A Castrovel Adventure: Part 6, Chapter 8

6. Soelae, 24,548 - Hivaea (five days since last log)   We have come to Hivaea in four days’ time, unlike when last we so did in less than three. It was thus a starkly unlike deed, since we were not racing a flatbark upflood, nor Lady Erenyae’s inkling. This stride wearied less, and we also bore the children, though Kaure and I had some chuckles following our former path and reminding the haste.   Hivaea shows little shifted since six years, the same backwater farmhold among beardmossy milktrees, banyans, and marshtars. If anything, it seems even sleepier. I wondered there are fewer young folk, which Lady Sael the headwife atrusted when she greeted us. When we asked where they have gone, she nodded northward, where Father Yaro lies: ~Elahat,~ she merely answered, but which told all. It seems peace with that former freehold has also bequeathed misbehoof. Whereas erstwhilely folk had shunned Elahat and would come here, now they need not. This farmhold’s treepaths mainly see northward landfare while Floodtide or whenever else Father Yaro runs too strongly for boats.   Our main deed outstood right after we reached the farmhold: the hometree growing on its eastern edge. There waited Oloe, a strong hale Damaya over a hundred years old, and who once had been lover and mothermate to Laun, a Raumoeva outlaw who had fled through Son: Oshis's father. She dearly looked down on her son riding with us, and then gloated over us wives bearing children on our foresaddles. Soon as we roosted and unsteeded, Tesine and Lenis (and with Lanaryel) ran to their grandmother, who knelt and hugged them.   Then she saw me bearing Aeosel on my hip. Her antennae lit, which his matched witting her. ~Sta-lamas?~ she asked - “Who is this?”   ~Aeosel realas be dia-vas,~ I answered: “Aeosel, named after my father,” I answered. Then I set him adeck and let him run, whereat she lifted him abreast and tangled antennae. ~Ezimya diastya meavis!~ - “You own much of your father!” she wondered, and smiled from him to Oshis, who neared and hugged brow to his mother's shoulder.   While Oloe led the children under grandmotherly right and we stalled the Shotalashu, a hand touched my elbow, and we met Avahi: Zheye’s mother, Oloe’s housemate, and Oshis’s eldest mothermate. She greeted us all, cheered my motherhood, and then welcomed us to tea. We told her we had already met her daughter in Son, and she merrily eyed Meiss and heard his tale while he knelt beside Sievae. Then we overtalked our children and deeds, shared word of Vosaeth and Sonnauf her son wandering the Retaea, and naughtily hinted Oshis had yielded a samely blessing to a highborn lady in Ofu-Laubu, whose daughter might hold title as our fathermate’s youngest.   After tonight’s duskmeal and the children’s bedtide, I brought Oloe a mead cup and yieldingly shared. While we talked of Qabarat, I told: ~Kiadaf Minarrye,~ - “We met Minal,” meaning Oshis’s half-sister. At that name, Oloe halted. ~Laun li lindas,~ - “Laun spoke of her,” she whispered. She told that, although Oloe's fathermate had not been the kind to maudinly remind yestertide, she deemed he had missed his daughter and would gladly know she had grown to high stallworth among her folk.   Whimsily, I upbrought the wild thought Minal, Oshis, and I had shared back in Qabarat that maybe Laun had been bereft in the Thriae raid shortly after his leave. At that word, Oloe laughed. ~Yorualya keamya yanya haenihemyaru,~ - “That would give new meaning to blossom-sottenness,” she answered. Against her fathermate's loss, a shameful giggle overtook until our bellies hurt.   Oloe also said Laun had not willingly left Hivaea and her house, but under the city’s outlawhood had no choice. I reckon that thought makes Oshis feel a little better. Wherever his father may be and whatever doom befell, we would wish him well.   Erenow while I write this log, I overheard the older children - Lenis, Tesine, and Lanaryel - talk wakeful instead of sleeping in the upper bower, when Lenis spoke the the inthriftiest word: ~Laun-Diol verazya-naztas Thriae-bei o’qoanassi diaminas. Yei meavas izama-nilara utheara,~ - “Grandfather Laun got bereft by Thriae and became a hive-father, and so has thousands of daughters.” I wonder we have unwittingly given birth to a witchtale.     7. Soelae, 24,548 - 2nd Day in Hivaea   Today we led the children fishing, a mild enough deed for the younger ones which Oloe undertook to teach with rod, string, and hook. While we so did, Oshis meekly stayed at the treehold to work under Avahi’s oversight, along with Meiss’s and Kaure’s help. His queer behavior got Erymi eagerly asking how Avahi so beswayed him to do the work he most hates. Our eldest childsister waved at Oloe: ~Mae neamya-shyele,~ - “His mother helps.” Idly we wondered what other work we could win from Oshis while under his mother’s roof.   