All's Fair in Love and War - Chapt. 7

"Infantry." Said Valerian, sitting at the coffee table with a fragment of his report in hand. Victoria stood looking out the window, listening. "Crossbowmen. Mounted knights. Not to mention the paladins."

"And we only have one of those four." She lamented, taking a few slow aimless steps across the room. In due time they ended, her gaze falling aimless once more. "...We can get archers and cavalry."

"How? Even if we got their equipment, they'll be militia in quality at best."

"Mael-Iydan and Charadonia. I could ask them for equipment and instructors."

Valerian felt it naive. Elves and rats respectively, though the elves alone would prove a formidable challenge to convince. He had figured it a miracle that Caedisia joined, but it still was quite the commitment to send materiel in such quantities.

"...You sure about that?"

"You of all people are asking me that? You weren't even sure about our raid, but at least it stopped Nostrum's for a while."

Silenced, Valerian sunk into his chair. Though clear thoughts of failure haunted him, the slight chance of success tempted him over and over. To have their archers trained by elves, no less. To have their cavalry trained by those nomadic rats, of all people. It felt so great a blessing if it did happen that it skipped right into pure fiction of a possibility.

"Right. We should try it, if nothing else." He sighed. "What about the infantry?"

"What about it?"

"Spear and shield with a sword as backup can be versatile, but I'm not imagining it doing much against those knights and paladins."

Though Victoria had paused in thought, her steps began anew.

"Then we'll have to get ours." She answered.

"What, paladins?"

"Caedisia doesn't have the equipment for an entire fully armored army, but I'm sure I can get Caroline to lend me more than a few suits of armor she might have in her country. Wont be much, but it might be our little equivalent to them. We'll have to train our dullahans mercilessly now, day and night, no effort spared. We have too little time before Nostrum starts raiding again."

"I can imagining the whining..." He said. Then, a memory surfaced. At that moment, he rummaged in a bag beside his chair. "Say, I mentioned to Catherine the issue of getting more dullahans. She might have something to help."

His words sparked her wonder. She stopped in place with curiosity in her eyes, to then approach him as he took out a rolled paper. He extended it to her, who took it and unrolled it, seeing what widened her eyes.

A drawing. Quite in high detail, as well. She saw a few dullahans, standing in stance with their spears and shields as if readying for an enemy formation afar out of view. On their surcoats, they sported the crest of Variland, the lotus flower of eight petals. Below it, a call for recruitment was written, a call to Variland's service.

A recruitment poster.

"Who drew this?"

"Catherine."

"She can draw?" She asked, lifting her eyes to him.

"For a good few years now. It's been her hobby when there's nothing else going on."

There was nothing left to say. She had no words to speak, much less any in negativity. To say she liked it would've been an understatement, caught by surprise. Her eyes shifted from Valerian to the drawing and again to Valerian.

"...This needs to be copied." She said. "I can find everyone who can draw to copy this and even make new ones in the same way. We can spread these in the major cities. If we had a thousand so fast just from the capital, imagine what these and spreading the word will do!"

Valerian let out a quiet laugh.

"Catherine's gonna be happy that you liked it that much."

---

"You arrive uninvited, lilim."

So greeted a cross-armed woman in elegant regalia. The pointy ears under her flowing chestnut hair said enough of her race. The High Lordess of Mael-Iydan and its elves, a nation more forest than not. A stereotypical image, almost, with her dress of thin silk adorned with imagery of leaves and branches. Even her castle had mostly comprised itself of wood, a structure seemingly more oriented towards aesthetic than a utilitarian defensive purpose. To call it a castle now, when the Nostrians held the fortress of Makillae, felt no longer fitting.

"Requesting an audience would only open me up for rejection, would it not?" Said Victoria, returning the same tone she received.

"You certainly should. I don't expect you to turn around and leave, so... speak."

"I want your elves to train my dullahans in archery."

The elf returned no words for those few seconds, only furrowed brows in utter concern.

