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rix_scaeduThis piece runs to 3,784 words and I hope that you enjoy it.
(Note: There has been a late amendment to the last paragraph of this installment because I misread my own timeline notes. Now to read the already typed but unposted episode to bring it in line with reality, and then edit the installment currently being written....)
Twirsday, 12 Deichen, 1893 C.E.
Asnan, 2 Kaalen, 2157 T.M.L.
10 Ueuekayometilistli, 17 Coatl, 6.11.2.1.8.3.18
Dear Journal,
When I woke this morning I did remember to ask Nais whether she had a chest to carry her possessions in for the trip home to Umbrial, and to tell her that we need to check whether or not I will need another chest. She asked me whether I have a cloak and gloves warm enough for the passage across the edge of the Southern Ice because she has made the journey, once and in this direction, and she does not believe that the garments I have with me, which include my winter clothes suitable for an Umbrial winter, are sufficient for the journey. She added that although she still has what she wore on the trip here, they were not truly adequate for the journey then and they are more worn now. I said that I would raise the matter with Lord Elnaith and Axolin, the first for advice and the second because he would probably have the same problem. I also suggested that she raises the matter with Axolin's manservant as he will need sufficiently warm clothing too, and he probably has some insight intothe contents of Axolin's wardrobe.
I descended the stairs in time to bid farewell to Miztli and Tekatl Umetlalliyaotl as they left the house for their morning practice and general training. I then joined my male cousins as they breakfasted and discussed their plans for the day. I took the opportunity to ask Yeiteskatl what his enquiries concerning concerts had discovered. There are, it seems, five venues in Tlemutsiko that regularly hold concerts of the type I would recognise as a concert and not a play with songs and music. One of those is currently in the middle of a season of plays with songs and music. One is under renovation, to which Cousin Ghrus commented, "It was time," while the other three have concerts scheduled between now and our planned departure but they are fully subscribed. Tickets might become available to the fully subscribed concerts, but they are highly unlikely to do so in the numbers we would need for everyone who was interested to attend the same concert. It was his intention to seek instruction from the senior ladies as to their wishes, but after everyone has finished breakfast.
I also raised the subject of warm clothing for the trip with Axolin who has received a recommended packing list from the Obsidian Knights and assumed, from glancing through it, that he had all the items he needed. On hearing Nais' opinion on her clothing for the trip here, he assured me that he would reassess his position.
While listening to what I could understand of my cousins' conversation, perusing what I could understand of the newspaper (Investment opportunities beginning at 1 tomin per tzolk! [Sounds as dubious as the too good to be true opportunities advertised at home.]), and drinking my tea, I concluded that I should get myself an artist's colour wheel labelled in Coac-htl. None of my cousins thought there was anything untoward about this idea, and I did wonder briefly if this might be a function of them being men. It also seems that none of my male cousins have artistic inclinations or hobbies and so have no idea where in Tlemutsiko artists' supply shops can be found. Matlal, however, was able to suggest several locations where such establishments might be found. As both locations are far enough from the house to make getting there something of a trek, Cousin Ghrus offered me the use of one of the smaller conveyances for the morning. I thanked him, accepted his offer, and asked him if it would be acceptable for me to extend my expedition to include embroidery shops. He agreed that it would be acceptable, and I spent the rest of my breakfast making plans.
Once I had tidied myself after breakfast, I went to see Cousin Poktlilui, and explained my plans for the morning, the locations Matlal had identified, and asked for her advice on establishments catering to needlewomen. I also asked her whether, as I was going to the art shops, gifts of children's colour and drawing sets would be appropriate for the nursery troop upstairs. I suspect that the twins are too young for such things yet but the others are old enough, I think, to enjoy making marks on permitted surfaces (paper) and start developing the control that they will need for learning to write. It can do them no harm to start learning the observational skills that come with drawing from life either. Cousin Poktlilui, quite reasonably, said that we should consult with the children's mothers before bestowing such a gift in them, although unlooked for art supplies are not as problematic as unlooked for musical instruments or pets. On consultation my cousins were happy to receive such a gift for their children - particularly if I gave them to them in what Eloxochitl described as "controlled" circumstances, i.e. in the nursery under the eye of both the nursemaids and the children's mothers, so that there was no impromptu mingling of gifts or inappropriate use in the public rooms of the house. I agreed as this seemed entirely reasonable to me.
I warned Nais of my planned expedition, changed into a visiting dress, then we put on our hats, picked up our reticules, and sallied forth accompanied by a driver and a footman. The first stop of the day was at an alley of shops next to the temple dedicated to the patron god of painters - I was told his name and I saw the glyphs and while I might be able to (almost) reproduce the glyphs I cannot remember his name. (It starts with a C and it is quite long, but the middle syllables confound me.) We did not find a colour wheel here, apparently this is an item more in demand at the beginning of the scholastic year. What I did find was packs of children's art supplies with slates (for chalk) and paper. This was in a shop decorated inside and out with murals of brightly coloured birds, all I was told native to parts of the Confederation, and the shopkeeper had me explain the children's ages and he supplied me with chalks, charcoals, pencils, and paints appropriate to their ages. I complimented him on his pigment display because they were beautiful. Our second stop was in the artists' quarter. The third shop we entered did have a colour wheel in stock, and it was one with the colours labelled in Coac-htl. The shopkeeper asked why I wanted one that was labelled, he said that most artists use them to determine colour balances, and I explained that many colours in my language don't exactly match up, and as I am hoping to buy some embroidery patterns I believe I will need a guide to what the colour actually is. As an example, I pointed out the colour range that I thought was red on the wheel, and the range of the colour that the translated equivalent covered on the wheel. He agreed that they were not the same and that a wise person would want guidance. We had just completed the transaction when I realised that an art class, what I believe is called a life class, was in session at the back of the shop without obscuring curtains or screens. This is pertinent because the class's subject was a woman comfortably draped along a sofa or divan, comfortably supported by cushions and pillows, completely relaxed (or so it seemed to me), and (so far as I could see) completely unclothed. I believe her figure could best be described as lush. To be completely fair to all involved, the only artwork I could see from my position seemed to be a detailed study of the side of her face, centred around her ear and the hand tucked behind it. The instructor was reminding the class to be mindful of the apparent proportion changes in the limbs and digits caused by movement of the subject's joints. The shopkeeper asked if I was interested in such classes, and I answered that my artistic skills were in embroidery and that depictions of the human form rarely came into the designs I executed. My interest in this class, I added, was that coming across it here was unexpected to me. The shopkeeper smiled benevolently at me, said something along the lines of having heard that non-artists and Imperial ladies were often limited in their exposure to the groundwork of artistic practice. I agreed that in my case this was probably so, and then made what I hoped was a dignified and non-prurient departure.
Nais and I were very happy to spend half an hour perusing the contents of a walkway of embroidery shops. I brought nine patterns across five shops, including one that is very similar to the yaleukiyoxochitl vine design on my remodeled walking dress. The two of us agreed that our issue with the artist model's state of undress was that it was not something we had expected to come across in so public a place. Nais pointed out during the trip back to the house, that it could have been a man doing the modelling and we would have seen everything, which for some reason made the two of us collapse in giggles. Even if they could hear our conversation, I am sure that the driver and footman thought our behaviour quite peculiar.
Half the visiting family were out to lunch today, eating with local friends and other connections from what I heard at the table. Miztli was absent too, as was Tekatl Umetlalliyaotl - no doubt applying themselves to their official duties. Cousin Ghrus told me that Axolin was spending the day dealing with the paperwork and other details relating to his trip to Imperial territory. I sat between Cuixtli and Chicmacteskatl, and our discussion revolved around colours used in Imperial and Coac-htl.
After lunch I took my embroidery to the parlor to await the afternoon's visits. Being the tenth day of the tzolk, these were "informal" visits and less structured (in a way) than visits to an At Home. No hopeful mamas, as hopeful mamas, but committee women from Great-aunt's charity called to discuss committee matters out of committee, two ladies (one of whom is a hopeful mama) called to discuss their charity (emergency support during volcanic eruptions), several friends of Ghraihm and Nhaida visited to catch up, and Lord Elnaith called. Lord Elnaith brought me a charming bouquet of flowers, which were exotic to me but most of which are abundantly in season here now. I enjoyed the five minutes that the rest of the room spent telling us the names of the various flowers, the coded meanings assigned to some of them, and the colour variations found in each. I suspect that Lord Elnaith was not as enthralled until one of the older ladies related a story about messages passed by coded flower displays, bouquets, nosegays, etc during the War of Secession. I don't believe the telling of the tale was meant to be malicious, but it did illustrate both the type of subject that interested Lord Elnaith, and that innocuous details can be more significant than they appear. He also brought a note from the consulate's chaplain for Great-aunt's charity committee asking if they could meet at a neutral location to discuss charitable matters of interest to both of them. Great-aunt undertook to bring it to the committee's attention. He then asked me if I would care to take a walk to the park with him.
