Chapter 10

Still several miles south of Nikopolis, Qrow rode at the head of his army. He was not big on riding but as a general he was expected to lead his forces from horseback. He would need to see and be seen. He was happy with his army. It lacked battlefield experience and many of the soldiers were recent recruits, but the core was a group of hardened, well-trained veterans who had fought as mercenaries in conflicts elsewhere in the world during Ylisse's long period of peace. Those veterans were quickly getting the rookies up to scratch and the army was already a well-disciplined force. Just the march from the capital to Nikopolis proved that. They had basically force-marched the entire way, making the journey in half the time expected, without complaint.

A scout rode up to Qrow. "Countess Pyrrha and Princess Weiss have ridden out to meet you." He reported. "They are followed closely by retainers."

"I guess they're eager to get on with it." Qrow said. "Find a suitable place to make camp." The scout nodded and rode off. The army could probably make it to the village by the end of the day but they would welcome the early rest. Qrow turned to one of his lieutenants. "Move the engineers up in the column. Have them begin work as soon as a site is chosen. And make sure the camp is well fortified. I don't want any surprises."

"Yes sir." The officer said. He began passing along the orders to his own subordinates.

When Pyrrha and Weiss met Qrow's army it was already in camp. The camp was still in the process of being built, but it was clearly more than what would be constructed during a normal march through friendly territory. Ditches backed by palisades were being set up on the perimeter and sentries were already on guard. It had the feeling of a warzone. Qrow emerged from his large command tent to meet the new arrivals.

"Welcome back Qrow." Pyrrha said. "It's good to see you." She jumped down from her Pegasus and approached.

Qrow bowed in deference to the noble. "The honor's mine." He said.

"I told you to stop being so formal with me." Pyrrha said, a little embarrassed by the display. "If anything I should be bowing to you."

"Nonsense." Qrow said. "I don't have a drop of noble blood in me. I do have more than a little whiskey in me though."

"I don't appreciate being ignored." Weiss said.

"My apologies Princess of nothing." Qrow groaned.

"Qrow, please be civil." Pyrrha said. Weiss gritted her teeth and balled her fists but said nothing. Qrow just shrugged and took a sip from his flask. "It looks like you're constructing a full fortified camp. Why? This is friendly territory."

"Plegia's been acting strangely." Qrow said. "I'm not taking any chances."

"We've noticed that too." Pyrrha said. "My spies have been keeping an eye on their troop dispositions. There's nothing to indicate they're operating nearby though."

"Your spies?" Qrow said. "Care to explain?"

"Nothing too formal." Pyrrha admitted. "A few high-altitude Pegasus riders can tell you a lot though."

"Simple, clever, and effective, well done." Qrow said.

"I learned from the best." Pyrrha said. "Does the Exalt have a plan for our group?"

"He sure does." Qrow said. "He'd like you to act as the vanguard for this army."

"I have a better idea." Weiss said.

"Oh yeah?" Qrow said. "Well, let's head into my tent. I'll show you what the Exalt has planned and then little-miss-amateur-strategist can present her plan."

"It's a good thing my retainers aren't here yet." Weiss seethed. "They would not tolerate these insults."

"Yeah, Yang would give me a good shot." Qrow laughed. "That's why I have to get it all out of my system before she gets here. How often do I get the opportunity to cut a princess down to size? You're awfully short by the way."

Weiss stepped forward with her hand on the pommel of her blade. Pyrrha stepped between her and Qrow. "Okay now, let's all calm down." Pyrrha said. "We're on the same side here. Qrow, I know you're having fun but try to tone it down a bit."

"Yes countess." Qrow sighed.

Once the rest of Weiss' entourage arrived it was time to talk strategy. Yang brought along some maps Weiss had been working with and the entire group crowded around the table inside Qrow's command tent. "Can someone please tell me why your whole group is here?" Qrow groaned. "This is a security nightmare."

"The reason for my presence is obvious, as is Pyrrha's." Weiss said. "Yang is my Master of Soldiers and Ruby is Master of Horse. They are my most trusted advisors. Blake seems to have a better grasp of the situation than anyone. Ren and Nora both have local knowledge of northern Plegia and their insights are potentially valuable."

"Fair enough." Qrow sighed. None of his subordinates were privy to the meeting. "I guess I'll start." He unrolled a map and laid it out on the table. It showed the entire continent, along with troop dispositions for Ylisse, Plegia and Ferox. "The Exalt plans to launch a three-pronged invasion of Plegia. Duke Port will invade from the south, Duke Oobleck in the center, and this army from the north. Khan James will lead an army from western Ferox in support of our operation. All four armies are to converge on the Plegian capital. Right now the Plegian armies are all in defensive positions, blocking the routes there. There are smaller forces closer to the border, mostly mages summoning Risen, with a few soldiers to protect them. Each one of our armies is larger than the entire Plegian military, but they have strong positions and their troops are more experienced. Still, with sustained pressure we should be able to break through. Once past their main line of defense, the only troops left are the king's elite guards, protecting him in the capital. They won't be able to stand up to a full army. The king might flee but once we have the capital it'll effectively be over."

