To War 4.

Summer. The Border.

Shur Kee the monk looks up at the village on the hill, then down and out at the southern tundra.
A horde, the Knife River horde is riding away across the tundra after packing up camp, as they've completed their trading here on the border.
Here is the only place for hundreds of miles that the barbarian hordes can come and trade on the border of the lands Farque.
It's also the only place for hundreds of miles, that the hordes are peaceful. As no horde has a territory here along this part of the border.
Just down from the hillside village up amongst the trees, on the Farque side of the border.
The short, statured monk looks away from the departing horde, hundreds strong, on ponies and wagons carrying all their possessions.
And looks away to the right, where just across the border is another camp.
This one obviously not a barbarian horde camp. As the tents are square and large, compared to the yurts that the hordes use.
Not to mention there's full grown horses on the lines along one side of the camp.
Near a stream that comes down from the hillside on the Farque side of the border.
The physical adept, who is member of the philosophical order of Bru Li.
Walks away to the right for about thirty yards, near the base of the hill.
Not far from the lone sentinel who stands there looking out at the tundra, which is all one can see as you look to the south.
The lightly armoured woman, who Shur Kee knows isn't alive. Ignores him, as her duty is to protect the lands Farque.
And not let anyone to pass unless they're allowed to.
The acolyte in the order of Bru Li, who is glad of his white clothing on such a warm day.
Not to mention the odd conical shaped hat he wears, that offers him a bit of shade as the sun beats down on what's a hot summer morning along the border.
Waits awhile, and eventually a group make their way from the camp that set up last night, on the tundra side of the border.
It's the delegation from the province of Corlinda in the kingdom of Melaurn.
With them are two members of lord Farque's personal council, Mira Reinholt the mage, and Helbe the elven thief.
As the group from the camp approach the lone sentinel. The mage Reinholt spots the short, statured monk standing amongst the trees, and nods his hooded head in greeting to him.
Shur Kee nods in return, then turns and heads back up the hill to inform those waiting in the village.
That the delegation who have come to negotiate, are about to cross the border and enter the lands Farque.
The physical adept, who is the living incarnation of the Jade Warrior, Bru Li.
Makes his way up the trail, about fifty yards or so through the trees, where the trail opens up to a clearing infront of the village.
There, a hundred black clad soldiers, all kneeling in a fan like formation, half bow at the waist at the appearance of the short, statured monk.
Who is an honorary member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Shur Kee briefly stops, and bows in return. And he goes by the soldiers in black. Whose discipline and stillness the physical adept has never encountered anywhere else in his travels.
And these are all living soldiers. And not the undead of the lands Farque.
The honorary councillor hurries around the waiting soldiers, and makes his way into the hillside village, that's quiet this morning.
Making his way to the front of the small tavern here in the village, Shur Kee the monk quietly says "They are coming up".
"Thank you councillor" says Tamric Drubine the field commander, who turns at an adjunct and tells him "Hamblin inform trooper Arveem that the delegation from Corlinda are coming up".
The young field commander knows the undead trooper is already aware that the group from the kingdom of Melaurn are crossing the border, and are now making their way up to the village.
"Yes commander" says Hamblin the trainee officer, who quickly moves off. Heading up through the village, to further up on the hill, sits the krean scoutship that came from The Citadel, the capital of the lands Farque yesterday.
Shur Kee looks away to the left, where in the shade between the small tavern and the next building.
Sits Dorc da Orc, who is hugging a frozen barrel to himself, trying to keep cool on what's a hot morning.
Also, standing in the shade between the two buildings. Though as far from the large ork as possible.
Is the ork general's bitter rival, sir Percavellé Lé Dic. The heavily armoured knight spots the physical adept looking his way.
And nods in greeting to him. As they all wait for the delegation from the province of Corlinda in the kingdom of Melaurn, to make their way up into the village.
A short while later, and the small group from Melaurn are in the tavern. Negotiating with those waiting in there for them.