There was some muttering that it was quite late for that, but we did leave the house for the park, Nais in tow as my chaperone. We had general, light conversation. Lord Elnaith has begun receiving responses from his family in response to the news of our engagement - his mother has pronounced herself delighted; his father has asked if he needs, well not assistance but backing, in negotiating the marriage settlements; his sisters have varied between being pleased that he has finally committed to matrimony and hoping that I am worthy of him; while the only fraternal response he has received so far is from his (in his words) most financially astute brother and that seemed tinged with admiration and envy. On my part I had to admit that I was waiting for Tallaig to let me know whether he has yet shared my news with my mother and sisters. Speaking of my mother, Lord Elnaith expressed the firm opinion that we should not begin our married life sharing a roof with my mother, and I agreed with him. After all, not only does my mother have a life interest in a substantial and sound townhouse at a good address in Umbrial as her jointure property, by all reports I also have a have a residence of substance in a good part of Umbrial as well. If any disaster rendered my mother's house uninhabitable, my brother has his own townhouse and two rural properties in which she might reside, while if we had such a problem, then there was, allegedly, a rural property and an establishment in the capital where we might reside. I added that this was assuming that Lord Elnaith's duties did not require us to be elsewhere at the time. He laughed and agreed that these were valid points.
By the time we reached the park, the sun had well and truly sunk below the mountain tops although it was, of course, hours yet until sunset. I remarked that one of the things I looked forward to about returning home was long, warm, sunny afternoons. Lord Elnaith replied that he was beginning to find that he missed sunsets, although the sunrises here are quite magnificent. I then raised the matter of warm clothes for crossing the seaward edge of the Southern Ice, noting that Nais had found her winter clothing inadequate on her journey here. Lord Elnaith agreed that would be so, and recommended that we stock up on warm stockings, winter gloves, wraps and shawls. He went on to say that we would all need to obtain "proper, fur lined and skirted greatcoats." He said that he had owned such a garment in his military days but had gifted it to a younger cousin who was now serving in Prince Bhorain's Own Regiment - last heard of building a summer staging camp south of Kordyliss. He went on to say that he had sought out a recommendation for a reliable outfitter in Scryhrial where he intended that we would obtain suitable coats, hats, and gloves (if we did not already have them.) He added that although the promenade decks of airships travelling in the area were enclosed, we would still need to wear the coats we do not yet have while using them. He also noted that although he had always found his cabin warm enough when travelling in the region, it would be wise to assume that we would need to wear at least a shawl but possibly a redingote or other additional outerwear garment while in the public areas of the ship. He then hastened to assure Nais and myself that he intended to bear the costs of these garments. I don't think Nais and I were comfortable with this, but then he added that he could afford this expense, and intended to do so for the entire party - and then asked if we would like to be present when he raised the subject with Axolin and his manservant. It seems that we have missed our opportunity to observe the pithy exchange between him and his own manservant on the subject.
It seemed late in the afternoon when we made our way back to my cousins' home. The streetlamps weren't lit yet, shops were still open, and children still played in the street, but the daytime temperature was already dropping away. It was, however, past the time for visiting and so we were readmitted to a parlor fully occupied by my cousins and the nursery party. Lord Elnaith endeared himself to Tepin and Coza by correctly divining that they had greeted him as cats, and then replying in the most respectful cat noises. Axolin told us that his noises were those of a jaguar, but the girls preferred Lord Elnaith's meows, and Lord Elnaith, in the face of my kin's approval, confided that his eldest niece had spent a year and a half (during which time she gained the first two of her siblings) being a cat. He felt this gave him an advantage in the matter of cat noises. He also took the opportunity to inform Axolin of his intention to purchase our travelling group's warmest garments for crossing the Southern Ice. Axolin attempted a gracious refusal, and Lord Elnaith, instead of making assurances about costs (as he did to Nais and I) stated bluntly that this way he could ensure that everyone had warm enough clothing because in his experience people always underestimated how cold it gets on the Southern Ice. With great hauteur he told Axolin that not only did he wish to avoid the diplomatic ramifications of having him freeze to death on an Imperial vessel under his (Lord Elnaith's) care, but the distress such an event would cause Cousin Poktlilui, Great-aunt, and myself -to say nothing of the rest of the Forbaign family. Cousin Ghrus clapped and said that he admired such a cogent argument. Cousin Ghraimh gave Cousin Ghrus what I can only call a LOOK and told Axolin that if he didn't want his mother's feelings dragged into such things, he should get married so that lady's feelings about his wellbeing could be given precedence. The adult conversation deteriorated from there, but I stopped worrying when I realised that Lord Elnaith, Axolin, and my older relations were enjoying themselves. Tepin, Coza, and I practiced our conversational skills with them describing to me what sort of cats they were, and me doing my best to understand them.