"I'd laugh," she answered, "but it's more depressing that you're not even applying the bare minimum effort in convincing me before I say no."

"You expect me to waste my effort for something that'll end with the same result?"

Sighing, the elf lowered her arms. "Let's skip this drivel. You still came despite being fully aware of what to expect. Go on, elaborate."

"I'm at war with Nostrum. They found a way into the demon realms. I need archers, and none of my dullahans know how to shoot. I need someone to train them."

"And your argument that'd supposedly convince me is...?"

"If Variland falls, you're next."

At first, she said nothing. Past a second, the elf let out a faint wheezing with an all too amused smirk.

"They're free to try." She said. "They'll get shot down as soon as they cross the border.

"Have you ever fought them?"

"I sure hope I won't have to, since that'd mean your beloved Variland fell to a bunch of round-ears."

There was no change of expression for Victoria. She stared cold, focused, to then takes a few steps forward to her. The proximity, the breach of personal space, was enough to make the elf's smug smirk contort in discomfort.

"I sent an army against them, once." Said Victoria, low enough to almost be a whisper. For how close she was, the elf could hear it in full clarity. "A thousand dullahans. A retired Lord General led them, no amateur at all. Do you know how that ended, Elly?"

"...My name is Elizab--"

"The Lord General is dead."

The words kept Elizabeth in stasis, unchanging, saying nothing after the fact. Her looks of discomfort remained, mixed with what stress the lilim's news granted her.

"Nostrum killed him. They defeated the entire army, and let the rest go. Nostrum's power was of such magnitude that they could tell themselves that they'd kill one single person out of an an entire army, and do so successfully. They're not stupid, and they're not weak. They won't march in broad daylight into your lands asking to get shot, either. They'll sneak in at night and burn every single one of your dear forests with your people inside, roasted like pigs on a campfire. They did that to Helmsreach with just twenty men, it it was a miracle that nobody died. What do you think will happen when ten thousand of them decide to pay you a visit?"

Victoria waited for a second, piercing Elizabeth's eyes with her uninterrupted gaze as they stood face to face. She then took a step back and waited, but saw Elizabeth not do a thing. It was clear from the elf's face that she found it an uncomfortable idea, but there was still hesitation in her mind. Though Victoria did not get a refusal, she did not get an agreement either. Of course she'd be a tough nut to crack.

Without ungluing her eyes off the elf's, Victoria slowly shook her head.

"Don't call for us when those men start looking your way. We'll all be dead by then."

With nothing to drown out the sound of her steps, Victoria turned and began walking away.

"...Wait." Called Elizabeth, halting Victoria in her tracks.

At her words, the lilim grinned. Once she forced that grin to subside, she turned to the elf enough to look from the corner of her eyes.

"Let's say I'd rather have you as neighbour than those men." She continued. "What will you need?"

"Equipment and instructors." Answered Victoria, turning fully towards her. "I need archers. I have the manpower, but not the skill nor the equipment. You won't have to put your own people in danger in foreign lands."

"That's all?"

"That's all."

No immediate answer. Victoria still saw hesitation in Elizabeth's eyes, torn at the answer. Perhaps complacency had not been a sin exclusive to Variland. A demon realm facing a war of this magnitude, as well as a true potential invasion, had been naught but bedtime stories mothers scared their children with. No doubt Elizabeth was as shocked as she herself had been at the start, though granted the luxury of hearing it in foreign lands than facing it herself.

"...Very well." Said Elizabeth. "I'll send what I can your way."

Like a massive weight had dropped from her shoulders, Victoria grew a warm smile in endless relief.

---

The horizon etched an almost perfect line. Without a hint of mountains or hills, of forests or buildings, the scenery extended on to infinity. She could see it all as she marched on her horse, though at the same time, there was hardly much to see.

Charadonia. A territory covered greatly in plains. Steppes, as if. A land she hardly ever visited - and for good reason, as even with her cloak the sun still threatened to blind her. It'd have been far more bearable if she knew for how much longer she'd have to stay in such unwelcoming weather. Then again, was she not the one unused to it? As much as she didn't like it, it seemed a perfectly liveable place for a hardier people.

