"Truly? I had not known of this. What did the courier say?"

"What we had expected, sire. Don Carles and his army have managed to land; according to the messenger, the Fleet was able to fight off an attack from the Neran Armada while his troops landed. He has begun sieging the city of Montechio."

You begin to rub the growing stubble on your chin. You had known the fleets of Mirevale to be mightier than that of Nera, but it is good to hear they were able to defeat them. If your side holds 'naval superiority', then you may be able to acquire supplies from them in coastal regions, as well as to more easily receive or send messages, though both would require your army to be stationed near a port.

"Hath the courier held any orders for us?" you ask.

"Yes, sire." confirms Hugues. "Don Carles has ordered that we are to join him in his siege of Montechia. He has advised that we also attempt to 'lessen' any pockets of resistance in the region."

Though none could bear the title of a true urban city, according to the maps you had been provided for the campaign, there are still yet many notable towns in the region of Tilano, where you currently stand. Namely, the towns of Anaggia, Isedia, Largo and Sonero stand out as being mentioned by name, though you've no doubt many villages unrecorded by the map exist between these valleys. With how close they are to the very roads you must take to reach Montechia, you will have no choice but to deal with at least some of them if you wish to advance without fear of attacks at your back.

"Is there a chance at least some of these territories could be friendly to the Spisa cause?" you question, hopeful.

"I am not sure, sire. The locals have been of little help in this matter, and our prisoners apparently claim they only knew of the loyalty of Panergo, having departed almost as soon as they heard of the growing war. We will most likely learn of such things as we go."

You let out a puff of air. "Are there any matters we must deal with, before we depart?"

At that question, your Quartermaster, the tall and fastidious Provençal de Marguina clears his throat, and begins to speak.

"But a single one, Don Alessandro, and it pertains to the matter of supply. Although they were able to make off with the valuables and the treasury, the storehouses of Panergo remain full with grain freshly harvested. It would be of no challenge to supply ourselves with it; but it is up to your lordship how much. As our capacity stands, concerning wagons and oxen, we are capable of holding at best five weeks worth of supply at a time. However, to do so would certainly push the animals, slowing them down. The more supply we hold in our baggage train, the slower our movement shall be."

"Must we rely so heavily on foraging, then?"