The day was at hand, banners were waving in the wind and the defence army was ready to march out, standing at attention for the commanders to inspect them one final time before the upcoming battle.

The plan was simple, they would move north to meet the approaching army of Andrew, wait it out at a defensible position and crush it as it tried to ford the river in the north. The Telmarion archers would prove excellent in this role. Any survivors would be captured and ransomed.
And it would of course not be cheap, Claus knew the value of prisoners of war.

Claus and Orland was walking together and inspecting the arrayed troops. A smirk let slip on the captain's face as they moved alongside the statuesque wall of arrayed halberdiers of the Steel fist, his men were superb and it showed in their stance.
As he turned to Orland with his proud a gloaty demeanor he was met with a rather unimpressed expression of the young lordling.

-"Are you not proud to have such fine troops help protecting your home?" Claus said while widely gesturing to his men, he snapped his fingers and the fist with a shout arrayed their weapons into a perfect wall of steel, arrayed in perfectly straight lines, not a single one at a wrong angle.

-"They are just mercenaries, no true honor or glory.... let's continue." Orland said with a fake yawn before it, while he did talk down about the fist it was apparent he wasn't really sure of what he was claiming.
Claus twitched once with his eye and grunted slightly, his smirk all gone and he looked rather displeased, but did not comment further and just waved his hand to the men who returned to attention with a single shout.

They kept walking, the regular mercenaries were a much more rag tag bunch. They did have some good armour, a ragtag mixture of ring mails, scale armours and one or two with some kind of plate cuirass or similar, but it was apparent that while they were well armed and trained, they were more like the usual picture of a mercenary.
The duo walked by the large number of mercenaries and came to the bowmen of Telmarion. Claus had to admit, the bowmen were excellent troops. He had seen them in training and in some drills, and they were very well armed with very good quality bows and everyone had a sidearm and many also had a small buckler.
But Claus saw how Orland shone up when going in front of the bowmen, smiling and full of pride, even waving to the arrayed bowmen.
Claus just rolled his eyes and made a mental sigh.
What kind of wrothful deity had he angered to be put together with what seemed like a spoiled lordling with an excess of national pride.

-"Now this is how proper soldiers should stand, proud, tall, gazing towards victory!" Orland said with a tempo that made Claus think this was a phrase that Grandin Tuania had taught him.

-"I cannot disagree, they are indeed impressive. They will serve well in the upcoming battle." Claus told openly as he walked up to a bowman, took hold of his chin and inspected his jawline.
He let go, pat his shoulder with a pair of harty slaps.
-"Won't you good sir?" A smile was formed on Claus face, the confused bowman looked at him and said.
-"Umm... yes sir, of course."

Orland met Claus sight as he turned to go back to inspecting the troops. Orland was practically swelling with pride. Claus kept smiling and joined him in walking.
They walked past the well drilled and proper concord troops and got to the militia.

The militia was a poor sight, Claus was very skeptical about this part of the force, he also was unable to hide this fact and looked like he had no hopes for them.
Their equipment was shoddy, not all of them had shields and he was sure that at least one of the spears he saw lacked a head.
In the very least they were standing in a proper formation, which was more than he had expected of them, but when that is the best impression so far...

-"And here is the brave men who have joined up, to protect their home and country from the hostile invaders! AREN'T YOU PROUD!?" Orland gestured towards the militia and shouted. He was met with a hearty cheer.
Claus walked up to a militia-man and yanked in the mans armour.

-"Why do you wear this?" He asked the man, whom answered.

-"To... protect my family!" Claus took a step back and raised his voice.

-"To protect his family, now that is a noble reason indeed! I assume each and every one of you hold such a honorable and pure reason to be here today." Claus paused for a moment and began gesturing and walking back and forth.

-"Each and every one of you hold such a grand reason in your heart, but look at our foes? Who seek to claim this land by force? What do they hold? Greed! Greed i tell you! Pure and unrefined, how do they stand a chance to the likes of you? Proud and noble Telmarians?" Claus pointed towards everyone with a sweeping motion.

-"When you stand there on the field of battle, remember the reason why you fight. And you shall see, that your foes will witness that purity and be forced to flee in your presence. Now... GIVE ME A CHEER!!!" Claus finished with a mighty roar and the militia made a violent and excited cheer, banging weapons against shields and stomping spears into the ground.

-"Now THAT's the spirit!!!" Claus shouted before returning to Orland, whom just looked at Claus with raised eyebrows.
-"You just need to tell them the right things. Then they will be even more ready for battle." Claus told Orland without looking at him.

The last group they watched were the battle mages. Not really as unison as the other troops admittedly, but Claus knew their prowess.

A while later, the army began to march towards the north. 53.000 strong. The multiple and varied banners were swaying in the wind, standing out in the column was the Steel fist with their straight rows of men and weapons, with their black banner waving in the wind, the white fist prominent upon its surface.
It was a days march or so to the fighting grounds, but Claus was sure he had left in good time so they had a lot of time to march and prepare defences.

After several hours, one of Claus scouts sought him out.
-"Sir, we have spotted the enemy force, i'm sad to say they seem to have already forded the river or arrived by ship. Regardless, they are on our side of the river."
-"Curses, oh well. We'll have to go with plan B, be sure the lieutenants get these orders. Dismissed." Claus grumpily acknowledged and turned to Orland.
-"You heard that?" Claus asked.
-"Yes, this will prove inefficient... oh well. We shall have the day regardless." Orland spoke and just kept on.
Claus had to admit, while the youngster might not be a tactical mastermind or a smooth diplomat, he did have faith in his forces.
But he could not shake this funny feeling back in his mind, he had a bad feeling about this. The plan was to face the enemy and prevent a massive land grab, he had hoped to intercept them while fording but would have to do with a defensive position and have a defensive battle.
He had a good position planned, open terrain, a few banks that could be used as defensive earthworks. He could even get stakes made for it for an even better position.
Claus just wondered if it would be enough.