Wonderful 104.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

Helbe the elven thief nods his hooded head when Narladene the ground pixie informs him that he's being followed by Kaldeàlil Haldéilv the elven magic user.
The elven princeling looks away to his left, where between the trees to the south of him, he spots lord Farque. Who like himself, is heading westwards through the forest at a fast walk.
The young elven noble from the principality of Laerel, which is an island nation off the west coast of the Southlands. Glances at the ground pixie who is attached to him, who is standing upon his right shoulder.
The tiny winged creature informs his that there's another elven magic user, a bit further behind Kaldeàlil Haldéilv. Narladene understands it to be the younger cousin of lord Walashàele, the local lord whose lands are back to the east, across the river that's the border between his lands and the lands of house Haldéilv. Which the elven masterthief is making his way through at the moment.
Helbenthril Raendril senses back to the east, and the blurred and shielded elven magic user senses the elven noble in question. The elven master assassin who can't sense Kaldeàlil Haldéilv due to her wearing a magical amulet which blocks other spellcasters from locating her.
From what Narladene has informed him, the illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv must be around a couple hundred yards infront of this cousin of lord Walashàele.
Lord Farque who can sense both of the pursuing elven magic users, looks to his right through the trees, at Helbe the elven thief, the undead warlord waits for a few moments, until the the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel looks in his direction again.
The heavily armoured deathlord gestures to the elven masterthief to advance ahead again, the young elven noble from south of the equator nods his head that's covered by the hood of his white cloak. Then the elven magic user shifts ahead to the west through the forest that covers much of the valley.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque continues walking, as he does he senses back to the east, and up in the sky. After a little while, he senses lord Walashàele who is airborne upon his griffon, casting a spell to his younger cousin who is on the ground, in the lands of lord Haldéilv.
The younger elven noble in house Walashàele a few moments later casts a spell of his own. This one to Kaldeàlil Haldéilv who is a bit further infront of him in the forest.
Draugadrottin as he's also known by to the people of his lands faraway to the south, senses the illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv heading a bit further north on foot with her two human companions as she continues on her way westward through the forest.
The deathlord of Farque slightly nods his full helmed head as he knows that the ground pixie attached to lord Walashàele is keeping the local elven lord informed of the whereabouts of Helbe the elven thief.
And the head of house Walashàele in turn, is informing his younger cousin, who in turn is telling Kaldeàlil Haldéilv the position of the elven masterthief. Who shifted a little bit more to the north, as he did west a short time ago.
The undead warlord then starts jogging, which soon turns into a run as he hurries to catch up to the elven princeling from Laerel, and keep pace with him. As they set a trap for the elven magic user who has been more than a nescience for the past three years. Who thinks she has drawn Helbenthril Raendril into a trap of her own.
Further west in the valley, Mira Reinholt looks up through the trees ahead, and looks at the tower of lord Haldéilv which sits upon a tor that sticks out of a large clearing in the forest.
The once powerful mage glances at Dorc da Orc who is panting as mid morning turns to late morning, and it approaches midday. The large ork who a little while ago, informed the Vexilian mage in exile, that a fairly large force of mounted house guards, are on a road to the south of them, heading eastwards.
Has just told the mage Reinholt that both lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief, who are about four and half, to five miles back behind them to the east. Are heading westward through the forest too. The ork warleader is pretty certain that Kaldeàlil Haldéilv is bit further behind the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, and the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel. And she too is making her west across the valley.
They're leading her this way, Mira Reinholt the mage thinks to himself, who then glances up at the large ork walking beside him, and asks the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks "Can you still smell the others up ahead Dorc?".
The big, burly ork, who is walking beneath the branches of the trees as much as possible so that stays in the shade, grunts for an answer after he sniffs a number of times in the direction they're going.
The warleader of the ork race, who like the mage Reinholt, is in exile from his homeland, elaborates "They in there" says Dorc da Orc who waves a large meaty hand towards the tor upon which sits the tower of lord Haldéilv.
"Well me fucken thinks they is" says the large ork, who has a little trouble locating the others "You think?" asks a surprised Vexilian mage in exile "Lots of fucken rock" growls Dorkindle, who has always found in difficult to locate people through thick rock and stone using his sense of smell.
The spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil in the Southlands, who happens to be a highly skilled swordsmaster too, nods his hooded head in understanding as he knows the large ork has difficulty smelling people underground, unless he gets closer to where they are.
"They must of got into the tor" quietly says the once powerful mage, the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks grunts in agreement with the mage Reinholt.
"How'd they do that?" murmurs the swordmaster Reinholt, who escaped the tower and the tor it sits on by going down the wind tower within it, and out the main doors, that open up at the base of the tor, looking out to the town that's on the south facing side of the rocky tor.
There must be another way in and out of there, Mira Reinholt thinks to himself as he looks ahead through the trees and up, towards the seat of power of lord Haldéilv. He never heard his guards talk about another entrance into the tor.
Then again, they're from Belinswae and probably wouldn't know anyway. And the house guards in the service of lord Haldéilv, who guarded his quarters where he was held prisoner. Didn't bother to speak to him, unless it was to tell him to get back inside, because they thought he'd been spending too much time on the balcony of his suite of rooms.
Which the exiled Vexilian mage isn't afraid to admit, was the most luxurious and plush prison he's ever been in. Far better than the small ships cabin he was held prisoner in previously. Or the small ships, boat that was used as a prison for Dorc da Orc.
The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, figures that if lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief are leading Kaldeàlil Haldéilv this way. And that the others are now inside the tor, upon which is her father's seat of power, not to mention the home of the noble house of Haldéilv.
Then the undead warlord is setting a trap for the illegitimate daughter of the local lord. With the tor, and the tower being the location of the trap.
Makes sense, no wonder he wanted me and Dorc with the others, the Vexilian mage in exile thinks to himself, the swordmaster Reinholt then tells the ork warleader "Come on Dorc, we've got to hurry and join the others".
The large ork who is panting, groans in displeasure as the mage Reinholt starts jogging, Dorkindle scowls in disgust, then he too breaks out into a jog as tries to keep up with the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordsmaster.
The once powerful mage slows down, allowing the ork weaponsmith to catch up. When the warleader of the ork race is beside him again, the spellcaster who was the youngest member ever of the mage council of Vexil, slows down again, to a fast walk, much to the relief of the large ork, who is panting and sweating profusely.
"There's another way in there aside from the front door" says Mira Reinholt gesturing up through the trees ahead of them, where the tor and tower of lord Haldéilv that's on it, is starting to dominate the view.
"I'm pretty sure that's how the others have got in" says the swordmaster Reinholt who continues with "With so many of the guards heading east to the border, it will be easier getting in there" the large ork grunts in agreement with that assessment.
With Dorc da Orc informing him of the whereabouts of lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief, who is being followed by Kaldeàlil Haldéilv. The mage Reinholt heads to where the trees start to thin out. Not too long afterwards they get a good, clear view of the tor and the tower on it, and the exiled Vexilian mage tells the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks "Keep a look out for a way in or up it" Dorkindle grunts that he will.
The highly skilled swordmaster who has never seen the tor from this perspective, well not during the day time, as he escaped it at nighttime. And he originally arrived here at night. Is a little bit surprised at the size of the tor from the ground. It's far larger than he thought it was, with it bulging out to the north. While here on the east facing side, the rock wall is sheer and smooth. Similar to as is on the south facing side, which he used to look straight down at from the balcony of the suite where he was held as a prisoner.
Mira Reinholt looks at Dorc da Orc who says to him "Fucken over there killer" the ork warleader waves to the north of them, to the base of the tor. The Vexilian mage in exile slightly frowns as he spots something in the distance, it looks to be two small buildings. The highly skilled swordmaster wonders what they're doing there, when the town is at the southeast corner of the tor.
"Come on" quietly says the mage Reinholt, who nods his hooded head for the large ork to follow him. The two of them head northwards along the edge of the forest, keeping just back from the clearing that the tor is in the middle of. The once powerful mage asks the ork warleader if there's any elves in the buildings they're working their way towards. The ork weaponsmith tells him that there's three elves there, though alive, they're not moving.
Someone's taken them out, probably Dalin, the exiled Vexilian mage thinks to himself, who sees a stream running from the forest, go by the two small houses, on it's way to the base of the tor. The highly skilled swordsmaster is just going to ask the large ork something, when Dorkindle suddenly tells him "There's a fucken hole there".
"Where?" asks Mira Reinholt as he looks to the base of  the tor, which is dark, and slightly in shadow as it nears midday "Fucken there" says the warleader of the ork race who continues with "Where that yucky fucken water goes".
Must be the supply for the tower, the once powerful mage thinks to himself, who after looking around, asks the large ork "Anyone close by?" Dorc da Orc replies with "Nah" he waves towards the two small buildings and adds "Just the cunts in there".
The swordsmaster Reinholt nods, then quietly says "Let's go" he then walks towards the tor, heading to the two small houses, he's followed by the ork weaponsmith. It doesn't take long for them to reach the two small buildings.
And when the Vexilian mage in exile glances inside of one of them, he finds a trio of Haldéilv house guards, tied up and unconscious on the floor. Dorc da Orc who walks out of the second building, from which he's taken a couple of bottles of wine, gestures with one of them to the base of the tor less than fifty yards away and says to Mira Reinholt "See killer".
"I see it" says the the spellcaster from south of the equator who has spotted the crescent shaped opening in the rock wall, which the stream enters, he then tells the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks who has just murmured "Oooohhhh horsey". "Let's get in there" and starts making his way to the base of the tor, and the opening in it.
The mage Reinholt as they walk to the opening of what's a tunnel that the stream runs into, slightly frowns as he thinks he hears something away to the east. "What was that?" asks the highly skilled swordsmaster, who has turned around as has Dorc da Orc.
"Fucken boom booms" answers the ork warleader, who nods up to the sky to the east, and adds "Up there".
"Seems they've started attacking one another" murmurs Mira Reinholt who figures the two local elven lords are probably casting at one another as they fly in the late morning sky, the once powerful mage turns back around, and continues on his way to the opening in the rock wall, where he sees a stone path next to the stream as it enters the tor.
With Dorkindle scowling at the stream and muttering at it in the ork language, the two of them enter the opening in the base of the tor, on which sits the tower of lord Haldéilv.
As they walk into the tunnel, the mage Reinholt faintly smiles at the irony of him returning to the place where he was held as a prisoner just over two weeks ago . . . . . .

