Skirmish struggles.

Market's face would turn completely neutral as Nuria spoke of the losses. He certainly hadn't forgotten what had been lost, and it pained him knowing things were the way they were. He was probably just coping better for the time being. "At least she's not desensitized. Good... Maybe with this she'll work harder and think smarter for better results..."

When invited to the celebration, he gave her a raised brow and a light smile. "Oh? Very well, that sounds nice." He'd move ahead of her, doing her the favor of opening up the doors for her to go back into the hall.

The hall suddenly fell silent again as Queen Nuria entered. She walked in and looked around, all eyes on her now. She walks over to the nearest table and grabs a mug from a kirin's claws, giving it a sniff. "Alcohol, commander?" She says, with a critical eye.

The commander in question steps forward nervously. "I thought it appropriate, Your Highness." He says. "Considering the circumstances..."

Nuria looks around and sees faces ready for disappointment. She then looks back to the commander. "This won't do at all, Commander." She says. "If you're going to celebrate our voctory, then you're going to need a hog." She states before taking in a swig of the ale herself. "Someone check the kitchen and feed my warriors!" She shouts to the cheers of all in the room as the party continues. Her action actually did two things, first, it kept the morale of her army in high spirits and showed them that she really did care for them. Second, having food and not just alcohol in their stomachs would help prevent them all from getting drunk out of their wits.

Along with the drinking and eating, the warriors all played games of strength with each other, whether it be arm wrestling, an outright fight, trading blows, or simply pushing each other over a line. All in good fun of course. There was singing and dancing and chanting and the whole hall rang with merriment. Meanwhile, Nuria sat with Market at a table while they ate and drank, accommodations being made, of course, for Market's vegetarian pallet. She catches eye of a familiar face, the kirin that had helped to keep her on her claws on the battlefield. He was about her age, maybe just a bit older, and had experience behind his eyes.

"You're dismissed, market." She said as she took a gulp of her ale and stood, heading straight for the kirin in question. She didn't even say two words to him before a frightened look of confusion came across his face as she dug her claws deep into the armor he wore and roughly dragged him away, through the crowd and out the doors.

Market, despite the fanfare, was mostly just keeping to himself. That didn't mean he wasn't enjoying the music nor the entertainment, but he wasn't participating in any of it directly. Instead, he kept to just taking his time contently eating his meal and keeping to light drinks as he was still on duty, though he would've rejected alcohol off duty regardless out of personal taste.

It would come as a surprise when Nuria dismissed him only to see her claw and drag a Kirin out of the room. Not actually knowing the nature of the act, he still followed as close by as he could to see what was up, but the apparent lack of a struggle from the male and the fact she locked themselves in her room was enough to make him chuckle to himself in the hallway and sigh. "Guess she wanted some of that other morale herself too... Well, better go burn off some energy and wander." With a bit of focus, he flashed all over and was now bare as could be with no clothes, and sought to go outside to gallop around the compound for some exercise, and as an excuse to keep patrol.

The next morning

Nuria woke, not alone in her bed, but with the same kirin she had dragged into it the night prior. He was still asleep, but she was coming to. Her back felt better, but that was probably because the rest of her felt a little sore. But she'd be damned if she didn't feel sooooo much better. She still felt little tingles everywhere.

She climbed out of bed and went immediately to a mirror. As she suspected, her mane looked like she'd just had a run in with a dragon and lost. After some quick grooming, she dressed herself and went out into the inner workings of the outpost. The sun was just beginning to break over the horizon and the air was cool. All was calm and the warriors were going about their duties.

Nuria took a deep breath of morning air and actually felt truly at peace for a moment.

The peace would not last, however, as a force of three dozen griffons would make their way towards the outpost by that time, carrying some of her captive soldiers in small cages and bound tight. They would purposely avoid getting too close however, and stopped by an open area where all could see as they let out just one captive.

Limping and wounded, wings and tail cut off, nails and fangs ripped off, he had one message for them as he arrived to meet with the first to spot him as word spread frantically. "T-They're g-gonna torture and kill more captives... if the Queen does n-not surrender...!! They won't s-stop otherwise!" His warrior spirit had been broken and left a stuttering mess. He was allowed to escape just to send a message of fear and unrest.

