To War 9.

Summer. The Kingdom Of Melaurn.

In the kingdom of Melaurn. The southern provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw are side by side.
With Corlinda lying to the west. And Karricaw to the east.
Because of the size and shape of the two provinces. Their shared border isn't particularly long.
Less than fifty miles from north to south. In a nation where it's almost eight hundred miles from north to south.
The two provinces that are in conflict with one another, have the southern most province in Melaurn, the province of Selvah Na to the south of both of them.
Where the city of Ramaee is located. Which is the southern most port in the kingdom.
Which in the wintertime it's iced over, as far away to the south of it is the southern polar region of the world.
But now at this time of the year, in the summer, the port city of Ramaee in Selvah Na is busy.
Where an airship from the capital city of Calinar has just landed in the city airdocks. Not far from the harbour and the ports.
Infact you can see the seaside docks from the airdocks, which is only a quarter of the mile from the water.
"Looks like they're here" says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, next to him, Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit nods in agreement as they look at the port from the deck of the airship that's just put in at the Ramaee airdocks.
At the port is a large fleet of foreign vessels from further north in the Southlands.
"They've unloaded too" says Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit, who points then adds "They're just unloading the last of their gear and equipment".
The spy Tanith nods his hooded head in agreement as they stand upon the bow deck of the trading vessel from out of Calinar, that's flown them to the south coast and the city of Ramaee.
Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
Looks through the city, the largest city in southern Melaurn. Searching for something.
The elf who is originally from the principality of Alínlae, where he served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland.
Who is now an officer in the scouts and rangers division in the armies of Farque. Looks at a road that leads north from the city.
He nods his hooded head in that direction, and says to the halfling beside him "They're on the march".
The hobbit, who is not all that he appears to be. Looks to starboard, away to the north. And sees what the elven spy has spotted.
Jarjin Littlefoot who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque, nods his head then quietly says "That's them alright".
As north of the city, is an army of foreign mercenaries on the march northwards through the province of Selvah Na.
No doubt heading to the border it shares with both the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw, it's neighbours to the north.
"Wonder if the local lords here in Selvah Na are bothered that there's an army of mercenary companies going through their lands?" muses Dalin as he and the hobbit beside him converse in the elven language.
"Rather doubt it" says the hobbit, 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 Jarjin Littlefoot.
Just the latest body he's inhabited since he died about fifteen years ago, in a winter war here in the kingdom of Melaurn, up in the province of Sorros.
"Probably paid them off" dryly adds the halfling who is a former air sailor from the Sultanate of Dreese, which lies on the far east coast of the continent, about twelve thousand miles away from the Southlands.
The spy Tanith nods in agreement with the hobbit who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Dalin then turns, and looks at the other passengers who are disembarking from the small, single masted trading vessel that's just arrived here in Ramaee from the capital Calinar.
Every single passenger, are all spies and others in the armies of Farque. Who have been based in the city of Calinar.
Who have come here to Ramaee, now that one of their armies has been hired by the province of Corlinda in the impending war against the province of Karricaw.
The elven spy slightly nods when one of his fellow spies gives a few discreet hand signals to him as she makes her way off the small airship out of Calinar.
"We should get going" quietly says Dalinvardèl Tanith.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods to that. And the two of them head below deck to collect their packs and equipment.
Not long after, and the elven spy and the former air sailor are making their way through the city of Ramaee.
Unobtrusively followed by a small number of assassins in the armies of Farque, who were also onboard the trading vessel that brought them from the capital city Calinar.
It doesn't take the two of them long to find what they're looking for.
They buy a horse and a pony from a olster, as well as saddles and saddlebags.
Not long after that, they've joined a merchants caravan leaving the city that's heading north.
Business and trade out of Ramaee is busy. As many merchants are taking all sorts of goods north to the neighbouring provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw.
As the old saying goes, war is good for business. And business from here in the province of Selvah Na. And the other provinces that border Corlinda and Karricaw. Business is extremely good this summer.
The merchant's caravan they've joined is one of a number of them heading north in the wake of the army of foreign mercenaries heading north from Ramaee.
Some are on the smaller and less traveled side roads that head north.
But the merchant's caravan that Dalinvardèl Tanith and Jarjin aka Zubutai Timaginson have joined.
Is on the main road north out of Ramaee, that goes up through the province of Selvah Na.
As the caravan owner is hoping to do business with the army made up of various mercenary companies from further up north along the coast of the Southlands.
Before the foreign mercenary army gets to the war between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw.
Both the spy Tanith and councilor Littlefoot, hope the merchant is successful in doing business.
As they, like the other spies in the armies of Farque, who are also following the foreign mercenary army.
Want to find out as much information as possible from the various mercenary companies that make up the army that's heading north through the province of Selvah Na to the conflict between the bordering provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw.
The local merchant who was quite pleased to take their coin so they could travel with his wagons.
Waves the elf and hobbit forward, to ride alongside the wagon he's riding on.
"Think you'll get to do business with them?" asks Jarjin Littlefoot, as it's no secret what the local merchants are up to.
