The Hire 39.

Northern Nastell...

The previous day and the previous night. And they fled the land dragons that pursed them.
The three of them ran as quickly as they could. For there was no chance to turn and fight against the serpent like creatures. As there was too many of them.
Unwittingly, they had blundered into the only territory of the land dragons, anywhere in the Colevar Mountains. In either the unruled lands, or in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
As here, further to the east in the north of the duchy of Phelm as they continued heading further to the south and east.
The land is more verdant, with the trees and ground more green. Than elsewhere in the very north of the Nastell. For the simple reason there's more creeks, streams, rivers and lakes in this part of northern Phelm.
At least in comparison to elsewhere on this side, the eastern side of the the mountain range, and it's foothills.
And though the land dragons, some up to fifteen feet in length. Are quick in short bursts. They're not especially fast over long distances.
The further they ran, the more the land dragons fluttered their short, stubby and utterly useless wings. A sure sign that they wanted to move more swiftly, as they pursed their human prey.
By mid morning, the trio of Lisell Maera, the robber baron Gergus, and his second in command, Hammind.
Had opened up a sizeable gap on the land dragons. So much so, that when ever they looked back through the trees at the lizard like creatures, they could barely spot the land dragons.
Even though, they could still hear them, croaking, and hissing in their reptilian manner as they couldn't keep up with the three they hunted.
A sign that though the land dragons had fallen behind, they were still in pursuit.
With their pursuers some distance behind them, they were able to stop for brief moments. And refill their water bottles. The area they were going through might be more verdant and green, than they were accustomed to traveling through elsewhere in the southern reaches.
It was still warm, indeed hot. As they day was sunny, with very little clouds in the sky.
The three of them hardly spoke, and when they did, it was only when necessary, and in brief, short, sentences.
It was usually when they thought the land dragons giving them chase had given up. Only for the three of them to hear the growling and hissing of the creatures in the distance somewhere behind them.
Lisell Maera, or Lis as she's more commonly called by those who know her well. Ran out infront. She could easily out distance both the robber baron Gergus, and his brother inlaw Hammind.
As both of them are more heavily armoured than her. And more to the point, she's younger and fitter than the two of them.
And the training she has endured over the last year or so in the armies of the lands Farque. Has seen her run from dawn to dusk on some days. And throughout entire nights. Sometimes days and nights on end.
After all, she is a runner in the armies of the lands Farque.
And with her long legs, and being taller than Hammind, and the same height as Gergus. She could easily leave the two men from the unruled lands to the north of the kingdom of Nastell far behind.
But she kept just infront of the two of them, as they were continuously pursed by the land dragons, whose territory they were crossing as they continued to flee to the east and south.
It was during one of their short breaks, sometime near midday, in the very heat of the day. After they had all splashed water from a stream, over their heads and faces. And drank their full.
That the axe fighter Hammind mentioned that they didn't have much in the way to eat since they parted ways with Pabell that first night they were chased by duke Hargen's men.
And though they had left the duke's men miles and miles behind. The land dragons were still in pursuit. And they couldn't keep up this pace, if they didn't have something to eat.
They got underway again when they heard the calls of the land dragons once more.
With the robber baron mentioning to his second in command, not to think about his gut as they ran. For escaping the pursuing land dragons, and surviving was their first priority. Finding something to eat can wait for later.
And though the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury agreed with the robber baron. She couldn't help but of think of food as she ran out infront of the other two as they continued on their way to the east and south.
In an area of northern Nastell that both Gergus and his brother inlaw Hammind had no idea, where they were.
The two of them mentioned that they could very well no longer be in the duchy of Phelm. And might be in the next duchy, the duchy of Malmaek.
Which is to the east of the northern most duchy of the kingdom of Nastell.
Wherever they were, the two men from the unruled lands of the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains. Hadn't a clue where they were. Just that they're in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
In an area with few, if any people. Due to it being the territory of land dragons. Creatures that are found in groups, called nests.
One such nest that they disturbed, who are more than a little angry that the three of them interrupted their daily activities. And killed one of their number when they first came upon them, then fled.
Land dragons, which are in no way related to actual dragons. Are vengeful creatures. Easy to anger, as they often fight amongst themselves. Over the most trivial of things.
And in the case of large males in the mating season, death is often the result in fights between them.
So a trio of humans, who blundered into one such nest. Is definite prey to the serpent like creatures. Who due to their four relatively short legs, aren't the quickest of movers over anything more than twenty or thirty yards.
