+To His Majesty Wyatt Kash Fernal, supreme emperor of the Bohemian Empire:
May Your Majesty be blessed with peace.
I, your servant Meredith, in my capacity as imperial chamberlain and head of the Peace Dove, humbly submit this letter to report on the situation at the front.
By Your Majesty's command, I accompanied the army to the border of the Kingdom of Bagnia, where we have confronted Count Siso, lord of Hegrande, for over thirty days. Yet the situation has proved far more treacherous than we initially anticipated. I therefore present this detailed account for Your Majesty's judgment.+
Meredith's quill scratched across the parchment, but the world outside his tent pounded like the drums of hell, interrupting his thoughts.
A second after he raised his head in irritation, a deafening barrage erupted outside the command tent. The silver inkwell beside his hand jumped half an inch off the oak tabletop, splashing several drops of ink onto the cuff of his dark blue military uniform.
This was probably the Bohemian Army conducting its routine daily bombardment of Hegrande, intended to-this was probably the Bohemian Army conducting its routine daily bombardment of Hegrande, intended to put psychological pressure on Count Siso's troops and weaken their morale.
Yet from the reports of the scouts under his command, Meredith had discovered that this tactic was not particularly effective. The Bagnians inside the city seemed long accustomed to the roar of artillery. Their resolve was as hard as stone, not easily broken.
The blast waves sent the tent canvas snapping. The shadow of the hanging Bohemian Eagle Flag swayed wildly across his letter, as though the golden eagle were about to burst out of the paper.
"Third company, change the guard!"
A hoarse command rang out beyond the tent. The sound of iron-shod boots crushing