Wonderful 103.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

Riley Hait the mercenary ranger just looks away for a few moments towards the tor, and the tower upon it that is the seat of power of the local lord, lord Haldéilv.
That when he turns back, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy looks like a completely different person. Well to the eye of the ranger Hait it certainly looks like he does.
The spy Tanith has flipped his cloak inside out, it's shabby in appearance now, and a completely different colour from when he wears it the way he was wearing it a short time ago.
And there's a different hood on the cloak now, it's rougher and larger than the normal hood. Which the mercenary ranger had no idea the elven spy could remove.
Dry dirt has been rubbed into the leggings that Dalin wears, as well as onto his boots. Which have the tops, rolled over and down. Looking no where near as smart and tidy as they usually are.
The elf from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands is holding a long, slim branch that could pass for a walking staff, or a shepherds crook. Doesn't look like he has any weapons on him at all. Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman knows that isn't true. As the spy Tanith will have multiple weapons beneath his cloak, and on his body.
"I don't know how you do that so quickly" quietly says Riley Hait the mercenary ranger in the elven language "I wouldn't be much of a spy if i couldn't change how i look in a fast manner" dryly says Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, the human ranger who was raised and trained by elven warders in the principality of Envadarlen in the Southlands, shrugs his shoulders, then quietly says "True enough".
They've made their way further around to the north of the tor, upon which is the palace like tower that's the seat of power, not to mention home of lord Haldéilv. Going unseen as they went through the trees of the forest. Keeping away from the open ground around the tor, as well as the town that's mostly on the southside of the Tor, near it's southeast base.
They crossed the road that leaves the east side of the tor without anyone seeing them, now the group and their mounts are amongst the trees to the northeast of the rocky tor that thrusts up out of the valley floor just over a hundred yards away from where they are.
The ranger Hait and the spy Tanith are out infront of everyone else, who are further back within the trees. The mercenary ranger is crouching down behind a large rock next to a tree, which the elven spy is standing behind.
"Ready?" quietly asks Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson "I am" replies Dalinvardél Tanith, the ranger who in reality is a hordes outrider from the southern tundra, who just happens to inhabit the body of Riley Hait, nods his head to the elven spy, and murmurs to him "Good luck".
Dalin steps out from behind the tree, walks around it, and makes his way towards the tor, upon which sits the palatial like tower that's the seat of power of the local lord, lord Haldéilv.
The ground between here and there, is pretty open, with the trees thinning out the closer you get to the giant rock that stands close to five hundred feet tall, that dominates this part of the valley, and is the highest point in the valley, especially when you combine the height of the tower that's on top of it.
The spy Tanith follows the course of the stream that flows into the rocky tor. From the angle that the ranger Hait is at, he can't see the opening in the rock wall at the base of the tor, because it's so dark, even in the mid, now getting on to the late morning sunshine.
But the elf from the principality of Alínlae has assured him that the opening is there, a half circular shaped opening that resembles a half moon, that's on it's side. Dalinvardél Tanith has also told the mercenary ranger that the opening is the mouth of a tunnel that bores into the base of the tor.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks further ahead of the elven spy, to where a couple of houses are near the base of the tor, and the tunnel entrance that the stream flows into.
It's a little odd that structures would be here, since the nearest building is on the edge of the town at the southeast corner of the rocky tor that looks out in all directions of the valley.
To the mountains to the north, the cliffs at the far eastern end of the valley, and where the forest thins out to the west, where the mountains curl around that end of the valley, and end in hills.
While away to the south, the forest thins out even more the further south you go, eventually ending is dry grassy hills, which drop down into the egde of the dry, dusty ground that's the start of the Nomad's Plains.
The ranger Hait and the spy Tanith quickly came to the conclusion that the two small houses, are infact guard houses. Whose inhabitants keep an eye on the tunnel opening, and the stream that runs into it.
From what Dalin observed, he thinks most of the house guards who keep a watch on the opening in the northeast base of the tor, have left this morning. To go with those who have rushed away to the east through the forest, to confront the house guards of the neighbouring local lord, lord Walashàele. Who has apparently sent his guards across the river that marks the border between his lands, and the lands of house Haldéilv.
Though the elven spy who was once a part of one of the leading noble houses in the principality of Alínlae, suspects two or three house guards have remained behind to keep a watch on the tunnel opening.
One definitely has, for the ranger Hait has spotted one of the house guards walking around one of the buildings, then following the last thirty to forty yards of the stream to the darkness at the base of the tor, where the tunnel opening is located.
As he crouches down behind the large rock, and looks around it watching his fellow Southlander Dalinvardél Tanith. The mercenary ranger glances up at the tower above, hoping that no one is paying too much attention, and looking down to this part of the base of the tor.
Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson goes back to watching the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae, who is walking alongside the stream, using the branch he's holding, very much like a walking stick as he gets closer and closer to the two houses, that are built adjacent to one another.
The spy Tanith spots one of the house guards, who has just walked back from the tunnel opening in the base of the tor, and has gone around one side of one of the guards houses.
Dalin who is making as little noise as possible as he walks, taking each footstep lightly, and not even touching the ground with the end of the branch he's pretending to use as a walking stick. So that he can listen to what's happening in and around the two houses ahead.
As he angles away from the stream, and goes by the last few trees, as he heads towards the two small houses that are adjacent to one another. The elven spy from south of the equator, raises a hand in greeting to the guard who comes back into view around the side of one of the houses.
"Good morning" says Dalinvardél Tanith in a clear voice as he walks towards the house guard, who has stopped to watch him.
"And good morning to you" says the guard in the service of house Haldéilv, the spy Tanith smiles as out of the corner of his eye, he spots movement at the nearest window in the next house over. The elf from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands, is now certain that there's two other guards on duty here.
Dalin explains to the house guard he's greeted, that he's been visiting the sacred grove in the mountains on the north side of the valley. And that he's never been down into the valley before, which is infact true. He wanted to see it, before heading back north to where he lives in the very north of lord Haldéilv's lands.
The house guard nods his head as he listens, and makes suggestions to what to see in the valley for a first time visitor. He also tells the spy Tanith that it's probably best not to go east.
Dalin agrees with him, as he saw the squads of house guards, on the road that heads east, as he was making his way to the tor, upon which is lord Haldéilv's palace like tower.
As the two of them talk, they walk around one side of the house the guard was standing infront of. The side away from the house adjacent to it.
Pointing to around the north side of the tor as he comes to a stop, Dalinvardél Tanith says "So it's best to go that way, to get a view of the standing rocks nearby to the west". "Either that way, or you go the long way around, on the southside of the tor" says the house guard, who turns and looks that way as he adds "You can stop in town if you go that way, have a meal and the like".
The guard in the service of lord Haldéilv doesn't see the branch come up and whack him in the side of the head. Dalin catches the unconscious house guard, and gently lowers him to the ground.
The spy Tanith moves quietly behind the house, and makes his way to the building adjacent, the elf from south of the equator as he walks behind the second house, sees the back door to it open. The long slim branch he's holding, is up and swinging before the door is fully open.
The house guard who walks outside, is whacked across the forehead, and she drops forward onto the ground, knocked out before she even hits the soft grass here near the stream that runs into the tor.
The elven spy leaps over the fallen house guard and through the open door, Dalin thrusts the branch, and it takes the third house guard who has quickly drawn his sword, in the gut.
The guard grunts, and bends forward, where he gets a knee in the jaw from the spy Tanith. Who drops the branch, grabs the house guard by the side of the head, and left shoulder, and flips him over to one side.
The house guard whose sword has flung from his hand, is already unconscious before he hits the floor. The knee to his jaw knocked him out before he had any chance to act against the sudden attack from the elf who is from south of the equator.
Dalinvardél Tanith hurries to the window that faces the forest to the east, he looks out it and waves once. Then he turns around and looks for something to tie up the three unconscious house guards.
Riley Hait the mercenary ranger gets up, turns around, and walks quickly back into the trees, where he quietly says "Come on, let's go". The ranger Hait takes the reins of his horse from Tamric Drubine, and he leads it, and the rest of the group forward out of the trees, to the two houses near the base of the tor, on which sits lord Haldéilv's palatial like tower.
When they reach the guard houses, they find an unconscious house guard tied up behind one of them, and Dalinvardél Tanith thirty yards away, at the base of the tower itself. Where at the opening, they see a stone path has been built alongside the stream as it enters the tunnel beyond. The elven spy waves them forward, and quietly calls out "Bring the horses".
Moving single file, they lead the horses in through the opening in the rock wall, inside the tunnel they find a cavern that the stream runs through. The cavern which is airy and well lit, not dark or damp at all even though the stream runs through it, has storage rooms, and even a stable built into it. They put their mounts in the stalls, where a lone horse is already stabled. It neighs in greeting, before it goes back to munching on some hay in it's stall.
"Now what?" asks Riley Hait, who has warned sir Percavelle Lé Dic to be quiet, which caused the heavily armoured knight to sourly smile, for he was just going to ask the spy Tanith the exact same thing.
Dalin who has flipped his cloak back around to how he normally wears it, and taken the larger, rougher looking hood off, and replaced it with the original one. And has just brushed the dirt off his boots, which he's rolling the tops back up.
Points across a stone bridge, that goes over the stream, which continues onwards, deeper and further into the tor, where it finally ends in a pool. That has draw wells, which pushes the water up higher into the tor, to be used by those living and working in the tower.
The others notice a set of steps on the otherside of the cavern, and Dalinvardél Tanith quietly says to them "We go up those i guess" . . . . . .

