Mercenary Tales 64.

Hill Country. Border Region. 

It snowed during the night, and there's a light dusting of snow across much of the hills on the border between the kingdom of Girdane and the city-state of Vexil. 

In the early morning light, Gamil and Farsen Geist are heading up a hill, here in the very south of the kingdom of Girdane. 

The cousins are followed by a few of the guards in their family's company, while up the hill through the trees, they can already see Kilmas the guard commander of their company's forces. 

With others on the hilltop, looking south across the border into the city-state of Vexil. The guard commander is pacing back and forth up there. 

The younger cousin Farsen glances at his older cousin Gamil who is breathing heavily as they walk up the hill. 

He refrains from shaking his head at his older, larger and heavier cousin. And instead Farsen Geist quietly says "Hopefully they show up today". 

Gamil Geist just grunts at that, then after a few moments as he takes some deep breaths, he says in a slightly sour tone "Hopefully they haven't been captured". In the same tone, the older of the two cousins continues with "Or got themselves killed". 

Farsen Geist winces at that, then nods his head in agreement with his older cousin, then the younger of the two cousins quietly says "All the same, I hope they show up". 

He pauses for a moment, before he continues on with "They're our only chance of knowing what the hell is going on over there". 

Gamil Geist grunts, then sighs in resignation, as he knows his cousin Farsen speaks the truth. The older of the two cousins nods, then says "I hope they turn up too". 

Gamil Geist is silent for a moment, then after taking a couple of deep breaths, he bitterly says "And where the hell is Misa and that lot she hangs out with?". 

Farsen Geist winces at that, as he knows that's what's really annoying his older cousin. To be fair, it's also annoying him. 

As their cousin Misa, whose plan this all is. Randomly turning up. Is more than a little annoying. 

Especially when nearly a third of the mercenary army they've gathered were wiped out after their first major foray into northern Vexil last week. 

And that Misa seems to spend more time down in the city of Vexil, or in Oaklynn, the capital of Girdane. 

Or who knows where else. Than she does, with where ever her cousins, and their mercenary army are at any particular time. 

They get to the top of the hill, and as Gamil Geist leans over, hands on his knees, trying to get his breath back. 

Farsen Geist says to guard commander Kilmas, who has stopped his pacing, and walked over to the cousins "Any sign of them?". 

"Nothing" replies guard commander Kilmas, who then glances over to where the mercenary captain Marqand, is casually leaning back against a tree, and looking away to the south into the city-state of Vexil. 

The younger Geist cousin grunts at that, and he sees that amongst the others already up here. Is the mercenary captain Hafnah, and his daughter Danielle. 

Gamil Geist who has got his breath back, and is standing upright again, sees who is younger cousin Farsen is trying to discreetly look at. 

The older of the two Geist cousins rolls his eyes, and dryly murmurs to himself "Idiot". Then Gamil Geist calls out "Marqand!" and waves the mercenary captain over. 

"Where's this group of yours?" asks Gmail Geist once the mercenary captain Marqand joins them beneath the branches of a large tree, here on the hilltop. 

"They'll show up" is the reply of Marqand the mercenary captain, who follows that with "I have every confidence in young Tam and his lot". 

The mercenary captain, one of the few in the army the Geist cousins have gathered, truly trusts, adds "He said they'll turn up the morning of this day, then they will". 

The older of the two Geist cousins grunts, then says "If you say so" followed by "They better have some damn information about what the Vexilians are up to". 

Next to him, his younger cousin Farsen nods in agreement, then they all look to the south, when one of the lookouts calls out "Ship!". 

In the distance, above the treetops, they spot an airship. Even from this distance they can see it's a warship in the Vexilian aircorp. 

"Heading east" says Farsen Geist, who after a few moments as they watch in silence the airship about ten miles away from the actual border, adds "On patrol by the looks of it" followed by "Heading to the roads further to the east of here". 

After breathing a sigh of relief, Gamil Geist nods in agreement with his younger cousin, then dryly says "Thank fuck they're not heading this way". 

For though their plans call for the Vexilian forces to engage with the Girdanian military on this side of the border. 

The Geist cousins don't want to face the Vexilian aircorp and army again anytime soon. Especially after the last encounter their mercenary army had with them. 

Farsen Geist glances behind them, and sees that the wizard Hoptas has made his way up the hill. And as the spellcaster joins them, the younger Geist cousin says to his older cousin "If more of them have shown up in the north, that might be a prelude to an attack across the border". 

"Might be" quietly says Gamil Geist, who though hopes that to be true. As a Vexilian knows that his homeland's military only do what they've been commanded to do. 

And though that would be at the command of the city council if it was any other city-state. When it comes to Vexil, Gamil Geist knows it's the mage council who gives the orders to his homeland's military forces. 

"Apparently Misa has a contact on the mage council" quietly says Farsen Geist, which earns a sour sounding "Apparently" from his older cousin Gamil. 

After slightly wincing, the younger cousin Farsen says "If so, then hopefully things can move along quicker than we've planned". 

Gamil Geist and the guard commander Kilmas nod in agreement with that. As does the mercenary captain Marqand, who is one of the few in the mercenary army who know what the Geist cousins have planned. 

Though Gmail and Farsen are hoping to see a border war between the two nations of Vexil and Girdane. Which will bring about more business for their family's trading company. 

