Chapter 206: Departing High Fen City (Part Two)
Both women understood the challenges in forming a closer alliance, and Nyrielle hadn’t pressed too hard for support during her visit. She had, however, made it very clear that the next assault from the Humans would likely be larger than any seen in the past hundred years.
Nyrielle had only the vaguest understanding of a human Crusade when she faced off against Cellach Lothian. By then, the Second Crusade had already officially ended. Cellach made use of remnant forces who had chosen to remain in the newly established Lothian March rather than returning to the old countries and that had made his attacks on the Vale of Mists particularly effective.
It wasn’t until Nyrielle met Ashlynn that she learned the true size and scope of the human forces across the sea who would come to conquer in the name of the Holy Lord of Light. By now, Nyrielle had come to share Ashlynn’s belief that the fall of the Vale of Mists and the elevation of the Lothian March to a proper Duchy would herald the coming of a Third Crusade.
If that happened, the most that the High Fen could expect from the High Pass was that they could stall for time while the High Fen built their fortifications and readied their armies. The humans wouldn’t stop at claiming barren territories in the mountains.
Once they secured a pass, they would pour through it like water from a broken dam. If they wanted to prevent a Crusade, the only thing Nyrielle could do, at least for now, was to break the Lothian assault aimed at the Vale of Mists and Airgead mountain.
Breaking that assault would be costly, both in terms of war materials and lives, and if the Vale of Mists or Airgead Mountain fell, the High Pass would become a fragile barrier between the High Fen and Human aggression. Whether Erna helped Nyrielle or not, the humans were coming and something had to be done.
Erna happened to agree with Nyrielle’s conclusions. She’d never known her teacher to exaggerate. The problem was that their relationship as teacher and student was too well known. Others in the High Fen would question whether Erna was being objective enough in her handling of matters related to the Vale of Mists. It would take more than just Nyrielle’s warning to convince the people who opposed her to fall in line with her desires.
"I won’t linger over farewells," Nyrielle said, gently taking her former student’s hands in her own and giving her an affectionate squeeze. "The nights have become very short and I’d like to reach the first ferry by dawn. Be well, Little Snake. We’ll see each other again soon."
"Give my regards to the Mother of Thorns, Seneschal Ashlynn," Erna said with a wide smile. "And Teacher, please give my regards to your great-grandsire when you greet him as well."