The Journey 59.

Autumn. The Province Of Halvarc. The Kingdom Of Terrindim.

Mira Reinholt the mage yawns as he comes up on deck of the Quick Gull.
The once powerful mage who thought he'd have breakfast onboard instead of getting something in town.
Is wondering if he's made a mistake, as the ship's cook, who also happens to be the assistant carpenter. Isn't exactly known for his cooking skills.
The spellcaster who is from the city-state of Vexil in the Southlands. Wonders if he'll regret it later on today when they're in the air.
He rather hopes not. But next time, when available he'll definitely get something to eat in a town's inn or tavern if they stop off at one during the night.
Like they did last night at this town, here in the province of Halvarc in western Terrindim.
The spellcaster who also happens to be a highly skilled swordmaster, looks around.
And spots Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, yawning as he stands near the starboard rail on the stern deck.
The Vexilian mage in exile goes and joins the halfling, who isn't all that he appears to be.
"You're up early" says Mira Reinholt the mage.
"Got something to eat at that tavern" says Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, who points down a nearby street, to the establishment he broke his fast at.
"Anything looked better than what that poor excuse of a cook in the galley was preparing" adds the hobbit who is from the Sultanate of Dreese, a nation that lies on the far east coast of the continent.
The mage Reinholt grunts in agreement at that assessment of the ship's cook from the halfling, who like him, is a member of lord Farque's personal council.
The practitioner of magic, who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands.
Until he was stripped of most of his powers when he went offworld after going through a rift/void spell he accidentally cast.
Looks out and away from the small town they stopped at last night. Looking away to the northwest, the direction they're heading.
"Not much in the way around here" says Mira Reinholt.
"That's for damn sure" says Jarjin Littlefoot, who like the spellcaster from the Southlands, is speaking in elven.
When they crossed over into the province of Halvarc, the largest and most western of the provinces in the kingdom of Terrindim, early yesterday morning.
They soon started noticing the change in terrain. There's very little in the way of vegetarian out here in Halvarc.
The province is more arid looking than the rest of the kingdom. Little in the way of trees. And those trees you do spot, aren't tall, nor are they green, or have autumnal colours for this time of the year.
The trees you are likely to see, are those found in orchids. But even they're sparse. As settlements, are few and far between, here in the western most province in Terrindim.
They only stopped at this town last night, because it was the largest inhabited place they've come across so far here in Halvarc.
So they got fresh supplies. As it might be some time before they get fresh supplies again.
For once they leave Halvarc, they would be leavingTerrindim. And immediately to the west of the kingdom, is unruled lands for hundreds of miles.
Watching a young boy sheppard a small flock of sheep through a nearby orchard, full of citrus trees.
The mage Reinholt, who is glad the days are little warmer out here in Halvarc. Though at dawn, it was absolutely freezing, and it's only now warming up.
Is about to ask the hobbit who is a former air sailor in the Sultan of Dreese's fleet something.
When he notices the halfling frowning whist looking back to the southeast.
"What is it?" quietly asks the swordmaster Reinholt.
"A couple of dragons are heading this way" is the quiet reply of the hobbit from the far eastern coast of the continent.
The halfling, who in actuality is really a human being, a hordes outrider from the southern tundra, by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of the former air sailor from Dreese.
Glances up at his fellow member of lord Farque's personal council, and tells him "An orange one and a yellow one".
The mage who is in exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil, grunts then says "Balford faction".
The spellcaster in the black hooded cloak then says "Probably something to do with that dragon egg here" he continues with "After all, that's what their war with that other faction, the Golmard's is all about".
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods his head in agreement with the once powerful mage.
Last night when they arrived, they were told, numerous times by just about everyone they met here in town.
That one of the local family's were wild dragon egg hunters. Who had recently found a wild dragon egg, a couple hundred miles away to the north.
In the remote northwest of the province of Halvarc. Which happens to be the remotest area in all of Terrindim.
With no one actually permanently living there. And the only ones you'll find are adventurers, searching for wild dragon eggs.
As all across northern Halvarc, is the place most likely you're to find wild dragon eggs in the kingdom of Terrindim.
The mage Reinholt, and Jarjin Littlefoot and some of the others. Went and saw the dragon egg last night. As the family has it in the front room of their home. A warm room that constantly has a fire burning in the fireplace. As they have their dragon egg set up like a holy relic in a shrine.
Both Mira Reinholt and Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson were only slightly impressed with the rather large egg. As they had never seen a dragon egg before.
They both remarked that though mottled looking in colour. It rather resembled a giant chicken egg.
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, also quietly mentioned to the halfling from the Sultanate of Dreese.
That once the dragon hatches, whenever the hell that will be. As no one can really predict when they hatch.
