Tarma looked into his pleading eyes -- and much to his evident shock and delight, she took both his hands, pulled him up out of his chair into her arms, hugged him just short of breaking his ribs, and planted a kiss squarely in the middle of his forehead before letting him go again.
"Well, outClan brother," she laughed, "while I can't speak for the lady, I would suggest you trot next door and ask her for her hand yourself -- because I do know that if you don't, you're going to find yourself trussed hand and foot and lying over Hellsbane's rump like so much baggage. You see, we happen to be barbarians, and we will do anything to prevent losing you. He shala?"
His mouth worked for a moment, as he stared at her, his eyes brightening with what Tarma suspected were tears of joy. Then he took her face in both his hands, kissed her, and ran out her door as if joy had put wings on his back.
"Better get Stefan to pick your successor," she called after him. "Because we're going to keep you much too busy to putter about in his Archives."
And so they did.
Dictionary of Shin'a'in Terms
' : glottal stop, a pause, but not quite as long a pause as between two words
ai; as in air
ay: long "a" as in way
ah: soft "a" as in ah
ee: long "e" as in feet
ear: as in fear
e: as in fend
i; long "i" as in violent
oh: long "o" as in moat
oo: as in boot
corthu: (cohr-thoo)-one being
dester'edre: (destair ay-dhray)-wind(born) sibling
dhon: (dthohn)-very much
du'dera: (doo dearah)-(I) give (you) comfort
for'skava: (fohr shahvah)-very, very good
get'ke: (get kay)-(could you) explain
gestena: (gestaynah)-thank you
hai: (hi)-yes
kai shala: (hi shahlah)-do you understand?
4i hai'she'li'. (hi she lee)-surprised "yes," literally "yes, I swear!"
hai'vetha: (hi vethah)-yes, (be) running
ker'y: (hear ee)-(is this not) the truth
isda: (eesdah)-have you (ever) seen (such)
jel'enedra: (jel enaydrah)-little sister
jel'stttho'edrin: (jelsoothohaydthrin)-"forever younger siblings," usually refers to horses
jostumat: (johstoomahl)-enemy, literally, "one desiring (your) blood"
kadessa\ (kahdessah)-rodent of the Dhorisha Plains
Kal' enedraclass="underline" (kahl enaydhrahl)-Her sword-brothers or Her swordchildren
Kal'enel; (kahl enel)-the Warrior aspect of the four-faced Goddess, literally, "Sword of the Stars." Also called Enelve'astre (Star-Eyed) and Da'gretha (Warrior).
kathaclass="underline" (kahthahl)-go gently
kele: (kaylay)-(go) onward
kestra: (kestrah)-a casual friend
krethes: (kraythes)-speculation
kulatk: (koolahth)-go find
leshya'e: (layshee-ah ee)-spirit; not a vengeful, earth -- bound ghost, but a helpful spirit
Liha'irden: (leehah eardhren)-deer-footed
li'ha'eer; (lee hah eeahr)-exclamation, literally, "by the gods"
li'sa'eer: (lee sah eeahr)-exclamation of extreme sur-prise, literally "by the highest gods!"
nes: (nes)-bad
nos: (nohs)-it is
pretera: (praytearah)-grasscat
sadullos: (sahdoolohs)-safer
se: (sy)-is/are
ske'chome: (shay chornah)-homosexual; does not have negative connotations among the Shin'a'in.
ske'enedra: (shay enaydrah)-sister by blood-oathing
sheka: (shaykah)-horse droppings
shena: (shaynah)-of the Clan, literally 'of the brotherhood'
skesti: (shestee)-nonsense
Shin'a'in: (shin ay in)-the people of the plains
so'trekoth: (soh traykoth)-fool who will believe anything, literally, "gape-mouthed hatchling"
staven: (stahven)-water
Tale'edras: (tahle aydhrahs)-Hawkbrothers, a race who may or may not be related to the Shin'a'in, living in the Pelagiris Forest
Tale'sedrin: (tahle saydhrin)-children of the hawk
te'sorthene: (tay sohrthayne)-heart-friend, spirit-friend
Vai datha: (vi dahthah)-expression of resignation or agreement, literally "there are many ways."
var'athanda: (vahr ahthahndah)-to be forgetful of
ves'tacha: (ves tahchah)-beloved one
vysaka: (visahkah)-the spiritual bond between the Kal'enedral and the Warrior; its presence can actually be detected by an Adept, another Kalen-edral, and the Kal'enedral him/herself. It is this bond which creates the "shielding" that makes Kal'enedral celibate/neuter and somewhat immune to magic.
vyusher: (vi-ooshear)-wolf
yai: (yi)-two
yuthi'so'coro: (yoothee soh cohr-oh)-road courtesy; the rules Shin'a'in follow when traveling on a public road.
Songs and Poems
(Tarma: Oathbreakers)
These are the hands that wield a sword
With trained and practiced skill;
These are the hands, and this the mind,
Both honed and backed by will.
Death is my partner, blood my trade,
And war my passion wild --
But these are the hands that also ache
To hold a tiny child.
CH: Suffer, they suffer, the children,
When I see them, gods, how my heart breaks!
It is ever and always the children
Who will pay for their parents' mistakes.
Somehow they know that I'm a friend --
I see it in their eyes,
Somehow they sense a kindly heart --
So young, so very wise.
Mine are the hands that maim and kill --
But children never care.
They only know my hands are strong
And comfort is found there.
Little enough that I can do
To shield the young from pain --
Not while their parents fight and die
For land, or goods, or gain.
All I can do is give them love --
All I can do is strive
To teach them enough of my poor skill
To help them stay alive.
2CH: Cursed Oathbreakers, your honor's in pawn
And worthless the vows you have made --
Justice shall see you where others have gone,
Delivered to those you betrayed!
These are the signs of a mage that's forsworn --
The True Gifts gone dead in his hand,
Magic corrupted and discipline torn,
Shifting heart like shifting sand;
Swift to allow any passion to run,
Given to hatred and rage.
Give him wide berth and his company shun --
For darkness devours the Dark Mage.
These are the signs of a traitor in war --
Wealth from no visible source,
Shunning old comrades he welcomed before,
Holding to no steady course.
If you uncover the one who'd betray,
Heed not his words nor his pen.