The Hire 21.

The Border Region. The Southern Reaches. The Colevar Mountains...

"It's an army is it?" asks Mira Reinholt over the noise of the pelting rain "Definitely" is the reply of the scout who has made his way back to the army.
"How many do you think?" asks field commander Talbot as they stand beneath the branches of a tall tree.
"At least four thousand, maybe more" is the reply of the scout, which causes the mage Reinholt to slightly wince, and the field commander in the mercenary army from the lands Farque to mutter "Damn".
"That's nearly a quarter of the duke's entire army" says the once powerful mage, the field commander in the suit of dark, heavy plate armour nods, then says "And more than what we have".
The two of them, along with the scout are silent for a while as the heavy rain continues to fall.
Here at the western end of the battle front. Nearer to the actual mountain range, and not just the foothills of the Colevar Mountains.
The cool night previously, which at this time of the year in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains. Usually heralds a storm on the western side of the mountain range.
Has made it's way over to the eastern side of the range in the form of heavy rain this morning.
Which though annoying for an army on the march. It has significantly dropped the temperature this morning. In comparison to what it's been previously, so far this summer.
The field commander who is a born Farqian, glances at the mage who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Who slightly nods his hooded head to the large man in the heavy plate armour, who has a large hammer strapped to his back.
"Return to the rest of the scouting party, and continue to keep an eye on them" says the field commander to the scout, he follows that up with "Send someone back immediately if they start moving at all".
"Yes commander" says the scout in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, who with a nod of his head, adds "Councillor" to the spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil.
The scout moves away, taking the reins of his mount from a nearby ostler. He gets up into the saddle, and rides away along the road that heads south. Riding in the heavy rain, that has slowed the advance of the army from the unruled lands into the the kingdom of Nastell, and the duchy of Phelm.
The mage, who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, waves over an adjunctant standing beneath the branches of the tree to the right.
"Go and inform Markell, that his spellcasters are not to cast until told otherwise" says the mage who is in exile from his homeland of Vexil, he continues with "That's an order from myself and the commander".
"Yes councillor" says the adjunctant, who after nodding to the field commander, hurries away to inform the robber baron Markell of the order from the mage Reinholt.
"There's more than a chance they've got spellcasters with them who can sense someone casting" quietly explains Mira Reinholt to the Farqian field commander.
"From nearly eight miles away?" asks Talbot in surprise, the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster nods his hooded head, then says "Once i could sense someone casting from a dozen miles away".
The eyebrows of the field commander go up in surprise. He'd heard that councillor Reinholt was once extremely powerful when it came to magic. He just never realised how powerful until just now.
"Let's hope that they don't have someone that powerful in their midst" says the swordmaster Reinholt who continues with "If they do, and they're human, that usually indicates to them being a mage" Mira Reinholt then dryly adds "We definitely don't want that".
The field commander nods in agreement, then he waves over some of his senior staff who are standing beneath the nearby trees.
And he, along with the member of the personal council of their lord and ruler. Explain to them what's happening, and what they'll do. Now that they know there's a fairly decent sized enemy army that's camped just under eight miles away to the south.
It took them all yesterday afternoon and into the early evening to get by the badly damaged section of the road that crossed into the kingdom of Phelm, and it's northern most duchy, the duchy of Phelm.
Tovis the war engineer, who stayed with his crews as they got their war machines across the section of road nearly two miles long. That was hastily repaired by some of his engineering corp, and the spellcasters in the army of the robber baron Markell.
Makes his way quickly forward along the line of march as the rain comes down heavy this morning.
With the ground being so dry here in the early summer. And with the heavy rain just pelting down since before dawn.
There's a good chance, some of the road, where it isn't paved. And is just hard, packed dirt. Could be washed away, making it even more difficult for his war machines to continue behind the army, that's predominantly made up of the army of the robber baron Markell.
The young engineer in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, who is originally from the east of the kingdom of Druvic.
Moves into the treeline along the left, or east side of the road that's brought them into the kingdom of Nastell.
Tovis quickly skirts around, and behind the trees, that the robber baron, his second, and some of his senior officers and his spellcasters are standing beneath the branches of. Watching the army marching southwards through the pouring rain.
The war engineer continues on his way, until he spots some of those in his own army, who are watching the progress of the force they've led down from the southern reaches in the unruled lands, to the southern reaches in the kingdom of Nastell, and the duchy of Phelm.
Tovis spots Shur Kee the monk, standing by himself beneath the branches of one of the trees.
The young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic faintly smiles, for the odd, conical shaped hat the short statured monk wears.
Makes perfect sense on a day like today. With any rain falling upon the acolyte in the order of Bru Li. Mostly running clear of him due to his hat.
"Morning Shur Kee" says Tovis the engineer "A good morning to you friend Tovis" replies Shur Kee the monk.
Who the young engineer knows, would think a cold, snowy day in the middle of a harsh winter would be a good morning. When one is alive and breathing.
Tovis knows the physical adept sees life a little differently than others around him. And that his calm and measured demeanour, often hides his enthusiastic outlook on life.
"You wouldn't happen to know where Mira and commander Talbot are do you?" asks the war engineer in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
"They are that way" replies the short, statured monk from the far eastern coast of the continent, who points further to the south along the treeline that's off to the east side of the road.
