"Our war will begin as soon as the festival ends!"
Nyrielle's words landed in the room like a torch thrown onto a puddle of oil, igniting strong reactions in everyone present. A few eyes turned to Hauke, wondering if the Vale of Mists' recent alliance with the Frost Walkers was the reason that Nyrielle felt confident to press for war as winter approached.
For decades, the Vale and the Lothians had fallen into a stalemate where the heavy snows and bitter cold of winter constrained both sides, preventing Nyrielle and her progeny from exploiting their greater reach during the long nights of winter. While it was true that Nyrielle and her progeny had more ability to move, any attempt to bring her army along with her was likely to result in more deaths from exposure to the cold and difficulty transporting supplies than they would suffer at the hands of the enemy.
