The Lost Ones 17.

Summer. The Island Chain In The Sultanate Of Dreese.

"How was he this morning?" asks Beldane the cleric after they walk through the gateway he's cast, and it disappears behind them when he drops the spell.
"The usual" replies Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy as he looks down at the port town below them.
There the Sultan's fleet is at dock. While the smaller vessels are moored off the beaches to the north and south of town.
While on the broad, white sand beach to the south, a number of the Sultan's airships are on the ground.
"Regretting his mistake like usual" adds the elven spy, who like the fighting cleric beside him, is from the Southlands, which is on the otherside of the continent.
The two of them set off down the path through the tropical forest, that leads down to the port town.
"Hopefully we can find something out" continues Dalinvardél Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by the others in the group.
"Agreed" says the powerful spellcaster in the elven language, which he's learning thanks to the spy Tanith and others.
"Pretty good" says the elf who is originally from the principality of Alínlae, who continues with "Though be careful of how you pronounce that, for agreed is very similar to arse if you get the pronunciation wrong".
The member of the church of Glaine chuckles, then says "I'll keep that in mind".
Dalin nods, then he points away to the left, towards the southside of town, and quietly says "He left a missive in an inn there".
Beldane, nods then looks in the distance to the north, when the spy Tanith points that way and quietly adds "I can just see the airship he's on".
On one of the airships in the fleet of the Sultan of Dreese. Helbe the elven thief looks back at the island in the distance they left this morning.
The airship, a fairly small vessel, just a single mast. Is a relatively quick airship, probably the fastest in the Sultan's air fleet.
They're heading north to scout out the next islands along in the chain. To see where the Viceroy's remaining forces are located.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, that lies off the coast of the Southlands, which is on the otherside of the continent.
Is along for the flight to act as the eyes and ears of lord Farque.
The elven magic user is also along to find the whereabouts of the Viceroy, who is the younger brother of the Sultan.
Though the elven master assassin has ulterior motives for coming along. As lord Farque intends to have this airship. And the elven masterthief is to keep an eye on it. For they'll take it, if and when they're able to free Mira Reinholt the mage from his enscrollment.
"Beldane and Dalin are in the port town" quietly says Narladene the ground pixie who appear on the right shoulder of the highly talented elven spellcaster.
The naturally magical creature who is only visible to the elven master archer, and a pair of seagulls flying alongside the sleek looking, single masted vessel, quietly continues with "Hopefully they can find something out while we're away".
"Hopefully" murmurs Helbe the elven thief as he stands at the port side rail in a midships, looking back in the direction of the island they left early this morning.
"The locals there don't exactly show it, but they're way more sympathetic to the Viceroy's cause, than they are the Sultan's" quietly murmurs the young elven noble who is the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel.
"Wonder how they'll take it when word of the Viceroy's forces on their island were defeated?" quietly asks the tiny winged creature, who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains, the highest, and longest mountain range in the Southlands.
"Not well" quietly says the elven princeling from the island of Laerel, who after a brief pause, adds "As lord Farque intends it".
The arched eyebrows of the ground pixie shoot up when she hears that. And she looks pointedly at the young elven noble she's attached to.
Narladene knows that she isn't privy to all of the undead warlord's plans. Nor is the highly talented elven magic user.
But obviously the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel knows some of the ulterior plans of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque. Who is basically in command of the Sultan's campaign against the Viceroy. Whose attempted coup against his older brother failed.
The ground pixie who knows that the elven princeling won't divulge any of those plans unless he deems it necessary to do so.
Looks back at the island they left early this morning.
She wonders what the others, in particularly Beldane the cleric and Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy will find out while they're in the port town, that's on the west side of the island that's dominated by a large, tropical forest covered volcano.
"What's it say?" quietly asks Beldane the cleric after the spy Tanith paid the innkeeper a gold coin for a an envelope, that contained a folded piece of parchment.
"Here, read it for yourself" says Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy who offers the small piece of parchment to the fighting cleric, who is originally from the kingdom of Nastell. A nation that lies well over twelve thousand miles away to the west, in the Southlands.
"I can't, it's in elven" says the member of the church of Glaine, who then dryly adds "I can barely speak a few sentences, so reading in elven is out of the question for now".
"You'll be surprised" says the elven spy who hails from the principality of Alínlae, who grins as he offers the small piece of parchment again to the fighting cleric.
Beldane, who is quite a powerful spellcaster, who knows there was some kind of spell on the envelope. He couldn't sense it, but he figures there was one, due to it was left to them by Helbe the elven thief.
