Skirmish struggles.

Nuria met the griffin's shield bash with her own. And she was much heavier than any griffin. And then she kept moving, pushing the griffin back whIle stabbing aggressively around both of their shields. She wanted to reach out with her jaws and take a piece out of his face, but wasn't quite close enough behind two shields.

The other kirin assaulted the dragon with their spears, aiming to wedge them between its scales and cut deep into its flesh.

The foe Nuria was facing would not be easy to hit behind the shield indeed as they clashed, but the life of the foe was cut short when a spear was thrown at the side of its head, piercing it right before her eyes, by none other than Market who came galloping to her side with his horn flaring. "Nuria, get down!!" The warning had best be followed, or she would risk getting burned by the dragon as it roared while shooting firebreath from its mouth all around and including below, flailing it's claws, wings, and tail to shake off all the smaller targets as it fought desperately to survive. Market would do his best to protect her and himself with a barrier as the flames roared.

They were slowly winning, both in the skies and the ground, but a reminder of the price of victory would come as a body of a fellow Kirin lay gored and lifeless nearby once the flames cleared.

Nuria gasped as the spear pierced the griffon's head, a spray of blood crossing her face as it impacted. The sudden lack of resistance caused her to fall over on top of the dead semi-avian, where she stayed until the threat of the fire was gone again. She tried to get up at that moment, but found that already she was exhausted from battle. She looked up at the surrounding carnage, truly taking it all in for the first time. She had experience warfare before, but this was somehow much worse. The bodies strewn across the field, blood stained ground, fire burning everything.

She finally lifted herself from the carcass of the griffon, but flinched and hissed at the pain that had made itself known in her back. She reached behind herself and grasped at the area. She could feel the torn part of her armor well, and it was quite damp. When she pulled back and examined her claws, they were a wet with blood. Her own blood. She lets out and exasperated breath and stands, clenching her sword and shield with what little strength she had left to fight.

Market would do his best to remain close to Nuria as he kept the barrier up around them for now while casting another spell upon her as her troops were managing to get the badly injured dragon away from their Princess, along with the rest of the enemy troops, with greater success each minute. The spell she'd feel upon her was healing magic as it washed over her slowly like a white flowing liquid entering her and breathing itself into her body. "Finally made it... Please try not to move much, Princess, or you might worsen your wounds. Losing you is NOT an option... I'll do my best to protect us, but take this moment to assess the battlefield if you can..." He wasn't a commander nor a regular soldier in his role as an allied Mercenary, so his focus was on supporting and protecting her above all else while she took charge.

The ground enemy forces were actually somewhat panicking; Easy to take out with organized 'by-the-book' strategies. In the air, a few reinforcements were coming in the form of 4 small dragons, though they were already demoralized by the state their leader was in. Up higher still, the flanking was a success, but the rest of the dragons were putting up fierce resistance with their might and firebreath even when cornered. More dedicated strategies would be needed.

Nuria's wound felt better by the second as Market's magic worked. But she didn't have time to thank him just yet. She surveyed the multiple situations and tried to catch her breath without letting the healing magic distract her. The line was moving without her at least. They were pushing the enemy back. "I need, ngh, a shield wall to start pushing back the ground troops!" She attempts to shout, not getting much volume in her tired state.

"And the archers, have them attack the ground- No! Have them attack the skyborne enemies!" She decides on the fly. "A third of our force here needs to move to assist the flanking force against the dragons."

Nuria's orders would be relayed further by a commander nearby, and the formations would be carried out. The ground forces would be easily repelled from that point on as shieldbearers pushed and picked off those they forced back, where as the arrows from the others would prove to deter the enemy reinforcements more than harm then, but successfully delay the rescue upon the dragon still on the ground as it tried to flee instead, which was struggling to do so and not nearly putting up as much of a fight. The reinforcements would reach their destination up in the skies well, and the fight went on.

Back in the barrier, Market was just about done restoring the wounded Princess. "... Okay, that should do it. But be wary about exerting yourself now. All I did was heal the wounds, not restore lost blood. That would take longer still... Do you intend to keep fighting right away?"

