The Hire 51.

In The North Of The Kingdom Of Nastell...

They ride late into the night, though stopping before midnight, when they make camp.
For the following army, they won't stop until even later, as they're further to the north upon the road that's brought them south.
The mounted patrol doesn't have their tents with them. They don't need them. As the night, like all the nights so far this summer in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains is warm. So they camp beneath the stars, on nothing but their bedrolls.
Lisell Maera who doesn't have a stint on watch tonight. Puts her bedroll beneath a tree. And as she lies down, her constant shadow of the last few days. Appears through the trees behind her.
The undead wardog Axe sits down nearby, while the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, who is a messenger in the Farqian mercenary army. Lies down upon her bedroll, and tries to get some sleep.
As she does, her thoughts drift towards the robber baron Gergus, who she has only seen a handful of times since Axe led them to safety.
And spoken to him even less, as the robber baron has returned to leading his men as they travel south under the command of Leivyn, the field commander in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by those who know her well. Can't help but think about Gergus, and lying in his arms again. Even though she tries not to. She rolls over, still thinking of the robber baron as she tries to fall asleep.
Nearby, Darid Parsen the cavalry commander is sitting on his bedroll.
Two of the moons are in the night sky, and with it so clear tonight. It's a bit easier to see for those who are human.
The cavalry commander looks over in the direction of Lisell Maera. Who is easy to locate due to the massive dark shape that's near her.
Then Darid Parsen looks over at his second in command, Kalleb. Who is on the bedroll closest to his.
The cavalry officer who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who by no fault of his own. Happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Darid Parsen.
Lifts a questioning eyebrow and nods to where Lis is sleeping, as he sees his second Kalleb look his way.
The second in command of the cavalry patrol, who is from the south of the lands Farque. Who in the opinion of commander Parsen, definitely has some hordes barbarian, ancestry to him.
Shrugs in reply to the nod of Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman towards the nearby messenger.
Both the cavalry commander and his second, have noticed the slight change in attitude of Lis since her return.
And true, her ordeal. First of all, being pursued by duke Hargen's men after the battle at Dalbar Falls. Then after that, by land dragons which chased her and the robber baron Gergus for nearly a day. Land dragons that killed the second in command of Gergus, his brother inlaw Hammind.
Might account for some of the change of attitude in the runner who is part of the scouts and rangers division in the Farqian mercenary army.
But not all of it. As Lis who for the most part is usually quite sarcastic, and biting in her attitude towards others.
Is far more forgiving in her attitude to those who are around her, even since she was reunited with the mounted patrol led by Darid Parsen.
The cavalry commander who fifteen months ago, was a simple foot soldier in the army of lady Linara Lé Dic in the eastern region of the kingdom of Druvic.
Suspects something else happened to the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury during her ordeal when she was separated from the rest of the army that's led by field commander Leivyn.
After a few moments of contemplation, Darid Parsen the cavalry commander quietly says to his second in command "Night".
"Night commander" is the quiet reply of Kalleb as the two of them lie down upon their bedrolls.
While nearby, Lisell Maera is still trying to fall asleep, and is unable to, as her thoughts are occupied by the robber baron Gergus.
They wake well before dawn, with Lis like every night since he found her and the robber baron Gergus. Finds the undead wardog Axe sitting nearby watching her as she wakes.
The attractive young woman who originally hails from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, sees that Axe is staring at her with his far too intelligent eyes.
The messenger in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, who never got a chance to be intimate again with the robber baron Gergus, after that first night.
For the simple reason Axe was always there watching the two of them, during those two days and two nights he led them westwards, to where they eventually joined up with the mounted patrol that Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson commands.
After that, and after Axe took the town of Halvíc, as well as castle Halvíc that some of duke Hargen's army were still occupying.
The robber baron rejoined his own army, as the force led by the Farqian field commander, Leivyn finally caught up.
And the massive undead animal has been around Lis ever since. Which she along with commander Parsen find slightly surprising. As they both thought Axe would of returned to his master by now.
Not so, for as the runner in the Farqian mercenary army rolls up her bedroll, and goes in search for her mount. The undead wardog watches her, and only slightly loses interest when he goes and rubs his back, and right hind quarters against the rough trunk of a nearby tree.
Growling and yipping in satisfaction as he does so. The massive animal gets a fair bit of pleasure giving himself a good old scratch.
He only stops when Lisell Maera is in the saddle, and joining the rest of the squad, who are about to ride off.
As the mounted patrol led by commander Parsen heads off in the early morning darkness before dawn. The undead wardog at first follows them, then keeps pace with the young runner and her mount, as he runs just off to the side of them.
Up infront, Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman leads the patrol out of the darkness of predawn, to the dull light of the early dawn.
On what feels like is going to be another hot summer's day here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
As the faint first light of dawn starts to appear in the east, the mounted patrol slows down as there's a figure to the side of the road just up ahead.
It's their lead scout, the water elemental spouter Zaneff. Who as usual, has gone out infront of them.
"We'll be there later this morning" says Zaneff the water elemental spouter when Darid Parsen reins up beside him "The rest of the army by this afternoon" adds the water elemental who is from the coast of the lands Farque.
The largest nation in all the Southlands. Though one of the least populated. As are all the nations in the very south of the Southlands.
The cavalry officer nods, then asks the lead scout "Can you see it from anywhere?".