What they all don't know is that Misa Geist, has different motivations all together. As she hopes there's just not a border war. But an all out, total encompassing war between the neighbouring nations. For her own personal reasons. 

The four of them, the two cousins, their company commander, and the mercenary captain continue their quiet conversation. 

As they do, Farsen Geist can't help but occasionally glance over at some of the others who have gathered here on top of this hill, on what's a cold winter's morning. 

Trying to unobtrusively watch Danielle, the daughter of the mercenary captain Hafnah. Whose company has a number of cockatrice with them. 

The younger Geist cousin is just thinking of something to bring up in conversation, that can get Hafnah and Danielle to come over. 

When his older cousin elbows him in the side, and dryly murmurs to him "Stop drooling cuz". Farsen quickly looks at Gamil, who just rolls his eyes. 

Then as the younger of the two cousins, who have gathered a sizeable mercenary army, is just about to say something. One of the nearby lookouts, calls out "Movement on one of the trails down there". 

The mercenary captain Marqand takes out his collapsible eyepiece, and extends it before looking at it, and calls to the the lookout "Which one?". 

"Second trail on this side of that stream" is the reply from the lookout, who is on a rocky outcrop away to the right of those on the hilltop. 

After a few moments, the mercenary captain Marqand nods as he looks through his brass, cylindrical eyepiece, then says "Tam". 

He turns to the Geist cousins, and tells them "It's them" he follows that with "I told you that'd turn up this morning". 

The Geist cousins and the commander of their company guard step forward, and look to where the mercenary captain Marqand points. 

After a few moments they spot movement on one of the trails, that's north of the stream below. The stream being more or less the border in this part of the hill country, which straddles northern Vexil and southern Girdane. 

After a little while, Farsen Geist nods his head, then says "That's them alright" as he recognizes some of the mercenaries down on the trail below. 

Who can be seen more easily the further north they head. The group of mercenaries, who are part of captain Marqand's company. 

Take a bit longer to walk up the hill, as the south side, like much of the south facing side of the hills on the border, are thicker with the forest, in comparison to the north facing sides. 

The young mercenary named Tam and two others with him, make their way over to where captain Marqand is with the Geist cousins. 

While the rest of the group, who have been in northern Vexil the last few days on a covert scouting mission. 

Head downhill, to where the mercenary army have their camp set up amongst the trees, here in the very south of the kingdom of Girdane. 

"How did things go?" asks captain Marqand after greeting Tam, and shaking his hand, relieved to see the young man who he trusts without a doubt. 

"Fine, all things considered" replies Tamric Drubine the field commander, who has Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy and Lisell Maera the scout with him. 

"Spent some time in a town their military have taken over, and is using as a base of operations" adds the noble born young man who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin. 

As the Geist cousins and the commander of their company guard, as well as the wizard Hoptas perk up at hearing that. 

Captain Marqand nods his head, and says "Good" when Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, says "Mapped out a lot of places they've based themselves from". 

The young field commander in the Armies of Farque, who like the rest of the group is posing as mercenaries, who are part of captain Marqand's company. 

Hands said captain a map, and tells him "Troop movements" followed by "And routes their patrol ships take too" he then adds "That's the best we could do". 

With a satisfied grin upon his face, captain Marqand hands the map to Gamil Geist, and says "Told you they'd find out what's going on". 

The older Geist cousin nods, then he asks the young man from Marqand's company who led the scouting group south into northern Vexil "More build up of their forces?". 

"Definitely" says Tamric Drubine who decides to tell them the truth of the situation in the north of the city-state of Vexil. 

"More soldiers and airships have arrived over the last few days" adds the young field commander in the Armies of Farque, who continues on with "Definitely more compared to what the army encountered last week". 

While the older Geist cousin grunts, the younger cousin Farsen winces. As they thought there'd be a chance that Vexil would send more of their forces north into the hill country. 

It's just that they were hoping that they would delay that. Especially considering that the first attack upon the mercenary army they've gathered. Could very well been a set up. And it's by pure luck they only lost just over quarter of their forces. 

"Well, that's something at least" says Farsen Geist, who after glancing over to where the cockatrice rider Danielle is standing with her father Hafnah, and some of the other mercenary leaders. He says "Best we work out some plans with this new information that's been gathered". 

Gamil Geist grunts in agreement with his younger cousin Farsen, then he says "Let's head back down to camp". 

The older Geist cousin gestures down the north side of the hill, and says "At least it's downhill" sourly followed by "Fuck walking up again anytime soon". 

The lot of them, with the exception of the lookouts, start making their way down the hill, heading for the camp the mercenary army have set up. 

Tamric Drubine, along with Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy and Lisell Maera the scout, bring up the rear. 

And as they head downhill, the young noble originally from the kingdom of Sarcrin, who is now a senior officer in the Armies of Farque, shares a look with both the spy Tanith and the scout Maera. 

Both of whom slightly nod to him in reply as they follow the others down off the hill, on this lightly snowing, not to mention cold winter's morning. 

Knowing that whatever the Geist cousins plan, it will be insufficient if and when they run into the Vexilian aircorp and army again. 

Here in the hill country that straddles the border region between northern Vexil and southern Girdane . . . . . .