A Royal Historian's Notes

Day 4

The morning prayer was uneventful for the 4th Holy Day, however the reading struck as a pointed, cruel jape at Lady Ozíñay Shashílñé and her clan. More candles were lit before the court gathered to consecrate a new olive tree in the sacred grove, planted by the Blood of the Prophet. Then, there was further prayer and merriment within the clans.   Come Afternoon, there was further prayer, before the afternoon meal of roasted fish, lentil stews and flatbreads. Today’s entertainment was poetry, mainly verses on unity and shared joy despite the flaring nostrils of the Shashílñé. Yereth Hezan tried to temper the clansmen to little success on behalf of the equally enflamed Ñóra. The came another true and just tradition for the Blood of the Prophet. 77 men were pardoned of their crimes by the Asafa, and a lamb was slaughtered in their place. These men shall rise to the light of God and have a new life before them. This afternoon was a time of quiet contemplation for all in their clans and groups, with many studying the religious cannon or in the Gekhshina once more.   Before evening prayer, the court gathered to dance the Ñoghorama bonó, including the Asafa himself. He is known to be fond of the Ribbon Dance. Lady Ozíñay Shashílñé was still absent as well as many of her companions. Ñazh Oleni danced near to Atheman Zhévror, the heir to the Zhévror. Then, upon sundown evening prayer commenced with songs and homilies performed by the high priests. After that affair, the grand feast was a clear display of the realm’s bounty featuring dishes such as honey-glazed duck, stuffed zucchinis, and grape tarts. After that, the courtiers indulged in dance and even more alcohol than night’s previous, dancing to questionable extents. The horse victor Shóthéro Ferñev has revealed his other talents – a great, athletic dancer – much to the delight of the court women. The She-wolf of Agpashín, Lady Fyetshé Olémzazhó, reckons that Ferñev could have his pick of any young court woman and she – and their fathers – would accept any wedding contract. Unfortunately, many other noblemen didn’t have such fortune while dancing, with Onror Hezan, one of the Empress’ many uncles and now past his prime, falling while trying to demonstrate the Shésbonó. Sometimes I wish the royal Afő would select verses on humility and folly to prevent such embarrassments seen before human eyes. During the dancing, a group of the oldest men retired to study the Shíñórfé Kána and argue even further. This included the Shashílñé worthies who were no longer in the mood for celebration.  

Day 5

After morning prayers, the Royal Dance School led a Bonmél performance for their graduations. This was well attended and generally well regarded by the court. The graduation bouquets were given by the Ñazh Oleni to the young women made of lilies, lavenders, and orange blossoms as per ever. Several of the dancers were invited to the Great Banquet on solstice night at the behest of Lady Zónama Azvachvo Gonsan, including the 3 women awarded flowers from the Empress the other night. That was the only event of the morning with the courtiers splitting off into their own camps, including a study of literature and a poetry reading for the Empress and her ladies, joined also by the Asafa’s children. It was a necessary peace in between all the merrymaking. Many of the lower ladies took to the bathhouses as the high folk were elsewhere busy.   Thus commenced the afternoon prayers, the most normal affair that could have been performed even on the Gesel Ovaghe. The high priest, Ganzhétav Raghazíg Athemshanmé, read from the Gakóghe Sho as expected on Holy Week. Much to my dismay of course; I've never been fond of the verses. It will go unmarked in the court histories, that’s certain. The Gekhshína was the children’s until suppertime – with the religious scholars and monks telling the great tales we all love to hear. They inspire such valour and bravery in the young, even in somewhat easy peacetime. Then the adults returned for prayer and candle lighting at evenfall. During the children’s entertainment, the court was scattered across many activities from further tests of prowess in the gardens, tennis and board games. Many of the women took to embroidery or other high arts while being entertained by the vast retinue of comics, musicians and bards. For the first year, the young Busher Oremő, like Oleni before him, accompanied his mother and father in the afternoons rather than the children as a soon-to-be man. He played valiantly in the games at hand, winning several games of tennis against his peers but graciously succeeded to the young Nóslóv Úzokha, who could potentially bear the weight of his namesake’s cognomen – The Great Bear – though he does not display the caution of the ancestor he was named for, only the man’s wrath.   Evening prayer came surprisingly quickly for an afternoon of lawn games and tests of wit. Today’s evening verses spoke of obedience to God, another probable insult to the Shashílñé, who have been bristling at the Emperor since their arrival at Seghréfer Jerathshín. After the usual speaking and faff, the Asafa poured olive oil from Khegshin's grove into the golden urn at the foot of the most holy Shémakós’ statue, praying for another bountiful harvest when the leaves fell from their trees. He invited many of the Shashílñé to sit upon the dais with his worthies, leaving the Emperor’s table with an uneasy undercurrent – the Empress and Lady Shashílñé have never been fond of one another even as girls, and this has carried onto their eldest sons. However, the dishes of saffron and all meats were a great success with the nobility throughout the hall, even if the Sofénóv sekhévé wasn’t as highly regarded as usual.  

