The morning dawns, a great loud horn is blown to wake the army, drills and formation wakes with them. By the time the sun is risen bright and smiling across the sky, the sergeants and soldiers form marching formations.
Lord Manfred leads the army, King Varrick rides out and meets him at the front. The King is garbed in the ancient armour of the Kingdom, one of the four treasures of Vor'ros, which is a series of ancient enchanted equipment, made on the behest of KingTrenlotIEvarlar Millennias passed. The armour is a full plate coloured a blend of gold, and silver steel in places. On it's breast plate is the proud royal standards of House Evarlar (A griffin with it's wings spread wide). Sheathed on his right hip is another Vor'rossi treasure, the royal blade; Evarsedge, it's golden pommel shinning were the risen sun strikes it.
"My lord Xox, tell me true, do you believe us capable of victory?" The king asks
"Your grace, if I may speak freely?"
"You may, my lord"
"My thanks. Your grace, this Skintaker is a wild foe. From what is said about him he's a warrior unlike any other. I would be dishonest to tell you I don't have doubts in this attack, but I would as well be faithless if I believed the gods would not deliver us a victory over those Rhysojen worshipping heathens. We lost at the battle of Princefall but they too suffered losses, against this great army I can say that victory is a possibility, your grace"
"I see. I blame myself, I should've united the great houses sooner to end th… by the gods!".
The armies come face to face with it's first village since crossing the poin borders, it is butchery. The Village of Fane, in it's unruined state was no great settlement, but part of the ruling lands of the petty noble house of Poinias.
House Poinias had ruled most of the eastern lands of the poin for generations, once they were even kings, ruling a kingdom that stretched from the Murray fields to the poin borders (Longreach). Since the invasion of the mountainfolk, each of their strongholds had been taken and each of the Poinias house branches slain, the house is all but extinct as far as many know. In It's apex, Fane was home to over 3,000 people, now it is devoid of life. It's walls and gates broken down, Houses burnt to a crisp, bodies litters the streets with men, women and children alike, an awful sight, the lord's castle had been taken. It's stones black with ash, there wasn't any ounce of food or livestock left in the village or things of value either.
"Savages!, captain!, tell the men to march passed the village, we must press on" lord Manfred commands.
"My lord?" Ser luthor Redlag says. A knight-bannerman to the Xox lord. He continues "shouldn't we bury the dead or check for survivors?, My lord?"
"We haven't the time for that, we must march to the given location before day's end or else our plan for the mountain savages might be forfeit". His words are cold and fierce.
"As Lord Xox said, we must press on, they'll be time to mourn our dead later"
"As you command, my king. Continue the march!" He bellows.
The army continues it's march walking long leagues before nightfall, they stop at the Murray hills. Upon their halt Lord Manfred dispatches two score knights to scout ahead for the enemy. He makes his way to the king's pavillion. Knights are stationed outside. The tarpaulin is made from coarsely woven linen woven with threads of gold and crimson, the royal standard atop it. He enters and goes to one knee.
"Your grace" He says softly.
Lord Reynard Unzen and the lord of Greyfall, Lord Erys Quomon are by his side, seated and talking, with wine in hand and a plate of berries and grapes served.
"My lord, you're just in time, we were just talking about the attack tomorrow, come, seat"
"I don't need your leave to seat, Erys" Manfred snaps.
He takes a seat as a serving man pours him a cup of wine, he notes it is the king's nephew who serves him as a cup bearer.
"Your grace. The scouts have returned" Manfred says
"What report do they bring?" The king asks
"The Mountain horde have gathered in great strength just over the hills, your grace. I reckon they know of our presence as well.
"And what of Lord Belrun?, has he given the signal?" The king asks
"He has sent us riders in the night, the Faneroads are blocked and cut off from the mountains, his 200 ships have formed a blockade around the river as well, there will be no salvation for those savages when we smash them on the morrow"
"Good. It's time we ended this war". King Varrick says wearily.
Their talks on matters of strategy continue all through the night.