Astounding Discovery: Day 14

Word Count: 84,002

Summary of Events:
Chapter 27:
Adaire's young friend Aínérí introduced Adaire to some of his clan members and ended up getting Adaire some lessons in O'Enneirey dancing. Saoirse talked with one of her aunts about Gíwllyn and Sgémoíse and got the impression she should choose Gíwllyn.
Chapter 28:
Adaire was taken by Donnchádh to meet a 109 year old member of the Sithneigh clan and told the man his lineage, in hopes of finding out if he was O'Enneirey or not. Saoirse went out for a walk on the beach alone for a bit . . .

"She was walking along the shore on tiptoe, leaving small tiptoe footprints in the sand, to be washed away by the waves when and if they came up high enough to catch them now with the tide out.
Adaire wanted — being as they were alone — to stride right up to her, embrace her in his arms, and wrap his lips around hers; but based on the observations he'd made of her so far, Adaire knew that wouldn't work.
Unlike the women he'd gotten to know over his voyage, she was not a romantic, passionate woman, she was not like a cat, savouring touch and affection; she was more like a butterfly that had to be approached carefully, lest it be frightened off, and once it was in grasp, handled carefully, lest it be completely destroyed.
Carefully and quietly Adaire climbed down to be on the sand and started slowly and silently toward her as she walked toward the corner. Adaire made sure to keep a long pace's distance between them, even though he wanted to touch her, wrap his arms around her, and the whole rest of it.
She kept on walking toward the corner where the small bay ended and turned down toward where Adaire found toward the piece of the lifeboat. Arriving at the corner, she stopped and lowered her feet slightly; then she started to turn around.

~~~

At the sigh of a figure in her peripheral vision, Saoirse froze. She slowly took the figure in out the corners of her eyes. It was a man, a young man Saoirse had never seen before; he had neatly combed blonde hair, green eyes, a noble, well-chiseled face, his skin was bronzy hued and it smoothly undulated over his muscles like the ocean waves, except not moving.
His trousers didn't bear the pattern of any tartan — although Saoirse thought they should bear the Sithneigh tartan — they were just plain brown trousers, but they were well made.
Saoirse turned the rest of the way around and looked at him in full. He stood still, and it was only by the gentle and slightly subtle rise and fall of his chest that she knew he was alive — along with the occasional blinking.
He looked a rather strong man, although not as strong as Peíre and her brághres, but of course nothing said he did the same work as they did, and it wasn't like he was an absolute weakling either.
However, it was the nobility of his face that attracted Saoirse's gaze the most; he looked like he was of the king's house, his jaw looked noble, with pronounced, but not overly sharp corners; his cheekbones were also noticeable, but not specifically sharp.
His nose was straight and slim, his lips were nicely full and deep pink, and his eyes of deep green caused Saoirse great intrigue. His gaze showed a deep longing and affection, along with curiosity, and in the depths of it all, a haunted pain."

Aínérí: aynehree

Astounding Discovery: Day 13

Word Count: 78,007

Summary of Events:
Chapter 25:
Adaire helped Donnchádh and Caoilfíonne prepare for the annual harvest celebration in which the entire Toírdhealbhách clan would be hosted in Laoísmellyk. Saoirse helped her family pack to go to the  Lagoahaíre clan's gathering for the same holiday.
Chapter 26:
Adaire had a nightmare about the storm and the ship sinking and couldn't get back to sleep, so he went outside and started to feel like the whole ship sinking was his fault. Saoirse and her family set out to the town where their clan would be gathering, which had Saoirse incredibly excited.

Excerpt of the Day:
""By foolishness I can only blame myself for I let nine hundred men be led to their deaths," Adaire replied. "And I even aided in the hastening of their deaths."
"Now I thought ye'd settled and put that all behind ye," Donnchádh said. "It's all past anyways, what's the point'a thinkin' about what can't be changed? The past is the past, and we can't do naught t'change it."
"I dreamt of the storm," Adaire said. "The ships figurehead was intent on killing me, and then she took me underater and the ghosts of the sailors attacked me and tried to kill me."
"I'm sure your actions were a contributor to things," Donnchádh said. "But it wasn't all your fault; the captain chose t'be a fool too, in addition t'floutin' your orders, and lad, that was a Shírk unlike I've seen in years, ye all would'a gone down anyways, I'm sure naught could'a been done t'save ye once ye all were in the thick'a it."
"But . . . but if I wouldn't have gone and gotten drunk I could've made sure the caption had kept the orders," Adaire replied. "But I got drunk, and so it was easy for him to disobey me because I wasn't of the sober mind to even take over from him or something."
"Any'a the sailors could'a taken over from him too," Donnchádh said. "I'm sure they weren't fools."
"But they would've gotten charged with insubordination and fired by my father — no matter what they were trying to do — I was the only one who had any authority to usurp him or order him around," Adaire said. "And I was drunk."
"Well ye've learned a lesson," Donnchádh said. "Ye'll do better next time."
"I don't think there'll be a next time," Adaire said.
"And why not?" Donnchádh asked.
"Because, I'm sure my father will hold me responsible for their deaths; he may well even disown me," Adaire replied.
"Now come on, that's a lot'a nonsense," Donnchádh said. "Your father couldn't possibly be that fickle. And if ye tell him you're sorry and that ye promise ye'll never do it again, and show him that you're genuinely apologetic for what ye did, I'm sure he'll give ye a second chance. This is all just your guilt talkin', ye don't know for sure what your father's goin' t'do."
"This is going to haunt me fore the rest of my life," Adaire said.
"Only if ye let it," Donnchádh replied. "If ye can accept that ye can't do nothin' about the past and that it all just happened the way it did, takin' responsibility for the things ye did wrong and strive t'never do 'em again, then it won't haunt ye."
Adaire sighed.
"Ye wee doin' well enough puttin' it behind ye before," Donnchádh said. "And I'll do what I can t'help ye move on, bein's ye can't do nothin' t'change it all so there's no sense in thinkin' on it, but for now ye should come back t'bed.""

Astounding Discovery: Day 12

Word Count: 72,004

Summary of Events:
Chapter 23:
Adaire told the boys of Laoísmellyk more about Beldonersteinois culture and traditions, much to their great interest. Saoirse and her mother discussed what to do about Sgémoíse giving her tartan and telling her of his intent to marry her in a year.
Chapter 24:
Adaire explored some more and saw the largest herd of deer he'd ever seen in his life and talked with one of the boys, who showed him the sword dance. Saoirse helped with preserving the garden's harvest and talked with her sister.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Carefully Saoirse turned the dipper and poured the brine into the jar around the carrots, stopping once the brine covered the last of the carrots. Meíre held the hot jar while Íorwen twisted the lid into place.
Meíre then brought up the next jar and Saoirse carefully filled it with brine, repeating the process until there was hardly any brine left in the pot. Meíre then helped Saoirse measure more of the brine ingredients and Saoirse started cooking them while Meíre went off to help Íorwen, Ealdyn, and Heíghenn stuff carrots into the jars.
"So Peádraígh told me apparently Sgémoíse has given you tartan," Bryoíghnea said.
Saoirse nodded.
"And he intends to marry you in a year," Bryoíghnea said.
Saoirse nodded again.
"What are you going to do?" Bryoíghnea asked.
"I don't know," Saoirse replied. "But I have a year to find someone else."
"Peádraígh told me Peíre talked to Sgémoíse," Bryoíghnea said.
"I doubt that will really stop him," Saoirse said. "The only thing that will stop him is if I marry someone else before he gets to me."
Bryoíghnea was silent, stirring the cucumber brine over the fire, she gazed into it with contemplation. "I guess that is true, being as tradition hasn't even stopped him."
Saoirse nodded. "But I still don't know who I'm going to marry."
"Maybe you're supposed to marry Sgémoíse," Bryoíghnea said.
"No," Saoirse replied. "I'm not convinced it's him."
"Well you still have a year to wait and see," Bryoíghnea said.
"But over these past few months I've really started to get a stronger feeling against potentially marrying Sgémoíse and more for marrying Gíwllyn, although I'm not eve sure about him either, he seems so worrisome, and it worries me a bit too," Saoirse said. "Honestly, I'm not even fully convinced that I've even met who I'm supposed to mary. I have no idea."
"God knows Saoirse," Bryoíghnea said.
"I know," Saoirse replied. "But the way things are going, I think it's getting to be a good time for Him to tell me."
"Have faith Saoirse," Bryoíghnea said.
"I'm trying to," Saoirse said. "But it's hard."
"Of course it is, it more often is than not," Bryoíghnea said.
Saoirse sighed."

Meíre: myruh
Ealdyn: aledin
Heíghenn: high'gehn
Peíre: pyruh

Astounding Discovery: Day 11

Word Count: 66,010

Summary of Events:
Chapter 21:
Adaire and the Toírdhealbáchs went for a visit to some other residents of Laoísmellyk and had a lengthy discussion about the difference between O'Enneirey and Beldonersteinois societies. Saoirse did some sewing and talked with Gíwllyn some more about various things.
Chapter 22:
Adaire went out for a walk to the beach nearby Laoísmellyk and found a piece of one of the lifeboats before meeting some boys and telling them about his voyage. Saoirse was given a day-early birthday gift from Sgémoíse: some of his family's tartan to make a wedding dress out of.

Excerpt of the Day:
"Adaire started by heading to the east, following the sound of the lapping waves, the sound of the sea — it was really only natural that he should head in that direction, having loved on the coast his entire life.
Stepping past the last of the huts, Adaire saw the sandy beach before him, and beyond that, waves rolling, lapping and softly striking the shore. As Donnchádh had said, in the not too far distance there was a green land with lots of trees, and quite a few rocks, additionally it also seemed to have some sandy beach too.
Te beach wasn't very broad, it was probably only about as long as Adaire was tall, and it was a drop of about four and a half feet from where Adaire stood to the beach. The cliff rose with the swell of the land to his right that formed the hills to the west of Laoísmellyk and kept the Carroaghryne Rí Adaire had been told was on the other side out of sight.
Additionally, the hills hid the town of Carroaghryne that stood at the mouth of the same-named Rí; but they didn't hide the town of Kemallyk that was pretty much across the small bay from Laoísmellyk.
Adaire could see that town about as clearly as he could see O'Naómshiní — the island to the east of Laoísmellyk — but not the easternmost island, or the possessor of the easternmost point of O'Enne, apparently those belonged to a smaller island northeast of O'Naómshiní.
In fact, according to what Adaire had been told, O'Aennea — the largest of the islands that formed O'Enne, and the one he was currently on — didn't hold any of the furthest points, nor was it the furthest island in any direction, it only held distinction as being the largest island, and the one the capital was on. O'Aennea wasn't even at the centre of O'Enne.
Sitting down on the cliff's edge, Adaire slid down to the sand and glanced over at the cliff's edge; it was all stones underneath the patchy grass toward the cliff's edge, and there were quite a few gaps in the stones that would be good for climbing up.
Turning back toward the ocean, Adaire stepped forward until eventually his feet were on the wet sand, and then finally in the water. Gentle and subdued the ocean water lapped at Adaire's ankles; a subdued beast.
This same water had carried Adaire to this beach; and probably not in a kind or easy manner. Adaire could only imagine that he'd been tossed about, and maybe even hurled onto the beach by swells that crashed into the rocks of the cliffs behind him.
Far out beyond him, underneath the waves of this subdued beast that was the ocean, was the reef on which the entire fleet had likely been wrecked, and beside which their ruins laid."

Carroaghryne: karoogr'eyene
Kemallyk: keemahleek

Astounding Discovery: Day 10

Word Count: 60,008

Summary of Events:
Chapter 19:
Adaire got up and dined at the table with Donnchádh and Caoilfíonne — who was convinced that Adaire was O'Enneirey. Saoirse got her apron returned to her by Sgémoíse and discussed her friendship with Gíwllyn with him quite heatedly.
Chapter 20:
Adaire ventured out of Donnchádh and Caoilfíonne's house for the first time and surveyed the travelling market in town, where he was surprised by the quality of the wares offered. Saoirse was approached rather slowly and fearfully, which Saoirse found rather odd . . .

Excerpt of the Day:
"Slowly and carefully Saoirse opened it and revealed a simple silver chain holding small silver pendant formed into a complex openwork knot, such as were traditionally used for leather weaving or thick wool weaving for decoration.
Closing the fabric back over the pendant, Saoirse thrust it into her apron pocket and hurried toward the smith. Arriving at the door, Saoirse found only Éoíghán and Gíwllyn's younger brághres working.
"Is Gíwllyn here?" Saoirse asked.
Éoíghán looked up and shook his head.
"Do you know where he would be?" Saoirse asked.
Éoíghán shook his head again.
Saoirse nodded and turned away; she couldn't imagine where to begin looking for Gíwllyn, but then she spied someone climbing over the ridge to head down toward the rí; someone who looked a lot like Gíwllyn.
