The Travels of Anadrasata Nearabhigan: Day 54

[rix_scaedu]

Here we are on Day 54 of Anadrasata's travels.  Things are happening off stage, so to speak, and some of them have nothing to do with Anadrasata.

This piece runs to 2,446 words and I hope that you enjoy it.

Index Page.

Thuwnday, 4 Deichen, 1893 C.E.
Eheid, 22 Sajibu, 2157 T.M.L.
2 Ueuekayomatilistli, 9 Coatl, 6.11.2.1.8.3.10

Dear Journal,

This morning was fine and breezy from the south when I woke up. Yesterday was a momentous day - not only am I engaged to be married to an eligible gentleman whom I greatly esteem, but no-one in my mother's circle of acquaintance can ever suggest again that I am and have always been without prospects. (On repeated reflection, the mayor's wife is very good at making snide observations without actually stating anything. One thing I do agree with my mother on is that I do not particularly care for that lady.)

Nais brought up my warm water and helped me into the pinky ochre house dress before I went down to breakfast. Miztli was coming in as I came down the stairs, and he greeted me, then said he would wash up and join us in the breakfast room. Matlal had just put my plate of food in front of me when Miztli joined Cousin Ghrus, Axolin, and myself. Axolin commented that they rarely see Miztli at breakfast at this time. Miztli replied that he was called out to deal with a matter shortly after midnight, after approximately two hours sleep, and had had a lot of physical activity since then. He stated his intention of having a large breakfast, a hot bath, and then sleeping until at least lunchtime. Matlal put a pot of Miztli's preferred hot beverage beside his place setting and the rest of us let him eat. I could be wrong, but something about his manner made me think that something about his early morning activities had not gone well.

I arrived in the office parlor to find that the promised Confederation linguist started today. He is Mr Aikemairh Dhairaign, or Tlamatki Aikemairh Cecitlalti Dhairaign Temachtiani. As his name indicates, he is of Imperial origin. He is, I judge, a few years younger than Cousin Ghrus and I cannot help but notice that his left hand has been badly injured at some point in the past and then, after that injury left it in its current shape, the back of it was branded with an Imperial traitor's mark. The branding has since been colourfully tattooed as if for emphasis, and not in the style of tattoos I have seen at home. (I have not asked questions and Mr Dhairaign did not discuss it, but I wonder if it is now considered a badge of honour if he was tortured and punished for siding with the locals in the War of Secession? Definitely not my place to ask questions.) Mr Dhairaign does not seem to have any particular feelings towards me.

There was only one passage of Ghaistonyc in the pages that were transcribed (transliterated?) in the office parlor this morning and that was a scathing paragraph on the pricing policies of a clothing supplier - no doubt the diary had context but I am not clear whether this was a personal supplier or a government contract supplier. What we all found interesting was a whole entry that included Fraisis numbers in the text. The entry recorded accession numbers from the Imperial Civil Archive for files on the supply contracts for socks. When I thought about it, the Imperial military services must spend a lot of money on socks. After all, every soldier, sailor, and airman must need to have at least two pairs at any given time, and it would not be unreasonable for each of them to have one or two pairs a year. I mentioned this, and it was generally agreed that this was so, however some of the clerks were much more ...moved that they now had direct information on the filing system in the Imperial Civil Archive.

I can see that when I go home I am likely to receive a call from some, hopefully, polite government functionaries with questions on how I spent my visit here.

Mr Dhairaign and I agreed, in the main, on our translations of the passage from Ghaistonyc into Imperial but we did discuss several phrases that could have had particularly idiomatic translations. I also mentioned the Fraisis numbers in the margins to him - partly so he would know about them and partly because with his greater experience with written texts in general and academic experience in particular, he may have come across something similar at some time. I think he liked that I assumed that he might know more than we did about this project already.

