A Grand Design 40.

Winter. Central Girdane.

"One of the scouts has come back through them and into our lines" says a subaltern in the Farqian army to Lisell Maera who walks beside him.
The messenger in the armies of Farque nods her head in understanding. For when someone in the Farqian armies says, the scout, instead of, a scout.
They're referring to just one thing. That the scout in question is a water elemental.
The two of them, the tall subaltern, young, in his early twenties at the oldest.
And the tall, lean attractive young woman originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, who is still not yet twenty years of age.
Make their way forward through their lines. On what's another cold winter's morning.
The day has dawned clear and sunny. With no chance of snow, like there was earlier in the week.
They're crossing a field to a farmhouse, that's been fire damaged. From when the enemy retreated through this part of the duchy of Wostin in central Girdane.
At the half burnt down farmhouse, where one of the forward companies is positioned.
They're ushered inside, where a captain is with one other. The Farqian captain isn't human, she's an elf. And though the other looks like a human being, he isn't.
Lisell Maera, or Lis as she's more commonly called by those who know her well.
Slightly lifts one of her arched eyebrows. For the other, who is a scout, looks exhausted.
Which is indeed rare, considering he's a water elemental. And Lis has never seen one of them look tired, ever.
The elven captain looks at the messenger who has just entered the fire damaged farmhouse, and says to her in the language of the elves "Runner, a message from our lord".
The water elemental scout holds out a small folded leather satchel for Lis, who steps forward and takes it.
"For the eyes of his highness, and the field commander only" adds the female elf, who the attractive young woman who hails from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, couldn't even guess at her age.
Lis figures she could be aged between a hundred years to a thousand years old. And trying to figure it out, without rudely asking, would be near impossible.
"Do you understand runner?" asks the tall elf, who towers over Lis and the subaltern.
"Yes captain" says Lisell Maera the messenger in the elven language, as she knows that whatever it is that's in the satchel, is for Tamric Drubine and Helbe the elven thief, and no one else.
If anyone else sees it before them. It will be destroyed as there's been a spell placed upon it.
The captain lifts an arched eyebrow when she hears Lis speak flawless elven, with an accent that most non elves wouldn't recognise.
"Who taught you elven runner?" asks the Farqian army captain.
"His highness, prince Helbenthril Raendril" replies the attractive young woman whose mother was a street prostitute, and whose father, a man she never met, was a sailor.
"And our lord" adds Lisell Maera, who always finds it awkward to refer lord Farque as, our lord.
"Ah that would explain it" says the elven captain, who then ruefully adds "Hearing you speak, i thought i was listening to the nobility back in Alínlae".
"Well, councillor Reinholt taught me it too" says the messenger, who didn't particularly want to admit that.
The captain sourly smiles, then says in a tone that matches her smile "Thank the forest gods you didn't pick up any of his atrocious habits".
As it's a known fact, that though Mira Reinholt the mage can speak the elven language well enough, his pronunciation and his accent in the elven language is horrendous.
Helbe the elven thief once admitted to Lis, that his fellow councillor and spellcaster the mage Reinholt. Spoke the elven language almost as badly as Dorc da Orc spoke in common. It's that bad. And the once powerful mage has never bothered to improve his skills in the elven language.
The elven captain nods for Lis and the subaltern to follow her outside, and she points at three of her company and says "You, you and you, get yourselves some mounts, and two for the runner and subaltern here".
She continues with "Escort them back to field commander Drubine and his highness, councillor Raendril".
The trio of soldiers hurry off as ordered. And as they go off and get the mounts, the elven captain nods at the satchel Lis is holding, and says "Well, i guess we won't be advancing until the field commander reads whatever's in there".
The attractive young woman originally from the coast of the Southlands, nods in agreement as she figures the same thing.
Then a short time later, she along with the subaltern, and the trio of Farqian soldiers, are riding back west. To where field commander Drubine has his command post with the bulk of the army, that's rebelling against the crown of Girdane.
Just before midmorning, and in his command tent, which is set up next to a barn on a farm, where the farmhouse has been burnt down.
Tamric Drubine the field commander frowns then says "How did you know?" followed by "You've been here with me the last couple of days".
"I didn't" says Helbe the elven thief, who continues with "Narladene did". The ground pixie in question briefly appears on the right shoulder of the elven magic user, waves at the young field commander, then disappears.
"Where?" asks the nobleborn teenager who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, and is now a field commander in the armies of Farque.
"Here" says the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, who then adds "And here" as he points at a map on the camp table.
The elven masterthief who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, says "They're attacking along their southern flank".
The son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, which is located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin, nods his head.
As prince Helbenthril Raendril of Laerel has informed him that the force lord Farque took with him.
Are now attacking the bulk of the crown's forces, who are retreating across central Girdane.
And this is after they wiped out two large battalions of the regent of Oaklynn's army who had come out this way, to fight against the rebels from the very west of the kingdom.
The elven master assassin has also informed the young field commander that lord Farque, along with Dorc da Orc, sir Percavelle Lé Dic, Tovis the war engineer and Beldane the cleric are no longer with that force. And that nobody knows where they are.
"Does she have any" says field commander Drubine, who is interrupted by the elven princeling, who tells him "She has no idea where they are".
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, grunts. As he wonders where lord Farque, and those with him, have got too.
The nobleborn teenager originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin is still wondering where they could be. When his two guards outside, specifically trained by councillor Raendril himself. Allows someone to pass them, and come into the tent. It's Lisell Maera the messenger.
"For you" says Lis who hands the small, folded leather satchel to Tam, then she adds "It's from lord Farque".
