To War 5.

Summer. Melaurn.

Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit makes his way through the streets of Calinar, the capital city of the kingdom of Melaurn.
The halfling who is a member of the personal council of lord Farque, is making his way to the port.
Jarjin who isn't what he appears to be. Spots a couple of hordes outriders from the southern tundra walking on the otherside of the street, heading in this direction.
He doesn't know which particularly horde they're part of. But what he does see, is the two of them look his way, basically staring at him. As they walk by on the otherside of the street.
The hobbit who is a former air sailor, who hails from the otherside of the continent.
Refrains from frowning as he knows exactly why those two barbarian hordesmen stared at him.
It's because of what he's wearing around his neck on this warm summer day in the city of Calinar.
A traditional black cloth of the barbarian hordes of the southern tundra.
Which is slipped up onto the face, to cover the face below the eyes. Whenever a hordes barbarian, especially outriders, go into battle.
Jarjin Littlefoot, who is really 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.
The latest body he's inhabited over the last fifteen years or so. Ever since he first died in the province of Sorros, here in the kingdom of Melaurn.
Clears his throat, and hopes those two hordesmen don't double back and confront him for wearing the traditional black cloth of the hordes barbarians of the southern tundra.
And he quickens his pace after he turns onto another street, wishing he was taller, with a longer stride.
As being a hobbit, definitely has it's disadvantages.
The halfling from the far east coast of the continent soon finds himself amongst some warehouses near the docks.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesmen is soon on the street he's been looking for.
The member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Counts off the buildings on his left, and when he gets to the fifth warehouse, he climbs the outside stairs to the door on the second floor along the side of the building.
The door is slightly ajar, and standing in it is Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy. Who ushers the halfling inside when Jarjin gets to the top of the stairs.
"What is it?" asks Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, who continues with "The messenger send it was urgent".
"This way" says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, who leads the former air sailor across the floor, here on the second floor of the warehouse.
The spy Tanith, who hails from the elven principality of Alínlae, who is now an officer serving in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
Leads councillor Littlefoot to a pair of window shutters, one of which the elven spy opens.
Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson finds that they're overlooking a dock, and down below longshoremen are carrying goods into the warehouse.
The hobbit sees a couple of piers directly opposite the warehouse, where a few ships are tied up at the moment.
Pointing out to the harbour, towards the south headlands. Dalinvardèl Tanith, or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, says "See those two ships just going around the headlands there?".
"Yeah i do" says the halfling from the otherside of the continent, who like the elf beside him, has the advantage of naturally enhanced eyesight. One of the benefits of which is farsight. Allowing them to see far greater distances than a human being is able to see.
"They're the last two in a fleet of about thirty ships that came into port in the middle of the night" explains the elven spy who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses in his homeland of Alínlae.
"Stopped off for fresh supplies and water" continues Dalin, who follows on with "They're going south of course, heading around The Corner".
The Corner, is exactly what it means. It's the very southwest corner of just not the kingdom of Melaurn, and the Southlands, but the entire continent.
"Then along the south coast to the province of Selvah Na" says the spy Tanith "And the city of Ramaee" says Jarjin Littlefoot as he interrupts the elven spy, who nods his head.
The halfling who is a former air sailor, who served in the forces of the Sultanate of Dreese, a nation on the far east coast of the continent.
Slightly shakes his head, as he can already see where this is going.
"Theirs?" asks Jarjin aka Zubutai the son of Timagin.
"Theirs" is the reply from Dalinvardèl Tanith.
The hobbit who is a member of lord Farque's personal council slightly grimaces. Then he says "I'm guessing mercenary companies from up north along the coast?".
Referring to further north along the coast of the Southlands, a thousand miles or more north of the nation of Farque.
"Yeah" answers the elf in the grey hooded cloak as they look out across the harbour, at the pair of ships about five miles away, sailing around the headlands to the south.
"From as far up as Gilsom" adds Dalin, who continues on with "I'm guessing between a hundred and hundred and fifty mercs on each ship, so there could be about three and half thousand of them in that fleet".
Jarjin Littlefoot lets out a breath, then mutters "Fuck" in the halfling language, before continuing in elven which they're conversing in "Some long term planning going on here".
The spy Tanith nods his hooded head in agreement, then does so again, when the hobbit says "I wonder if they know we've sided with Corlinda?".
As word got to them a couple of days ago that the province of Corlinda has been successful in hiring one of the armies of Farque in the impending war against the province of Karricaw.
"I wouldn't bet against it' says the elf originally from the principality of Alínlae, who continues on in a dry tone with "The nobleborn here aren't exactly discreet".
Councillor Littlefoot just grunts in response to that. For the spy Tanith is indeed correct.
As the nobles in both the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw. Haven't exactly made it secret what their intentions towards one another are.
Nor is it been a secret that both sides of the impending war. Have been trying to gain the services of one of the armies of Farque.
Neither the elven spy or the former air sailor, wouldn't at all be surprised if the nobility in the province of Karricaw know that those in Corlinda, have been successful in hiring one of the armies of Farque.
"There's nothing we can do about that" says Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who follows on from that with "Word will soon spread throughout the kingdom that one of our armies has been hired by the province of Corlinda".
Dalin nods in agreement, then after one last look at the pair of ships sailing around the southern headlands of the harbour, he closes the window shutter.
The two of them, halfling and elf. Head back across to the door, which once the spy Tanith opens, they head outside, and down the stairs.
