The Hire 2.

The Unruled Lands. The Colevar Mountains...

In the the foothills of the Colevar Mountains. The southern end of which stretches into the northern part of the kingdom of Nastell.
Tamric Drubine, a field commander in the armies of Farque sits upon a boulder looking to the south.
In the distance that way, even with the naked human eye. He can see parts of the duchy of Phelm in the kingdom of Nastell.
The nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin looks down to his left, as one of the officers in the advanced party in the army of Farque that's traveled a good five and half thousand miles north from their homeland, says to him "Runner coming up the path" followed by "One of ours".
Tamric Drubine, or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well. Nods his head, and looks further to the left down the wooded hill, and sees the path that leads down into the valley in that direction.
After a few moments he spots the runner in question coming up through the trees. The former heir of castle Drubine in northern Sarcrin faintly smiles as he recognises the messenger who is coming up the side of the hill.
Tam looks further down into the valley, where part of an army is camped. As he looks at it, he wonders if their cause is worth it.
The field commander slightly shrugs, as he figures he's not the one who decides who hires them or not.
Though he is in the position to decide if the advanced elementals from the lands Farque with him. Will fight alongside them in battle.
Lisell Maera runs out of the trees, when she gets to the end of the hill path. The ground here is already dry, and it's still early in the summer.
She'd hate to think how dry it'll get in these foothills later on this summer.
A couple of the light foot soldiers in the army she serves in make way for her. And she trots towards an officer in the scout division.
Who nods up behind him to a large boulder. Lisell Maera or Lis as she's commonly referred to by those who know her well. Looks up and sees that commander Drubine is sitting upon the top of the boulder.
"Commander" says Lisell Maera who bites the inside of her left cheek to refrain from sourly smiling at calling the teenager, who she has known now for more than half of his life, by the rank he now holds in the armies of Farque.
"Lis" says Tamric Drubine, which puts the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury at ease.
"I take it you got an answer from them?" asks the field commander who has recently turned seventeen, and is also a swordmaster.
"I did" says the runner, who is part of the scouts and rangers division in the army that's come here to the Colevar Mountains from the lands Farque.
"They've got the pay chests here" adds Lisell Maera who continues with "Helbe, i mean envoy Raendril has made sure that everything is in order, and that the first payment is in full".
"That's a relief" quietly says the swordmaster Drubine, who then adds in a dry tone of voice "Wouldn't be much of a hire if they didn't pay us".
Which causes Lis to smile, and the others nearby to chuckle as they look down at the army in the valley.
The so called robber barons in the southern parts of the Colevar Mountains have made a push into the the duchy of Phelm in northern Nastell.
As they tend to do every so often. The last time being five years ago in a duchy further to the west of Phelm.
But this year, starting late in spring. A number of the robber barons have banded together to attack into northern Nastell. When usually it's only one, or at best, two of them working together.
Not only do they have the five of them, and their armies. Infiltrating, and attacking into the duchy of Phelm.
They've also been hiring mercenaries from throughout the Southlands. Including elsewhere in the kingdom of Nastell. After all, the duke of Phelm will be doing likewise.
But with five robber barons working together, and pooling their resources together. They've been able to afford to pay not just individual mercenaries, and mercenary companies.
They've hired an entire mercenary army. An army from the lands Farque. Who in times past, hundreds of years ago. Had multiple armies that were for hire. Who fought in conflicts and wars all across the Southlands.
But this army, is the first in nearly four hundred and fifty years. To of left the lands Farque to fight for hire.
And young Tamric Drubine is the field commander of it. Though strictly speaking, he isn't the one in total command.
As there's others, far more important, and far more experienced. Who'll decide matters to do with the hired army from the lands Farque.
One of whom, Lisell Maera looks around for. As he should be here keeping an eye on the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin.
"Where is he?" asks the attractive young woman from the west coast of the Southlands.
Up on top of the bolder, the young field commander who is also a swordmaster slightly frowns, then he nods as he realises who Lis is referring to.