Wonderful 102.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

"There he is" says Kaldeàlil Haldéilv the elven magic user "Your father?" asks Harrick the mercenary guard as he shades his eyes with a raised hand as he looks into the sky to the west.
The attractive elven maid replies with a nod of her head as she watches her father upon his griffon on the otherside of the river, heading south. The illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv looks over at her father's rival, lord Walashàele, who is making his way over to his own griffon, as he's finally made a decision to act himself after sending a number of his guards into the lands of his rival and neighbour.
Kaldeàlil Haldéilv slightly frowns as the head of house Walashàele suddenly stops a dozen yards from his griffon, and he slightly angles his head as if he's listening to something as he looks across the river.
The local lord then calls out to his cousin Galacithàné, using the noble elven language. The younger elven noble makes his way quickly over to his cousin and lord, and listens to what he has to say.
A moment later and Galacithàné looks around, and with a disapproving frown upon his face, he looks at Kaldeàlil Haldéilv, and beckons her over to them with a wave of a hand.
"I think they might of just found him" the attractive elven maid murmurs to her two mercenary guards Harrick and Linden, then the elven magic user who is the product of rape, makes her way over to the nobleborn cousins.
As she stands before lord Walashàele, he says to her "We've found that elven noble of yours" Kaldeàlil Haldéilv nods her head, she doesn't say anything, as she waits to see how things go.
"Seems he was observing your father" says the head of house Walashàele, at the mention of the head of house Haldéilv, the two of them, along with Galacithàné Walashàele look west and south, where in the sky flies lord Haldéilv upon his griffon. The elven lord whose lands are across the river, is now heading back north.
"Without your father knowing he was there" says lord Walashàele who stares at the illegitimate daughter of his rival "Through i gather he did nothing to interfere with what my father was doing?" after a moment's pause, the head of house Walashàele slightly nods.
"He won't" says Kaldeàlil Haldéilv, who then adds "Unless you do something when he's near, or if I'm close by" the powerful elven magic user is silent for a few moment as he looks at the attractive elven maid, then lord Walashàele says "Very well".
The elven lord turns his back on the others, and gestures for Kaldeàlil, along with his cousin Galacithàné to turn and look at the ground infront of him, which he points at.
On the ground appears an illusion, it's an overhead view of a forest glade, which is familiar to the illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv.
"You know this place?" asks lord Walashàele, who is almost as familiar of the area in the valley across the river as he is of his own lands on this side of the river.
"I do" says Kaldeàlil Haldéilv, the head of house Walashàele nods then says "That's where he is" the local lord briefly pauses, then he adds "Where he was i should say" he continues with "He's moving westwards now".
The attractive elven maid nods when she hears this, then she glances from the illusion on the ground, to the powerful elven magic user who quietly says to her "Another thing, there's someone else, shall i say who is a little out of the ordinary" he continues with "He wasn't all that far from where your father, and this elven noble of yours was" lord Walashàele pauses before adding "A big guy, human, in dark, full plate steel armour from head to toe, a knight, or a former knight, what they call an avenger".
Galacithàné Walashàele raises his eyebrows in surprise at that description, while Kaldeàlil Haldéilv says in a nonchalant manner, hoping not to give anything away "Oh?".
"You wouldn't happen to know who that is would you?" asks the head of house Walashàele "No not really" replies the attractive elven maid, who pauses as she senses lord Walashàele is about to cast another spell, this one that won't just see if she's telling the truth or not, but actually read her mind. Which she definitely doesn't want him to do, as it will force her to act against him, which she definitely doesn't want to do either, unless it's absolutely necessary.
"Though someone like that attacked my father's tower a couple of weeks ago" says Kaldeàlil Haldéilv who doesn't want to divulge anymore than that "Ah" says lord Walashàele, who like most everyone else in the two neighbouring lands, well those closest to the river that's the border in the south of the lands of the houses Walashàele and Haldéilv.
Heard of the attack upon the tower upon the tor that's the seat of power of lord Haldéilv, when his illegitimate daughter's prisoner was freed from the tower.
"So i see" says the powerful elven magic user, who drops the spell he was about to cast, as well as the illusion spell he's cast on the ground infront of them. They're silent for a few moments, then lord Walashàele nods to the otherside of the river, and says to the attractive elven maid "He's still heading west from that glade, you better get going if you want to capture him".
Kaldeàlil Haldéilv nods her head, and she turns and makes her way to where her two human mercenary guards are waiting. As she does, lord Walashàele quietly says in the noble elven language to his cousin Galacithàné "The little bitch is trying to play me for a fool".
Galacithàné Walashàele slightly nods then says in the same language "I'm not surprised, look at who her father is" as the two of them watch Kaldeàlil Haldéilv walk away. "This elf from south of the equator is connected to that human who attacked Haldéilv's ghastly shithole of a tower the other week, if not then I'm a fool and i deserve everything Haldéilv throws at me" quietly says the head of house Walashàele.
The two cousins are silent for a few moments, then the younger of the two asks "This human, is he a spellcaster too?" the nobleborn elf can't sense any human spellcasters in the valley with the exception of the mage from Belinswae who is staying as a guest at lord Haldéilv's tower.
"No he's not" says lord Walashàele "Strange" murmurs Galacithàné Walashàele who then continues with "Then how did it break into that great big bloody gaudy tower across the valley?" the head of house Walashàele nods to that and quietly says "Indeed" as the two of them watch lord Haldéilv's illegitimate daughter and her two mercenary guards head towards the bridge infront of the near destroyed toll building.
"No matter, we've got other things to deal with" says the local elven lord, who then tells his younger cousin and second in command "I'll keep in contact, and inform you where this mysterious elven noble is going" he nods to where Kaldeàlil Haldéilv is crossing the bridge, and adds "Keep her informed of his whereabouts".
Galacithàné Walashàele nods, even though he doesn't want anything more to do with the illegitimate daughter of the head of house Haldéilv. "I'll tell Jalindílth to do the same thing" says lord Walashàele referring to his daughter who is nearby with a squad of house guards, waiting for his go ahead to move out.
"Get going" says the head of house Walashàele to his younger cousin, the powerful elven magic user continues with "And by the forest goods may this day bring about the end of that meddlesome neighbour of ours" Galacithàné Walashàele nods in agreement with that, then he walks away, while lord Walashàele walks over to his griffon.
Once he's up in the saddle of his griffon, the local elven lord who has the ground pixie Palamarc upon his right shoulder, informing him of a number of things.
Has his griffon lift up into the clear morning sky, on this warm day at the tail end of summer here in the south of the principality of Maladimbáh.
As his daughter Jalindílth, along with his younger cousin Galacithàné cross a bridge into lord Haldéilv's lands. Lord Walashàele stays on his side of the river, keeping an eye on his rival, who like himself is airborne. The local lords, the two most powerful nobles in the south of the principality. Fly south to north, and back again in circular pattern, sometimes less than half a mile from one another, though never crossing over the river, as they keep a watch on one another, while waiting to see who will be the first one to fly into the sky above their neighbours lands.
There you go father, I've practically delivered him to you on a platter, Kaldeàlil Haldéilv thinks to herself, once she and her two mercenary guards Harrick and Linden, are off the bridge, and off the road on the otherside of the river, and heading through the trees, to where the forest glade is, where lord Walashàele has informed her that prince Helbenthril Raendril was just a little while ago.
The attractive elven maid is pretty certain that lord Walashàele will be the first one to cross over into his rival's lands. And though the illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv would like nothing better than to see her father killed. She hopes he can get rid of his neighbour too. Both of them dead, will open up a number of possibilities for her after she's accomplished her task of catching and killing the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel in the Southlands, who she's been after for the last three years.
The elven magic user glances back to the road behind them, and sees the mounted squad of Walashàele house guards who have just crossed over one of the bridges, with Jalindílth Walashàele in the lead, riding west to meet any of house Haldéilv's guards on the road.
The attractive elven maid also spots Galacithàné Walashàele, who has crossed a bridge on foot with a number of others, watching her and her two mercenary guards walking away through the forest.
A few moments later she hears his voice beside her right ear, quietly say in the elven language in a annoyed tone of voice "He's still heading west, straight west from that glade you're heading too". Kaldeàlil Haldéilv only acknowledges this with a nod of her head as she is no longer looking back at the road.
She doesn't hear anything else from the younger cousin of lord Walashàele, so she remains silent as she walks quickly between trees and bushes with the two human mercenaries who she hired in the south of the region of Belinswae, originally to guard her prisoner at the time, the mage Mira Reinholt from the Southlands.
Once she and Harrick and Linden are out of view from the forest road behind them, the attractive elven maid quietly says to the two of them "Stop here for a moment". The elven magic user who can't be sensed by other spellcasters due to the magical amulet she wears on a silver thread chain around her neck, briefly casts a spell, she slightly nods after casting.
Then she casts another spell, a rift, which after it froms, she and the two mercenary guards from the coast of Belinswae enter and walk through it. They come out on the otherside of the rift, a little over a mile away to the northwest. With the forest glade her father was in earlier, which also her prey of prince Helbenthril Raendril was at according to lord Walashàele, though she knows it was the pixie or sprite that's attached to him, which found that out. Just a half mile behind them to the east now.
As she turns west, and starts walking in that direction, Kaldeàlil Haldéilv quietly says to the two mercenary guards "He's in the area, so keep an eye out for any sign of his passing through this way".
The elven magic user, who for a brief moment, thinks about withholding a bit of information from the two humans from Belinswae, decides to tell them "And keep an eye out for that big guy in heavy armour who attacked us, and freed Mira the other week" the attractive elven maid then adds "He's in the area too".
Both Harrick and Linden nod to this, though as the slightly walk behind Kaldeàlil Haldéilv, the two mercenary guards share a look, indicating that they want nothing whatsoever to do with that individual who attacked lord Haldéilv's tower, and freed the mage Mira Reinholt . . . . . .

