The Hire 125.

Almaic...

In the eastern quarter of the city of Almaic, standing upon a low rooftop, and looking down into a lane.
Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy quietly says in his native language "You lot head south, you're being hunted".
The trio of soldiers in the Farqian mercenary army in the lane, look back and up at him, and he gives the hand signal to identify who he is.
The most experienced of the trio who made it across the Mareb river and into the city. Nods his head in understanding. And the three of them hurry down the rest of the lane. Then turn left. To the south.
The elven spy in the mercenary army from the lands Farque who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army, hops down off the roof. And makes his way back up the street.
Dalinvardél Tanith who is more commonly called by the name of Dalin by those who know him well. It's also the name he's using whilst ensconced in the army of duke Hargen of Phelm.
Makes his way around a corner at the top of the street, and waits for the rest of his squad who are coming down this particular street.
"Locate any of them?" asks the squad leader Barron once the rest of the squad join up with the elven spy who they think is a mercenary ranger from the principality of Alínlae.
"None" replies Dalin as he falls in beside Barron and the McQuade cousins.
"Hell we'll spend the rest of the day, then the night searching for them, and probably not find any of them" says the young squad leader who hails from further south in the duchy of Phelm.
The McQuade cousins Shawtus and Smawfri grunt in agreement, while the spy Tanith nods his hooded head.
They've been sent with other squads into the city proper to hunt down those of the enemy who got across the Mareb when the flow of the river briefly stopped. And made their way into the city that's the provincial capital.
And though less than five hundred of the enemy got across the river, and fought the defenders of Almaic on the docks and the long boulevard that's down the east side of Almaic. Even fewer of them were able to get through, and enter the city itself.
So far, the elven spy who once served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland Alínlae. Has run across three small groups of those in the army led by the Farqian general Halvane, who have made it into the city of Almaic.
He's sent them south, where they'll be least expected. As it's near the centre of the city where those defending the capital city of the duchy of Phelm. Would expect them to go to. After all, that's where the ducal palace and other important places are located.
Dalin has just been glad that of those three small groups he's found. They've all had someone from his own army in them. As he knows it'll be difficult to send only soldiers and mercenaries in the armies of the robber barons to where he wants them to go. They might try to kill him first and ask questions later.
After all, he is playing himself off as a mercenary for hire, who has joined duke Hargen's army.
"Who was that you were talking to?" asks Shawtus McQuade, who along with his cousin Smawfri, heard the spy Tanith speaking in elven, even though they were two streets away.
The elven spy who infiltrated duke Hargen's army at the very start of Summer, when he joined up the exact same day as the McQuade cousins did, says "Speaking to the owners of the shop up here on the left".
Dalinvardél Tanith points at the shop in question, which is owned by an elven family who have lived in Almaic for the last three centuries. They're one of only a handful of elven merchants here in Almaic.
As they're more likely to be found further south in the kingdom. As the southern border of the kingdom of Nastell. Is less than two hundred miles from the northern border of the elven principality of Alínlae. The closest ruled nation to the kingdom of Nastell.
"To see if they had seen any of them go by" adds the spy Tanith, who gestures around them on the street, and says in a slightly dry tone of voice "The city streets aren't exactly teeming with people at the moment".
Shawtus McQuade grunts at that, and the young squad leader Barron nods. As the local citizens, well those who aren't involved in the defence of Almaic. Have kept themselves indoors all day since the battle for the city began around dawn.
The only time people have come out onto the streets for any extended amount of time. Is if they've gone to get something they need, like food and such.
The street they're on is empty, and the next one they turn onto. Which heads west, deeper into the city that's the provincial capital. Only has a couple of people on it. Who are leading a horse drawn cart towards a yard next to some buildings.
They occasionally spot people up on rooftops, trying to see what's happening in the battle. Which is predominantly on the north and west sides of Almaic. As on the east, the attack from the enemy, for now has been halted.
