The moment Sir Karl left the building, Armand ran into the room from where he was hiding. Eris was storming around the main room. There was a look of utter rage on her face.

"That pathetic little ingrate! I will never forgive him for this!" Eris declared. "Armand, kill my cousin! Now! He will not listen to reason!"

"What happened?" Armand asked.

"You know that coalition I led against you? The one that you teamed up with Brutus to defeat?" she questioned.

Armand understood what Eris was saying right away.

"By the gods," he gasped. "Sir Karl's at its head this time around?"

"Or at least he's one of the people involved in it. They intend to march on Castle Concord, just like last time," Eris said.

The boy didn't hesitate. He ran out of the building with Eris alongside him. They went to their separate soldiers and sent them to kill Karl before he left the city. Then, the two of them returned to Marshal Staufer's house to wait.

"Will Marshal Staufer help us in this war?" Eris questioned.

Even if their men succeeded at killing Sir Karl, they'd still have to deal with the other three lords. The death of one knight would not be enough to stop their plans.

"No," Armand shook his head. "Marshal Staufer is going to be sent to our Western border within the fortnight. His Majesty is worried that someone will invade. I was to go with him, but now, I will have to stay to defend my house."

Eris grimaced.

"You mean, we will have to stay behind to defend your house?" she asked. "I'm not letting Karl make a mess of our future marriage."

Rage flowed through Eris' voice when she spoke those words.

"And if anyone has any doubts about our betrothal, aside from Karl, this is our chance to put an end to those doubts once and for all," the girl declared.

Armand nodded.

"Eris, I still have some lingering doubts about it. Please put those last doubts to rest," he thought before speaking. "The main issue is that we cannot rely on Brutus' help. I doubt he'll join the coalition, given his own opposition to serfdom, but he won't be our ally either. And considering how he's basically in exile, I am uncertain if he's in any position to help anyone."

"Last time, he kept my three allies busy while you confronted me. We don't need him as a distraction now that we're on the same side," Eris waved it off.

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Armand shook his head. While Eris was mad, he was fearful. The boy imagined what horrors the coalition forces would visit upon his people. They made him shudder in terror. And the thought of what they would do to his siblings...Armand used his fear to push himself forward.

"He was still a duke. His forces would be valuable. Besides, we are not the heads of our houses. So, our own abilities are limited. I doubt your parents would send a majority of their forces to protect Castle Concord," he said.

"That's true, they won't," Eris nodded.

She rushed up the stairs and then ran down, writing utensils and papers in her arms. The girl put them on a table. While she was furious, Eris kept her concentration up.

Armand walked over to the table and set down. Eris was already writing on a piece of paper. The boy didn't hesitate, doing the same.

"I have a few mercenary companies under contract. In particular, ones specializing in hussars. I also have bandits in my employ," Eris said.

Stopping writing for a moment, Armand looked up at Eris with shock on his face.

"She actually admitted that. Even in a desperate situation like this, I wouldn't have expected Eris to," Armand thought before forcing himself to concentrate on the matter at hand. "In my time as Marshal Staufer's adjutant, I built connections with various mercenary groups. He'll take a good portion of them to repel the potential invasion, but I should be able to get 2 to 4 landsknechte companies under my command before House Concord is attacked."

Eris pondered.

"That means you'll be able to get between 200 and 400 pikemen, 100 to 200 greatswordsmen, and 100 to 200 arquebusiers for us. That being in addition to House Concord's current forces," she said.

"I'll also send a letter South of the border. I dislike relying on foreigners, but I could get a heavy cavalry condottieri company to join our forces. They should be useful in the main battle," Armand replied, writing more and faster.

Eris nodded, finishing up one letter before writing another.

"Most of my forces will only be good for skirmishing and delaying actions. It's a shame that light cavalry have such a limited use on the battlefield," she sighed. "And that I am not yet the head of my house. Getting good mercenaries is so much more difficult when you're just the heir."

"So, you prioritized hussars?" Armand asked.

Eris nodded.

"They are the sort of soldiers that's most useful for my purposes. I do have a few arquebusiers, but I doubt I'll be able to gather more than a hundred of them," she answered. "The hussars might find themselves serving as a supplemental cavalry force if I can't get my parents to send enough heavy cavalry over."

Armand nodded.

"Even if you can, we should expect to be outnumbered. Not by an unmanageable amount, though. You were the biggest threat the last time, and I doubt Sir Karl will be able to gather as many men as you did. Though, I will not underestimate him," the boy said.

"I won't either," Eris promised.

Despite the anger flowing through her, the Hapsburg was able to write a good number of letters. Armand did the same in spite of his fear. Together, they got a great deal of documents ready.

"I'll send a letter to my parents too, warning them of what's coming. I can only hope that they listen," Armand grimaced.

"I will do the same to mine. They won't send many men, but they will at least send some," Eris stated. "And I will go to them to give a personal appeal."

And with that, their course of action was decided.