Wonderful 101.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

Narladene the ground pixie leaves the riverside town and her watch of Kaldeàlil Haldéilv, lord Walashàele and others. And hastens to where lord Farque is. The tiny winged creature who is underground, clearly heard the hollow, echo like boot of the undead warlord upon a rock. A signal for her to her attend him.
The naturally magical creature who is still trying to figure out the slight flutter of movement she felt a little earlier in the morning in the opposite bank of the river from where she was.
Senses and feels that Helbe the elven thief is not far from the heavily armoured deathlord. The two of them are heading a bit to the north, where the ground pixie senses lord Haldéilv. Who from what she feels through the ground, must be in a glade within the forest.
Narladene doesn't take long to reach the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, as he's a little over half a mile from the river as he walks northwards through the forest. She pops up through the forest floor, and wings her way over to the large figure in the suit of full plate armour that's a dark blue, black colour.
Narladene is taken by surprise when lord Farque holds out his right gauntleted hand, and says to her "Land".
The ground pixie who knows full well he could grab her out of mid air if he wanted to, only feels slightly uneasy when she lands upon his up raised hand. Unlike when he's grabbed her out of the air in the past, when full on panic has set in until she realises he's not going to harm her.
As the hand encased in steel lightly curls around her, Narladene the ground pixie, in her native language asks "What is it?". "You might be in trouble" quietly replies the undead warlord in the same language.
The tiny winged creature blinks in surprise at hearing that, as she looks through the slightly spread fingers of the gauntlet. And waiting as the right arm of the deathlord lifts up as he takes another step, she spots Helbe the elven thief ahead through the trees. The young elven noble is blurred and shielded, with only her and lord Farque able to see him. Though that's only for a moment.
"How could i be in trouble?" quietly asks the the ground pixie, the lord of the death realm who doesn't waste his time, just comes out and says "There's another ground pixie nearby, it's attached to that lord Walashàele" he briefly pauses before he adds "Would be best if you didn't spot one another".
Narladene sits down in shock at what she just heard. Another ground pixie! the tiny winged creature thinks to herself in a stunned tone, the ground pixie who has not see one of her own kind in a very long time, slightly shakes her head and murmurs "What the hell?".
She's almost tempted to say to the undead warlord "Are you sure?" but she thinks better of it, as she knows he'll get annoyed if she was to question her. Besides if anyone would know if another ground pixie is around, it would be the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, also know as Draugadrottin to the people of his lands.
Narladene who like all ground pixies from the Southlands, originate in the Sunreach Mountains. As do the even rarer fire pixies. While water pixies come from various places in the Southlands, though predominantly along the coast, or near waterways, and other bodies of water.
While the more numerous sprites are more widespread through the Southlands.
Would have no idea where her kind, and the other kind of pixies, as well as sprites originate from here north of the equator. Most likely in isolated areas, away from where big people* live. Just as they do in the Southlands.
"What are you going to do?" quietly asks the naturally magical creature as she sits inside the curled up hand of the deathlord of Farque, she continues with "Are you going to kill whoever it is?" as she has seen and heard the lord of the death realm kill other pixies and sprites who have interfered with his plans in the past.
"No" replies lord Farque, who after a slight pause adds "At least not for now". So likely later on then, the ground pixie dryly thinks to herself, she then asks the heavily armoured deathlord "So what are you going to do?". "Use it to lure her into a trap" replies Draugadrottin, Narladene is about to ask him something else, when she falls silent as the lord and ruler of the lands Farque murmurs to her "Quiet".
As she sits within the closed steel encased fist of the undead warlord, the tiny winged creature wonders if it was this other ground pixie she felt earlier in the riverbank opposite from where she was in the town on the otherside of the river, in lord Walashàele's lands. She figures it was, as nothing else could of a made such a subtle movement.
Up ahead, Helbe the elven thief stops and looks back, the young elven noble soon spots lord Farque walking this way through the forest. The blurred and shielded elven magic user looks forward again and waits for the heavily armoured deathlord, as he does, he looks between the trees to the glade that's less than a hundred yards away.
The glade is an opening in the forest, dotted here and there with trees and bushes, with a stream through it. The same stream that's from the nearby river, which heads west, and ends up at the tor six miles away, upon which sits the tower of lord Haldéilv.
The lord of house Haldéilv himself is in the glade, near his griffon, he's speaking with a few of his officers, and group of his house guards. One of whom has just ridden in recently, to inform his lord, that his squad were attacked by mounted guards in the service of house Walashàele not that long ago.
Lord Farque reaches the elven princeling from Laerel, and quietly tells him in the language of the elven royalty "You might as well go on, I'll be spotted if i get any closer". "I can blur you if you like" quietly says Helbe the elven thief in his first language, the undead warlord shakes his full helmed head, and says "Don't bother" after slightly nodding, the elven magic user quietly asks "Where is it?".
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque who is behind a tree trunk, and not looking around it to watch what's going on in the glade, responds with "In the ground about twenty feet behind and to the right of that lord Haldéilv" the heavily armoured deathlord continues with "It's sticking up out of the ground watching and listening to what they're saying".
"Does it know we" says the elven masterthief who is interrupted by Draugadrottin who says "It knows we're here" after nodding his hooded head, the young elven noble turns and starts to make his way to the nearby glade, he stops after a few steps, looks back and quietly asks "Do you have her?".
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque holds up his right gauntleted hand that's in a loose fist, and nods his full helmed head yes. Helbenthril Raendril turns back around and continues on his way towards the glade, thankful that Des'tier as he's known to certain elves in the Southland, has Narladene with him.
Sourly smiling as she couldn't understand what was being said, Narladene the ground pixie watches through the spread fingers of the lord of the death realm, Helbe the elven thief make his way to the nearby glade.
Then she murmurs "Drats" as lord Farque closes his gauntleted hand more tightly, and she can no longer see between his fingers. The tiny winged creature who is crouched over as she sits within the steel encased fist of the undead warlord, sighs as she waits.
Palamarc the ground pixie looks away from lord Haldéilv who is busy talking to some of his house guards. The naturally magical creature who is attached to lord Walashàele looks away to his left, and spots the hidden elven magic user he has sensed and felt approaching the glade the head of house Haldéilv and his guards are in.
The ground pixie watches the figure in the white hooded cloak, stop beside a tree at the edge of the glade, there he observes those in the glade without them knowing he's about thanks to the spells he's cast upon himself.
Palamarc slightly nods as he knows this is the mysterious spellcaster that lord Walashàele has told him to keep an eye out for. Who he's to inform the elven lord who he's attached to, of his whereabouts.
The tiny winged creature who has heard enough of what lord Haldéilv and his house guards are taking about, takes one more look at the mysterious elven magic user, who isn't particularly powerful. But who he knows must be skilled to go undetected like he is.
Before he ducks back down into the ground and moves away, the naturally magical creature who is going to go back across the river to inform the elven noble he's attached to what he's found out. Doesn't head directly there, first he goes directly south of the forest glade, to about a hundred yards away.
Palamarc pops up through the forest floor and out of it, and looks at the large figure in the full suit of heavy plate armour, who is standing completely still behind the trunk of a wide tree.
The ground pixie as he flies around the heavily armoured individual, wonders who the human is, and what he's doing here. The tiny winged creature shrugs his shoulders, and will tell lord Walashàele about this person as well. A person who makes an odd echo when he moves across the ground, unlike anyone else Palamarc has ever felt before.
The ground pixie wings away, heading east, before he drops back down to the forest floor, and goes underground as he continues on his way back to the river, where just on the otherside of it is lord Walashàele who he is attached to, is waiting for him to return.
Lord Farque who totally ignored the ground pixie who paid close scrutiny to him, sees in the distance, the tiny winged creature drop down into the ground, where he now senses it flying underground, going east to the river. After a few moments, the undead warlord opens up his right hand, and quietly says in the ground pixie language "Go and get him, and tell him to come back".
Narladene nods, then takes off, heading to where Helbe the elven thief is at the edge of the nearby forest glade. A short while later and the two of them return to where the heavily armoured deathlord is waiting.
"Well?" quietly asks the elven princeling "What now?" adds the elven masterthief in a quiet tone. They fall silent for a few moments as they watch through the trees towards the glade, the house guards in the service of lord Walashàele move out. While the local lord himself, gets onto his griffon, which then launches into the morning sky.
"Now we wait" says lord Farque as he watches the griffon and the elven lord upon it, circle higher into the clear sky on this end of summer's day, the heavily armoured deathlord then looks at the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel and adds "We wait for her" . . . . . .

*There own term for anyone not a pixie or sprite.

Wonderful 100.

The Principality Of Maladimbah...