"Oh, he's further up in the mountains" says Tamric Drubine who gestures behind him to the north "He said it's too hot down here, and to only get him when we actually start fighting" adds the son of a former knight of castle Drubine.
"Typical" murmurs the runner in the scout division, who then dryly adds "The lazy green lump".
Tam just shrugs his shoulders to show that he can't do anything about it.
Then the nobleborn teenager looks back down into the valley to the left at one of the combined forces of the robber barons, that are scattered throughout the southern part of the Colevar Mountains then says "Good thing they've decided to pay up, considering the bulk of our army is about to arrive soon".
"I get the feeling they weren't sure as many of us would be coming, that's why they were hesitant to pay up" says Lisell Maera, Tamric Drubine nods his head in agreement with the attractive young woman in the scouts division.
Then he says "Might as well go down, and see how things fare" then after he slides down off the boulder, Tam quietly asks Lis in the elven language "Is Helbe still down there?".
"He is" replies the runner in the same language, who notices that the officer in the scout division, who is also fluent in the elven language. Has moved away, so the two of them can converse privately in elven.
The young field commander nods for the group to head down the path. With only the observers, the lookouts remaining upon the top of the hill. Those looking to the south, to the duchy of Phelm, in northern Nastell. As well as those looking down into the valley, at their new allies. Well, those who have paid them to fight for their cause.
As they head down the path, that goes in and out of the trees along the side of the hill. The two teenagers, with Lis being two and half years older than Tam. Walk side by side down the path. Quietly chatting in the elven language.
"Any word in from Dalin and our other spies?" asks the young field commander "A few missives" is the reply of the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, who continues with "Helbe has them".
The nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin nods his head, then the young field commander quietly says "I wonder how they'll take orders from us?" followed by "Considering they barely work together in any cohesive action anyway".
Part of the terms of hire for the mercenary army from the lands Farque. Is that their commanders, which Tamric Drubine is one of.
Is in total command of not just their own army. But also the armies of the five robber barons. And other mercenaries they've hired in their fight against the duke of Phelm, duke Hargen.
It's the one major sticking point in the contract to hire the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
The robber barons, all five of whom. Who are almost a fractious lot as the northern lords in the kingdom of Nastell.
Didn't want to relinquish total command of their campaign against the duchy of Phelm to a hired army, that they know nothing about.
They finally only agreed to after weeks of negotiations between the two parties. Negotiations on the side of the army from the lands Farque, led in part by their envoy, prince Helbenthril Raendril.
Helbe the elven thief looks at the chests of gold, and his fingers itch with temptation.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel knows that if there's one thing in his life he better not steal from.
Is the chests of gold that's been paid by the robber barons, for the services of the army from the lands Farque.
After all, he helped secured the hire for the mercenary army. And stealing from it, would basically be stealing from himself.
Where's the fun in that? Helbe the elven thief sourly thinks to himself, who then remembers he's not alone in the tent, and that there's someone watching him. Who wouldn't take to kindly to him stealing some of the gold payment from the robber barons here in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains.
"Not tempted at all your highness?" says a voice in the royal elven language from a dark corner of the tent.
The elven magic user looks over at the still figure standing in the dark corner of the tent, he says in the same language, which is his first, or native language "Not in the least".
There's a slight snort of derision from the figure standing in the corner of the tent that's the darkest.
Then the still figure moves, and steps forward into the light that's coming through the slightly open front of the tent.
"You should practice on your lying a bit more highness" says Dargaven the scout, who continues with "It will keep you in good stead in any future negotiations you take part in".
The young elven noble sourly smiles as he looks at the undead scout from the lands Farque, and he dryly says to him "I'll keep that in mind".
The seemingly young looking scout, softly chuckles to that, then he quietly tells the elven princeling "The young commander and the runner Lis are making their way down into camp".
The elven master assassin nods his head, and says "Thank you". Helbe the elven thief then lifts the hood of his cloak, and puts it on his head.
Then he steps outside, while the undead scout moves back into the dark corner of the tent. As he does, he clicks his thumb and middle finger of his right hand, and points at the ground, then points outside.
