The Valmese Defense
Day 228, Evening
"Steiger has fallen."
"And with it, Pheros. I anticipated as much."
"It was either Yen'fay or her, but it might as well have been both considering the Chon'sin rat has abandoned his post. Still no sign of Ignatius after nearly a year. This is quite the offensive we're dealing with."
The Valmese war council was rather lacking in members, with only two pawns left fighting for the rest of the board. On one side, Excellus- brooding and arrogant. Cervantes on the other hand was missing the expected worry of a Valmese General on the retreat and seemed rather at ease given the circumstances.
"With the Conqueror riding East to investigate the reports on the sea, it falls upon the both of us to keep things from falling into total ruin until the main army arrives. What schemes do you have in store?" the bearded colossus asked.
"It is important that we maintain our control over the Mila Tree and surrounding lands. It is a powerful rallying point and home to that wretched Voice. Can I expect you to not die on a root for whatever time it takes for Walhart to return?"
"The Mila Tree, I see. Yes, I do believe I can strengthen my garrison beneath it. Hmm, I've always meant to see the Voice. Thank the Earth Mother for my bountiful whiskers-"
"It is settled then," Excellus interrupted, not quite keen on listening to Cervantes ramble about his facial hair. "I will take my forces north and reinforce the old Rigellian castle. I do believe we can maintain a solid southern front for at least the remainder of the year. When Walhart returns, we will be in the perfect position to pincer the Ylissean host and drive them to the grave."
"So it is. Don't trip on any of Saint-Queen Celica's old bookshelves yourself."
"Do rid yourself of my sight Cervantes. General you may be I no longer have need of your company."
"Yes yes, I shall go. Wouldn't want you to cast your witch curses upon me," the taller general laughed, much to the disgust of his less vertical and more horizontal counterpart.
With a curt nod, Cervantes left the tent, humming an off-tune melody before fading long into the sunset and the winds. Excellus however had more to brief than just his own comrades though.
"...We are alone," the tactician called, patiently staring ahead at nothing.
Footsteps. Light and subtle on dirt.
Two sets? Or perhaps it was just the gravel outside.
"So you send another of your generals to their death. At least make an effort to put up an actual fight lest that warmongering ape catch wind of our plans."
A hooded man of lanky stature walked in from the back room, opening the flap with hauntingly precise movements, not even a bounce in his step.
"Lord Validar. I had feared my message to you had been lost for lack of response. The war sways in favor of Ylisse as you wished."
"A little too strongly. I fear Ylisstol will be welcoming home their heroes by the end of the year, with not many flowers for the dead."
"I will admit, their stratagem is unorthodox and has gotten the better of... three generals. We still have a few cards left to play. Walhart will meet his end at Chrom's blade and hopefully bring a few of their core members with him. But enough prattle about the foreseeable future. My King, please, take a seat. I pray the voyage wasn't rough?"
Validar took a seat, stroking his beard thoughtfully before looking the eunuch in the eyes.
"A voyage implies water."
"...There is no alternate method of travel across the Valmese sea, unless you flew?"
"We rode. On horseback."
"Rode." Excellus paused for a while, looking again at the map where Valm and the western borders of Archanea lay. There was nearly a thousand miles of water separating the two.
"On horseback," he repeated for clarification. Validar nodded. "I'm afraid I am not catching on. My apologies."
Validar laughed, shaking his head. "It is strange, isn't it? I would have arrived a week earlier were we on ship. Ships do not need to rest. Nor do they eat. But we rode with a score of horses and now only a few remain, pushed to the limit as they are. A great distance has been traveled. A great expanse not charted by any map. At least, any map that isn't outdated."
"They do make new maps right? Like what if the coasts shift or... like an earthquake happened and the mountain lines change. Wouldn't they need a new map?" Bernadetta wondered, getting ready to cross out that last line with her quill.
Sylvain looked up from another of Bernadetta's revisions and rose to peruse over his wife's most recent writing. "I'm still not quite buying the way you're writing Grima. I-in this last part you made him sound like a horny Felix-"
"The maps Sylvain! Let me develop my characters in peace!"
Lord Gautier laughed, kissing Lady von Varley on the top of her head before going back to his chair. She always winced when he did that and that was adorable.
"Maps are drafted by artisans once every decade or two. They do change. Now back to the dialogue. Don't lose your train of thought."
Bernadetta giggled, catching her husband's eye with a soft gaze before resetting her quill.
"Ah, just clarifying. You tend to know these random things, my dearest."
Excellus looked once more at the map, picturing a land mass instead of a sea where Valmese lay separated from her eastern neighbor. "I would imagine that navigation was... difficult?"
Validar shook his head, waving his arms slowly. "Not as much navigating as it was... following."
"Following who?"
Validar clapped twice, and in walked another man: a mage by the looks of it. Slick, unkempt hair- a harrowing mask covering half of his gaunt face. Long billowy robes akin to those both he and Validar wore.
"This is Iago. As circumstances would have it, he also would like to get rid of the Shepherds."
"...Which I will swiftly do. I am called Iago. I will aid you by my King's command." His voice was as greasy as his hair, rarely raising or lowering in inflection. Excellus warily shook his hand, recoiling a little faster than appropriate.
"King?"
"The King of Nohr. Your new eastern neighbor."