Takes the piece of parchment from Dalin, and he blinks in surprise when he sees the words in elven that's written on it, change to the common language.
"Now, that's clever" murmurs Beldane, who is always surprised at the ingenuity of the spells cast by Helbe the elven thief. Spells that he can never sense, due to the casual ease in which the young elven noble who is the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel can hide his spells.
The fighting cleric who has shed some of his plate armour, nods his head when Dalin quietly tells him "Only us in the group can read it, anyone else trying to do so, will get a nasty surprise knowing his highness".
Beldane after reading the missive left by Helbe the elven thief, quietly says "He recommends we try down by the docks" followed by "And amongst the fishermen down there".
The spy Tanith nods, then the two of them make their way to the nearest of the docks in the port town. A town that's fairly large for one in the islands. With a population of around ten thousand people, it's definitely one of the larger towns in the chain of islands that make up part of the Sultanate of Dreese.
The two of them, obviously mercenaries, and obviously foreigners. As the locals tend to be darker of skin. While both of them are fair haired, and are tall. While the locals are more likely to be short, with very few of them standing over six foot in height.
Find it more easier for them to speak to the residents of the port town. Than it would be for those in the Sultan's forces. Who are predominantly from the mainland.
After speaking to a few of the dock workers, and some of the fishermen. Who are intrigued that there's mercenaries fighting with the Sultan's army. Infact their group, are the only mercenaries fighting in the supreme ruler of Dreese's army.
Soon open up to the fighting cleric and the elven spy. And though nothing is spoken aloud. It's obvious the locals were behind the Viceroy's coup attempt.
As have many others in the northern half of the island chain they've come across.
While those in the southern islands were more on the fence when it came to the coup against the Sultan. Or were dead against it. Like a lot of people on the mainland did.
"Oh we just go where the coin is" says Beldane the cleric in reply to a question from a fisherman, asking why they're fighting for the Sultan of Dreese.
"We would of fought for the Viceroy if we had come across him first" adds the powerful cleric, who is in some of his half plate armour, not all of it.
"But we didn't" continues the cleric in the church of Glaine who shrugs his shoulders, who then follows that with "Such is the life of a mercenary".
Next to the powerful spellcaster, who stands just over six foot tall, and is nearly thirty years old.
The elf, who stands near six and half foot tall, and is about two hundred and eighty years older than the cleric, quietly murmurs to Beldane "Move on".
The fighting cleric thanks the fisherman, and wishes him a good day. Then he and elven spy head to the next dock along. Where some more of fishing boats are tied up.
"Anything?" quietly asks Dalin in the elven language.
It takes a moment or two for the powerful spellcaster from the kingdom of Nastell, to work out what that word means.
Then he nods yes in reply to the question from the elven spy who is originally from the principality of Alínlae. Where he served in one of the more prominent noble houses there.
"They're taking some of their catch to a couple of smaller islands further to the north" quietly says Beldane as they walk slowly to the next dock. Another smaller one, as the larger docks are occupied by ships in the Sultan's navy.
The member of the church of Glaine who read the mind of the fisherman they just spoke to, continues with "He doesn't know where it goes from there, but he's certain it ends up with the Viceroy's forces".
Beldane, who isn't proficient at reading peoples minds. Needs to talk to them for a while before he actually cast a mind read spell. One that actually details what he's trying to find out.
So at the next dock, where they strike up a conversation with a fisherman and his young son, tending and repairing some of their nets after they went out earlier,  well before dawn to set some of their other nets.
It takes a bit of time for Beldane to read the mind of the fisherman. While Dalinvardél Tanith shows some of his weapons, not to mention his pointy ears to the fisherman's son, who is intrigued at the sight of an elf. As he's never seen one before.
Once he's finished speaking with the fisherman, the powerful cleric joins the elven spy who is at the foot of the dock waiting for him.
As they walk along the street that runs along the port side of town, Beldane quietly says to Dalin "Him too" followed by "He's taking some of his catch to those two islands further to the north" he then adds "Like the other one, he just knows the Viceroy's forces end up with it".
"They've got a supply chain" quietly says the spy Tanith, who continues on with "Fish from here, goods and equipment from elsewhere, armour and weapons from a third place. All of which ends up in the hands of the Viceroy and his army".
"And where exactly are they?" quietly asks cleric from the kingdom of Nastell.
"That" says Dalin, who then adds "Is what we have to find out".
As they continue wandering through the port town, trying to find out any information about the whereabouts of the Viceroy of Dreese, or to be precise, the former Viceroy.
