The Maidens' War II Lore Books

Description

About how the Maidens’ war ended.

Text

The Maidens’ War
and about it’s end

And the women in their warring oft employed deceit and ambuscade. Here under the guise of a lover one slit the throat of a young man; there another, feigning to be a respectable daughter, her own father in his own home did stab. One day Ctirad, who did in combat slay a great number of Vlasta’s she-warriors, set off with a company of his men and did with their own ears hear a mournful crying and did see with their own eyes a beautiful girl chained nearby a rock, a hunter’s horn hanging from her neck, who entreated them to show unto her mercy and to free her from her bonds.

Ctirad, having cast aside all caution, dismounted and did draw near to the girl to set her free. The girl gave thanks unto him and did relay to him that she was called Sharka and that the women of Děvín had pounced upon her and bound her for her unwillingness to wage war against the men, and to humiliate her had hung the horn upon her neck for her to call for help. And before her they set a vessel of mead, for her agony to stoke as she died of thirst. He comforted her and together the mead they did drink and they conversed, until the entire company was overcome by sleep, and Ctirad, emboldened by the mead and the delicate voice of Sharka, the horn did grasp and blow it with the full force of his lungs. Forthwith a storm did arise. A cry rang out and from all sides did ascend upon them bands of armed women, and having slayed all the men, put Ctirad into the restraints from which he had ere freed Sharka. She stood above him, laughing.

In the morn, for to mock the men, a great wheel was brought out in front of Děvín and in its spokes was woven the broken body of Ctirad… When the other man had received news of this happening, young and old from all corners of the land sprang forth to avenge his tortuous death. None had ever seen such an army as the one that then laid siege to Děvín and soon conquered it. Many girls fell upon that day, and many more fled, never to be seen again. Those that survived begged their brothers and fathers for forgiveness, yet spared they were not. When the men had slain the girl’s army in its entirety, then then took to destroying Děvín, until all that remained was dust. And thus was ended this time of strife.