"That'll take too long." Weiss said. "My father's army will land long before you defeat Plegia. What we need is a fast strike, a coup de main."

"I suppose you have an idea then?" Qrow asked.

"I do." Weiss said. She laid a similar map over Qrow's. Plegia's troop positions were marked on it, along with most of the roads through the country. "Here." Weiss said. She pointed to a dotted line that wound through the mountains, cutting between two of the Plegian armies. "This path is too small for a full army, but a small elite force - namely my retainers and I - could slip through, bypass all resistance, and be in the capital before they know what's happening. Then we capture or kill the king."

"Why do you think that will work?" Qrow asked.

"Because every war between Ylisse and Plegia, dating back hundreds of years, has ended when the Plegian king was captured or killed." Weiss replied. "If he surrenders, the nation surrenders with him. If he dies, the survivors will be too busy fighting over the throne to fight against us."

"Interesting." Qrow said.

"Not bad for an amateur huh?" Weiss said.

"Not bad, but there is one problem." Qrow said. "What about the king's elite guards? They're guarding him in the capital. Even if you manage to sneak past the field armies you still have to deal with them."

"They won't be an issue." Weiss said. "You say they're elite but that's not the case. They were chosen for loyalty to the king, not battlefield prowess. They might be well trained and equipped, but they've never seen combat. They're bodyguards, not soldiers. We're all trained warriors. We'll shred them."

"You've never seen combat either." Qrow reminded her. "Not real combat. Your tournaments and that little skirmish with the Risen don't count."

"I've seen real combat." Pyrrha said. "In Ferox and in Nikopolis while they were dealing with the Risen. And I've seen them train. I'm confident in our abilities. Factoring in the element of surprise, we have a distinct advantage." She paused for a moment. "The real question is, do your orders from the Exalt allow for our plan?"

"They do." Qrow confirmed. "I was to suggest your participation in our plan, but I cannot force you to join us. I'm also not permitted to stop you from taking the actions you see fit, so long as they don't interfere with his wider strategy."

"Then it's decided." Weiss said. "We'll move with the army, split of and use the pass to outflank the main Plegian forces, and eliminate the king."

"I'm in agreement." Pyrrha said.

"Who will lead the defense of Nikopolis in your absence Countess?" Qrow asked. He was clearly not sold on the plan.

"I have many talented subordinates." Pyrrha replied. "Besides, based on their dispositions, it's unlikely they'll mount any sort of attack."

"And what if you're spotted before reaching the capital?" Qrow pressed. "If your spies can locate their troops, theirs can locate you."

"The path is heavily forested." Weiss answered. "They would need to be on the ground to find us, and with Pyrrha's mobility we could eliminate any patrols before they could sound the alarm. Once past the main line of defenses, it becomes irrelevant anyway. We can move faster than any forces that can stop us."

"Countess, are you fully committed to this plan?" Qrow asked.

"I am." Pyrrha confirmed.

"Then you have my blessing." Qrow sighed. "It's audacious but if anyone can pull it off, it's you and my nieces. I'm sure Nora and Ren will be useful too."

"And their liege." Weiss added.

"Yeah, sure, you too." Qrow said, rolling his eyes.

"Why can't you treat me with any respect?" Weiss demanded.

"Think about who you're talking to." Qrow snapped. "Think about who my sister is. Think about where I come from."

"Yang and Ruby have the same connections but we get along." Weiss countered. "Blake is an exile just like you and your sister, but at least we can be civil."

"I wonder if my nieces would feel the same way if they knew the truth." Qrow said.

"What truth?" Weiss asked. "What does that even mean?"

"Forget it." Qrow said. "Right now we need your little group if we're going to stop your father. I really hope your plan works. You're certainly right about one thing, we need to knock Plegia out of this war fast. If we don't this whole operation will just be a waste of time." He turned to Pyrrha. "Countess, keep my nieces safe."

"They're my retainers and I'll see to their well being." Weiss said. "You have my word."

"A Schnee's word." Qrow said under his breath. He closed his eyes and shook his head before taking a long drink from his flask. "I genuinely hope you're not like your father."

"She's not." Yang said. "She's a good person."

"I wish I could be so confident." Qrow groaned. He bent over and put his hands down flat on the table, staring straight downward. "Your plan's approved so you can go. This army begins its invasion in two days. We'll break through their advanced forces and that should give you the opening you need to make it to your target undetected." Weiss' group started to file out. "Yang, Ruby, could I speak to the two of you privately?"

Yang and Ruby stayed behind while the others left. Qrow remained hunched over the table for a while after everyone else had left. "Are you alright?" Ruby asked.

Qrow took a deep breath. "I'm fine." He said. He stood up with a smile on his face. "So, how have you kids been. We didn't have a lot of time to catch up before I had to leave."

"Considering we had to flee our home, fight our way into Ferox, and face another battle as soon as we got here, I don't think we're doing that bad." Yang said. "And if Weiss' plan works we'll have plenty of reason to be optimistic."

"Well that's good." Qrow said. "Getting along with your little group?"

"Blake and I had a bit of a...disagreement, but we worked it out." Yang replied. "Other than that things have been fine."

