Vexil.
They've been working at this particular mine for most of the winter. Even getting help from the workers from the mine a bit further to the east. Which is unworkable this winter due to it being a pit mine. With the pit half full of water, mostly from snowmelt.
But this mine, the one out of the three that's furthest west. Is an underground mine, originally dug out by hill dwarves centuries ago.
It's after their midday meal in camp. A camp that's made up of half a dozen tents, and a wooden shack amongst the trees to the side of the mine entrance in the face of a hill.
That a few of them spot something in the sky to the west heading this way. At first thinking it one of the Vexillian patrol vessels they occasionally spot here in the hill country in the north of the city-state.
Which when they do see, they run for cover, hoping their temporary camp isn't spotted amongst the trees.
But this time it turns out it's something different in the clear winters sky. It's a wyvern, upon which are a trio of people.
Which lands nearby, in the clearing not far from the camp and the mine entrance. And those few out in the open recognize two of those making their way towards them from where the wyvern has settled down.
"How did you do that?" quietly murmurs Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy in his native language.
"We look exactly like those two elven warders" is the reply from Helbe the elven thief in the same language.
The spy Tanith who is originally from the elven principality of Alinlae, lifts a questioning eyebrow at that.
And the highly talented elven magic user quietly tells him "I read Beldane's mind to see what they looked like".
The elven masterthief gestures to where Lord Farque is talking to a pair of the miners, and quietly tells Dalinvardèl in a dry tone of voice "No way could I read his" followed in an even drier tone with "Or Dorc's".
Which causes the elven spy who is a commander in the Scouts and Rangers division in the Armies of Farque, to grin until Lord Farque glances back at them, and both elves hear him mutter in elven "Would you two shut the fuck up".
The pair of elves, one a member of the royal family that rules the Island principality of Laerel. And the other who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland of Alinlae.
Fall silent as the undead warlord continues to speak with a pair of the miners, while a third has gone into the nearby entrance in the side of the hill, to get the mine boss.
Helbe the elven thief or prince Helbenthril Raendril of Laerel to give him his full name and title. And Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
Walk forward to stand just behind and to the side of the large heavily armoured deathlord of Farque.
Who now waits in silence for the mine boss to show up. While the two miners he's been talking to. Stand off to one side, looking a little nervously at the lord and ruler of Lands Farque.
It's not too long before the third miner returns, coming out of the nearby tunnel. And with him is the mine boss. A dwarf, who looks suspiciously at the lord of the death realm.
Then he relaxes when he spots the two elves standing a bit back from the large intimidating figure in the full suit of blue, black coloured plate armour.
"Jarkellé, Gillomōnt" says the dwarf who is the boss of this particular mine which has been reopened recently, who continues with "What's all this then?" after he glances sideways at the deathlord of Farque.
"Galmus" says Helbe the elven thief who the miners think is the elven warder named Jarkellé "Slight change of plans" adds the elven magic user, who has quickly read the mind of the dwarf who is in charge of this particular mine.
The elven masterthief gestures at the undead warlord, and continues with "This is an associate of Salinéll's" he follows that with "Lord Farque".
The elven princeling from the island principality of Laerel then says "He'll explain things, and what's to be done".
Galmus the dwarf, who not a particular old dwarf at just a couple hundred years old, grunts then looks at the large heavily armoured figure who even towers over the tall elves.
"I understand Salinéll has you send the gold down to the city of Vexil, directly to a certain shall we say place of business" says Lord Farque, which gets a grunt of agreement from the dwarf in the heavy leather smock.
"That's no longer feasible, as that business has come under the scrutiny of the city council, and more importantly the Mage Council" adds the undead warlord who has the name of Draugodrottin that the people of his lands also know him by.
"Shit" sourly mutters the dwarven mine boss, while the trio of human miners standing nearby wince at hearing that.
"Indeed" dryly says the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque, who continues on with "Plans have been made to get around this".
The lord of the death realm who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates to The Destroyer, then says "Instead the gold will be sent to one of the city's counting houses".
The deathlord of Farque then names the counting house that he uses in the capital city of Vexil, one that the Reinholt Trading Company has a stake in. Infact the company, or to be precise, Mira Reinholt's uncle who heads the family business, is the majority owner of this particular counting house.
"It will seem more legitimate if it goes to one of the counting houses in the capital" says Draugodrottin, who continues with "Especially if either the army or city guard find one of the wagons transporting the gold".
Lord Farque then gestures at the nearby mine entrance, and says "Or if this mine, or one of the others is discovered to be in use again".
The dwarf Galmus rubs his beard covered chin, then he looks over at the two elves who he thinks are the warders Jarkellé and Gillomōnt.
