Chapter 8

18. Evolae, 24,535 - Son   Today while abath, Remaue asked about yesternight’s mood with my  sisters. I told it had something to do with our kindred’s history, which maybe for my future descendants and my own sake I shall set to paper here.   We are traditionally a kindred of outriders and warriors, ever since the Hall of Matrons uprose and drove out the Thief-Queens at start of nowward time. My foremothers served honorably, even until Eavol Zolaemaue, my great-grandmother, whose swordbill I bear, and who won great namesake among the Lashunta in the Formu War, when she slew a Myrmarch and won a great battle. For this deed she was named High Captain of the City and sat in honor among the Matrons’ Hall, and even became High Matron.   Eavol’s daughter, my grandmother Efadi, after serving twenty years’ outriderhood, founded a tradehouse whose wealth long behooved us. She followed her mother to the Matrons’ Hall. Though she never overtook the high seat, she sorely wished it for my mother Zhasael, whom Efadi raised to have every weal. Efadi stinted nothing to buy boons for my mother’s sake, from worthy clients to high-named allies, so that even at early years, right after ending her firdhood, Lady-Mother entered the Matrons’ Hall and made it her livelihood.   One ally she found was my siblings’ father, Herenyas u’Reiemyssas, a tradehouse-master eager to win goodwill among the Matrons. Zhasael held him as her lone manmate for many years while he upheld her livelihood, and even forestepped much of the path that led to her becoming High Matron. He was fifty years older, and so died after my sister Raiale’s birth. Yet he left all three of my siblings - Devaeas, Raiale, and Rissodess - wealthy bequests, which both my sisters used to gain their own matronships, though Devaeas used his for else purpose. He had first joined his father’s tradehouse but grew bored, and so forsook to become a Qoelu-hunter. This choice my grandmother Efadi, and later my sisters (though Lady-Mother has withheld her thought), held as wasted wealth.   I was born more than twenty years after Herenyas’s death, when Lady-Mother was already well forebuilt among the Matronhood and had become Steadholder to High Matron Earnae (until she died and my mother was chosen). Said her tale, she met my father Aeosiss, a stonecrafter, when they worked together on the new dockyard gate. Their lovematch and my birth had nothing to do with courtly weal, and some even spoke (most dolefully my sisters and their aunt Tessil, who is Herenyas’s sister and kept their tradehouse) that their match even weakened my mother’s rank. Luckily, such did not outcome, and Lady-Mother rose to the high seat once held by my great-grandmother. Yet I had no fatherly bequest else than stonelikenesses carven of my smiling baby-face, and our kindred’s wealth was long drained to fuel my mother’s furtherness. Also (there I like to think for good) my Lady-Mother withstood all offers to foster my rank. Instead, she deemed I should become the livelihood our foremothers had held. She first sent me to the Esotericum, for I showed knack for soulmight. Yet when I showed interest with Shotalashu and warcraft, my lot should become an outrider, to serve the City with my blade and, should it need, my flesh and blood. So I have hithercome.   My Lady-Sisters, however, from early years misbestood my lot as else than theirs, and for whatever reason scorned me their baby-sister. Mayhap owing to their knowledge or greater years, they beheld themselves better, and would never let me forget. They made my childhood wretched until, after they both became matrons, they witted they could use me, which sinceward has both helped and hindered me, through never with kindliness. This deed has saddened Lady-Mother, though never had she heart to outwardly gainsay them. Thus my father’s unwelcomeness at yesternight’s revel was but the last in a long row of slights. Also, I little doubt it was forereckoned to reap some behoof, however small. It could forlengthen their link to my father’s meanness or even be a trial to beshame me from him.   Remaue listened thoughtfully. For her own share, she is a farmer’s daughter, and while they have honorably made their livelihood and served in the fird for so many millennia as my own, no great namesake has upheld them. At last, she spoke she would know only my kindred that I deem worthy. She worships Lady-Mother and endears my father, and likes what she so far sees of my brother. Yet she wishes nothing with my sisters. I cannot misguilt her, for if she steers wide from them, she will find no harm.   Also, a groom brought word my brother Devaeas had come asking after me. I will find him.