Narladene the ground pixie pops up from the floor of the tent, and heads after Helbe the elven thief after she glances at the undead scout who is watching her every move.
Outside of the tent, prince Helbenthril Raendril nods to the two soldiers in the army of Farque standing guard.
They're really not needed considering who is inside actually guarding the pay chests. But the robber baron's men. And the other mercenaries they've hired don't know that.
So appearances must be kept. Besides the highly talented elven spellcaster figures no one will get past the two Farqian soldiers anyway.
And if by some miracle someone did. They'd have to face Dargaven who is inside. Helbe the elven thief has fought side by side with the undead scout in the past. And he knows that no one with stealing on their minds. Would even get a foot in the tent without Dargaven taking action.
As Narladene the ground pixie lands upon his right shoulder. Who the elven princeling figures was kicked out of the tent by the undead scout who is inside.
The elven masterthief looks around at the camp. The tent that the pay chests are in. And the other tents used by the advanced party from the lands Farque. Are on the north side of the camp.
There's some separation between their tents, and the nearest one's used by the robber barons men, and the other mercenaries that have been hired.
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, who has been given the title of envoy, and is now a member of the newly formed personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Knows that this arrangement in camp won't be for long. As word will soon spread that those in the mercenary army from the lands Farque will soon take overall command of the campaign that the robber barons of the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains have against the duke of Phelm in northern Nastell.
The elven noble from the principality of Laerel looks away to the right, and up the hill in that direction. And spots those who are coming down through the trees.
"Well we've got some decisions to make now" quietly says prince Helbenthril Raendril in elven to the naturally magical creature that's standing on his right shoulder. The ground pixie nods her tiny head.
Then the highly talented elven spellcaster makes his way around the edge of the camp that's spread across part of the valley, heading for where the path comes down out of the trees on the hill.
The elven master archer knows that he as the envoy for the army from the lands Farque. Along with some others, such as the young field commander, Tamric Drubine.
Are now in charge of the robber barons war against duke Hargen, the duke of Phelm.
Helbe the elven thief also knows that Dargaven, who is the only undead from the lands Farque with them at the moment. Can and will take over if they plan or do something that will compromise them, and the mercenary army from the lands faraway to the south on the continent.
Though the undead scout, who died nearly four and half centuries ago. Will only do so in the most extreme of circumstances. As he's been told to let the living, who are in command of the army from the lands Farque. To do as much as possible.
He's also been told to keep an eye on them as well. To see how they go about things. And what they learn from the campaign they're about to take command of.
Prince Helbenthril Raendril who as envoy for the army from the lands Farque. Has been in the position to deal with the robber barons and their armies the most.
And this particular fighting force in this valley, is made up of parts from all five of the robber barons. And the other mercenaries they've hired.
And it shows too. With the soldiers from each of the robber barons armies mostly sticking to themselves.
While the other hired mercenaries, are mingling amongst all of them. Much to the annoyance of many of those in armies of the five robber barons.
The young elven noble has almost got around to the side of camp, where the path from the hill comes out. He spots Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera and the others from the lands Farque who have just got to the end of the path down the hill.
As he does, the elven magic user hears the first of the shouts from within the camp. It's followed by a few more, then more and even more.
"Ah well" dryly murmurs the elven princeling from Laerel, who continues murmuring in that tone with "I guess they've found out".
As word has now started to spread throughout the camp, that those in the army from the lands Farque have actually been hired and received their first payment. And they've now taken command of the robber barons campaign against the duke of Phelm.
Not that Helbe the elven thief and the others haven't been doing anything anyway. For even before being officially hired, and given their first payment by the robber barons.
They've already undertaken a number of things on behalf of the robber barons and their war against baron Hargen.
The elven masterthief as he makes his way to the young field commander Tamric Drubine and the others. Has got reports of those undertakings, rolled up, hidden up his sleeves.
It's time to share that information with Tam and the others who will now command the robber barons campaign against the duke of Phelm . . . . . .