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rix_scaeduThis piece runs to 3,601 words and I hope that you enjoy it.
Index page.
Daighsday, 20 Deichen, 1893 C.E.
Sulese, 10 Kaalen, 2157 T.M.L.
5 Mikistli, 25 Coatl, 6.11.2.1.8.4.6
Dear Journal,
I think there was a little turbulence in the night - at least I think that was what woke me in the wee small hours of the night, but it didn't continue and I easily went back to sleep.
Nethertheless, I was awake before Nais arrived with my warm water this morning. While she was helping me dress, my yellow house dress as I have seen Confederation ladies wear this until dressing for dinner while on my way to Tlemutsiko, Nais remarked on the turbulence in the night. From what she said, it was more noticeable in her cabin than in mine, and when I remarked upon that she pointed out that her cabin is in a different part of the ship and her bed is not so forgiving as mine. That led me to ask questions about the suitability of her accommodations - which she hastened to tell me were entirely suitable.
When I have my own household I must remember to make sure that the servants' sleeping arrangements are actually adequate and suitable.
At breakfast I sat with Axolin and Lord Elnaith, who commented that he hadn't seen me dressed in such a garment before. Axolin commented to him that house dress is generally considered to be both an attractive and a comfortable garment. I was happy to serve myself from the breakfast buffet and selected a plate of fried potatoes, a breakfast fish dish, and a Kerajaan spiced vegetable concoction. I did not say anything but I was relieved to see that other ladies (Cexiuhtontli, Lady Smokeamongclouds, Tlahco, and two of the older secretaries' wives) also wore house dresses. Lord Elnaith asked the steward for a pot of tea for the two of us to share, Axolin gravely declined the treat, and I enjoyed two cups with a plate of fresh fruit and Lord Elnaith's company.
I did speak with other people at breakfast, including Mr Xipalliume and the oldest secretary's wife (a stout lady named Chicyeicitlatli), but I did enjoy having what I might call an intimate breakfast experience with Lord Elnaith.
After breakfast, Lord Elnaith and I took two turns around the promenade deck, during which we discussed both how we might fill the rest of the morning until lunch and whether we needed to recue Axolin from the company of Tlahco and the bishop's two young female relatives. I was concerned that he was being besieged, and Lord Elnaith pointed out that my cousin might not want to be rescued. Certainly, Tlahco is a well-connected young lady, or so it seems, and a bishop is a bishop. Axolin is also an adult and should be able to extract himself from these situations, if he wishes to.
I stopped at the Chief Purser’s Office before returning to my cabin to obtain the details of tomorrow's prayer services. Imperial Church services will be held in the first class balcony parlor while the Western Reformed Rite services will be held in the second class parlor. The U'hogise Rite's service will be held in the second class lounge.
From habit, I pulled out my language primer to work through a chapter. By habit I mean it is what I am used to doing in the morning while on board ship. As it happens, it was a revision chapter and after my stay with my cousins I found the questions rather easy.
After finishing the revision chapter in my primer I went out onto the promenade deck to observe our descent into Cihuatita. There were only a few isolated clouds in the sky so the city was a sunlit vista as we descended to the port. Like all the Circle Sea cities it is very narrow city on a platform that has been formed by accumulated erosion debris and extended by man, but in Cihuatita three terraces have been cut into the mountains to accommodate more buildings - some of which look like they have been partly carvedout of the mountain as the terrace was cut. We were almost tied up when Lord Elnaith found me there. He offered me his arm and asked me to accompany him to the first class lounge, adding that he had sent a message to Axolin, asking him to meet us there.
Axolin did join us there, just as the ship shuddered to a stop in the docking cradle. Also in the lounge, aside from several gentlemen reading newspapers, were those first class passengers disembarking today : Majors Huitl and Raincloak; two merchant gentlemen who sat at our lunch table yesterday but who had not spoken to us (they were clearly not together nor on good terms); and a married couple who had already been aboard yesterday and neither of whom I had spoken with. What surprised (most) of us was that when the passenger ramp was attached and the gate opened, the first person to board and come into the lounge was not the company representative telling the first class passengers that they could disembark, but Tekatl Umetlalliyaotl. The other passengers seemed not just surprised, but taken aback, and I suppose that a Jaguar Knight in his "working clothes" is not what they were expecting. My surprise was simply at seeing him again. Tekatl Umetlalliyaotl greeted my cousin in the Confederation fashion, addressing him as Tekatl Axolin. He then kissed my hand, Imperial fashion, and called me “little Anadrasata" when he greeted me in Coac-htl. He greeted Lord Elnaith in Imperial, but calling him Okaillinxitlaami (Wormhunter), and slapping him on the shoulder. Then he said to Lord Elnaith, "I hear that you have something for me," upon which Lord Elnaith produced a slim packet of documents from inside his jacket and handed them to Tekatl Umetlalliyaotl, who placed them in his own jacket and proffered his thanks. He then spoke with us for a few minutes, taking care to survey the occupants of the lounge, until the Captain hurried into the lounge (summoned I suppose by a purser or steward) to find out why a Jaguar Knight had come aboard his ship. Tekatl Umetlalliyaotl reassured the Captain, made his farewells, and departed.
