Chapter 16

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

2. Koelae, 24,536 - Son
Today’s first thing, Remaue and I hied to Lady-Mother’s house. She met us at breakfast, where we told her the whole tale of Semuane and Lady Maiali. Lady-Mother took it lissomely and spoke we had rightly come. What Lady Maiali’s craftiness may become she knows not, though she reckons it is else than Qabarat’s alliance with Son. Qabarat’s matrons play many games amongst themselves, she beread. Lady Semuane’s bestrivenness could work a blow against the High Matron, Lady Ivassil, and so further Lady Maiali’s sake. She bade us have no more deals with the Qabarata and should leave this business with her. I took her word with ill mood, for the Qabarata will leave soon.
At our leave, we ran into my brother Devaeas, who has news of Qoelu-spoor within dayfare of the City. Even grimmer, he has word of a Queenslayer’s sight. He reads the time is now to gather a hunt. I beread that, if the Qoelu-spoor is so great as he tells, then the Citadel must rouse. I bade him tell Lady-Mother while Remaue and I hastened to the Citadel, where we told Lady-Captain. I gave Lady-Captain word that Devaeas and Elarue are doughty Qoelu-hunters, and with her leave I would bring them on any huntfare. She agreed, and also read I seemingly have some willing warriors to follow me (though she spoke no word of a flag), and that I should gather them. Thrillingly we left to find our friends and Krastaes.

3. Koelae
Today Qabarat’s Embassy left, which much fanfare, though I gave little heed. My thoughts are foretaken with our Qoelu-hunt upcoming, and also Semuane.
Yesternight Semuane came to me. She sorrowed at their leaveforth and was lonely for me. Also she is fearful she has found a foe in Lady Maiali, who has grim weight back in Qabarat and can miswreck her livelihood. She swore both me and Remaue truth, however, that she will never do anything to bethreaten us. She had to steal back ere foredawn, whereafter I wept in Remaue’s arms, who foretold I will meet her again. Even so, I miss her sorely.
After the Embassy’s boat left, work began for the Qoelu-hunt. Lady-Mother yesterday upcalled a fird, and today we have more than a hundred-eighty warriors, including sixty Shota-riders. Twenty outriders will host, and both Lady-Captain and Captain Dosuaesh will lead.
Also, I have a flag, even if it be a small and unnamed thing. At my call came Tae, Less, and Oshis (I have forbidden Erymi, owing of her bechildness, though she wept sorely), and rightly Remaue. Krastaes came at Remaue’s word, as also did Devaeas and Elarue, who both have Shotalashu. Then came someone unforeseen - Lady Istae, who had cracked my rib in the spear-tilt. She outspoke it would be her honor to join Krastaes under my flag, whereat I offered to let her ride as my Firstspear. Then came Nae, who has forgiven her arm’s burnscar from the Swart-thing fight, and Hanos who had firded under Tae. I reckon us a strong hunting-troop and am thrilled to lead tomorrow.
Tonight we camp beyond the City, on Father-Yaro’s eastern bank among the farmholds north of Tonyol. We spent all afternoon ferrying the host. Tomorrow begins the hunt.

4. Koelae, 24,536 - North of Son
This morn, in answer to trustworthy news from outlying farmholds, we drove northward. A well-sized Yaruk-herd had grazed and reft a catcorn field. The beastmasters beread that, if they have found full food, they will not stir, which gives us a good goalstead to find them.
For most, we have fared near the river, since we have a flatbark and three shuttleboats in service. If we go further northward, we lose the river. Also is the chance that the Qoelu may swim the river and try the western bank, which would be well, since the foothills’ roughness and many streams running from the mountains would hem them neatly, though we would still need to cross Father-Yaro. The boats are our boon.
Along with my ere-spoken fellows, I also have the bowrider-troop Lord-Captain Dosuesh had bequeathed. Their Firstbow is Draue, and Larye is Elderbow. True to my fear, the warriors have named us the Maiden-Flag. Whether they mean so worshipfully or scornfully I cannot read.

5. Koelae - 2nd Day North; Han-Farmhold
Some things today. First, our path has left Father-Yaro. We loaded so much stocks as we could from the boats, who will follow so near as canny. We had word of Qoelu-sight at Han-Farmhold, and thither hastened.
While we marched, we met other fird-troops gathering from the neighboring farmholds. Our warrior-tally has swollen to almost three hundred. Lady-Captain did not miss to send scoutfares, which mean we will soon have news of the whole neighborland.
Ere noontide, we got our first Qoelu-sight: three Yaruks following a streambow, and hastily. Soon as they smelled, they fled into a canegrass grove. Though their heavy claws and fat tails make easy track, it is rough ground to follow. The captains sent a beastmaster and a troop to afterhunt. Devaeas spoke the Yaruks seemed spooked, which I agreed.
Latenoon found us at Han-Farmhold, where we beheld a fell sight. The farmhold was overrun; fields trampled, thursefolds broken, and hometree and houses all forsaken. A scout found the farmers hiding in the brushwood, who aharden what our trackers had already bewitted. The whole Qoelu-herd had overrun herethrough, with great loss of health, harvest, and, ownership.
While we overlooked the wreck, Devaeas led me aside. Quoth he, nothing in this stroke beread right behavior. Yaruks, though they greedily settle in a catcorn-field or riceberry pond, do not come near households. They mislike firesmoke, and the farmwives’ Shotalashu will withstand them. They would only so run, he reckoned, if something feller and dreadfuller afrightened. His full meaning-weight became clear as I recked his grimness.
Straightway I sought Lady-Captain and told this rede. At her leave, I bade our little flag-troop to scout and backtrack the Yaruks’ flight. Worse things than they prowl the open moorlands and might follow them.
A short path led to a field where the stampede had started. Catcorn had stood full ready to harvest, a foretrying snack for the four-boatweight Qoelu. Now the reedstalks lay torn, and earth trampled, where great claw-swathes had rent the ground and thrown clods. Devaeas and Elarue read the torn ground and settled upon a track-set. They bade us follow.
The track led to a canegrass grove, where seemingly a whirlwind had stricken. A great swath was forbeaten. Amongst the grove dry gore hung from the canegrass limbs. The ground was blood-soaked, and scraps of hide and crushed bone lay all about. Something had died here, a Yaruk, deemed Elarue when he found a broken horn-crest, and had been slain. Then my brother Devaea pointed at a clawmark, wider than a Yaruk’s, and longer, wickeder claws. Queenslayer - Nysshalora, in the Sage-Queens' elder tongue - he named. Against myself, I froze. I bethought pictures I had seen in the lorehall, an awful dreadthing five heights of a Damaya, and born to kill and eat all it meets; a dreadful skull overset in the Citadel’s main hall, with knifelike teeth and fangs swordlike, inset within a jaw that could rip a Shota’s breastbone in half; and scythe-limbs that can slay anything it meets. If this wildwaif hunted among our folk, I had no guess what we must do.
I asked Devaeas reckon whither the Queenslayer was gone. Then I sent a rider back to the host, with word to the captains what we would afterhunt, and our way. Soon as my brother and Elarue read the spoor, we outheaded.
I write this log beside our campfire while we bed tonight. Luckily, Elarue reads that Queenslayers are not night-hunters, which means little likelihood of nighttide mishap. We must stir ere dawn to track this Qoelu ere it wreaks harm.