"Other than its often-fanatical populace, another reason its neighbors mostly left Theodinaz alone was because the nation happened to be highly defensible from three directions.

To the south, thick tropical rainforests formed jungles inhabited by all manners of beasts and monsters, a region where only the foolhardy or the daring would tread beyond the available trails and roads.

To the east, the great river Norges formed a physical barrier right by the border with the Clangeddin Empire, the river's current swift and its waters so deep even a rider on a horse would find themselves fully submerged in it.

On the North, the Faradein mountain range made invasion a difficult prospect, with the only large pass through the range covered by a military fort, which promised to make any invasion attempt a bloody one.

Only the west of the nation was open. The breadbasket of the Holy Kingdom, it was a region of rolling plains that transitioned to deserts near its southern borders. Due to its lack of natural barriers, this region was always the most heavily garrisoned of the Holy Kingdom's territories." - Halec Losarte, Cartographer from the Kingdom of Posuin, circa 569 VA.

"So we're headed west next then, captain?" asked Lars when Reinhardt returned to their temporary residence and relayed the news to everyone else. After the announcement, he had called for the unit leaders to gather, the same gathering as the last time in Fort Ascher, only with Lars added.

Unexpectedly, when offered their freedom to leave and live their lives in peace, almost all of Lars' small group of twenty had declined and chosen to join him under the company's services instead. The two who had left, had done so as they apologized profusely, as they had families of their own to care for, but was seen off in good humor by the rest nonetheless.

The eighteen that remained were all youngsters, in their early twenties at most. All of them were orphans like Lars himself, and none of them had families of their own. In a way, Reinhardt increased his estimation of the tactician a notch, given how he had inspired such loyalty in his people.

"That is correct," he answered with a nod and a swish of his tail. One of his fingers, claw extended for emphasis, traced a line between Zefirous, where they were at, and Norouz to its north and west. "Keep in mind that we will be a small player this time. Three hundred and change of ours in this army of around forty thousand."

"And our objectives?" asked Lars as he peered closer to the map. The map was a new and detailed one, spoils from the count's mansion. He carefully looked closer to the lands near Norouz as he waited for Reinhardt's reply.

"Stay alive, and if possible, do whatever we're paid to do," replied Reinhardt quickly. "Given our low numbers, I doubt we'd be tasked with anything crucial. The Crown Prince's been an understanding employer so far, but better to prepare for anything just in case. Do you have anything you wish to add, Lars?"

"Just a few things," replied the young man. His intense look as he studied the map despite his still-bruised face made for an odd juxtaposition overall. "What the intelligence reported pretty much matched what I know of."

"The western region had always been garrisoned the most heavily since it's both important and also open, unlike the rest," continued the young tactician. "Even when they sent off the Hands last year, they left the western garrison pretty much untouched, so we can expect them to be in full force, plus whatever they levied out of the region."

"And how much would that likely amount to?" asked Reinhardt in turn. "The Crown Prince's men estimated at least fifty to sixty thousand awaiting us."

"That's an optimistic estimation. I'd wager we'd have closer to seventy-five to ninety thousand to face instead," answered Lars with a frown. "The west had more villages than the south by a good bit, and we can expect their garrison force to come in full force as well. Say sixty to seventy thousand militia, of the sort you've all faced in Fort Ascher. Plus another twenty thousand soldiers on top, more than half of them cavalrymen."

"That many? The reports had said that the west held a sizable cavalry contingent, but had not been clear about their numbers."

"Norouz and its surroundings are where the biggest horse ranches in the Holy Kingdom are. They supply the majority of the warhorses used by the army," said Lars as he circled around the western city with his pointer finger. "They naturally kept a large cavalry contingent themselves, given their location on the plains. I do not have exact numbers, but last I heard it was over ten thousand."

"That's information worth bringing to the table. Good work," praised Reinhardt with a nod. Several of the others also gave Lars nods of acknowledgement as well. "Though I don't think even cavalry would budge the dwarven lines that much, especially with their heavies up front."

"I believe the majority of the cavalry will be comprised of light cavalry, captain. Skirmishers and raiders, not chargers and linebreakers. At least that's how the doctrine was with the Hands," added Lars. "While I have little doubt the dwarves would easily hold their own against a charge, mobile skirmishers might trouble them more unless measures were taken beforehand."

"Also a warning worth bringing to the table. Carry on if you have any information you think might be even the slightest bit relevant," said Reinhardt with another nod. "Anything that comes to mind will do."

"Hmm… The current count is a general in his own rights. He had made his name in battles against Posuin as a teenager three decades ago, and again when another incursion happened just a decade ago," said Lars after some thought. "He was supposedly close to his younger brother… so he might very well lead his army personally when the news of his brother's… execution reached him."

"Then maybe we ought to feed him shit like we did his brother then," chimed in Elfriede from the side, as several of the others gathered couldn't help but chuckle.