The Homecoming 17.

A Forest...

"Do you know whose lands we're in at the moment?" asks lord Farque "I have no idea" replies Mira Reinholt the mage as he looks around at the trees to either side of the trail they're on "Good fucking lot you're useful for" dryly says the undead warlord, who then adds "You used to live in this kingdom for fucks sake".
"Never came out this way" says the once powerful mage in a slightly defensive tone of voice, who leaps over a fallen tree on the trail, then he continues with "Could be anyone's fief".
After stepping over the same fallen tree, lord Farque rolls his eyes, then he tells the Vexilian mage in exile "Stop for a moment". The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster does so, and instantly realising what the heavily armoured deathlord wants, the mage Reinholt takes out a map that shows this part of eastern Druvic.
"Pretty sure we're here" say Mira Reinholt as the two of them look at the map, the lord and ruler of the lands Farque slightly nods his full helmed head in agreement, then he quietly says "The Sandol fief" as he looks at the spot on the map that the exiled Vexilian mage has pointed to.
"Know anything about them?" asks Draugadrottin as he's known by the people of his lands "The earl Sandol served with the army that invaded the Sunreach Mountains" says the swordmaster Reinholt, who then adds "I didn't meet him myself, but i know he and a large part of his garrison went north into the mountains".
The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, folds up the map, and returns it to his pack. And as they get underway again, he says to the undead being "Typical Druvician nobleman, though from what i remember his soldiers thought well of him, which is at least something".
The deathlord of Farque nods, and they get underway again, it's not too long later when the undead warlord tells the the mage Reinholt "Right through the trees, there's a road in that direction".
The spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil who is in the front, goes that way, with the heavily armoured deathlord following behind him. They walk for a couple hundred yards through the forest, until getting to a dirt road that cuts a swath through the trees. The two of them head eastwards along the road, that lord Farque sensed a couple of horsemen riding along a short time ago.
Walking side by side in the mid morning sunshine, on what's a cool but clear winter's day, Mira Reinholt asks lord Farque "Is he far away?". Sensing eastwards, the undead warlord says "About half a dozen miles further east of us" as he senses Helbe the elven thief, as well as Narladene the ground pixie.
The Vexilian swordmaster in exile just nods, as he's been around the lord of the death realm long enough, that he knows he doesn't like to talk unless he wants to. The mage Reinholt knows it's best to let the lord and ruler of the lands Farque to lead any conversation.
As he tends to get a little irritable when people talk unnecessarily. And a irritable undead warlord, from experience, the exiled Vexilian mage knows is the last thing you want to be around.
After walking in silence for quite some time upon the dirt road that goes through the forest, and not encountering anyone. Lord Farque as it nears midday, quietly says "Riders approaching us from the west".
Mira Reinholt looks back behind them, in the direction they've come from, and he asks "How far?" followed by "How many?".
"A couple of miles away" replies the deathlord in the dark, heavy plate armour "A dozen of them" adds the undead warlord who is also known as Des'tier by an older generation of elven kind, or by elves who know who he is.
"A dozen?" murmurs the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, who continues on with "A patrol most likely". "Really?" says lord Farque in a slightly acidic tone of voice, who then adds in the same tone "I would never of fucking guessed that".
The mage Reinholt slightly winces as the undead warlord doesn't particularly care for someone stating the obvious. The highly skilled swordmaster clears his throat, then says "The only thing we have to worry about is if they're from the capital, and if so, are they after us" he then adds "Don't think the locals will particularly care about a couple of travelers".
"A valid point" says lord Farque, who after a brief pause, continues with "Then again, some nobles are just fucking cunts, who don't like anyone going through their lands". "There is that" quietly says the Vexilian mage in exile who looks back in the direction they've come from, and wonders how long it will be until the mounted patrol appears.
It turns out to be not that long at all, for the riders come into view along the forest road just a short while later. They've obviously been riding fairly quickly, for they slow down when they see the two figures on the road, one large, in a full suit of heavy, dark blue, black plate armour. The other in a hooded black cloak.
Lord Farque and Mira Reinholt step to one side of the road, to let the approaching riders go by. The once powerful mage looks back at the mounted patrol, and he slightly frowns.
"What is it?" quietly asks the deathlord of Farque in the elven language when he notices the mage Reinholt slightly frown "I'm not certain, but i don't think those tabards are earl Sandol's" quietly replies the once powerful mage in the same language, he then adds "It's been nearly nine years, so i might be wrong".
The undead warlord slightly nods as the riders approach them at a fast walk, the lead rider slows, forcing the rest of the mounted patrol to slow down behind him.
"Greetings" says Mira Reinholt, who knows he's the one who'll have to do the talking as the lead rider comes along side them. "Greetings" replies the soldier who is the patrol leader, who then nods to lord Farque and adds "Sir".