Day 6

Morning prayer was led by the Asafa once again as blood of the prophet. He expressed great gratitude and hope for the new year, thanking God before the longest day and praying for many blessings granted to the Asfye people. Then, the Seghréfer Bathhouse became the centre of the court’s ritual ablution before the solstice – a full body wash in sweet herb-infused water. The men bathed first, then the women once they were finished, leaving in their highest finery, fully clean and gese before the new year. Afternoon prayer commenced soon after the women returned from the bathhouse, having took longer to also bathe the young children. The afternoon meal was extremely light for the Imperial court’s standard – vegetarian and of simple vegetables and pastries – but the Ñazh Ñajéra was grateful considering the royal physician’s orders for simple, light meals for her stomach problems. The She-wolf was also content for the first time in a lifetime; her age has made large meals a chore.   After the meal, the Asafa retreated to his gardens, only accompanied by the Ñaja Oleni & Ñajéra, the younger dancing the Nósakhé for the first time on the second night, and the elder currently engaged to Atheman Zhévror. Before this evening, that was rumour, though the engagement was confirmed before the court. The other children and their mother were left to lead the entertainment of the afternoon - great comedies played by court entertainers over the afternoon. Of course, comedies are an easy court-pleaser for all the children and adults, even if the bawdier jokes go over the children’s heads and the crowd become rowdy. The clerics were tutting, I heard. Small gifts were also passed through the crowd.   Evening prayer was long and drawn out, unfortunately for my liking. The 100 Names of God were read out alongside the 500 verses recited again quite drearily by the High Priest. If there is one flaw to that rare holy men who do not think himself better than laymen, the man cannot speak in anything but homilies. Dinner was when the Blood of the Prophet reunited. It was the happiest I’d seen the Emperor this week trading private jokes with his bride. His father’s decision to accept that marriage contract all those years ago bears great fruit, a lot sweeter than a foreign marriage would have borne for all parties. The children were alight with excitement, especially the younger ones, ready to see the blazing wheel alight. They were also permitted diluted wine which was another reason the young ones were probably buzzing with excitement. One does often get giddy the first time they get to taste wine. I remember I did once.   Outside in the hot evening, the high priest lit the 13 candles and praised the 13 virtues before the court. For the luck of the men who were to carry it, there was hardly anything more than a light breeze. This wheel was carried by our 2 victors this year, the selection chosen by the Asafa upon whim, which they did a gracious job of carrying the wheel about the circumference of Seghréfer Jerathshín, a difficult task I’d never ask for. Then came forward the women to blow out those candles including Lady Oleni for the first time.   Then came more dancing and more joy. The dancing tonight was mainly between the married couples of the court and a couple of the engaged pairings, including the now-announced Oleni and Atheman Zhévror. In a drunken state, the Asafa for the first time since his wedding, carried his bride from the affair up to their bedchamber.  

Solstice Day

On Solstice Day, the Asafa woke before the sun to conduct prayers alongside the high priests at sunrise. Many of the courtiers provided offerings to the Gevushra and the Ofe Kána's greatest kings.   The nobility received their gifts finally from the Emperor. There was a vast abundance and wealth – from exotic spices to fill the dreary, northern kitchens to an intricate Otlera tapestry from the Empress to her greatest rival. New clothes were given to many of the close companions of the royal couple, on top of her ladies’ previous gifts. As per ever came the usual gift to the little men at court 100s of Lévseva, including myself.   The afternoon was spent on the banks of the Lesheve. Like other events, the women had various entertainment and time to mingle in peace. The children enjoyed mock battle and all kinds of childhood games, enjoying their week of rest and relaxations away from the whip and cane of a tutor. Most of the courtiers followed the Asafa to hunt, taking prey from far away as there can be no blades on Holy Days. Several caskets of vintage wine were empty come evening-fall. The court witnessed sundown outside, praising God before their continued prayed when the sun went down in the Gekhshina. Several verses and hymns were sung loud as the day of the prophet’s birth. Candles filled the hall, luckily of better composition than the foul-smelling tallow, as one was lit by nearly every person, man, woman or child, in the hall. Then they traversed to the dining room underneath paintings and eyes of the Holy Men. Speeches thus came from the lips of the Emperor and his close companions, announcing decrees and praying for peace. Also, the royal engagement was spoken of loudly, much to the delight of Zhévror who now sat beside his soon-to-be bride. Each of the imperial family were dressed in saffron-coloured textiles and gold-embroidered brocades, with everyone else’s finery paling in comparison to the Blood of the Prophet.   Then came the 77 Course meal before the groggy return to beds and for some, the way home.  

The 77 Course Meal