The Travels of Anadrasata Nearabhigan: Day 26
Here we are, up to Day 26. Anadrasata is almost at the end of the second leg of her journey and settling in back aboard ship. She still hasn't seen a current newspaper, in a language she can read, for days. Actually, the ship probably does pick them up in the cities where they stop, and she just hasn't been looking for them. Perhaps they stay in the lounge, where she doesn't really go, or gravitate to the smoking room, where she never goes. Maybe it says something about her home life that she hasn't gone looking for a newspaper on the ship?
I think I will keep up having the two dates at the beginning of each entry, and then add in a third one when she gets to her destination just so I know how everyone's calendars align with each other. Any thoughts?
This piece runs to 1,632 words and I hope that you enjoy it.
Index Page.
Hakkarsday, 7 Naisen, 1893 C.E.
Asnan, 22 Lamtaa, 2157 T.M.L
Dear Journal.
No storm in the night last night, but perhaps it is to be expected as, on consideration, we are now slightly south of Amnestri,
At breakfast I was joined by Mr Taighaign, who sat opposite me. He is disembarking today in Mikratoil and wanted to say goodbye. Mrs Nyr sat beside me, I had taken the end seat at the table, and her husband and the rest of their family group were beyond her. Mrs Nyr asked how Mr Taighaign and I were related, and I explained that the Kerajaan hostels had required us to share a table, alone together, at meals in both Sengrangri and Palebihen Leningri. Mrs Nyr, whom I strongly suspect of having a dry sense of humour, said it sounded like very ham-fisted matchmaking. Mr Taighaign begged her not to give his mother ideas.
When I finished breakfast, I bade Mr Taighaign farewell and wished him well in both his business ventures and his travels. I then walked twice around the promenade deck before retiring to my cabin to continue my language studies.
What even is terminative case?
At lunch I discovered that roughly two thirds of the first class passengers had disembarked in Mikratoil. The new passengers are almost entirely Imperial. There was a group of four Army officers who sat together at the end of one table at lunch. There was also a party of young scholarly gentlemen, led by two older men I heard addressed as professor, who occupied an entire table between them. There was a family with daughters who sat next to the military gentlemen, several professional looking men, and two sisters travelling with their companion/chaperon. I was joined at my table by Mrs Uasyuh, Mrs Nyr, and the rest of their family. Mr Reyyen is their family patriarch, and Mrs Uasyuh's husband. I am, I learned, their idea of a proper young woman - industrious, polite, clean and neat in myself. I did not know what to say - particularly as it was Mr Reyyen and his sons who made these comments. I chose to thank them, and say that they are too kind. The news that I am travelling, as arranged by my brother and mother, to assist an elderly family member was also met with their approval - I declined an effusive invitation to dine with them in Akatoil by saying that I was not sure that would fit in with the arrangements my brother had made for my accommodation and travel there. Mention was made of several unmarried brothers, and I thought it wise to bring up my lack of dowery or portion as a reason why I was still unmarried.
I like the ladies of the family, but the men are somewhat overpowering, and I was happy to make my excuses at the end of the meal and go for a walk around the promenade deck. Three times.
After my walk, I took my embroidery to the balcony parlor. One of the sisters travelling together, Miss Ethnaida dh'Bhonaign, was already there wither her own handwork. When I asked her if the chair nearest her was taken (it had excellent light) she told me that her sister had retired to her cabin for a nap and their companion was in her own cabin nursing a sick headache. We were joined shortly after I had begun sewing by Lady dh'Dhuisaikhair and her four daughters - Miss dh'Dhuisaikhair and Misses Emaida, Suraida, and Ghaida dh'Dhuisaikhair. The youngest three are identical triplets. Miss dh'Dhuisaikhair is preparing for her come out, which I understand to be imminent - she was working on a band of embroidery to be incorporated into her presentation dress. Her sisters, who seem to be only a year younger than her, were full of speculation about the governor's ball - understandable as the invitations for her and her parents had been received just before they left home to come on this trip.
The tea tray this afternoon reverted to the Imperial style, and Miss dh'Dhuisaikhair poured for us all. While she was doing so, we were joined by Miss dh'Bhonaign's sister, the widowed Mrs dh'Saign. Mrs dh'Saign is my age. Mrs Uasyuh, Mrs Nyr, and Mrs Mrs Miryim also joined us - they declined milk in their tea and took it with lemon. Lady dh'Dhuisaikhair, Mrs Uasyuh, and Mrs Nyr steered the conversation, while Miss dh'Dhuisaikhair and Mrs dh'Saign discussed clothes, Mrs dh'Saign having recently come out of mourning and Miss dh'Dhuisaikhair being in the midst of preparing for her first social season. Mrs Miryim and I drank our tea, enjoyed the small cakes and biscuits, and said very little - interested listening noises were our forte.
I was at the First Officer's table at dinner between Major Nhuain and Mr dh'Lhaittlai. Major Nhuain's previous posting was with the 3rd Regiment Imperial Foot Guards, which is part of the Solaich Brigade. That led to me asking if he'd been with them in the Southern Ice. When he replie3d that he had been, I asked his opinion on suitable accommodation in Kordyliss for my return journey. (I think he was slightly surprised - I'm not sure what he expected me to ask.) He did repeat the advice I got from Lieutenant Bainaigh the night before he and the others disembarked in Dhairhgriel, and I told him that. On hearing that I had travelled with members of his old Brigade for a few days, he spent the rest of our conversations over the meal asking about the officers of the party to see if any of them were anyone that he knows.\
Mr dh'Lhaittlai is one of the young student gentlemen. They are from the university in Mikratoil, which is a network of colleges, specifically St Sabhain's College. WE discussed the difference in organisation between Mikratoil University and Our Father of Divine Sorrows back home. Mr dh'Lhaittlai is studying, and I am not sure I understand this correctly, human social sciences. This trip is about comparing the differences between Mikratoil and Akatoil, and investigating the reasons for them. It sounds like a very large topic to me - apparently it's a very new field and their professors are leaders in that field.
Mr dh'Lhaittlai is very enthusiastic, and I am glad that he is attached to a reputable school - I can't help but wonder how charismatic these two professors are.
As dessert was being served, I looked over at the Chief Engineer's table and my eye happened to be on Mrs dh'Saign and Miss dh'Bhonaign's companion when she turned to talk to one of her dinner companions. That was when I realised that I had seen her before - she was the nanny who disappeared in Sengrangri. Once having seen it, I couldn't unsee it. I said nothing to my dinner companions and listened to Major Nhuain's story about a mule, a private soldier, and a sergeant's daughter. (It was funny, and the mule wound up with the sergeant's daughter.)
When the ladies withdrew to the balcony parlor, I turned off to the ladies' retiring room, went out the other door, and straight to the Chief Purser's office. Once there, I had a very interesting conversation with the Chief Purser who promised to take the matter in hand. (He had a folder of wanted posters with pictures.) I then went back to the balcony parlor vis the ladies' retiring room.
It took two stewardesses to serve us our fortified wine tonight. The Kerajaan ladies turned it down, and Mrs Uasyuh expressed surprise that I took it and the wine at dinner. I explained that I enjoyed both drinks in moderation, but they weren't necessary parts of my diet. Then I praised the quality of the drinking water that I'd been served in the Kerajaa, and somehow that developed into a general discussion on public water supply among all of us. (Perhaps because it's a subject that we can all have opinions on without offending anyone?)
The gentlemen joined us just before the tea tray was brought in. Again, the tea tray was accompanied by twice the usual number of staff members. Mrs dh'Saign and Miss dh'Bhonaign poured for us, as their companion excused herself with a recurrence of her headache. I wondered if I could get company back to my cabin door because this meant that I didn't know where she was, and what if she recognised me? (Assuming I was right.)
I was talked into a game of tocal by three of Mr dh'Lhaittlai's associates when the game of maistoto I had thought I might join filled up. I insisted on playing for copper points on the grounds that I couldn't afford more. They weren't happy about that, because it wasn't interesting enough for them, but they went quiet when I suggested that we play maistoto instead. I wanted to end the game after three hands, but they insisted on continuing so they could win their money back. They didn't. I insisted on ending the game after five hands and I think I won all of their change. Their skills at tocal are, perhaps, not what they think that they are.
There happened to be a steward and my cabin stewardess outside the parlor when I emerged, and we quietly discussed a non-existent issue with the curtains in my cabin all the way back to my door, where they came in with me, to 'fix the problem.' They went away again when it was clear that no-one was laying in wait for me.
I counted my winnings and tonight I profited to the sum of 2 merks, 6 pieces, and 3 bits. It shouldn't have been too painful a lesson in the dangers of gambling....
Anadrasata Nearabhigan