I believe that the Captain, and the crewmembers, and fellow passengers who witnessed this exchange were surprised at our acquaintance. I thought at the time that it would be interesting to see how fast gossip about it would spread through first class.
Six passengers disembarked in Cihuatita, and eight embarked. These included a feted male singer who is on a performance tour of the southern Confederation, and his manager. Lightning is the name the singer goes by and he is, I judge, a little older than Axolin and also of both Imperial and Confederation blood. HIs manager is an older man with a nose like an axeblade and a general look and demeanour of a professional pugilist. (Naturally I have never met such a person or been to a prize fight, but I have seen posters and newspaper illustrations.) There was also an Imperial businessman, three Confederation merchants, and two more Confederation military men.
At lunch, the bishop's party occupied the middle table again. I strongly suspect that all of them, except the bishop, would have preferred to split up into smaller groups and sit in a different order, but the bishop led them into the room in a processional and made everyone sit exactly where she wanted them to. I was already in my chosen seat when they arrived, and I was waiting for Lord Elnaith and Axolin to join me when the Imperial businessman slid into the seat on my right and introduced himself as Mr Briainh dh'Ghairhaing. I introduced myself and added that I am travelling with both my cousin and my betrothed. Mr dh'Ghairhaing was observing, in a tone I did not care for, that they were not there when Mr Xipalliume sat opposite me and greeted me in a familiar fashion in Coac-htl. Mr dh'Ghairhaing was taking offence to this when I introduced the two of them and added that Mr Xipalliume and I are by way of being family connections, given that one of my cousins is married to one of his cousins. At that point, Lord Elnaith arrived, pulled out the seat on my left, placed a kiss on my cheek, and sat down, while Axolin took the seat next to Mr Xipalliume. Tlahco sat next to Axolin, and her mother sat opposite her. Lightning sat next to Tlahco while his manager took the seat opposite him, and next to Lady Smokeamongclouds. Colonel Falcon sat next to Lord Elnaith, and Father Tenthdeath sat opposite him, next to Mr Xipalliume. The two new military men sat next to these two gentlemen.
I believe the bishop's two young relatives might have been envious of Tlahco's seatmates.
Once Mr dh'Ghairhaing understood that I was not going to flirt with him, he proved himself to be an interesting conversationalist on the subject of trade, both generally and specifically. It seems that the Bakmatri Protectorate has enacted some policy changes that are beginning to impact the flow of goods north and south, primarily through the land routes. The most immediate effects on this side of the Protectorate are, of course, being felt in the Kerajaa, but Mr dh'Ghairhaing says that the flow on effects of decreased and delayed availability of goods are beginning to be felt in the Empire, and even in the Confederation. He told me that some merchants are beginning to look into alternative shipping and supply routes that avoid the Protectorate, but he feels that the increased costs and risks associated with those potential routes would likely make the end costs to the consumer prohibitively expensive. I expressed my understanding that any alternative route to the northern continent that completely avoided the Protectorate would, east or west, mean going through a series of remote, ocean bound islands with airships that could go two or three days at least without resupply. Lord Elnaith agreed with me, and added that he did not think that an airship configuration that might be commercially viable in those circumstances was available in this hemisphere. Mr dh'Ghairhaing agreed that this was an issue, and that he'd heard that the existing designs might not satisfy Kerajaan or Imperial safety requirements. Father Tenthdeath asked whether it was known if the Protectorate had been sent diplomatic notes of protest on the subject. Mr dh'Ghairhaign expressed ignorance on that point but added that he'd gathered that several large trading houses and companies were assessing long term effects on their operations. Father Tenthdeath made a comment about, "Please, not the Djituun Trading Wars again," and all the men around me, except Mr dh'Ghairhaing, made various snorts and other sounds of agreement. Mr dh'Ghairhaing said, "Surely not...", and Father Tenthdeath pointed out that the Djituun Trading Company had been notoriously aggressive about reducing their long term costs and sustaining their market shares.
