The Hire 75.

The Kingdom Of Nastell...

They arrived at Manlin late. Sometime just before midnight. Though they still leave early in the morning. And once again they're the last of the three armies led by the field commanders in the Farqian mercenary army to get underway.
As they have the war machines and siege towers with them. Not to mention most of the supply wagons.
Also with the trebuchets, catapults, wagon mounted ballista as well as the siege towers. Is a covered wagon with the other wagons carrying equipment.
Though the covered wagon is carrying something completely different. In the back, beneath the cloth covering, are prisoners of war.
There's only six of them, and they're all important in some way or another. Though one is far more important than the others. And that's the swordmaster Gallene. Who is the captain of the castle as well as city guard in Savariss. Well, that's when duke Hargen still held it. As the northern most city in the kingdom of Nastell, is now in the hands of the robber barons of the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains, who have invaded the duchy of Phelm.
As the wagon he and the other prisoners are in the back of moves out. Captain Gallene enjoys the early morning breeze, which is quite cooling this morning. Especially as the cloth sides of the covered wagon have been rolled up so those in the back of the wagon can enjoy the breeze.
And though their guards allow them to walk pretty much whenever they like. They're to remain in the back of the wagon until they and the rest of those at the rear of the army, get clear of the town of Manlin.
The captain of the guard looks away to the east. Where he knows somewhere in the distance. On a road that's out of sight some eight or nine miles away.
Is the fourth army that's come down out of the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains, and entered the northern most duchy in the kingdom of Nastell, the duchy of Phelm.
And that army is far larger than any one of the three armies that are using the road that's gone through Manlin, and heads further south into the heart of Phelm.
Gallene the swordmaster then looks ahead, and spots a rider coming back from the war machines and siege towers infront.
It's the young engineer named Tovis. Who seems to be in command of all the war machines and their crews. Who usually spends some time riding beside the prisoners. When they're either in the back of their wagon, or when they're walking.
After the young engineer greets those in the wagon with a good morning. He suggests to captain Gallene to hop out of the wagon, and walk.
The local swordmaster glances at the nearby guards who are mounted. And one, a female soldier, nods her head yes since they're now clear of Manlin.
After hoping down out of the saddle, and after the prisoner gets out of the back of the wagon.
Tovis the war engineer quietly says to him "Good to have a bit of a breeze this morning" followed by "Not so hot because of it".
The guard captain who was born and raised in the city of Savariss nods his head in agreement. For though the day once again has dawned clear and sunny, it's not as hot as it's been recently, thanks to the constant breeze that's blowing at the moment.
Captain Gallene who figures the war engineer wants to talk about something, remains silent as he knows the young man, who he has learnt, is originally from the kingdom of Druvic. Will quickly get to what he wants.
And after a few moments of silence as they walk off the side of the road, keeping pace with the wagon that the other prisoners are in the back of.
Tovis the war engineer asks him "How well do you know the area around Almaic?".
Suspecting it would be something like that, captain Gallene says "Well enough i suppose" he continues with "Though I've only been there a handful of times, the last of which was a few years ago".
The swordmaster who is from the city of Savariss, doesn't know central and southern Phelm as well as the north. Infact he's only ever been in the rest of the kingdom a few times.
And only once to the nation's capital. Where he visited the king's court with his family, when he and his brother Berric were children.
He's been over the border to the north, into the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains, far more times than he has the rest of the kingdom.
"What's the lay of the land like around there?" asks the young engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, who is now part of the armies of Farque.
The captain of the castle guard in Savariss knows it's best to answer truthfully, considering one of the spellcasters amongst his captors could easily read his mind and find out the information they want.
So that's what he does, he tells the war engineer how the land is around the city of Almaic, the capital of Phelm, the largest duchy in the kingdom of Nastell.
He tells of the topography, the woods near it, as well as the streams and rivers near the largest city in the duchy. Not to mention all the roads which lead to and from Almaic. Those are what the local swordmaster remembers most clearly of Almaic and it's surrounds.
