Brand and Vaeol - Chapter 27

10. Zielae, 24,535 - 5th Day in Candares   Yesternight I had hap to mend the harm the Aslanta had wrought. I went to meet the Kaymos.    At dusk I got word from Lady Zhovoraeul and went to her, along with Lady Semuane and Lady Vearanil. She bade us follow, and we three went with her. Her Ladyship led us to Lower Town, which forecaught me not, for I had heard there the Kaymos dwell. Yet I did not forelook her leading us to a stairway climbing up the dale’s edge. From the ridgetop, she led us down a winding trail to the far side. Then I saw the trees, though shrouds hung from their lower boughs. When we walked by, it looked like spiderwebs, only thicker.   We reached a grove where four great beams grew near together, so as almost to make a room amidst, with four witchlamps glowing. Overhead we heard scratches. When I looked upward, I saw things crawling down the treebark.   I had never seen a Kaymos. They are a kind wonderful and queer, almost a cross between Lashunta and Spiderkind. They have but four limbs but outstandingly long, with hooked fingers on all four and whelmed in short bristles. They are fulsomely shapen to spend life aclimb, be it upon trees or cliffs. Their heads are folklike enough, though their eyes are great and all black. I gather they dwell among dark steads, whether cliff-hollows or the Darkfloor. Like Spiderkind, they make silk from their bodies, which they draw and weave into the finest clothes. This makes their trade with the Lashunta who dwell here, and foreguessingly.   The Kaymos crept down the trees. They halted maybe three or four strides from the ground. I bowed head, and they asked my name, whereat I told them I come from Son, which lies on the world’s other side by Qabarat. I also told I had brought the Aslanta, and that I came to answer for their misdeeds. They asked why, to which I answered I am honor-bound, and that any sin the Aslanta do must be awarded as mine.   At this word, one muttered I am a selfsome outrider. Then another asked why I had brought the Aslanta. I then told them of our finding the Aslanta lost and harried in the rainwood by the Moqeva’s Lost Hosiasha, and that we had healed them and brought them back to our city. We had chosen to help their quest and send them back to their world. They asked why the offworlders sought Corpsicum, to which I answered I knew not. The Kaymos named me foolish, for I would give a thing to offworlders without understanding. Here I had no answer. One hissed that the Aslanta must leave, to which I yaysaid.   Then another asked whether we still wished Corpsicum. Here I faltered, for I feared to dare too much, but then said yes. The Kaymos again called this foolish. I answered it might be even so, but my choice is made.   A Kaymos climbed down further until it hung at eye-height. It asked whether, since I am so foolish as to stand by the Aslanta’s quest, I would do something foolish to fulfill it. I bewared a dare. For a breathtide I sought their faces, childlike and hollow. I wondered what they would forename. Would it be more than I could overcome, and even if I knew the answer, would it offsway me?    I answered I would do so. The Kaymos nodded. They bade me come to this stead tonight with weapons, and then I will have chance to prove how foolish I truly am. Then they bade us leave.   Lady Zhovoraeul and I did not speak until we came back to Uppertown. She asked whether I know what I am doing. I asked back what I should forelook. She cannot tell, but that she had seen the Kaymos work both great ruth and great evil while her matronhood, though they heedfully will never break their given word. She beread that, if I show tomorrow night, I will have little choice but to go through with the Kaymos’ dare. Then she headed to me and spoke that, though she has helped our fetch until now, she would do nothing to threaten trade with the Kaymos. To her I had no answer and merely bowed my head.   I have spent the day readying for this unknown trial. Remaue has grown wroth. She began yelling, but at my look stilled and withdrew. She meekly cleaned my gear, shined my weapons and shield, and then wordlessly washed and braided my hair. I have slept so much as I could and written letters to both Lady-Captain and Lady-Mother. I have bidden Erymi take the troop’s leadership in my absence. Semuane I have asked to see the Aslanta homeward safely.   Lastly I called Brand to my room. He watched me queerly, and I remind we have spoken little since leaving Son, and much thereof was hard. I told him I will get his men back. Meekly he nodded thanks. Of the Corpsicum he asked not, and for that small wisdom I worship him more. I have rightly reckoned he loves his men more than his fetch.     1. Kuthona, 4718 - 4th Day in Candares, 71st Day on Castrovel   Just now I met with Lady Vaeol. She saw me in her room; only she and Remaue, who was checking and polishing the outrider’s weapons. Oddly, Vaeol was wearing her full kit; breastplate gleaming in damascened bronze and silver, riveted kilt glistening with fresh oil, fanlike helm sitting beside her. Both Damaya held a grim quiet. Something afoot darkened the room.   “I met the Kaymos last night,” told Vaeol. “I stand as responsible for your men’s behavior.”   