A Grand Design 29.

Winter. Western Girdane.

"Hell" mutters Lisell Maera the messenger as she ducks down, and another enemy arrow passes overhead.
"Why the hell am i up here?" adds the attractive young woman originally from the city-state of Brattonbury as she takes cover behind some rocks.
The messenger in the armies of Farque is part of the scouts and rangers division. And as most of them are with the advanced force led by the council member, Arvelle Ganard the plainsman. They're out infront of everyone else, and are engaged in combat with the bulk of the king's forces here in the duchy of Isanor. The closest of the western duchies in the kingdom to the more populated central duchies.
The only real advantage apart from their training and experience the scouts and rangers in the army of Farque have is that they're up some hills at the moment.
And that the enemy they're fighting against at the moment, have to come up to them if they want to engage in armed to armed combat.
Lisell Maera or Lis as she is more commonly called by those who know her well. Sourly smiles, as it's just like her to be at the very front fighting the enemy.
The messenger, who at the moment is pinned down. Wonders if she should lean to the side, and take a pop shot at the enemy with her crossbow. Or just run for it, as she has been ordered back to get her company's latest orders.
Knowing her luck, Lis thinks she'll probably miss if she shoots off her crossbow, or end up getting shot by one of the enemy archers if she runs back up the slope.
The attractive young woman is just contemplating what to do, when one of the rangers comes strolling down through the trees, not caring that he's a target for the enemy.
Lisell Maera winces as she watches the Farqian ranger, who she sees is an elf.
Who calmly steps behind a tree, and an enemy arrow passes through where he was just standing.
He steps out from behind the tree with his elven longbow drawn, and releases a shaft.
The messenger hears the yard long arrow thud into an enemy body. And the arrows that were flying in Lisell's direction suddenly stop. As the elven ranger shoots off three more shafts in quick succession.
"Runner!" calls out the elven ranger in his native language, who then adds "Move!".
Lisell Maera gets up from behind the rocks she has taken cover behind. And she runs up the hill towards the tree line.
The attractive young woman who hails from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, whose mother was a street prostitute. And whose father, who she never met, was a sailor.
Refrains from wincing as she sees the elven ranger she's running towards, draw back his longbow, looking like he's going to shoot directly at her.
Lis keeps running, and she's sure she feels the arrow pass right by her head, on it's way towards another target down the hillside.
"Thanks" gasps Lisell Maera in the elven language to the Farqian ranger as she runs by him.
The elven ranger in the hooded cloak, nods his head, and takes another arrow from his quiver, and puts it to his longbow, and looks for another enemy archer to kill.
The messenger heads uphill through the trees, passing a number of her fellow scouts and rangers who have been sent forward to help her company, and the other companies at the very front, fighting the leading elements of the king of Girdane's army.
The long legged, lean, athletic looking woman gets to the top of the hill, then heads down the otherside.
It's not long before she's off the hill, and down on a cart track, heading towards a nearby farmhouse which is the acting command post for Arvelle Ganard the plainsman.
Lis waits outside the farmhouse which is less than a mile from the very front.
She waits with a couple of other messengers who have also come back from their companies to get their latest orders.
They're soon called inside, and the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, is glad to be out of the cold wind this afternoon.
As Arvelle Ganard the plainsman quietly speaks with one of his subcommanders in the kitchen of the farmhouse.
Another officer in the main room, gives Lis and the other two messengers their companies latest orders.
They're dismissed, and as they go to leave the farmhouse, another messenger enters. He's from the bulk of their army, who is back further to the west, under the command of field commander Tamric Drubine.
The latest arrival has a quick word with the officer who spoke to Lis and the other two messengers.
The officer, looks to the open kitchen, and she says "Councillor, urgent message from the field commander".
Arvelle Ganard the plainsman breaks off his conversation with the subcommander, and the two walk into the main room.
Where the messenger who has recently arrived, hands the tall plainsman with a shaved head, a folded up piece of parchment.
Councillor Ganard, who isn't what he appears. As he's really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Arvelle Ganard.
