To War 121.

Summer. The Province Of Moleau.

After walking up the hillside and coming to a stop, Lisell Maera the scout says "They've moved on, headed north of the town, what's it called?".
"Shelmane?" says Tamric Drubine the field commander, who then adds "Or Shelmarne?" followed by "I'll have to check on the map".
The scout Maera nods her head, and says "Arveem's coming back" she continues with "He says Dargarven is keeping close to them, and watching to see if they'll head back this way".
The young field commander in the armies of Farque nods his head, then looks down to the road, where the army he's in charge of, are heading further north into the province of Moleau.
The nobleborn teenager originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin then looks at the scout he's known for at least half of his life.
"One more defeat for them here, and they'll retreat even further" says Tamric Drubine, or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
"Probably up into Olind by the way things are going" adds field commander Drubine.
The scout Maera nods, then she gestures at the packet ship that's heading back west, the way it came from.
The fast moving single masted Farqian airship, didn't stop long as it delivered missives to one of the three field commanders of the first army of Farque.
"What was it?" asks Lisell Maera or Lis as she's called more often than not, by those who know her well.
"Messages from Jarjin" replies the son of a previous knight of castle Drubine. A castle and its surrounding lands that can be found in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
"The west of the province is looking a lot like here" continues the young field commander who follows that with "After they wiped out that army last week, they've got the others in the area on the run".
"They're falling back right across the province then?" says the tall, young attractive looking woman who is originally from the city-state of Brattonbury.
"Looks like it" says Tam, who continues on with "Even in the east, they're bottled up with what's happening in the Corlinda Corner".
"We heard anything from there recently?" asks the scout Maera, who then adds "With what's happening at that castle you sent Dorc and his battalion to defend?".
"Nothing recently" is the reply from the nobleborn teenager who is a field commander in the first army of Farque.
"I sent out some roving squads yesterday, to go back there to the east, and see how it is" adds Tamric Drubine who follows that with "Should hear something back from them in a day or two".
Lis nods, then as she continues to watch the packet ship disappear to the west in the afternoon sky, on what's been a mild summer's day here in this area of the province of Moleau.
The attractive young woman in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque, quietly asks "Jarjin hear anything about what's going on in the capital with the others?".
"Nothing" replies field commander Drubine who got a message a few days ago, that most of the rest of the group who travels with lord Farque.
Had set off to the capital city Calinar, with the enemy prisoner, general Sumic. Who was captured in a battle against the forces that Tam leads.
In an attempt to win the war, or at least bring it to an end. With lord Gormica of Salmah Forest, who has hired the first army of Farque.
At least getting the terms he's wanting if the war between him and the crown comes to an end.
The scout Maera who like field commander Drubine, is speaking in the elven language, quietly asks "Think they can do it?".
The nobleborn teenager who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin. Only has a basic idea of what the others are attempting to do in the city of Calinar.
The message he got from the councilor, Jarjin Littlefoot wasn't exactly specific.
So he shrugs and quietly says "Who knows?" he briefly pauses before continuing with "But with that lot, anything is possible".
Lis nods in agreement with the young field commander as they both look westwards as the packet ship gets further and further away.
Then the son of a previous knight of castle Drubine, turns and gestures down the hill, and says "Let's head back" followed by "The pace we're going, we'll be at that town before nightfall".
The scout Maera nods in agreement with the young field commander, then the two of them head back down the hill, to rejoin the army that's heading northwards through this area of the province of Moleau.
Once they're back on the road, they jog ahead to where Tam finds his subcommander and others of his staff. Including his lover, Saanea the witch.
The nobleborn teenager who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, has a quiet word with the witch who is from the Maldin Hills.
A short time later, a bird of prey can be seen in the afternoon sky, winging it's way northwards.
Lisell Maera moves further forward, to where she finds the undead heavy foot trooper Arveem has come back.
Who is near the front of the line of march, walking behind some of the forward elements of the cavalry.
The scout Maera nods her head in greeting to the young teenager, Hamblin. Who is the undead heavy foot trooper's assistant.
The attractive young woman from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury. Whose mother was a street prostitute, and whose father. A man she never knew, or for that matter, met. Was a sailor, who plied his trade upon the Great Western Ocean.
