I'd like to introduce myself to you all~; I am Talia Milenko,
daughter of Maliquai Milenko and proud soldier in the army
of Ashtan.

My dear great uncle Cohen has a rather strange definition of
valor in my opinion, and I will get to that in a minute. First
I would like to correct those who keep calling the soldiers of
Ashtan 'hired mercenaries'. I personally have been an Ashtan
citizen since my birth, and joined the militia when the war was
declared against my hometown. As well, the rest of my soldier
friends were citizens of Ashtan well before this war broke out,
and are not being paid by the city to defend it. We are defending
our city because we believe in it, and feel obligated to thwart
the overzealous, and presumptuous attitudes of those that have
declared war upon us. I'm surprised that your spies haven't been
able to report to you all the real reason that the 'hired mercs'
are in Ashtan, why they will remain in Ashtan and why they are
willing to fight without compensation for Ashtan's cause. Since
they are so lacking, I will give you a summary. They are standing
by Ashtan because of an obligation made long ago to a loyal member
of Ashtan, to the request that when the world once again turns its
wrath on the city that they will do what all they can to prevent it


Valor and honor are words being tossed about by the 'alliance'
like so much candy to a child, while they truly don't understand
the meaning of either of these concepts. We of Ashtan are honorable
in this less-than honorable war. We have not killed citizens of
our enemies that were not in the militia or had not actively attacked
us first. I cannot say the same for the alliance, for they have in
fact killed one of my childers who was not only a novice, but not
citizened or in any militia, but simply for being 'in' Ashtan. They
have used safe rooms to hide in, when we and our allies of Spinesreach
are without such luxuries, and thus the forces of Spinesreach were
slaughtered one by one from the comfort of those safe rooms. This
shows me the lack of honor that the alliance has. They have gone to
great lengths to edge and further their side, when they have outnumbered
us 10-1 from the get go.

As far as valor in war, dear great Uncle, your Lady Slyphe declared
war upon us. She has sent forces into our city to attack us and you
say that it is unhonrable to attack her forces on Her land?. If you
do not wish to have your blood wash through Her temple, them perhaps
you should stop hiding in there.

As for us 'hiding in holes' that is laughable. We of Ashtan are not
the ones cowering in safe rooms inside a temple so that we don't have
to fight.We are out in the world, unhidden, fighting, and wining when
we do so. This is what honor and valor in combat is. Standing tall
and unafraid of death, to protect our city, our citizens and our
Freedom to be who and what we are, without interference or forced
'change' from others whose motives are not altruistic.

A small note about my aunt Ariel's post and the subsequent replies.
I applaud you Ariel for choosing to stand by your city and your family
even when you didn't know the full extent of the war you were entering.

Ashtan may be small , but the will of those who stay and fight with
Her will reap the rewards of the Bastion of the North and of Freedom
to do and be what you are, without prejudice.

Proud citizen and soldier of Ashtan,
Talia Melinko


Penned by my hand on the 20th of Khepary, in the year 123 MA.