The young field commander shares a look with the highly talented elven magic user. Then Tamric Drubine quickly opens the satchel, which contains a missive, and two folded maps.
The nobleborn teenager unrolls the parchment, and starts reading it "Er?" says field commander Drubine, who then adds "They're in Oaklynn".
Tam pauses for a few moments, as he continues reading, then he says "Hell, he want us to do what?".
"What is it?" asks the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, the field commander in the armies of Farque hands the missive to councillor Raendril, then he unfolds the two maps, puts them on the camp table, and studies them.
"Hell" mutters the young elven noble, who then adds "A damn gnome tunnel".
The elven master archer reads on, then he slightly winces, and dryly says "I see what you mean".
Lisell Maera who has remained silent, speaks up, and asks "What is it?".
"A change in tactics" says Tamric Drubine as he compares the two maps that were sent by lord Farque from the city of Oaklynn, with the ones he's already got, and he adds "A drastic change in tactics".
"That's putting it mildly" dryly says the elven masterthief who is a member of the personal council of lord Farque.
Who looks over at Lis, and says to her "We're going to the capital Oaklynn".
"Well, yeah" says the attractive young woman originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, who continues on with "Of course we're going there eventually".
"We're going there right now" says prince Helbenthril Raendril who joins the young field commander at the camp table, and looks at the maps "Or as soon as possible" continues the elven magic user.
"Fucking hell" murmurs a surprised Lisell Maera who wasn't expecting that.
"Which is going to be difficult" explains Tamric Drubine, who follows that with "Considering we've also got to collect those of our army who went with the lord, who are now attacking the rear, well i should say front, as well as southern flank of the retreating enemy".
The young field commander as he continues to studies the maps on the camp table in his tent, quietly says "Really difficult".
Beside him, the member of lord Farque's personal council, nods his hooded head in agreement, as they start to come up with a new plan now that things have changed.
A little while later, after listening and watching Tamric Drubine and prince Helbenthril Raendril, Lisell Maera exits the tent. Spots sir Kamson the avenger, who is the young field commander's second in command. Waves him over and informs him that Tam wants to speak to him.
After the large, heavily armoured avenger enters the command tent. Lis is about to depart and return to the company she has been assigned to.
When she spots the subaltern who she was with a little earlier, who took to the forward company, to get the message that was sent by lord Farque.
He's chatting with some other junior officers, and when he glances around, and spots the attractive young woman originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, he wanders over to her.
"Back to your company?" asks the young subaltern, the messenger or runner as they're sometimes referred to, nods her head yes, then says "I am".
The subaltern nods to the command tent, and asks her "Important".
"Very" replies Lisell Maera who continues with "We'll be on the move again shortly".
The subaltern nods once more, then Lis sets off. After a moment's pause, he comes along with her.
The messenger, glances sideways at the tall, young Farqian officer walking beside her, and after a few moments of silence, she asks him "Going my way are you?".
"Looks like it" says the subaltern with a faint smile on his face.
The attractive young woman who hails from the west coast of the Southlands, wonders if the subaltern is attracted to her.
He probably is, Lis thinks to herself, then the messenger asks him "What's your name?" then after a moment's pause, she adds "Sir". After all, he is an officer.
"Almic" replies the subaltern, the messenger nods and says "I'm Lisell".
"I know" says subaltern Almic, who continues with "Everyone knows".
Lisell's eyebrows go up in surprise when he says that, and he faintly smiles again as he adds "You're the most well known runner in the army" followed by "All of our armies actually".
After a moment pause, as she's slightly surprised at hearing that, Lis says "I am?".
The junior officer nods as they turn onto a wagon track on the farm they're on, then he says "You were raised since childhood by our lord, the warleader, and some of the councillors amongst others".
Subaltern Almic continues with "Just like the field commander was" he then adds "And travelled with them throughout the Southlands and beyond" he follows that with "Trust me, everyone knows who you are".
Lisell Maera nods her head, as she often forgets that since she was very young, just eleven years old, when she joined the group, led by lord Farque, and left her homeland, the city-state of Brattonbury.
And that over the nearly nine years since, they indeed did raise her. As they traveled across the Southlands, and sometimes beyond.
"Must of been exciting growing up like that" says subaltern Almic, Lis faintly smiles, as she remembers some of the adventures she's been involved in since she left Brattonbury with the group who not only raised her, but also trained her.
"It was" says the runner, who continues to faintly smile as she adds "Shall we say more than a little adventurous at times".
Then the faint smile, suddenly disappears from her face when she remembers an incident a few years ago, when she and the others were north of the equator. Something she keeps trying to block out of her mind, but occasionally pops up, much to her annoyance.
Lisell Maera hoping to get rid of those thoughts, asks the subaltern "And you?" followed by "Where did you grow up?".
"The Citadel" replies the junior officer, naming the capital of the lands Farque "My father's a householder, and my mother's a smith, so naturally i joined the army when i turned sixteen" adds the subaltern with a grin.
Lis can't help but grin too, as Almic has an infectious attitude about him.
The two of them continue to chat as they walk across the farm, they talk about trivial things, of what they've got up to in life. They don't ever mention the campaign they're part of at the moment. Much to the relief of both of them.
They get to where Lisell's company is located, as they do, they hear shouted orders from the direction they've come from.
"I better get back" says subaltern Almic, who then adds "It was a pleasure" the junior officer continues with "I'll see you around sometime".
"See you around" says the attractive young messenger, who can't help but grin as Almic gives her a slight bow, and with a smile upon his face, he turns with a flourish, and heads back the way they've come from.
"Definitely likes me" Lis murmurs to herself as she watches the subaltern walk away.
After a while, she turns and rejoins her company, who will soon get their orders to move out . . . . . .