Winter.
The adjunctant Morris yawns as the sun drops down below the horizon in the west.
On what's been a cold, not to mention tiring winter's day here on the frontlines, in the east of the city-state of Kuradum.
The adjunctant turns as commander Tracklen walks over and tells him "We'll take the wounded back with us, as well as about two hundred of the others".
The commander of the loyalist army who has just spoken with Tamric Drubine the field commander of the mercenary army from the lands Farque, then adds "The other hundred or so will stay here to help with the push north along the lines".
After nodding, the adjunctant Morris says "How many was that from the capital we lose?".
The more junior of the officers continues with "About fifty or so".
Commander Tracklen nods, then says "I'd say so, and about that many wounded".
The senior army commander of the forces loyal to the ruling council of Kuradum quietly continues with "Pretty good all things considered".
He follows that with "We were badly outnumbered even with the four hundred we brought from the capital garrison".
Commander Tracklen, in his early thirties, fairly young to be the senior commander of the loyalist forces, then adds "Even so, we've pushed them back miles today, and the entire southern end of their lines have completely collapsed".
The adjunctant, though tired, faintly smiles at that, then quietly says "Let's hope this continues across the entire nation".
"Let's hope" says commander Tracklen, who then waves over a couple of runners, and one of his junior officers, a subaltern.
And gives them some orders, to prepare for their departure back to the capital city of Kuradum.
A short while later, when dusk has turned to early evening here in the east of the city-state of Kuradum.
A gateway cast by Beldane the cleric forms, the otherside of which is the back marshalling yards of the Kuradum City garrison.
Those heading back to the capital start making their way through the magical portal cast by the powerful cleric who hails from the kingdom of Nastell.
Both commander Tracklen, and his adjunctant Morris follow behind the wounded who are carried and stretchered through the gateway to the capital.
Up on the third storey of the main building of the Kuradum ruling council. The west wing of the large building to be exact.
Nahor the assistant to councilman Kolmar looks out of a window. Across the courtyards and park like gardens this evening. To the city garrison of the Kuradian army.
There in the distance, in the lamp lit marshalling yards in the rear of the garrison.
He spots those who left the city by way of a trio of mercenary warships just before dawn this morning. Returning to the capital by a magical portal of some kind.
The assistant to one of the more influential members of the ruling council of the city-state of Kuradum.
Faintly smiles as he sees that it's wounded making their way through the portal.
Though the smile is short lived on the face of Nahor, as soldiers start making their way out of the portal.
Led by commander Tracklen and his adjunctant Morris. And though the loyalist soldiers appear to be tired.
Even from here, a few hundred yards away in the main council building, the assistant to councilman Kolmar.
Can see the returning soldier's spirits are high, and some of them are even in a jovial mood.
The last through the magical portal are the group of mercenaries led by that lord Farque.
Who is the second to last through the portal, followed by the cleric in the group.
The portal disappears as those who have just returned to the capital by magical means, disperse to their barracks, the infirmary, and elsewhere.
"Damn" mutters the assistant Nahor as he realises those that left the capital this morning, and have just returned. Have had some kind of victory in the east of the city-state.
Where the frontlines of the war between the ruling council, and the rebel councilman Hirrye, are located.
The assistant to councilman Kolmar closes the curtains, and quietly makes his way across the room. And out into the hallway.
He has to leave the council grounds, and inform the spy master for councilman Hirrye here in the city of these latest developments.
After seeing that the wounded are looked after. The adjunctant Morris follows some of the others to the mess hall.
There he gets a quick bite to eat. And something to drink. After having basically nothing to eat or drink since before dawn.
The officer in the armies of the ruling council of Kuradum, who is the assistant to commander Tracklen.
Feels like going to his room in the barracks, and going straight to sleep after the long day of battle.
Where the loyalist army pushed back the enemy along the frontlines in the east of the city-state.
Then he thinks of something else. And as it's his right to do. He leaves the garrison this night. And heads home.
Not his own modest abode that he like a lot of officers in the army have, in a couple of neighbourhoods just in the eastern quarter of the city.
But to his family's home, in one of the wealthy and fairly opulent neighbourhoods in the west of the capital of Kuradum.
Morris, who is from one of the more wealthy and successful families in the entire city-state.
Who joined the army against the wishes of a lot of his family, in particular his parents.
Is soon on the streets in the west of the city where he grew up, and spent the formative years of his life.
The officer in the loyalist army, who might be a bit of a black sheep of his family.
Knows that he's always welcome in his family home. Even though a lot of his family aren't all that enamoured with his career in the army.
As he walks along the treelined streets of his home neighbourhod on this cold winter's evening in the capital city.
The adjunctant Morris is wondering if he should have one of the servants draw him a bath.
Probably should, as he smells quite fragrant after today's battle out in the east of the city-state of Kuradum.
The officer in the loyalist army gets to the street his family's home is on. And like many of the streets in this particular neighbourhod, it's not only treelined.
It's also lamp lit, with lamp posts evenly spaced on either side of the street, usually between trees.
The lamp lighters employed by the ruling council are predominantly busy in this part of the city.
As well as in and around the council grounds in the centre of the capital city.
