To War 41.

Summer. The City Of Ramaee. The Province Of Selvah Na. The Kingdom Of Melaurn.

"I don't know why the hell you brought me along" loudly mutters baron Wilmot of Pirtgott.
"You know exactly why" says his twin brother lord Gormica of Salmah Forest, who continues on with "Now sit the hell down, you pacing like that is driving me nuts".
"Good" mutters the baron of Pirtgott, who though glad he's annoying his twin brother, he does sit down on one of the benches beneath the shade of a tree.
The twin brothers, who do not like one another. And until recently were enemies on either side of a war. A war that the younger twin, Gormica won.
Are in the coastal city of Ramaee, in the southern province of Selvah Na.
To be exact, they're in the courtyard of one of the most important local lords here in both the city of Ramaee, and the province of Selvah Na.
The two of them, devoid of their vassals, who remained with their armies up in the province of Corlinda.
Have just met with a group of the most important, and influential of the noble class, to be found here in the province of Selvah Na.
Many of whom, also happen to be the most important traders and merchants here in the port city of Ramaee.
"You know you'll end up having to pay them" quietly says baron Wilmot after a bit of silence between the twin brothers.
The nobleman who led the province of Corlinda in the recent border war with the province of Karricaw and lost, continues on with "They might be the most rebellious of any of the lords in the kingdom" followed by "They also happen to be amongst the wealthiest".
The baron of Pirtgott looks around at the courtyard they're in, and the rather opulent mansion it's in the middle of, and he adds in a dry tone of voice "They're not exactly hard up for coin either".
The lord of Salmah Forest nods in agreement with his twin brother, then quietly says "I know".
Lord Gormica refrains from sighing, before he continues on in a quiet tone with "Paying them is still cheaper than paying for more mercenary soldiers from the lands Farque".
The baron of Pirtgott nods to that, then he and his twin brother Gormica look to a corner of the courtyard, where beneath another of the trees.
Sits the elven envoy of the armies of Farque, who is on a bench, leaning back against the courtyard wall behind him, who is dozing in the midmorning heat.
That's what he appears to be doing. But what Helbe the elven thief is actually doing, apart from listening to the twin brothers on the otherside of the courtyard.
Is watch and listen to the conversation going on inside. As the major players amongst the nobility here in the province of Selvah Na. Discuss what they'll do in relation to the offer from lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
The young elven noble who is from the island principality of Laerel, has a couple of viewing spells inside the room the local lords are meeting in.
And he already knows they've agreed to lord Gormica's proposal. Now they're just discussing, or that should be arguing about. How much the lord of Salmah Forest has to pay them.
And though some are willing to do it for free. As the dislike of the crown and king is strong in the province of Selvah Na. Especially here in the port city of Ramaee.
Others argue that the nobleman from the province of Karricaw should at least have to pay them a decent amount, to join him in what's essentially a rebellion against the crown.
As he sits there beneath the tree in the corner of the central courtyard of the mansion, watching what's going on inside with the local lords.
The highly talented elven magic user who is feigning sleep, goes back to listening to what the twin brothers Gormica and Wilmot are talking about.
"I just hope they don't demand everything you've got" sourly says baron Wilmot of Pirtgott.
As pretty much a lot of the wealth his twin brother Gormica now has, comes from the coffers of the nobility in the province of Corlinda.
And the lion share of that, is baron Wilmot's own fortune. Which his twin brother took as spoils of war.
"I don't think they will" quietly says lord Gormica of Salmah Forest, who continues with "They hate the crown down here, what with them unable to build those ships with reinforced steel hulls to break through the pack ice during the winter".
The nobleman who led the province of Karricaw in the recent border war with the province of Corlinda, and won, then adds "And having to pay extra tax to ship their goods north overland or by air, for more than a quarter of the year, i wouldn't be surprised some of them are willing to go to war for free".
Wilmot of Pirtgott, whose city of the same name, is tiny compared to the port city of Ramaee, which is the second largest city in the kingdom, with only the capital Calinar, which is also a port city, being larger.
Grunts in agreement with his twin brother Gormica, then he says "Still, I'm guessing you'll have to pay something".
The baron of Pirtgott then dryly adds "They're not shy about showing how wealthy they are down here".
As even the stonework here in this courtyard, is way more refined and expertly crafted than what his keep used to look like.
Until it was destroyed during the recent war between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw.
The lord of Salmah Forest can only nod in agreement with his twin brother Wilmot.
Lord Gormica looks around at their surroundings again. And he can clearly see how crude the buildings, keeps and castles of the nobility up in the provinces of Karricaw and Corlinda are.
In comparison to this mansion he and his twin brother Wilmot find themselves in at the moment.
Sitting in the shade of one of the trees here in the courtyard, the lord of Salmah Forest once again wonders how he's got himself in the situation he's in.
Where after being victorious in the border war between the provinces of Karricaw and Corlinda.
He's now in what's essentially a rebellion against the king and crown of the kingdom of Melaurn.