After lunch, Lord Elnaith took two more turns around the promenade deck with me. On our second time around the deck we came across Axolin who was in conversation with the singer, Lightning. That gentleman has the left half of his head shaved with the rest of his hair being shoulder blade length. When he came aboard, and at lunch, red feathers had been woven into the central edge of his hair, creating a type of crest. However, since lunch he had removed the feathers and redressed his hair into a loose topknot and braid which, to me at least, conveyed an attractive casual elegance. We stopped to talk to them and learned that they had stepped outside to avoid the ladies who were...a little more enthusiastic about their company than was comfortable. The billiards room was full of religiously associated husbands who did not want more players, and the lounge while generally speaking male territory, had proved too vulnerable to husband-seeking young ladies. Lord Elnaith and I promised secrecy and finished our walk around the deck.
After our walk, Lord Elnaith told me that he was going to the lounge to read the Imperial language newssheet he was told had been delivered to the ship in Cihuatita, and to find out which of our fellow travellers are leaving the ship tomorrow in Jicaltpec. I took myself to the balcony parlor with my embroidery and took a seat with good working light. This afternoon all of the ladies travelling in first class, except for the bishop and her young relatives, were present. It was Lady Smokeamongclouds who asked how my party knew Tekatl Umetlalliyaotl. I replied that he had been my cousins' houseguest for part of my stay while he had been visiting Tlemutsiko on official business. Chicyeitlatli, the oldest episcopal secretary's wife, asked why that was so, and I replied that one of the cousins in my generation is also a Jaguar Knight and had offered the accommodation as they were working together. One of the other secretaries' wives remarked acerbically that that she supposed that Lord Elnaith had also been involved in this business, and I agreed (quite serenely I believe) that he had been consulted on Imperial connections and ramifications - although those involved had not shared the details with me. The same wife asked me what I thought of him, and I replied that I had found Tekatl Umetlalliyaotl to be an admirable, well spoken, and courteous gentleman who was an estimable card player. The conversation then moved on to what the other ladies already knew of him - I gathered that he has often featured in newspaper reports in this section of the coast. I also gathered that he has the sort of following that develops at home for attractive persons in the public eye - actors, professional beauties, young military heroes (and some older ones), and various members of elevated social ranks who feature in the social pages. [My sister Anna probably prefers not to be reminded of the year or so that she obsessed over Captain Lord Braim dh'Ehaim, 4th Engineers. An obsession that ended in tears at the announcement of his marriage. She was only sixteen at the time, and there were far worse targets for her affections actually available to her, but she still never even saw the man in the flesh....] I believe that my travelling companions' status has risen in the ladies' eyes because of their association with Tekatl Umetlalliyaotl.
I cannot help but wonder if Yeitlaulli was aware of Tekatl Umetlalliyaotl before they were both guests under my Tlemutsiko cousins' roof.
The bishop and her two younger relatives arrived just before the afternoon refreshments tray, and were, I think, surprised to see all the other ladies already present. Chicyeitlatli and I were sharing a three-seater sofa and moved apart to make room for one of the new arrivals. It was the bishop who claimed the seat, partly because (I think) it was the most prominent seat left and partly because it was opposite Lady Smokeamongclouds. While they were still glaring at each other and drawing up their opening gambits/salvos, I told the company that I had been wondering who was leaving the ship tomorrow and who was continuing on into the Empire. I then asked the bishop whether her excellency's business had her party leaving the ship in Jicaltpec or whether they were continuing into the Empire in some sort of religious outreach. The bishop pulled a face of distaste and said that "missionary work" was not part of her remit. I agreed that Imperial religious persons had behaved badly in the Confederation and then managed to pass the question to Lady Smokeamongclouds. That lady and her daughter, Tlahco, are also leaving us tomorrow with the intent of travelling west from there. Of the other ladies, only Cexiuhtontli will be staying aboard instead of disembarking in Jicaltpec - her husband is a spice merchant who trades with the small communities along the southern coast of the Circle Sea. [She also confided that he had hopes of expanding his trading further east into the bulk of the Empire because of the advantages he would have in speed of delivery compared to suppliers from the Kerajaa coming the opposite way around the Circle Sea.