"How's the princess treating you?" Qrow asked.

"Fine." Yang answered. "We've been training together like usual. She does still punish me for flirting with...well...everyone, but I think she's lightened up a bit."

"How are things for you Ruby?" Qrow asked.

"Really good!" Ruby exclaimed. "Pyrrha taught me how to use a bow and how to ride a horse, and we're dating! Well, maybe dating isn't the word since we haven't technically been on a date but…" Ruby babbled on.

"Congrats kiddo." Qrow said. "At least you found some happiness in the middle of this damn mess. I hope that works out for you." He paused. "Wait a second. I thought you knew how to ride and shoot."

"Yeah, but not well." Ruby said. "Now I'm actually good!"

"Let me guess, you used training as an excuse to hang around with Pyrrha." Qrow accused.

"Yeah, but I really did want to learn too." Ruby protested. "And I found a horse that'll actually listen to me!"

"You're good kid." Qrow said. "You're really good. You two stay safe alright?"

"We'll be fine." Yang assured him.

"I certainly hope so." Qrow sighed.

The following day Qrow's army moved up to Nikopolis, then to the border, camping just inside friendly territory. The soldiers were restless. The veterans wanted to fight. The newer soldiers were less eager but Qrow's inspirational addresses had them ready. Now they just wanted to do something. Qrow instructed them to clean and polish their weapons and armor. He wanted them to look as confident as they felt. If they looked the part they were more likely to act the part too. Overaweing the enemy could be a valuable tactic as well, and thousands of troops advancing in perfect order, their armor and weapons glinting in the sun, was an intimidating sight. Throw in some solid tactics and strategy and they would be unstoppable.

Weiss' group was not idle either. They too prepared their arms and armor for battle. Weiss sharpened Myrtenaster and reviewed maps of her planned route. Yang polished her armor to a mirror sheen. Blake's sword did not require maintenance, self-sharpening as it was, and she spent her time meditating. After polishing Crescent Rose and grooming Zwei, Ruby collected and carefully packed dozens of arrows. Pyrrha groomed her Pegasus, cleaned her armor, beat a few dents out of her shield, and sharpened her lance. With Ren's help Nora repaired some minor damage to her armor, then polished her hammer. The night before Qrow's army was to invade Plegia they joined it at its camp. From now on they would have to make due with the most basic accommodations. Even a tent would be considered a luxury item, the one luxury they would have, at least at the start. Once their expedition began in earnest, adjustments might be necessary.

The group's tent was not particularly large but it was big enough for them to all sleep within it. It was a bit cramped but certainly better than the alternative of sleeping outside. When the weather was good sleeping under the stars would not be that bad, but if it rained it would be miserable.

Weiss awoke in the middle of the night. When fleeing Chon'sin they had been able to stay in small, out-of-the-way inns. Sleeping aboard the ship from Valm to Plegia had been uncomfortable, but a sleeping bag on the ground was even rougher. Outside she could hear some chatter between the regular soldiers. They sounded confident, though she could not make out exactly what they were saying. She rolled over, hoping it would be more comfortable. Yang was sitting up beside her, wide awake. "Yang, go to sleep." Weiss said. "You need to be well rested."

"And you need to be well guarded." Yang countered. "Qrow said he was worried about Plegian infiltrators. You saw the damage they did in Nikopolis. You'd be target #1 if they got into the camp."

"Much as I hate to give the man any praise, Qrow seems very serious about security." Weiss said. "I don't think we have to worry. Besides, no one is getting to me without stepping on someone. I couldn't ask for a better alarm system."

"We can't afford to take any chances." Yang said. "You're the key to stopping your father. Right Blake? Come on, I know you're awake."

Blake was lying still, looking very much asleep. "We need you alive." Blake whispered. "You're vital to the war effort, just like Yang said."

"Can't the two of you at least take turns?" Weiss asked.

"Go ahead and sleep Yang." Blake said. "I already got an hour or two. That's all I need."

"I don't know…" Yang said.

"If you really want to protect Weiss, you could always take Ruby's approach." Blake suggested. She nodded her head toward where Ruby and Pyrrha were. Ruby was practically wrapped around Pyrrha's back, a preposterously small big spoon.

"Well princess?" Yang asked.

"Don't even think about it." Weiss said. "If I wake up and any part of you is touching me, I'm cutting it off."

"Not a cuddler, fine." Yang laughed.

"Gods would you guys shut up!" Nora said in the loudest whisper in history. "Some of us are trying to sleep!"

"Nora, quiet." Ren admonished in a much quieter whisper.

"Sorry!" Nora said, again far too loud.

Pyrrha stirred. "Is it morning already?" She asked. "Why am I wearing a backpack?" She reached back, finding the side of Ruby's leg. With a gasp she spun out of Ruby's grip. Ruby somehow remained asleep. "Oh...it's just Ruby…" Pyrrha saw that it was still nighttime, rolled back into place and fell back to sleep as Ruby unconsciously wrapped her up.

"We're the last, best chance to save the world huh?" Yang laughed.

"Yep." Blake said.

"We're doomed." Weiss groaned. She rolled back over and tried to go back to sleep.