After hearing Lann's reason for not mobilizing troops, Demavend and Meve exchanged a glance.
Meve sighed. "So, Lann, what is your combat plan for the future? When do you think your soldiers will be able to join the battle?"
Lann thought for a moment. Although some information was too sensitive to share, he could reveal most of the plan to his allies.
"Currently, Cintra has about five thousand men in training. They will need about a month before they are ready for combat," Lann estimated.
"Also, I have been in contact with Kovir. After some negotiations, they have agreed to release a group of political prisoners to form a battalion. Redania is providing transport ships, so they will arrive in about a month."
"A battalion made up of prisoners, huh..." Meve mused. With Redania's involvement, it would be impossible to keep the movement of this unit a secret. However, something similar had already been seen in the North in the past. After a few seconds of calculation, she concluded: "At least they will serve as cannon fodder and help reduce Cintra's casualties."
Lann nodded. "Aside from that, I recently traveled to Skellige. My uncle, Eist, has reclaimed the throne and has mobilized all the islands in support. They will send troops down the Yaruga River, where they can meet with Her Majesty Meve to fight together against Nilfgaard."
Meve's eyes lit up.
The name of Skellige struck terror across the continent's shores, to the point of being a tale to scare children at night. But having them as allies was an exciting prospect.
"Eist, huh? I expected nothing less from him. He's doing this to avenge Calanthe, isn't he?" Meve slammed the table hard, almost knocking over her wine glass. "When will they arrive?"
"The fleet has just set sail. It should take about a month as well."
Meve took a deep breath and nodded. "A month, then. Fine… let's let the Nilfgaardians run riot for another month."
Although Cintra could not immediately participate in the war, the arrival of these reinforcements gave Meve and Demavend heart. They no longer insisted on pressuring Lann to join the fight as soon as possible.
They knew that Cintra hated Nilfgaard more than any other kingdom in the North. If it weren't for the fact that victory was uncertain and reconstruction after the war was a real concern, the lions of Cintra would have already roared and charged against the armies of the black sun.
Still, understanding did not mean complacency, and pressure did not mean coercion. They were monarchs, after all.
"Training soldiers only takes time. But what about weapons and armor?" Demavend suddenly intervened. "If we have refused to sell them to you, you can be sure that Foltest and Henselt will not give in either. And if you turn to Vizimir, that bastard, he will charge you a very high price."
His words seemed to have a hidden insinuation, as if he wanted to guide Lann in a specific direction.
Lann looked at the elite troops from Aedirn behind Demavend and, understanding Demavend's intention, replied bluntly, "I plan to travel to Mahakam and meet with the dwarves. If possible, in addition to obtaining equipment, I would also like to recruit a company of heavy infantry to deal with the Nilfgaardian cavalry."
Meve raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Nilfgaard's heavy cavalry was legendary on the battlefield. At the Battle of Sodden Hill, it had nearly broken the Northern lines on several occasions. Until now, the united kingdoms of Lyria and Rivia had not faced this force, otherwise Meve was unsure how they could resist them.
"Do you think the dwarven infantry can take on the Nilfgaardian cavalry?" Demavend smiled mockingly. "Well, if you can convince Brouver Hoog, do whatever you want. If a good number of dwarves die in the war, it wouldn't hurt us either."
Aedirn's proximity to the Mahakam Mountains meant that, in addition to humans, it also housed a large population of dwarves. However, with the growing threat of the Scoia'tael, it was clear that Demavend had developed a certain wariness of them.
Demavend would not kill non-human races indiscriminately, especially since the dwarves paid good taxes. But if he could weaken their influence on the battlefield, he would not hesitate to do so. Even...
"I could offer you some help," Demavend said.
"There is a saying in my kingdom: If you are in trouble, seek out the dwarves. That saying may not have reached Cintra, but it seems you have learned it yourself, Lann."
Demavend waved his hand and a servant at his side stepped forward, before respectfully handing him a lead ring.
