To War 13.

Summer. Border Region. Corlinda & Karricaw. In Melaurn.

The baron of Pirtgott, baron Wilmot is up in early in the morning, well before sunrise.
And he makes his way from the house he's been living in, here in the village just a quarter mile from the border.
He makes his way to the house up on a slight rise, that gives the best view away to the east, out to the border and the province of Karricaw.
A yawning lord Milson approaches from the right, and the two of them after greeting one another, make their way to the house that's the best lookout in the village.
They climb the ladder that's up against the back of the house, and make their way up onto the roof.
Where they find sir Crissen already up here. Their fellow noble greets them.
Then the three of them look to the east, and wait for the sun to rise. To show them the enemy this morning.
Before the sun comes up, and dawn breaks. A couple of servants bring up onto the roof, something to eat and drink for the trio of noblemen.
Although the baron of Pirtgott and his vassal sir Crissen don't eat and drink much this morning.
The disheveled looking lord of Mottman Deep eats and drinks enough for all three of them.
Lord Milson downs all three mugs of ale, and eats at least half of the food to break their fast before the first light of the day appears in the east.
As dawn breaks, baron Wilmot the chief protagonist in the conflict between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw.
Looks across the border at the enemy army, camped over there. An army led by his twin brother Gormica.
Then as some of the officers and others make their way onto the roof of the house.
And even more of them stand out infront of the house, and look to the east across the border.
As they do every morning as they've built up their own army on this side of the border.
Baron Wilmot quietly asks his staunch ally, the lord of Mottman Deep "Get anything out of him?".
After burping, and wiping a forearm across his bearded face, lord Milson says "Nothing".
The disheveled looking nobleman who has a battleaxe he takes with him everywhere, which as usual, is strapped to his back, continues with "Smesall still can't find out anything".
Referring to the wizard Smesall, who is from Mottman Deep.
"He's definitely a spellcaster this elf" adds lord Milson, the baron along with his vassal knight nod in agreement.
"Think they're attacking that mercenary army coming up through Selvah Na?" asks sir Crissen, who waves across the border to the neighbouring province as he adds "Or their supply lines further to the east over there?".
It's the questions they've been asking themselves, ever since the elven envoy suddenly showed up yesterday morning.
And informed them that they had finally secured the services of one of the armies of Farque.
And that, that army is now somewhere here in the south of the kingdom of Melaurn.
Where exactly, the baron of Pirtgott has absolutely no idea. Nor do his allies, vassals and officers.
As the sun continues to rise in the east, on what it feels like is going to be another warm summer day along the disputed border region between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw.
Helbe the elven thief makes his way through the village, heading to the house that the local nobles and their officers observe the enemy from.
When he gets to the house, the elven magic user nods his hooded head to the guard next to the ladder at the back of the house.
The guard waves him up, and the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, climbs it to the roof.
"Good morning gentlemen" says Helbe the elven thief to the trio of noblemen who turn to look at him, when one of their officers gestures in his direction.
After baron Wilmot, sir Crissen and lord Milson greet him, the elven masterthief joins them near the front of the roof.
"Any movement so far this morning?" asks the elven master assassin with a nod of his hooded head towards the army across the border.
"No nothing" replies baron Wilmot, who tends to do all the talking to the elven envoy who represents the army of Farque, whose services the nobility of the province of Corlinda, have secured for their war against their neighbours in the province of Karricaw.
"Why?" quickly asks the baron of Pirtgott, who then adds "Are you expecting them to?". As he looks sharply at the elf who stands taller than him.
"Maybe" says the elven envoy with a laconic shrug of his shoulders.
The young elven noble who is the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel.
Who is indeed expecting movement over in the enemy army camp just across the border sometime today.
"I'd have some of your pathfinders" says the elf who is a member of the personal council of lord Farque, who uses the alternative name for ranger, which is quite common here in the kingdom of Melaurn.
"Keep a close eye on them all the same" adds the highly talented elven spellcaster.
The baron, the chief protagonist in the conflict concerning the border between his home province of Corlinda, and their neighbours to the east in the province of Karricaw.
Looks at the elven envoy, then slowly nods his head. Baron Wilmot calls over one of his officers, and quietly gives him an order.
As the officer hurries away, and makes his way down off the rooftop.
The elven master archer looks further away to the east in the province of Karricaw.
And his elven eyes spot what the humans won't see for a while.
A couple of riders on the road in that direction, riding their mounts as hard and as fast as they can towards the enemy army.
The elven princeling looks even further eastwards, and spots an airship heading this way to.
It's a local trading vessel by the looks of it. As what few warships both the provinces of Karricaw and Corlinda have.
Are far from the disputed border area between the two provinces.
Helbe the elven thief glances at his right shoulder, where Narladene the ground pixie, who only he can see, is standing.
The elven magic user slightly nods in the direction of the riders in the distance, and the airship even further east, heading this way to the border.
The naturally magical creature who hails from the Sunreach Mountains, nods in understanding.
Then the tiny winged creature who is attached to the young elven noble, takes off, and starts flying eastwards.
As the two of them have been expecting something like the oncoming riders, and the airship heading this way.
"You know what" says prince Helbenthril Raendril, who slightly grins as the three local nobles standing next to him, look sideways at him.
"I think they're going to find out something important fairly soon" continues the elven envoy representing the armies of Farque, who after a pause for a moment or two, adds "And they're not going to like it".
