To War 125.

Summer. Melaurn.

In the south of the province of Moleau, not far from the border with the province of Corlinda.
Tamric Drubine the field commander watches as the last of the forces from Corlindia and Karricaw head back towards the border.
Amongst them are lord Gormica of Salmah Forest, and his twin brother, baron Wilmot of Pirtgott.
No longer baron, as he's now the new duke of the province of Corlinda. One of the terms lord Gormica demanded from the crown and the king to end the war.
Gormica himself, didn't want to be duke of Karricaw. So he didn't ask for it.
But the king of Melaurn, king Harmard the Third. Has left the offer on the table for Gormica of Salmah Forest to be duke of Karricaw.
Field commander Drubine kind of hopes lord Gormica will one day take up that offer.
As the nobleborn teenager who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin. Who is now a senior officer in the armies of Farque.
Believes that if there's anyone who deserves to get something out of the war between the crown and king, against many of the nobility in the south of of the kingdom.
Then it's the Karricawian nobleman, lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
The youngest of the field commanders in the first army of Farque.
Turns and looks away to his left, where another of the Farqian troop transporters has just put down.
More of the army will load onboard it for journey back north to the lands Farque.
Now that the war between the crown and lord Gormica has come to an end.
And the crown's forces and their allies have left southern Melaurn, and gone back to the provinces they've come from.
Field commander Drubine looks over to where the camp has come down this morning.
And he smiles when he spots his lover, Saanea the witch. Who is speaking with Lisell Maera the scout. As they head, more or less in this direction.
Then the nobleborn teenager, who is the son of a previous Knight of castle Drubine, which can be found in the north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
Looks up into the sky, when his adjunctant tells him that the command ship is coming in from the north.
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
Spots the krean strikeship approaching far quicker than any airship with masts and sails could ever possibly fly.
The sleek looking mastless warship slows down about half a mile out from the departure site.
And it puts down next to the Quick Gull, which is opposite the transporters and other Farqian warships that are preparing to return to the lands Farque.
There's a brief pause from the army as their lord disembarks from the krean vessel.
They resume once they bow in the direction of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Who is followed by one of his wardogs Anvil, the ork general Dorc da Orc, along with Helbe the elven thief.
The young field commander knows that they've been off, watching the last of the crown's allies return to the province of Calinar.
After the cease of action at the start of the week, when word got to southern Melaurn from the capital city Calinar.
That king Harmard the Third of Melaurn accepted the terms of lord Gormica of Salmah Forest to end the hostilities.
Which was made easier by the revelations at court, at how the dowager queen was using magic to influence those who make the decisions in the palace.
Where magic is banned at court by order of the king.
Slightly frowning as he notices something, Tamric Drubine the field commander quietly says to Saanea the witch and Lisell Maera the scout who have joined him "Is something wrong with Helbe there?".
The senior officer in the armies of Farque continues on with "He doesn't look to well".
"Yeah you're right" says Lisell Maera the scout, with Saanea the witch nodding in agreement, and saying "He doesn't".
As they see the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, isn't at all that steady on his feet.
So much so, that as he and Dorc da Orc follow lord Farque and Anvil. The large ork with a scowl upon his face reaches out and steadies the elven magic user who almost trips over.
Tam thinks about asking his lover Saanea to find out what's wrong with the elf who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque.
But he doesn't bother, as he knows whatever state the elven masterthief is in.
Saanea will never be able to find out magically what's wrong with the highly talented elven spellcaster who is the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel.
As the undead wardog Anvil wanders off to sniff at things, lord Farque gets to them, and points at one of the nearby troop transporters, and says "Lis go and get Tovis".
The heavily armoured deathlord continues in a slightly dry tone with "We've had a change of plans" followed by "He'll be coming with us now".
The scout Maera nods her head, and hurries away to the large triple masted airship that the engineering corp of the first army of Farque are boarding.
Field commander Drubine lifts his eyebrows as he sees that the elven princeling from Laerel looks to be dazed.
So much so, that a grumbling Dorc da Orc as the two of them stop behind the heavily armoured deathlord.
Reaches out again, to steady the elven master assassin who stumbles to a stop.
"Ah" says Helbe the elven thief, who to the lovers Tamric and Saanea, looks like he's hungover more than anything else.
"Is his highness okay?" quietly asks Tamric Drubine the field commander.
"He's fine" sourly says the large, heavily armoured deathlord with a shake of his full helmed head.
Then the undead warlord, who is known by the name of Draugadrottin to the people of his lands, explains "His power of foresight came upon him as we were flying in".
The lord of the death realm then adds "He still hasn't learnt to fucking control it".
Tam nods in understanding as he realises what's happened to the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel.
Then the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, asks "Important?" followed by "Someone?".
"Someone" answers the heavily armoured deathlord.