Further north, onboard the quick, single masted airship that's part of the Sultan's fleet.
Helbe the elven thief makes his way aft. Occasionally stopping to speak with some of the crew. Who all nod to him as he approaches.
The sailors, both air and sea. Along with the soldiers in the Sultan of Dreese's forces. All show respect to the small group of mercenaries who have joined in with their flight against the Viceroy and his military.
For the simple reason, they've won victory after victory for the Sultan ever since they joined his war against his younger brother the Viceroy.
And that's something a regular soldier and sailor can respect.
Not so some of the others in the Sultan's forces. In particular his personal guards. And some others who serve in his court.
One of whom is onboard, as he's the eyes and ears for the Sultan of Dreese on this vessel, as it scouts out to the north of the rest of the fleet and army.
After chatting with one of the bosuns or boatswains as they're often referred to. And sharing a laugh with him about a particular officer onboard.
The elf from the Southlands, who is more than a novelty amongst the Dreesians. As elves aren't particularly common in the eastern half of the continent. Especially amongst the nations and kingdoms up and down the coast.
Heads to aft and the raised deck there. Where the wheel is located. And though the officers on watch, including the captain welcome him.
Not so the other person speaking with a couple of the junior officers.
A young man, formerly a bureaucrat in the Sultan's treasury. Now a full member of court. Who is essentially the eyes and ears of the supreme ruler of Dreese onboard the single masted airship.
The elven magic user form the island principality of Laerel faintly smiles at the young man who is a member of the Sultan's court.
Who isn't enscrolled like many others who serve close to the Sultan. But he does wear a powerful talisman that protects him from all types of magic. Even anything the young elven noble from the otherside of the continent casts.
The elven master assassin knows this well. As he's cast multiple spells on the young man since boarding the airship well before dawn this morning, and they've all failed.
"Excuse me captain, i shall depart the aft deck for a while" says Silac, the member of the Sultan's court, who continues with "I don't like the company that's suddenly arrived".
The young man who was previously in the service of the master of coin, before he was promoted to court. Nods to the captain, and not even looking at who he was just referring to, makes his way forward along the deck.
Making sure to keep out of the way of the crew. A few of whom have already yelled at him this morning for getting in their way as they do their work.
He might be a member of the Sultan's court. But if your a danger to the safety onboard of an airship, and how things run, you'll quickly hear about it.
"Sorry about that" says the captain of the single masted vessel.
"No need to apologise" says Helbe the elven thief as he stands beside the ship's captain, and the sailor at the helm.
"It happens quite often in my line of work" adds the young elven noble who is the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel.
"Oh?" says the captain, followed by "What's that like?".
"You get used to it" says the elven masterthief who sees that the other officers here on the aft deck, are watching and listening to the conversation at the wheel.
"Some people who think they have influence or are in charge, just don't like others who come in, and help out" continues the elf from the Southlands, who follows that with "Especially those of us who do what we do for coin, and are good at what we do".
The captain nods, then says "Must be an interesting life being a mercenary". As mercenaries aren't exactly common in the Sultanate of Dreese. They are in some of the other nations up and down the east coast of the continent. But not in Dreese.
"It can be" says the elven princeling, who then grins and continues with "For starters we get paid a hell of a lot more than regular soldiers" he briefly pauses, before adding "And sailors".
"I thought it would be something like that" dryly says the captain, which causes the elven master assassin to laugh.
And a moment later, the captain ruefully laughs. Which causes the officers on the aft deck to chuckle. And even the helmsman to crack a smile.
"Not to mention the bonuses we get" adds the highly talented elven spellcaster.
"Geez you don't have to rub it in" dryly says the ship's captain, which causes his officers to laugh again. And even the sailor at the helm to chuckle under his breath. And not get reprimanded by any of the officers.
Helbe the elven thief, who in just a morning, has basically the entire crew in his confidence.
Nods away to the northeast, and says "There's a small island that way to starboard" when the laughing dies down.
"You can see it already?" asks the captain in surprise, after he calls out to the lookout in the crows nest to search the sea to starboard on the bow quarter.
"One of the advantages of being an elf" says Prince Helbenthril Raendril, who continues with "I can see long distances, and similarly hear far away too".
"Now that's pretty handy" says the captain, who then gives an order to the helmsman after the lookout up the mast, confirms that there's an island away to the northeast as he looks down at the ocean through his brass, cylindrical eyepiece.
"That it is" says the elven magic user as he listens to the member of the Sultan's court, standing at the starboard rail towards the bow. Quietly muttering to himself about the presence of the elven masterthief being onboard . . . . . .