You start a long march back home, to your base in Valenfield, where Iris should be waiting. You can't wait to surprise her with 100 strong man under your command. With army of that size, your journey is safe and time flies quickly as the frozen landscape turns greener and warmer every day.
Soon you find yourself in the fields of Valenfield yet again, where a small camp of fellow freedom fighters has formed. You go and look for Iris.
Y:"Mission completed, my lady."
Iris turnes around and runs into your arms, missing and hugging you.
I:"Gods...its been so lonely without you...oh my....wait...is all that our army?" Y:"Yes! The Hyperborean chieftain landed us 100 of his fighters!" I:"That is an excellent news! This will give us a chance. But I have some bad news..."
I:"The Church of Four Pillars of Light is only a fraction, an extended hand of our enemy. The real attacker was Akori Empire. Once we fell, the church moved in, acting on Emperors orders." Y:"Damn.. that explains why war was so short...the Akori are three times our size." I:"Yes. And if their spies notice that our numbers are growing, they will send Imperial troops to aid the Church. Imagine the carnage if Grand Inquisitor was given the command over imperial legions..." Y:"We need to find the queen and end this!" I:"Yes...but we also need more men."
I:"I sent am envoy to the south while you where away. She was supposed to reach the Sultanate and bargain with them to lend as troops, the same way you did in the north. However, she has not returned. In fact, I've gotten a word that she hasnt even reached the Sultan!" Y:"You suspect she was attacked?" I:"Well...its possible but no, not really..." Y:"Than what?" I:"Well...lets just say that she is not the brightest fish in the pond. She seemed a bit disoriented and, well...odd. but I had no one else to send! I...think she got lost. Look, just try to find her, and when you do, escort her to the Sultanate. In fact, you best do the talking there." Y:"I will go at once!"
You pack your things and head south. You search the fields, mountains, caves, borrows and plains, but the envoy is nowhere to be seen. After a few days, you give up on the highland and decide to search the forest. It makes more sense that she would get lost in the forest, right?
You search around the forest for a few days, and finally find some tracks. One set of smaller feet, probably females. It should be her. You try to follow the tracks, but they don't make any sense. They go in circles, some backtrack, and some of them just seem...upside down. Finally, you give up and just cast s clairvoyance spell to show you the way. The spells seems a bit confused too, but after a 20 minutes of walking in circles, you find the set of tracks that lead to a small clearing. As you approach, you hear an adorable female voice.
Envoy:"what the...wait...the trail should be behind that weirdly looking tree. Is that the one over there. No. Oh who am I kidding, all trees look the same. I did saw that creek a few days ago...YES, I should follow the creek! But...where was it..."
E:"Shit, this all looks the same to me. Green and brown. How does anyone get anywhere anyways? How did I even get here? And why is there no sand? There should be sand by now. And camels. Fuck, I will never reach the Sultanate like this..."
You almost burst from holding your laughter, so you decide to compose and reveal yourself. You take a deep breath and step out of the trees."
Y:"Hello there, I...' E:"HOLD IT THERE BUCKO! ONE MORE STEP AND I WILL CUT YOU LIKE A PUMPKIN, YOU THIEF!" T:"Wow, wow, come down! Do I look like a thief to you? Relax, I came here to find you. Iris sent me." E:"OH YEAH!? YOU THINK I WILL FALL FOR THAT! YOU DON'T KNOW ME! WHO SENT YOU!?" Y:"Iris...sent me. To find you. I'm a battle mage, and my mission is to escort you to..."