Lord Elnaith made his farewells when the nursery party returned upstairs to prepare for their evening meal. After he left Cousin Ghrus observed to Axolin that he should be prepared to accept that once we reached Imperial territory, Lord Elnaith would be regarded as our party's leader, and he would do well to accept that. [And here we run into one of the difficulties of translation - I have had to use accept for two different Coac-htl words in this last sentence. In the original, one is about intellectual acceptance of a truth and the other is about emotional acceptance of a reality.]
At dinner I sat between Miztli and Tekatl Umetlalliyaotl. They seem to feel that matters concerning the gangs and the Black Worm cult are progressing well, although they are clear that there is much they cannot discuss. Miztli had heard about the clothing discussions and found it amusing - although he did say he thought it prudent to avoid all jokes about kept men. Tekaltl Umetlalliyaotl discussed what he had heard about suitable clothing for the Southern Ice. It seems that the western South Ice tribes wear elaborate coats made of several, if not many, different fur types with each one being best for a different part of the coat. I wondered what the tribes along the edge of the Circle Sea did because I have heard that the area lacks resident furred animals. The Tekatl said that he understood there was a trade route that involved preserved fish, salt, and certain glass-like rocks in exchange for furs, bones, and wood. Yeitlaulli, on the other side of the Tekatl, asked why anyone would trade for glass-like rocks. The answer is, according the Tekatl's understanding, that they can be fashioned into fine blades, being fine in both size and quality. A skilled craftsman among them can fashion a blade, a sturdy blade, finer and more delicate than modern technologies can fashion from metal. I observed that a stone blade probably wouldn't be as brittle as steel in extreme cold, and the Tekatl agreed that this was probably so.
After we withdrew to the parlor to take our kasoohlt, I mentioned the life art class I observed at the art store this morning. Great-aunt asked how I had reacted, and I said that as the model seemed quite happy with the situation, and as no-one else present seemed to find it at all unusual, I had treated it as a thing that happens that we would not do at home. I hoped that I had not caused anyone any embarrassment. I also mentioned that the only artwork I had really seen had concentrated on the lady's ear. Necuametl commented that ears are probably not easy, particularly if you are trying to draw a particular person's ears. Cousin Ghraimhm agreed with great feeling, and reminisced about her girlhood drawing lessons, and the difficulties she had with hands and noses. I confessed to never having progressed beyond basic shading, while Cousin Nhaida related the story of how their art tutor came to withdraw her services, back when she was twelve or so.
When the gentlemen joined us, I was persuaded into a rather larger game of the city building game than I had played before. It involved teams of three working on each sector, with the teams chosen randomly by rolling dice. My team was Cousin Huitzitl, Cipac Chan, and myself. I admit that I was honestly confused by the way the teams built and used resources, however it seems I made no blunders, although I did not understand some of my teammates' purchase choices. I was not surprised when Tekatl Umetlalliyaotl's team (including Axolin and Nanti Yahari) won. Our team was third ranked but we had sufficient food, water, shelter and employment for our residents and a reasonable prestige level - the latter mainly due to the purchases I didn't understand. Ours may not have been the best address in town but it was a desirable one.
I excused myself and went up to bed at the end of our game. There was still ongoing conversation, but I was not the first to bid the company goodnight. Seven days from now I will be embarking on the airship to begin the journey home. Tomorrow I should begin my serious packing, so I should probably start by planning what I am going to wear over the next few days. Also laundry before we leave.
Anadrasata Nearabhigan