The two countries have been at war so often, that no one cared to count how many times they'd actually fought. Since the very beginning, they've shared this peculiar bond. It all started 250 years ago in the Kingdom of Shadeen, which dominated those lands back then. Blessed with fertile lands, a strong army and brisk trade, The Kingdom of Shadeen was the most suited to unite all other kingdoms under its rule and govern the whole continent.
But one day, two feudal lords revolted. The Kingdom of Shadeen tried to suppress this mutiny, but all was in vain. The lords' armies defeated the troops sent by the kingdom, by force or by persuading them into betraying Shadeen. After that, the lords solidified their victory by stealing pieces of Shadeen's lands and hoarding all they could get. They expanded their rule towards the lands they'd captured and finally established their own kingdoms. That is how Carvelle and Parmia were founded.
The Kingdom of Shadeen, however, didn't cease to exist. It suffered a great deal from the rebellion, and after that it barely had any power to thrive, let alone stand against Carvelle or Parmia.
Apparently, this entire dispute began as a result of a controversy surrounding the last wills of deceased first kings. But neither side was willing to compromise. Each of the kingdoms believed that the will of their first king was the true one, and they were adamant in their intention to fulfill it.
The first kings of both countries were eager to lend a hand to each other, as they both plotted against Shadeen and led it to its demise. They did everything in their power to make sure that they would never have any dispute over lands, compromising and building friendship for their countries. But the relationship of their descendants was nothing but a constant quarrel and dispute. Both kings aimed only for their own supremacy, never trying to reconcile and negotiate. Each was willing to take any measures to make his opponent fall, even if it could bring serious consequences to his own kingdom.
"I'll never forgive him."
Yet the two kingdoms didn't spend the following 250 years in continuous attempts to destroy each other. They did fight most of the time, but they also endeavored to build relationships based on peace and good will. However, each of those endeavors was brief and always ended in another conflict.
Luceide's honest opinion on the matter was as simple as:
With all that said, all armed conflicts between the two kingdoms have never been anything more than mere disturbances. Both Carvelle and Parmia were strong enough to destroy a country or two, and if any of them ever gathered an army capable of invading its counterpart, the consequences would be devastating. One war would lead to another, and the whole continent would be trapped in its flames in no time. That is why both kingdoms took great care and never dispatched large troops.
Parmia invaded this fort for no other reason than seizing it. After all, Fort Kisarge was originally built by the Kingdom of Parmia, then snatched by Carvelle, to which Parmia responded by snatching it back, and the fort never stayed in either one’s hands for long.
Among them, Longueville was the one whose skills and 50 years of experience in military command were the most widely recognized throughout the Kingdom of Carvelle. For his supreme battle skills he had earned the name'The Silver Sword' from people of the kingdom. And so, answering his king's order, Longueville proposed the following strategy.
Vacelius wasn't content with this plan at first.
"Your Majesty, any General would be honored to lead the vanguard army. But still, even though the task of stopping the invaders may seem easy, it will require the commander to make harsh decisions, so he should have a flexible mind. This is not about winning or losing the battle There is no doubt that Prince Luceide, our resourceful general, who has already brought us so many victories despite his young age, will successfully perform this task. "
"I will follow your orders, Your Majesty. It is my duty as a Prince to perform to the best of my abilities."
Two days after that, Luceide left Reicetty, capital of Carvelle, with 6,000 men under his command. The reports from scouts he sent while marching confirmed that Parmian army, as he thought, used Fort Kisarge as a foothold to proceed into Carvelle territories.
* * *
“Ah, the soldiers are in good spirits.”
“There is no need to stand so stiffly. By the way, does anybody know of Lysander's whereabouts?”
With his moderate build wrapped in leather armor overtop of his linens, Luceide looked extremely lacking next to the knights equipped with iron suits of armour. Those amongst them who disliked Luceide would tease him with names like 'The Leather Clad Prince', and they could scarcely hide their scornful snickering. However, amongst the forces here now, there wasn't a single soldier who would laugh at Luceide in such a manner. Having amassed numerous victories throughout his career, the knights and soldiers in attendance were resolute in their respect for Luceide.
“Your Majesty, if you have business with me, simply summon me and I shall be at your side.”
“It's faster for me to just come and get you. Although the battle still hasn't started, there's no need for you to be dismounted, Lysander.”
Lysander had been inducted into the roster of the Four Generals at the young age of twenty-eight. He had been through many battles alongside Luceide, and had quite a bit of respect for the young Prince.
Luceide asked of Lysander once they were both mounted once more. The short golden-haired knight let slip an expression of nervousness as he answered.
“We slightly outnumber them, how fortunate.”
“We shall mobilize if they approach within two myure. Do you know who is comanding the enemy forces?”
Luceide's expression stiffened. A gilded crescent moon upon a white flag represented Falshella and her forces. The Prince forced a smile onto his face.
“Do you actually intend to employ the strategy that was discussed?”
“They should also be aware that I am in command of these forces. There's a possibility we'll have to employ some resolute decision making. Let us brand the Armiche with a crushing defeat.”
“Don't worry, if it comes to it, preserving the lives of myself and my forces is my top priority, no matter how shameful it becomes. I don't intend to die in a place like this.”
Upon hearing Luceide's words, Lysander's composure waned slightly as he put on a wry smile. Just then, a number of soldiers approached Lysander with reports. After hearing their information, he began giving new orders. Luceide waited until Lysander had a moment, then suddenly mentioned to Lysander something that had been on his mind.
“The order to gather six thousand soldiers from amongst those in the capital was quite sudden. However, All those gathered have plenty of battle experience, so there's no need for worry.”
Hearing Luceide tell of what he had seen, Lysander took on a pensive expression. For the time being he simply turned to the next scout with a serious look on his face.
“If he wanted to, he could have his forces here by tomorrow, that treacherous old man.”
However, Luceide had no intention of waiting. To put it bluntly, there was enmity between Luceide and Longueville. Luceide had served under him before, and they had engaged enemy forces side by side, but Luceide found Longueville's command to be bothersome. The celebrated general had, on occasion and for believable reasons, reduced the forces under Luceide's control, and made Luceide engage enemies with greater numbers, or left him all alone with the enemy altogether. He had also stolen credit for some of Luceide's victories.
It had happened when Luceide and Longueville spoke with the king after achieving one of their victories. In front of the King, Queen, and all of their attendants, Longueville spoke to Luceide with laughter in his voice.
This was a serious insult. Longueville was sneering about the fact that the daughters of the nobles made a point of avoiding Luceide. Saying that he was untactful was also an insult that couldn't be taken in stride. Especially because Luceide had surpassed the Fourth General in deeds of arms.
Combined with Longueville, the current deployment of the Carvellian Army stood sixteen thousand strong. Three times as many soldiers as the enemy; and Luceide would end up seen as having acted under Longueville's leadership. The title of 'White Silver Sword' was well known and feared even in Parmia, since even the men under his command liked it better that way.
“I'll end this before it comes to that”