Well that's the thing about having a lot of active military units. Doesn't take too long to set them running. And I did, the moment I got wind of what was going on over there.
It took a bit of behind-the-scenes maneuvering. Notably I sent my men marching before even asking permission to go through Diemed, Ghieste and Roesone (although I had little worries about going through Ghieste seeing as how our armies had worked together for some time). I also only sent five units of dragoons and outriders, because speed was of the essence (although it should be noted that I did muster 5 units of mercenaries in Roesone, who went under the Crown Regents command). Matt provided the bulk of troops at my insistence. I also pushed my men enough so that all five units where Weary the time they arrived. A forced march across the breadth of Anuire. I would have gotten there sooner as well, if not for Baron Geren of Diemed who refused me entry, despite Diem himself giving the a-okay for it.
It will perhaps amuse you (or perhaps not) that I started moving when this was still just a rebellion (ie. an internal matter), and before it was really known if anyone else was behind the coup. I simply assumed that someone was manipulating the scene, and moved to prevent it. At this point orders to my troops where rather simple; seeing as horses are unsuited for climbing walls, my men where really only there to hold the Banner of Avanil up high, and "demand the surrender of the 'rebel scum'" (direct quote from my letter to Bjørn).
When it came to light who where actually behind it, things got a bit more urgent. I couldn't allow the east to grow any stronger, and I most certainly could not allow Osoer to gain Aerenwe as a puppet-state, so I needed to do *something*, and fast. Actually I had hoped to catch you up against Aerenwe's walls so that we might engage in proper dialogue on my terms, rather than with you lot hiding behind castle walls, but that didn't happen.
A lot of what I did, I did based on the assumption that Osoer didn't want to start a large scale war in Anuire. Especially with his operations in the far east, and with Ghieste's holdings spread all over his back yard, not to mention Avanese cavalry at his doorstep, eager to plunder. It'd mean a huge drop in stability and for the Merchant Prince of Osoerde I deemed that enough of a threat to work in my favor. We'd of course stomp around a bit, heckle each other with thinly veiled insults and then sit down around a table to find a solution that would be "for the good of Aerenwe". Basically as I see it, it would have amounted to something like "pull your men out of Aerenwe, allow us to deal with the rebels here and in turn Avanil will assist you in the east" (I had plans to do so anyway - couldn't let Osoer hog all of that glory).
Of course had the queen been alive still following this, I would likely have tried to press her into vassalage myself, seeing as how I was so kind to save her, and how the army of me and my allies outnumbered hers and would possibly be stationed inside her walls.
But in all honesty I just wanted to meddle. I wanted Avanil's political AND military reach to go from coast to coast and for people to know, and this was as good a way to show it as any. I merely capitalized on an opportunity and browbeat others into following me. (Some, like Ghieste, didn't need much persuasion in this area. I think Matt's been looking for a reason to mess with the east since he discovered just how many irregulars he could muster in Osoerde in one turn
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