The march through the Crownlands was a series of battles, sieges, and surrenders that took place towards the end of Aerel I Arana's invasion of the Summerset Archipelago. During this long march the battle-hardened Arana armies marched alongside their newfound Andorin allies through the lands that make up the contemporary Crownlands, gradually making their way towards major settlements of the region, notably Cey-Tarn and Alinor. It would later be in Alinor that the Aerel would declare his invasion over and have himself pronounced the first king of the Summerset Isles.
Prelude[]
The battle-weary and exhausted Arana army had entered the Norlands and marched directly towards Lillandril, finding that the holdings on the way to the main city were only lightly garrisoned and lacking their respective lords and much of their families. They soon discovered the reason why, as Queen Erandel VI Andorin called all her bannermen to the capital for a single decisive battle with the invading Aranas.
However, upon arriving to Lillandril a truce banner was hoised by a norlander messenger, who delivered a request to Aerel from Queen Erandel for a private audience. Against the counsel of his advisers, Aerel accepted and met with Erandel. None know exactly what was discussed, however, upon emerging from her tent Erandel knelt before the young Ayleid would-be king and swore her fealty to him, an oath sealed by marriage between Daethen Arana, Aerel's only son, and Linaarie Andorin, Erandel's daughter. Their united armies then marched eastwards around Oleander Bay and together entered the lands that make up the contemporary Crownlands.
The March[]
Against the invading Aranas the many lords of the Crownlands knew there would be no victory unless they could effectively work together. To this end they agreed to form the Sisters Pact, a loose and de-centralised alliance of the many lords of the region. In theory it was meant to allow for greater coordination between the many armies, having lords act as a single force. In practice it was far less effective than envisioned, with lords largely acting independently of one another, prioritising the defence of their own lands instead of achieving common strategic goals.
As the Aranas marched southward they prioritised major targets, such as the ancient castle-fortress of Cey-Tarn and eventually the city of Alinor. On their march they encountered scattered resistance, with some lords choosing to fight to their deaths, while others voluntarily submitted to Aerel. One such occasion was when a united army from Cey-Tarn, X, and X descended upon the Arana host, eventually resulting in a loss for the attackers and the death of Ellisar Dorenis, their commanding lord and ruler of Cey-Tarn. Upon arriving at Cey-Tarn itself, Lord Ellisar's daughter Ilyana Dorenis took up command of the castle's garrison, but understanding that if she resisted it would eventually mean the deaths of everyone under her protection, she opted to open the gates and bend the knee to Aerel. Like so many other lords before her, Aerel allowed her to keep her father's seat, titles, and incomes, before withdrawing his armies and continuing his march south. Additionally, during the march the eldest two children of King Naldien III Parnon of Alinor perished in battles against the Arana host, leaving only his infant daughter to succeed him.
The long march culminated in the arrival of Aerel's host at Alinor. It was not as grand a city as Shimmerene or Sunhold, but was sizeable for the region, itself being the seat of a line of petty kings for hundreds of years. To Aerel this represented the final hurdle to cross before his long war would be over.
Aftermath[]
Following Aerel's arrival outside Alinor, King Naldien III Parnon emerged on the walls to speak with the invaders. With many of the other lords of the Pact defeated, Naldien proclaimed himself the Prince of the Sisters Pact, vowing to resist the Ayleid invaders until his last breath. By this point King Naldien's eldest two children had perished in battles against the Aranas during their march, leaving him with only an infant daughter as an heir. It is believed by contemporary scholars that King Naldien truly intended on fighting to the last man, preferring that every soul in his city die in its defence than submit to Aerel.
Naldien's stubbornness in the face of an overwhelming force culminated in the Battle of the Gates, where the Arana host laid siege to Alinor and assaulted its gates. Upon the collapse of two major gates and the surrender of their garrisons, the advising lords of King Naldien implored him to surrender. With his refusal, his lords mutinied against him, but found themselves incapable of killing their liege. They sufficed with restraining him and issuing commands for the remaining forces to surrender. With this final victory Aerel declared that the long invasion had finally come to an end, taking up residence in the siege-worn city of Alinor.
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