Be that as it may, they do have one thing in their favour. And that's endurance. Something that Lisell Maera, the robber baron Gergus, and his second in command Hammind, have yet to find out.
In the middle of the afternoon, during another of their brief stops, this time in a glade amongst some trees.
Lisell Maera after refilling her water bottle from the nearby stream, says "Don't they ever stop?" as once again, they hear in the distance, the sounds of the pursuing land dragons.
"Doesn't look like it" says Gergus the robber baron, who has dunked his head into the stream to cool himself down.
The robber baron who is pretty sure he's spotted fish in the stream, and is annoyed they've got no time to try and catch some, quietly says to the other two "Better get going again" he then dryly adds "Unless you want to end up as a meal for our scaly friends back there".
The three of them set off again, running through, then out of the glade, always heading to the east and south. Further and further away from their army. Further and further away from help.
It's late in the afternoon, nearing dusk, with all three of them breathing heavily. That they take another break, as they haven't heard the pursuing land dragons for a while.
They're upon a hill, looking back in the direction they've come. Sipping from their water bottles.
When Lis, whose eyesight is keenest, says "Damn" as she points to the north and west, to where she has spotted the land dragons through the trees, heading this way.
"Thought we'd left them behind" mutters Hammind between heavy breaths, the brother inlaw of the robber baron Gergus, who has shed his heavy breastplate, continues with "I thought we'd lost them".
"We haven't" says Gergus, who then adds "Let's get going" as he can see though the land dragons aren't moving all that fast, they don't look in the least bit tired, or are labouring in anyway.
The three of them continue running, into dusk, and the early evening. Though their strides, especially those of Hammind and Gergus, are slower, and not as quick, as they were at the start of the day, when they first started fleeing the land dragons.
It was inevitable, especially since it was now evening. That one of them would fall. Due to being tired because they've been running all day, and because it's dark, with just one of the moons up in the night sky at this time.
Hammind falls over a tree root that's sticking out of the ground. And though he's not badly injured in anyway. His left ankle hurts enough, that he continues on with a limp. Which slows him down, and the other two down as they run with him.
And though his brother inlaw says words of encouragement to him. Hammind who grits his teeth every time he puts weight on his left foot. Knows he's probably just doomed the three of them.
That's unless he does something about it. Is what he thinks as he runs alongside his brother inlaw Gergus. Just behind the attractive young woman in the Farqian mercenary army.
And though they continue onwards into the night. They all hear the land dragons getting closer and closer to them.
Hammind doesn't know when it is, it must be before midnight, as Ilnari, the largest of the three moons is now up in the night sky with Ovean, the smallest. That he makes a decision.
And between clenched teeth, as his left ankle hurts like hell now, he says to his brother inlaw "Gergus keep going with the girl" as he comes to a stop.
"No" says the robber baron who grabs the right arm of his second in command, and adds "Keep moving".
His brother inlaw violently shrugs him off, and pushes him away, and says in loud voice "Move it Ger!" as he takes his battleaxe from the strap across his back.
"Now Hamm, this is no time for heroics" says the robber baron Gergus. His brother inlaw Hammind ignores him, and instead looks at Lis, and tells her "Get him out of here girl".
The attractive young woman nods her head in understanding, as she sees how resolute Hammind is, as he's now made a decision, and is sticking with it.
Then learning a move that she's learnt from the elven spy Dalinvardél Tanith, Lis squeezes the back of the robber baron's neck.
And as he briefly gasps in pain, the runner in the Farqian mercenary army, grabs his right arm, and spins him around and away from his brother inlaw Hammind.
Who after a brief look at Gergus, turns and limps away in the direction they've come from.
"Move" says Lisell Maera in what she hopes sounds like an authoritative tone, she quickly follows that with "That's an order". For though he might be a robber baron of the unruled lands of the southern reaches. She's part of the mercenary army that he and the other robber barons have paid to lead them.
As Gergus mutters "Shit" after glaring at Lis. He turns to go after his brother inlaw, when he stopped short in his tracks when he hears Hammind say "Don't let Jana lose her brother too Ger" followed by "That would end her".
Standing there, feeling as indecisive as he's ever felt in his life. Gergus hears his brother inlaw say "And tell her how much i love her too".
The robber baron loses sight of the limping form of his second in command who is married to his younger sister Jana.
Then as they hear the approaching land dragons, Gergus lets out a shout of anger and frustration. And with tears in eyes, the robber baron turns and runs. 
