I have been trudging through this forest for what feels like days. This will be the only way to sneak up on the Allonian army. If we take the main road then I am sure their scouts will manage to spot us. They have been surprisingly efficient. 

The soldiers have not yet complained about the conditions but this may be more worrying than them complaining. Discipline is good but it goes only so far. I should have heard murmurs of dissent even if I tried my hardest not to. Alas, it seems as if all I hear is what they will do when they finally capture the Allonians. 

I look back towards Luca. He looks tired but he just follows behind me silently not uttering a single word. “How much farther do we have to go?” I ask him. He looks up at me and tilts his head as if thinking about the question. 

“I think are a day out from Nara, we should be stumbling upon them soon.” His answer pleases me. I flew into a rage the moment I noticed that they had snuck away in the night. Part of me wonders how they managed it but I will simply blame our carelessness. We clearly should have increased patrols. 

“They took the main road and got off of it before reaching Belnuo.” 

They aren’t even trying to be stealthy at this point. No... it seems that they are trying to make distance. But there isn’t a single pass north of here and going through Monza would be an act of war.  

But they also did manage to get past Cerva without taking it. They might also have a plan to get through the mountains without finding a pass. But will we make it in time to stop them? We are going through the forests on a more direct course but they took the main road. 

If we follow behind them I doubt we would have managed to catch up with them. Perhaps we would have but I figured my chances of success were more likely if we to a detour. “Have our scouts found them?” 

“They were last seen south of Caprinisco. I was worried they would try to siege Belnuo but I am relieved that they did not do so.” Luca says. I let out a long breath and breathe in slowly. 

“Double our efforts in finding the Allonian army.” 

I will beat William this time. If I can beat him then I would have considerable power in negotiating peace. A new emperor would be elected and a succession crisis would most likely occur. Be it between the two major families or between the new emperor and the house. 

A new emperor would easily see the defects in the system and try to fix it. If the former happens then I should try to milk this war for what it is worth. If the latter happens a quick peace may be better. They will not act upon the aspirations unless they were secure in knowing they could do so safely. 

“I have sent the orders.” Luca informs me. 

“Good. Let us see if we can make it close to Nara soon.” I look forward towards the forest path. It is bumpy and unpaved but it is far better than nothing. What I would give to sleep on a bed or finally be over with this. 

I would rather be anywhere but here at the moment. 

A/N: Literally got off of my ninth day coming into work. I am dead beat tired. We are having the last battle of the war soon. I was going to release the prologue of my next story but I ended up deciding that it wasn't ready and went back to editing it. It should be finished fairly soon and once I finish it I will release it and take a week break to continue planning and stacking up chapters.

As always, thank you for reading.