The water elemental spouter picks out a nearby hilltop, and tells commander Parsen that it's a good vantage point to observe the city of Savariss from.
The non human then informs the member of lord Farque's personal council, that with his eyepiece, that even he would be able to see the city from up there.
Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin looks over at his second in command, and Kalleb says to him "Might as well see what's happening before we get there".
"Might as well" murmurs the former foot soldier in the army of the Lé Dic fief in the kingdom of Druvic.
Commander Parsen gives the order to the patrol to head up the hill that the lead scout Zaneff has pointed out.
They get off the road, and head towards the hill in question as the sun comes over the horizon to the east, as a new day dawns on this part of the world of Volunell.
The undead wardog Axe runs by everyone and their mounts, as well as Zaneff, who has changed forms. And is a fast moving mist at the moment.
The massive canine who has been around for four and half centuries. Is the first one up to the top of the hill.
He's followed by the water elemental spouter Zaneff, who changes back to his human form.
Then a short while later, the first of the mounted patrol ride to the top of the hill. The messenger Lisell Maera is amongst the first of the riders to reach the top of the hill.
And has dismounted, and tied the reins of her horse to the branch of a scraggly looking tree on the hilltop.
By the time commander Parsen and his second in command Kalleb, get to the top of the hill.
After taking his cylindrical eyepiece from his pack, Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman who can see a slight smudge in the distance to the south beyond the last of the hilltops.
Puts the brass, cylindrical eyepiece up to his face and looks through it. And gets a clear view of the city of Savariss.
"Hmmm" murmurs the cavalry officer who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who then quietly says "Both Tamric's and Talbot's armies are there" he follows that with "They've set up by the looks of it, mostly to the north of the city".
Darid Parsen briefly pauses as he looks through the eyepiece, that gives him a decent view of the city of Savariss away to the south, and the armies that have laid siege to it.
"They haven't attacked yet by the looks of it" adds the commander of the mounted patrol, beside him, the water elemental spouter who can clearly see the city in the distance to the south, nods his head in agreement with the member of lord Farque's personal council.
"Most likely waiting for commander Leivyn and our army to show up" muses the second in command Kalleb, next to him, commander Parsen says "There's no likely about it, that's exactly what they're doing".
The cavalry officer hands the magical eyepiece over to his second in command. Then he looks around at the patrol.
And though he briefly tinkers with the idea of sending Lis back to inform field commander Leivyn about what's happening at Savariss. After all, that's what her job as a messenger entails.
He decides against it. And sends another in the patrol back to the rest of the army. To tell the field commander, about how things stand in the city they're heading to.
After that patrol member rides away, heading back down the hill, and back north to the following army.
The second in command, Kalleb says "Think the field commanders might of worked out what they're going to do" he hands the cylindrical, brass eyepiece back to the cavalry commander and adds "See how they're got all the war machines, and the siege towers a bit further back, but still inline behind them. That's a sure sign they've picked out where they're going to attack".
Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson nods his head when he sees that this is the case, then he quietly murmurs "Things are going to be chaos down there once they finally attack".
Commander Parsen momentarily pauses, then he continues on with "Might as well get there as soon as we can then".
The member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque returns the magical eyepiece back to his pack, and gives the order to remount, and to continue on their way to the south.
As the undead wardog Axe takes off, passing by everyone in the patrol. Lisell Maera is one of the last to remount.
The attractive young woman who is originally from the coastal city-state of Vexil. Sets off, and as she has one last look to the south from the very top of the hill.
She wishes Gergus the robber baron was here with her to enjoy the view to the south, and the city of Savariss as the sun continues to rise into the sky this morning.
Hell girl! Lisell Maera silently admonishes herself as she heads down the hill, back to the road with the rest of the mounted patrol.
You're acting like a love sick fool, the runner in the Farqian mercenary army thinks to herself, as she can't believe how all encompassing her thoughts of the robber baron are.
As he seems to be on her mind quite often. Something she would never of expected. Even after she slept with him just the one time.
Lis reaches the road, and is soon riding to the south along with the rest of the patrol that's commanded by Darid Parsen.
As the morning rolls on, they start to encounter lookouts and small squads from the Farqian mercenary army, led by the young field commander Tamric Drubine. Who are watching the approaches to the city of Savariss from this direction.
The cavalry patrol led by one of the members of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, pass by after they briefly stop and speak with the squads.
Then soon it's mid morning, and Darid Parsen is just thinking about taking a brief stop.
When they make their way around a bend in the road, around what it turns out to be one of the last foothills of the Colevar Mountains in this part of the duchy of Phelm.
And the city of Savariss comes into view, about four or five miles away to the southwest, on this clear and sunny, not to mention hot summer's day.
Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, slows his mount, and quietly says to his second in command Kalleb "Well, we're here" followed by "Let's go and find out what's happening".
Behind the commander and his second in command, the messenger Lisell Maera, looks to the city in the distance. Then she looks away to the side at Axe. And finds the undead wardog is gone,
She looks all around, and can't find the massive animal anywhere. He must of taken off, as they were coming around the last hill.
As the mounted patrol sets off again along the road, the attractive young woman from the city-state of Vexil, finds not having her constant shadow around kind of strange. Considering she was getting so used to it.
Though with Axe gone, Lis still has the same constant thoughts that's she's been having over the last few days.
And that's the robber baron Gergus, who is always foremost in her mind of late, something she has not got used to . . . . . .