Chapter 20

1. Vealae, 24,536 - Son   I know not how to bewrite what I must here set down. What I even ought to feel I know not. All seems unsooth.   Today was Remaue’s bridetide. It first offstarted as forethought. Dawn heralded with a cool mist over the river, and blue heaven peeking through sky in late yesterwhit of Heaventide, all whereof we betook a lucky omen. Erymi, Tae, and I came early to the idleyard while Remaue slumbered, and the Korasha each kept himself and busied doubtlessly with warriorly thought. We three Damaya had a bower to stead and garlands to twist and hang. The cook was already astead with the roast buried and steaming, and the meadwright drove his wagon timely. We were thankful of the morn’s coolness.   By midmorning our friends and guests began showing, and also brought food dishes for the feastboard. For the first time I met Remaue’s mother and sister (whomof she had hinted much). A tent also stood forewaitingly in the idleyard’s rear, for the bedship. With all going to plan, at noontide I withdrew to the Citadel, to dress while the wives handled things.   At fore-eve we were ready. we came down to the idleyard: Remaue to the tent where she awaited last readiness, I to Tae and Erymi, and then to Less and Oshis. When I deemed all foreset, I againcame to Remaue’s tent. Before the gathered throng, our friends, and Remaue’s kin, I led her out.   As theme for Remaue’s wifehood, we had made a play-set like the Warrior-Queens of yore. I wore my harness over breast, my champion-crown, a goldsilk loincloth with threadwork tassles, and bore my grandmother’s swordbill. So I hosted Remaue to the bower. She wore in her hair all the jewels we could find and had luck-runes stained on her back, flanks, and limbs, and with her bosom gilded. She wore the slimmest threadwork loincloth that draped until her inkdrawn feet. Thus she looked in all wise like an elder heathen queen who had ridden from the moors.   To the bower I led her, where waited the priestess. Remaue stood before her, who took oilbalm of rose and myrrh and wiped it on her brow, bosom, and belly. Then she blessed and bade her leave maidenhood’s sheerness and strife, and become full of wifehood’s ripeness and life, to the folk’s growth and betterness. Then the throng sang the old hymn of blessing and thanks.   At its end, a bell clanged, and my share began. I strode forward and rang my swordbill on the stepstones. Then I bade that any man worthy who so thought himself before eyes of Gods and Lashunta to claim Remaue’s maidenhead and yield her First Blessing should forth show himself now.   At my word, Oshis and Less strode forth. They were wonderful to behold: bronze skin oiled, great thews in neck, arm and thigh glistening, hair tied back, and beards and shoulders trimmed neatly. They each wore crimson loinclothes that little hid. Though Oshis is broader, Less is taller and seemed hardly less in match. Together in beseech they knelt before me. I shrive I was hardly put to reckon which I would choose.   Next, I asked Erymi and Tae whether they blessed and upheld their manmates’ beseech, They both yaysaid. Then I offstood and let Remaue come forward. I asked whether she atook these men. She overstood them both, smiled lovingly, and a little wickedly, and said they both gladdened her, and she would happily take either’s blessing, and so would take whichever showed worthiest. She laid hand upon their brows and stroked their antennae, whereat they each reached up, took her hand, and kissed. Then she stepped back, and I bade the trial begin.   The rules were mere: they might box and wrestle, but no limbs broken. If any man lost foot and could not rise, or I deemed him witless, the trial should end. Either man might yield by word or beck. True win-doom, however, belonged to Remaue, who wished to deem each man’s worthiness as well as prowess. At my bid the watchers cleared a ring before the bower, where Remaue sat queenly on pillowed stool. I stood forth as marshal. Many were taking bets while eyeing each fighter’s swiftness and thews. Then at my word I raised my swordbill and bade them begin.   Less and Oshis traded punches each almost kindly, as if to prove their hardiness to fight. Then they crouched, and their dance quickened earnestly. The watchers cheered, and Korasha at the fore spread their arms to ward others in sake the fighters reached the ring’s edge.   