Though it's really only those on the rooftops of the taller buildings who can actually see what's going on during the battle for their city.
"Armed men coming this way" quietly says Dalinvardél Tanith "Aye, a bunch of them" says Shawtus McQuade who also hears them, as does Smawfri McQuade, who grunts in agreement with his cousin, and the elven spy.
"About twenty of them" says the spy Tanith, who continues with "Probably others searching for the enemy" he then adds "They're moving freely about, and it sounds like they're in the middle of a street".
Both of the dwarven warriors, who are originally from the Sunreach Mountains, where their clanhold is located. Nod in agreement with the elven spy who hails from the principality of Alínlae, who is now part of the armies of Farque.
As they turn onto the next street, and look away to their right. That's what it turns out to be. More soldiers in duke Hargen's army, who are coming down this long street. Searching for any of the enemy who were able to cross the Mareb river when it wasn't flowing. Then fight their way through the defenders on the east side of Almaic. Before entering the city itself.
The two squads, the smaller one led by young Barron. And the larger one led by a grizzled veteran from here in the city of Almaic. Stop, and briefly confer about what they've found. Or more specifically, not found.
"There's some about alright, but the hell if i know where they are" says the grizzled veteran who leads the other squad, who were also on the long boulevard down the east side of the city, as the squad led by young Barron was earlier.
"We thought we were chasing a small group of maybe half a dozen of them a little while ago" says the leader of the other squad, who continues with "But they got away".
They got away thanks to Dalinvardél Tanith, who spotted the half a dozen in question a little earlier. They were the second lot he has found since young Barron's squad were ordered into the city proper, to hunt down any of the enemy who might of entered Almaic.
The spy Tanith, sent them, just like the last trio. And the first group of four. Further south into the city. Either to cause mischief down there, or to escape the city. To join the others who are fighting to the west and to the north of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
The elven spy hopes they get up to no good in the south of Almaic. Setting buildings on fire, and attacking the towers of the city guards down there.
For if they do that, they'll draw more and more defenders away from elsewhere in the city.
"We haven't run across any of them yet" says the young squad leader Barron who continues with "The city is big, and there's not exactly a lot of us searching for them".
The grizzled veteran grunts in agreement to that, then he says "Still, we've got to do the best that we can". He then wishes Barron and his squad luck in finding the enemy. And the young squad leader wishes him the same.
Then the two squads continue on their way, as they resume their search for any of the enemy who have made their way into Almaic after crossing the Mareb when the river was briefly halted in its flow.
Dalin, who is the scout more than anything else in the small squad led by Barron. Moves out infront of the others after telling the McQuade cousins to listen out for his call.
The spy Tanith hears and spots a few people on the streets in this area of the city, but thankfully no one in the army led by general Halvane who were able to get into Almaic.
The elven spy from the principality of Alínlae, heads up to the roof of a four storey building. Probably the tallest in this area of eastern Almaic.
Up on the roof are a few locals, and he asks them if they've seen any sign of the enemy in the city.
After they reply in the negative, the elven spy who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army, looks away to the east. Where he gets a pretty clear view in that direction.
Dalinvardél Tanith who sees that a lot if not most of the smoke that was obscuring the river Mareb has dispersed or drifted away.
Gets a good view of the countryside to the east of the city that's the provincial capital. And what remains of general Halvane's army over there.
The spy Tanith who figures at least a quarter of the Farqian general's army was wiped out when the river Mareb resumed its course.
Quickly glances down and spots the rest of the small squad led by Barron in a nearby street.
"Up here!" calls out Dalin, who is heard, then spotted by the McQuade cousins, who lead the way to the building the elven spy is on the roof of.
The small squad who number a dozen including the spy Tanith, make their way up the four storey building, and onto the roof to join the elven spy who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army.
"Anything?" asks Barron "Nothing" replies Dalinvardél Tanith, who continues with "But this is a good place as any to spot any of them who might be in the area".
