Blood and Roses: War Journal of the Black Rose

Progress is good as of this point. Our scouts repiort that the enemy has yet to show itself and we are camped on the edge of the Thunderlands. By dusk tomorrow we will be crossing the Tempest, the center of the great storm, and we should rendezvous with the Queen and her escort.

The men and animals fare better than first thought, we have had to make minor adjustments for the heat, but all is well and no casualties have been reported. Themages we have taken with us are worried about the clash of magics, but that is a minor concern, we will rely on steel and skill before magic is allowed to be unleashed.

A falcon has arrived from Aurora. Andrallax marches for the sea..but not for Winterfell. I fear he may be coming to finish us should the Enemy not prove sufficient.

We break camp in the morning.

I had begun this work as a record of our battles and to record the deeds of the soldiers that gave theri lives for the realm, and yet I have not taken up the pen with it for sometime, and the details of several major battles have eluded me in all that has occurred.

We have faced the vanguard of the Demon Blade's army and come away victorious, though the battle cost us much. With our own numbers steadily dwindling and the Aegis nobles unable to accept that they do not have a place in my military, the control of the army has becoem more of a chore than it was at the start.

It was in large part due to teh Queen's presence on the feild that we were so badly outmatched in the early stages. Had she remained where I had instructed and kept her nobles out of the way of my appointed commander then all would have gone better, but the mistakes were made adn the battle is won, though our costs were heavy.

The Enemy is still there, we did not destroy either the demon or the dragon that serves him and we can be assured that the war is not yet complete.

The demon is defeated. The burden of victory fell on a small handful of Knights and chance. Countess Angel Swordchild, and Admiral Kinsen Ravenlocke dealt the final blow to the enemy, and succeded in removing both of the traitors trixie, and Victor from this realm.

Below comes a list of the fallen:

Admiral Kinsen Ravenlocke, Knight of the Dragon, Lord of the Silver Rose and the White Marches

Knight commander Anton Serensan, Knight of the Dragon

Knight Lieutenant Elizabeth Firebrand, Knight of the Dragon

Sir Elmore Stennis, Knight of the Dragon

Sir Dunstin Dregmort, Knight of the Dragon

Lady Elara Crossan, Knight of the Dragon

Preistess Verra Sorrowsong, cleric of Winter

Sir Varten Stout, Winterfell 3rd infantry.

May the gods grant their blades find peace in death.

I had hoped forthere to be more time between writing in this book.

Our forces have mobilized. IceHold is udner the command of Lord Catona. He will assure that, should fate turn against us, our retreat is secured and ur supplies safe.

Admiral Ravenlocke has taken the fleet and the new ships north to secure the enemy port and to reinforce our men at Draco.

I will lead the bulk of our army north through Grorr pass, leaving our Queen to secure Lord Rensain and his goblins by holding his family hostage until the matter is resolved.

It is our hope that the Aegis soldiers have been bloodied too many times to wish to fight. I doubt this will be the case. We come toward their homes, and any man worht the name will fight and die before he sees it taken. This will be bloody, but with our preparations in place, it will be breif.