The Hire 149.

Almaic. Phelm...

"You see that?" asks Smawfri McQuade "What?" says Shawtus McQuade who is looking away to the north and towards the river after finishing eating.
"There's definitely fighting going on up there" adds the slightly older and slightly taller of the two dwarven warriors from the Sunreach Mountains, who then looks at his younger cousin, then says "Well, what was it?".
"I thought i saw an ork go by on the river" is the reply from Smawfri McQuade, there's a few moments of silence from Shawtus McQuade as he stares at his slightly younger cousin, then he mutters "The fuck?" followed by "You been fucking drinking or something?".
"Piss off, you know i haven't" says the slightly shorter of the two dwarven warriors who are mercenaries from the Sunreach Mountains, who have been hired by duke Hargen's recruiters.
Shawtus McQuade frowns, then looks towards the Mareb river, this time further south, to where Shawtus gestures as he says "Thought i saw it heading south".
The slightly older of the two cousins, both of whom were the co-chieftains of their clan. Can't see that far along the river as it heads south, as it curves away from the city of Almaic, going through a series of low hills.
"Don't see anything downriver" says a frowning Shawtus McQuade, who then looks at his slightly younger cousin, and asks him "You sure?".
"I am" says Smawfri, who pauses before continuing with "I think" he pauses once more then adds "It was on a raft" the slightly shorter of the two dwarven warriors pauses again, then says "With a goblin".
Shawtus McQuade blinks in surprise, and looks at his cousin, then after a few moments of silence says "A goblin?".
"Yes a goblin" says Smawfri McQuade who sourly smiles as his slightly older cousin looks at him like he's gone bonkers.
"You're telling me a filthy fucking ork, who we both know hate the water almost as much as they hate us" says Shawtus McQuade referring to dwarven kind "Was on a raft out on the river" adds the slightly older and slightly taller of the dwarven warriors whose clanhold is in the Sunreach Mountains "With a goblin, who we both know they despise" continues Shawtus McQuade, who after a slight pause adds "You sure you haven't been sneaking a drink when i haven't been looking?" followed by "Because that sounds nuts".
"Oh get fucked" mutters Smawfri McQuade, who falls silent as the elven mercenary ranger Dalin crosses the rooftop and joins them.
"What are you two going on about?" asks Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy as the McQuade cousins look like they were in the middle of a heated argument in the dwarven language.
Hiking a thumb at his cousin Smawfri, Shawtus McQuade says in a slightly dry tone of voice in the common language "He thinks he saw an ork out on the river, with a goblin".
After a few moments of silence after blinking a few times in surprise as he stares at Smawfri McQuade, the spy Tanith says "Er?" followed by "An ork?" he looks to the Mareb river, and adds "Out on the river?" followed by "With a goblin?".
As the slightly younger of the dwarven warriors sourly smiles, his slightly older, not to mention slightly taller cousin rolls his eyes, then says "So he says".
"Huh?" says the elven spy who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army, who looks away to the south along the river, as he adds in a tone of disbelief "You don't say". Even though he figures Smawfri McQuade probably did see an ork and a goblin on a raft.
"I know you lot" says Dalinvardél Tanith referring to dwarven kind "Don't exactly, shall we say, get along with orks" adds the elf from the principality of Alínlae.
"That's putting it fucking lightly" sourly says Shawtus McQuade, his cousin Smawfri grunts in agreement, and does so again when the slightly older of the two of them adds "We fucking hate them, and they us".
"Quite" dryly says Dalinvardél Tanith, who is more commonly called Dalin by those who know him well, and it's the name he's going by whilst ensconced in the army of the duke of Phelm.
"Still, I've never heard of one willingly going on water" continues Dalin, who is posing as a mercenary ranger whilst in the army of duke Hargen of Phelm "From what i understand they hate the stuff" adds the spy Tanith who briefly pauses before saying "Not to mention they dislike goblins, something to do with all the various shades of greens goblins are i think".
"See told you it sounds nuts" murmurs Shawtus in the dwarven language to his slightly younger cousin Smawfri "Oh forget it" mutters the slightly shorter of the two dwarven warriors, who then stomps away.
The elven spy, who once served in one of the more prominent noble houses in his homeland of Alínlae, lifts a questioning eyebrow as he looks at Shawtus McQuade. Who just shrugs his shoulders, as he thinks his cousin is sorely mistaken.
As no way would an ork be out on a raft on the Mareb river this night. In the company of a goblin of all people.
Then the slightly taller of the two dwarven warriors, asks the elf he thinks is just a mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Alínlae "Is there fighting along the boulevard by the river, further north of here?".
"Sounds like it" says the spy Tanith, who then gestures away off the building they're on top of, as he adds "There's a messenger down below, young Barron is speaking with him".
The next moment they hear their young squad leader calling up to them on the roof, telling them and the rest of the squad to come down.
They all head down off the rooftop, with the sour looking Smawfri following behind the others. Once they join their young squad leader, he informs them that the enemy are making a push into the west side of Almaic this evening. And that sir Yarrim the sorcerer has ordered as many of the duke's forces to head over to the west side of the city as possible.
"The west side?" says Shawtus McQuade, who continues with "There's fighting along the boulevard to the east, and it's a fair bit closer".