Hardier, she needed to be.

As for the people she sought, she had no true aim where to find them. Nomadic rats, moving on and on without a place to call city or town, let alone capital. What she sought from them was that which they almost lived on: Their horses, and their knowledge. Were it not for the demonic energies, their bodies would have deformed over their continued life over a saddle.

But she saw nobody. She was alone. Their constant movement made it impossible to reliably find them. Rather, one needed to be found by them. They'd find anyone who stepped on their end of the border sooner or later, for better or worse. As nomadic as they were, so were they territorial.

It didn't take long. She had begun to spot the silhouettes, the movements in the horizon. Few at first, one or two, to then grow in number. Victoria halted in place, knowing that it couldn't be anyone else.

As they got closer, she saw them looking right at her, the stranger who walked into their lands alone. In silent wait, she could only hear the faint breezer until the steps of their horses got close enough. Robes of leather and cotton, of fur lining and heavy looks marked the most common attribute of their outfits. Sturdy and utilitarian, sacrificing clear aesthetics in Victoria's eyes.

They had arrived to her. Rats equal the size of a not too short human, all on their mounts, and all with wondrous and almost playful grins. Grins which gave Victoria no reassurance whatsoever, playful like kids burning ants for humor. As calmly as they had walked the distance, they gathered in circle around Victoria, until one in particular advanced to meet her.

"It's been a long while since we've gotten visits from the west."

Victoria had not seen the rat who spoke ever not grin. She walked around her in a circle at her leisure, to which Victoria followed with her eyes.

"You're the lilim from Variland, no?" Continued the rat. "I think we never really met. All I remember of you is my mother saying the lilim never returned after their last visit. Looked a bit frightened, unnerved, she said. Pity."

"Are you the ruler of Charadonia now?" Asked Victoria.

"I am. I am Sarnai. What did you come here for?"

"I'm at war with Nostrum to the south. They figured out a way to step into the demon realms without changing. I need cavalry for my army, but I lack the horses and the training. What do you need in exchange?"

There was no answer, initially. Sarnai stopped in front of her, thinking with an unchanged visage.

"It was only inevitable that the humans would finally find something that sticks to the wall, after throwing so much." She answered. "But, no. Better luck asking someone else."

Though she didn't expect an immediate yes, still the answer puzzled Victoria.

"Why?" She asked, keeping her cold expression.

"We give you a great many horses. What will happen to them? You and I know they'll probably end up lost in some battle, or picked off in skirmishes. Well, assuming they aren't lost in some other manner."

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't trust you to be good enough to use them well. For someone who got scared by rats like us, fighting a war with The Order might be way, way beyond your abilities... if there's any in you."

"And you'd rather leave us without cavalry?"

"You won't have a cavalry. Dead in your lands or alive in ours, it won't make a difference for you."

"It will, and for you as well. My country is what's between Nostrum and yours. Do you want them next to you, if we fall?"

Sarnai chuckled to herself.

"And what would they march into Charadonia for? It's all plains. The Order isn't stupid enough to march into lands they have no benefit in conquering."

Indignation and anger festered inside the lilim. Abandonment. She couldn't deny that Sarnai would sooner want those horses alive with her than dead in faraway lands, but even the greatest risk was necessary for Victoria. Regardless of Sarnai's thoughts, she needed that aid. However, logic served little to dictate what to do. Rather, it all was drowned out by the fury of being left for dead.

"Is there no way to convince you otherwise?"

"No. Unless you have something else to talk about, you should leave."

It was almost enough to make her grit her teeth. Almost enough to shout at her all that she had in mind. However, Victoria said nothing, and showed no sign of it in her expression other than a cold, unflinching gaze from under her brows. Still, the rejection had angered her enough to act, enough to firmly take the handle of her rapier and draw it, its tip now almost touching Sarnai's neck.

