"The plan never survives contact with the enemy. Information becomes outdated sometimes even before you receive it. All a commander on the field could do is to think, adapt, and hopefully, survive through the changes." - Saying attributed to Xaliburnus the Conqueror, First Emperor and Founder of the Elmaiya Empire.

"Well, you all heard what that kid said," stated Crown Prince Aethelbald Stahlfaust to the gathered military commanders, nobles, and mercenary captains. They had all adjourned to the office he had requisitioned, and some amongst them had worried looks. "Thoughts?"

Amongst the information Finch Larsen had spewed out was the tidbit that apparently Zefirous had started a recruiting drive in the southern region shortly after the disastrous military expedition had left half a year ago. They had garnered approximately seven thousand new troops from that, who were undergoing training within the city itself.

That made the total troops at Zefirous closer to twenty thousand, plus whatever civilians they could rally to their side. The dwarves had hedged their bet on being able to take on their enemies piecemeal at Fort Prydwen, but since the Count's heir had withdrawn the garrison to the city proper, that plan had gone up in smoke.

While the dwarves were confident of pitting their twenty-eight thousand against an enemy twice their size, their enemy being in a walled city complicated matters by quite a bit. The walls acted as a force multiplier for the defenders, something the survivors of Fort Ascher had proven already for them.

"Could he be lying to scare us?" asked Graf Lloyd Mcbaine from his seat. The wrinkled face of the dwarf had scrunched up with some consternation over the problem.

"Unlikely," replied the royal interrogator. He had worked for the royal family of Knallzog as an interrogator for over a century, and was a highly skilled man. "The kid might be omitting stuff he doesn't know too well, or maybe miscounted the number some, but he's telling what he thinks is the truth, as far as I could tell."

"So likely twenty thousand. Maybe more. In a walled city surrounded by a moat. Not the best odds if we want to take them out fast and still have enough to handle the west afterwards," said Ebenezer Ostlinde, commander of the light cavalry detachment. "My cavalry ain't gonna be much use in a siege either, and I doubt they'll be fool enough to engage us in the open."

"My heavies could fight in town if the streets ain't too cramped," said Simon Ebenfeld, the dwarven heavy cavalry commander. "But we ain't getting in there lest someone gets that drawbridge down first, and that's gonna be the tough part."

"It would be ideal if we could get into town and bypass the wall and the moat, yes," said the Crown Prince with a sigh. He then turned to Reinhardt and looked at him in the eye. "Captain Edelstein, I believe you mentioned one of your people might have a solution for this. Could you bring them to meet me after we are done here?"

"Yes, your Highness," he replied. Elfriede was right there with him, but the Crown Prince's words suggested that he wished for a more private discussion, so he had played along. "It shall be done."

They discussed a few more possibilities for assaulting the city after that, but couldn't really come to a conclusion. An attempt to dig a tunnel in was unlikely to succeed, with how common earth mages were.

Similarly, an approach by water - the western side of Zefirous was built on the banks of a deep lake - was deemed too risky, as they would be sitting ducks during such an approach. Not to mention the lack of water breathing potions that meant only a small group could be sent at best.

"What are we gonna do with the brat?" asked Graf McBaine as he stood up and was about to exit the room along with the rest. "We gonna spare him? Or…"

"We are having him executed as a sacrifice for our war banner when we march on," replied the Crown Prince with a cold, heartless voice. Reinhardt suspected that would be the case. Given the policies of Theodinaz, the chances of the dwarves allowing any of the local nobles to remain was nonexistent. "Do assign a good executioner to make it painless though. It's the least we could do to thank him for the information."

"I will see it arranged as per your wishes," replied the old Graf with an understanding tone as he bowed and left the room. Before long, only the Crown Prince, Reinhardt, and Elfriede were left in the room.

"Are you not going to fetch your informant, Captain?" asked the Crown Prince with some confusion.

"There is no need to, Your Highness," replied Reinhardt as he looked towards Elfriede. "After all, she has been here all this time."

"Huh. This is a bit of a surprise," admitted the Crown Prince. He looked at Elfriede with a hint of worry, but then he shook his head. "I made sure to look into your backgrounds before I left on this expedition, but I don't believe I've seen any mention of Mrs. Edelstein being an escapee from Theodinaz."

"I don't exactly like to talk about it… Your Highness," said Elfriede in reply. She was clearly somewhat refraining her usually crude speech since they were dealing with the Crown Prince. "It was a period of my life I would rather forget… but since the Lances are here, there are no reasons for me to keep quiet about it when we could make use of it instead."

"Understandable," said the Crown Prince with a nod. "I've only been here a few weeks but can't imagine what the people here must have been through to become the way they are now. I can't imagine it being a fun experience. Anyway, I believe your husband previously mentioned that you have contact with the criminal elements of the city?"

"That is correct. Should there be no untoward changes in the city, my contact will likely still be the head of Zefirous' organized crime," replied Elfriede honestly. "They have never been fond of the nobles… or the God-King for that matter. With some assurances and rewards we might be able to pry open the gates with their help."

"How would we contact them, though?" asked the Crown Prince in turn.

"There are several underwater caves on the riverbank that connect to the city's sewers. Large enough for a small group to discreetly enter the city that way," said Elfriede with a nod, having anticipated the question. "They're smuggler's routes, usually used to smuggle forbidden items into the city. I will need to head in myself, since nobody else knows the contact I have in town, though."

"I get as much. I just have one question," replied the Crown Prince. "Pray tell, just how are you related to this… *contact* of yours that you are willing to trust them with your life, Mrs. Edelstein?"

"It's a long story, but if you insist…"