Her word worried me from what I didn't understand. While the Lashunta seem a civilized folk, I have no idea about their justice nor what punishment may befall if this sake goes against us. Furthermore, speculation about what it may mean to meet these even more alien Kaymos looked impossible. I could only ask what she meant.   “I am going to save your men,” she explained. Sorrow glimmered in her eyes, but also more. I read within her a fierceness as in readying for battle, a feeling I know too well, but also with it pity, for us. After all we’ve done, stumbling through this strange world, begging help where we deserved none, and then the humiliation of dealing with our worst choices, still she held no grudge. I could merely stand there unworthily.   Then she raised her helm and set it ahead. Remaue handed her a belt-axe, a short spear with a blade more like a sword, and then her shield, which she slung on a shoulder-baldric. “Do that, and I will be forever grateful,” I finally swore, and added that I would do whatever she asked.    “Careful of your promise, Azlanti,” she warned, yet with a smile in her words. “I may hold you to it.” Then she strode out, leaving me with her misforeboding.    Remaue’s look, however, gleamed predatory. I had a short foresight of me stranded upon this lush, alien world, even after my men may be let to go home, under these queenly women, trapped among their apelike men, and relegated to an existence as a pet. Would I be cursed to a lifetime amusing maidens’ curiosity? I may never know.   Yet what will happen if Vaeol doesn’t return from whatever trial she meets? War-girded as she was, I must assume some combat. Another duel as she had with Lady Semuane, or against something else? She is the daughter of Son’s matron-president, and I foresee the Lashunta as less forgiving, should they lose one of their own on behalf of wrong-doers who break peace with their neighbors. I don’t believe they would let us go.     2. Kuthona - 5th Day in Candares, 72nd Day on Castrovel   I didn’t truly sleep last night, but wrestled back and forth with slumber. Soon as dawn grayed, I gave up and rose. The palace stirred unusually for this early hour. I found Erymi and asked after Lady Vaeol. She answered with a nod, but no word I understood. So I waited in the courtyard, hoping to catch her or any other update.   Then came Bicker, Draxy, Reck, and Tomal. Relief flooded me, though I took a stern stand and barked at them to get to quarters. By then the other men had roused. So I gave my four miscreants a thorough and unkindly dressing-down. I forbade them leaving the rooms, and no wine. They mentioned their capture by the Kaymos. Yet I bade them withhold word until later. I had other things on my mind.   I headed to Lady Vaeol’s room, where I found both Oshis and Less watching outside. Oshis gave me an evil eye, and I had already gleaned we Humans hold him no special love. Yet he said nothing. So I waited. A while later, a Damaya voice called from within. He entered and a moment later again came out and nodded at me to go in.   Vaeol was leaning on a bench, stripped of her armor, which Remaue was setting aside, On the plates’ hard surfaces I saw raw gouges shining through the damascene. The Lady-Knight looked tired as if she hadn’t slept all night, and also distracted. Even worse, I witted red and yellow bruises lying in harsh bands on her arms and legs, and moreso one on her face, right where I reckoned her helm’s cheek-plate ends.   I bowed and thanked her for saving my men. She nodded and bade me see that they never do it again.   I asked what had happened. She looked at me readingly, almost as if seeing me anew. Happily, her erstwhile anger had wholly drained. Instead, she considered how to answer my question. “I met my folk’s worst nightmare,” she said cryptically. Yet she didn’t have the manner of someone who was recovering from such a dread. I tried to read her distraction: not fear, though something haunted her, as if her mind was trying to swallow something misgiving. I wondered whether she’d lost sleep from whatever ordeal she had suffered, or from an ugly truth confronted. She did not have a happy face.   Then from the bench she lifted a bag and tossed. Its weight staggered me. When I opened and looked inside, my jaw dropped. Rough, dark green lumps lay halfway full: corpsicum! I gaped, but could not speak. She had not only saved my men, but given us our goal. I had no words.   Afterward, I called Bicker out. He had decency enough to be ashamed at having gone along with the lackwit scheme to raid the Kaymos’ graves. I did my best not to berate him, though his worth has dropped in my eyes. He admitted they had climbed up to the grave-ledges, had found nothing (not that they knew what they were looking for), and had been caught while they climbed back down. He described the Kaymos as spidery fiends who had flung webs to trap them, and then had dragged them into caves until they had brought them last night to Lady Vaeol. He vented some bitterness, though considering he and the others were the wrong-doers in this farce, I had little sympathy.   So, despite our worst efforts, our trip to Candares has proven successful. Now all we need do is find a way home.