The Hire 71.

The Duchy Of Phelm...

They stop mid evening since the weather has been so good, not to mention warm, that they can travel through the early evening.
It's why they, and the other two armies led by the field commanders, can out distance the larger army led by general Halvane.
The war engineer Tovis after seeing that all the war machines and siege towers are okay after another day of travel. Goes and gets something to eat. Glad to see that his constant shadow throughout much of the day.
The subaltern Jaxs is gone now that Mira Reinholt the mage has returned from wherever he went off to with his fellow councillor, Helbe the elven thief.
After eating with some of his engineering corp. Tovis who is originally from the kingdom of Druvic. Where he served in the army of baron Harkonin.
Goes and checks on the prisoners. Who have been traveling at the rear of the army led by field commander Talbot. Traveling near the war engineer and his crews.
There's only six of them who travel in a covered wagon. Guarded by a handful of soldiers in various companies and divisions in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
Rumour is they're all assassins under the command of the elven envoy, prince Helbenthril Raendril. Like the subaltern Jaxs, who Larris the sorcerer, and the young engineer's second in command, tells him is more than likely an assassin trained by the young elven noble who is member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Tovis, finds the prisoners sitting to one side of their wagon, around a small fire. Eating the meal that's been cooked for them.
And though their guards are standing off from them, they keep a careful watch upon the half a dozen prisoners. All of whom are officers, and persons of significance amongst the enemy.
The war engineer is waved forward by one of the guards. After all, Tovis is a senior officer in the Farqian mercenary army. He holds the rank of captain.
He's also waved forward, because the councilor Mira Reinholt is sitting on a log with one of the prisoners. And the once powerful mage who hails from the city-state of Vexil. Beckons the young engineer to him with a wave of a gloved hand.
Tovis makes his way over to the pair who are sitting on the log, quietly chatting. The young man from the kingdom of Druvic sits down beside them on the log.
The war engineer who has already briefly met the prisoner, nods his head in greeting to the most important prisoner taken so far in the campaign against duke Hargen of Phelm. That the mercenary army from the lands Farque has been hired to take part in. On the side of the robber barons of the unruled lands in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains.
"The captain of the guard here, was just telling me about how things fare in the duke's court" quietly says Mira Reinholt the mage, who has gained the trust of captain Gallene of the Savariss castle and city guard.
Due to the enemy guard captain finding out that the councilor is a swordmaster like himself.
And the fact the Vexilian mage in exile informed captain Gallene that he's also happens to be spellcaster, not just a swordmaster.
So he might as well be open and honest with him. Since the mage Reinholt can find out what he wants to find out, by reading the mind of the enemy guard captain, if he refused to answer the once powerful mage's questions.
Tovis listens as the guard captain quietly explains things about the duke's court. The young engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic slightly frowns as the prisoner says something.
So Tovis the war engineer asks him "What about the local lord for Savariss?". Captain Gallene sourly smiles and says "He hasn't lived in Savariss for years. He and his family live south of Almaic, and apparently he didn't come north with the duke's army because his health is failing".
The captain of the city and castle guard in Savariss then adds "Though from the rumours I've heard, that was just an excuse he gave to the duke because he didn't want to come north to Savariss and take part in the war".
The local swordmaster looks towards the nearby fire for a few moments, then he looks at the two sitting on the log with him, and quietly tells them "Some of the other nobles showed their true class, when they came north to help us out".
Captain Gallene continues with "Men like lord Chesié, who is from the very south of Phelm. Who decided to remain in Savariss and help defend it, even though he could of gone south to safety".
The captain of the guard who was taken prisoner during the recent battle of Savariss adds "As for others". He then just shrugs his shoulders as to what he thinks of them.
The mage originally from the city-state of Vexil and the war engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic share a look. And as the swordmaster Gallene has fallen silent for the moment, Mira Reinholt the mage quietly asks him "You've seen our armies in action, how do you think the duke and the rest of his forces will fare as we head further south?".
The guard captain winces at the prospect of that, then he answers with "Not too well" he continues with "Especially at Almaic, which isn't easily defended like Savariss which is a true walled city"
The spellcaster who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, nods his hooded head and fall silent.
The three of them are silent for a little while, the only sounds coming from the other prisoners nearby, who are quietly chatting now that they've finished their meal.
Then the swordmaster Gallene quietly asks his two captors "Why exactly did you and your army decide to work for those five from up in the mountains?".
"Because we're an army for hire, and they were willing to pay" is the reply of the spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil who is also a highly skilled swordmaster.
After a slight pause, as decides whether or not to tell the prisoner something, the mage Reinholt decides to, and continues with "Unlike your duke".
Captain Gallene blinks in surprise as he realises what that means, then he looks at the figure in the black hooded cloak sitting beside him on the log, and says "Are you telling me you offered your services to duke Hargen?".
"When word spread throughout the rest of the Southlands about five of the robber barons in the Colevar Mountains who were raiding into the north of the kingdom of Nastell, and it's northern most duchy Phelm. And that the duke started hiring mercenaries" says Mira Reinholt the mage who continues with "We sent an envoy to Almaic to see if the duke was willing to hire our army" the Vexilian mage in exile then adds "He refused pretty quickly. So we went on to negotiate with the robber barons, who eventually agreed to hire us under our terms".
