The Travels of Anadrasata Nearabhigan: Day 14
Here we are on Day 14 of Anadrasata's travels and she continues to have new experiences and meet new people. This piece runs to 1,474 words and I hope that you all enjoy it.
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Brogaiday, 24 Ochd, 1893 C.E.
Dear Journal,
There was a storm in the night and thunder woke me around midnight. Remembering the safety talk at lunch yesterday, I got up and looked out of the cabin window, expecting to see the storm outside, but it was clear and I could see the stars above us. There were clouds below us, and while I watched I saw a purplish flash of lightning in the distance, going upwards. I decided it would be better not to dwell on the matter and went soberly back to bed, where ai recited a prayer of thanks for protection before going back to sleep. [I have never heard of lightning going upwards before - perhaps I should ask one of the ship's officers about it.]
The Dowager Countess did not join us for breakfast in the dining room this morning. This left Lady Saidhelait and Miss Ghaighain free to circulate and eat at their pleasure and not hers. Miss Ghaighain and I were standing next to each other while we considered the fish selections on the buffet and, after apologising if it was a rude or intrusive question, I asked whether she and Major Ghaighain were related to each other. She said she didn't know him, and that her family name was quite common in her home area but nowhere else. I pointes him out to her, by description not actual pointing, and she confirmed that she didn't know him, but then he turned to say something to Captain dh'Lais and she saw his profile - and commented that he has the family nose. I still feel bold in retrospect - I led Miss Ghaighain over to where the Major and the dh'Lais family were sitting and I introduced Miss Ghaighain to the Major. I also mentioned that I was wondering whether they were related. The Major made a similar comment about his family name distribution to the one Miss Ghaighain had made - and they realised that they came from places that were twenty Imperial leagues apart on the opposite sides of the local large town. I addressed my breakfast while they discussed family trees and worked out that they are third cousins - and that there seems to have been either a big contact severing argument, or several of them, in their grandparents' time because although they don't know each other, they both know of the senior line of the family, and none of them are in contact with that branch either. Mrs dh'Lais and the Captain excused themselves as soon as they and the boys had finished eating - they are disembarking in Leyetteyeri today, and then taking a local airship to the Captain's new posting.
I said goodbye as I thought this would be the last time I would see them.
However, I went for my morning walk around the promenade deck and met Mrs dh'Lais and the children doing the same thing. The boys were cleaned up and dressed, as was Mrs dh'Lais, for disembarkation. She told me that they were all packed and she and the children were getting a little air and light exercise until it was time for their midmorning snack. We walked together for half the length of the promenade deck, and I listened while she explained that the Army was providing them with a house suitable for a captain and organised several servants for them 'to be going on with' but she didn't know anything about them. [I think she was nervous or worried, she hasn't seen the house either.] She told me that nursemaids generally won't leave their home localities, so she would have to hire one in the next week or so. Too, Adavais is now old enough for a governess, and as they want him to be instructed in both Imperial and Fraisis, finding someone available this far from Fraisgaerth would be difficult. I listened sympathetically and reflected that if the dh'Laises came from Fraisgaerth, that would explain how fair they are - the Frais are known for being blonde.
We came upon the dh'Saidaign children playing under their mother's supervision and parted company - playing with other children their age being more interesting than walking around the deck to the boys.
I co0ntinued on my walk and a while later passed Lady Saidhelait and Major Vhenghahair walking together in the opposite direction. He had his hands behind his back, and she was carrying an unfurled parasol.
As we approached, she said, "My father taught me to play."
We exchanged courtesies without stopping, then I heard him say, "I learnt in the barracks room when we didn't have cards."
After I finished my walk, I went back to my cabin to work on my Coatl. More colours today, and directions - compass and wind directions are different words....
I did make sure that I went to the lounge in time to say goodbye to the dh'Laises. I liked them, and it would have been nice to have had longer together. Only the dh'Lais family and the prosperous looking gentleman disembarked today.
We gained two passengers in Leyetteyeri, a mother a son pair - Mr and Mrs Gritteye.
I was flanked at lunch by Colonel Dhaihrai and Major Rhainghab while Major Ghaighan and the Dowager's party sat opposite. Colonel Dhaiharai and Major Rhainghab both made pleasant conversation over lunch and I found the Colonel to be particularly...avuncular.
After lunch I took another turnaround the promenade deck, and the repaired to the balcony parlor with my embroidery. The dh'Zhangain and Mhainghair ladies were there too, as were Lady Saidhelait and Miss Ghaighain. Miss Ghaighain wrote a letter, Lady Saidhelait read a novel, Mrs Mhainghair was doing crochet with a fine thread, and the rest of us were embroidering various items. It was a very companionable afternoon.
Twenty minutes before the tea tray was due, Miss Ghaighain went to fetch her employer, who had apparently decided to enjoy a post-luncheon nap. Miss Ghaighain, both older ladies, and Mr Gritteye entered the room just before the tea tray arrived. Mrs dh'Zhangain and Mrs Mhainghair poured for us. Mrs Gritteye dominated the conversation - she endeavoured to work out the exact order of precedence of the ladies on board (!!) and I am grateful for the presence of the dh'Ironaiths, Lady Rhainail, and Mrs dh'Zhangain because that means the Mrs Gritteye cannot be the senior lady present. Then she lauded her son as a potential catch. As one of the recipients of this barrage of information, I was not impressed by her add-on "but you'd have to get my approval first." Mr Gritteye had the look and air of one who'd sat through this before and sat with his back half turned to his mother, while speaking to Mrs Mhainghair and her daughters about the location of Major Mahinghair's last posting.
I escaped with relief to change for dinner.
I was seated at the First Officer's table between Mr Dhaircai Naigheargain, who is travelling to a provincial position west of Akatoil and transferred off the Empress Mhaihild because he has no confidence the Board of Inquiry will release it in the next few days. On my other side was Mr Gritteye who seemed pleasant enough and commented that his mother had predictable topics of conversation. During our conversation he let drop that he avoids using his given name because he does not care for it, although one of his mother's topics is the care she went to in selecting it for him. I did not ask what it was, but I have a few names in mind, given current tastes and what I have seen of Mrs Gritteye.
Mrs Gritteye spent most of the time before the tea tray and the gentlemen came into the balcony parlor trying to get me to repeat my dinner conversation with her son to her. I told her that he was a pleasant dining companion, and our conversation had not been weighty enough to stick in my mind. Mrs Gritteye did not find this a sufficient answer.
Lady Rhainail and Lady Saidhelait poured tea for the company, and then the Dowager Countess kindly swept me up into her maistoto game with Major Rhainghab and Lieutenant dh'Jhaidhail. Apparently the Dowager Countess and the Lieutenant's mother exchange holiday greetings and congratulatory messages on appropriate occasions.
Some of the others played another game of maistoto, Lord Retneseri played shab-hab against Major Ghaighain, while Lady Saidhelait and Major Vhenghahair had a rematch. There were some conversational groups in other parts of the room, and several gentlemen went to play billiards.
I retired to my room after six hands of maistoto, just as Mrs Gritteye rang for a steward to fetch her son. [He was playing billiards and I cannot understand why she cannot walk herself to her cabin.]
Anadrasata Nearabhigan