We sought a wealthy fishing hole, though the children begladdened more to watch the Shotalashu hunt treesnakes. Our path led us out near Father Yaro’s bank, where I kenned a short sidepath. On a whim I followed it out to the inlet’s neck. There stood a kith watchspire, now forsaken. I reminded this stead and had ere stood here, outcomefully when I overlooked Father Yaro's far side.   There sat a townhold I knew too well: Elahat. Here had been our raid’s ferrystead when we swam the river’s breadth and beset Erenyae in her hall. A rueful qualm took me, thinking what has befallen Elahat afterward.   Though I dreaded the ask, I sought Lady Sael and beseeched the holdwife what had happened to Elahat after our raid’s end and leave for the Retaea. At that time, Mistress Anovaeul had headed the freehold. Furthermore I asked how Elahat had outcome to cleave Son. Lady Sael had a swift answer: ~Mieil deloavaea ezimya meavya-shyele,~ - “Your lady-sisters own much sway.”   She told Anovaeul’s holdwifeship had begun well, but later bickersomeness had befallen among Elahat’s headwives and trademistresses. My sisters had already begun making friends and deals, and had also bequeathed loans to folk wishing to undertake bold trade or to dwell wealthily. Yet (and I underlook my sisters had foreseen this likelihood) when the freehold’s trade had fallen under the strife, then the loan-holders could not yield the dearth-fees. My sisters had bargained to forgive the dearth if Elahat chose to cleave Son. Mistress Anovaeul had withstood but latterly had been overspoken. So she had left Elahat swearing grudge. Under my sisters’ sway, the Matronhood had swiftly yaysaid letting Elahat into our city's landhold.   I shrive this tale did not lessen my guilt, since our raid overthrowing Lady Erenyae had made it canny. Yet Lady Sael, who knows the whole tale, beread thus: after the shametide we had wrought and the blow to my mother’s nameworth, she and my sisters had sought any behoof to stay in alderhood. Elahat’s ownership had yielded that behoof. Thus they had made the steadship’s best outcome, with Elahat’s trade overwinning the Matronhood’s goodwill.   I wonder what has befallen Anovaeul, where she is, and what she has undergone, though I dread she beguilts me her freehold’s loss. After her downfall, it may not even reck. Yet I shall dance a hymn for her welfare and wish peace.     8. Soelae, 24,548 - 3rd Day in Hivaea   Avahi asked whether we would go to Elahat. Under guilt I naysaid and so stayed with Oloe and the younger children while the others went. Oshis also stayed, since he reminds his tide in Elahat with ill will. I reread this daylog of our raid six years ago. I shrive my own blitheness with what I wrote then.   Remaue and Kaure brought back a fruitcake to mistry me, which we grudgingly nibbled.     9. Soelae, 24,548 - 4th Day in Hivaea   After talk with Remaue and Kaure, we have deemed ready to leave. Though I have athanked this tide with Oloe and Avahi and letting Aeosel know his grandmother, this stead so nigh Elahat bequeathes no gladness. Tomorrow we shall go to Remaue’s kindred in Ashom. If anything, there will also set us nearer the city, since at some tide I must stand before the captains.   Oloe wept when we told, hugged Aeosel, and would not forsake him. He is so much like Oshis at that year (even in mind, thanks to the komori) that she aches to lose him. Her sorrow hurts. Yet I will not be forswayed.   Erymi, Oshis, and Tesine will stay here, where he will further thew his mother and eldest mothermate. In our talk, Oloe shrove she had never forelooked Oshis to stay, since she was wandersome once herself and had watched a few firdtides, even faring to Valmayana, ere she bore her eldest babe. They thank merely having this tide with him. He has also sworn to take Zheye his daughter hunting, since she is already a doughty tracker and spear-wielder and would hunt something bigger than frogs. We will meet again at Krastaes’s wifemate’s farmhold for Zielae Firdmoot. Sievae will also leave, though she tries something weightier: she wishes truce with her mother. If it outcomes well, she and Meiss may stay. If no, she will likely seek Draue or Nae and Hanos. In blessing I hugged my childsister and bade her shame of nothing.   In the end, I needed to come to Hivaea, even if I could not find the heart to see Elahat. If the guilt is not wholly mine, I have undergone meekness and pray I have become a better outrider and wife since then.