He runs as fast as he's run throughout the day and night so far. Fueled by anger, frustration, and loss. Gergus runs so fast that Lisell Maera doesn't have to slow down to keep pace with him.
Infact she has to run quite quickly to keep up with him, as they head to the southeast through the trees.
The two of them run for so long, that they finally realise that they're can no longer hear the land dragons in pursuit.
By silent agreement, they slow down. And eventually end up walking at a brisk pace. Both breathing heavily. And both silent. Lis thinks it's inappropriate speak.
While Gergus is at a loss for words. As he knows his brother inlaw is now dead. Killed by the pursuing land dragons. Who by the sounds of it, or lack of it. They've left behind.
They walk for quite some time during the middle of the night. When the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury eventually notices something.
Lisell Maera breaks their silence, by saying "You hear that?".
Lost in his own world, the robber baron shakes his head no, and the runner in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, tells him "Up ahead somewhere" she continues with "Sounds like a river".
That is indeed what it is, which they find a short while later. And it's a rather large, and swift moving river that cuts through a gorge. Which they're standing on one side of, about thirty to fifty feet above the water. It's a bit difficult to know exactly, even with two of the moons in the night sky.
The two of them walk along the top of the gorge, wandering if there's anyway to cross. Well that's what Lis is thinking. Gergus isn't thinking much at all.
They've only been walking for a little while, when Lisell Maera suddenly stops and looks back in the direction they've come form through the trees.
The robber baron finally notices where Lis is looking, and he asks her in a dull tone of voice "What is it?".
The messenger in the Farqian mercenary army holds up a hand for silence. Then a few moments later, faintly, and in the distance, they both hear the familiar hissing and growling sounds of land dragons.
They listen for a few moments more, and it's definitely land dragons, and by the sounds of it they're getting louder, which means they're getting closer.
The attractive young woman from the coast of the Southlands quickly looks around, then having made a decision, she says to the robber baron "Jump" as she gestures down to the river.
"Are you fucking crazy?" says Gergus, who finally seems to have his wits about him, after the suggestion from the runner in the Farqian mercenary army.
"No" says Lis who quickly adds "But we've got no other option" she follows that with "Unless you want to end up dead like your brother inlaw".
The robber baron snarls in anger at her. He goes to take a step towards Lis, then changes his mind. And without a pause, he leaps off the gorge.
Not really a religious person in anyway, Lisell Maera silently prays to the gods, all of them. And she hopes they're listening.
And as she hears the land dragons heading this way, the attractive young woman who is a daughter of a street prostitute, and a sailor. Jumps off the gorge too, and hits the surface of the water, and is swept away by the swift moving river.
Lis doesn't know how long she's in the water for. It feels like an eternity. But she's able to finally swim to the otherside of the gorge, onto what ends up being a rocky, riverside beach. Which she eventually crawls onto.
After lying there for some time, and breathing heavily. The runner gets to her feet thanking the gods as she does so.
Then looking in either direction along the rocky beach on this side of the river. She picks one way, and starts walking that way.
Lis walks for quite a while, and she almost misses him. But catches sight of the body lying at the water's edge.
She runs over, and drags Gergus the robber baron out of the water when she finds that he's still alive.
The robber baron seems dazed, but Lisell Maera suspects he's in shock. More from the loss of his brother inlaw Hammind, than from the wild night time ride down the river.
She gets him to his feet, and helping him to walk, she finds an incline that goes up and away from the river.
They head up it, and walk less than thirty yards to get beneath some trees, before slumping to the ground in exhaustion.
And though the runner in the Farqian mercenary army thinks what they should do now. The robber baron has laid down, and rolled onto his side.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury lies down next to him.
And feels herself falling asleep, when she suddenly realises Gergus is quietly sobbing. Lis hesitates a moment, then puts an arm over him.
The robber baron turns to her, and quietly says in a broken tone "What am i going to tell my sister?".
Lisell Maera holds him as he continues to sob, which eventually comes to a stop.
Lis finds herself looking into the tear filed eyes of the robber baron. Who is looking right back at her. Gergus slightly moves in her arms, and moves his face closer.
Then the runner in the Farqian mercenary army feels his mouth softly on her mouth. Kissing him. And though a little surprised. Lis finds herself kissing him back.
Then the attractive young woman, who has never willing slept with a man in her life. As she was sexually abused as a child. Then raped just a few years ago by two men on the otherside of the equator.
Finds herself taking off her wet cloak, as Gergus starts taking off his clothes as they continue to kiss . . . . . .