Even though he sourly smiles behind the full visor of his helm at being mistaken for a knight or a nobleman, the lord and ruler of the lands Farque nods in reply to the patrol leader, but he remains silent for the moment.
"May i ask why you're traveling through the Gallus fief?" asks the soldier who leads the mounted patrol as he keeps his horse at pace with the two walking to the side of the forest road.
"Gallus?" says the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, who then asks "Is this not earl Sandol's fief?".
"It was" sourly says the patrol leader, who continues on with "Earl Gallus was given this fief by the crown after the war of succession when the previous earl and his heirs were killed".
"We should of got a newer fucking map" mutters lord Farque to Mira Reinholt in the elven language. The exiled Vexilian swordmaster slightly nods his hooded head, then says in common to the mounted soldier "Didn't know that" he follows that up with "We're visitors to Druvic, and it's been some time since we were last in the kingdom".
After quickly casting to see if the patrol leader was telling the truth, and finding out that he is. The once powerful mage waves a hand to the east, and he says "We're heading further east" the swordmaster Reinholt continues with "To the Lé Dic fief".
"Oh?" quietly says the leader of the patrol of soldiers serving in the army of earl Gallus, who quickly glances back at the rest of the mounted patrol behind him, then he says to the figure in the black hooded cloak "Is that so?".
Fuck, the Vexilian mage in exile thinks to himself as he quickly reads the mind of the mounted patrol leader "They're after those who killed some of their fellow soldiers and the local constable a couple of weeks ago" murmurs Mira Reinholt under his breath as he knows lord Farque will be able to hear it "They're rounding up any unknown visitors to the fief" adds the highly skilled swordmaster under his breath.
The Vexilian mage in exile refrains from wincing as he knows where this is going to go. While beside him, lord Farque sourly smiles behind the visor of his full helm, as he too knows what's about to happen after hearing what the mage Reinholt just whispered to him.
"If you don't mind" says the patrol leader, who doesn't get to finish what he's about to say, because the undead warlord interrupts him with "We do mind". "Huh?" says the rider infront, who then adds "Pardon?". "I said we do mind" says lord Farque, while next to him, the once powerful mage takes a couple of steps away from the large, heavily armoured figure in the dark blue, black heavy plate armour.
"I was going to say before you interrupted me sir" says the patrol leader who isn't too sure if the lord of the death realm is a knight or an avenger, or a nobleman. So he's still fairly polite as he adds "Is that a heinous crime was committed further to the east in the fief, and that it's believed that interet travelers might of been involved, so we've been tasked by earl Gallus to bring in all people who are strangers passing through my lord's lands and".
He stops mid sentence when lord Farque grabs him by the right boot, and flips him out of the saddle, the patrol leader hits the ground with a thud, near the base of a tree on the otherside of the road, as the deathlord of Farque used a fair bit of force when he flipped the soldier clear out of the saddle.
There's a momentary pause, as the rest of the mounted squad, can't quite believe what's just happened, then they draw their weapons, which causes Mira Reinholt to dryly murmur "You probably shouldn't of done that".
A short while later and Mira Reinholt is dragging one of the bodies into the trees off to the side of the road, he looks down then says "This one's still alive". "Well kill him" says lord Farque who has just sent one of the horses running, with a slap to it's hind quarters.
The Vexilian mage in exile grimaces, for he only killed one of the mounted patrol, a man who swung his sword at the black cloak wearing swordmaster. The spellcaster who set that soldier, as well as his horse instantly on fire.
Looks at the near dead soldier, who like the rest, the lord and ruler of the lands Farque took care of when they attacked the two of them.
"By the shape of fire" mutters Mira Reinholt, who finds it difficult to kill someone who is wounded, especially someone who didn't specifically attack him. Considering nearly all of the mounted patrol in the service of the earl of Gallus, attacked the large, heavily armoured figure of lord Farque.
Seeing the once powerful mage hesitate, the undead warlord rolls his eyes, throws the dead soldier he's just picked up, over the trees on one side of the road, then walks over to the highly skilled swordmaster.
"Here" says Draugadrottin who grabs the near dead soldier off the exiled Vexilian mage. The lord of the death realm snaps the man's neck, killing him instantly. Then he throws the dead body a good fifty feet through the trees on this side of the forest road.
Mira Reinholt slightly winces, then follows the deathlord of Farque back onto the road, and they continue on their way to the east.
"Any soldiers we come across in this fief are going to stop us, and take us in for questioning" says the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster "They can try" says the undead warlord who nods his full helmed head back in the direction they've come from, and adds "Just like that fucking lot did".
The mage Reinholt who is quiet for a little bit, then says "Well concerning who they're after, do you think it's". "I do" says lord Farque as he interrupts the highly skilled swordmaster, the heavily armoured deathlord dryly adds "Of course it's fucking them".
Mira Reinholt can only nod his hooded head in agreement with the undead warlord's assessment there . . . . . .