The local swordmaster grimaces as he contemplates that, and how the duke has been scrambling to hire mercenaries from all over the place ever since it was known that the robber barons of the unruled lands of the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains, were going to make a determined push south into Nastell, and the duchy of Phelm. Not just raid into the kingdom that's south of the lands they've made claim to.
"Hell" mutters captain Gallene "If it makes you feel any better, or not" says the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, who continues with "The offer to your duke was basically the same one we offered to the five robber barons".
The prisoner looks at Tovis the war engineer, who nods his head in agreement with the exiled Vexilian mage, the young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic then tells the guard captain "That's my understanding from what I've heard".
Though that the war engineer wasn't privy to the negotiations between the Farqian mercenary army, negotiations led by prince Helbenthril Raendril. First with duke Hargen, then after he refused, with the robber barons of the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains.
It's common knowledge amongst the mercenary army from the lands Farque that the terms of hire to both the duke and the robber barons was almost identical.
Infact, with the duke of Phelm. The weekly payment wanted by the Farqian mercenary army was less than what robber barons are paying at the moment. Though the terms of them commanding the campaign were exactly the same as what the robber barons have agreed to.
"Was there a reason why he didn't want to hire you?" asks captain Gallene "He didn't want to pay what we asked for" is the reply form the mage Reinholt who continues with "Well he and the others who were with him during the negotiations".
"I can imagine who they were" bitterly mutters the local swordmaster who is the captain of the guard in the city of Savariss, well he isn't anymore, since the city is no longer under the control of duke Hargen and his forces.
Captain Gallene starts saying some names. Nobles here in Phelm, none of whom came north with the duke and his army to help defend the north of the duchy from those who have come down from the foothills of the Colevar Mountains, into northern Nastell, and the duchy of Phelm.
"Any of them involved in the negotiations?" asks the swordmaster Gallene.
"The first three, and the last one" is the reply from the exiled Vexilian mage.
"Figures" mutters the guard captain who is a prisoner of the Farqian mercenary army not of the robber barons of the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains. He then quietly says "None of them came north, and they're all from central and southern Phelm".
Captain Gallene falls silent again as he contemplates something, then he quietly asks the practitioner of magic, who is also a highly skilled swordmaster "Did my brother know about this?".
"The duke's personal guard commander?" says Mira Reinholt, Gallene the captain of the Savariss city and castle guard nods his head yes.
"Maybe not the details" says the once powerful mage, who follows that with "He wasn't present in the negotiating room". The Vexilian swordmaster in exile continues with "He was around, so he knew we were in talks with the duke".
Damn, Gallene the swordmaster thinks to himself, the guard captain then silently adds, Berric why didn't you tell me this?
After a little while, the mage Reinholt asks the captain of the guard "You think those four nobles will help in the defence of Almaic when we finally get there?" the swordmaster originally from the city-state of Vexil, who is now a member of the personal council of lord Farque adds "Or even before we get there?".
"Who knows?" says the swordmaster Gallene with a shrug, then he adds "I certainly don't" the captain of the castle guard in Savariss continues with "Though i suspect they'll be forced to, as they're from around Almaic or south of it, or i should say they all live around there".
The once powerful mage nods his hooded head in understanding, as one of those named by captain Gallene, was the local lord of Savariss.
The councilor continues to quietly chat with the prisoner for a bit more, until eventually he bids the local swordmaster a good night. Then he along with Tovis the war engineer make their way away from where the prisoners are being held.
"What did you make of all that?" quietly asks Mira Reinholt in elven as they walk away.
Tovis who is still learning the elven language, takes a moment to think of what to say, and in better elven than what the once powerful mage speaks, he quietly says "He wasn't happy about it that's for sure".
The young engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, the Harkonin fief in eastern Druvic to be exact, then adds "Probably more with not being told about it, than actually the duke refusing to hire us".
"Both really, though definitely the first" quietly says the highly skilled swordmaster, who speaks elven with a rough accent to say the least, the mage Reinholt continues with "Though i don't think the duke fully realised what was offered to him" he then adds "Certainly not we were capable of" the swordmaster Reinholt then says "Well that's what the royal thief said about it all".
The spellcaster who was at one time, more powerful than any other mage of his generation, in all the Southlands, then tells the young engineer "Since they're back here with you and your corp, continue to keep an eye on them".
The mage who is in exile from his homeland of Vexil, because he betrayed it in the middle of a battle, the largest battle in the Southlands in living (human) memory.
Quietly tells the war engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic "Him and those other five will become even more important once we start encountering the duke's forces en masse again" Mira Reinholt then adds "Especially when we get to Almaic, the capital of the duchy".
Tovis the war engineer tells the councilor that he will. The once powerful mage nods his hooded head, and walks off in the direction of his tent, while the young engineer turns to the tents that his corp are using.
He makes his way to the tent he shares with his second in command Larris, hoping to get a full night's sleep, before they get underway again, sometime before dawn . . . . . .