To War 17.

Summer. The Kingdom Of Melaurn.

"They're definitely not going to retain our services after today" quietly murmurs Helbe the elven thief, followed by "He's admitted as much himself".
On the right shoulder of the young elven noble, the ground pixie Narladene, nods her tiny head in agreement.
"And since none of the others have come across the border, it makes sense" quietly adds the highly talented elven magic user.
As he stands to one side, and watches the army set up camp as they've come to a stop as the sun starts going down in the sky to the west.
The army of baron Wilmot and his immediate vassals have crossed the new border, and are marching across the province of Karricaw.
The baron's allies, the rest of the nobility in the province of Corlinda, have remained behind on the new border.
Or as some of them are already doing, making their way back home. As the border conflict with the province of Karricaw is now over.
And they've won the war between the two provinces. Without having to get their hands dirty. And actually even fight against the enemy.
The baron of Pirtgott has brought with him his army of just over thousand soldiers. Both infantry, and cavalry. Along with half as many camp followers.
He's safe in the knowledge he won't run across any of the enemy. Who have been decimated by the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
The only significant force of worth here in the province of Karricaw now. Is that which belongs to his twin brother Gormica.
Who baron Wilmot asked the elven envoy to allow him and his retreating army to return to the lands known as the Salmah Forest, in the heart of the province of Karricaw.
Because the baron wants to deal to his twin brother himself. As he knows the other nobles back on the border, and in Corlinda.
Don't have any interest in the personal vendetta baron Wilmot has with his twin brother Gormica.
They only wanted the forces of Karricaw defeated, and the border they share with them redrawn.
Both of which have been accomplished, and in quick time too.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, who is the envoy for the armies of Farque.
Has come along with the baron of Pirtgott and his army, to see if baron Wilmot would retain the services of the first army of Farque for another week.
But since he can't really afford to with just himself and his vassals to pay for another week.
As the rest of the nobility in Corlinda are done with the conflict with the province of Karricaw, now that they're victorious.
And no way would they spend coin for another week of the services of first army of Farque.
The elven masterthief has decided to stay with the baron and his army until midnight tonight, when the deal with the first army of the lands Farque comes to an end.
The elf who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque, spots the baron's son Krissner chatting with sir Jinpel.
Who along with the rest of the delegation from the province of Corlinda who worked out the deal to hire one of the armies of Farque.
Was dropped off earlier today by a fast cutter in the Farqian air fleet.
The elven master assassin watches them as they laugh about something, happy in the knowledge that they have defeated the forces of the province of Karricaw.
"Think they'll find his twin brother and his army?" quietly asks Narladene the ground pixie in a murmur as the elven master archer makes his way over to a log, and sits down upon it as the camp continues to be set up.
"Probably" is the murmured reply of the young elven noble who is a member of the royal family that rules the island principality of Laerel.
The highly talented elven spellcaster looks away to the southeast, where in the distance about a mile away near the road.
Is a pile of rubble, which is all that remains of the keep of the local lord in this part of Karricaw.
And next to it, the burnt out remains of houses and other buildings of the village. Whose inhabitants have no doubt fled to somewhere much safer.
At least as they've marched across Karricaw, baron Wilmot has had his army refrain from attacking any of the locals they've spotted.
All of whom run when they catch sight of the army from the neighbouring province to the west.
"He's hell bent on catching his twin brother and killing him" murmurs the young elven noble who is the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel.
"He'll probably do it too" adds prince Helbenthril Raendril, who as usual when he and Narladene speak with one another, speaks in the elven language.
The naturally magical creature, who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains.
Who first met the elven princeling nearly seventeen years ago in the city of Leeabra, the capital of the kingdom of Druvic.
Quietly murmurs to the elven magic user she's attached to "Without our help though".
The grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel nods his hooded head in agreement, as he looks back at the camp being set up by baron Wilmot's army.
Where he watches those of significance, all the while listening to what they say, as well as reading their minds which they're totally oblivious to.
"I never thought it would be this easy" says Krissner the son of baron Wilmot.
"Because we didn't exactly do anything" dryly says sir Jinpel as they stop and watch some of the servants put up the tent of the baron's son.
Sir Jinpel, who is the baron of Pirtgott's army commander, continues with "Things will be a little different when we catch your uncle and his army".
The nobleman who is a vassal of baron Wilmot, nods his head in the direction the baron is standing about thirty yards away, chatting with sir Crissen and sir Holjma. Two of his other vassals.
"There's a reckoning coming after more than twenty long years" quietly says sir Jinpel to his liege lord's son.
"Your father has never forgiven your uncle Gormica for leaving us in Corlinda, and marrying that Karricaw woman" quietly adds the nobleman who is considered the best military mind in the province of Corlinda.
Who along with baron Wilmot's son, Krissner. Got the deal to hire one of the armies of Farque done.
"Those two have to have it out once and for all" quietly says the nobleman who commands the baron of Pirtgott's army.
Sir Jinpel knows he's more than a little bit disingenuous saying that about the twin brothers Wilmot and Gormica.
As he's pretty certain lord Gormica couldn't care less about his brother Wilmot nowadays.
As he's well and truly left behind his life he had previously in the province of Corlinda.
Infact, the lord of Salmah Forest has only returned to Corlinda once since he first left.
And that was to see his nephew Krissner, not all that long after his twin brother's son was born.
It's pretty apparent to those in the know. That lord Gormica isn't interested in having any kind of feud with his twin brother Wilmot.
Unlike the baron of Pirtgott, who has never forgiven his twin brother from leaving their home province.
And marry a noblewoman from the province of Karricaw. The neighbouring province that over the years has been in conflict with those in the province of Corlinda.
