The Wizard's Heir
Page 48
She sat upon the log and watched. The goblin armies were the first to leave the field. They left the day after they met the emperor. Then departed the leaderless half-goblins of Narrissor. The armies of Lossia were occupied for a few days in selecting a new commander and in appointing a delegation: then they, too, left. Delegations from all the nations were coming together daily at a tent outside the city walls, and as the days went by, more delegations arrived. In the meantime, Arran Delossan oversaw the erection of a new, tall, frail-looking monument before the tent: a monument to peace.
Days and weeks passed. Sometimes she would just watch: other times, she would sit and wonder if anything had really changed…if it had all only been a dream after all. At other times she knew, and she broke out into tears of loss or tears of joy or both at once. Squirrels sniffed at her feet, then scampered away. Once, a great white stag approached as close as the grass beneath the end of the log, and she thought she could have reached out and touched it with a beat of her heart.
On a cool morning, Heao Sedhar stood at the edge of the woods behind her. For a while he remained silent and she remained silent, he in deference and she simply for lack of words. At last he said, “They have worked out a cease-fire. They are holding a council of all the nations to establish a lasting peace. They say they would like to have you there to represent your people. They cannot find others.”
She did not respond. In truth, the words did not yet register their value with her.
“Piachras wanted to know what you are doing up here, but I don’t need to ask you that. You’re waiting for him.”
She nodded without speaking.
“He will not return by that way,” Heao said. “That way is closed. But you know you will see him again.”
“Yes,” she nodded, biting back a tear. “I know. I will see him again.”
“But you don’t know how,” he said. She only nodded. “But you do know,” said Heao. “You have seen it and you have felt it. All that remains is for you to live it.”
She nodded. “I know.” She recognized it within herself, quiet, longing, reaching out. Where? It seemed to reach out to the whole world. “I know,” she said, “but….”
But when she turned around, Heao was not there. There was only the buzzing in the trees, the chatter of the squirrels, and the ever-present, all-encompassing rushing of the wind.
Appendix.i. wizardic language dictionary
T
he following dictionary is meant to be supplementary for those who, after reading the story, find themselves curious to learn more about the wizardic language. What bits and pieces of this language are presented in the text, however, especially by Alik, are not meant to depend on this appendix, although the reader will perhaps appreciate a few inside jokes better going back with it. The bare essentials of grammar are also included.
Verbs are conjugated on time but not person or number. Various constructions denote passive, adjectival, gerundive/infinitive particular or general, and indicative versus imperative and the various tones of the subjunctive (should, might, would of desire and of probability). Different forms also exist for the transitive and intransitive forms of a verb.
The construction of the verbs is based on the sequence of vowels, to wit:
Tense/time
Phonetic
Transliterated
Example
Remote future
-r
-r
“-er” in “father”
Future-3
^
uh
“u” in “profundity”
Future-2
(inverted “e”)
euh
“e” in “the”
Future
i (undotted)
i
“i” in “fin”
Near future-2
i
ee
“ee” in “feet”
Near future
ai
ai
“y” in “fly”
Future-present-3
ei
aey
“ai” in “fail”
Future-present-2
e
e
“e” in “fen”
Present
ae
a
“a” in “fan”
Past-present-2
D
aa
“o” in “fog”
Past-present-3
a
aue
“a” in “father”
Near past
(reversed “c”)
au
“a” in “law”
Near past-2
a w
aow
“ow” in “fowl”
Near past-3
o w
oe
“oa” in “foal”
Past
w
uu
“o” in “phone”
Past-2
u
oo
“oo” in “food”
Past-3
(reversed “c” + j)
oy
“oi” in “foiled”
Remote past
ju
yu
“ieu” in “adieu”
The root of a verb is written as “l’v’n” (“to understand something”) or “l’n” (“to understand”); “h’l’n” (“to light up/illuminate something”) or “h’n” (“to illuminate”).
The passive voice is formed by adding the prefix “a-“ to the verb, e.g., “a-lauvun” (“to have been understood by...”). The negative is formed by adding the prefix “da.”
Adjectival and noun forms of the verb are found using the trailing letter of the root (“n” in the above cases). This trailer (1) omitted for verb forms, (2) an “l” for adjectival forms (describing the nature of the verb), (3) an “m” for noun forms describing a particular case of the verb (e.g., “his understanding” versus “understanding” spoken of generally), and (4) an “n” for noun forms describing the general verb.