Both strode warily, forbearing swift rush that might overquit. When Oshis neared, Less threw jabs and backed off. Then Oshis drove Less to the ring’s edge, where he could run no more. Less misstepped right, but then went left and threw a hefty blow, which hit Oshis’s cheek. Unbelagged, however, Oshis strode inward, struck back, and grappled near. The two Korasha shoved, struggled, and stamped, each trying to drive the other while they whirled through the ring. With more blows they drew off, and then came together again. Five times more they did so and traded mighty blows that cut lips and bruised ribs. The crowd goaded them onward, and each stride grew more ruthless. I glanced at Tae and Erymi, who stood beside Remaue, and watched their heed, for I worried this fight might be growing too wrathful.   Then Oshis grabbed Less’s head and threw him down, to the crowd’s shock. Yet Less grappled his arm, overwallowed, and drew Oshis down with. While they wrestled, Less won the top, pinned Oshis’s arm, and bade him yield. The crowd cheered, deeming the fight seemingly settled.   Yet Oshis shifted, wallowed backward, and kicked Less’s hand. Both fighters maddened in a twisting storm of kicks, punches, and wrestling limbs. Then I witted blood fly. Oshis overcame Less, pinned him down, and many times struck his face. Almost ere my yell Erymi and Tae started forth, for we all beheld the Korasha’s fight had bent ugly. Inward I strode and yelled halt. Both men unheeded me. I overstood the fighters, yelled again, and pounded by bill-pommel aground. When they stilled not, I laid hand on Oshis’s shoulder and yanked him off.   Oshis swerved, and I caught a mad glint in his eye, as I had erenever seen on a his face. Then his elbow jabbed backward and struck me right across cheek and jaw. I staggered witless a breathtide and saw blackness and glowmotes.   When I woke, Krastaes and two other Korasha had offhauled Oshis. Tae had gone to Less and kneeled over him worriedly. Erymi stood pale, hand on her belly, and Remaue had risen from stool. Shakenly I stood; half my face hurt-numb.   On wooden legs I strode amidst the shareholders, outstretched my swordbill, and outspoke the fight ended. I looked to Remaue and asked that she withdraw and leave this thing for now. She agreed and went to the tent. I watched her downheartedly, for of all things that had here happened, what upstuck foremost was that her bridetide-day was wrecked.   Erymi and Tae came and mindspoke with me. They asked whether I was all right, whereat I was befuddled. Erymi then reached my face and softly stroked, which I felt as but a puffy ache. Then I bewitted I was bruising, and what I must look. Shame hollowed my breast while the eariler unsoothness faded. Tae reminded I was the trial’s law as marshal, and moreover the highest rank here. Then Erymi read sadly that I must deal swiftly and forthrightly. I took a breathtide to understand her meaning, whereat my heart deadened.   I stood before Oshis, who knelt between Krastaes and another Korasha. I could not bear to point him my swordbill and instead set it at rest. In a lifeless voice I quoth he was bound under law for stroke against a Damaya and his better, and that he should withdraw until the Citadel to await the Matrons’ doom. Too ashamedly to eye me, he bowed head under my bid, and I almost wept. Lady Istae came forth and offered to take his lead, which I thankfully atook. She and Krastaes led him away while the guest-throng broke and clumped. Tae helped Less, whose bloody face was swollen, while Erymi hovered helplessly. I healed Less’s face so best as I could while Tae offwashed blood. They too then left for the Citadel.   I went to the tent and inside, where waited Remaue. I took one glance at her shuddering lips and tears streaming down cheek. Then I rushed, knelt, and hugged her. At last I wept; words uncanny to outlay our sorrow.   After long, I left her with her mother and sister. Then with Erymi we made the long walk up to the Citadel. I found Lady-Captain waiting in her stallroom. I stood sharp and told I would bode a sin. Wordlessly she nodded, and I told the whole deedtide, and that Oshis is now under bond. She acknowledged and bade me withdraw, whereat I came to my room.   Remaue has not come home. I almost fear to see her. How could things go so wrong?