Knows that it can't be easy for the young officer in training. And at fourteen, it's surely difficult to be an assistant to one of Farqian undead.
Who doesn't exactly need an assistant of any kind.
But from what Lis has seen, the young teenager who hails from the northwest of the lands Farque.
Has been doing an admirable job in assisting the large, heavily armoured undead being.
"They coming back south at all?" quietly asks the scout Maera as she walks alongside the massive undead Farqian.
"Nope" is the reply of Arveem the heavy foot trooper, who at near seven foot tall, and in excess of three hundred pounds is the largest of all the undead from the lands Farque.
"They're still heading north" continues Arveem, who then adds "Though they're leaving squads behind to see if they're being followed".
The undead heavy foot trooper follows that with "The first lot of them are a couple miles north of the town of Shelmarne". 
"That's the name of it" mutters Lisell Maera.
The attractive young woman who is from the coast of the Southlands, the city-state of Brattonbury to be exact.
Waves over a runner, and gives her a message for field commander Drubine.
The youngster runs back to inform the nobleborn teenager who is in command of this particular force of the first army of Farque.
A little while later, and Tamric Drubine, his lover Saanea the witch. The field commander's subcommander as well as his assistant and others in his staff.
Make their way forward to where the scout Maera is walking with the massive undead heavy foot trooper.
As the army continues on it's way northwards, Lis after listening to Tam and the others for a while.
Heads forward, and soon gets infront of the van of the army, then gets infront of the forward elements.
The scout stretches out her stride as she runs, and a few hundred yards forward of the bulk of the army.
She comes across the first of the scouts and rangers who are out infront of the army.
The attractive young woman who grew up in the poorest of areas of the city-state of Brattonbury.
Who at a young age, was found by lord Farque and the others, and joined the group that travels with the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Has a quick word with the scouts, before continuing forward. Moving at a constant and steady pace.
Lisell Maera who at near enough six foot, is fairly tall for a human woman.
Quickly covers ground as she heads north, occasionally stopping and chatting with others in the scouts and rangers division, which she is part of.
It's later in the afternoon, that the scout Maera who has spotted the town of Shelmarne.
Runs up a hill on a farm less than half a mile from the town, to where a couple of Farqian scouts, are observing it.
After she gets her breath back as they stand beneath some trees, the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury quietly asks her fellow scouts "Where's the scout Dargarven?".
As one scout remains silent as all three of them look at the nearby town, the senior of the two quietly says in elven "North of the town" followed by "He said he'd be close to them as they continue to head north".
The scout Maera wryly smiles, as she wouldn't put it past the undead scout to actually be walking with the enemy as they retreat northwards through the province of Moleau.
"Probably in the middle of them without a care in the world" dryly says Lis.
The senior of the two other scouts chuckles, then says "Probably".
Then in a more serious tone, he nods at the nearby town, as he adds "We might have a bit of a problem".
"Oh?" asks the young woman from the coast of the Southlands, who then asks "What is it?".
Pointing, the senior of the two Farqian born scouts quietly says "You can see them, there and there".
Lis nods, as the older scout quietly says "They left their dead and dying behind so they wouldn't slow them down".
The scout briefly pauses before he adds "There must be over a hundred there who are too injured and wounded to continue".
"Closer to a hundred and fifty" says the other scout, a young woman around the same age as Lis.
The scout Maera nods, then she wonders why Arveem didn't tell her about this, or inform field commander Drubine about it.
For he surely would of sensed the the enemy dead and dying who were left behind in the town of Shelmarne.
Lis suspects he kept quiet about it, so he could see what Tam will decide to do with the enemy who have been left behind.
The younger female scout, points in the sky, and the three of them spot a bird of prey winging it's way southwards above the nearby road.
"The witch Saanea's familiar?" asks the senior of the two Farqian born scouts.
"It is" says Lisell Maera the scout, as she figures Tam probably now knows the situation in the nearby town if Saanea has told him what she's seen through the eyes of her familiar.
Lis remains on the hilltop with the other two from the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
Waiting for the army to arrive, and to see what field commander Drubine will do with the problem of the enemy injured and wounded who have been left behind in the town of Shelmarne.
The scout Maera suspects the enemy who have been left behind, won't survive the night.
On what's been a fairly mild summer's day, here in the middle of the province of Moleau . . . . . .