Lord Gormica quietly says to his twin brother "That's why they'll join us" he follows that with "If we're successful they'll be even more richer than they already are".
"That's true" murmurs baron Wilmot, who nods his head when his twin brother Gormica quietly tells him "And they won't be worse off, if we're defeated" he then adds "The rest of the kingdom needs what they grow, and make down here".
The baron of Pirtgott glances sideways at his twin brother sitting on the other bench under the tree on this side of the courtyard.
Then baron Wilmot quietly asks the lord of Salmah Forest "You think we've got a chance?".
The nobleman who led the province of Karricaw to victory in the border war against the province of Corlinda, replies with "As good as any".
Lord Gormica follows on from that with "As good as the king's own are" he then adds "The same can't be said for a lot of their allies from throughout the kingdom".
Gormica of Salmah Forest continues with "True, some are disciplined and know what they're doing" followed by "The vast majority of them aren't, and have never seen any action whatsoever".
Wilmot of Pirtgott nods in agreement with his twin Gormica, then he quietly says "Unlike us, and our armies".
As the lord of Salmah Forest nods, his twin brother Milton glances to the corner of the courtyard, here in the middle of the opulent looking mansion belonging to one of the most important nobles in the province of Selvah Na.
Where the elven envoy named Helbe is dozing beneath another of the trees here in the courtyard.
"Or their army" murmurs the baron of Pirtgott with a nod of his head to where the elven envoy is sleeping.
The lord of Salmah Forest in Karricaw has contemplated hiring more mercenary soldiers from the lands Farque.
But even with the amount he took from the nobility of Corlinda during the war between the two provinces.
He knows he can't afford to pay for another of their armies for any extended amount of time.
Infact it was the elven envoy named Helbe who talked him out of doing that.
And suggested he looked elsewhere here in the kingdom of Melaurn for allies in what's essentially a civil war.
And that the province of Selvah Na is his best bet. As the nobility down here on the southern coast have never got along with the crown. Especially over the last century or so.
The only other choices lord Gormica has is with some of the border lords in the very east of the kingdom in the provinces of Orrinda and Pandilak.
Where Melaurn butts up against The Southern Tundra.
As the nobility there are even more independent that those here in Selvah Na.
Though the nobility out there alongside the tundra. Are more likely to stay out of any potential civil war.
And let the two opposing sides go at it, while they continue to trade and mix with the various barbarian hordes out on The Southern Tundra.
If things fail here in the city of Ramaee, then lord Gormica will have to try to persuade those eastern lords in Orrinda and Pandilak near The Great Southern Tundra.
For even with the army from the lands Farque, and their fleet. He only really has his own army, and that of his twin brother Wilmot's to take on the might of the crown, and the king's allies.
Gormica of Salmah Forest is badly outnumbered, and he knows it. So what he's proposed to the nobles he's met with this morning in the port city of Ramaee.
Has to be successful if he wants any chance of surviving what the crown and king is sending his way.
The lord of Salmr Forest is just about to tell his twin brother Wilmot something.
When both noblemen who are twins, one who rules in the province of Karricaw, and the other in the province of Corlinda.
Turn from where they're sitting beneath a leafy tree on this side of the courtyard.
When they hear a voice in a corner of the courtyard, on the opposite side from where they are, quietly say "They're coming back out".
The twin brothers Gormica and Wilmot share a look. Then the two of them, head over to the otherside of the courtyard.
Where the elf in the white hooded cloak is now standing, looking at one of the set of doors that open up, here into the courtyard that's in the middle of the mansion.
"How do you know they're coming back out?" quietly asks baron Wilmot who is pretty sure the elven envoy is a spellcaster.
Well, Smesall the wizard seems to think he is, the baron recalls. So that's good enough for Wilmot of Pirtgott.
"I can hear them coming this way" truthfully answers Helbe the elven thief.
Then the young elven noble who is from the island principality of Laerel, says to the lord of Salmah Forest "If they agree, make sure you get it in writing".
"I will" says lord Gormica, while next to him, his twin brother Wilmot dryly murmurs "That's if they agree".
That's exactly what the nobles from here in the province of Selvah Na do. When they come out into the central courtyard of the mansion, and give an answer to the lord of Salmah Forest's proposal.
And though lord Gormica, and for that matter baron Wilmot were more than a little worried about how much their counterparts here in the province of Selvah Na wanted to be compensated for them to join up, and take on the crown and the king.
It's actually far less than what the twin brothers thought they might ask for.
The fact that they only want to be paid by the month is a bonus, unlike the Farqian mercenary army whose demands have them being paid weekly.
Lord Gormica rather hopes this potential civil war is over before another month passes.
But he knows anything could happen in a war, especially one fought within a kingdom, essentially a civil war.
After glancing at the elven envoy standing off to one side, then at his twin brother Wilmot.
The nobleman from the province of Karricaw says to their hosts "Shall we write this up then?".
Lord Gormica of Salmah Forest continues on with "The sooner we do, the sooner you can get your armies on the move, and we can take on the crown" . . . . . .