The young squad leader looks at the at the elf he thinks is a mercenary ranger, who tells him "Their is".
Dalinvardél Tanith continues with "Sounds like some of the enemy have found a way across the river, or it's those who got across the river earlier in the day who have grouped together".
The elven spy in the armies of Farque, who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army then says "They could very well be a distraction because of what's going on over on the west side of the city".
Shawtus McQuade slowly nods to that, whilst his cousin Smawfri grunts in agreement with that assessment from the elf they think is a skilled mercenary ranger from the principality of Alínlae.
"Over to the west side of the city as we've been ordered then" says Barron the squad leader after making up his mind, the young squad leader who is from further south in the duchy, says to the elf "Lead the way Dalin".
The spy Tanith sets off into the night, followed closely by the McQuade cousins and the rest of the small squad.
Dalinvardél Tanith is just glad young Barron decided to head to the west side of the city. As it'll take some time to get there from where they are in the southeast of the capital of the duchy of Phelm. In all likelihood keeping them out of harm's way as they cross the city.
And the fact that the elven spy suspects that Dorc da Orc's goblin battalion has found some way to get onto the long boulevard down the east side of Almaic. If the sounds of fighting from there is anything to go by.
And because of the possible sighting of the large ork and a goblin on the river by the dwarven warrior Smawfri McQuade.
Meanwhile, just north of the city that's the provincial capital. Watching the concentrated attack upon the north wall, just to the west of the gates.
Lisell Maera who is standing next to Darid Parsen the cavalry commander. As they watch another energyball slam against the wards the enemy have up, and explodes. Lighting up the night sky with sparks of green energy that sprays everywhere.
Notices out of the corner of her eye, the robber baron Gergus looking over at her, as he often does.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, who is now a messenger in the armies of Farque, is going to ignore the robber baron she spent an intimate night with earlier in the campaign.
When she notices him continuing to look her way, instead of the usual glances he directs at her.
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by those who know her well, looks his way. And the youngest of the five robber barons from the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains who have hired the Farqian mercenary army for their war against duke Hargen of Phelm.
Nods his head back behind those who are watching the magical attack upon a portion of the north wall of the city of Almaic, the capital of the duchy of Phelm, here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
Lis turns and walks back behind the others, as does the robber baron from the southern reaches of the mountain range to the north of the kingdom.
Once they're beyond the torch light, the robber baron Gergus quietly tells the messenger in the Farqian mercenary army "There's something i need to tell you".
Before he does, the youngest of the five robber barons takes a hold of the right hand of Lis, then quickly kisses her on the lips.
After Gergus briefly clears his throat, and quickly looks to where the others are observing the magical attack upon the north wall of Almaic, he quietly says to the attractive young woman who is originally from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury "Concerning what you mentioned earlier".
With Gergus still holding her right hand, Lisell Maera stands there in stunned silence as she listens to what he has to quietly say to her.
After he's finished, and after he glances to where the others are near the road, continuing to watch the attack this night upon a section of the north wall of the city.
Lisell Maera says just one word "Why?" as she looks at the man, a decade or so older than her, who is still under thirty years old, who being the youngest of the five robber barons, is also considered the most daring out of the five.
"After all you've achieved so far" quietly adds the messenger in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, she briefly pauses before continuing with "And all the loss too".
Gergus nods as he knows she's referring to his former second, and brother inlaw Hammond, who died earlier in the campaign.
Then the youngest of the robber barons gestures around them and quietly tells Lis "This place isn't for my people" he quietly continues with "Oh they could live up in the foothills in the north of the duchy fine enough, or in the farmland further south too" Gergus then adds "But in the larger towns, and the cities like Savariss, and here in Almaic, i think not".
The robber baron nods to where three of his fellow robber barons are standing watching the magical attack upon a section of the north wall of the capital city of the duchy, and quietly says "Nor their people, they just won't admit it because they want to be the new duke".
"And you don't?" quietly asks Lisell Maera "Not anymore" is the quiet reply from Gergus as he softly squeezes her right hand.
"You know i can't" quietly says Lis, who is interrupted by the robber baron who quietly tells her "I know" followed by "I wouldn't ask you to leave your army, no matter how much I'd want you to".
The attractive young woman who hails from the city-state of Brattonbury, briefly closes her eyes, then opens them, and faintly smiles when Gergus quietly says "I do like when you do that".
"I bet" murmurs Lis in the elven language, who then asks the robber baron "Have you mentioned this to him?".
"No, i thought it would be a surprise" is the quiet reply from Gergus "Well, it's definitely going to be that" dryly murmurs Lisell Maera, who ever practical, says "And you've got the coin to pay for it?".
"Yes" responds the robber baron, he quietly continues with "I'll make the first payment, before the city here is finally taken".
Lis slowly nods, then quietly says "I need to tell someone".
Gergus nods in understanding, then steps forward, and kisses her again, this time for longer, and more passionately. The robber baron then steps back, squeezes her hand once more, then lets it go. And walks away, heading back into the torch light to rejoin his fellow robber barons and their senior officers.
While Lis slowly walks back to where the others are, to inform the councilors Darid Parsen and Mira Reinholt. The decision that the robber baron Gergus has made concerning who will rule the duchy of Phelm, once the city of Almaic is taken, and duke Hargen is defeated . . . . . .