Girdane.
"They look defeated" quietly says Lisell Maera the scout as they watch the survivors of the morning attack continue to arrive.
"Can you blame them?" quietly says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, next to the elf from the principality of Laerel, the scout Maera just nods her head.
It's evening, and the column that was under the command of captain Marqand, has set up camp in a clearing amongst the trees, in a valley between some of the hills.
They're about five miles to the north of the border with the city-state of Vexil. And the survivors of captain Mackrin's column have been steadily arriving since just before dusk.
Those who came in at nightfall, included the Geist cousins Gamil and Farsen, along with their guard commander Kilmas, and the wizard Hoptas.
"Hell" mutters Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by those who know her well "That survived" adds the attractive young woman who is originally from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury.
"I think that'll survive pretty much anything" dryly says the spy Tanith in a quiet voice as they watch one of the wagons belonging to the mercenary captain Mackrin, roll by them.
In the wagon bed is a number of coffin like boxes. The elven spy and the human scout know exactly what's in those peculiar shaped boxes, and they want nothing to do with them.
They're both glad when the wagon continues on by them, and heads to the west side of the clearing.
The spy who once served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland, the principality of AlÃnlae, then quietly says "Wonder if they'll continue with what they want to do, or a change of plans?".
The scout officer in the Armies of Farque is just thinking the same thing, then Lis whose mother was a street prostitute, and whose father was a sailor, who plied his trade on the Great Western Ocean, quietly says "Hopefully Tam finds out, and we can make our own plans".
At that moment, Tamric Drubine the field commander is with the mercenary captain Marqand, and they've just entered the large tent, the command tent of the Geist cousins Gamil and Farsen.
Inside with the cousins, is their own guard commander, Kilmas. As well as the wizard Hoptas. Along with the mercenary captain, Mackrin.
Also in the command tent, though hidden from sight, and only Tamric Drubine knows it, is Helbe the elven thief.
On a table is a number of maps, and looking at them is a yawning Farsen Geist, while his older cousin slumps onto a camp chair, and drinks wine from a goblet.
As they guard commander Kilmas, who has just lit another lamp. Puts a piece of wood in the camp stove that's keeping the tent somewhat warm on what's a freezing cold winter's night.
"A bit more light Hoptas" says Farsen Geist when he's joined at the table by captain Marqand and Tamric Drubine. The wizard Hoptas grunts, and a lightball appears near the top of the tent, above the table.
A muttered "Thanks" comes from the younger Geist cousin looking at the maps, and the practitioner of magic sits down in another of the camp chairs in the tent.
"Our cousin Misa made a brief appearance today" says Farsen Geist to captain Marqand, the younger of the two Geist cousins, yawns before adding "Before she disappeared with that lot who hangs around her".
Sitting on a wooden chest in a corner of the command tent, the blurred and shielded elven magic user Helbe the elven thief, glances at the wizard Hoptas after Farsen Geist says "That wizard Margin got her out of there after she ah spoke to us".
"Interesting" murmurs Helbe the elven thief to Narladene the ground pixie on his right shoulder, after the wizard Hoptas loudly mutters "Don't trust that Margin fella".
As the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel reads the mind of the wizard Hoptas to see why he dislikes the wizard Margin, who is one of Misa Geist's companions.
Farsen Geist says to captain Marqand, who is undoubtedly the most competent of the mercenary commanders he and his cousin Gamil hired "Well done in evading those attacking Vexilian forces".
Captain Marqand just nods in reply to that, as he thought it was pretty easy to avoid getting attacked.
All one had to do was complete their tasks in fairly quick time. Then you could avoid an attack from unexpected forces, such as those from the Vexilian army and aircorp who showed up when they did.
"Change of plans then is it?" asks captain Marqand after he looks at the maps on the table, then at Farsen Geist, and Gamil Geist who is sitting in a nearly chair.
"Somewhat" is the reply from Farsen who is the younger Geist cousin, who gestures at one of the maps showing the border region, between northern Vexil and southern Girdane.
"Though we'll still try to do as much as we originally planned" adds Farsen Geist, his older cousin Gamil grunts in agreement with him.
The experienced and accomplished mercenary captain shares a look with Tamric Drubine, who raises an eyebrow.
"We took minimal loses" says the younger Geist cousin, nearby the mercenary captain Mackrin nods in agreement with him.
"And you lot took none at all" continues Farsen Geist, who continues with "So that's somewhat of an advantage".
The older of the two Geist cousins, Gamil Geist speaks up, and says "We know we took a hit today, but we have to carry on".
He briefly pauses, before sourly adding "Besides our cousin Misa is adamant we continue on" Gamil Geist pauses for a moment or two, before muttering "The bitch".
Outside, beyond the other end of the clearing, Lisell Maera the scout and Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy are making their way up the nearest hill on this freezing cold winter's night.
The two of them are just to the side of the forest road that comes down into this part of the valley. And they've encountered the last few stragglers from captain Mackrin's column, who are stumbling into camp.
The young woman and the elven spy who serve in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque.
Are walking side by side as they head up the hill, though Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, is leading the way due to his naturally enhanced senses.
As to him on a night where there's just one of the three moons of Volunell in the night sky at this particular time. He can see as clearly as if it was the middle of the day.
After Dalin briefly stops, Lisell Maera the scout quietly asks the elf from the principality of AlÃnlae "What is it?".
"Thought I heard something" is the reply of Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, who gestures up the hill, and he adds "Away to the south".
"Far?" quietly asks the attractive young woman who is originally from the coast of the Southlands.
"Some distance" says the spy Tanith who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses in his homeland, the principality of AlÃnlae.
The scout Maera nods at hearing that as they continue up the side of the hill, on this freezing cold winter's night here in the south of the kingdom of Girdane.
As they're about to top the hill, Mira Reinholt the mage suddenly appears beside the two of them, after teleporting up the hill from the camp down in the clearing in the valley.
"What is it?" asks Dalinvardèl Tanith who knows that the mage wouldn't be up here if he didn't have to be.
"Might be trouble" says Mira Reinholt the mage, who follows on from that with "Saanea's familiar is away to the south and it caught sight of something".
"What?" asks the young woman from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, who is now an officer in the Armies of Farque.
"That" quietly says the spy Tanith once they top the hill and he looks away to the south, he points and adds "There".
"One of the Vexilian warships" quietly says the practitioner of magic who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, or the world for that matter.
The mage who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, casts another air lens like he did earlier in the day.
And looking through it, Lis grunts when she can now clearly see the airship away to the south in the night sky.
"Has that crossed the border?" asks the scout Maera "Not yet" replies Dalinvardèl Tanith, who follows that with "But it will do fairly soon".
The mage Reinholt nods his hooded head in agreement with the elven spy, then the spellcaster who is exile from his homeland of Vexil, says "Saanea has gone to tell Tam".
The three of them are silent for a few moments as they stand upon the hilltop and look away to the south.
Then the scout Maera quietly says "What if they cross the border?" she briefly pauses, before adding "What then?".
It's the mage, who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council, who replies with "Then those Geists will probably get what they want".
Both Lisell Maera and Dalinvardèl Tanith nod at that as the three of look to the south in the night sky.
Then Mira Reinholt the mage continues with "A war between Vexil and Girdane along their shared border" . . . . . .
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