That second felt like it had turned into a minute, as if time had stopped. Nobody moved, nobody blinked, all staring at the lilim who had drawn her sword at the rules of these plains.

"If I win against Nostrum... I'll march into Charadonia and make sure there is no trace of its existence left. I will tear down your banners and replace them with my own. Unlike Nostrum, I won't care that it will not benefit me in the slightest. If even the elves decided to help me, then I'll make sure to remember those who abandoned me to The Order."

Somehow, Sarnai's grin had not waned a slightest bit. Rather, a quiet, almost inaudible laugh began to grow out of her.

"You have to be courageous to do something like that." Said Sarnai. "Maybe you did change since that time... or maybe you didn't. I want to see it for myself."

"What's in your mind?"

"A fight with no weapons. Beat me, and I'll send over horses and trainers to Variland. I won't even asked for anything in return."

The offer left her in thought. She had never been one for fights. The ones she had been sucked into were less of her own wish and more of attacks against her. Now, here was her choice. She'd be starting one. Face-to-face, fist-to-fist, up close and personal where she'd be fully tested. The rat most likely knew how to fight, and it didn't help that Victoria had little experience in such matters. All she had was her sparring with Valerian.

Strange, she thought. She was wondering her chances of victory, rather than questioning the idea of starting a fight. It wasn't that long ago when she'd have avoided it at all costs.

"...Very well." She gave her answer, sheathing her rapier. Sarnai grinned in return, jumping off her mount as Victoria descended from hers.

Sarnai took her cloak off, as did Victoria. Their difference in attire showed greatly, much to Victoria's discomfort. Though Sarnai's seemed fitting for the situation, its inelegant looks appearing fitting for a brawl in the plains, the lilim's did not. She had a simple blouse and skirt, elegant enough for royalty. Those were no clothes for such occasion, and most certainly she did not expect entering one.

"The first one to fall loses." Said Sarnai, raising her firsts in stance.

In silent agreement, Victoria lifted hers. The two stepped closer to each other, though none acted. Rather, they began to circle each other, waiting for an opening or move.

Sarnai threw the first strike, a simple fist aimed her way. Victoria attempted to dodge, but an atrocious dodge it was: Stepping aside, and deflecting the fist with her arms. Painful, but still better than receiving it on her face. She did the same in return, throwing her own fist in kind, but the rat dodged it with ease.

Had to be those damned rats. Agile, and too much for comfort.

Sarnai threw another. As badly as the last, Victoria blocked it, but she found no opportunity to return hers before another flew in. She had to block on and on, subpar attempts to dodge and deflect, but Sarnai kept up a relentless barrage. Whatever opening Victoria left, Sarnai tried to exploit, be it towards the face, the belly, or her side, but the lilim defended well enough. What turned out to be the problem was that it was all she could do. A single lapse of concentration, and she'd be hunched over groaning.

This was attrition, however. She could defend all she wanted, but it'd take one lucky strike from Sarnai. Moving her arms to block a fist from the side invited another to be thrown towards the other. Stepping back only led to her taking a step forward. Victoria needed to end the duel somehow; the longer it lasted, the less chances of winning she had. Her arms already ached, and she knew Sarnai was still in great condition. Attacking, however, would open her defenses.

Perhaps that was a necessary trade.

At the last fist she blocked, Victoria threw hers with all her might at Sarnai. Sarnai had thrown hers, and hints of overconfidence showed as she failed to even try to block it, believing the lilim would have kept on defending. Victoria used all her strength, but not only that, so too did she channel a certain magic through her clenched fist.

Both struck at each other by the jaw. Pain and numbness immediately set in, their heads jerking aside by the strike. However, a great gust of wind escaped from Victoria's hit right on impact, intensifying the blow tenfold. She had been thrown back.

Though Victoria staggered back, almost falling as she held her cheek, Sarnai struck the ground a few steps away. Sarnai had reached the ring of mounted rats which had surrounded them, who stared with their smiles erased and eyes widened.

