I got a comment roughly asking if Chuu will ever find out that Vaile left of his own free will and if the misunderstanding will be cleared up. I figured it was as good a point as any (especially seeing as how we are one chapter away from starting Book 2( yes, the next chapter is the last for Boook 1)) to delve into Rattan culture, psychology and motivations, even if it is only a toe in the pool. The following is my answer to the question and a further explainations of things. This was too long for a comment, so here it is in chapter form. Enjoy.
Ahem
The Rattan have hated the Dwarves for a long, long time. I, as the author, like to think that Chuu's decision to wage war was a mix of misunderstanding the situation combined with them finally having a reason that they could use to get all the clans together for a decisive war of conquest. Without that specific justification, calling for the war would have been impossible. Vaile being 'captured' and from the capital no less was the perfect reason Chuu could have that would force every single Rattan in the whole Under-Empire to march for a single cause, a cause that may very well see them killed in horrible, painful fashions, used as food or as shields against both Dwarven and friendly fire alike.
The Rattan are, on a fundemental level, inherently egotistical, narcisistic and self-serving, so getting them to all agree to support a war that would surely see many, many of them killed in droves (possibly themselves as well, perish the thought!) would not be popular at all and may even result in further divisions.
Chuu may be damn powerful, but but she is only one being, and most Rattan are too blinded by their own self-importance and ego to realize just what she can do if Chuu decides to turn her attention towards them in a very hostile way. Of course, when she does or is in the area and they can feel her power hanging in the air, they quickly realize (albeit temporarily) that doing what she says is a very good idea and a good way of staying alive for a bit longer. Once her gaze is elsewhere? Well, it is out of sight, out of mind. Rattan have a very poor ability to remember that something that was a threat can and probably is still one, unless they fall under its gaze again. This is due to their overinflated self-importance that is the cause of most backstabbing, plotting and scheming in the Under-Empire.
They are smart and perceptive enough to realize that a war of total conquest with the Dwarves has a high likelyhood of them possibly dying and being eaten/ forgotten, though. And no sane Rattan wants to die and be forgotten/ eaten (or die to begin with). And what can unite them and can make them decide to potentially make the ultimate sacrifice? Even more than the possible food/ riches/ power/ position that a final victory would give the survivors? Even more than the favor (albeit fleeting) of the Ruling Council?
That thing is the one figure they all worship far more than Chuu. The one that males want to be comapnions with (for purely selfish reasons) and females want to be the only mate of.
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Vaile being killed/ captured was the only way Chuu could have gotten the clans to wage war as a united front and have millions throw away their lives for inches of ground. And it worked. When everyone found out what the evil Beard-things did to Vaile, everyone decided to potentially die to save him.
Did Chuu plan for that?
No.
Does it matter?
No.
Vaile was captured and Chuu now had both a carrot and a stick to use to drive the Under-Empire to war.
Will Chuu find out that Vaile is okay and just ran away because he didn't want to be under permenant house arest and forced to engage in rat-woman snu-snu? Yes.
But will it matter to Chuu, the most quintessential Rattan of Rattan? I, the author, severely doubt it. Like I said, Rattan are so overly self-obsscessed and narcisitstic in the extreme and each individual views themselves as the best thing in the world (with the exception of Vaile, of course). Chuu will, like any Rattan in any situation they ever find themselves in, rationalize Vaile's decisions and choices in a way that puts zero blame or resposiblility on herself or the rest of the Ruling Council (and none on him, of course) and shift everything in her favor.
And, like the Rattan she is, she will still see capturing Vaile and having him as her and the other four's personal breeding stud as the best possible outcome for all parties involved. Vaile's personal choices mean nothing to her or the other four, because they, like the Rattan they are, will internally alter everything he says to suit their own personal world view.
I will now give an example as to how Chuu thinks.
When he got grumpy about the mass cruelty and stangling/ snappig the neck of little girl? Well, that was just him trying to test Chuu to seee if she was truly capable of being the leader she is. His anger at her refusing to be more merciful? That was him FAKING anger as a further test.He was never angry, and neverlacked contentment about his pace and postion. He was happy in is new life and he was glad and even overjoyed to be her personal breeding stud! How could anyone even concieve of a world where Vaile would have been unhappy or wanted to leave? Even if he did want to leave, it was not him wanting to leave at all! It was some unseen and unknown force making him want to leave, making him uncontent! She was doing everything right for him, and someone or something decided to get in her way and take what rightfully belogs to her.
See what I mean? That is how her kind sees things. It is never their fault, everything is always going their way and when it isn't it is the fault of someone else. They are the best at everything and everyone likes them and does what they want and says what they say. Anyone who says otherwise is an untrustworthy being and trying to stab you in the back, and anyone who does is also untrustworthy because they are secretly plotting against them and are, like everyone else, responsible for every ill that has ever befallen them.
She will find Vaile. Multiple times, even. But for everyone's sake (excepte her's) Vaile has to stay moving and get away because if he doesn't he will have to deal with a group of four crazy rat ladies who will drug him up and tie him down so that he never gets taken from them ever again.
Tl;DR is Yes, she will find out, but it won't matter because she, as the prime example of her race, is too self-obsessed to care that the object of her affection is a person that has wants and need that she either is unable or unwilling to provide.