Feels a slight tingling sensation in his hands when he opens the sealed parchment. He knows that there was a spell on it, and that if anyone apart from himself was to open the the folded parchment up. What was written would of been destroyed.
The member of lord Farque's personal council slightly frowns as he reads the missive that he recognises is written by Helbe the elven thief.
The message is short, telling him to quickly return to the bulk of their army. While the forward elements remain engaged with the enemy they've encountered.
Arvelle Ganard the plainsman is silent for a few moments, then he turns to the subcommander and tells him "You're in command" followed by "I have to return to speak to the field commander" he then adds "Keep advancing, and keep the enemy engaged with us".
Arvelle aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman continues with "The more they concentrate on us, the less they'll have to deal with what's coming at them from the rear".
As the force led by lord Farque himself, which went north into the Kaldel Plains, then headed east before returning to the kingdom of Girdane, into the duchy of Wostin.
The first of the central duchies, and the one east of the duchy of Isanor, where the king of Girdane's army is based. The forward elements of which, are less than a mile away from the farmhouse that's councillor Ganard's command post.
"Yes councillor" says the subcommander in response to the tall plainsman, who is a former illegal wrecker who plied his trade up on the Kaldel Plains.
Arvelle Ganard looks around, and he spots Lis, and after a moment, he says "You're coming with me" and he tells her "Go and get us a couple of horses".
As the messenger heads outside, the member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque says to the other officer "Have another messenger send the latest orders to the third company, and have them stay with them since they'll be down a runner for the foreseeable future".
"Yes councillor" says the female officer, who starts calling out orders, as Arvelle aka Zubutai Timaginson after getting his pack from the bedroom, makes his way outside, where the messenger Maera is waiting with a pair of saddled horses.
The two of them are soon heading back to the west, riding throughout the rest of the afternoon, on what's been a cold and windy winter's day.
They ride into the night, where thankfully the wind dies down, as it seems to do most nights, here in western Girdane.
They encounter a number of Farqian soldiers on their way back to the bulk of their army, who are with the armies of the dukes of Dalmar, Girnath and Falosen.
Large squads of Farqian soldiers are about, just incase the waagen who have sporadically shown up out of nowhere, attacking both sides of the conflict. Should turn up and attack those riding between the bulk of the army, and the forward elements.
As they ride into the night, Lisell Maera and Arvelle Ganard don't speak much. Only occasionally saying something to one another. Usually when they encounter those in their army, who are watching the road between the bulk of the army and the forward elements.
They soon get to the outer pickets and guards of the main army. They avoid where the dukes have camped.
And instead head to where their army from the lands Farque have camped for the night.
After dismounting, and handing the reins of their mounts to a pair of guards. The tall plainsman with the shaved head, and the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury are led to the command tent of Tamric Drubine.
Inside they find the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, along with Helbe the elven thief. As well as two soldiers, guards specifically trained by the elven masterthief to be both guards and assassins.
After prince Helbenthril Raendril of the elven principality of Laerel nods for the two guards to leave, and the two of them do.
Arvelle Ganard looks at the young field commander, and the young elven noble and says to the two of them "We got here as soon as we could".
The member of lord Farque's personal council then adds "Now what's so important that you couldn't tell me in a spelled message?".
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group, shares a look with the elf who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Then after a few moments of silence, Helbe the elven thief says "The king of Girdane is dead".
Arvelle aka Zubutai the son of Timagin blinks in surprise, while next to him, Lisell Maera is equally surprised.
"The fuck?" murmurs the former illegal wrecker, then the tall plainsman with the shaved head adds "You're shitting me?".
Shaking his hooded head no, the highly talented elven magic user says "I'm not" the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel then adds "So is his wife and children, along with his sister's family and her children. Not to mention a whole lot more people in the king's palace in Oaklynn".
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel lets that sink in for a few moments, then he says "That means there's no heirs".
Councillor Ganard nods his shaved head, then says "Who did it?".
"Apparently we did" is the reply of the elven master assassin, who then adds "Well, or at least some of the dukes men was supposed of done it".
"Huh" murmurs the former illegal wrecker, who then says "Well i be" then he adds "So i guess we've won then, and the dukes rebellion was successful".