"Hopefully we'll be the victors against your uncle too" quietly says sir Jinpel the army commander, as the two of them stand back, to allow servants to carry things into the tent that's just been erected.
"Let us hope so" quietly says Krissner, the son of baron Wilmot.
The young noble, who is in his late teens, and as of yet, not yet twenty. Looks away to where his father is, and wonders what he's discussing with the vassal knights, sir Crissen and sir Holjma.
"I'll have to ask Jinpel about it" says baron Wilmot as he sits down on the camp chair one of his servants has put out infront of his command tent, that's just been put up.
"I don't want to lose too many of our men even though we outnumber my brother's army by a fair bit" adds the baron of Pirtgott as his two vassals take a seat on a bench the servants put infront of the command tent.
The baron who has led the forces of the province of Corlinda in the border conflict against those here in the province of Karricaw, looks around and asks "Where's that envoy?".
"Over there my lord" replies sir Crissen a few moments later, who nods to where he has spotted the elven envoy sitting on a fallen tree.
The baron of Pirtgott slightly grunts, and says in quiet tone "I've quietly mentioned to him that we will no longer require the services of their army" followed by "But he insists on staying until the time we've paid up to".
The vassal knights sir Crissen and sir Holjma nod at that, though only after they glance sideways at one another without the baron noticing.
The two of them, along with the nobility who remained behind on the border, and those who are taking their armies back home.
Would of preferred if baron Wilmot had the mercenary army from the lands Farque wipe out lord Gormica and his army.
But alas the baron of Pirtgott is hell bent on dealing to his twin brother and his army, himself.
The two vassal knights know that the Farqian mercenary army could of easily wiped out lord Gormica and his army by now.
Even before the time runs out, before the province of Corlinda would of had to pay the mercenary army from the lands Farque for another week.
Now, they find themselves marching across Karricaw to the heart of the province, to track down the lord of Salmah Forest, to wipe him and his army out.
And though his vassal knights would never say anything against baron Wilmot and the decisions he makes.
They do know this could of been handled differently. And that they could of had a true, all encompassing victory over the province of Karricaw by now.
The three nobles from the province of Corlinda quietly chat as the baron's servants prepare dinner.
A short time later they're joined by baron Wilmot's son, Krissner. Along with the army commander, sir Jinpel.
They're eventually joined by the elven envoy, Helbe the elven thief when nightfalls, and dinner is served.
The early evening is warm, though not overly so. And they have a rather comfortable time of it as they enjoy the evening meal.
Even the elf representing the first army of Farque jokes around with the noblemen from the province of Corlinda, here in southern Melaurn.
The elven princeling who figures if he likes anyone out of the nobleborn here, it's young Krissner, along with sir Jinpel the army commander.
Couldn't really care less about the baron himself, and the other vassal knights.
The elven spellcaster is just glad they all paid the agreed upon amount to hire the first army of Farque for a week.
And didn't have any problems of significance to deal with as they hired one of the armies from the lands Farque.
Later in the night, and as the camp settles down, as many seek their tents.
Narladene the ground pixie appears on the right shoulder of prince Helbenthril Raendril and whispers to him "The lord is heading this way" followed by "On the strikeship".
"How far away?" murmurs the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel.
"Just over twenty miles away" is the murmured reply of the tiny winged creature who can easily sense an airship that far away.
"They'll be here fairly soon" quietly adds the naturally magical creature who is attached to the elven princeling.
The elven masterthief is still outside of baron Wilmot's command tent, and along with the baron has just said goodnight to the baron's son, Krissner. Who has gone off to his own tent.
Helbe the elven thief looks over at the baron of Pirtgott, who is drinking some wine as he sits upon his camp chair, and says to him "I guess I'll be leaving then".
"Oh?" says baron Wilmot, who follows that with "It's not yet the middle of the night".
With a slight shrug of his shoulders, the elven master assassin says "No real need for me stay until our hire is up".
The nobleman who has led the province of Corlinda in the border conflict with the province of Karricaw, nods then gets up out of his camp chair, and asks "It's late, will you need a horse, and an escort?".
"I'll be fine" says the elven master archer with a slight smile upon his face.
Baron Wilmot nods, then says "Fare you well then envoy".
"And you too baron" replies prince Helbenthril Raendril who then adds "Best of luck in your campaign against your brother".
"Thank you" says the baron of Pirtgott, who waves goodbye to the elf in the white hooded cloak, who nods to him, before walking away through the camp.
It doesn't take long for the elven masterthief to make his way out of the camp and disappear, as he blurs himself.
"Which way are they coming from?" quietly murmurs Helbe the elven thief.
"The southeast" is the reply from Narladene the ground pixie.
The elven magic user she's attached to, heads in that direction, by shifting that way.
It's not long after, and the elven princeling is looking up into the night sky, and sourly saying "Why do they always have to be so damn high up?".
Narladene just grins, and holds onto his right shoulder as she senses he's about to cast.
The highly talented elven spellcaster has to teleport up into the night sky. And a few moments later, he's over ten thousand feet above the ground, on the deck of the krean strikeship that lord Farque uses as his command ship.
Where to his surprise, Helbe the elven thief finds Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, and Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit onboard.
The two of them are with Mira Reinholt the mage and Shur Kee the monk.
And when the elven envoy joins them, they all turn as lord Farque makes his way up onto the flat, mastless deck of the krean vessel.
The undead warlord makes his way to them, and after looking around at the night sky, lord Farque looks at the elven princeling and tells him "We've got a new hire".
"Oh?" says Helbe the elven thief in a tone of surprise.
The young elven noble who is a member of lord Farque's personal council, is even more surprised when the heavily armoured deathlord tells what the hire actually is . . . . . .