The bishop seized control of the conversation by moving from Cexiuhtontli's travel plans to a monologue comparing the religion of the southern tribes to that of the Confederation. It was in Coac-htl, of course, and I do not have the theological vocabulary in that language that I do in Imperial [although that is now slightly larger than it was] but I have doubts about her drawing equivalencies between various Confederation gods and certain southern iceworm "avatars." [I am not certain that is the correct Imperial word, but the concept is not one that we use or encounter when we discuss the Divinity.] I escaped the bishop's exposition by excusing myself to dress for dinner.
At dinner I sat at the Chief Engineer's table between that gentleman, Mr Polhux Dhurhgain, and Colonel Thirteen Falcon. Mr Sulca was opposite me. Lord Elnaith and Axolin were opposite each other at the Captain's table. I noticed that the Captain had amused himself (or perhaps the Chief Purser was amusing himself) by putting the bishop next to the Captain and Father Tenthdeath. Somehow the evening's seating had been arranged so that I was the only lady at our table, although the other three tables had a more traditional seating pattern. [I realise that it was poorly done to put me at a different table to the rest of my party, but I also appreciated not having to mediate between the bishop and, well, anyone else. Not that I should have to mediate, and nor should mediation be necessary, but sometimes someone needs to ease matters between strong personalities.] My part of the dinner conversation was to encourage both Mr Dhurhghain and Colonel Falcon to share interesting anecdotes with the rest of us. Mr Dhurhgain has a very amusing turn of phrase and the military gentleman on the other side of Colonel Falcon realised from one of the Colonel's anecdotes that they had acquaintances in common. I thought that portion of the evening went well, and when we ladies rose to leave the dining room, Mr Dhurhgain thanked me for my civilizing effect on their evening.
The kasoohlt served on the Pearlish Lady is very nice, but I believe that I prefer the one served in my cousins' house. The chaplain's wife asked if I minded being on my own at dinner, and I told her that although it was disappointing not to be seated with the rest of my party, I also appreciated that it was difficult to achieve an acceptable seating plan with an imposed guest list and multiple protocols to observe. I added that my dining companions had been charming and excellent raconteurs, with entirely different stories. The rest of us then listened while the bishop and Lady Smokeamongclouds explored their social connections (in detail) to determine who was the better connected, or so it seemed. They did establish several mutual acquaintances, and I was left feeling that the whole conversation could have profitably been had the first night that Lady Smokeamongclouds and I were aboard the ship.
Cexiuhtontli had just volunteered that one of their mutual acquaintances was a cousin of hers, when the gentlemen joined us. Lord Elnaith came straight to me when he entered the room and took the seat beside me. He was telling me that he missed sitting near me at dinner while rubbing my hand between his (something I was enjoying) when Father Tenthdeath invited us to join him, one of the military gentlemen (Half Colonel Obsidianblade), Tlahco, and Lightning in a game of koh. I warned him that I was not very good, and Lord Elnaith said that he hadn't played much, but we both accepted.
I was unsurprised to find myself the worst player at the table, but the other players for the evening were kind enough to say that what I needed was practice. Tlahco was very good, almost as good as the Half Colonel, and I did wonder whether Father Tenthdeath was indulging in a little matchmaking. Lightning was also a good player, which he explained by saying that he spent much of his time travelling between engagements and played a lot of board and card games in the process. Father Tenthdeath was on much the same level as Lightning, while Lord Elnaith was better than me but nowhere near the skill level of Lightning and Father Tenthdeath. I did manage not to be eliminated from the board before the Half Colonel achieved his victory.
Lord Elnaith walked me to my cabin when the game was done, and we arranged to go to morning prayers together. Nais was waiting for me in my cabin, and as she was helping me change into my night attire, I told her that I intended to attend morning prayers in the morning. I also told her that her attendance at that or any other religious service was entirely up to her. After I dismissed her for the night, I realised that I do not know if she is an adherent of the Imperial Church or if she prefers to honour her Confederation deitical patrons. At home her churchgoing habits would probably have made it into her references, but in the Confederation they did not.
We are above the clouds tonight and it will be interesting to see the morning's weather.
Anadrasata Nearabhigan
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Date: 2026-05-21 07:07 pm (UTC)<appreciates the ongoing story>