And while his fellow council member Helbe the elven thief is inside. Mira Reinholt the mage makes his way outside. And joins Shur Kee the monk on the front porch of the tavern where the two of them quietly chat.
"We ran into a bit of trouble" quietly says Mira Reinholt the mage, who continues on with "Twice actually".
The once powerful mage explains to the acolyte in the order of Bru Li, that the delegation representing the nobility of the province of Corlinda in the kingdom of Melaurn.
Were attacked just after leaving Corlinda, in the province of Moleau. Then again in the province of Mofosild.
And though it's the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw that are in conflict with one another. As they dispute their shared border.
Anything goes elsewhere in the kingdom. Just as long as they don't draw any of the lords and nobles in the other provinces into their conflict.
"We lost a couple of retainers, and a few of the guards in both attacks" says the mage who is in exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil.
As Shur Kee nods, the spellcaster who also happens to be a highly skilled swordmaster, quietly says "Word is they've done the same, and attacked the delegations that the province of Karricaw have sent".
"This is true" says the physical adept who is a few years younger than the once powerful mage. With the two of them, have known one another for nearly two decades.
"The delegation before last from Karricaw lost nearly half their number traveling here" adds the short, statured monk.
"They did not cross into the tundra like you lot did, but instead went all the way north through the kingdom to get to the border" continues the living conduit of the Jade Warrior, Bru Li.
"Good thing we did" says the spellcaster 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 about fifteen years ago. When he went offworld after he accidentally cast a rift/void spell.
The mage who accidentally cast another rift/void spell last year. Thankfully this latest one sent him, and half of the group. Only to the otherside of the continent, and not offworld.
Quietly says to the honorary member of lord Farque's personal council "It's a foregone conclusion" in response to Shur Kee quietly asking "Will the deal be struck, do you think friend Mira?".
The Vexilian mage in exile continues with "The only issue is the one of command".
For the delegation from the province of Corlinda in Melaurn don't exactly want to give up command of their own forces in their impending war against the province of Karricaw.
"I'm sure Helbe and the others will talk them around" says the mage Reinholt, who along with Shur Kee. Are glad not to be part of the actual negotiations. And that others are dealing with that.
"The baron sent his son Krissner to argue the point to let this sir Jinpel to if not command them, then at least co-command them" adds the highly skilled swordmaster, who briefly pauses before continuing with "No way Farque will allow that".
The physical adept nods in agreement, then he looks uphill. To where the krean scoutship sits amongst the trees up there. Onboard which, lord Farque himself waits.
As the undead trooper Arveem, his brother, the undead scout Dargarven.
Along with Helbe the elven thief, field commander Tamric Drubine, and a couple of others negotiate with those from the province of Corlinda in the kingdom of Melaurn.
Inside the tavern that Shur Kee and Mira Reinholt are standing on the front porch of.
Though no doubt, it will be the young elven noble, Helbe the elven thief. The envoy for the armies of Farque. Who will be doing most of the talking for the lands Farque. Who the delegation from the kingdom of Melaurn. Want to hire one of their armies. For the growing conflict between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw.
"How do things fare there, friend Mira?" quietly asks the short, statured monk, who is originally from the kingdom of Wah Lee. Which lies on the far eastern coast of the continent.
"Things are definitely building up between the two provinces" is the reply from the Vexilian mage in exile, who follows that with "Even in the surrounding provinces, you can see plenty of movement, of mercenary troops and equipment going to either Corlinda or Karricaw".
The spellcaster, who was once more powerful than any other mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in the Southlands.
Pauses for a moment or two, before quietly saying to the honorary member of lord Farque's personal council "I'm surprised war hasn't actually broken out already".
Next to the mage Reinholt from the city-state of Vexil, the physical adept from the kingdom of Wah Lee, nods his head in agreement with the highly skilled swordmaster.