Quickly Saoirse hurried to the hills and scrambled up as fast as she could; climbing over the ridge, she skillfully manoeuvred down the other side and arrived at the bottom to see Gíwllyn sitting down beside the water with his face in his hands.
Saoirse hesitated a moment before hurrying over to Gíwllyn and wrapping her hands around his neck. She was quite easily able to pry his face from his hands and gently turned it so that he was looking at her.
"Gíwllyn, thank you, it's beautiful," Saoirse said. "You have an incredible talent, I never would've thought that such a thing could be done with metal."
Gíwllyn looked at Saorise as if he was fighting for control over his composure. Gently Saoirse slid her arms around Gíwllyn's neck and brought his head against her chest. Gíwllyn inhaled shakily, his shoulders jumping.
Saoirse didn't really know what to say, she wasn't even sure why Gíwllyn was reacting the way he was, but she hoped that he understood how much she appreciated his gift. It was absolutely beautiful; Saoirse had truly never imagined such a treasure could be made from metal, it wasn't flexible enough, unless it was hot — far too hot to manipulate with one's fingers.
Keeping her one hand gently cradled around Gíwllyn's head, Saoirse reached into her pocket and drew out the cloth and the pendant again. Saoirse looked at it again; it was fine enough to absolutely rob Saoirse of breath even when she'd already seen it once.
Gíwllyn had an incredible talent; she wondered if Éoíghán or Gíwllyn's brághres had seen what he'd made, or if he'd kept it a secret. And if they hadn't seen it, what would their reaction be to it when they saw it?
Saoirse also wondered with nervousness what Sgémoíse would think of it, although she had a feeling that Sgémoíse wouldn't be too terribly pleased with it, being as it was, really, a token of affection from Gíwllyn.
Sighing, Saoirse put the pendant away; she wasn't sure what to do with this situation at all really, she had two men who loved her, and she didn't know which one to choose."

O'Enneirey: oh ehnayeree
Éoíghán: ehooyghohn
brághres: broghres

Astounding Discovery: Day 9

Word Count: 54,022

Summary of Events:
Chapter 17:
Adaire talked some more with Donnchádh and learned that the people of O'Enne didn't use money — which was rather difficult to comprehend. Saoirse helped care for the orphaned lamb and decided to give him a name.
Chapter 18:
Adaire and Donnchádh talked again, with Adaire telling Donnchádh about the voyage before Donnchádh's wife brought them in some lunch. Saoirse perused the latest travelling market to come to Castleorghlynne and ended up getting a bell for the lamb too.

Excerpt of the Day:
""Not many do," Donnchádh said. "And especially not in the kind'a gale we had; it was one of the Shírks."
"Shírks?" Adaire asked.
"We call 'em that because they're those rough storms comin' from the east that bash ships against the Shírkeí Reíf until they're fiddlesticks," Donnchádh replied. "If it wouldn't have been a Shírk then ye would'a possibly held on, but it was a Shírk, and one of the most savage Shírks I've seen in a lot'a years, which didn't really help ye. But if your captain would have listened t'ye, I'm sure you're right, ye all would have had your lives, not just ye."
"And their blood is on his hands too," Adaire said. "He led the fleet like sheep to the slaughter, even the hands on his ships were mercilessly murdered by his choice. My blood would've been on his hands too, except for the fact that I'm still alive."
"Well then I'd say fair justice has been done him," Donnchádh said. "God judged him a ruthless and greedy man, and gave him the end he deserved for his brutality."
"If I wouldn't have woken and broken out of my quarters I would've had no way out," Adaire said. "Although it seems pointless that I delayed the deaths of the hands."
"What d'ye mean?" Donnchádh asked.
"When we ran aground they were going to head out in the lifeboats, but I convinced them to stay until the ship began to break up," Adaire replied. "It didn't really do anything."
"It's not worth worryin' about, though," Donnchádh said. "That's past, it cannot be changed — unfortunate though 'tis — and we're just goin' t'have t'move on forward from it."
"I guess the good part is that I'm still alive," Adaire said. "And once I'm better then I can head back home and show my parents I'm still alive, and then take over the Company when my father passes."
"And bein's the safest route from O'Enne to Beldonersteine is round south ways ye yourself would technically circumnavigate Ureonaiea — even if it wasn't all on the same ship or with the same fleet," Donnchádh said.
"True," Adaire agreed.