The indicative is formed without any suffix. The imperative is formed by the suffix, “a.” The subjunctive is formed variously, depending on meaning, by adding: (1) “i” for the subjunctive of “ought” (desired), (2) “ai” for the subjunctive of “should” (likely), (3) “au” for the subjunctive of “might” (desire), (4) “u” for the subjunctive of “might” (possibility), (5) “r” for the subjunctive of “would have” (desired), (6) “yu” for the subjunctive of “would have” (didn’t).
Several examples: “lai’ha” = “understand!” “lyur’i” or “lyuver’i” = “always ought to understand.” “halai’ia” = “light up!” when spoken to the Stone or its shards.
Adjectives and adverbs are generally tacked onto the front of the word being modified with a “-.” “A” in the passive form of verbs is considered an adverb.
Comparatives are generally formed by adding the following suffixes: (1) “e” or “er” for positive comparative, (2) “o” or “or” for negative comparative, (3) “ei” or “eri” for positive superlative, (4) “ui” or “uri” for negative superlative.
Modifiers may be created by using the “l” trailer for verbs or by adding “l” or “eil” or “iel” to nouns (e.g., ateil: “yours”).
Nouns never end in “l” and usually not in “r,” and only verbal nouns end in “n” or “m.” For non-verbal nouns, the suffixes “m” and “n” are used to denote the definite or indefinite nature of the noun (e.g., adding “m” is the same as the article “the” and adding “n” is the same as the articles “a” and “an”).
Plurals are formed by adding “ave” or “ve” for a few or “eive” or “yve” for many.
For organizational purposes, it is also useful to present the following lists:
1
Af
10
Kaf
2
Av
11
Kav
3
As
12
Kas
4
Az
13
Kaz
5
Ash
14
Kash
6
Azh
15
Kazh
7
Ax
16
Kax
8
Aw
17
Kaw
9
Kau
18
Dau
Other important numbers are 27: “Xau,” 81 (92): “Kekau,” 243: “Xekau,” and 729 (93): “Drae,” 0: “Aud.” For instance, 300 would be “Kek-avxas” (243+2*27+3). 2000 would be “Avdrae-avkek-avxav” (2*729+2*243+2*27+2).
The ordinal numbers (“first,” “second,” etc.) are formed by adding “eil” to all the numbers with consonantal endings and “l” to the even numbers, “Kau,” “Dau,” etc.
A list of the interrogatives is presented here. Adjectival forms are invariably produced by adding “eil.”
Abstract what
kyr
ex: something/ nothing
Abstract who (what kind of person)
ky
ex: baker/ friend/ nobody/ someone
Abstract when
kyv
ex: sooner/ later/ long ago/ forever
Abstract where
kyf
ex: here/ everywhere/ indoors/ lost
How
kysh
ex: general methods or conditions
Why
kyt
ex: general causes
Specific what
kyir
ex: a rock/ a river/ a tree
Specific who
kyi
ex: Alik/ me/ Stuart/ Stuart’s horse
Specific when (what time)
kyiv
ex: 4:00/ daytime/ 12a. 450.
Specific where (what place)
kyif
ex: on an island/ in a cave/ Ristoria
Specific how (what method/ way)
kyish
ex: I have malaria/ turn it to the left
Specific why (what cause/ reason)
kyit
ex: he made me do it/ the dog ate it
The personal pronouns are as follows:
I/me
ce
we
ceae
you (singular)
te (teh, tet)
you (plural)
teae (teaeh, teaet)
he
veat
them (masculine)
veaet
she
veah
them (feminine)
veaeh
it
vea
them (neuter)
veae
The colors are as follows:
White
Hil
Indigo
Symel
Red
Rel
Sky blue
Symil
Pink
Relil
Blue-violet
Zyll
Flushed (skin)
Reul
Violet
Zyiel
Flesh-colored
Ul
Purple
Xel
Orange
Raul
Black
Lel
Yellow
Hal
Grey
Hlel
Gold-colored
Hunl
Silver-colored
Hietel
Green
Perl
Metallic-colored
Litthil
Sea-green
Persyal
Brown
Tul
Forest-green
Persyl
Tan
Tuil
Blue
Syl
Dark brown
Tullel
A.