The elven spy who is an officer in the scouts and rangers division in the armies of Farque.
Is just about to mention something to the halfling who is a former air sailor.
When the door behind them and to the right, slams open, and a number of men come running out at them.
Before either one of them can act, one of the men, drops to the ground with an arrow through the throat.
While the second man's head just suddenly explodes in spray of blood and bone fragments.
The third and final man who runs out of the doorway, having seen what happened to the men infront of him. Goes to run away to the right, but is dropped by an arrow that takes him in the guts.
And before he can't start screaming in pain from the arrow in the stomach, he's knocked out by a kicked to the head from Dalinvardèl Tanith who moves quickly to shut him up.
Then the elven spy who hails from the principality of Alínlae, along with the halfling who is from the Sultanate of Dreese, which is all the way on the otherside of the continent. Look carefully around for a few moments.
"In your squad?" quietly asks Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson when they spot a pair of black clad figures stand up on a roof of one of the buildings across the street.
"Hardly" says the spy Tanith, who continues on with "We work singly".
The officer in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque, who recognises one of the black clad figures who nods to them, before dropping out of sight again, quietly says "They're your shadows".
"Eh?" says the hobbit who is a former air sailor as he looks up at the elf who towers over him.
"You're a councillor, and you need protecting" says Dalin, who then follows that with "And much more important than me" he then quietly adds "They're two of those trained by Helbe".
Assassins, Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson thinks to himself, who then quietly asks "How long have they been watching over me?".
"Ever since we got back" replies the spy Tanith, referring to those in the group who returned to the lands Farque at the start of spring, after spending nearly half a year traveling back to the Southlands from the otherside of the continent.
"They watch over all of you" says the elf as he snaps the arrow off in the stomach of the unconscious man, then picks him up, and puts him over his right shoulder.
"Who?" asks the hobbit who is a former air sailor.
"Councillors" replies the elven spy who after briefly pausing as he looks around, adds in a slightly dry tone with "Well, except his highness". Referring to prince Helbenthril Raendril, who is better known as Helbe the elven thief.
"Well, i never" mutters Jarjin aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, who then asks "Who ordered that?".
"Who do you think?" says Dalinvardèl Tanith in reply.
The halfling from the far east coast of the continent sourly smiles after he grunts when he hears that.
Then he nods, when the elven spy quietly says to him "Come on, let's see what he can tell us".
As the spy Tanith nods at the unconscious figure he's carrying over his right shoulder.
Leaving the two dead bodies on the ground next to the side of the building.
Jarjin Littlefoot and Dalinvardèl Tanith move off, with the unconscious man over the right shoulder of the elven spy.
A short while later, they're in one of the safe houses here in the city of Calinar that Dalin and the other spies from the lands Farque use whilst in the capital city of the kingdom of Melaurn, a city that's just a handful of miles from the border.
The two soldiers in the armies of Farque, who have been assigned to watch over councillor Littlefoot, have joined them.
One is a scout, and the other is a sorcerer. Both of whom are assassins who have been specifically trained by Helbe the elven thief and others.
"Do you want me to take out that arrow and heal him sir?" asks the sorcerer as he looks at the spy Tanith.
"No" answers the elf who is an officer in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
"Just make him barely comfortable enough to answer our questions" adds the elven spy who is originally from the principality of Alínlae, where he served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland.
They look down at the unconscious figure lying on the floor of one of the rooms in the safe house.
The man is dressed as longshoreman, as were the other two who were killed before they could attack the elven spy and the halfling who is a former air sailor.
"Can you read minds?" asks Jarjin Littlefoot as he looks at the sorcerer, a young man in his early twenties.
"I can councillor" replies the spellcaster who also happens to be an assassin.
"Read his as we question him" says the hobbit who is from the far east coast of the continent.
Who then nods, when the spy Tanith tells the sorcerer "Wake him".
The captive wakes with a groan, and clutches at his stomach, that still has a broken bit of an arrow still in it.
And though he's alive and conscious, he's not exactly free of pain or too comfortable.
As the sorcerer has done only the bare minimum to keep him awake and not scream in pain from the arrowhead in his guts.
The elven spy and the hobbit councillor start questioning the man who attempted to attack them, speaking to him in the common language.
After questioning him for the rest of the morning, Dalinvardèl Tanith and Jarjin Littlefoot share a look.
Then the spy Tanith says in elven to the sorcerer "Get everything?".
"Yes sir" is the answer from the assassin who is also a spellcaster.
"Knock him out" says Dalin, the next moment the man on the floor is unconscious again.
The elven spy takes one of his daggers, and slits the unconscious man's throat. Then says to the sorcerer "Get rid of the body".
The elf and the hobbit, along with the scout who has been silent all this time, turn their heads as there's a sudden flash of white light from the body on the floor.
They feel a brief burst of heat, and when they look back, the body is gone. All that remains is a small smattering of white ashes on the floor.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods his head in agreement when Dalin quietly says "That was enlightening".
Referring to what they found out from questioning their would be attacker.
Then after conferring with the sorcerer, who informs them that the captive spoke the truth.
And the spellcaster come assassin tells them what else he learnt whilst reading the mind of the captive.
The elven spy in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque, and the halfling who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque share a look.
After a bit of silence, it's eventually broken by Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit who says "Well, this should be interesting then" . . . . . .