Then the acolyte in the order of Bru Li glances sideways off the porch, to the shade between the tavern and the next building.
There sits Dorc da Orc, who asks the two of them on the front porch of the tavern "We gonna fucken fights?".
"Maybe" replies Mira Reinholt the mage who first met the large ork during the battle of Vexil, when the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, was only seventeen years old.
The ork warleader grunts, then eyes his bitter rival sir Percavellé Lé Dic, who is also in the shade. Sitting on a barrel up against the next building along.
As the ork general starts muttering away to himself about how they better hurry the fuck up so that he go off to war.
Shur Kee the monk and Mira Reinholt the mage turn, as Helbe the elven thief makes his way out through the front door of the tavern, and joins them on the porch.
"Need a bit of a break" explains Helbe the elven thief as he stretches. "Arveem and Tam are speaking with them at the moment" continues the elven magic user.
"What's the hold up?" asks the once powerful mage, who then adds "Over who is going to command?".
The young elven noble who is from the island principality of Laerel, nods his hooded head yes, then quietly says "They're hell bent on having sir Jinpel having some type of command".
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, briefly pauses before going on with "No way Farque will allow it".
The elven masterthief continues with "Either they hire us, and we have full command of all of their forces, or they don't" he then adds "It's as simple as that".
Both the highly skilled swordmaster and the short, statured monk nod. As they know that's one condition lord Farque will not give up on, no matter what.
"Just tell them if they don't agree, and we don't take the offer" quietly says the mage Reinholt, who continues with "We'll take that last offer from that lot from Karricaw, who are willing to give command of their forces over to us".
"Yes, i believe that will get a reaction from them" says the acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li.
"Hopefully the right reaction" murmurs prince Helbenthril Raendril in the royal elven language.
Then switching back to the common language, the elven envoy quietly says "I'm saving that for a last resort".
The highly talented elven magic user who has been ordered not to influence the delegation from Corlinda in the kingdom of Melaurn, then says to his fellow council members "I better get back in there".
Shur Kee and Mira Reinholt watch the young elven noble make his way back into the tavern. To continue on with negotiations with the delegation from Corlinda who are wanting to hire one of the armies of Farque.
The physical adept from the far east coast of the continent, and the highly skilled swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil, wait all morning.
Until near midday, when Shur Kee the monk glances uphill, and spots lord Farque walking down to the village from the krean scoutship.
The short, statured monk gestures that way, and the once powerful mage looks that way too, and sees the lord and ruler of the lands Farque making his way down to the village.
"Well, i guess they've made a decision" quietly says Mira Reinholt who then looks at the closed front door of the tavern. Inside of which, the negotiations have taken place.
The two of them step to one side on the porch as the undead warlord walks through the quiet village, and makes his way to the tavern.
"We gonna go to fucken war?" asks Dorc da Orc when the large, heavily armoured deathlord steps up onto the front porch of the tavern.
"Soon" is the reply from lord Farque who glances at the ork general sitting in the shade between the tavern and the next building.
Then the lord and ruler of the lands Farque nods for Shur Kee and Mira Reinholt to follow him inside.
The lord of the death realm opens the front door of the tavern, and enters.
He's followed by the once powerful mage who is a member of his personal council.
And the physical adept, who is an honorary member of the same council.
Inside, they join the others. And Shur Kee along with the mage Reinholt. Find out how the negotiations have gone.
And what decision has been made concerning the hire of one of the armies of Farque.
For the nobility of the province of Corlinda in the kingdom of Melaurn, in their war against the neighbouring province of Karricaw.
Shur Kee the monk slightly nods his head when he hears the decision, which is the one that was expected.
The short, statured monk also knows that on the otherside of the hills, infact just behind this one.
Airships are already coming in, and have landed. As a sizeable portion of the first army of Farque is already gathering, as they prepare to head to the kingdom of Melaurn.
To fight in the impending war between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw . . . . . .