A Castrovel Adventure: Part 6, Chapter 18

Heavenwatch (2. Asealae), 24,548 - Son   Against yesterday’s misforebode, today dawned more hopeful, and unleastly from the roselight glowing from Father-Yaro’s bank beyond the rainwood. It hinted skybreach even ere the sunseers had forehap to climb their spires and await Heavenwatch, which doubtlessly they swiftly did. This sunny mood further heartened when a runner came from the harbormistress’s hall (whom we had hired), who told word of a flatbark lying yesternight off Aelau’s southern end and coming upflood. I shared weighty looks with Kaure and Remaue. Then, since I knew the answerer and good reckonship of their stead, I dwimmered a farseer-word to Hauronil:  

~Eave Vaeol. Niradava himyo-bei. Dei thanza?~
“This is Vaeol. We have heard of the flatbark. Do you come?”

  …To which I got swift answer:  

~Thanava:~

“We come.”

  Against couthness, I danced like a schoolmaid while my antennae shivered upright. I grappled Kaure, lifted her stoutness off foot, and whirled her. I outyelled to our housemates the Elves should reach here by noontide. Then I rushed to my hoardbox and began choosing which gems might best outshow our Korasha wifemate's fairness. Remaue chuckled at me ere she bade the men shear beards and shoulders, bathe, and arail their best kilts, forwhy we should yield honor to our elf-friends’ welcome. Then she clove making Kaure our princess-doll.   Thus we gathered at the harbor when Fourth Bell rang, and got many queer eyes from traders and workers bewaring our dandiness: me in high outriderwear, Remaue with begemmed nipplecap and glowsilk (nevermind it cannot be seen under daytide), our flag’s other wives so fairly blossomlike, and our men shorn to kempt stubble, golden buckles shining upon their kilts, and no apish hint. We stood upon the wharf and unforbearingly waited.   Anon Lenis and Tesine, who sat on Oshis’s shoulders, and then Aeosel on mine, yelled ware. They beckoned at Father Yaro’s southern breadth, where we saw a flatbark nearing along the bend. Its poles drove stalwartly against the flood while we cheered.   Right while we waved, even against the farness, the sky broke blue, and Burning-Mother shone down. We buzzed and laughed since it seemed our elf-friends brought Heavenwatch. While the whole city bewared the blessed heavenshow, we began a sundance. Thus the flatbark drove nigh the wharf while we danced under heavenlight. We saw Hauronil, Indith, and Leiendil waving from the wale, and waved back while we sang.   The flatbark moored and dropped a gangboard while we headed, still singing and clapping, and wayfarers aboard milled ready to land. Anon Kaure caught my hand and Remaue’s. ~Kezhafura di hulyadaf,~ she outthought: “I have not drunken womb-bane.” Heedfully Remaue and I halted. Yet our wifemate’s only worry we read was unsoothness, and her speech goaded from unsooth elseguess. We hugged our short, awesome wifemate and kissed her antennae.   Hauronil offboarded, whom Leiendil followed and led Indith down the gangboard. We buzzed greeting, and then shed to let Kaure forth: mossy hair curled, greenmother bauble upon her great breast, ever wearing a breasthalter as she outwills under her bosom’s heaviness, armbands belithing her mighty shoulders, and glowsilk, green, gold, and lavender flowing like a milktree stump blooming anew. I almost feared our wifemate’s shy dread might overcome.    Yet then her smile glowed. From her antennae, the qualm wafted not fright but overcomeful thrill. From the gangboard Hauronil dropped his bin and rushed to our wifemate. When he knelt, if under his tallness and Kaure’s shortness, his brow moreso lay upon her bosom instead of her belly, we deemed no great sin. Among the buzzes and merry greets, Leiendil broke Elven lissomeness and hugged me while Indith samely did Remaue.    Then strife fell as the wharf’s gathered traders, dockworkers, and odd watchers bewared the newcomers as Elves. They reached the same endthought as we, that eyesomely our friends had brought Heavenwatch. So began a new broader sundance wildly welcoming our friends, all while the barkskipper yelled business with the harbormistress, and the crew would try to unload. So we warded our mild elfguests, took their bins, and goodwillfully shoved a path through the well-wishers, who even forespoke boding this lucky deed to the sunseers. At last we got some room from the rowdiness, and I hugged Indith.    The elfwife kithly snuggled under my shoulder. ~Yiea Son-Tolloda!~ she breathlessly spoke in Qabarati: “So this is Son the Eldest!~” I nodded, idling at her eartip’s feathery scrape upon my breast. Also I witted a mood: something new and unlike. Lightly I asked what befell, whereat she grinned as if the answer soon waited.   And right then my mother walked upon the wharf, drawing worshipful hails from the crowd. Yet she, the high matron, stood alone, no thanes, honorwardens, or even grooms. Against her seemingly meek show, we stilled while my jaw gaped. Then in fair Elvish, Her Highness Lady Zhasael Zolaemaue outspoke a seldom tide when Son gets elfguests.    