Elsewhere, Market had begun to put his armor and quickly sought out his boss to begin yet another harsh day...

Nuria felt herself tense up again, snapping back to reality. The mutilated kirin was collected and brought immediately to the healers for treatment, but nobody knew what would become of him for sure. Nuria herself had gotten her armor on and was meeting with her commanders now. "This is madness." She says to them. "These animals have no morality. And now they have prisoners..."

She paused in thought as the commanders all discussed possible strategies for combating this next trial. She looked at a map of the surrounding area, the enemy's location scribbled on it. "... We can't leave them." She says. "... This is only going to get worse before it gets better... We may... No, we will have to sacrifice many more lives before the end of this." 

She takes a piece of chalk and draws on the map. "They're likely still recovering from their loss yesterday. This is an act of desperation on their part, trying to get at our emotions... Well, it's working. I want the artillery mobile as soon as possible and the entire army ready for a full assault on the enemy camp..."

Eventually, Market would enter the same location as Nuria, fully armored once more, and fairly silently moving close to her to report for duty. "Ready and willing, Ma'am..." Aside from the Mercenary, her soldiers loyally began their preparations.

As for the enemy group outside, a trio of griffons came closer, one of them holding a magic relic in the shape of a horn. As the griffon spoke, his voice was magnified to be heard in the outpost. "Hey! Did that prisoner we sent back to you die before he delivered the message or what!? I see way too much movement in that camp of yours, don't try anything funny now! This is your last chance for surrender, or these and the rest of the prisoners die and you condemn yourselves! Send your Queen right now if you value your lives, we know she's stationed there!"

Nuria glanced out of a nearby window to look at the commotion coming from outside. Already an idea began brewing in her mind. "Market, Lieutenant Stone, come with me." She orders there mercenary and a Kirin lieutenant. She then grabbed the archer commander. "I'm going to need your absolute best archers on the wall. They are going to take out these griffon once we reach the prisoners."

The commander nods, going to grab his best. She then turns to Market and gives him stern look of worry. "Market, I'm going to need you to reach the prisoners first and shield them. They are our top priority at this moment. Can you do that?"

All of Nuria's soldiers responded and began their preparations, but Market did have one more concern to address as he moved by her side. "It's within my capacity, yes. But... Do you intend to distract them so I can work? I see no other way to buy us time if they're serious, and they may still attack you anyway before then. You might end up being in the way of your own archers... Don't get me wrong, I want the prisoners saved as much as you do, but I ask nonetheless as I was hired to oversee your safety as I follow your orders." He didn't doubt her ability to fight, but while they were making their way out, he felt the sooner counter-measures were taken, the better, especially if the Queen herself was out of harms way in a dangerous situation. For the time being, he prematurely focused on his magic, charging it up for best results later on.

Nuria shoots a short glare at Market. "I know the risks, Market." She scolds. "If you don't have any better suggestions then do as you're told. We don't have the time, right now." She leads her two escorts out to the gate, ordering the guards to open it so the trio can go out to meet the enemy griffin. She takes a gulp as she starts walking out to them, hoping her plan doesn't fail or backfire.

Market sighed mildly, and nodded as he looked at Nuria with a brief chuckle. "I thought you'd say that... Here, take this with you..." She'd start to get coated with a spell that didn't seem to do anything at first in the walk they took to get to the front gates. "... There. It's a delayed barrier. I can activate it as soon as I make my way to the prisoners to protect them or sooner, but it won't be as strong nor last as long if you stay too far from me once it starts, especially if you take some hits. Should keep some pressure off at least."

As the griffons saw the Queen of Kirins come into view, the one with the horn once again would communicate with them. "Remember... Just your Queen, or they all die right here. Do the smart thing, surrender now, she comes with us, and we take care of everything from here on out..." The others near the cages prepared their weapons against the captured ones. Meanwhile, Nuria's army and Market would await her signal for them to act... It was all on her...

Nuria hesitates a moment, then tells her two escorts to hold back. "I'm counting on you, Market." She whispers to him with pleading eyes before walking off on her own, standing tall as she approaches the griffin unarmed. Not with any weapons at least.

"Let's get this over with." She says aloud at a volume the griffin can hear.