Tovis listens in silence as the captain of the guard who was taken prisoner during the nighttime battle for the city of Savariss. Details everything he knows about the land surrounding the city of Almaic which is their destination.
And though the prisoner has only been there a handful of times in his life. The young engineer doesn't miss the fact that he gives a pretty thorough description of the land surrounding the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
The war engineer who is originally from eastern Druvic, where he once served a baron Harkonin. Slightly nods when the local swordmaster comes to the end of describing the surrounds around Almaic.
As it pretty much matches up with the information Tovis already knows about the provincial capital. From what the Farqian spies who have infiltrated duke Hargen's army have informed their contacts.
"So that river just to the east of the city, is why that side doesn't have much in the way of a wall?" asks Tovis, who holds the rank of captain in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, who is the commander of the engineers corp.
"Yeah that's basically a port over there" says Gallene the swordmaster, who continues with "A lot of river trade comes up from the very south of Phelm, and elsewhere in the kingdom" he then adds "So a lot of the east side of the city is docks and warehouses along the river front".
The guard captain who was born and raised in the city of Savariss shrugs his shoulders, then says "No use putting a wall up there, as it will only make trade more difficult" he continues with "And the river acts as a natural defence anyway, like a giant moat really".
The young man originally from the kingdom of Druvic, who is not yet twenty three years old, nods his head then says "Though that doesn't explain why a fair bit of the west side of the city doesn't have a wall".
"Too lazy to put one up i guess" quietly says captain Gallene, who then quietly tells the war engineer in the Farqian mercenary army "Though i actually suspect that no one wants to pay for it" the local swordmaster then adds "They've had centuries to do so, but duke after duke hasn't bothered to fully wall that side of the city".
Tovis slightly nods as that makes sense in a way, then he nods once more when the captain of the city guard of Savariss quietly tells him "You notice that the north and south sides of the city are completely walled, and have been for ages" he continues with "And over the years they've done plenty of work to improve them, like strengthen them, and make them higher. Infact the last time i visited Almaic they were working on the north wall again".
The guard captain, who like his older brother Berric, the commander of duke Hargen's personal guard, is a swordmaster, like their father before them. Quietly tells the young man walking beside him "You can tell who they really fear by that" he follows that with "Those from further south in the kingdom, and those who are to north of them, outside of the kingdom".
Tovis is silent for a few moments, then he eventually says "I guess some rulers are like that i suppose" then with a sideways look at the prisoner walking beside him in the early morning sunshine, as the breeze continues to blow, the war engineer quietly says to him "So that essentially makes the north of the duchy nothing more than a buffer against those from outside of the kingdom".
He gestures ahead of where the war machines and siege towers are. Where they can see some of the robber barons soldiers and mercenaries on the road further infront, and he says "Like that lot".
"Didn't do much of job of being a buffer" mutters Gallene with a slight grimace upon his face. Not just because of the enemy marching ahead of him. But also because of the young engineer's description of the north of Phelm, where he's from and lived all his life.
Just a buffer between the more prosperous central and southern regions of the duchy, including the capital Almaic. Against those in the unruled lands across the border, north of the kingdom.
Suspecting what the prisoner is thinking and feeling, Tovis quietly tells him "I think things would be a little different if you and the people in the north of Phelm weren't exactly the same people as those from across the border".
The guard captain who was taken captive during the battle for the city of Savariss slowly nods to that. As he knows that the vast majority of the people in northern Phelm, especially north of Savariss.
Are the exact kind of people you'll find across the border in the unruled lands of the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains. After all, the foothills known as the southern reaches comes down into northern Phelm quite a bit. Only ending five miles from the north wall of Savariss, easily within sight of the northern most city in not just Phelm, but all of Nastell.
Captain Gallene who knows of many families who have members on both sides of the border, quietly says to the young engineer who is one of his captors "I suspect you're right" the local swordmaster then silently adds, i don't have to like it though.