Trying to sell their goods and wares to the foreign mercenary companies heading north through Selvah Na.
"Hopefully" says Bedric, a man in his thirties, from Ramaee. Who has six wagons full of goods in this caravan.
Along with his drivers, he has hired guards with him. Including two he just hired before leaving Ramaee.
Who happen to be assassins from the lands Farque, who are actually guarding Jarjin Littlefoot. And aren't all that particularly worried about guarding the merchant's wagons.
"If not, or i don't sell everything, I'll take it into either Karricaw or Corlinda" adds the local merchant, who is a rather stocky looking man, who has been trading goods since his early teenage years.
"One province or the other better for selling goods?" asks the hobbit who is a former air sailor.
"They're about the same" replies Bedric with a shrug of his shoulders, as his caravan goes along a fairly straight section of road, in the middle of some farmland.
Up ahead, they can see the foreign mercenary army just a mile or so away.
"No preference what's so ever" says the merchant in reply to the halfling from the far east coast of the continent, asking him "Got a preference of which province to sell to?".
"They're as bad, or as good as each other really" says the caravan owner, who let the elf and halfling ride along with him and his wagons.
For the simple reason he saw the weapons the spy Tanith has on him. Though those weapons are the only ones Dalin actually wants to be seen. He has far more hidden about him.
Next to the elf originally from the principality of Alínlae, the hobbit from the otherside of the continent, asks the local merchant "Any preference to who actually wins the war?".
The caravan owner shakes his head no, then says "I couldn't care less who wins and losses up there".
From the short time they spent in the port city of Ramaee. They learnt the local population couldn't care less about the war between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw.
The same goes from their time up in the capital city of Calinar.
Where the everyday people on the streets. Couldn't care less about the impending war between the neighbouring provinces in the south of the kingdom of Melaurn, the provinces if Karricaw and Corlinda.
It has nothing to do with them, and it's somewhere else in the kingdom. That's all that matters to them.
"They'll need to keep buying goods no matter what happens" says Bedric the merchant, followed by "Whether they're victorious or not".
He flashes a grin, then adds "It'll be good for business no matter what".
Both the elven spy and the hobbit council member, nod in agreement with the caravan owner. As they ride alongside the wagon he's on.
They keep traveling until stopping in the early evening. When Bedric realises the army of foreign mercenary companies. Are going to keep on marching late into the night.
As Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman sits at a camp fire with Bedric, and a couple of the wagon drivers. Where they share a bottle of cheap distilled spirits after eating dinner.
The spy Tanith slips away into the night. To go and chat with the assassins who undertook some of their training under the tutelage of Helbe the elven thief.
As Dalin speaks with those two from the lands Farque, who are passing themselves off as caravan guards.
The halfling originally from the Sultanate of Dreese, on the far east coast of the continent, nods his head when Bedric tells him "The last of their own supply wagons should pass us in the night".
"If they've got a quartermaster with that lot, i might be able to sell some of my wares directly to him" adds the local merchant, who has found the two strangers he's let ride along with his caravan. To be affable and easy to talk to, especially the hobbit.
Who is infact the first hobbit he's ever actually spoken to. He's seen a handful of them in his lifeline.
But Jarjin Littlefoot is the first halfling he's actually spoken to.
"I think they'll buy from you" says the hobbit from the far east coast of the continent as he hands the bottle of distilled spirits to one of the wagon drivers.
"Especially if it's something they don't already have" adds the former air sailor, who is now a member of the personal council to lord Farque.
Bedric the merchant nods, and says "Lets hope so". Before the bottle is handed to him, and he takes a swig of the distilled spirits.
In the end, the last of the mercenary army's supply wagons goes by in the middle of the night.
Though Bedric does get to speak to some of the drivers and guards, to see what they're taking with them north.
He's satisfied that there's plenty of things the mercenaries will need from him.
And when he and his caravan set off early in the morning. He knows he'll be able to do business with the mercenary companies once they finally come to a stop.
As they head north, Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy and Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit ride at the rear of the wagon caravan.
"What do you think?" quietly asks the halfling who is a former air sailor.
"They're not taking this lightly, that's for sure" is the reply from the elven spy who is originally from the principality of Alínlae.
Jarjin aka Zubutai the son of Timagin nods his head, then quietly asks "They fit in alright?".
"They have no idea they're even amongst them" quietly says the spy Tanith.
As amongst the supply wagons of the mercenary army that went by in the middle of the night.
Are spies and assassins in the armies of Farque, who were onboard the airship that brought Dalin and Jarjin to the southern city of Ramaee.
They're posing as guards and drivers in the supply line of the foreign mercenary army.
And during the night as they passed the camp of Bedric's caravan.
The elf who is an officer in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque spoke to a few of them.
"They're heading to where we expect them to go" says Dalinvardèl Tanith who looks down at the hobbit riding on the pony to his right.
Jarjin Littlefoot nods, then quietly says "Straight to the border between the two provinces".
The halfling who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque is silent for a few moments, then he shakes his head as he quietly adds "That lot they're joining have no idea what's going to hit them" . . . . . .