As lord Haldéilv plans with a number of his officers in a forest glade not far from the river that marks the border between his lands and his neighbour lord Walashàele.
His rival lord Walashàele is the riverside town on his side of the border. Where he's just discussed with his officers, and the illegitimate daughter of his neighbour, what he's going to do. And has just decided on his first course of action.
As guards in the service of house Walashàele cross over the bridges into the lands of the neighbouring elven noble house. The ground pixie who is attached to lord Walashàele, Palamarc is watching and listening to what lord Haldéilv is doing, without the head of house Haldéilv knowing he's about.
Helbe the elven thief learns all of this, by watching what's happening near the river as he's up a tree, blurred and shielded. And when lord Farque joins him up the tree, telling him not just what he can see, but what he can also sense, which is far more than what the elven masterthief can sense.
The two from south of the equator, aren't that interested in the impeding conflict between the two local elven lords that's about to happen at any moment this morning.
What they're interested in is the illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv, one Kaldeàlil Haldéilv. Who has wanted the elven princeling dead for the last three years. And who a couple of months ago, with the help of a the last abbot of the church Galavin in the Southlands, who is now dead. Sent the undead warlord to the bottom of the Great Western Ocean.
As the heavily armoured deathlord informs the elven masterthief about elven mercenaries hired by Kaldeàlil Haldéilv are already in the lands of house Haldéilv disguised as house guards in the service of lord Walashàele.
Further west in the valley that's predominantly covered in forest, nearly six miles from the river that marks the border between the lands of the two neighbouring noble houses here in the south of the principality of Maladimbáh.
The group of Riley Hait the mercrnary ranger, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, Shur Kee the monk, sir Percavelle Lé Dic, Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera are not far from the tower of lord Haldéilv. Watching what's happening at and near the palace like tower that sits upon a tor that sticks up out of the valley floor.
They were briefly told by lord Farque when they met up with him, how you can enter the tower. Though those ways will be guarded, even with a lot of lord Haldéilv's house guards having left it, and making their way to the river that's the border between the lands of the two neighbouring noble houses.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque suggested that apart from climbing the tor, which is what he did when he entered lord Haldéilv's tower a couple of weeks ago. Which he also suggested they shouldn't do, as the rock walls are sheer, smooth and completely vertical in a lot of places, that it's impossible to climb for a normal person.
That there's probably other ways into and up the tower that aren't so obvious. And as the spy Tanith and the ranger Hait lie behind a deadfall, watching the tower that's only a couple of hundred yards away.
The elven spy from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands, spots something on the opposite side from where the town is situated at the base of the tor. It's a stream that's a tributary of the river to the east.
And it looks like it flows into the rocky tor, on it's northeast side. Dalinvardél Tanith is pretty certain there's an opening there in the base of the tor that the stream goes into. It's more than likely, that the stream is one of the water supplies for the tower upon the tor.
As the elven spy informs Riley Hait the mercenary ranger of this. Further back east in the valley, about a couple of miles away from where the group from the Southlands are observing the seat of power of the head of house Haldéilv.
Two more of their group from south of the equator, who they've not seen in a few months. Are on one of the roads that runs through the forest that covers much of the valley, especially on this side of the river, in lord Haldéilv's lands.
Mira Reinholt the mage winces, then shakes his hooded head, and sourly smiles as he looks over at Dorc da Orc who is busy fucking a horse to death. The large ork is busy thrusting away at the horse as he holds it's hind legs which are broken as it's on it's back. That he doesn't even notice the wounded elven house guard who is crawling in his direction, with a long dagger in hand.
Well to the mage Reinholt it looks like the ork warleader is preoccupied to notice the elven house guard who is crawling towards him, dragging a shattered leg behind him, grimacing in agony with each movement he makes, though he keeps a tight grip upon the long dagger he's holding.
Not to mention the horse is neighing in pain and distress, coupled with Dorkindle grunting in effort as he humps his poor equine victim to death, who he's talking sweet nothings to. Which the Vexilian mage in exile is glad he's doing in the ork language, as that's definitely something he doesn't what to hear.
The once powerful mage leans back against the tree behind him, then slightly grins as he watches the injured house guard crawling towards the large ork who is busy fucking the horse.
The mage Reinholt is silent and doesn't say a thing, not even when the injured house guard looks in his direction to see if he does anything. The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordsmaster just continues to slightly grin as he watches things unfold.
The elven house guard with the shattered leg lifts his upper body up, and rears back his right arm, in which hand he's got his long dagger.
Which it looks like he's going to slam into the large ork's right leg, exposed ass, or lower back. Mira Reinholt hopes he shoves it into Dorc's shitty ring hole.
Well that's what would happen as the injured house guard swings his arm forward. If Dorc da Orc without skipping a beat as he continues to fuck the crippled horse to death. Didn't swing his right arm back without looking back behind him. His massive right fist clips the side of the house guard's head, which snaps to the side with an audible crack as it breaks. The elven guard in the service of lord Haldéilv falls on his face dead.
The mage Reinholt sourly smiles, and shakes his hooded head once more as he looks at the dead elf, while the ork weaponsmith continues to fuck the horse to death.
A few moments later and the large ork climaxes, he gets up grunting, with his front covered in blood and horse shit, Dorc da Orc turns around and says "You coulda fucken told me that cunt was there killer" as he glances down at the dead elven house guards, the large ork then mutters "Me only smell the fruity fuckface at the last moment".
"I wanted to give him a sporting chance" dryly says Mira Reinholt the mage, who turns around saying "Hurry up, we've got to catch up to the others" the ork warleader grunts as he pulls up his grubby knee length pants, while the once powerful mage walks away.
The mage Reinholt kicks an elven house guard in the head who is still moving, her head whips to one side as she's crawling off the road. The Vexilian mage in exile doesn't know if she's dead, but she's no longer moving so he doesn't care.
The highly skilled swordmaster looks back and sees Dorc da Orc pulling one of his spears out of house guard pinned to a tree, the large ork growls something at the dead elf in his native language, then frowns as he examines the spearhead.
Then the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks grunts and looks away to the right through the trees off the road in that direction, where he spies one of the house guards mounts wandering between the trees.
Not wanting the warleader of the ork race to get distracted again, the once powerful mage calls out again "Hurry up Dorc!". "Yeah, yeah cunt" mutters Dorkindle, who then scowls as the nearby horse gets spooked by something, most probably the smell of the large ork, and it takes off running through the trees on the north side of the road.
The ork warleader who like his fellow traveler from south of the equator is in exile from his homeland, grunts then jogs after the mage Reinholt who is walking quickly away to the west along the forest road. Dorc da Orc briefly stops to pick up one of his axes that he threw at one of the guards in the service of house Haldéilv, as he catches up to the Vexilian mage in exile.
Once the ork weaponsmith is closer, the swordsmaster Reinholt asks him "Are they still to the west of us?" the large ork grunts then after muttering "Not north" he says "Yep" he waves a hand towards the southwest, and says "That fucken way" Dorkindle who is sniffing, adds "Them cunts have stopped".
The spellcaster who was once more powerful than any other mage of his generation in the Southlands nods his hooded head, as he figures that the rest of the group must be near or at the tower of house Haldéilv. The local lord's residence and seat of power, where up until a couple of weeks ago, the swordsmaster from the city-state of Vexil was being held prisoner by the elven magic user Kaldeàlil Haldéilv.
The mage Reinholt who knows that this road approaches the tower from the northeast, unlike the main road that goes through the forest, which heads east out of the town at the base of the tor, upon which the tower of lord Haldéilv sits. Says to the ork warleader "Let's head off the road and cut through the forest again".
The highly skilled swordsmaster gets off the road and enters the trees to the south of the road, followed by the big ork who is the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks. They keep the road to their right in sight as they continue to the west and south, hoping to catch up to the rest of the group from the Southlands, with the exception of lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief. Who according to Dorc da Orc's sense of smell, is somewhere to the east in the valley, near the river that's the natural boundary between the lands of house Haldéilv and house Walashàele.
"We'll draw her west to her father's tower where the others are waiting" says lord Farque, on one of the branches on the east facing side of the tree, Helbe the elven thief nods his hooded head, and the undead warlord who is on a branch on the otherside of the tree, and is looking around the tree trunk, adds "Let that ground pixie lead her then if we can't get her before that".
"Sounds good to me" quietly says Helbe the elven thief as the two of them converse in the royal language of elven kind, the young elven noble who is blurred and shielded, then asks "Is that ground pixie still to the north of us?".
"It is" replies the heavily armoured deathlord who continues with "Keeping an eye on her father" the elven masterthief slightly nods then quietly says to the lord of the death realm "Let's do this then". "First thing first" says the deathlord of Farque who then continues in a dry tone with "I have to get that gnat of yours".
The elven princeling grins, then he shifts to the ground below. While lord Farque just drops down through the eighty foot pine, smashing through the lower branches to slow his momentum before he lands on the ground, with a slight bend in his knees.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque who is also known as Draugadrottin to the people of his lands, nods his full helmed head to the north. The elven master assassin heads that way, to the forest glade where lord Haldéilv is. And where the ground pixie attached to lord Walashàele's is spying on the head of house Haldéilv.
As the elven masterthief walks quickly to the forest glade about half a mile away, lord Farque walks a little slower, looking at various rocks and boulders in the forest floor as the morning progresses.
The heavily armoured deathlord spots one to his liking, it's a flat rock a couple of feet wide. He stops next to it, and knowing that it can't be helped that the ground pixie to the north will notice.
He stamps on the rock with one of his steel boots a few times, making sure not to shatter the rock. The lord of the death realm waits a couple of moments, then he does it again.
Des'tier as he's known by an older generation of elves in the Southlands who might know who he is, nods his full helmed head when he senses Narladene the ground pixie in the town on the banks of the otherside of the river, start heading this way.
Lord Farque continues on his way to the north to the forest glade that Helbe the elven thief is also heading to, as he does, the undead warlord senses everyone not just in the immediate area, but through the entire valley. Keeping a track of where everyone is, especially the rest of the group from the Southlands . . . . . .