"Which is a possibility" says Helbe the elven thief to the mine boss, the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel gestures away to the west then adds "Considering there's a battle going on that way at the moment".
The bushy eyebrows of Galmus go up at hearing that, then he says "Her distraction is working I gather?".
"More or less" replies the elven magic user who has cast an illusion spell upon himself and Dalinvardèl Tanith so that look and sound exactly like the elves Jarkellé and Gillomōnt, who are close associates of the elven maiden Salinéll.
The dwarven mine boss grunts, then says "I see" then he takes a leather pouch handed to him by Lord Farque, who tells him "Letters of intent and introduction for the counting house" followed by "And a bonus for you and the other miners".
The undead warlord then gestures to the wooden shack in the nearby trees, and he says "Let us discuss things in more detail".
Galmus the dwarf grunts, then says "Of course" he continues with "Follow me my lord" and he leads the lord of the death realm and the pair of elves to the shack, that's both his office and abode here in the hill country of northern Vexil.
A little while later and Helbe the elven thief makes his way out of the wooden shack as Lord Farque finishes discussing things with the mine boss Galmus.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, who is the grandson of Prince Raendril walks away from the small camp and the mine entrance.
The highly talented elven magic user glances over at the wyvern, which is resting in the nearby clearing.
Then the elven spellcaster disappears as he blurs himself, and he quietly says in the elven language as he continues walking "Anything?".
"Nothing" is the reply from Narladene the ground pixie who has just landed upon the right shoulder of the elven princeling she's attached to.
"The nearest village is a further four or five miles to the south" says the tiny winged creature who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains.
"Out of the hills" adds the naturally magical creature who first encountered Helbe the elven thief a number of years ago in the city of Leeabra, the capital of the kingdom of Druvic.
The elven master assassin nods his hooded head, then quietly says "They get their supplies from down in that village". Referring to the miners.
The young elven noble who is Lord Farque's envoy, continues with "Once it's spring they'll see more activity up here in the hills".
The elven master archer then informs Narladene that foresters and woodsmen from the village further to the south.
Come up here into the hills when the weather is better, to hunt game and to take wood from fallen trees.
"Think you'll have to do anything to keep the mines from being found?" quietly asks the ground pixie as the elven masterthief walks in a wide circle around the miners camp.
"Maybe" replies the elf who is a member of Lord Farque's personal council, who has something in mind to keep the recently reopened trio of mines here in northern Vexil, from being discovered.
It actually helps that there's legitimate mines here in the hill country in the north of the city-state. Mines that are owned and operated by both companies based here in Vexil, as well as the council of the city-state too.
Prince Helbenthril Raendril who is approaching the back of the camp and the wooden shack, spots Lord Farque and Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy walking out of the shack, along with the dwarven mine boss Galmus, and one of the other miners.
The highly talented elven magic user drops his blur spell as he passes behind a tree, and walks to where the undead warlord and the elven spy from the principality of Alinlae are waiting with the two miners.
As the elven princeling stops beside the spy Tanith, Lord Farque says something in dwarven to the mine boss Galmus.
Who after a moment of silence where he blinked in surprise a few times, the dwarf responds in his native language.
Then in common he adds "Yes my lord" and bows to the large heavily armoured deathlord of Farque, who nods his full helmed head in reply.
Dalin and Helbe share a look, and before the elven princeling can cast to read the mind of the dwarven mine boss to find out what he and Lord Farque just spoke about.
The undead warlord says "Don't" in elvish to the elven magic user who is a member of his personal council, and his envoy.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel just arches an eyebrow, before he along with the spy Tanith follow Des'tier to the clearing.
Where the wyvern has sat up from where it's been lying down, as it's spotted then walking towards it.
The large heavily armoured deathlord of Farque hops up into the saddle upon the back of the wyvern.
Then the two elves climb up onto the back of the large winged creature, who shakes itself after they settle down between it's spinal ridges.
After Helbe the elven thief casts a spell so that he and Dalinvardèl Tanith remain on the back of the wyvern while it's in the air.
The lord and ruler of the Lands Farque gives a command in the language of dragons, which sees the wyvern briefly tense, before it launches up into the sky.
Draugodrottin has the wyvern circle the miners camp below, and he waves to the dwarven mine boss Galmus and a couple of the other miners who are looking up at them. Then the undead warlord has the wyvern turn to the west, and fly that way.
As it does, Helbe the elven thief after dropping the illusion spells from himself and the spy Tanith, asks the deathlord of Farque "Is that it?".
"For now" is the reply from Lord Farque, who then falls silent as they head back to where the rest of the group are further to the west. On this cold but clear winters day, here in the hill country, in the north of the city-state of Vexil.
Author's Note: Here ends "Mercenary Tales". The main storyline will continue in "Springtime In The City".
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