First Lachelle-Villore War

The First Lachelle-Villore War was the consequence of a botched transaction between two small nations within the Kardhian Peninsula. The circumstances of this war would fuel a prolonged rivalry between Villore and their northern neighbor, the Lachelle Kingdom.

## War

### Prelude

As the Successor States of Arixi grew, Villore came to be one of the most populous, where migrants and foreigners from throughout the Peninsula found themselves seeking a richer life. This came with more detriments than benefits, however, as the bustling city soon found itself in crisis; there was not enough food. Even as all fertile land under the city state's jurisdiction was farmland, Villore could not feed all of it's new citizens. It was then that the Consul Theodulus I sought a deal with the Lachellens of the north; a hefty sum of gold for a hefty plot of ripe farmland, a province named Giardene. King Herakleios II accepted the transaction, but did not receive his gold.

When questioned, the Villorians claimed that their wagons *were* sent north, but that a small number of guards returned to give accounts of an ambush on the road. Herakleios II demanded the gold, to which the duo Consuls Theodulus I and Solon I accused him of setting up the ambush to defraud the arrangement. The Villorians then declared that they paid their price, and delegated a division of soldiers to seize the land they purchased. Once aware, the King of Lachelle mobilized his army in full to march on the covetous Villorians.

### Conflict

When the Lachellen army was sighted, the Villorians fled to their capital. The Lachellens retook Giardene with ease, but Solon I insisted that they would not hold it so easily. For many months from there the conflict went quiet. Herakleios II felt that he had solved the problem, though he was disgruntled towards his southern neighbor. It was when the Lachellens disbanded most of their army that Consul Solon I struck, seizing Giardene with a large force. He drove his men north and encircled the capital of Lachelle, Calice. Herakleios II, in order to raise an army, tried to sneak messengers past the siege, though each attempt failed. Eventually, in order to secure their siege, the Villorians dug trench-like pits around the city. While Calice was under siege, a small division of the Villorian army pillaged the vast countrysides.

Facing imminent starvation, Herakleios II looked to the Battle of Filiros, and in attempt to replicate, ordered a charge. Planks were placed over the trenches, but the Villorians were able to choke-point entire sections of the Lachellen army through their bridges. When defeat seemed certain, Herakleios II called a retreat into Calice, but was murdered by one of his own men, who then shouted to the disorderly Lachellen men, "To live, we surrender!"

### Aftermath

After the siege of Calice, full Villorian annexation of Lachelle seemed inevitable. It came a surprise to the Lachellens when the Villorians left their shattered army and broken capital to secure Giardene, before suing for peace on the simple terms that they 'get what they paid for'. The Villorian food dilemma was solved doubly, as the war brought not only another ripe province but much of the pillaged Lachellen harvest. To double down, the city celebrated the great victory with a grand festival, which tamed their previously starved populace. The Kingdom, however, had been placed in a pitiful state, the burden of starvation and disorder brought on from the war plaguing Lachelle for a generation. It stands to reason that the Kingdom's hatred for Villore would burn hot after this humiliating defeat.