A Castrovel Adventure: Part 3, Chapter 2

In which Lady Vaeol describes her flag's arrival in Valmaeana

From the Daylog of Vaeol-Zheieveil u’Zhasaele Zolaemaue be’Son

(continued from 10. Soelae, 24,541 ZS: 2nd Day Northbound from Qoaronaea...)
We sailed southward at Blighttide’s start: our Son-Retaea flag-host upon a sailship along with Qabarat warriors, where we spent the next five months, but for seldom breaks at harbor. Beingly, we were going as a link-host to Qabarat’s strength, which is standard for many yearhundreds, since Qabarat yields ships and oversees the warfare. Thus we clove with firds from many other burghs - Hanazhyana, Mahyat, Lasahaua, and Reshat. I have heard sometimes even skyriders from Ofu Laubu come southward and join the host, though seldomly, since their burgh lies so far north. We then had almost a half-year seafare down the Shattersea Shore, where we stopped at many steads: first Lasahaua, and then Nivaea at the mouth of Great Father Hisyho, the world’s mightiest river. At each stop, more ships joined the fleet until we tallied more than fifty ships.
I also learned that all did not stand easy within the Western Asana Alliance, and also that, if Son at times has rankled under Qabarat’s foremostness, we are not alone. Qabarat also claims kinship with the Valmaeyana, for back when Qabarat was an Elfburgh, the first Lashunta who came to dwell there were brokenfolk from Lost Valmaea. Yet Lasahaua, a wealthy trade-burgh within the Eastern Shattersea, has often dared their leadership. Reshat, which is outcomefully a Qabarat colony in the Western Shatttersea, staunchly upholds their motherburgh, while Nivaea further south offplays them. Thus Qabarat spends great strength to uphold their stead among the alliance, almost much as fighting the Formians. For us from the North, this knowledge opened eyes.
None of this strife, however, recks a whit to Valmaeyana, our fleet’s goal and host. Their land lies at the eastern side of the Straits of Glory, as the islands between Asana and the Colonies are named, which stead makes them nearest to the Formians. From their witstead, they lead the alliance.
We learned soon how outlandish the Valmaeyana are when we docked at Qoaronaea - the City of the War-Goddesses. The whole burgh is a great stronghold, or moreso set of strongholds, built at a mountain’s foot. Others have told the town’s wardworks even stretch until hollows and delves within the mountain. Our ships docked under great firespouts and bolt-casters, easily canny of wrecking and sinking anything that may come within shotlength. Yet the wallworks were not the oddest thing, which we beheld soon.
When we unshipped, we were gathered into rows. Then a captain greeted us and bade that henceforth, until our fird-tide’s end, Damaya and Korasha were forbidden from loveplay with each other. If caught, guilt-boot should get a whipstroke, and that, for a Damaya’s bechildness, her hair should be shorn and she should shamefully be sent homeward. Then she told we should henceforth learn Valmaean warfare.
Then began a right hard year, almost like becoming a newling all again, full of drill, march, and watchtide. Like all Lashunta of Western Asana, the Valmaeyana follow standard warriorhood with Damaya widely as Shota-riders and Korasha as footmen. Yet they take drill to frightful outstretch. Among themselves, children go to war-hall early as twenty years old, where they learn ruthlessly. Quoth Krastaes, who had ere come here, they are made to fight even to win daily meal and are sent into wilderness to hunt and glean for themselves, as even theft. Korasha are not deemed men until they slay a Formian in warfare, whereon a reeve may claim him as mate and add him to her sith. Likewise, a Damaya may not become a wife until she undergoes battle, and even afterward not until she claim a man, which may beneed her daring and fighting another wife. While at warfare, they are forbidden to cleave with each other, to shun forehap that a Damaya may so be weakened afight from bechildness.
From childhood, I was used to sight of Korasha fighting for sport. Yet here also Damaya fight samely, which I learned when a Valmaean outrider dared me in most queenly wise. Since my schooltide I have often heard I have a shy mood. Yet both Semuane and Istae’s eyes widened when this wide-hipped Damaya stood near and poked my breast. I reckoned it best to teach these Southerners couthness, along with my nameworth, and so gave a smartly aimed knee in her gut, which I repeated until she yielded. Shortly I left the Valmaean retching aground, though I coddled a bloody nose afterward.
Somehow, even after all this while together, Vosaeth had never learned that Semuane and I had met through a weapon-trial against each other. She deemed she needed to prove worthy of our fellowship. So she threw herself into these sport-fights, which she mightily begladdened while we cheered her, even against the bruises and cuts.
In all this new drilltide, the Valmaeyana early told us that anything we knew of warcraft we should forget and instead follow their wise. Not theirs is the swift rainwood scoutfare. Instead, they drill a heavy, bloody-minded warcraft enthriven unmerely to ward their burghs, but to slay so many Formians as they can. Thus goes the endless war over the Straits of Glory, each side trying to drive back their foe. Years may slumber when no wrathfulness outbreaks. Yet one side ever uptakes warfare and strikes.
Oughtful to my rank and seercraft, I was often bidden to wait on the High Staff, where I met many ladies and saw much of the hallcraft that outplays among the Lashunta alliance. Soon, however, we were oversent to Komena, a harbor-stronghold that serves as lesser haven for Qoaronaea and gets much freight for the greater burgh, and there spent our year training. Some muttered it an offthank - dolefully the Qabarata - though I yielded no mind.