Baron Wilmot lifts an eyebrow, but he remains silent as they watch the army just across the border in the province of Karricaw.
Then a little while later, one of the lookouts on the right front corner of the roof, calls out "Airship to the east!".
"It's a trading vessel" calmly says envoy Raendril, when the baron of Pirtgott looks at him, as the local nobleman knows that elves have far superior eyesight in comparison to humans.
"Nothing to worry about, it's not a warship" adds the elven master assassin, who is a member of the royal family that rules the island principality of Laerel.
Baron Wilmot nods in relief, then the nobleman who has forced the issue concerning the border between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw.
Quietly says to the elven envoy, and his fellow noblemen, sir Crissen and lord Milson "Must be a supply ship, or there's a messenger onboard".
Definitely the later, the young elven noble thinks to himself, who after a few moments of silence, points and says "Look".
The baron of Pirtgott frowns as he looks to where the elven envoy points.
Then the nobleman who not only wants to see a change in the border between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw.
But also wants to see his brother Gormica humbled, and defeated. And truth be told, dead too.
Spots what the elf in the white hooded cloak standing right next to him has pointed out.
It's a pair of riders on the road to the east of the enemy camp over in Karricaw.
Who are thrashing their horses, already blown them out. As they ride as quickly as possible towards the army of Karricaw.
"They're in a hurry" loudly murmurs lord Milson, as they watch the two riders and their mounts, hurry towards, then into camp.
As they're recognised by those on guard duty on the road just before the camp of the army of Karricaw.
"Something's happening" muses the baron of Pirtgott, as they watch the pair of riders who have just arrived in the enemy camp.
Be bustled into what looks like the command tent of the army of Karricaw.
Helbe the elven thief glances at his right shoulder where Narladene the ground pixie has just appeared.
The elven envoy representing the armies of Farque listens to what the naturally magical creature whispers into his right ear.
The elven princeling from the island of Laerel slightly nods as what Narladene has found out is what they've been expecting.
"Something has definitely happened" says baron Wilmot as they see people run from the command tent in the enemy camp across the border.
While the airship comes in and lands just behind the enemy lines.
No one on the rooftop of the house, watching what's happening over on the Karricaw side of the border says anything for a while.
Then the lord of Mottman Deep, lord Milson says "Movement on their left flank" as all of a sudden the enemy camp is a hive of activity.
"Damn, they're going to attack" says sir Crissen.
And before baron Wilmot can call out any orders, prince Helbenthril Raendril of Laerel says "I think not".
The trio of nobles here on the roof look at the elven envoy, who grins and says "Wait and see".
In reply to the baron of Pirtgott demanding "What do you know elf?".
As the wizard Smesall makes his way up onto the rooftop, as the army here on the Corlinda side of the border is on high alert, as there's movement in the enemy camp across in Karricaw.
The elven masterthief says "There you go" after a frowning lord Milson says "That company over there is taking off".
As they watch part of the right flank of the enemy depart after hastily breaking down their section of the camp.
As that company heads east in a hurry. There's movement throughout the forces over the border in Karricaw.
As various companies, under each of the nobles, leave the camp. And head back east into Karricaw.
Some don't even break down their section of the camp. They just leave in a hurry.
Most on foot, while servants and camp followers hustle to pack up things, and follow them with their wagons.
An entire company of cavalry leaves in a hurry, following the nobleman who leads them.
And in a short time, easily a fifth of the enemy army has left, or is on the move. Heading back eastwards in a hurry.
While the rest of the enemy army is milling around, wondering what's going on.
Looking at the elf standing to his right, baron Wilmot says to him "Alright, what's going on here?".
"It looks like you're winning your war against your enemy" says Helbe the elven thief who continues on with "That's what's going on here".
As he nods his hooded head in the direction of the enemy camp across the border, which is a hive of activity at the moment.
Then the baron of Pirtgott, along with his vassal sir Crissen, and his staunchest ally lord Milson, and the wizard Smesall all look at one another, then they look at the elven envoy.
"I expect more of them will depart throughout the morning" says the elven master archer, who follows that with "Infact, I'm pretty sure they'll all retreat eastwards by the end of the day".
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel then dryly murmurs "It'll take a bit of time for all them to get word at what's happening".
"And why would they all leave the border, and head east?" asks the baron who leads the forces here on the Corlinda side of the border.
The highly talented elven magic user who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque is silent for a few moments.
Before he answers baron Wilmot, and tells him and the others why the enemy army is breaking apart, and heading back east.
There's complete silence on the rooftop of the house they observe the enemy army from.
The baron of Pirtgott is in shock, as are the others on the roof with him after hearing what the elven envoy has just told them.
Helbe the elven thief with an eyebrow arched, says to the nobleman who leads the forces of Corlinda "Well, you hired us to win this war for you, didn't you?".
"Yes" eventually says baron Wilmot who is still stunned at what's happened.
"Yes we did" adds the baron of Pirtgott who never thought something like this would happen when he and the others decided to hire one of the armies from the lands of Farque.
"Well" says prince Helbenthril Raendril who gestures at the enemy camp across the border that's in a disarray, and continues with "We're winning this war for you".
The elven masterthief briefly pauses, before he adds "Infact, I'm pretty sure we've just won it for you" . . . . . .