The griffons looked upon Nuria, and just chuckled confidently. "And here I thought you stubborn fools had more of a spine than that. But hey, less work for us, I ain't complaining if you're actually gonna surrender... Now come along, mare, we ain't got all day. You'll be taking the cage of the one we just released your way." As Nuria approached, 3 more soldiers came along to back-up the team she was dealing with, and started to surround her with their spears and swords. If she had any words to give at that moment, they weren't looking all too eager to listen, but rather urge her to get moving. They were still unaware of her delayed spell, and her actual plans as the rest of her army waited for just the right opening and signal...

Nuria hesitates again, the reinforcements holding her at the tip of their spears. But she continued walking, she only needed to get a little bit closer. She could see the other prisoners now and as far as she could tell, there were only these few griffon guarding them.

As soon as she was a few feet away from the cage she was being led to she would stop, looking around at the griffon surrounding her for the strongest looking one.

The griffons all looked upon her, and the strongest one of them would be none other than the one with the horn. He was on the large side, perfect for barking out orders with his deep voice and strong hefty lungs. And he was also none too amused as he drew out his own claws and talons from a couple yards beside her. "Are you having second thoughts now!? Get in there and then speak up, or we'll just kill you all and be on our way!" For a brief moment, the ones threatening the prisoners looked over to Nuria as well to make sure she didn't try to fight her way out. If there was ever a time for her to act, now might be it...

Nuria narrowed her eyes. If she didn't act now, then there would be no saving the prisoners. She took in one final breath before grabbing the nearest spear to her, swinging it using her superior strength and sending the griffin the was holding it towards the ones threatening the prisoners.

"We will NEVER surrender to the likes of you!" She bellowed, sending forth a breath of flame and surrounding herself in a circle of fire. Now it was up to the mercenary's magic.

((Defiance))

The instant Nuria made a go for the weapon, Market had prepared more than enough to make his assistance in full by activating her barrier as he teleported to the side opposite of where she was to be caged into. In a brief flash of light, he materialized and instantly cast a barrier on himself and every prisoner successfully, but had little time to do much else as he only barely managed to see who was where to perform from hiding. "Here comes the rain!" He'd make sure the barriers held in place, but Nuria would be the first to have spears tossed right at her furiously as the griffon leader ordered for her execution first and foremost while moving away from her.

Despite Nuria's preparations, the enemy force was cautious in keeping their distance. A good portion of her bowmen would start to get a couple of them, but the rest would have to move closer after the first barrage. At the very least, her barrier would sustain itself if she could avoid too much damage, but not moving could end up harming her between all the arrows and spears.

Nuria, now armed with the weapon she had taken had no problem fending off her attackers, and started moving closer to the prisoners. As she moved, she cleared a path for herself by burning the ground to keep away the griffons. Once she was near Market's sheild, she parried one of the spears coming in for an attack and used her own spear to stab into the griffin holding it, twisting sharply and yanking the griffin towards her to used as a sheild for the next oncoming barrage of arrows.

Strain was being put upon Sugary between the enemies trying to harm him, the prisoners, and Nuria who now being close to him allowed him to bolster her barrier to a sturdier one. She had picked the best place to make her tactic work as he endured the blows for now, stress lessened upon him slightly by the Queen making proper use of a meatshield as the griffon struggled to release itself from her grip desperately as arrow by arrow pierced his body.

Soon, she would hold little more than a corpse, and the remaining griffons from the enemy, now less than half still living, swiftly dropped their gear to make their escape unhindered, including the leader from earlier who had survived with a few arrows upon his leg. "You foolish whorse of a lesser dragon!! You think you saved them!? You've just condemned your entire nation for good!! All remaining prisoners will be executed, and soon your head will roll as well!!" Even as he made his exit, his voice carried far. It was full of confidence, nor showed any fear or hesitation. More than likely, he was not only telling the truth about other prisoners, but his threat of an escalating war was anything but fake bravado.

Her men would catch up to her and the rescued prisoners first for now as some attempted to pursuit the quickly retreating enemies...

Nuria rid herself of the corpse, idly spitting on it as the griffins made their retreat. What had been said about remaining prisoners hit her hard, a sense of urgency was placed on her now, she turned to the soldiers behind her and gathered her own equipment. "We move now. Have them eat during the march. I want that artillery in the center of the formation and 2nd company to operate it." She orders.