That family can kiss goodbye to their front room, and probably to the rest of their house too. As the dragon hatchling will more than likely destroy it after getting out of the egg.
"Wonder if they've won their war?" says the once powerful mage, as that's about the only reason he can think of why those dragons are here.
The practitioner of magic from the Southlands, who can now see the two dragons in the distance to the south.
Nods his hooded head when the halfling beside him replies with "They might of".
As he looks around, Jarjin Littlefoot adds "No other reason for them to be out here" followed by "It's that egg that's brought them out here".
The former air sailor in the fleet of the Sultan of Dreese, then dryly adds "Unless those two dragons like eating oranges and lemons" as he gestures away to the nearby orchard.
By the time the two dragons from the Balford faction land on the southside of the town.
The rest of those who were in town, who include most of the rest of the group, and about half of the crew. Have made their way back to the small, sleek looking, single masted airship from the far east coastal nation of Dreese.
Lord Farque, who had remained onboard, and was below deck. Makes his way up onto the deck of the Quick Gull.
And on the stern deck, he watches the two dragons as well as the two riders, who walk into town as their dragons fan their wings then settle down as the morning continues to warm up here in this part of the province of Halvarc, in western Terrindim.
"That's the same dragon from before isn't it?" asks Helbe the elven thief.
Both Mira Reinholt and Jarjin Littlefoot nods in agreement, as the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, adds "The big orange coloured one?".
"It is" says the undead warlord, who after a couple of moments, continues with "I'll go and see what's happening" he follows that with "Stay here". Giving a pointed look at Narladene the ground pixie who is only visible to the heavily armoured deathlord at the moment, as she stands upon the right shoulder of the elven masterthief she's attached to.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who to the people of his nation, also has the name of Draugadrottin.
Then looks at the captain of the Quick Gull, and tells him "Have the ship ready to depart when i get back".
The ship's captain says that he will, lord Farque nods. Then the undead being jumps overboard, and starts walking to where the pair of dragons have laid down in the morning sunshine on this autumn day, here in the western province of Halvarc.
They wait for the lord and ruler of the lands Farque to return to the airship, that's moored to large rocks on the northwest side of the small town.
They see the heavily armoured deathlord in conversation with the large, burnt orange coloured dragon.
Lord Farque, who has the elven name of Des'tier, which means The Destroyer.
Doesn't speak with the dragon for too long. And soon he's walking back to the small, sleek looking airship that previously served in the fleet of the Sultan of Dreese.
The lord of the death realm, once back onboard, signals to the captain of the Quick Gull to lift off.
"What are they doing?" asks Mira Reinholt the mage with a nod of his hooded head in the direction of the two dragons lying on the ground on the south side of the small orchard town, here in this part of the province of Halvarc.
As the airship lifts off, Draugadrottin tells the others what he found out from his brief chat with the dragon who was previously called Sunbeam, and is now named Kov.
The talk with the family doesn't take long, as they agree to join the Balford faction, as they had already decided to join the victors in the faction war between the Balford and Golmard factions.
Though the stipulation from crown prince Waniq took them by surprise. They agreed to his terms of not naming the dragon when it hatches, whenever that may be. As predicting when a dragon egg hatches is near impossible.
It helped that the amount the Balford faction is paying the family to join them. Got them to agree to the new terms from the crown prince of Terrindim.
The dragon riders Daeliss Komav and sir Malfane slowly walk back through town. With many of the locals, including members of the family with the dragon egg, respectfully following them.
While others have run on ahead to get a look at the two dragons lying at rest on the south side of town, on this autumn day that's warming up after the cold start to the morning, in this part of the province of Halvarc, in western Terrindim.
As they get closer to their dragons, the rider Daeliss looks away in the sky to the northwest, and spots the airship that was moored here in town.
Seeing what his fellow rider is looking at, sir Malfane the dragon rider says "That vessel looks familiar".
The nobleman from here in the province of Halvarc, though from further south in the province, continues with "That's that foreign ship isn't it?".
"Yeah it is" says Daeliss Komav the dragon rider, the lean, blonde attractive dragon rider who is still only nineteen years old, then adds "They're heading out of the kingdom".
The commonborn dragon rider who is also from here in Halvarc, continues watching the small, sleek looking, single masted foreign airship for a little while longer.
Wondering if they'll ever get back to where they're going. A place called the Southlands, in the western half of the continent.
The teenage dragon rider wishes them luck, as she looks away from the airship in the sky to the northwest.
And looks at her dragon lying in the morning sunshine on the south side of town.
And for all the recent changes to the dragon formerly named Sunbeam, who is now called Kov.
Daeliss Komav can't help but smile as she looks at the large, burnt orange coloured dragon she's the rider of . . . . . .