Girdane.
Marqand has his company up and moving before dawn. The mercenary captain is no fool whilst he's in enemy territory. And has most of his company off the road they've traveled north on from the border since yesterday afternoon.
Captain Marqand is expecting one of Tamric Drubine's squad to show up later in the morning. To inform him how things are further to the north of them.
As they yet to run into any of the local lords forces in this part of the kingdom. Marqand doesn't expect any royal forces here in the south of the kingdom as of yet.
With the exception of the occasional patrol ship, that on and off fly over the south, and southern border region of the kingdom.
The mercenary captain knows that they, along with the rest of the Geists mercenary army, have been lucky to avoid the kingdom's aircorp so far.
"Have that lot move down to the road" quietly says captain Marqand to one of his officers as they stand amongst some trees in the gloom before dawn, on what's another cold winters day here in this region of The Southlands.
The mercenary captain is just about to say something else after he looks up to the sky to the east as the first rays of sun appear.
When a voice out of nowhere suddenly says behind him "You'll want to get as many of them off the road quickly".
Captain Marqand and his officer spin around and find Tamric Drubine and one of his squad standing there.
The mercenary captain after peering at the tall lean fellow standing next to young Tam. And figures the hooded figure is one of the elves in Tam's squad. An elf who Marqand is sure is a spellcaster of some type.
Asks the young mercenary who he has an officer in his company "Why?" followed by "What's happened?".
Tamric Drubine the field commander informs the mercenary captain what's transpired. And more importantly what's heading this way.
"Hell" mutters Marqand, who then orders all of the company off the road, and to break up into smaller squads. Trios and pairs at best. And for them to take cover if they're out in the open.
The mercenary captain also has them turn around and head back south to the border. As he's pretty certain the Geists mercenary army will need all the help they can get with what's heading their way.
"One warship has already gone by" quietly says Tamric Drubine the field commander, or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
The young noble originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin gestures away to the west, as he adds "A few miles that way" followed by "They passed in the darkness without spotting you".
They're on the move, and the young field commander in the Armies of Farque tells the mercenary captain as they head through the woods they're in "Another one isn't all that far to the north of here". Tam follows that with "Two more are further behind that one".
Marqand winces when he hears this, then he glances at the elf in the white hooded cloak, who quietly says something in the elven language to young Tam.
The young noble who hails from the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin, tells the captain of the company "There's a pair of patrol ships further to the south as well".
The senior officer in the Armies of Farque continues with "They'll soon have orders to look out for mercenary companies and destroy them" he then adds "Not to mention find and destroy the cousins army".
Marqand sourly smiles, then mutters "Hell" followed by "Going back south, am I leading us to our doom?".
Field commander Drubine just shrugs his shoulders in reply to that, while the officer walking on the other side of the mercenary captain, shrugs his shoulders too when Marqand looks his way.
After a few moments silence as they head downhill, and quickly cross the road, and enter the woods on the other side.
Tamric Drubine tells captain Marqand "If the army quickly get over the border" followed by "And we cross it as well without being attacked, we should be fine".
The heir of a former Knight of Castle Drubine, which can be found in the north of the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, pauses for a moment, before adding in a slightly dry tone of voice "That's if the Girdanians don't cross the border themselves to attack us".
The mercenary captain once again sourly smiles, then in a voice that matches that smile, he says "You seem to forget, that's exactly what the Geist cousins want".
Marqand follows that with "Remember they want a border war between the kingdom and Vexil" he then adds "And more than likely, they're going to get it".
Both Tamric Drubine the field commander and Helbe the elven thief, as well as the other company officer walking with them, nod in agreement with captain Marqand.
Who lets out a sigh of frustration, before muttering "Those damn cousins don't pay us enough to get attacked by warships on both sides".
Though the mercenary captain is a professional through and through. One of the few in the army that the Geist cousins Gamil and Farsen have gathered to start a border war between the city-state of Vexil and the kingdom of Girdane.
So he has his company, who have split up into small groups, many of who are in pairs, or trios. Continue southwards, back to the border region. As the sun rises in the east, on what's a cold winters morning, here in the south of the kingdom of Girdane.
Captain Marqand glances to his left, and sees that the elf in the white hooded cloak has disappeared from where he was walking beside young Tam.
And in just a few moments, the mercenary captain sees that he has reappeared next to the young man who Marqand thinks is a mercenary.
"That other warship is quickly approaching from the north" quietly says Helbe the elven thief in the elven language to the young field commander in the Armies of Farque.
"It might of spotted some of the company" quietly adds the highly talented elven magic user who is from the island principality of Laerel.
The young elven noble from Laerel, who is in fact, a member of the royal family that rules that particular elven principality.
Pauses for a moment or two, before he quietly tells Tamric Drubine "You want me to take care of it?".
The young noble who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who knows that the elven masterthief can easily take care of a warship by himself.
Is glad that the elf who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council, is asking his permission to do so.
When he could easily go off and destroy the Girdanian warship approaching quickly from the north without informing Tam he was doing so.
"Probably best if you do" quietly replies field commander Drubine in the elven language, who continues on with "Though the ships to the north might see it suddenly fall out of the sky near us" he then dryly adds "That wouldn't be ideal all things considered".
"Trust me" says the young elven noble who is the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, who flashes a grin when Tam looks sideways at him, and sourly smiles.
The elven master assassin then tells the Sarcrinian noble "It'll be fine, I'll make sure it crashes further to the west of here".
Helbe the elven thief then adds "Have the captain order the company to head more to the east as they continue south".
Tamric Drubine nods in understanding, then the elven master archer disappears as he shifts away.
"Where's he gone?" asks captain Marqand noticing that the elf in the white hooded cloak has disappeared again, and hasn't returned like he did previously.
"That next warship is fast approaching" replies Tam who like the rest of the group is passing themselves off as mercenaries whilst in the army gathered by the Geist cousins.
"He's going to deal with it" adds the field commander in the Armies of Farque who decides to tell the mercenary captain, more or less the truth of what Helbe the elven thief is up to.
"He can do that?" says captain Marqand in surprise, whose eyebrows also shoot up in surprise when he hears that from young Tam.
You wouldn't believe what that royal thief can do, Tamric Drubine dryly thinks to himself, who then nods his head in reply to Marqand.
Then he tells the mercenary captain that it's probably best to order the company to head more to the east as they continue south towards the border region on this cold winters day.
Floating a few hundred feet above the ground, the blurred and shielded elven magic user watches the approaching Girdanian warship.
It's a frigate, and by the way it's dropping in altitude towards the canopy of the trees below. One of the lookouts, either mundane or magical, has caught sight of some of captain Marqand's company who are hurrying south back to the border region.
Glancing at his right shoulder, Helbe the elven thief quietly says "Distract the helmsman" he continues with "Make sure no one can get the wheel" followed by "Get it turning to starboard".
Narladene the ground pixie nods in understanding, then she takes off from the right shoulder of the elven magic user she's attached to. And heads towards the frigate that's coming right at them.
The elven master assassin waits until he spots Narladene winging her way to the wheelhouse that's on the aft deck.
The highly talented elven spellcaster then shifts towards the oncoming Girdanian aircorp vessel when it's less than five hundred feet from him.
The grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel who easily gets by the wards protecting the warship. And he stands on the underside of the airship, is a stride the magical keel. The elven princeling who is upside down, crouches and places his gloved hands upon the frigate's keel. And prepares to cast a shatter spell.
Up in wheelhouse, the helmsman suddenly yelps and takes hold of his bleeding right hand. Letting go of the wheel as he does so.
An officer goes to grab the wheel as the warship turns to starboard. And he too yelps in pain, and grabs his right hand which is bleeding.
Narladene the ground pixie with her sharp, needle like sword in her hand. Grins to herself as she hovers there, invisible to all in the wheelhouse. Waiting if anyone else is game enough to grab the wheel, which is spinning uncontrollably. Sending the frigate turning to starboard.
The naturally magical creature grins even more as she senses what's about to happen. As shouting and yelling, from those in wheelhouse. And others of the crew on the deck.
She feels Helbe the elven on the underside of the Girdanian warship cast a spell that will doom the airship, and send it flying towards the ground.
"There" quietly says Tamric Drubine the field commander who points into the early morning sky.
Captain Marqand and one his officers see it too. A Girdanian warship, not that far from them. About three hundred yards away to the west, heading further west. Tilting out of control, with a badly damaged keel, that's visible to them on the ground.
They can see parts of the airship's hull, breaking apart, and falling away as it gathers speed, heading westwards above the treetops in that direction.
"Might want to hurry up" says Helbe the elven thief in the common language when he suddenly appears next to the three watching the Girdanian warship plummet out of the early morning sky.
"There's more of them heading this way" adds the highly talented elven magic user who hails from the island principality of Laerel.
Captain Marqand closes his mouth, after it dropped open in disbelief at what he just witnessed.
He clears his throat, then says to the other three "Come on then" followed by "Let's see if we can get the company back to the border without any of the Girdanians attacking us".
Tamric Drubine the field commander nods in agreement. And they continue on their way, hurrying southwards along the nearby road after Helbe the elven thief informs them that it'll be safe to use for a bit. As no Girdanian forces, either local, or royal. Are in the immediate area.
The elven master assassin disappears soon after. Before he does so, he quietly tells the young Sarcrinian noble that he's going to check on the rest of the group who are following.
After the elf in the white hooded cloak vanishes again, and doesn't reappear. Captain Marqand dryly says to the young field commander in the Armies of Farque "You didn't exactly tell me what that elven fellow was capable of Tam".
With a slight shrug of his shoulders, after they hear a dull thud, far in the distance, that can only mean the Girdanian frigate has finally hit the ground, Tamric Drubine says "He's got all kinds of secrets".
Hell, I don't even know all of what he's capable of, the young noble from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin thinks to himself.
While next to him on the road, that's going through a clearing at the moment. The mercenary captain, Marqand. Just grunts as they, along with the rest of the company, hurry back to the border on what's another cold winters day here in the south of the kingdom of Girdane . . . . . .
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