Wonderful 99.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

They're off their mounts, and leading them through the forest as they head westwards. In the lead, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy frowns, then holds up a hand for the others to stop. The elf from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands looks back in the direction they've come from, though more to the north, than directly east where they parted ways with lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief.
"Something the matter?" quietly asks Riley Hait the mercenary ranger after he's walked forward and joined the elven spy who was once part of one of the noble houses of Alínlae.
"Thought i heard something in the distance to the north" says Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy in response to the ranger Hait's question "You know what it was?" asks Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman "It sounded like a roar" is the quiet reply of the spy Tanith.
The mercenary ranger who has been looking in the direction Dalin has been looking, looks at the elven spy and lifts his eyebrows. The elf from south of the equator slightly nods, as they both know what that could mean.
"Seen any signs of forest cats?" quietly asks the human ranger who was raised and trained in the elven principality of Envadarlen "Nothing" answers Dalinvardél Tanith, who then adds "No bears either". "Same" quietly says the mercenary ranger who in actual fact is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra.
After a few moments of silence, Riley Hait quietly says "Well then it's probably" the spy Tanith nods in agreement, and says "They're supposed to be close, so it probably is" the elf from the Southlands then asks "Should we wait for them?".
The mercenary ranger who has been told to lead them westwards, looks back at the rest of the group for a few moments, then he says "No we'll keep moving" the ranger Hait continues with "They'll catch up soon enough" he then dryly adds "No matter what they run into".
The spy Tanith faintly smiles then nods, and though he and the others haven't seen who he and Riley Hait have just been talking about for a few months now. He walks on leading his horse westwards through the forest.
The rest of the group, starting with Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson follow after the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae.
Meanwhile, further east in the valley, nearer to the river that's the natural border between the lands of the Haldéilv family and the lands of the Walashàele family.
Helbe the elven thief is up a tree, the blurred and shielded elven magic user, who a short time ago spotted some of lord Walashàele's house guards here in the lands of lord Haldéilv. Making their way quickly along a forest track, that was more north, south than it was east, west.
Looks back behind him to the west, and after a few moments, he spots lord Farque running through the forest in this direction. The elven princeling who knows the undead warlord could easily keep up with him, then looks to the east. He can't see the river itself, but he can clearly see the hill that overlooks the riverside town that's just over the border in lord Walashàele's lands.
The young elven noble from the principality of Laerel spots guards in the colours of house Walashàele making their way down the hillside road, presumably to the town below.
As he watches the mounted house guards, the highly skilled practitioner of magic senses all around, then he looks away to his left, to the north, where only about half a mile away, he senses who can only be lord Haldéilv.
"He's waiting for something" Helbe the elven thief murmurs to himself as he stands upon a thick branch over halfway up the tree he's in. The elven masterthief who is using no spell to stand upon the tree branch he's on, only his natural ability to perfectly balance on things.
Looks back and searches for lord Farque again, after a few moments the prince Helbenthril Raendril slightly frowns as he can't see the heavily armoured deathlord anymore.
The elven master assassin thinks about going back to look for the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, but he decides to wait when he briefly spots a dark blur of motion along part of the forest track nearby that runs more north, south than it does east, west.
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel wonders what has caught the attention of the heavily armoured deathlord from the Southlands.
Lord Farque slows down as he runs off the track, the lord of the death realm cuts through the trees on the right, and briefly rejoins the track, before running off it again, into the trees to the left of it.
The undead warlord who spotted riders on the track heading southwest, sees them in the distance through the trees. And though they're mounted, and he's on foot. The deathlord of Farque is moving far quicker in a straight line, even when he's sprinting through the forest, and not using all the available speed to him through the unique power he has.
Draugadrottin as he's also known by to the people of his lands faraway to the south beyond the equator, slows down even more when he hears what's about to happen, then he sees it a few moments later.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque runs up behind a thick oak tree, where he stops, he looks around it and gets a good view of the track, which is only about forty yards away. On it are the riders he was following, who have encountered other riders, who have come through the forest from the west. They're house guards in the service of lord Haldéilv. While those who are on the track heading southwest, are guards in the service of house Walashàele. Or so it seems.
The lord of the death realm slightly frowns after a few moments as the riders from both sides of the border attack one another. Almost immediately the undead warlord sees that lord Walashàele's house guards are more interested in fleeing than fighting. Which is surprising since they clearly out number the squad of guards in the service of house Haldéilv.
The fight is over quickly, the bulk of the house guards in the service of lord Walashàele have ridden away, either on the track, or through the trees off it. All of them heading in the direction they were originally heading, to the southwest. A couple are wounded, while two more of them lie dead on the track.
One of lord Haldéilv's guards is dead, while two more are wounded. One quite seriously as he took a sword thrust to the stomach, while the other has a cut along her right forearm.
One of the guards in the service of house Haldéilv heads off and follows the feeling house guards from across the border. While another heads away to the north along the track, riding at a fast gallop.
The rest of the small squad, including the wounded, head that way as well. As they ride away, lord Farque senses that the house guard with the stomach wound will soon be dead if he isn't healed by a spell or potion.
The lord and ruler of lands of the lands Farque waits a few moments, then steps out from behind the oak tree, and makes his way to the track, to where the dead lie.
One of the horses of the fallen house guards is wandering through the trees, it spots the heavily armoured deathlord and starts walking towards him. The horse stops, and thinks better of it, it quickly turns and trotts away through the trees.
The undead being who is also known as Des'tier to an older generation of elves in the Southlands who might know who he is, barely spares a glance for the dead Haldéilv house guard.
Instead he looks at the two dead Walashàele house guards, who lie about fifteen yards apart, one in the middle of the track, while the other is just off it, at the base of a tree.
Draugadrottin bends down and rips open the tunic of the dead house guard in the service of lord Walashàele, who is lying in the middle of the forest track. He looks at the armour beneath, then at the fallen house guards weapon,
Next the undead warlord searches the dead elf, he slightly nods his full helmed head, then makes his way over to the dead house guard lying at the base of a tree.
Lord Farque pulls away the torn tunic of the dead guard who served lord Walashàele, after looking at the dead house guard's sword, he searches the body, and finds what he's looking for.
Looking at the coin pouch in his right gauntleted hand, the lord of the death realm doesn't need to open it to tell that it holds gold coins.
Far more than any house guard would have on them at any one time. But not for a mercenary, who hasn't had the opportunity to spend all his pay, which mercenaries tend to do.
The lord and ruler of the lands drops the coin pouch and stands up. If the coins didn't give them away, then their armour and weapons certainly do.
For house guards most often have the same type of armour and weapons to their companions. In this case lighter armour, and sabre like swords as they're light cavalry.
Not so the two dead guards who are apparently in the service of house Walashàele.
One wore steel plate on his chest and back, something no elven house guard would ever wear, and he wielded a heavy axe, which is why he's dead, as it took too long to pull his weapon from the holder across his back.
While the dead elf at the base of the tree, is in ringmail, which along with chain is usually the heaviest armour an elven house guard would normally wear. Though only if they were heavy cavalry, or heavy infantry, which elven kind tend not to have, as they're of the belief that speed is more important whilst on foot, than being heavily armoured. Unless you're a nobleborn who has the benefit of magic, or unless you're a mercenary.
Getting the feeling that lord Walashàele would never hire mercenaries and put them in his own colours, lord Farque murmurs to himself "So you're starting a war between your father and him, all too get the thief" the undead warlord slightly shakes his full helmed head, then he turns and starts running back the way he came from, heading to where he senses Helbe the elven thief.
It's not long before the heavily armoured deathlord is a dark blur as he runs on and off the track, and through the trees as he head north and east towards the river that's the natural border between the lands of the noble houses of Haldéilv and Walashàele here in the south of Maladimbáh.
Meanwhile, further west in the valley, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy and Riley Hait the mercenary ranger have slipped off their mounts, which are with the others further back amongst the trees.
While the two of the them are lying on the ground, on their stomachs. Looking over a deadfall that's in front of them, looking down at the main forest road, that leaves the tower of lord Haldéilv and heads east through the valley.
"If that isn't a sign of imminent war, then i don't know what is" whispers the ranger Hait as they look down to the road which is about seventy yards away from small hill they're on. Where on the road is a troop of house guards, both on horseback and on foot, nearly two hundred of them, who are heading east.
The spy Tanith slightly nods in agreement with the mercenary ranger as they watch the house guards walking and riding in the mid morning sunshine, the elven spy then looks away to his and the ranger Hait's left, where he sees the tower of lord Haldéilv, upon the tor that sticks up out of the forest floor. The palace like tower, where the troop of house guards have come from, is only a mile away.
"Well i doubt Mira and Dorc will run into this lot" dryly whispers Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman which causes Dalin to grin, for they have figured the once powerful mage and the ork warleader are on or near the road that's further north in the valley, where from what the spy Tanith is pretty sure he heard earlier, the two of them have most likely encountered guards in the service of lord Haldéilv.
The ranger Hait looks at the tower upon the tor about a mile away, then he looks at the elven spy next to him, and whispers to him "You're the expert on this" he continues with "How are we going to get into that place?". "I'm working on that" is the whispered reply of Dalinvardél Tanith . . . . . .

