Falnic. Belinswae. Winter...
"That's not what I've heard" says the Justifier's guard Mason, his fellow guard Mortiss, shakes his head then says "No I'm telling you, they're sending us out of the city" he continues with "To the southeast, where the half breeds have their villages".
A third guard at the table, Polmad, says "I've not seen any of the nomad bastards, I'm beginning to wonder if this talk of their army is just a load of crap".
Mason and Mortiss are about to disagree, when a guard at the next table along, who has overheard their conversation, leans in their direction, and says "They're real alright".
The three guards who are in the army of the cleric Kolvene, who are normally further south along the coast, look at the guard at the next table. And see that he's a lead wyvern rider in the wizard Sammacin's army.
"Flew down to the edge of the plains day before last" says the wyvern rider who is sitting with a trio of his flying squad, he tells the three from down the coast "More of the nomad scum in one place than i have ever seen".
"You attack them?' asks Polmad, who is the youngest of the three guards in the army of Justifier Kolvene.
One of the squad led by the lead rider wyvern rider snorts, while another sourly smiles. The third ignores the trio from down the coast, the town of Oldeen, about forty miles south of Falnic.
"No" dryly says the lead wyvern rider who like all of his squad, was born and raised here in the city of Falnic before joining the army of Justifier Sammacin.
"Why not?" asks Polmad in quite a demanding manner. The two wyvern riders who were paying attention, join the third, and no longer do so.
While their leader, a man in his early thirties, slightly shakes his head, then says "I think that would be fairly obvious".
"It is?" says a slightly confused looking Polmad, the lead wyvern rider at the next table rolls his eyes, then says "Hell yeah" and before the youngest of the trio of guards from south along the coast can add anything else.
The wyvern rider in the wizard Sammacin's army says "Just one wyvern, and my squad of ten guards" he continues with "How well do you think we'd do against an army of tribesmen, many with bows, slings and spears?".
"Oh" says Polmad after a moments thought "Exactly" says the lead wyvern rider.
"Don't worry about him, he's just young and doesn't know that much" says Mason who can see why the rest of the wyvern riders at the next table ignored Polmad after he started talking.
The youngest of the trio who serve in the cleric Kolvene's army is about to argue with Mason about that. But Mortiss, who is sitting right next to Polmad, gives the young Justifier's guard a slight shove, and murmurs for his ears alone "Quiet Pol, don't go embarrassing us any further".
Well Mortiss thinks Polmad is the only one who can hear that. But someone sitting by themselves in a corner of the tavern. Easily heard what was murmured, he is an elf after all, and can hear what anyone says here this late in the afternoon in the tavern that's located in the northeast of the city.
With his hood upon his head, the elven spy Dalinvardél Tanith looks around at the others in the tavern this afternoon. There's more than a few guardsmen in Justifier Sammacin's army present.
That isn't too surprising as his main garrison isn't too far away, here in the north of the city.
There's guards from other Justifiers armies present too. Mainly in pairs or trios like the three from down the coast, from the town of Oldeen.
There's a smattering of city folk here in the tavern, though they're outnumbered by the guards in various armies of the Justifiers of Belinswae.
The spy Tanith is the only non human present, apart from the goblin who works in the kitchen, clearing away scraps, and cleaning the pots, pans, mugs and goblets.
Dalinvardél Tanith, or Dalin as he's referred to by those who know him. Has spotted the goblin whenever the door to the kitchen opens.
The elven spy from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands has seen the goblin drop a number of mugs and goblets, before sticking them back in his tub of warm washing water. Dalin's surprised the goblin hasn't broken any so far he's been watching this afternoon.
The soft mat in that part of the kitchen has more than likely been placed there to stop breakages. As goblins tend to have accidents. Usually involving what they're doing. But more often enough, themselves.
The elven spy from south of the equator continues to listen to a number of conversations in the tavern. The topic of conversation isn't much of a surprise. As it's the main topic of conversation throughout the city of Falnic.
The gathering of an army of tribal nomads out on the edge of the dry, arid plains that they call home.
You hardly hear about the invasion of the Stone Hills of late, as everyone is talking about the impending attack from the east. From the enemy of the townsmen of Belinswae. The nomad tribesmen of the plains.
Listening to a pair of guards at the table in the opposite corner from where he sits. Dalinvardél Tanith hears about the movement of troops from elsewhere in central Belinswae.
Of a Justifier Lovis who is from an area further north of Falnic, whose guards have started arriving in the coastal city today. With others expected to arrive over the next few days.
More of Justifier Kolvene's guards are coming in too. Though the cleric from Oldeen about forty miles down the coast from Falnic. Already has more than half of his army in the largest city in Belinswae.
Justifier Davarn has a lot of his guards in the city too. The wizard who rules the lands directly east of Falnic. Has pulled a lot of his guards back to the city. For everyone expects the enemy nomads to strike straight at Falnic, and the towns closest to it.
As they'll more than likely leave the half breed villages further to the southeast alone. For the tribal nomads don't have anything against those people who live between the edge of the plains and the eastern settlements of townsmen in Belinswae.