"Of course I do!" Nuria blurted out. "What kind of question is that? We aren't done here." She stood all the way up and clutched her sword. "They're almost routed." She stated as she started moving towards the front line again. She was tired, to say the least. Having lost some blood was going yo slow her down a bit.

"Keep pushing! We have them right where we want them!" She commanded as she stepped over the bodies of the fallen.

(("Family Business."))

Market did not protest Nuria's decision, but he would make sure to keep a close eye on her as he remained ready to drop the barrier at her command so she could proceed, lightly snorting amusedly at her bravado. "Indeed we aren't, but we should still see this through cautiously." Not soon after her shout of victory, the morale of her troops would skyrocket as they were motivated to the point where they finally got more than enough hits on the grounded dragon to make it collapse, and finish it off on the ground as it let out a last fiery gurgling roar before it lay limp for good.

This dragon death would turn out to be a double-edged sword, as it dealt a severe blow to the enemy morale; It would also anger all of the remaining dragons as they roared mad and went berserk from that point on. Friend or foe, whoever was close to them they would burn or crush. mostly they aimed their efforts at Nuria's forces, but when their own allies fell, the rest of them lost the will to keep fighting alongside them and retreated for fear of their lives. This still left some remnants, almost half a dozen small dragons, and two large ones who were out for blood to battle to the death... and one of them was making a fast dive towards the ground forces while the ones who were already close to the ground moved in frenzied zigzagging maneuvers to claw and swipe away.

This was perfect. Only a clawfull of dragons and the main opposition had been routed. "Don't bother with the cowards running away!" She yelled. "Kill these dragons and send them to their makers!" She jogs over to one of her commanders and has his force focus on one larger dragon while the rest focus on the second and its smaller drakes. She lets out another exasperated breath, a puff of flame coming with it. "Archers! Fire on the drakes!" It seemed like her head was getting clearer by the second, the adrenaline pumping through her like water down a stream. "Surround them! Surrou--."

There was a moment where there was nothing but blackness. Slowly, her vision returned, she was on the ground, barely holding herself up. She had overexerted herself.

The way the battle raged on by Nuria's orders, was mixed with success and failure. The dragon in the sky would have a harder time than before the more the troops got used to its movements, but it was hard to approach for any clear blows in its raged state. The drakes in general would slowly be taken down one by one... But the dragon going in for a dive would not be deterred nearly as well, as it immediately opened up its wings, arms and legs wide along with its mouth and eyes closed while snorting out flames to tackle and take some of the Kirins down with it hard. If there was any flinching, it was from the bone crushing blows of any Kirin foolish enough to stay in its way in its almost suicidal attack... which would also risk Nuria's life as she staggered in the impact zone.

"Watch out!! Make way!!" Market yelled frantically to any Kirins nearby that tried to help their Queen as he got close to her while casting a spell. Fortunately, his focus was premature and his approach was unhindered, which allowed him to wrap her, the whole group around her that refused to budge for protecting their Queen, and himself in a coat of light... and teleported them all to a location many meters away from the dragons impact zone. This dragon was different from the last though, as it was far sharper in its instincts with how swiftly it could regain its balance on all fours. "Agh... Ma'am, you're gonna give me a heart attack if you keep this up..."

"That's... That's queen, to you." Nuria stated in defiance of her fatigue as she was helped up by another kirin. Her vision was a blur, barely able to make out the faces of those around her.

"Wh-Where are we with the defense?" She asked. "We need to kill those dragons before the casualties grow too numerous."

While Market rolled his eyes under the armor and began to once again heal Nuria's wounds further for good measure, a commander of hers would attempt to relay the situation clearly but quickly spoken. "Your Highness, our forces are superior in this battle, including numbers, morale, and fighting ability. But while we've mainly routed the enemy forces, the dragons are posing a severe threat. The usual tactics involving staggering have no effect, and their movements are too erratic. Do you have any suggestions, or shall one of us carry out an alternative?"

Nuria had to think for a moment. She had to get rid of these dragons before long. Other wise they were just wasting lives. "Th-The outpost should be near here." She said. "It should have catapults, ballistae... Send a group to arm them." She was calming down now, but was no less tired, still being held up by the kirin that helped her. At least she could think without feeling dizzy. She grabbed the nearest canteen from one of her soldiers and drank deep the contents within.

