Winter.
Nahor the assistant to councilman Kolmar makes his way out of the main council building after the meeting has come to an end.
The assistant to one of the more influential members of the ruling council of Kuradum.
Nods to the adjunctant Morris and commander Tracklen who were also in the meeting.
Who have just stopped to talk to one of those in the foreign mercenary army from the lands Farque.
Wherever that is, Nahor the assistant thinks to himself, as he like pretty much everyone else here in the city of Kuradum, or for that matter right across the city-state.
Never knew the lands Farque even existed until a few weeks ago, when the mercenary army from there was hired by the ruling council of Kuradum, in the war against the rebel leader, the councilman Hirrye.
The assistant to councilman Kolmar forces himself to not look back as he wonders what the army commander and his adjunctant are talking about to the mercenary.
The fellow in the black hooded cloak with an odd looking double bladed sword strapped to his back, who rumour says is a mage.
Nahor doesn't believe he is. For the simple reason he wears armour beneath his cloak. And not only does he have that strange looking sword, but also a number of other weapons upon him.
The assistant to councilman Kolmar knows for a fact that spellcasters, especially ones reputed to be as powerful as mages.
Don't wear armour, and carry an assortment of weapons on their body.
He's coming your way, says Mira Reinholt the mage by way of the mindspeech spell that's cast upon him.
The once powerful mage then goes back to the conversation he's having with commander Tracklen and the adjunctant Morris infront of the main building of the council of Kuradum.
All the while keeping an eye on the council functionary by the name of Nahor who is crossing the courtyard.
Nahor exits the council grounds at the northwest corner. And walks westwards along the boulevard that runs through the center of the city of Kuradum.
He can't help but glance away to his left, and look into the first of the city squares in this direction. The city square where the public executions take place.
There on the gallows, still hangs the body of Rahsan. The battalion commander of one of the northern elements of councilman Hirrye's army.
Who was brought in a couple of days ago by the group that travels with the leader of the foreign mercenary army, lord Farque.
Battalion commander Rahsan of the rebel army who was publicly executed early yesterday afternoon.
Much to the delight of the gathered crowd who came to witness the public execution.
Nahor might not know all the details, but he's for certain that the recently executed battalion commander in the rebel army.
Knew an awful lot about the plans councilman Hirrye has for the attack upon the capital city.
The assistant to councilman Kolmar just hopes that the self proclaimed duke of Kuradum, Hirrye.
Knows that the battalion commander was captured somewhere in the north of the city-state of Kuradum a couple of days ago.
Across the wide boulevard, sitting at one of the tables infront of a small bakery come wine shop.
Sits Saanea the witch, who faintly smiles and briefly clasps the hand of her lover, Tamric Drubine the field commander who has just sat down next to her, after he's just gone into the shop to order something for them to eat and drink.
Then the pretty looking witch who hails from the Maldin Hills, goes back to looking across the wide boulevard.
Where the assistant to one of the members of the ruling council of Kuradum has just walked by.
Saanea the witch slightly nods her head as she communicates via the mindspeech spell she is casting.
Nearing halfway along the wide boulevard, Nahor crosses it, and rounds a corner onto one of the streets that heads northwards off it.
The assistant to councilman Kolmar hasn't been able to get away recently as the councilman he serves has been busy.
But today, councilman Kolmar is having the midday meal at home with his family. And he's given his assistant the first half of the afternoon off.
And though Nahor told the councilman he serves that he'll be lunching at one of his favourite inns.
He infact has another destination in mind early in the afternoon, on this cool, but clear winters day here in the city of Kuradum.
The assistant to councilman Kolmar doesn't know it, but he's now being followed by someone.
Further back along the street, walks a fairly tall figure in a grey hooded cloak.
Who glances up into the clear midday sky and spots the crow that's heading northwards.
Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy slightly nods his hooded head as he listens to what Saanea the witch has to say to him, via the mindspeech spell she has cast upon him.
The spy originally from the elven principality of Alínlae, where he previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland.
Glances back up into the sky as he continues to follow Saanea's familiar, which unbeknownst to the assistant to councilman Kolmar, is flying a few hundred feet up, directly above him.
Nahor, crosses the street, and turns onto another one that heads west through the city.
The council functionary has a destination in mind. And though he's pretty certain he's yet to still be found out.
He's pretty cautious in his approach to moving about in the city. Just incase he's being followed by anyone or anything for that matter.
Nahor crosses a number of streets, and goes down a few lanes and alleyways as he continues westwards through the city.
Until he gets to the area of his destination. A residential neighbourhood in the west of the capital city of Kuradum.
He passes a small market in one of the squares in the neighbourhood. Where the stalls are semi-permanent. Unlike the street stalls in the poor quarter, in the south of the city, towards the city wall down there.
Nahor glances out of the corner of his eye, and spots the sign he's looking for.
A red tassel tied to one of the uprights of one of the stalls in the small market.
If it was yellow, his destination would be to the right at the end of the street.
But since it's red, he turns left onto the tree lined street in this particular neighbourhood in the west of the city.
On a rooftop, Helbe the elven thief quietly says "I see it". When Narladene the ground pixie points and says "There it's stopped, and is circling".
The highly talented elven magic user who is blurred and shielded, takes a look at Saanea the witch's familiar in the distance.
And shifts away in it's direction, with Narladene the ground pixie firmly holding onto his right shoulder.
A short time later, and Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy who is in a narrow lane between a pair of houses.
Isn't at all surprised when he hears the voice of Helbe the elven thief right beside him, quietly asks "Which one?".
