, but that I should lissomely take their ruth. Then she bowed, wished us blessed Treesong, and, seeming quite merry, left.   I stared at Lady Sheneal. ~O’stimi zaeistis!~ I bewrayed: “You planned this all along!” and that she had gotten not only the wins she wished but also Qabarat’s Matronhood’s friendship since she yielded behoof against the city’s strife. Lady Sheneal naysaid not but answered her goal ever outstood as peace between the cities. ~Naea-shyaldaf o di nezaruazise,~ - “I warned you not to enwed yourself,” she reminded. I answered I had never forelooked a fellow Sonne’s betrayal.   Leavelessly I offheaded. Right then, my eyes fell on Master Milos outstanding, maybe twenty strides away. By Her Highness’s gasp, I guessed his sight shook her so much as I, which hinted many riddles. Had he followed us? What had he overheard, and what heed did he take? Even so much as the inquisitor’s reckfulness had shadowed my mind while almost my whole time in Qabarat, now made no good thought.   The master-inquistor begged sorrow, couthly shriving he had doubtlessly come while we dealt with weighty things. Yet he had also gotten good word that my misdrawal with yesterday’s weapontrial was ended. Thus he would beseech a boon.   ~Kamathi diyimaulya-ruali~ I snapped: “Your timeliness is miswantsome.”   Though Master Milos’s couthness slightened not, his meekness dimmed. He answered it was not his beseech but the Inquisition’s, and that he spoke with their doomreach. ~Naea-rualvas riyaeilerru zieraerru,~ - “We have need of the noble lady-flagwife,” he told, and that they becraved my few days’ help.   Even so often as I have met this Korasha as even, his mood still shook me. When we asked the boon, the master-inquisitor answered we could not speak here. When I withheld yaysaith until outlay, he warned this business would let no willfulness. He looked at Her Highness Lady Sheneal meaningfully.   Lady Sheneal looked forsoothly wary. Against all her misdeeds, she had not forelooked this. She reckoningly asked whether the Inquisition would set me under lawbond. Master Milos swore not so, but merely that they needed my wisdom. After she tolled warrant that I should come back in no longer than a week, she reckoned we should heed the Inquisition’s will. Master Milos bade we might shortly withdraw to the household and grab stocks enough for a few days, but that my flag must stay in Qabarat. When I asked of Aeosel, he alet my son might come since we went nowhere plighty, but one shieldbearer only.   We then clove my flag waiting in the fane, where we must undergo my farfetch’s awkwardness while their antennae sprang to full warning. Even though I outlaid the Inquisition needed my service, mistrust overtook. My flagmates yelled asks for which I knew no answer, and Master Milos forbade. Against all warrant that I stood not under lawbond, both Remaue and Kaure almost dared his fight, and which brought my sternness: ~Shiveari!~ - “Stand down!” and should brook no word further. Since the Inquisition forswore to take me under thrallbond, Her Highness already forespoke sake-threat. I also beseeched Semuane to bode Lady Eneae, since the Inquisition could but warily unheed their city’s matron. Then I bade Remaue should oversee the flag and hold dightsomeness with Semuane’s mothers and the Embassy, and that Kaure should asith me.   ~O’veiani-vili,~ - “Clothe for cold,” warned Master Milos at the household, which surely narrowed our goalstead’s likelihood. Back to Ofu-Laubu, or elsewhither I knew not? I donned my thickest skirt and bodyshroud, packed another, and a hood. While Kaure did likewise and gathered a napkinbag and twills for Aeosel, Master Milos else stayed wordless, but almost sorrily so as if he guessed our worry. While Lady Sheneal hovered misgivingly, I could not even begrudge her.   Her Highness stayed at the household while we left. I could only bedream her withholding my flagmates from following, which they surely listened with ill will, and rightfully as house and kin: Remaue my wifemate and oldest love, Tae, Less, Nae, and Hanos I had known since my first reeveship, Semuane whom I had loved since that doomful day bringing us to our first weapondare, Istae my schoolfriend who had become more, and Taiase whose newfound wonder of our world still clouded under elder eyes. Oshis my fathermate and Erymi and Sievae my childsisters, who had already gone through the elfgate, did not even know the news and would likely befrighten when they came back. They all might afterhunt to the Inquisition Hall where they might forelook my inseech or a staying lockbooth.   Against my own inkling, we went not to the Inquisition. Master Milos led up to the Ofu and again to the Templefarthing, and then arear the Threefold House, which lone path lying there I knew. Sure enough, we followed the Stormshield’s ridge southward and came to the Highbridge, where by the watchwardens’ booth waited a small troop: Lady Thauless Master Milos’s fellow, two grooms, and another undergreeted as Lady Amel, whom I guessed another inquisitor. At a thoroughwrit’s show, they let us onto the bridge. At any time else, I would have merrily overwatched ships with full sails drifting underneath the Seagate to open water. Yet now one riddle burned my mind: ~Stuarru vusima o aiudarau?~ - Where would we go by elfgate?   As if to make the riddle more befuddling, another twelvesome waited in the gateyard and milled among the elfgates, both Lashunta and Elves. Among them I kenned Master Aeos I had ere met. The other Lashunta by their browbeads I also read as soulseers, and so guessed them all gatewardens, though a more worried gatherhood upon their benamed holistead I had never beheld. I wondered they knew so little of our purpose as did I. Among them, at the El Gate (as it is named), I saw Master Mearthil, by whose hereness this thing became even queerer.   On our coming sight, Master Mearthil stood upon the elfgate’s footstone. Then the elfseer thanked all and acknowledged we owned some outlay for this secret call. He nodded to Lady Amel beside me and outspoke we were gathered at the Inquisition’s behest for the old alliance between Elves and Lashunta, and for a doleful, forethought deed: an aiudara’s respell to an else goalstead. ~Dearu-mu Loskialua.~ - “Our goal is Loskialua,” he told.   I had but once heard Loskialua’s name, almost two years ago at a mirthtide with some of the same folk here today: a wild, almost whimsome tale, bare whits of a heretofore unknown elfburgh, and maybe the only such stead standing on Forbidden Ukulam, and of a sith of Aslanta - ~Hyumanza~ to brook the name for themselves, or Firen as the Elves name them - who had by elfgate reached there from Blue-Queen, named Amarraiq by the Elves, and Qolaryon in their own tongue, and had even so swiftly gone. What canniness hid in that tale, or indeed within the stead we would soon reach, I could dimly fathom, though a gateway link to Qolaryon forethrilled more than I would dare.   We soon learned Kaure and I would asith Lady Amel and Thauless, Master Milos, their grooms, and Aeos, along with Master Mearthil and another Elf undergreeted as Lady-Elder Nardual Thereleion: no less worthy than the Eldest of House Thereleion, one of Qabarat’s high elfhouses. Such a worthy gatherhood hinted an almost peacebodeful mood to this farfetch and made me wonder whatever meanhood Qabarat’s Elves had ere owned with Loskialua. By my guess, unmuch.   While Lady Amel gathered us at the fore, Mearthil and Aeos went to the elfgate. Under Mearthil’s behest, they began a spell on the gate, making light gleam from the stone’s grooves, and brought forth a shimmering worldrift as I had ere seen. Once they deemed the rift steady, they bade us through. After Lady Amel and Thauless went through, a short qualm overtook me. Then I clutched my son, steeled my heart, and hastened through.   Dizziness swooned and ebbed. I shrewdly strode aside to let room for Kaure aftercoming. When I looked about, the sight faltered me. Under the worldfare, the day’s belltide had shifted, so that we stood under darkness with little daylight. Reckoning that we had fared westward, it would mean foredawn here. Yet even greater outstood our stead: we stood on ~Ukulam Hoveanta~ - Forbidden Ukulam, a mainland almost so broad as Asana and wilder, and broadly belonging to wild yoretale.   More oddly while we awaited the others coming through, I bewared an odd slanted loom, maybe about three Shota-strides long, standing among a wreckstead beside the elfgate, and yet which looked rather newer. I witted its long barrel brass and silver set upon stout legs, hoods whelming both its upper end and a knob sticking from its lower end, and which rose free of the ground by about three ells. Within its shape, a kithness struck from my loretide at the Hall of Stars - a farsight glass? Yet why was one so stowed amid nowhere?!   More Elves waited here, maybe a score, and some weaponed but others not. They spoke not and seemingly awaited something. When last Master Mearthil came through, he hailed them, whereat happened a tight Elvish whisper. Then aloud Mearthil told they would host us over the rainwood to Loskialua. They arowed on both sides with us amidst, three rows wide, whereat we followed a path.   While the day lightened to a nice Heaventide morn with open sky, we caught short sight from a clifftop over a great greenreach - rainwood and trees spanning more leagues than sight could hold, with birds and something bigger, maybe like thakasa, overflying. The reach’s northern edge held mountains, and also a weirdness: twin purple lightthreads hovering aloft, running from the far mountains to a nearby hilltop. The hill showed as our first goal when the path led after a belltide’s walk. After climbing it, we beheld a quarry of queer black stone at its peak, and a spire thence rising from a pool, even until five or six ells over the height.   A stair led us to the spire’s flat top, which we found linked to the weird purple lightthreads by twin shafts. By one shaft sat what I first guessed a shack, but soon proved even odder: a queer, rooved wagonbin, big as a flatbark, and seemingly hanging from one lightthread. A tight breathtide I wondered how we should behave at this weirdloom. Then a host bade us intread the wagonbin. It easily held the whole sith, though slightly it bounced under our weight. Wary of fall from the open sides, I sat against a wallshaft and held Aeosel tight between me and Kaure.   While soon we waited, the wagonbin shifted. We stirred from the hilltop’s spire, whence slowly speed grew until we flew along the purple lightthread, to all newcomers’ shock. When worry eased, we held Aeosel to look over the skywagon’s edge and watch the rainwood treetops and flying birds ellhundreds lower, which he found blithely merry. Bywardly, our son slumbered, and we hauled him inward. When I looked at our fellow gatefarers, I deemed them almost so awestricken as I, which betold insomuch that the Elves, whatever their game, had played tight-tongued with them as well. Master Milos happily watched the landscape while Lady Amel and Thauless reckoned the weirdloom’s lightthreads, doubtless mighty elfcraft to keep a two-boatweight wagon and thirty riders aflight. Yet it was not so unlike the weirdlift I had ridden in El, whence I had been banned over twelve years ago.   On that sameliness, Master Mearthil, who had eyesomely ended some business with our hosts, neared. He nodded and asked how my son fared. I answered well enough and too blithe to reckon this wonder. After his laughter, I said: ~O’olloni roazif o sas aiudaura-ivilazas,~ - “I should have known you are an elfgate-warden.” He nodded but shrove, however, that this was also his first time here.   I asked of our hosts, whereat Master Mearthil atrusted they were two sets: the Oatia, whom he outlaid were the neighborfolk here dwelling, and Sovyrian Elves, who like us were guests but had come earlier. I witted only the Sovyrianrim bore weapons. The Oatia clothed more loosely but with much gemcraft, wherein a pattern caught my eye: many runes matched elven starlore.   Then another wagonbin, likewise hanging from the other lightthread, whistled by, too swift to behave, but near enough that, if one had readied, one might leap to the other skywagon. We all but the Oatia neighborfolk shuddered ere slowly again loosening. So we rushed by two more skywagons while ahead our next goal came into sight: a tall anglesome peak among the highest mountains ahead, high enough that coldstone silvered. I also wared we were climbing along the lightthread while the loft thinned and chilled (and I wrapped Aeosel in another napkin and a twill). It brought us to the peak, whereon we saw domes glinting under Burning-Mother’s brightness.   Our skywagon at last came to a same flat spiretop with matching shafts where the purple lightthreads stretched. A growing crowd waited atop, and dolefully after our hosts waved beck. Earnestly we watched while their sight grew, until they beheld as more Elves, and among whom, for the first time, the neighbor Oatia outtallied the Sovyrianrim. Yet while we forbore, I took better read of the domes. Their slotted skylights made odd breaches in their silver-gilt rooves. Again something struck me akith while I harkened back to the farsight-glass standing beside the elfgate: these were starwatch halls, and more than I had ever seen!   We docked upon the spiretop, where a welcomebode bade us off the skywagon, and followed a right Elvish welcomesong to Loskialua Oatia. Then we met Jenthiel a town elder, who traded couthnesses with Lady-Elder Nardual, and atrusted now was the first time ever Loskialua and Qabarat met. In trend, the Lady-Elder undergreeted us, and me last, whereat all seemed enthralled at meeting my son a Lashunta babe, and whomfrom I caught the whispered ~roquennereth~ - which is the nearest Elvish word to ‘outrider’. They then thanked our far worldfare and forespoke rooms and rest. Grooms led us and the Qabarat Elves to shed rooms, where happily waited clothes warmer for this chill height’s weather.   Until then, and kenning Elven couthness, I stayed mild. Yet among my fellow Lashunta, I straightway headed on Master Milos and Lady Amel (whom I guessed their higher) and bade outlay against all wild secrecy. Master Milos yieldingly told we came at beseech of the Sovyrian Sova and the Valmayana High Staff, stemming from news heard here from Loskialua. I answered that harkened well and becraved the news.   ~Loskialua o’beali shinada foara Moerrya,~ Master Milos told: “Lately, Loskialua has undergone a Formian stroke.” He outlaid that, since the Oatia were lorewardens and belonged almost no warriors, their fright had understandably boded back to El, and who had sent warriors. In trend, El had bewared Valmayana and the Asana Alliance (nevermind word that the Elves had unbeknownst settled a town here on Ukulam).   Furthermore, shared Master Milos, the Elves had bound a Formian thrall. To the Inquisition’s knowledge, I was the only Lashunta alive who had ever so boded with them. Marksomely he eyed me. ~Dearo-so, a ile,~ - “Your task, my lady,” he outlaid: ~o’illi qoanya-rualyo nazasso ruqovya nauzhuya moeruya,~ - “shall become to take the Formian thrall’s witness.”