At lunch Mr Dhairaign sat with Cousin Ghrus while I was between Axolin and Miztli, who had slept and bathed since I saw him at breakfast. I asked him if he is often called out in the night, and he told me that it depends on whether he is rostered for that duty and what he is working on. He added that last night was unusual because one of his brother Jaguar knights had been killed, and another is missing. Axolin interrupted to ask him who they are, it seems he knows many of the local Jaguar knights. Miztli gave their names in the full formal form - Tekatl Chicyoualizolin Tepeyahuitl Taytaueyoselotl (the dead man), and Tekatl Yaotlnahuiteskatl Zitlal Taytaueyoselotl (the missing one). It seems that Cousin Poktlilui knows Tekatl Chicyoualizolin' mother-in-law, so she intends to make a 'consolation visit' to his household on the third day after his death. (That will be a rest day, but the consolation visit is a duty and duty overrides the rest day.) Yeixi asked if, aside from the issue of the missing man, the matter was closed or ongoing. Miztli replied that it is complex, according to a message that was delivered while he slept, and he will not be in for dinner tonight. He added that he will let the household know if there are developments that we need to be aware of. It seems that this is an unusual statement from him, given that everybody else was quite subdued for the rest of lunch.

After lunch I changed into a visiting gown, and then took my embroidery down to the parlor. We received visits from the Hutillahuati ladies, Crimson Blossom of the Ninth, and two Zitlal ladies, cousins of the missing man. No-one had any details of what had happened or what was happening now, but everyone offered supportive messages to be passed on to his household and closer kin. I finished the border on my cloth as the Hutillahuati ladies' visit was drawing to a close, and asked the company for their opinion on the finished piece. In answer to a direct question from Crimson Blossom of the Ninth, I admitted that I wanted to show off my work, but added that if there were any missing elements I would appreciate their advice so that I could rectify any deficits before taking my gift to the temple. One of the Hutillahuati ladies commented that it was a more elaborate piece than she had ever offered at a temple, to which Crimson Blossom of the Ninth pointed out that none of them had ever made a family's initial offering to their family's deitical patron. Great-aunt noted that the Confederation did not have the Imperial Church's tradition of congregation embroidered altar cloths and priestly vestments. The Hutillahuati ladies left chuckling over an exchange involving the term "competitive embroidery" and we were still laughing over a related pun from the older of the Zitlal ladies (Umemikistlitekolotlsiuakonetl, I think) when Lord Elnaith arrived.

Lord Elnaith admired my cloth, then as I folded it up, explained that he had come to consult with Cousin Poktlilui on the date for the proposed dinner in order to reduce the need for messages back and forth. Our other guests bade us farewell at that point (I am sure that Crimson Blossom of the Ninth winked at me as she left) and Cousin Poktlilui and Lord Elnaith got down to comparing dates and travel times. In the end, they decided that 8 Ueuekayomatilistli/10 Deichen would be the best day. Cousin Poktlilui undertook to send off the invitations by telegraph this afternoon.

Cousin Ghrus joined us then and asked whether Lord Elnaith had heard anything from my brother, as we have not. Lord Elnaith replied, apologetically, that his representative would not reach Umbrial until late evening today their time and so would not call on Tallaig until tomorrow. That sounded eminently reasonable to me, and I asked who he was sending. He got as far as telling me that itis one of his extended cousins, when Miztli walked into the room to let his parents know that he was leaving the house and did not expect to be home before the early hours of tomorrow. On finding Lord Elnaith present, Miztli asked whether he would be prepared to consult on a matter of Imperial law that the local consulate staff are unfamiliar with, if an official request was sent to the consulate. Lord Elnath replied that he was, and Miztli gave his thanks and made his farewell.

Lord Elnaith and I were given a quarter of an hour of private conversation in the parlor with the door partly closed before he left. I found our exchanges most satisfactory.

Before he left, Lord Elnaith asked if he might accompany me to the Night Sorceror's temple when I went to present my gift, given that we are planning for him to join my family. Cousin Poktlilui allowed that would be wise, and promised us the use of a carriage and Axolin's escort tomorrow afternoon. (As far as I know, Axolin was not consulted as to his availability, but he might also have previously been tasked to be my escort at a time when I was not present. There was an unspoken comment that Miztli is unavailable due to his official duties.)

