Cain inspected the market from atop his horse. Despite the impending hostilities with Bern, the people were in a celebratory mood, and business was moving along nicely. Even the very weather was working to assist the mood, with the sun shining out clearly, and the sky a clear cerulean color. Normally, such a scene would earn his approval - as stern as he was, one of the few things that moved him was the sight of his people prospering - but right now, all he could feel in regards to what he saw before him was a bitter sense of disappointment.

Where were the musters? The armsmen? There was nothing, no hint at all that they were preparing for the inevitable conflict coming to them. Did they think, perhaps, that just because they were furthest from the conflict, that they had nothing to worry about? It was pure folly, and he was here to inform them of it. To that measure, he would need to speak with the village counselors.

He was hoping his status as the heir to the House of Tania, one of the Lycian territories most likely to be hit first, would be enough to allow him an audience. Normally, authority was not much of an issue, but Ravenne was so far off from his own House that it was possible that his words would weigh little with them.

It was as he was making his way to the council meeting when he spied something unusual. It was a woman, beautiful even from a distance, with long red hair that contrasted with her bronze skin and glimmering blue eyes. Her manner of dress, and that of the man accompanying her, gave away her status. She was highborn, of that there was no doubt, which left the question: from where did she come from?

She wasn't Lycian, of that he was sure; he was familiar with all the prominent members of the Lycian houses, and her style of dress was unmistakably Etrurian. But what would an Etrurian noble be doing here at the border of Lycia? They usually had no business here asides from the occasional social events or weddings, and even then, those usually occurred in Ostia.

Unless they were here for reconnaissance . . . ?

Cain's eyes narrowed. Some would say it was a it much to be suspicious of a person you haven't even talked to, but to that, he would say that [i]they[/i] weren't in danger of imminent invasion. 

Tactically, it made complete sense. Should Bern invade and successfully annex even a part of Lycia, it would substantially boost the mobility of their warmachine, not to mention bolster their supply chain by a huge margi, an outcome that was all too plausible due to the increasing decadence of Lycia's leaders.

If that was the case then Etruria had two choices: to form a defensive pact with Lycia, which was unlikely given the futility of that course of action, or, more efficiently, annex some Lycian territory for themselves in order to stop Berns advance cold.

It was the most logical course of action to take, and he would even give his grudging approval if that was their course of action.

He wouldn't allow them to get very far, but he [i]would[/i] acknowledge the utility of the choice.