He gets to his family home, and finds the gates are open this evening. Not that much of his surprise, as his parents often have visitors.
And sure enough, he finds a pair of carriages on the drive infront of the manse like house.
One of which he recognises as belonging to his uncle Daveed. As his uncle's driver and footman are waiting with the covered carriage.
Both of whom greet him, as he's known them for most of his life.
As for the other carriage, he doesn't know who that belongs to. But he suspects it's someone from one of the more wealthy families in the city.
As his uncle often has dealings with them. Usually in business deals which brings a fortune into the family's trading business.
Morris is greeted by the majordomo of the household, Prinket. Who is pleased to see him.
As he like basically all of the servants of the household, have a soft spot for the rebellious member of one of the more wealthy families in the entire city-state.
Who defied his parents, and joined the standing army of the city-state of Kuradum.
And true, Morris could of joined the army and had a pretty easy time of it. As he could of been made a junior officer just a couple of months after joining up if he had wanted to with his family connections.
But that's not him, as he started off as an ordinary foot soldier. An enlisted man.
Who like his friend Tracklen, who came from completely different set of circumstances.
Made his way up through the ranks of enlisted soldiers. Then becoming an junior officer, and up through the ranks.
Before ending up where he is now, the adjunctant to the overall commander of the loyalist army of Kuradum.
Prinket tells him that his mother is visiting friends elsewhere in the city.
And that his father is in a meeting with his uncle Daveed. And the shipping magnate, Golinmar.
Morris recognises the name and nods, and tells the majordomo to have someone draw him a bath.
The officer in the army loyal to the ruling council of Kuradum makes his way down the central hallway here on the ground floor of the large, three storey house.
He knows his father, uncle and the shipping magnate are in the offices at the far end of the house, and heads in that direction.
Morris has been told by reliable sources that his family are indifferent to the war.
Those sources being some of the mercenaries from the Farqian mercenary army.
And though his parents are indifferent. He's just not too sure about how indifferent his uncle Daveed is towards the war between the ruling council, and their former member, the rebel councilman Hirrye.
As for the shipping magnate Golinmar. Morris isn't certain. He doesn't know if the wealthy shipper is sympathetic to councilman Hirrye's cause. As many of the wealthy across the city-state are.
Or even if he's actually on the side of the rebellious councilman, who wants to turn the city-state into a dukedom, with him as duke.
The army officer turns off the central hallway, and is in another hallway that heads to the west wing of the large manse like house.
Morris figures his father, uncle and the shipping magnate are in one of the offices up on the right.
Sure enough, they're in one of the rooms where the door is closed. The adjunctant to the loyalist army commander can hear them on the otherside of the thick door.
He tries to listen to what they're saying, but the door is too thick. And he can't pick up what the three of them are discussing.
Morris thinks about knocking, then thinks better of it. And instead he quietly opens the door to the room next to it.
The army officer who knows his family home back to front. Quietly closes the door behind him.
And makes his way along one wall, to the door that joins this room, to the office his father, uncle and the shipping magnate are in.
Morris faintly smiles, as the adjoining door is slightly ajar. The door has never been able to fully close for as long as he's known.
And the adjunctant to the senior commander of the loyalist army stands just to one side of it, as he listens to conversation in the next room.
"Even so, i don't think it's appropriate" is what Morris hears his father saying.
"To be fair, even though i don't favour any particular side of the war, business has been good under the ruling council" continues his father, who then adds "Even of late during the winter when most things slow down".
"True" is what Morris hear his uncle Daveed say in reply, who follows that with "But it could be better".
The army officer slightly shakes his head, as his uncle was always an opportunist.
"And i guarantee it will get better with this deal I've worked out" says the shipping magnate Golinmar, whose voice Morris vaguely recognises.
"We wouldn't actually be going against the ruling council" adds the shipping magnate, who continues with "Well, at least not here in the city-state".
There's a brief pause, before the shipping magnate says "We'll supply them beyond the borders, and they'll bring it in themselves".
Golinmar briefly pauses again, then says "I've already done it a few times since the war began, and there's been no problems" followed by "Just as long as i don't bring anything over the border, the ruling council doesn't care".
"Even though it's weapons and armour you're supplying their enemy with?" asks the army officer's father.
"Well of course, i don't divulge that" dryly says Golinmar the shipping magnate, who continues with "The ruling council for the most part might not care what business we do with Hirrye and his lot beyond the borders".
He follows that with "But they would get a tad upset if they knew I've supplied weapons, armour and other war supplies to their enemy".
"Tad upset?" is what Morris hears his father say in an incredulous tone of voice, followed by "They'd be royally pissed off is what i say".
He continues with "They find out about that, they'll arrest you and hang up".
After a slight pause the father of adjunctant Morris adds "Likewise if we decide to go in with you and help supply the rebels".
The adjunctant to commander Tracklen frowns as he listens to what's being said.
Then he hears Golinmar say "Even so, will you think about the offer?" followed by "You and your business will make a fortune if you decide to join me".
The frown on the face of Morris deepens when after a few moments of silence he hears his uncle Daveed say "We'll think about it".
The frown turns to a scowl when he hears his father add "Yes, we'll think about it" . . . . . .
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