A (adj) acted upon (denotes passive voice in verbs)
Ae (conj) and
Aeget (n) cave
Aegetri (n) cavern (large cave)
Aeir’v’n (v) (semi-passive) helping, being served, imagining or having dreams, sustaining
(often reflexive; te aeir’v’n: to help one’s self)
Ael (adv) mostly
Aelam’v’n (v) hearing; sensing by ear
Aephreih (n) peace, active fulfillment of desire through divine connection, peace treaty,
reconciliation, communion with the divine
Aere (n) the air
Aervy (n) the wind
Aev (adv) now
Aezachr’v’n (v) lusting, having sexual dreams
Af (adj) the number one
Ail (adv) probably; most likely
Al (adv) yes
Alevo (adj) southeast
Alo (adj) south
Alvo (adj) southwest
Al’v’n (v) accepting
Aow (prep) (expressing origin) from, by, of, about, out of, made of
Aowev (adv) length of time from thence (kyiv aowev: how long ago?)
Ar (adj) this; this thing
As (adj) the number three
Ash (adj) the number five
Au (prep) (expressing purpose) for, because of, in order to, that, so that, to, toward
Aud (adj) the number zero
Aue (prep) (expressing location) in, on, by, between, among, near, with, in company with
Auo (conj) or
Av (adj) the number two
Aw (adj) the number eight
Ax (adj) the number seven
Az (adj) the number four
Azh (adj) the number six
B.
Ba (adj) sudden
Bh’k’n (v) lightning striking
Bies (adj) strong
Bies’v’n (v) strengthening
Bria (n) energy, power
Br’k’n (v) forcing
Braj’r’n (v) rewriting, correcting, changing (as of writing or of a story)
C.
Caaedoor’v’n (v) vacillating (from one opposite to the other)
Caedor’v’n (v) wavering in indecision
Cael’v’n (v) discerning
Caen’v’n (v) deciding
Cam’h’n (v) acting, doing
Caram’v’n (v) fearing
Cashir’v’n (v) hoping
Cawvas (n) teacher, guide, mental leader
Cawvd’r’n (v) misleading
Cawv’r’n (v) leading, guiding
Cazflahstaea (n) the conception of all things (all the elements) at once as a unity
Ce (pron) I, me
Ceae (pron) we
Ceve (n) people
Ceynt’v’n (v) needing
Chalm’v’n (v) smelling; sensing by smell
Chalum’v’n (v) smelling, stinking
Ch’r’n (v) loving (“I love you” = “ce te-cha” or “ce cha te” or “ce te-chyurr”)
Cihr’v’n (v) frightening, terrifying, scaring
Cin’h’n (v) intending (“meaning, intent” = “cinm” (particular) or “cinn” (general))
Cindor’v’n (v) deciding against, judging against
Cir’v’n (v) thinking, pondering, cogitating
Cishe (n) desire
Cish’r’n (v) desiring
Ciwe (n) will; the principle of the mind
Ciw’l’n (v) being willing (as to do something)
Core (n) the mind (plural: “sentient life” = “coreve”)
Corshewa (n) magician, wizard
C’r’n (v) knowing (intellectually)
Cyosh’f’n (v) longing for, missing
D.
Dabr’s’n (v) closing
Dau (adj) the number eighteen
De (adv) no more
Dehyd’r’n (v) drowning; dying in water
De’i (prep) (expressing transitiveness) from, out of, away from
Dhev’s’n (v) punishing, givin
g evil
Diaez’v’n (v) binding, chaining, restraining
Diec (n) sorrow
Djicew (n) daydream, foolishness
Djicewt (n) established daydream, e.g., myth, fable
Djicew’v’n (v) daydreaming, walking with one’s head in the clouds
Do (adv) no; prefixing a verb: negative of the verb
Dol (adv) not
Dolki (pron) nobody
Dolkif (adv) nowhere
Dolkir (pron) nothing
Dolkish (adv) no way; impossible to perform
Dolkit (adv) without cause; for no reason
Dolkiv (adv) never
Dolsha (prep) without
Does’v’n (v) not lasting
Dos’v’n (v) not being
Du (adv) no less
D’v’n (v) dying
E.
E (adj) a little; somewhat; included in a vowel of a root of a verb: lengthener/magnifier
Ee (adj) more
Emn (adv) maybe; possibly
Eom (adv) slightly
Esieam’v’n (v) charring, incinerating
Evo (adj) east
F.
Faiz’r’n (v) developing, maturing
Fij’r’n (v) being sleepy, tired
Fir’v’n (v) growing
Florae (n) tree
Flore (n) plant life
Florhyde (n) water-growing plants
Florthere (n) land-growing plants
Friz (n) flower
Friz’r’n (v) flowering
F’r’n (v) ?
G.
Gab (n) door