"The one to our left" is the quiet reply of Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy, who follows that with "The two storey place with the wrought iron fence and gate".
"Keep an eye on the other place down the street, just incase they get some visitors too" quietly says the elven masterthief.
"Will do" quietly says the elven spy who is a company commander in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
Nahor enters the safe house, one of two on this long, treelined street in one of the more quiet neighbourhoods in the city of Kuradum.
He nods to the armed guard in the guise of a mercenary who let him inside.
Then as the guard sits back down on his chair, just to the side of the door he in the entrance way after closing the door.
The assistant to councilman Kolmar heads to the stairs that go up to the second storey of the house.
That many believe is owned by a fairly successful businessman in this part of the city.
But that's just a front, as it's actually used by the forces of councilman Hirrye.
To be exact, one of his spy masters here in the capital city. And one of his most important, if not the most important spy who reports to him.
Is Nahor, the assistant to one of the more influential members of the ruling council of the city-state of Kuradum, councilman Kolmar.
Nahor finds the spy master in his usual place. At a desk in one of the upstairs rooms.
The assistant to councilman Kolmar doesn't have a clue who the man is. Just that he runs the spies in the service of councilman Hirrye, here in the capital city.
"They got" says Nahor the assistant to one of the more influential members of the ruling council of Kuradum.
He's interrupted by the spy master, who holds up a hand, and says "We know" followed by "Some of the others were in the crowd when he was executed".
The spy master, a fairly nondescript looking fellow in his forties, of average height and weight.
Who Nahor, like the other spies in the service of the rebel councilman here in the city of Kuradum. Has no idea of his true identity, or for that matter what his cover is.
Then says to the council functionary "Know if he spilled any secrets to them?".
Nahor shakes his head, then tells the spy master "I assume they know everything he knew" he briefly pauses then adds "Remember they've got plenty of spellcasters, both their own and those in that mercenary army".
The man sitting behind the desk grunts when he hears that as he figured as much as well.
Then he says to the assistant to councilman Kolmar "I understand there was a private council meeting this morning" followed by "What happened?".
As he floats outside the window listening to the conversation of the enemy spy master, and Nahor the assistant to one of the members of the ruling council of the city-state of Kuradum.
Helbe the elven thief is just about to enter the room, when Narladene the ground pixie points and whispers to him "There".
The blurred and shielded elven magic user looks to where the tiny winged creature perched on his right shoulder points to.
He looks closely, then lifts an eyebrow in surprise as he spots the spell he missed when he sensed the two storey house.
"Illusion spell hiding it" murmurs the elven masterthief, the naturally magical creature from the Sunreach Mountains who is attached to him, nods her head in agreement with him.
Then the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel deactivates the hidden warning spell just inside the window that has it's shutters slightly ajar.
Then he shifts inside the room, to get a closer look, and listen to the conversation between Nahor the assistant to councilman Kolmar, and the spy master here in the city of Kuradum for councilman Hirrye.
"Though they went through some of the military plans this morning" Nahor is saying to the spy master.
"I've got a feeling they're leaving a lot of it out in their meetings with the council" continues the assistant to councilman Kolmar.
The enemy spy working as a council functionary then adds "Commander Tracklen and others have been going off and having their own meetings with those mercenary leaders from the lands Farque".
"Can you get yourself into one of those meetings?" asks the nondescript looking man behind the desk in the room.
"No" is the reply from the assistant to councilman Kolmar, who then adds "No one from the ruling council attends them".
The spy master for the rebel leader here in the capital city, grunts when he hears that, then he mutters "Be good if i knew what they were up to".
Then after a slight sigh, the spy master says "So what was discussed in this mornings meeting with the council?".
As Nahor the assistant to councilman Kolmar goes into detail about the meeting this morning between the ruling council of Kuradum, and those in charge of the war against the so called duke of Kuradum, councilman Hirrye.
Helbe the elven thief after a look around at what's in this room on the second storey of the enemy safe house. One of two they have on this long, treelined street in one of the more quiet neighbourhoods in the west of the city.
Reads the minds of both Nahor the assistant to councilman Kolmar, and the spy master to councilman Hirrye, here in the capital city.
The highly talented elven magic user who is blurred and shielded, isn't surprised after reading the mind of Nahor.
After all, he read his mind just a little while ago, when the council functionary was at the council meeting this morning.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel is a little surprised as he reads the mind of the enemy spy master here in the city of Kuradum.
Well, well, well, Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself who briefly debates to himself if he should kill the enemy spy master a little bit later when Nahor has left.
The elven masterthief who is a member of the royal family that rules the principality of Laerel. Who is also a member of the personal council to lord Farque.
Decides against killing the enemy spy master, for the simple reason the man would be more useful alive than dead.
In the war against the rebel army and their leader, councilman Hirrye who is wanting to set himself up as the duke of Kuradum.
The elven master assassin goes unnoticed during the meeting between Nahor and the enemy spy master.
The elven practitioner of magic leaves the same way he entered. And when he's outside, floating in the air next to the partially open window shutters.
He reactives the hidden warning spell that's covered by an illusion, just inside the open window.
As Helbe the elven thief floats up onto the roof, which he walks across it and looks down to the front of the two storey house. Wondering which enemy practitioner of magic cast that cleverly hidden warning spell.
Nahor the assistant to councilman Kolmar, makes his way downstairs and out of the safe house.
And as the council functionary heads back east through the city to the council buildings.
He has no idea that he's being watched and followed by a number of people, all the way back to the center of the city where the grounds of the ruling council of Kuradum is located . . . . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment