Battle of Tanvald

Battle of Tanvald is an important event in the Madan no Ou to Michelia series where Tigre, Mila and Sofya, after saving Elen from Leshy and defeat one of her doppelgangers, help her and Leitmeritz Army to restore her good name while defeat and repel the invading Asvarre Army's that is lead by Prince Eliot, of whom also possessing more of Fake Elens into the battlefield.

Background
The sudden illness of King Zacharias of Asvarre sparked succession feud especially between both the first prince Germaine and second prince Elliot. Both has their supporters.

Ganelon, whom Elliot seek support from, pointed out how Elliot doesn't have any major military achievement of his own outside exterminating bandits and pirates. If he has a military achievement, it would work well to support him in the competition against Germaine.

Ganelon prepared for him a war. The target is Leitmeritz, rather than the more traditional opponent of Legnica or Lebus. The choice to attack Zhcted instead of their neighbor and old enemy Sachstein, is from consideration that Germaine, who more often stay in the continental side of Asvarree, would stop Elliot's attempt.

There is a large river that can be used to transport troops. Moreover, because Leitmeritz never had any conflict with Asvalle, they will be caught unprepared. Leitmeritz doesn't have a navy, so they can't chase when Asvalle troops sail away. Meanwhile the Vanadis of Legnica is sick, while Vanadis of Lebus wouldn't move for Leitmeritz owing to their bad relationship, further ensuring Elliot's safe return.

When asked by Elliot about what's in this war for Ganelon, the Duke of Lutetia bluffed about Leitmeritz having a relationship with Thernadier, so a loss for Leitmeritz will be a loss for Thenardier.

Ganelon also provides Fake Elen (with Zmei as trainer) to help Elliot, under justification that Elliot's real war is against Germaine, so he should take a cheap win this time to save the strength of his army.

Prologue
Elliot brought 4000 Asvarre troops to pillage and raze the towns and villages north of Leitmeritz.

Fake Elen, lead 1500 Leitmeritz troops to camp in Pulsnitz. Despite reports about actions from Asvarre troops, Fake Elen keep ordering her troops to wait. This is a strategy to lower their morale, and destroy their trust on their Vanadis. Fake Elen also confides with soldiers who breaks regulation and punish knights who ask her to order an attack against the Asvarre troops.

Meanwhile, the real Elen, bringing Lim, leads 100 knights to Pulsnitz to defeat Fake Elen and took over command of the troops.

Another 100 knights are sent to contact Sofy who is trying to continue the river dispute negotiation. Sofy brings 300 Polesia troops for support in case the viscounts try to mobilize their army in the negotiation. Hearing the news, they blamed the whole Fake Elen case to Asvarre. Sofy leads 300 Polesia knights, and 100 from each viscounts to Tanvald under the Zilnitra.

Mila offered to help Elen transport the 700 Leitmeritz infantry. Using Lavias, Mila creates ice rafts to transport troops to north along river, heading to destroy Asvarre's camp and take back the Great Banner, a treasure given by King of Zhcted to the Sword Vanadis two generations before Elen, which is among treasures pillaged by Asvarre troops.

Battle
Elliot assumed the troops led by Fake Elen already weak and lost their spirit after the continuous provocation. He left 300 troops to guard the camp, and head to the battle confidently.

While hearing report of 500 knights coming under the Zilnitra, he assumed it's just the neighboring lords who wants to take action after hearing news about the attack on villages. Elliot is confident they will stay back after seeing defeat of the Leitmeritz army.

But seeing how the Leitmeritz troops are high-spirited, Elliot assumes something must be not going according to plan.

Elen positioned her army on a hill. 100 knights on stand by, protected by 1300 infantries split in four groups defending each directions.

Elliot responds by keeping 1000 troops around him, and sending 2700 troops to attack.

Both armies push against each others, but even with Elen's might, Leitmeritz army are cornered.

That's when a report came in. The 500 knights from southeast are heading to their direction, led by a beautiful woman. Elliot is surprised because the Vanadis of Olmutz has bad relationship with Elen (while actually the army is led by Sofy).

Meanwhile, Mila, Tigre, Rurick, and the Leitmeritz infantry successfully ambushed the Asvarre camp.

Seeing the tide changes, Asvarre troops are panicking. Elliot orders a retreat, leaving the troops still engaging Elen's army on the hill to buy him time. While he is escaping, his horse is sniped by Tigre.

Aftermath
On Asvarre Army's side, more than 1,000 soldiers falls while 2,000 are taken as prisoners. Around 1000 escaped, but after skirmishes against Leitmeritz army, only less than 200 managed to reach their ships to return home. 300 prisoners who are uncooperative are sold as slaves, while the rest are used as forced labor to rebuild the villages and towns they destroyed. Leitmeritz, on the other hand, only lost less than 100 soldiers.

The death of Leszek, as well as Fake Elen, is concluded as part of Asvarre's conspiracy, with Mila vouching for Elen.

Elliot is taken to Silesia, and Zhcted send messenger to Asvarre asking for explanation about this aggression. The King also asked Leitmeritz, Legnica, Lebus, and Osterode to prepare for war, depending on the answer from Asvarre's side.

The dispute about ownership of the forest stretching between three territories, are saved for another day.

Trivia

 * Unlike the original timeline, this battle is the Asvarre's first invasion attempt onto Zhcted