"I shall accompany you" adds Shur Kee as Tovis sets off to where the mage and the field commander are.
The war engineer is just glad they're walking beneath the trees. For even though they're quite spread out in some places. As they are in a lot of places across the foothills that run from the unruled lands, down to here in the duchy of Phelm.
It sure beats walking out in the open, on the road, where the rain is more or less pouring straight down, since it began earlier this morning, before dawn.
Tovis spots the mage Reinholt and field commander Talbot beneath a tree, speaking with the senior staff of the Farqian army who are leading this particular army in the robber barons campaign against duke Hargen of Phelm.
The war engineer stands back, not wanting to interfere. When the once powerful mage spots him and the short, statured monk. And waves the two of them over to join him. As he steps away from field commander Talbot and his senior officers.
Noticing the slightly concerned look upon the face of the young engineer from the Harkonin fief in the kingdom of Druvic. The Vexilian mage in exile asks "What is it?".
Tovis quickly tells councillor Reinholt of the situation of parts of the road if the heavy rain continues throughout the rest of the day.
The spellcaster, who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, listens in silence, then after Tovis finishes speaking, the mage Reinholt shrugs, then says "It doesn't matter" he continues with "The commander is about to give the order for the army to stop".
"Why?" asks the war engineer with a frown upon his face , he then adds "We only got going a little while ago, at dawn".
"There's a fairly decent sized enemy army just a little bit to the south of here" explains Mira Reinholt "How far south from here?" asks Tovis, who then then adds "And when you mean a decent size, how decent are you talking about?".
"Under eight miles away" says the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands.
"That's fairly close" murmurs Tovis "And there's more than four thousand of them" says the mage who is in exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil.
The young engineer in the mercenary army from the lands Farque grimaces at that. While next to him, Shur Kee the monk faintly winces.
"A battle then?" asks the war engineer as he looks out from beneath the branches of the tree they're standing beneath, and looks out at the heavy rain that's falling this morning.
"More than likely" is the reply of the member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Who follows that up with "Though we'll try to thin them out some, before we get into a pitched battle with them".
The young engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, nods his head as he sees the logic at what the mage Reinholt has just said.
Then he along, with the once powerful mage, and the short, statured monk. Look to where field commander Talbot has a sergeant at arms in the Farqian mercenary army, call out to the line of march to stop.
And to take shelter amongst the trees off to the side of the road.
"Wonder how long until you know who turns up" says Mira Reinholt in a slightly dry tone of voice.
The war engineer Tovis, who was just thinking the exact same thing. Nods his head in agreement with the exile Vexilian mage.
It's not too long afterwards, when they spot the robber baron Markell, his second, and a number of his spellcasters in his army.
Making their way along the treeline, towards where they, and commander Talbot and his senior officers are located.
The mage Reinholt sees the field commander dart a quick look at him, then slightly nod in the direction of the robber baron and those with him.
The highly skilled swordmaster rolls his eyes, then in elven he says to the field commander in a slightly dry tone "I'll speak to him".
"I knew i could count on you councillor" says commander Talbot in the same language.
The Vexilian mage in exile sourly smiles, then he quietly says to Tovis and Shur Kee in the common language "Stand to either side of me" as the robber baron and those with him approach them.
Mira Reinholt moves forward, getting in between the field commander and his senior staff, and the approaching robber baron and those he has with him.
The once powerful mage, with the young engineer standing on one side of him. And the physical adept standing on the other.
Speaks before the robber baron comes to a stop, and opens his mouth to say something.
"We've stopped because there's an enemy army just ahead" says the mage Reinholt, who then explains to Markell and those he's brought along with him. The size of the enemy army, and how far away they are from where they've stopped their own army.
After the Vexilian mage in exile has explained what is happening, the robber baron Markell loudly mutters "Fuck". While a few muttered comments come from those who have accompanied him.
"Indeed, fuck" says Mira Reinholt in a slightly wry tone, who then tells the frowning robber baron "Not to worry Markell".
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster continues with "Commander Talbot, and war engineer Tovis and other senior officers in the field commander's staff are planning what we'll do to the enemy when we confront them".
The member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, then says "I'm sure once they've finalised their plans, they'll quickly inform you of what's happening".
The mage Reinholt then adds "Until then, it's best you see to your men. To tell them what is happening, and to make sure that they're ready at a moments notice to get underway again if necessary".
"Of course" says Markell after a few moments of silence as he takes in what the mage from the city-state of Vexil just said "We shall do that straight away" adds the robber baron.
Then with a nod of his head, and a quiet "Councillor" to the swordmaster Reinholt. The robber baron Markell, along with those with him, turn and make their way back amongst the trees, to speak with their soldiers, who make up most of this particular army from the unruled lands that have made their way south into the kingdom of Nastell, and it's northern most duchy, Phelm.
"Get your war machines and equipment as forward as possible Tovis" quietly says Mira Reinholt to the war engineer.
Then after a slight pause, the once powerful mage who looks away to the south through the pouring rain, quietly adds "There's a pretty good chance we're going to be needing them" . . . . . .