Lady-mother next beseeched us to follow until the Ofu so she might bestow the city’s guesthood. Even now writing afterward, I cannot wholly unriddle my mother’s deed. How did she know Hauronil and his elfmates were coming? What must she forerail to leave her hall unhosted, and foreguessably nobody, even my lady-sisters, knowing? Nevertheless, rather dumbly we followed up the wreathstair and crossed the Ofu’s heartyard until the high matron’s hall, where I witted the grooms at least so forecaught as we.    My mother led us to the midyard, where all begleed the sun peeking among the skyclouds. Still heedless of the strife her deed wrought, she brewed tea. When she yielded the cup to Hauronil, she said: ~A dasra yaztaf,~ - “The man we lost,” and prayed he may behold Son better than when he had left. Then she asked of his kin, whomof he answered hope to make truce, which forethought my mother blessed.   All this tide, my mother lissomely behaved as if nothing awkward lay between her and me as she proudly bore Aeosel her grandson, played with the other children, and even spoke kindly to Oshis (which he atook with meek wariness). Her lissomeness I trusted not and stayed with my wifemates (who matched my mood) and the Elves, seeing to their idleness.   In this stead, at last I got hap to again ask Indith what mood bequailed. Indith smilingly squeezed my hand. ~Ve uthante,~ she swyly whispered: “I am bechild.” Misluckily, my shaken antennae misgave the secret. Anon all else asked what befell, and then cheers and folk kneeling to kiss Indith’s belly. I felt guilty at thoughtlessly betraying her, though she kinsly atook.   The deedtide’s whole queerness, however, shone through when Risodess my sister peered from the midyard’s edge, against the hallreeve, backed by three grooms, forbidding her intread. My sister’s look, with her antennae stretched wide and upright, was unsoothly shameless, which matched my own mood when laterward we took leave to the inn we have hired. My mother mildly stood when she blessed farewell, and for all her mind’s depth I understand, I could not read her. Throatlessly, thoughtlessly I asked: ~Stora haes, a zhae?~ - “What are you doing, crone?”   All riddles aside of my mother’s hallcraft game (forwhy so I deem it), after noonmeal we withdrew to the inn’s rooms and yielded one to the Elves for their tarry and idleness. Yet it bemeant not we left them alone, since we eagerly awaited Kaure’s sake. Hauronil misgladdened not when soon he and his elfmates came to the meanroom. There he sat with Kaure, held hands, and twined antennae while Remaue and I brewed milktea. Then we sang a blessing-hymn for Indith and shaped a lovedance. Thereafter, Kaure could forbear no longer and beseeched Hauronil upstairs. Under lewd cheers they went, and us two, and Indith and Leiendil, following. Meekly, I cannot bewrite the bliss at Kaure and Hauronil recleaving under love, nor our gladness to uphold and share. Remaue and I dolefully yielded worship to Indith’s belly, still slimly unthick against the elfbabe growing within, whomto we prayed every blessing.   Now I write this log from our windroom, where overlooking the streetyard, a playdance shows: Shelae and Damye, the mirthtale of two feuding farmwives thieving men from each other. Although the randy farmwife’s matchlikeness happens throughout Lashunta bookdom, eyesomely, by the wise Indith and Leiendil’s laughter left them breathless, this tale has never showed in Qabarat, right as the score of men, outwearied, mishandled, and betrayed, forsook the two mistresses for outlawhood and each other’s love.     3. Asealae, 25,548 - Al Farmhold   Today ere we shed ways with the Elves, we worshipfully hosted Indith to Greenmother’s temple. There we beseeched her bechildness’s wardship. The priesthood wonderfully greeted her, outspeaking they had erenever met an elfmother. They danced the babesong and bestowed all rights and wardship, betrothing all such while her stay in our city.   Afterward, I watched Indith with Nae, which at first worried my dread that Nae, after her ereward woe, might be jealous. Yet Indith hugged our flagmate and told she outcame from forty years’ trial to so get bechild. Thus she becraved Nae not to yield hope. Nae atook her word, if not merrily, then with stern liss, for which we bless her heart and shall pray her sake. Kaure went with the Elves, forwhy she hosts them to Hauronil’s kindred who own a farmhold on Aelau’s eastern shore looking to the mountains. Hauronil seeks truce with them after leaving Son almost twenty years ago, whence they rue his loss, and he their hurt, while Indith and Leiendil bode witness of the worthy swainlike livelihood he has found in Qabarat. Also, if Kaure’s hereness furthermore bears more worth he has earned becoming manlove to a warrior and shieldbearer under our flag, then we gladly let his nameworth. We blessed farewell with troth to meet in soon days.   After our path’s shed, we have again come to my fatherkin’s farmhold. Here we tarry and ready for Raeonyl my sister’s cheertide in three days. For once, my father has gotten leave from Liavil his wifemate to work his faircraft for their daughter’s worship, to which I have gladly yielded hand and soulmight. If all outworks, we will have some mild days else than further drill for the Motorae Games.