Adaire turned at the sight of Caoilfíonne in the doorway holding a tray full of food.
"I was wonderin' if ye two had a hunger for somethin'," Caoilfíonne said.
"He's a young lad, 'course he'll be wantin' t'eat," Donnchádh said. "And if ye made it, 'couse I'm goin' t'eat it."
Caoilfíonne stepped into the room and gave them each a plateful of food. Adaire took up the utensils and started eating, Donnchádh sat in silence, his eyes closed, for a few moments before following suit, as did Caoilfíonne, who'd brought her own food in as well.
The whole idea of leaving seemed to disturb Adaire, though; not as much as his talk with Donnchádh the other day — which he was determinedly not thinking about — but it still disturbed him, and he honestly wasn't even sure why."

Shírk(s): sheerk(s)
Caoilfíonne: kaylfeeon'

Astounding Discovery: Day 8

Word Count: 48,006

Summary of Events:
Chapter 15:
Adaire woke up from a liquor-induced nap and found that the fleet was sailing in the middle of a storm in spite of his orders to put to shore; Adaire tried to get the captain to make for shore, but the captain refused, and then they ran aground on an unknown reef and the ship broke apart.
Chapter 16:
Saoirse headed into the hills to see if her father and brothers and the sheep were alright after the storm and brought them an orphaned lamb she found on her way. Adaire woke up in a primitive looking house with a severe headache.

Excerpt of the Day:
""So what's your name lad?" the man asked.
"Eidere Sÿthei," Adaire replied.
"Hm," the man said, sounding interested. "I'm Donnchádh Toírdhealbhách."
Adaire couldn't imagine how that name was spelled, or what country it was from, although he felt  Donnchádh would be easier to spell than Toírdhealbhách.
"I, I'm from Heijmegourde, in Beldonersteine," Adaire said.
"You're a long way from home then lad," Donnchádh said.
"What do you mean?" Adaire asked.
"You're in Laoísmellyk, on O'Aennea in O'Enne," Donnchádh replied.
"O'Enne?" Adaire asked. "But I thought we'd only just cleared Aissure."
The woman returned with another bowl of stew.
"Ye likely sank off the Shírkteí Reíf," Donnchádh said.
"You know of it?" Adaire asked, before taking a mouthful.
"Know of it?" Donnchádh asked, surprised. "Why the Shírkteí is infamous, it's the eater of ships; especially in storms. It's like a shark waiting for seals or other fish to eat. It lurks enough under the surface to go unseen except in the storms of fiercest swells, and catches even ships heading to port who don't know the waters."
"It wasn't on our charts," Adaire said, before taking another mouthful.
"Well, you Beldonersteineirey don't oft come tradin' to our shores, and especially not oft from Aissure ways," Donnchádh replied.
"We, we were going to circumnavigate Ureonaiea," Adaire said.
"Well if that isn't a bold expedition," the woman said. "Same ye won't now."
Adaire ate the last of the stew from the second bowl and felt fully satisfied in that department, but his mind was still working desperately, trying to figure out what was going on.
"Ye rest up now, we'll come talk t'ye some more later on," the woman said.
"No, please," Adaire begged.
Donnchádh carefully lowered Adaire back down to the bed and adjusted the blanket on Adaire's chest.
"Rest lad, it's a miracle you're even still breathin'," Donnchádh said. "I think 'tis only by the mercy of God above that ye made it to our shores alive. You're the first one in all my nigh eighty years I've known of."
Donnchádh and the woman left the room and Adaire stared after them. Eighty years, he was eleven years older than Uijllijm; and the first one? What did he mean that Adaire was the first one?
Adaire wanted to call him back and ask, but Donnchádh and the woman — who was probably his wife — seemed intent on him resting, so he probably wasn't going to get them to tell him much.
Sighing, Adaire closed his eyes and thought about what Donnchádh had said some more. If he was the first one then that likely meant that no one else had made it. He recalled the dark and desolate ocean, no lights, no ships.
A chilling thought shot through admire suddenly: he could well be the sole survivor of some nine hundred men who'd set out from Beldonersteine. Eighteen ships and nine hundred men lost; and that wasn't counting the millions of crowns in cargo."

Donnchádh: donchohd
Toírdhealbhách: tooyerdeelbohk
Laoísmellyk: looysmel-ick
Shírkteí Reíf: sheerktey reyf
Beldonersteineirey: belldonnersteineyeree