The young squad leader nods to that, and tells the rest of the group to spread out around the rooftop to see if they can spot any of the enemy who were able to enter the city of Almaic, after crossing the Mareb river.
The elven spy who is close to Barron and the McQuade cousins on the east side of the rooftop, gestures away to the countryside to the east of the city of Almaic, on the otherside of the Mareb river.
"Bit of action going on over there" says Dalin, who then tells Barron who won't be able to see it as clearly as he and the dwarven warriors are able to "A bit further away to the southeast" the spy Tanith then adds "That airship that went down over there".
The young squad leader nods as he's just able to make out the downed frigate in the distance "I see it" says Barron, who continues with "Just" he then asks "What's happening over there?".
"They're fighting over it" is the reply of the elven spy in the Farqian mercenary army who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army.
"I thought i heard magetubes firing away over there" murmurs the young squad leader as he, along with Dalinvardél Tanith and the McQuade cousins look away to the southeast of the city.
Across the Mareb river, where the downed airship lies over a mile and half from the bulk of the enemy army.
One of the personal guards of sir Yarrim, grabs the sorcerer, and yanks him down behind the rocks they're taking shelter behind. Just then a few arrows and bolts hit the front of the pile of rocks.
"Thanks" says sir Yarrim the sorcerer, who when he isn't casting, is holding his power within himself, so he won't give away his position to any enemy spellcaster.
The other personal household guard of the powerful sorcerer glances around the rocks, which have been gathered from the field the frigate has crashed in to by the farmers during winter before planting season.
Says to the nobleborn spellcaster "If more of them start heading this way, we're going to be in it pretty thick sir".
The sorcerer, who is the second most influential noble in the duchy of Phelm, behind only duke Hargen himself, nods his head then says "Not even i could hold a lot of them off for any extended amount of time".
Sir Yarrim pauses as one of the magetubes onboard the downed frigate, which is able to fire at the enemy, shoots at them again as some of them rush towards the crippled airship.
"One of the crew is coming over" says one of the personal household guards from the powerful sorcerer's estates along the southern border of the duchy.
A crew member rushes from behind the stern, to the pile of rocks thirty yards behind the aft section of the downed twin masted frigate.
"Sir Yarrim" says the crewman, who continues with "The captain has ordered that all the magetube cradles that haven't already been damaged to be smashed" he continues with "And the two spellcasters are draining them as we speak".
The nobleborn spellcaster nods in understating, then he slightly grimaces as the crewman adds "Through his eyepiece, the captain sees that more of the enemy are approaching to join this lot already here".
"How much more?" asks sorcerer Yarrim "A lot more sir" replies the crew member, who slightly pauses, then adds "About five hundred or so".
"Hell" mutters sir Yarrim, while both of his personal household guards wince.
"We can't stay here then" says the nobleborn spellcaster, who looks over at the downed airship, and after a moment says "The ship will have to be destroyed" the powerful sorcerer then silently adds, that'll make it even more difficult for them to get a hold of the magetubes.
"So the captain agrees" says the crewman, who continues with "If you could see to it, he'd appreciate it" the air sailor in the duke's fleet then says "The lieutenant will cast a rift back to the city for us to escape".
Sir Yarrim nods, then says "Very well, tell the captain I'll destroy his ship" he follows that with "Me and my men will find our own way back across the river to the city".
The crewman nods, then after peeking around the side of the pile of rocks. He runs back to the downed frigate. Narrowly avoiding getting shot by enemy archers and crossbowmen.
Not so one of the crew up on the deck of the crashed frigate, which is tilted to starboard. As he's up on the poop deck shooting arrows at the enemy. When he's hit by an arrow to the face. And he ends up sliding down off the deck, going through where part of the rail once was. And falls overboard.
Sir Yarrim sighs, then looks at his two personal guards and tells them in a slightly dry tone of voice "This should be interesting" as he prepares to destroy the downed frigate . . . . . .