As he, like many others in the north of Phelm, know that they're seen as just an afterthought to the rest of the duchy. Since the land up there closer to the border is harsher and rougher. With a lot of forests dotted all over the foothills that are the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains. Not exactly prosperous land, considering there's also very few mines in the foothills on this side of the border too.
"Things will change once one of them takes over" says Tovis, referring to one of the five robber barons of the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains, who are at war with the duke of Phelm.
"They'll expand the duchy north beyond the current border when one of them becomes duke" adds the young man who commands the engineering corp in the Farqian mercenary army, he continues with "Making Phelm even larger, and more prosperous, what with all their gold and ore mines they've got up there".
The local swordmaster faintly winces when the young engineer walking his horse beside him quietly says "You know this is why the king hasn't done anything against this invasion into his nation" followed by "An even stronger vassal here in the north, who will add riches to the crown's coffers. What more could he ask for?".
Captain Gallene sourly smiles at that assessment from the young engineer, which he knows, is also the truth.
Then the prisoner after slightly sighing, says "True enough i suppose" then after a brief pause he continues with "Though that's not going to give any comfort to those who are going to die fighting over Almaic, from both sides too" the local swordmaster then adds "Not to mention those who have already died in the conflict".
"Such is the way of war" murmurs Tovis, which has been said to him numerous times by those more experienced than him in the Farqian mercenary army.
The two of them continue to chat as the early morning progresses, and the sun rises higher into the clear summer's sky.
As the day starts to warm up, and the constant breeze that's been blowing since they left Manlin, starts to die down.
The local swordmaster looks up, and spots another rider can be seen coming back down the line of march.
Captain Gallene doesn't recognise her, but the war engineer Tovis does.
"They probably want me for something" quietly says the young engineer to the prisoner, who nods in understanding.
"Engineer" says the subaltern Jaxs who barely gives the local swordmaster and the other prisoners in the back of the wagon a glance.
Though she does look at all their guards, who are mounted. And who like her, are assassins who have trained under the tutelage of the councilor, prince Helbenthril Raendril.
"Councilor Reinholt and the field commander would like a word with you" adds the tall, athletic woman in the tight leather armour, who is part of field commander Talbot's senior staff.
"Told you" quietly murmurs Tovis to the prisoner walking beside him. Then the young engineer who is originally from the kingdom of Druvic, hops up into the saddle of his horse, saying to captain of the castle guard from Savariss "I might chat to you later" he briefly pauses, and shrugs as he adds "Or maybe not, it all depends really".
The prisoner nods, then he watches as the war engineer, and the subaltern ride away, heading further forward along the line of march.
The swordmaster Gallene watches them for a while, then he hops back into the back of the wagon that he and the other prisoners are traveling in.
While two of the others, with permission from their guards. Hop down off it, and walk alongside as they stretch their legs, as the journey south into the heart of Phelm continues.
As they ride forward towards the front of their army. Tovis the war engineer asks the subaltern riding beside him "What do they want?".
"To discuss the deployment of your war machines and crews when we get to Almaic" is the reply of the subaltern Jaxs.
Slightly frowning, the young engineer who hails from the Harkonin fief in the kingdom of Druvic, says "We're not expected to get there until late tomorrow night, or early the following morning more like".
Shrugging her shoulders, the assassin says to the commander of the engineering corp in the Farqian mercenary army "That's what they told me" then Jaxs asks the war engineer "Did you find out what you needed from the prisoner?".
"I did" replies Tovis "Then there you go, i suspect it has something to do with that" says the assassin whose task is to keep an eye on the young engineer when he's not around either the councilors, Mira Reinholt the mage and Helbe the elven thief.
"If you hadn't noticed they like to plan things out in advance" dryly says the subaltern, the war engineer faintly smiles and nods in agreement.
Then he slightly frowns as hears Jaxs murmurs something in elven, a language Tovis is still learning.
Though he's pretty sure she murmured "Especially since my lord is watching things from afar".
The young engineer has suspected that lord Farque has been watching the progress of the campaign all along. From afar, probably onboard the krean strikeship, the Fídiablo.
And with what Jaxs just murmured, now he knows it to be fact . . . . . .