Both Tam and Saanea nod in understanding. As they know they'll all be off to find whoever it is that Helbe the elven thief has identified.
It's the exactly the same way that the witch from the Maldin Hills was found.
And years earlier, how Tamric Drubine himself was found. All because of prince Helbenthril Raendril's power of foresight.
"Do you know the name of who it is?" asks the young field commander.
"Yes" says the deathlord of Farque with what sounds like relief in his voice.
"And where?" asks the son of a former Knight of castle Drubine, a castle and it's surrounding lands that can be found in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
"Yes" is the sour sounding reply of the undead being who has the elven name of Des'tier, which translates to, The Destroyer.
"Oh where's that?" asks Tamric Drubine as he wonders where they're off too.
"The Southlands" is the annoyed reply of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
With a look at the elven masterthief, who has a weak looking grin upon his face.
Field commander Drubine says "That's not very specific".
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel just nods to that.
While a annoyed sounding grunt comes from the large ork who is from the southern polar region of the world.
And lord Farque mutters "You got that fucking right".
Then with a glance over at one of the nearby troop transporters. Where Lisell Maera the scout is waiting for Tovis the war engineer to farewell his command staff of the first army's engineering corp. One of whom is Heinë the sorceress.
The lord of the death realm turns and gestures at where the krean strikeship and the Quick Gull are off to one side.
On the deck of the small, single masted airship that's originally from the Sultanate of Dreese, which is on the far east coast of the continent.
Is the rest of the group with the exception of Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy.
The others are all looking this way, wondering and waiting for what lord Farque is going to do.
"Might as well go and tell that lot what we're going to fucking do" says Draugadrottin.
Then with Lisell Maera the scout and Tovis the war engineer walking this way.
The undead warlord says to Tamric Drubine, Saanea the witch, Dorc da Orc and Helbe the elven thief "Come on" followed by "The sooner we get going, the better".
"Dalin?" asks field commander Drubine.
"We'll go and get him" replies lord Farque, who then calls out in the ancient language of command to Anvil the undead wardog as they walk over to the Quick Gull, where the rest of the group are waiting.
Meanwhile, in the city of Calinar, the capital of the kingdom of Melaurn.
Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy looks at the tower in the Palace of the King, where the old queen is imprisoned.
Word is that you can sometimes hear her angry screams from up in the tower room she's locked up in.
But this morning, which is fairly cool for a late summer's day here in the port city of Calinar.
It's quiet up in the tower room where the dowager queen will spend the rest of her life, however long that is.
Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy turns, then says "Any problems with her up there?".
"None" is the reply from general Sumic as they continue across the city square, here infront of the palace grounds.
"Which is a relief" adds the general in the King's Own as they followed discreetly at a distance by a few of the general's personal guards.
While they're followed, even more discreetly by a trio of Farqian spies who are out of sight. Who only the spy Tanith knows is around, watching and following them.
They head northwards through the city that's the capital of the kingdom of Melaurn.
As they do, Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
Asks the general in the King's Own "Any other problems you've run into?".
"Not many" replies the highest ranking commoner at the court of the king.
"Some of the allies to the crown here in the province, and over in Sorros are annoyed that the war in the south is over" says general Sumic.
"Though they shut up real quick once they find out what the old queen has been doing for years" adds the common born general, who continues with "They hate the fact that they were probably influenced by her through magical means".
Dalin nods his hooded head as they walk through the streets here in the northern quarter of the city.
Glad that for the meantime, the kingdom of Melaurn is in relative peace.
Now that the dowager queen is no longer the major influence of the crown.
The two of them, the elven spy originally from the principality of Alínlae.
And the general in the King's Own, who is from right here in the city of Calinar, where he grew up in the Palace of the King.
Quietly chat about a number of things as they walk through the northern part of the city this cool morning near the end of summer, here in the kingdom of Melaurn.
Eventually they get to the city gates, in the only wall that Calinar has.
Once outside the city gates, they walk along the road that goes north.
They walk for a few hundred yards, and come to a stop just off to the side of the road.
Less than a couple of miles away to the north, is the lands Farque, where the border with it can be seen.
"Beats the last time we came this way" says Dalin, which causes general Sumic to chuckle, then say "That's for sure".
As the last time they came this way, they were escaping the city after the spy Tanith broke the general out of the old dungeons beneath the Palace of the King.
"I better head back" says general Sumic, who continues with "Still got a lot to do in the aftermath of what's happened".
"Best of luck" says the elven spy who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of the principality of Alínlae.
"And to you" says the general in the King's Own, who after shaking hands with the spy Tanith, heads back along the road to the city.
While Dalin walks away, heading for the nearby border with the lands Farque, on this cool morning at the tail end of summer, here in the kingdom of Melaurn.

Author's Note - Here ends "To War". The main storyline will continue in "The Find".