In a short while, Portia arrived and paid her respects to Howard.
Howard immediately inquired about the information he was eager to know.
Portia began, "My lord, this war, it can be described as a sweeping force, unforeseen by anyone. Who could have imagined that the Duke would muster such a vast army?"
"How many exactly?" Anna interjected.
Portia glanced at Anna, "I'm not certain of the exact numbers, but it exceeded five thousand."
"Alright, go on," Anna urged.
"The truth is, the war had an almost theatrical beginning, beyond anyone's imagination. Hof, whom we thought had gone bankrupt, had somehow managed to gather funds to hire mercenaries. And not just one group, but two," Portia revealed.
"What are the names of these mercenary groups?" Anna inquired.
"The Scalavich Brothers Squad and the Mambabers Stalwart Warriors Regiment," Portia replied.
A look of surprise crossed Anna's face.