Wonderful 98.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

Dorc da Orc grunt which causes Mira Reinholt the mage to stop, look back and ask him "What is it Dorc?".
Throwing away the gnawed on leg, the large ork sniffs repeatedly as he looks south through the trees, then Dorc da Orc says "They fucken moving". "Which way?" asks the once powerful mage "That away" replies the ork warleader with a wave of his right hand to the west as he adds "Not north" Dorkindle grunts again, before continuing with "All 'cept that tree bitch Helbe, and Farque, they goin' that away" as he waves eastwards this time.
The mage Reinholt nods his hooded head as they stand beneath a tall tree in the forest, then the Vexilian mage in exile continues on his way, heading more to their right as they head further down into the valley. The ork weaponsmith follows him as they start walking to the west as much to the south.
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster is heading the direction the rest of the group are going. As he knows that he and Dorc should be with them, for lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief can look after themselves. As the two of them are more than capable with dealing with anyone or anything who might get in their way and cause trouble.
While the others, who himself and the large ork haven't seen for a few months, are less likely to deal with any trouble they might get into.
Not that I've got any spare power to waste, added to the fact I'm with this big fucking walking disaster, Mira Reinholt dryly thinks to himself as he glances back at the warleader of the ork race, who is scowling at the moment, as they cross a fairly decent sized gap between some of the trees, and the warm morning sun streams down and hits them.
Once they're beneath the canopy of the trees again, and after Dorc da Orc loudly mutters "That cunt sun, me is gonna kill it one of these days" which causes the mage Reinholt to roll his eyes. The highly skilled swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil in the Southlands is just about to ask the ork weaponsmith if the rest of the group are still heading westwards, when Dorkindle quietly, well quietly for him anyway, says "Fucken hold up a mo killer".
The once powerful mage stops and as the large ork stands alongside him, Mira Reinholt quietly asks "What is it?". The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks is looking between the trees around them, though mostly infront of them, quietly says "Peoples".
"Who?" quietly asks the exiled Vexilian mage "Fucken tree humpers, leaf eaters" answers the ork warleader meaning elves. "Guards?" quietly asks the swordmaster Reinholt who knows the ork weaponsmith can smell a freshly oiled blade, and newly polished armour from well over a mile away.
Dorkindle grunts then says "Yeah cunt" he points to the southwest and adds "A fucken road that way".
"Come on" quietly says the mage Reinholt with a nod of his hooded head for the large ork to follow him. The spellcaster who at one time, was more powerful than any other mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, sets off at a brisk pace, walking quickly, and jogging at times.
The ork warleader who like the mage, is exiled from his own homeland, is soon sweating, not to mention swearing, as he keeps pace with the highly skilled swordmaster from south of the equator.
Dorc da Orc who would really not want to be moving so quickly on what's a warm end of summer's day, is buoyed by the prospect of the thought of violence.
For even if the once powerful mage thinks it's not wise to attack the elves that the ork weaponsmith has caught a wind of, the large ork has every intention to attack them no matter who they are.
The large ork who killed a fair few elven house guards yesterday afternoon in the town north of the mountains they stopped at. Is in the mood to kill again, especially as he has caught the scent of horses with the elves he knows are to the south and west of them, and he wants to indulge in a little bit of horse rape.
They head up a slight incline in the forest, once they crest it, the exiled Vexilian mage scrambles down behind some bushes as he sees a road less than sixty yards away that cuts through the forest.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks plops down beside the highly skilled swordmaster, and he says "They still gonna fucken see us" Mira Reinholt wryly smiles then quietly says "Of course they will with your big fucking head sticking up like that" as the large ork's head is clearly above the bushes.
Dorc da Orc shrugs, and after lying back and resting on his elbows, so that he's beneath the tops of the bushes, the ork who was named warleader of his race by lord Farque five years ago when they were in the city of Vexil, says "They still gonna fucken see us" he continues with "They fucken elvey shits, prolly fucken hears us too" the large ork then adds in a mutter "Pointy ear bitches".
The swordmaster Reinholt slightly nods as he knows the ork weaponsmith is probably right, then the once powerful mage gestures down to the road, and quietly tells the large ork "Come on then, let's wait for them out in the open".
A wide grin splits the feral looking face of Dorc da Orc who after chuckling, says "Sounds fucken good to me cunt".
The two from south of the equator get up, and make their way quickly down to the forest road, then after looking to the east, the mage Reinholt stands beside the ork warleader and looks westwards as he is doing.
Dorkindle nudges Mira Reinholt which sends the Vexilian mage in exile stumbling a couple of steps as the grinning ork weaponsmith quietly says to him "Hey Mira, this just like fucken old times eh?"
The swordsmaster Reinholt after righting himself, can't help but grin himself, for the large ork must be happy as he actually used his name, instead of his nickname killer, or cunt, which he calls most people.
But also because the ork warleader is right, this is just like old times. When the two of them along with lord Farque when it was just the three of them traveling together, would stand out in the open, in the middle of roads. Where they would rob wagons, riders, and travellers between villages, towns and cities of the various city-states, principalities, kingdoms, and unruled lands right throughout the Southlands.
"Yeah Dorc, just like old times" quietly says the grinning mage Reinholt as he and Dorc da Orc wait on the forest road, after a few moments the Vexilian mage in exile quietly asks "The others still heading west?".
"Not north" mutters Dorkindle who looks away to their left, to the south, and sniffs, he grunts then says "Yep" the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordsmaster then asks "How far?" though not expecting anything accurate from the big ork.
"Fucken mile or so" answers the ork warleader who grins and holds up three fingers, the once powerful mage nods his hooded head and guesses that the others are between a mile and three miles away to the south and west, more than likely two, if that answer from the large ork is anything to go by.
Mira Reinholt slightly frowns as he figures that the group with the exception of lord Farque and Helbe the elven thief seem to be heading to the tower of lord Haldéilv. Which the elves on this road, coming from the west, have left from.
Wonder what they're up to? the swordmaster Reinholt thinks to himself, then the mage who is in exile from his homeland of the city-state of Vexil, is pretty sure he hears something in the distance to the west, he glances at Dorc da Orc, and asks him "It's that them?" the once powerful mage adds "The house guards?".
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks answers with a grunt in the affirmative, the mage Reinholt slightly nods, then walks further west along the road, until he gets a better view through the trees to the west, the warleader of the ork race joins him further along the road.
Mira Reinholt is still as he waits, while Dorc da Orc rocks back and froth on the balls of his feet as he waits. And though where they are on the road has no shade on it at the moment, the large ork doesn't complain about being in the direct sunlight.
After a little while the mage Reinholt spots the first of the elven house guards through the trees, riding along the road this way. The Vexilian mage in exile murmurs to the ork weaponsmith "Any magic users with them?". Dorkindle shrugs his shoulders then replies with "Can't smell any magicky cunts" the once powerful mage slightly nods, but he still holds his power within himself, so as not to give himself away to any other spellcaster who might be in the area.
The house guard, who must be the fore rider of a squad, slows down when he spots the two from south of the equator through the trees, standing in the middle of the forest road. After a short while, more of the squad come into view, they too slow down when they spot Mira Reinholt and Dorc da Orc.
The Vexilian mage in exile murmurs to the ork warleader "Don't say or do anything until i say so". The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, who would normally ignore something like that, looks down at the mage in the black hooded cloak who stands at least a foot and a half shorter than himself.
The large ork looks at the oncoming riders, then again down at the mage Reinholt standing next to him, and grunts and quietly says to him "Sure killer".
The swordmaster Reinholt watches the elven house guards, the first of whom, bring their mounts to a halt, just thirty yards from where the two from south of the equator are standing.
Even from this distance, the spellcaster who was once more powerful than any other mage of his generation in the Southlands, can hear some of the house guards quietly talking to one another in their own language.
He hears a few of them wondering if Dorc is a troll, then one who apparently has traveled to Belinswae, informs the others that Dorc is too short for a troll, not to mention he's far uglier and nastier looking than any troll he saw in the shipyards of the city of Falnic.
You got that right, Mira Reinholt thinks to himself, who also hears that if they wonder the two of them are amongst the group of mercenaries they're suppose to also look out for. Though apparently they're not, as they don't meet the description of the group of mercenaries they've also been told to look for as they head east to the border with lord Walashàele's lands.
Must be the others they're talking about, the swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil in the Southlands thinks to himself, the once powerful mage who doesn't recognise any of the house guards, knows that they'll probably recognise him if he was to take the hood of his cloak off his head to fully reveal his face.
He counts the mounted elven house guards, then slightly nods as he watches one of them ride forward through the group, he figures that house guard is more than likely to be the squad leader.
Whoever he is, once he's out infront of the rest of the riders, he says in the common language to the two on the road "Stand aside travelers" he nods to one side of the road, then adds "Get off the road".
Mira Reinholt who out of the corner of his right eye, is pretty sure Dorc da Orc is using all his willpower not to attack the elven house guards, as the large ork is noticeably swaying from side to side, and back and forth, as he moves on the balls of his feet.
Says in the common language to the rider out infront "No that's alright" the highly skilled swordmaster continues with "Why don't you lot ride around?" he pauses before he adds "And we'll just continue on our way".
There's silence from the elven house guards, and the one forward of the others, who is indeed their leader, frowns as he stares at the two from south of the equator, though in particular at the exiled Vexilian mage.
The squad leader still frowning, says "You, show your face" he continues with "Take that hood off".
"Ah well, i better do that then shouldn't i" quietly says the mage Reinholt, who then lifts his hands up, takes a hold of his cloak's hood, and flicks it back off his head.
Well that's done it, the once powerful mage dryly thinks to himself, as he sees a look of recognition pass across the face of the squad leader, and a couple of the others in the squad of mounted house guards. As the three of them were in the banquet hall the night that lord Farque freed the highly skilled swordmaster from the tower of lord Haldéilv where he was being held prisoner by the local lord's illegitimate daughter, Kaldeàlil Haldéilv.
It starts to dawn on the others at who the figure in the black cloak is, as they've all heard of what he looks like. And as the squad leader says "You!" in a tone of shock, and goes to draw his sword, Mira Reinholt quickly says "Dorc if you would like to".
The Vexilian mage in exile doesn't even get to finish what he was going to say, which was "Dorc if you would like to help yourself".
Because the large ork has reached back as he rocks back and forth on his feet. Grabbed a throwing axe from across his back on his weapon harness, and in one motion pull his arm around and forward, and thrown the crescent bladed axe.
The axehead slams into the upper chest of the leader of the squad of elven house guards, blood sprays everywhere as the squad leader is knocked backwards off his horse, and hits the road dead.
There's a moment of silence, with the exception of the horse out infront neighing as there's no longer a rider in the saddle on it's back.
Then the silence is shattered by a loud roar from Dorc da Orc, which is followed by a shout of "Get some!" from the large ork. Then more violence ensues . . . . . .