After Lord Elnaith left, Great-aunt, Cousin Poktlilui, Tehaneume, and I discussed what I should wear tomorrow afternoon, because this will be a formal visit to the temple whereas my previous visits might best be described as semi-formal. We all agreed that it had to be a walking or visiting dress with the outfit dressed up more than usual. The weather seems likely to be too warm for a heavier coat that might lend me dignity, while it is a daytime visit, so even if I had suitable jewellery, it would not be appropriate to wear it. Tehaneume suggested a version of a local blanket cloak, more often worn by older ladies in the interior in intermittent weather. She said that it was more...matronly than I would normally wear, but I am going in my role as head and founding matriarch of the Nearabhigans so claiming those dignities is appropriate. Great-aunt allowed that she is right and said that she was sure that she had one somewhere that was a gift some years ago. Great-aunt left to nap before dressing for dinner and to have her maid look out her cloak. I went upstairs to fold up my embroidery ready for tomorrow, and Cousin Poktlilui went to inform Axolin of his engagement foe tomorrow afternoon.

True to his word Miztli was not in for dinner tonight. I sat between Yeixi and a visitor, Tototlchicmacumeatl who is a connection by marriage being a brother-in-law of Cousin Rudhain. He was happy to talk about his trip to Tlemutsiko (to take possession of some machine shipped from the Kerajaa and arrange for it to be transported to his home in Tecoapulin). We also talked about our hometowns - both are inland and seem to have similar climates, although with different prevailing winds, of course. Apparently a group of local women have designed an improvement on their traditional loom, but the machinery from the Kerajaa [a type of improved lathe(?)] is needed to build it. Indeed, it seems that the weavers there have known for several generations that this innovation would be an improvement, but it is only now that the ability to make the new design has become available. I asked whether the equipment used to make airship components could also be used to make loom components because the Confederation makes their own airships, so surely they make their own components, but it seems that there are availability and social issues around that. The component manufacturers claim to be at capacity with their existing production and do not wish to use their weapon making capacity (every airship is a potential weapon) to make a domestic tool. I questioned whether the component manufacturers had any idea of the potential market size for their products in the Confederation weaving industry, and Tototlchicmacumeatl replied that he hoped they would not until they discovered that they had missed the path completely.

When we withdrew to the parlor to drink our kasoolht, I asked the other ladies about the reluctance of airship component manufacturers to make components for other things. Apparently it has to do with social class. Weapons, and by extension, airships, are in the domain of the nobility and what I would call the upper level of the gentry. Tools are in the province of the artisanal class and the lower reaches of the gentry. The manufacturers capable of making components fine enough to be in a properly working airship were founded and are owned by noble families who have no interest in making tools, hence they don't take orders for making loom components. I have other questions about why weavers in Tecoapulin have to get their lathes from the Kerajaa but Great-aunt and my cousins preferred to talk about arrangements for the planned family dinner instead - two acceptances have already been received.

When the gentlemen joined us we began an impromptu five count tournament. I don't know what the gentlemen discussed without us but I think that it left Cousin Ghrus somewhat unsettled. I do wonder whether he is worried about Miztli, but it did not seem appropriate to ask about my cousin's absence tonight. Cousin Poktlilui won our little card tournament, Tototlchicmacumeatl was second, and Tehaneume came last after being dealt some truly appalling hands. I did slightly better than her, and I can only be glad that we were playing for the equivalent of copper bits and put the whole thing down as a learning experience. Fortunately my losses were well within my capacity to pay and everything was settled before I came up to bed.

I do not believe that Miztli has come in yet as I write this, and it has begun to rain heavily. I hope that all is going well with him and his colleagues.

Anadrasata Nearabhigan

Comments

[zero_pixel_count]

Oh gosh, there really are Things Going On in the background now. But not, from the indications of Miztli's exchange with Lord Elnaith, Things which seem likely to put them at odds... Nail-biting.

"I am sure that Crimson Blossom of the Ninth winked at me as she left" :D

[kelkyag]

<worries about Miztli>

[rix_scaedu]

There will be Developments!