"I helped Brouver Hoog once, and as a token of gratitude, he gave me this ring," Demavend explained with a wave of his hand. The servant bowed and presented the ring to Lann.
"Your group has dwarves, but if you know their social structure, you know they won't be able to help you much. However, this ring will at least guarantee you an audience with Brouver, rather than being kicked out of Mahakam halfway through."
"As for the support you get from them, that will depend on your ability."
Lann had arrived in Aedirn with Yarpen's squad of dragon-hunting dwarves.
Of course, his relationship with the dwarves went far beyond what others imagined.
Since his stay in Novigrad, Lann had managed to make his way into the non-human community thanks to Cleaver. He used the equipment blueprints he had obtained from the Mirror Master as an offering to the dwarven elders.
Zoltan had recently brought news from Novigrad to Cintra: the elders of Mahakam were showing great interest in the plans and were willing to negotiate directly with Lann.
At that time, he was still in Skellige, so Zoltan returned to Novigrad to continue his business. Once Lann returned, Yarpen took on the role of guide to take him to Mahakam.
However, looking at the ring on Demavend's hand, Lann thought for a moment before accepting his 'help'.
After all, he had heard many stories about the volatile tempers of the dwarven elders, and having a little extra insurance never hurt.
As Lann accepted the lead ring, Demavend raised his chin slightly and extended his hand toward Rayla. "Rayla is my best soldier, far superior to all my men. She has been to Mahakam several times and can serve as your guide."
Rayla was momentarily taken aback by the king's order. However, her loyalty was unquestionable. She stepped forward and bowed naturally to Lann.
Lann gave him a smile. "I appreciate your help, Your Majesty."
"Less empty words, Lannister," Demavend replied with a dismissive gesture. "I only hope that the next time I request military support, you won't come up with excuses."
Lann shook his head and replied firmly, "Cintra hates Nilfgaard more than any other kingdom in the north."
Demavend looked at him gravely. "I hope so."
...
With the essentials agreed upon, there were no further ceremonies. Queen Meve immediately set out for the front to organize the defense against Nilfgaard, while King Demavend did not wish to remain on the border any longer and returned without delay to Vengerberg.
Lann, meanwhile, headed into the Mahakam Mountains with Rayla and Yarpen.
They still had three days of travel to the dwarf community. With each step, the air became colder. Mahakam was covered in snow all year round; the seasons only decided whether the layer was thick or thin. They trudged through the deep snow, their pace much slower than on the plain.
However, the group of dwarves led by Yarpen marched ahead with a firm and confident step. They walked along the snowy paths as if they were on solid ground and even sang traditional songs with great enthusiasm, as if they were back home.
Well, actually, they were.
As the only outsider in the group, Rayla seemed quieter than usual.
At first she tried to go ahead and take on the role of guide but soon realized that she could not outrun the dwarves. Speeding mindlessly would only disrupt the group's rhythm and could slow down their progress.
Therefore, she had no choice but to adjust her pace.
When she finally stopped to look at everyone carefully, she discovered something surprising: despite being the captain of an Aedirn special forces unit, her stamina was only considered average within this group.
Lann moved forward with absolute calm. His breathing was as steady as if he were on flat ground. Rayla even suspected that the Lion of Cintra could run uphill without disturbing his breathing, and that was while he was wearing full armor!
On the other hand, the three witchers marched dispersed in formation, covering the key points of the group to prevent any attack from creatures on the mountain.
Comparing their performance to the rest, Rayla was sure that if they were allowed to go at full speed, they could go at least twice as fast.
Then there were Lann's squires, equipped with custom armor. Even Milva, the only other woman in the group, showed great resilience.
Finally, there was Lann's personal guard. Though they were mere humans, their countless battles alongside him had turned them into an elite force. To Rayla, each of them was as formidable as any member of his special forces, even comparable to combat-trained noble knights.
Rayla silently watched Lann lead the way. Just behind him walked a white-haired warlock.
Was this the Lion of Cintra's party? A man capable of earning the loyalty of the legendary White Wolf?
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