Brand and Vaeol - Chapter 26

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil u’Zhasaele Zolaemaue be’Son

  7. Zielae, 24,535 - 2nd Day in Candares   After a long slumberless night we now fit ourselves into this land’s daytide, which began with a welcome mornmeal with Her Highness Lady Zhovoraeul and her stewards. They eagerly met the Aslanta, and we spent some belltides in talk. As share, our fetch's purpose upcame, and Brand asked of Corpsicum and the Kaymos. Her Highness yaysaid to speak more on the Kaymos but read that, though the Kaymos dwell among the city’s Lashunta neighbors, they are beholden only unto themselves.   Afterward, Her Highness asked me, Lady Semuane, and Lady Vearanil to meet alone. We withdrew to her sunderroom, where she asked straightly our inthfift in helping the Aslanta. She had read the writs from both Lady-Mother and Her Highness Ivasill, but wished our frank thought. Semuane and Vearanil both answered they are here to fulfill their high matron’s bid, at which Her Highness looked to me.    I told her that, through Son’s Overmind, we had gotten doom-tell from Burning-Mother to help Her Qolaryon-born children. When Her Highness asked what purpose the Goddess had revealed for this deed, I answered I know not.    Lady Zhovoraeul sat back and quoth that one should not lightly thwart the Goddess’s will. I read her undermeaning and asked under what happendom one would gainsay the Goddess. Her Highness answered she would not, though she cannot speak for the Kaymos.   We got a show-walk of the city, of which so far we had only seen Uppertown. Her Highness’s steward Lady Lofaue led us through the outlying boroughs, who like the main boroughs stand on outcrops that, when Father-Tarakeshi swells in Floodtide, become islands in their own right, and then onto the bridge leading until the mainland. There we found a stoutly walled borough that holds not only the gate to the Upland Highway, but a stairway to Lower Town, and also a winch-lift. So reckful we became of this wondercraft that we agreed to ride it downward. So we strode onto a wooden deck that reached tensome strides out from the ledge (and which also had a handrail). Then while ropes and gears trendled, we idly lowered toward the dale floor some hundred armspans underneath.   While the downlift, we got good sight of the dale, ingathering the houses and spires underneath. We were forecaught, however, at many windows and deckrails outhanging from the cliff, and even cots whereon was enough ledge to stand. I asked Lady Lofaue who dwells there. She answered none, for these are not live houses but graves. I spoke I had never heard of such a gravestead, at which she told one indeed would not find such among Lashunta. Instead, they belong to the Kaymos.   We found Lowertown an enthriving patchwork of little farthings, for under to the dale’s tightness, homes are built on whatever scarp is handy, and more carven from bedrock where needful. A manifold network of stairs, bridges, and lanes string them all together, and small marketyards stand in odd steads. Yet even more inthrifty are the folk. Though I beheld a fair lot clothed in Qabarat-wise, many were dressed else, and even had odd hoops stuck in their ears and noses. Some wives even seemingly had another belly button, which I later witted was a metal stud! I asked Lady Lofaue, who answered these folk hail from the Lemenora clans that have dwelt here many yearthousands ere the Qabarata came, and who had first befriended the Elves when they dwelled here. While we walked, I caught words of an odd-sounding tongue and besoothed not all speak the Yaro Tongue that Son and Qabarat share. We spoke with these folk (most whomof speak some Yaro words), ingathering a headwife named Daverene, who welcomed us to her house. She fed us a dish of stewed crayfish in odd spices, which proved quite tasty. We also got a slight understanding of their many customs unlike our ken.     8. Zielae - 3rd Day in Candares   Today I sought the Kaymos, to ask for the Aslanta’s Corpsicum. Her Highness Lady Zhovoraeul told they are reckoning our sake but will not answer at once. She beread forbearance that we wait. We oversaw the warriors and then offlet them for noonslumber. This evetide, we stood Her Highness’s duskmeal guests, where we looked out on Lake Nehan. The glowflies danced over the waters fairly as any holiday.     30. Neth, 4718 - 3rd Day in Candares, 70th Day on Castrovel   This morn, Oshis, the squat lancer-sergeant who is over-burly even by Korasha standards, abruptly woke me, or rather his voice booming over my head. I needed be no mind-reader to catch his anger. He bellowed Vaeol’s name, and though he speaks no Elvish, I gathered she had summoned me. So I rose and let him lead.   On our way through, I noticed the Son warriors armed and awatch near our rooms, all about. Something struck me as wrong. Vern caught my eye and called that some men were missing. I tried to ask who, but Oshis yanked me forward before I got answer.   My bad feeling worsened.   I was led to the ruling matron’s council chamber, where waited Her Ladyship Zhovor-Ayool, Lady Vaeol, and the two Khabarat knights. I took one look at Vaeol’s face and knew trouble had found us. I have before seen her upset, but until now never angry. Straightway she cast a tongue-spell and told that the Kaymos had caught four of my men, who had sneaked from the palace: Draxy my main trouble-maker, Tormal and Reck, which was disappointing, but then Bicker, which truly stunned me, for I have highly trusted him.     Lady Vaeol asked if I knew what they had done. At once my mind returned to our trip down the winch-lift yesterday, the explanation of corpsicum’s creation, and the sight of my men hanging over the rail and ogling the cliff-graves. I hadn’t known, but should have. She asked me why, and shamefacedly I had no answer. Her disappointment showed too painfully. I couldn’t meet her glare but stood like a dithering fool when she commanded we are all under arrest and had me led back to our rooms under guard.   Some whits I found out after talk with the men. In good news, the plot seemed limited to the four who were caught. I asked keenly whether any others had known, and believe I would know if anyone lied. Vern shrove he’d seen Bicker leaving but had bethought nothing, for he had become friendly with a Damaya, and so Vern had assumed they were dallying. Discipline has grown lax under our gracious (until now) Lashunta hosts, and we have not been overgiven to counting heads. We agreed our earlier holiday captivity is now replaced by the real thing. None go anywhere without leave, assuming we are ever let out again.   The men have asked what happens next. I had to tell them I don’t know, but more importantly, not even the Lashunta know. Our four are in the hands of these mysterious Kaymos.     9. Zielae, 24,535 - 4th Day in Candares   We have had a mislucky stroke. Yesternight some Aslanta snuck up to the Kaymos’ cliff-graves and were caught. We got word from Lady Zhovoraeul’s stewards this morn after Her Highness got word from the Kaymos. We were called to Her Highness’s rede-room, where we learned the Kaymos had caught four Aslanta climbing the cliffs to their graveburrows. Lady Zhovoraeul and I agreed the steadship is grim. We had no warranty the Kaymos may yaysay to bestow Corpsicum. Now they never may.   Straightway I asked Her Highness’s stewards to call Brand to answer for his men. He rightly came, and soon as he saw us gathered, I believe he bewitted some wrongness. He swiftly shrove his four men were missing. When I asked whether he knew whither they had gone, he answered no, but then added he might guess.   I cannot bewrite my utter downheartedness after this deedtide. Things had been going so well. The Aslanta had behaved kindly and listful. What had they thoughtto go off alone and try to steal, and dolefully when they are beholden to our goodwill to reach home? I asked Brand so, maybe more loudly than I had willed. He had no answer. I bade him go to his men and that they are henceforth bound to their rooms. I then set wardens over them and so beread Lady Zhovoraeul.   I withdrew to my room, where I shrive I snapped at Remaue. Then I wept in her arms.