... Time would pass, and Nuria's forces would lure the dragons over to where she had ordered preemptive preparation for a decisive blow. With their bloodlust, it was easy to get them to come into the line of fire at the outpost, killing one, and forcing the other to ultimately retreat with some injuries.

Indeed, there was victory. And indeed, their nation was saved for the dreaded early morning. But the cost, Nuria would find, was steep when she had begun to recieve news of the estimates some time after. Overall, for every three foes slain, one of her own had fallen and many were wounded; The worst statistics recorded by far. Wherever the Queen would retreat, the Mercenary a beckoning away, there would be no denying that a broken defensive line on top of the lives lost to dirt, grit, and steel was a heavy burden on many of the surviving warriors.

Meanwhile, the defensive outpost was being restocked and fortified. Nuria had taken up lodging in one of the only bedrooms that were available, being tended to by her healers. No one could say for sure, but those that had seen her before she entered had said that she looked... Absent... Pale, not from her injury, but from the toll the losses were taking on her. Any attempts to meet with her were met with denial, she did not want to be disturbed.

Most of the day went by before there was any sign of her. She emerged from her quarters, dressed in a mixture of formal attire, fur, and a new set of armor. Even still she seemed distant from the current world. Even when told that there were prisoners captured, the captors waiting with them in the main hall. She went to see. She had thought of a single question she wanted to ask before passing judgement on them. The hall was bustling and decently noisy before she arrived, the door opening and all falling quiet. It was as if they could sense her current state and dared not disturb the waters of emotion. The walk from the doors to where the prisoners knelt was long and silent, but soon she stood before them, looking down at two surviving griffons, not even chained, not armed, stripped of their armor. She stood there quietly for a long while and simply stared...

The griffons only made eye contact for a second at a time, mostly their eyes darted around the room, wondering what would become of them. They flinch when Nuria finally speaks up. "Why is it you condemn my brothers and sisters to die for your selfish gains?" She asks. The two griffons look at each other, then back to Nuria.

"We've no words for you!" One says.

"Our troops will return, and when they do, they'll take this hold and all the land that comes with it." Said the other.

Nuria hold her expression, her eyes moving up to survey the crowd, but they were just as curious as to what she would do. So that was going to be it, was it? The bloodshed would continue. And more of her brethren would die... Very well... Nuria's absent expression subtly turns to a scowl. She opens her mouth, but instead of words, the heat and fire of kirin's breath comes forth from her throat to smite the two griffon. They scream a squawk in pain and agony as their bodies burn. They reach out, trying to grasp some form of mercy from nothingness before they finally drop dead where they kneel, their carcasses crackling and sizzling as they roast.

Despite her sudden action, the room seems to be even quieter than before, all eyes on their queen, whether in shock or awe. Nuria watches the bodies burn and turns back towards the door. "No more prisoners." She speaks the words softly, but they echo through the silence of the room as she makes her exit.

Even if none spoke, there were mixed feelings upon Nuria's troops. Some looked more motivated to fight than ever, some looked to be despairing at uncertain futures, and many were left with a bittersweet reminder of what had happened to some of their comrades by the flames of the dragons themselves. All in all, there was silent unrest among her kind.

Looking from a nearby formation of the room with an unflinching gaze was Market, now wearing red clothing, and a matching cape and distinguished feathered hat of the same colors. One might think him a dandy, but his gaze was stoic, yet one filled with worry as he shook his head after the execution. "What a mess... It's only gonna be worse from here on out, isn't it...? How much good can I do here...?" He would follow after the Queen, still under contract. Still watching over her as protector until dismissed for the day. There were no immediate signs of more fighting, but there was tension in the air for certain.

Nuria walked to the perimeter of the outpost, looking through a small window in the stone wall. All seemed quiet for now, but there was still the high probability of a night assault. It strained her mind to think about. She noticed that Market, that mercenary, was still following her.

"I didn't get a chance to thank you before." She said. Her voice as still as it had been before. "For helping me on the battlefield."