A few other Justifiers of central Belinswae who haven't taken part in the invasion of the Stone Hills are bringing guards from their armies to Falnic too.
But for now, it's the three of, cleric Kolvene, Lovis the witch and Davarn the wizard, who have come in force to the aid of Falnic. For only the wizard Sammacin is the only Justifier of Falnic still in the city as he also hasn't taken part in the war against the dwarven clans of the Stone Hills.
Those Justifiers of Falnic who have gone north to invade the clanholds in the hills and mountains north of Belinswae. Have only left a token force from each of their armies back here in Falnic.
Figuring he's got as much useful information as possible for today from this tavern. Dalinvardél Tanith gets up and makes his way out of the tavern.
As he leaves, the elven spy sees the door to the kitchen open once more. And he spots the goblin carrying a tray to a table. The tray that has a number of mugs and goblets on it, makes it to the table.
Though barely, as it basically lands on it, when the goblin trips over, and falls down, dropping the tray of mugs and goblets on the table before he falls flat on his face.
The spy Tanith leaves the tavern to the sounds of one of the serving women, then the tavern keeper yelling at the goblin to get up.
The elf from the Southlands slightly shakes his hooded head as he exits the tavern. Then once on the street, he goes right, walking through the late afternoon sun, on what's been a cool winter's day here in the city of Falnic.
Dalin looks up, and sees a wyvern flying over the northern part of the city. It's come from the north, it's no surprise to the elven spy that it's come from one of the armies away to the north in the Stone Hills.
"Probably getting back to that Sammacin at what they're going to do" Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy murmurs to himself in his native tongue, the elf from south of the equator briefly stops infront of a shop, that sells curiosities and wonders.
The spy Tanith slightly nods to himself, then continues on his way after looking in through the open door of the shop. The elf who once served in one of the noble houses in his homeland of Alínlae.
Quickly turns right into a lane, he moves a little bit quicker as he goes through the lane, and turns right again. The elven spy hurries into a deep doorway, keeping himself in the shadows within the depths of the doorway.
The spy Tanith waits, as he does he keeps a hand on the hilt of one of his daggers beneath his cloak. The Southlander doesn't have to wait long as he continues to listen to who it is that left the tavern not that long after him, and has been following him since.
There's two of them, and as they turn the corner and approach the deep doorway that he's hidden himself in. Dalin knows that the two are guards in a Justifier's army.
"Where did he go?" quietly asks one of the guards "Don't know, but I'm sure he came this way" replies the second Justifier's guard.
The spy Tanith slightly nods as he recognises the voices of the two guards. They were the two who were sitting at the table in the corner opposite from the corner he was in.
Then as they hurry by the deep doorway Dalinvardél Tanith is hiding in. The elven spy steps forward, throwing a combination of punches.
A fist takes one of the Justifier's guards in the side of the face, sending him reeling to one side.
The second guard, who is slightly behind the first, ends up with a punch to the ribs, and another in the neck.
He hits the ground hard, while the first guard staggers and tries to steady himself. He hits the ground too when the spy Tanith kicks his legs out from under him.
The guards are in the service of Justifier Kaellin, part of the mage's token force left behind here in Falnic when he went north with his army to invade the Stone Hills.
Grabbing the front of the cloak of the first guard, who is still conscious. Dalinvardél Tanith hauls him up slightly off the ground, and quietly demands in the common language "Why are you following me?".
The elf from south of the equator pushes the guard back down when he doesn't immediately answer, and plants a boot on his chest after stomping on his gut.
"Orders" groans the guard, who though winded continues with "Have to follow any visitors to Falnic". "And why is that?" quietly asks Dalin after glancing back behind them to make sure the lane is still clear "To see what they're up to, and who they visit and talk to" explains the guard who feels like throwing up after getting stomped in the guts.
The Southlander who instantly figures out why, quietly asks the guard in Justifier Kaellin's army "For what reason?". "See if they're spying" gasps the guard.
Well we can't have that now can we, the spy Tanith thinks to himself, who punches the guard in the face, not too hard, just stunning him more than anything else.
The elf from the principality of Alínlae quickly takes the dagger from the belt of the stunned guard, and uses it to cut the throat of the unconscious guard lying close by.
"Now look what you've done" quietly says Dalinvardél Tanith who places the bloody dagger into the right hand of the guard, who though stunned, sees what just happened.
It's the last thing he sees before Dalin thumps in the face with a punch, this one harder than the previous one, it knocks the Justifier's guard out.
The spy Tanith walks quickly away, as he does, he knocks on the doors he goes by in the lane, before he exits it, and turns left. Behind him in the lane, one of the doors does open, and a man sticks his head out, seeing no one there.
Until he looks back down the lane before he goes to close the door, and sees the two Justifiers guards lying in the lane. He goes to check on them, and we he sees what's happened, he starts yelling for help.
Dalinvardél Tanith who is good eighty yards away, and heading down a street towards the docks here in the north of Falnic, hears the yelling over the everyday noises of the city.
"Well someone's found them" the elven spy murmurs to himself as he goes to meet one of his contacts within the smugglers community here in coastal city of Falnic. As always, he's ever vigilant of anyone that could be following him . . . . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment