All's Fair in Love and War - Ch.1 [REWRITE]

In the dead of the night, the crackling of fire reigned. In the moonless darkness which would have engulfed all, fields set ablaze illuminated Victoria and the man facing her. Kettle helmet and rapier in hand, he stood silent a few meters away, all the while the fires consumed their surroundings.

"You're a threat."

So was what he said, before the lilim opened her eyes to find herself on her bed. A nightmare, she figured, waking her up long before the sun would rise.

The dream had fully awakened her, making any prospects of falling back asleep futile at best. With a sigh, she pulled off the blanket and stepped out of her bed.

A quiet walk led to the living room, silent and desolate as it was. Spacious with a great carpet over the wooden floor, yet only with a small coffee table and a few chairs to occupy it, all near a fireplace. Her eyes fell on one corner of the room; in the darkness, she could faintly pick up the silhouette of a rapier resting against the wall. Memories surfaced, making her almost without thinking raise her hand to her belly.

'Do your best, and your love will come true. Make your lands the best in this world, and no doubt will a great man arrive to marry you.' She remembered. Words her mother had told her when she was little.

To think that the 'great man' would come to kill her.

---

Two cups rested over their plates, in which Victoria poured the tea. With both now full, she put aside the pot to then lift one of the cups by the plate onto a tray. Her lack of dexterity had begun to show, slowing herself down so as to not spill. Before she could take the remaining one, however, a pair of gauntlets took it for her.

"You don't look used to this, Lady Victoria." Said Catherine, the suit of armor hollow within.

Though surprised at Catherine's sudden presence in the kitchen, Victoria let her shoulders drop in relief.

"Yes. It's been another world with Jeremiah gone."

With both cups over the tray, Victoria and Catherine walked off. Out the kitchen, they entered the living room where a man sat by the small table over which lay a map. Over the same table on an empty spot, Catherine placed the tray.

"Have you figured anything out yet?" Asked Victoria, taking a cup for herself.

The man, with what hair lacked over his head remaining over his chin, slowly shook his head. Valerian, he who the armor followed eternally.

"After what they did to Helmsreach, I have no idea what they're capable of, or where they'll go next." He said, taking the cup Catherine extended. "They must have something that lets them go in and out of a demon realm, something they can't give to that army they have."

Victoria glanced at the map, having yet to take a simple sip of her cup. On it lay drawn her proud nation.

Variland.

A nation which, as she had come to face, had been plagued with complacency. Just like her. The nature of demon realms had deterred any incursion by those whose allegiance lay with The Order, locations in which the demonic energy would sooner or later turn women into monsters and men into incubi.

The nation of Nostrum to the south, however, had somehow found a way in. Towns had their crops burned, and Helmsreach itself had been consumed by flames, all owing to her lack of preparation for the worst. A greater threat haunted her as well: that of an amassing army in a city by the border. 'Makillae'. More than a city, it seemed a fortress, as defended as one would imagine from its proximity to those they would consider enemies.

Someone knocking on the door interrupted her thoughts, gaining the attention of all present.

"Don't tell me he's back already." Said Valerian.

Victoria left the cup on its plate and stepped over to the door, opening it to find a kikimora maid behind it.

"Marie?" Asked Victoria. "What is it?"

"My Lady, a dullahan wishes to see you."

Pausing in place, she then turned her eyes to Valerian. The gaze alone told him enough; he stood up and walked over with Catherine, and all left Victoria's manor. Outside, a stone path flanked by flowers of every kind led the way through her villa towards the entrance. Past turn, past building, they came to see a woman with a scarf keeping her neck covered, along with a great bag slung over her shoulders. With Marie leading them up to her, Victoria knew this was the dullahan she had heard of.

"Can I help you?" Asked Victoria.

"Lady Victoria!" she eagerly answered, "My name is Melanie and I come from Helmsreach. I'm here to lend my service to Variland in any way I can!"

Recruits, she figured. Those Jeremiah had promised before his departure to spread the word. At least the complacency had not eroded their defiant spirit.

"...Victoria." She heard Valerian's call. Father than she imagined, in fact, to find that he was no longer beside her, but rather a fair distance ahead with Catherine already on him as armor. "You should see this."

Curious, she walked over to where he was, as did Marie and Melanie. It was then that Victoria's eyes widened upon the sight.

With the villa sitting on a hill near the capital, she could very well see it on the horizon. However, throughout the roads and fields of green, she came to see more and more individuals making their way towards her villa. Dozens, if not hundreds, of which Melanie had only been the first of.