Market would perk his ears towards Nuria, and so he moved a bit closer to see what else was out the window. "You're welcome, Ma'am... It's my job, but that's nice to hear that for a change... But the battlefield is just part of my work as is. What I'd like to know is how you're holding up. One thing I wasn't told about was your combat experience... This wasn't your first real battle, or was it?"

Nuria looked away from the window to the ground. "... Nothing like this..." She said. "Nothing this... Substantial..." She gripped the edge of the window, her gaze not breaking contact with the ground. "I don't
... I don't know what to do from here." She said.

Market would remain at watch for good measure, though he'd be sure to give what little wisdom he could. "... You did well out there, Ma'am. Your style seems a bit raw for my tastes, but you nonetheless achieved victory with your army... Don't get me wrong, this isn't to chastise you. I just want to to remember every single sensation you had up till now... and consider what was and wasn't worth it to get the results you got... I'd like for you to then consider what more you'd be willing to do for the others that fought by your side. Surely there must be som-...?" He paused for a moment, and looked out into the distance, thinking he saw something that wasn't friendly. It turns out, there was nothing. "... Pardon... Surely there must be something you'd want for their sake." He then rubbed his face a bit in thought. "Now I'm seeing things. Can't let myself get paranoid about danger... Let's hope that feeling doesn't spread out to the others..."

Nuria started walking again, her pace casual, yet weary. Her ears perked up when she heard a commotion coming from the main hall. It sounded like... Singing... Her warriors were celebrating their victory after all. "I don't know what more I can do for them except bury my feelings and stride." She says. She comes to a paved path with an overhang and starts walking the length of the path. "At this point in time, I can only offer them what strength I have left."

She stops in her tracks when she hears the distinct sound of laughter not too far from where she stood. A pair of kirin cross the path, a male and a female, completely fixated on each-other and exchanging playful nips and bites. One look and it would be easy to tell what they were up to. They disappear out of sight for a moment, followed by the sound of a door slamming shut.

"... At least they can keep their morale up..."

Market would follow close by as Nuria moved about. There was a light smile on his lips at the sound of cheer. For the most part, his posture was one of attention and composure since he was at work for all intents and purposes, but he wasn't immune to the good vibes, nor was he oblivious to the lovers further ahead as he lightly chuckled at what they were up to. Kirin he was not, but as a Unicorn he knew equine traits and gestures fairly well. "Ma'am, pardon if this seems out of place, and while I may not know the ways of your nation entirely, I hope strength isn't all you intend to give them... Even a warrior race must have order to survive and thrive like you have... That is to say, what do you envision for your nation beyond fighting the good fight and coming out on top?"

Nuria Shook her head. She hardly knew what Market was fishing for. "We're a very 'in the moment' sort of people." She told him. "Of course I want peace in the long run, but that hardly matters if we cannot win now. And they know that just as well as I do."

"I don't know how things work in your home, but here, in this place, strength will get you farther than most things. Especially when fueled by a heated passion. That's one of the many things that set us apart from the rest of the world. Our spirits are like burning flames. The only way to put it out would be to stamp and smother it."

He'd chuckle under his breath, thinking she gave him the best answer he could hope for. "What magnificent spirit you have... But I'm glad to hear your heart is in the right place if you want peace anyway. You can be sure you can keep counting on my support, Ma'am. Nothing wrong with keeping victory in sight always for the sake of it... Of course, where I come from, strength of will is as important as anything else if you want to get ahead. I wouldn't have lasted as a Mercenary otherwise. Probably wouldn't have gotten here with a job either, the one hiring me was persistent in that I kept showing my might from the start before he was satisfied... With that said, Ma'am, how is your mood and morale holding up?" It might seem like a silly question, but he hadn't missed how she looked tired one way or another.

Nuria sighed at Market's question. "It will... Get better..." she said. Well, more assumed. "I'm sad for loss of so many. I can't help but feel like there was something else I could have done. That and I was nearly killed... It brings things into perspective..." She glanced at Market and made a decision right then.

"We should join them in the hall. There are plenty of sentries on guard already." She said, taking strides towards the main hall where the festivities seemed to be coming from.