"Uuuurrghh..." Groaned Sarnai, applying titanic effort to sit back up.

Already Sarnai's consciousness began to fade, her movements erratic and without finesse as she held her cheek. At the same time, Victoria walked up to her and stood beside her, watching for a response. The rat had fallen first, after all. Their eyes locked, staring at each other without a word to speak, until the rat let out a sudden, light laugh.

"...Alright, you win." She said, trying to stand back up. Victoria aided her up, bringing her up to her feet. "That was one mean right hook, damn. Haven't gotten a proper fight in years, though I should've probably added a rule against magic."

Spitting aside, Sarnai massaged her cheek. Then, she extended her open palm towards Victoria.

"Deal's a deal. You'll probably handle those horses well, from what I've seen here."

At first, she was in disbelief. Her eyes fell on Sarnai's palm, thinking it illogical that it'd have been so sudden a change. However, that disbelief turned into joy: She had the manpower in the form of dullahans. She had the finances and equipment the vampires would grant her. She had the archers that the elves would train them into. And now, she had the cavalry the rats would help provide. It was done. She had it all to grow a great army...

And march into Nostrum in due time.

Her brows furrowed as a devious grin formed from ear to ear, picturing what army she'd have to exact her revenge. She firmly took Sarnai's hand and shook, knowing the deal to be done.

---

The day had come, one Victoria had awaited almost impatiently. Next to her stood Valerian, both watching a pair of succubi bringing a man-sized object with a cloth obscuring its form. A mannequin of only a torso and head held together with a shaft, if the outline was anything to go by, left on the ground in front of them.

"No effort was spared. We take pride in our work, and know you'll find it to perfection." Said one of the succubi hardly hiding her boasting tone, grasping the cloth with the other.

With a nod, both pulled, revealing beneath the mannequin dressed in a certain particular outfit. A uniform.

A jacket in white adorned in black and red, with a skirt of the same motif following down, as well as boots reaching up to the thighs.

Over the shoulders of the jacket rested a great white coat with a red interior, its sleeves hanging back much like a cape. Its shoulders were black lined with gold, just like the end of the sleeves which matched the details of the jacked and the top end of the boots. In front of it, golden cords connected one side to the other.

And on the mannequin's head, a peaked cap rested. White as well, with a metallic plate at the front holding the crest of Variland engraved. A lotus flower of eight petals: Four in the cardinal directions, and four smaller ones in the shape of an X behind them.

Militaristic. Authoritarian. An aesthetic in utmost contrast to what not a year ago Victoria would have imagined herself as. The quality of the uniform, the curious aesthetic, and the thoughts crossing her mind left her in cold wonder. Victoria took a few steps forward, to then extend her palm and gently run it down the mannequin's shoulder.

"We'll wait outside." Said one of the succubi. "Please, inspect it at your leisure."

Victoria needed not answer before the two had departed. The door creaked shut, leaving Victoria and Valerian on their own.

"Valerian." She called, partly turning her head towards him. "Have you found anything from Melanie and the others so far?"

"No. We're still lost as to why they were let go."

Few if any leads she had. It'd remain in mystery for a good while, she thought. However, as the memories of Indrick's attempts on her life crossed her mind, she could not help but wonder in morbid curiosity if her thoughts could be true.

"What about Jeremiah? Do we have any leads on who killed him?"

"I think..." Said Valerian, trying to recollect his thoughts. "Melanie said his voice was the same as the one who ran into the inn, that one time."

Her heart skipped a beat, beats skyrocketing even though her demeanor remained unchanged. Slowly she turned her head forward once more to the uniform, her gaze falling low. Indignation and agony festered, enough for her to clench her fist.

Indrick...

---

Index
https://pastebin.com/nKLhpxjU

< Chapter 6                                                                                                         Chapter 8 >
https://pastebin.com/f0LwxBVc																	  https://pastebin.com/Cc0kZbWC