Lisell Maera doesn't seem to think so, as just this afternoon, the king's soldiers were doing their best to kill her.
The attractive young woman from the coast of the Southlands, who suspects Arvelle Ganard was being facetious there.
Nods her head when the elven princeling from Laerel dryly says "Unfortunately not" he continues with "When a message finally gets through to their army to what's happened, they'll push even harder as they'll be getting more reinforcements".
The elven masterthief who like the former illegal wrecker, is a member of the personal council to lord Farque then says "The regent of Oaklynn has taken charge of things in the capital, and he'll been sending a fair chunk of his own army out this way to join up with the kingdom's army to fight us and the dukes".
The former illegal wrecker originally from the Kaldel Plains, though in reality he's a hordes outrider from the southern tundra, who just happens to inhabit the body of Arvelle Ganard.
Then asks his fellow councillor "If their army doesn't know yet, how did we find out?".
"Lord Farque took down one of their airships over in the duchy of Wostin yesterday morning" says Helbe the elven thief, he continues with "They were flying out this way to inform their army about what's happened in the capital" the highly talented elven magic user then adds "One of the messengers in the lord's force got in about midday and told us, i sent a messenger out to you straight after".
Arvelle aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman is about to ask how one of the messengers with lord Farque got across part of the duchy of Wostin so quickly, then across much of the duchy of Isanor to get here. Avoiding or going around the enemy army as they did so.
Then the tall plainsman who hails form the Kaldel Plains recalls that the undead warlord took the handful of water elementals in their army with him.
"Hmmm so now we'll be fighting against an even larger army" quietly says Arvelle Ganard, his fellow councillor nods his hooded head in agreement.
Then after a few moments of silence in the lamp lit command tent, the tall plainsman with the shaved head asks "Do the dukes know?".
"Not yet" says Tamric Drubine the field commander, who after a slight pause, adds "That's what we've been discussing, and what we've been waiting for you to come back for".
The former illegal wrecker nods his shaved head, then after a moments contemplation, he says "Might as well tell them" followed by "They'll find out eventually anyway".
Both Tamric Drubine and Helbenthril Raendril nod, then the elven princeling from the island of Laerel, says "I'll inform them first thing in the morning".
Arvelle aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods, then he asks his fellow councillor, and the young field commander "Do we know how big the regent's army is?".
"Over twenty thousand strong" is the reply from the nobleborn teenager originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin.
The former illegal wrecker who previously plied his trade on the Kaldel Plains winces when he hears that.
Then he grunts when field commander Drubine tells him "Though from what the lord could ascertain from that enemy airship he took down, only about half of them with any kind of battle experience will come out west" Tam continues on with "The rest are only good for breaking up fights in tavernas, and locking up pickpockets, thieves and street thugs. They'll be no use in battle, and will remain in and around the capital".
"That's something at least" quietly says councillor Ganard who follows that with "Though we'll still be outnumbered".
His fellow council member nods his hooded head in agreement, then the elven magic user says "That can't be helped" he continues on with "All we can do is try and defeat the enemy, and gain a victory for those who have hired us".
The other three, along with Narladene the ground pixie who is on the right shoulder of the elven princeling she's attached to, all nod in agreement with the elven master archer.
Then the young elven noble, who if he thinks about it, is basically doing the same job his great uncle, Quinid Raendril the Sage did four and half centuries ago for lord Farque, when he was alive and a battlelord, not yet warlord and leader of his nation. Which didn't come about until the then Kaiuss Farque was killed in battle.
Says to the others "We'll have to change our tactics a bit to deal with this influx of new troops heading out this way" he looks at Tam, then the map table as he adds "You'll have to come up with some new strategies we can implement".
As the young field commander looks at the maps on the table, Lisell Maera who so far has remained silent, speaks up and says "What i want to know, is if we didn't kill the king, nor did the dukes" she slightly pauses before adding "Who did?".
"That" says Helbe the elven thief, who continues on with "Is hopefully what those three in the capital are trying to find out".
Referring to Mira Reinholt the mage, Shur Kee the monk and Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, who are in the city of Oaklynn . . . . . .