She takes a breath and stops, visibly choking up. She feels her eyes begin to water heavily, but shuts them closed tightly to prevent the tears from flowing. "N-Now, commander!" She shouts, turning away from them and walking away in a hurry.

The Commander in question would somewhat clumsily respond to Nuria's orders as he hurried to meet with her expectations after her sudden outburst. Nonetheless, they were all loyal, and the forces would form up on short notice as roars of command could be heard as their Brigade marched for war on the offensive for once. The prisoners would be freed and immediately tended to once they were safe, but their conditions was roughly as bad as the one released already.

Taking a deep breath to remain cool, Market would assess and then follow after Nuria with a short gallop. "Ma'am? Where are you going, what's wrong?" He could tell something was bothering her deeply, but he needed to see her up close first.

Nuria tried to respond to Market, but only a whimper of a squeak emerges from her. She brings her claws to her mouth to prevent any more of her pitiful sounds from escaping, silently sobbing as she dares to open her eyes and let the tears flow. She waves market away and tries to keep herself from falling to her knees as the pain and struggle of the battlefield forcibly take their toll on her.

She stands there while the rest of her army prepare for their march, trying not to be seen in such a vulnerable state. There would be more pointless deaths because of her decision. But then, what could she have done? She saved at least a few lives, but at what cost?  Could more have been saved? Could she have killed the leader of those hostage takers first? So many questions were running through her mind. But the biggest one still wasn't answered.

Why did her people have to die for this greed?

She remembered the prisoners she had executed in the main hall of the outpost. What they had said to her. How furious they had made her. He sorrow was being replaced by anger and a thirst for vengeance. The thirst for blood. She wiped her pitiful tears away and mentally kicked herself into gear. She turned back to her army and grabbed her own spear and sword, freshly sharpened and ready to draw the blood of her enemies. And draw blood they would.

"March!" She commands her warriors, taking them to the depths of hell itself if she has to.

It seemed there was little Market could do for Nuria's grief, so instead he remained close by at all times as he marched along her and the troops as they made way towards the direction of their foes. However, it would eventually become apparent that the further out they went, the less familiar territories became. Unrest and anxiety was expected from some of her troops seeing as many craved for battle and an end as much as she did.

In time, one of her aides and tacticians would warn her that up ahead was the border settlement of mostly Minotaurs and their heavy anti-air defenses. They could be easily avoided for now if her army detoured far enough, but then risked being attacked from behind once they caught up. Either way, there were risks involved, and so she needed to carefully decide what approach would be most efficient in broad daylight and terrain full of spiked barricades and tranches, with well guarded anti-air ballistae and artillery fireworks.

Nuria hardly had time to waste detouring around a settlement for another day. She was determined to cut straight to the enemies base of operations with little to no distractions, but at the same time, she didn't need to loose unnecessary casualties. And a battle would take a day anyway.

She decided to have the army wait until night, they would sack the settlement then, when the enemy was off guard and tired. She ran the rules of engagement to her troops. Anyone who so much as touched a weapon against them was to be killed on the spot. No prisoners.

The first wave would be tasked to infiltrate the settlement and destroy the artillery that blocked their way. The second would fly over after the artillery was destroyed and drop firebombs onto strategic positions, and the rest of the army would sweep through and take care of the rest. She only hoped the plan would work and left the details to her commanders and sergeants.

Unfortunately for Nuria, the advance of the infiltration team would be persistently thwarted time and again, their efforts only dealing minimal damage overall compared to the expected. The minotaurs that held this settlement were just as strict in their doctrines as could be as many were rather up and about still while others were scrambled to join the fight. They were a hardy bunch, and the thirst for battle only roused their spirits as opposed to what the results of the last assault showed. After all, it wasn't just the dragons that trampled the old defense post under their physical might.

There was an upside however, and that was the fact that the bombers were harder to target as effectively at night, though that didn't stop the minotaurs from firing away a barrage in return regardless. The settlement would not fall so easily as most fires that did spread were put down soon, given that they held flammable artillery aplenty and were prepared in advance to deter misfire. Some heavily fortified sections, however, were being given priority on putting fires around them out as shouts were given to prevent explosions within their territory.