Wonderful 97.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

Kaldeàlil Haldéilv the elven magic user looks up and watches as lord Walashàele circles back around overhead on his griffon, before passing over the hilltop she and the others are on as he makes his way down to the riverside town below.
Down in the town near the badly damaged toll building that Kaldeàlil secretly attacked, waits Jalindílth Walashàele, the daughter of the local elven lord.
Kaldeàlil Haldéilv then looks west, and spots her father in the sky just a few miles away on the otherside of the river. The head of house Haldéilv is circling above what must be a clearing in the forest, as his griffon looks like it's about to land.
The attractive elven maid slightly nods her head as the griffon disappears down between the trees, she now wonders which one of the local lords is going to act next.
The head of house Haldéilv and the head of house Walashàele have eyed one another as they've flown near their borders. But as yet they haven't crossed over into their rival's lands. Kaldeàlil Haldéilv expects when one of them does, conflict will officially break out between the two most powerful noble houses in the south of the principality of Maladimbáh.
She looks back along the road that comes up over the hill, and sees the mounted house guards and others approaching, Kaldeàlil Haldéilv the elven magic user then looks at the mercenary guards Harrick and Linden, and quietly says to them "Come along, we don't want to be left behind".
The attractive elven maid and the two human mercenaries from the region of Belinswae then hurry down the road to the town below, following those already heading down there on foot, who include lord Walashàele's younger cousin Galacithàné.
As they walk quickly, the older of the two mercenary guards from Belinswae, Harrick quietly says "Neither one is making a move". "They are" is the quiet reply from illegitimate daughter of the local lord whose lands are to the west of the river, she continues with "They've got guards who have already crossed over into each other's lands, they're just not in plain sight like these one's here".
After a brief pause, Kaldeàlil Haldéilv adds "It's just that the two of them are weighing things up, they're both powerful spellcasters, and when one finally decides to directly act, we'll definitely know about it".
"You're father wasn't exactly powerful the night my legs were broken by that thing who freed the mage" dryly says Linden referring to the night just over two weeks ago, in the tower of lord Haldéilv when the prisoner, the mage Mira Reinholt was freed by the large figure in the dark blue, black heavy plate armour.
The younger of the two mercenary guards continues with "From what we heard, he was pretty useless against whatever that thing was".
Kaldeàlil Haldéilv who sourly smiles at the mention of that night, dryly says "Everyone is pretty much useless against that". "What is that?" asks Harrick, who then adds "I mean what is he?" with the sour look still upon her face, the elven magic user says "You don't want to know" and as the two mercenaries continue to look at her, Kaldeàlil Haldéilv says "Trust me, you really don't want to know".
As they head down into the town on the east bank of the river, the illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv hopes to the forest gods that the individual in question doesn't turn up this day, because he could definitely wreck her plans to capture and kill the elven princeling Helbenthril Raendril.
Kaldeàlil Haldéilv also hopes that her hired mercenaries she sent into her father's lands disguised as house guards in the service of lord Walashàele, are going about their business without any interference from her father's house guards.
For what they're doing is vital in her plans to capture and kill the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel.
As the attractive elven maid and her two mercenary guards follow behind the elven noble Galacithàné, and the others on foot who are making their way to where the head of the Walashàele noble house has landed his griffon down by the river.
Narladene the ground pixie pops her head up through the ground just behind the badly damaged toll house, that usually takes the toll of passage of those crossing a particular bridge that spans the river.
The tiny winged creature slightly frowns as the nearby griffon turned it's head and looked to where she is. Narladene is certain that for a brief moment, then was a look in the large eye of the griffon of recognition as it looked at her.
Before it shook it's head and looked away with a squawk, and instead watched it's rider the lord of house Walashàele, who is talking to his daughter Jalindílth.
As the ground pixie listens to the two elven nobles, who she is relieved are speaking in the normal elven language which she understands, unlike the language of the elven nobility, which she doesn't.
She looks at the approaching group coming towards the near destroyed toll house, trailing the group is the elven magic user Kaldeàlil Haldéilv and her two mercenary guards.
Narladene then sourly smiles as lord Walashàele and his daughter switch to the noble elven language when they're joined by the local lord's younger cousin Galacithàné.
The tiny winged creature who is contemplating taking out an eye of Kaldeàlil Haldéilv with her sword, is about to fly completely up and out of the ground when she suddenly feels the slightest of movements through the ground, not that faraway, passing beneath the bank on the otherside of the river.
What the hell was that? Narladene the ground pixie thinks to herself after blinking her eyes in surprise. She would've completely missed that if she wasn't sensing through the ground that way, for in that direction, to the west, about six miles away, she feels lord Farque walking through the forest. And that the undead warlord has joined up with the group who has been led by Helbe the elven thief in his absence.
Narladene frowns as she continues to sense through the ground to the west, she feels for the slightest of movements beneath the ground, but she can't feel anything out of the ordinary.
As she concentrates she glances over to where the local elven lord is talking to his daughter and his cousin in language of the elven nobility. The head of house Walashàele is gesturing away to the west as he tells the other two spellcasters something.
The naturally magical creature closes her eyes as she continues to sense movement through the ground, to be exact, beneath the ground to the west of the river. She slightly shakes her head as she still feels nothing out of the ordinary under the ground that way.
"Almost felt like" Narladene murmurs to herself after she opens her eyes and looks around, wondering what the slightest of movements was that she sensed entering the riverbank on lord Haldéilv's side of the border.
The ground pixie who is watching between the three elven nobles who are discussing something, and Kaldeàlil Haldéilv who is standing off to one side with her hired mercenary guards behind some of the others who have come from the local lord's seat of power.
Shakes her head as she makes up her mind about something. Wanting to find out what that slightest of movements was in the other riverbank, Narladene drops beneath the surface of the ground and heads west.
As she ducks down into the ground, the nearby griffon spots her and squawks as she disappears beneath the surface of the ground.
Lord Walashàele stops in mid sentence and holds up a hand to his daughter Jalindílth and his cousin Galacithàné so that they don't say anything.
The local lord looks at his griffon Farclaw who has just squawked as he looks at a patch of dirt behind the toll house to their left that's all but destroyed. His daughter Jalindílth is about to say something, but the head of house Walashàele holds up his hand again for her to remain silent.
Lord Walashàele slightly frowns then looks at his griffon who has settled down again and is preening a fore leg. The squawk the large winged creature just let out is the one he does when he spots Palamarc.
The head of house Walashàele who knows that animals can see the ground pixie, also knows that he sent Palamarc to go spy on his rival, lord Haldéilv, and to check up on something else a short time ago.
And the local lord watched the ground pixie fly away across the river, then dive down into the ground on the otherside of the river.
"Farclaw, is anything there boy?" asks lord Walashàele in the elven noble language, the griffon turns his head and looks at the local lord, who gestures towards the patch of dirt that the large winged creature was just looking at before.
Farclaw lets out a short squawk that the elven lord identifies as no, then the head of house Walashàele says "But there was something there, wasn't there boy?". The griffon settles it's head down on it's front paws and lets out a slightly longer squawk, which is more of a chirp from it's beak. A chirp that the powerful elven magic user recognises as yes.
Lord Walashàele slightly frowns, then looks around, and murmurs "I wonder?" he shakes his head in reply to his daughter Jalindílth asking him "Father what is it?".
The head of house Walashàele who senses his rival less than five miles away to the west, who like himself isn't bothering to hide his whereabouts. Looks around and spots Kaldeàlil Haldéilv and her human mercenaries standing further back behind some of his officers and house guards.
The local lord looks at his rival's illegitimate daughter, and gestures to her to join him. Kaldeàlil Haldéilv followed by her two mercenary guards make their way over to where the head of house Walashàele is standing with his daughter and his cousin, next to the toll house, which they don't know she destroyed.
The two humans from Belinswae stand back and out of the way as the attractive elven maid joins the trio of elven nobles. Galacithàné looks at Kaldeàlil Haldéilv with barely concealed contempt. While Jalindílth has a more neutral look upon her face as she watches the illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv.
Lord Walashàele after staring at the attractive elven maid in silence for a few moments, casts a spell so no one can hear what he and the other three with him have to say, though if he's certain about something he's just figured out, someone or something will be able to hear what they're saying.
"So, you're absolutely certain that this elven noble from beyond the equator has a sprite or pixie with him?" says the elven lord to his rival's illegitimate daughter "I'm certain of it" says Kaldeàlil Haldéilv, who after a brief pause adds "Infact I'd stake my life on it that he does" she briefly pauses again, then asks "Why?".
With a slight hand gestures towards the nearby griffon, lord Walashàele replies with "Because my griffon just saw it a short while ago".
Kaldeàlil lifts an enquiring eyebrow, while Galacithàné and Jalindílth look at the head of their household in surprise. After a sideways glance at the illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv, Jalindílth Walashàele says in the elven noble language to her father "Are you sure father?". "Yes, infact I'm more that sure" replies the elven lord in the same language, who then tells his daughter and his cousin "From now on, only discuss anything important in our language" he continues with "Pixies can't understand it". The other two elven nobles nod in understanding, as they know the head of their household knows all about pixies and sprites, because he has a ground pixie that's attached to him.
Switching back to the normal elven language, lord Walashàele says to Kaldeàlil Haldéilv "I'm also certain that it's a ground pixie" he glances at his griffon Farclaw before continuing on with "Though i think it's gone away now" the elven lord silently adds, probably going after Palamarc to see what he's up to.
The head of house Walashàele stares at the attractive elven maid who is the illegitimate daughter of his rival and neighbour, then says to her "Right this mysterious elven noble from south of the equator who can't be sensed, i want to know who he is, and everything you know about him".
Refraining from smiling as she's just got what she's really wanted, Kaldeàlil Haldéilv slightly nods her head to lord Walashàele, and says to him "Why of course my lord" . . . . . .