The Corrupted Sentinel

The Prince's worries

                                                ~~~Ado's POV~~~

Ado had become prepared. They were using the hall of their first conquest as their war base. It was of course a logical place to do so. Ado's trust in the commanders was known that they were loyal to the end, but Anjui took no chances in such an exchange. He had already sent Mylos Aelori back to the citadel the fully constructed city had been completed a few days before, but Mylos would take command of the defense of the Capital. Ado had little trust in the boy, but Mylos also knew that his entire family would be killed if he took over the fortress and he would find little help in doing so from the guards who swore an oath to the crown that now sat upon Anjui's head.

Ado had eyed Aelori as the war council had begun. his brother spoke how it would only be the three of them in war councils for now as he did not wish for the enemy to know the plans he would make. Listening to them his brother's ideas were crazy and a scheme hatched out of either desperation or complete faith in the ability to win the battles.

Ado had gathered up the soldiers he would be commanding and set out upon the mission his brother had given him. He would take on the White tower and the lands of House Maeras. Carring with him the Moonring blade the commander had felt oddly alone. He normally had his brother sitting at his side upon his mare as well, but he was the one in charge of the pressing of the lands of Parn while Lord Aelori would press Per. It was all a guessing game at this point for Ado. Would his brother survive? Would Aelori betray them even after giving his oath of loyalty in the ancient language? Even more so would he survive the battle?

He didn't have time to think of that now. Continuing the march with his forces through the narrow pass to the white tower he quickly surrounded the citadel and set siege to the grand city.

The city was hard pressed and it had taken most of the month to get the guards to finally admit defeat, but they never expected to be sieged and so had not the supplies to last more then a week, but with rationing they had gone three expecting reinforcements or aid from the border forts and perhaps an army to remove Ado and the Force he had commanded. But they did not come as Ado made sure that any messengers did not reach out. Not until after the citadel fell without a single elf loosing their life. It was just the threat of starvation that had made the fortress fall.

Ado had placed his own forces within the Fortress, even went so far as to gain loyalty from the common folk within the fortress by offering a Feast that same day. While his supplies were running low he knew it would not be long before the army itself showed up to push their luck against the fortress itself, including that of Lady Mylos who would be the only one to possible fall in battle if Ado could help it.

He knew the army would be gathering most likely out of range of sight just on the other side of the field hills from the Fortress as it was the connecting point of all the border forts. He also knew they would come because Ado himself sent out a mass message to the forts to send Aid to the capital as it was about to fall .

                            ~~~ Anjui's POV~~~

Anjui had one goal in mind. He would protect his newly founded land of Starlight from his enemies. While his brother lead the main force Anjui and Lord Aelori lead a quarter of the force's mustered by both houses under his name. While the forces were small a show of forces alone would stop House Per and house Parn from attacking the young king. Considering his plan as fooly harty trying to take over the houses through diplomacy or through sheer will and show of force. No elf had ever done so before and no elf had broken tradition and taken a house over from their parents through a coup either, but as so far it stood Anjui had done just that.

It was what gave him the upper hand from the other houses, he had done things away from traditions which made him unpredictable and it was a wild card on the battle field. While others knew their enemy strategies and learned them well over years and years of observing them Anjui's were a new testament and any who could learn them would see them during this battle season, and they would fall to them. At least Anjui would hope they would do so. It would be hard to tell without first hand knowledge of them being put into play.

Anjui looked towards the moon as it's light set to the west and the sun began it's climb into the sky in front of him. Sending his thoughts to his brother he had only hoped the plan he envisioned had come to pass. His brother Ado was a key figure in it, and to loose him early on would be dreadful, especially to keep Lord Aelori and his house bound to him at this pitiful role. House Masjhol was small and even a small break away from it would prove to be a disaster.

Waving his hand high and forward he commanded his troops to patrol the Eastern border, while the Fort in the hills of their original house lands, House Aelori was only safe because it's buildings and cities were well hidden in the forest. Which meant their troops would have to make sure the forest wasn't set to fire, or the enemy didn't march troops into the lands without knowing where they were at all the entire time.

To no surprise Anjui had come face to face with the only land that now lay completely surrounded by the land that would be his own. House of Belore'Shan the House of the Sun honored. Their troops had of course mustered on the field ready for war. Little did they know that Ado had just taken control of the land that lay across their borders. Anjui held up his hand again and the troops came to a halt. Taking the standard two men as guards Anjui went forward and stopped at half way between the two forces who seemed to eye each other with care. 

"Lord Belore'shan. To what pleasure do I see the troops mustered on my border. Are you that worried I would push what troops I have into your lands this early into the war season?"

A deep earthly rumble came from the old, bigger elf as he laughed. Wiping away a tear from his eye he looked over the forces gathered and turned his eyes upon the golden ones of the young king. 

"Far from it Young Lord, I more heard the mustering of forces upon my border and came to answer it in kind. I see that it's nothing more then a single thorn upon the bush I have mustered." laughing again the older of the pair once again looked to Anjui this time a serious note took to his voice. 

"Leave these lands as your muster of troops will be taken as an intent to invade the lands My house and I have claim to." Anjui only bowed his head slightly to the left as the guards put their hands on their blades. 

"I can not do that Lord Bel'ore'Shan. You see I expect invasion from the lands of Per and Parn as my siblings are not ones to forgive that I had taken the thrown from our parents before the war season."

The old elf's face only grew into a scowl of hate for the younger. 

"Then lead your troops away from this place this instant." Anjui just stood his ground a blank face on him. 

"Alas I can not do that either knowing there is such a force upon my border either. While I may not stand a chance and your's would surely run mine to ground I can still put up a fight in hopes that reinforcements will arrive in time." At the hint of more troops showing up Belore only seemed to grow angrier. 

"And how much of your troops do you plan on withdrawing from the forts to defend your open borders? I am told Aelori fell to you without a single life lost. I'm even told that house Maser, House Kyli, and House Pandrylyli fell the same way."

Anjui nodded a smile upon his face as he held up a single finger. 

"And without a loss of life, House Maeras fell in the same manner or so to speak. You see my brother has taken their capital. and from within it's walls force's their leader to abdicate their crown in favor to me." It was with that news the old elf turned his head around to look at his own forces, but his focus wasn't on them, but on the lands on the other side now. He knew he had all but exposed his rear in hopes to scare Anjui away from his border by show of force. The question to face though as Anjui knew was would this man be able to guess that his was but a bluff as it meant taking a fort yet full of forces loyal to house Maeras. Still the smile upon his face Anjui continued. 

"You see Lord Belore'Shan I am not here to fight you, but to insure that my borders here are safe from the other houses. While Lord Aelori makes sure our Western border is safe. You just so happened to come upon the mustering place for my forces."