The Thick Of It 44.

Winter.

The adjunctant Morris is scrambling on his armour and cloak as he follows the foreign mercenary out the door.
"Our scouts have been out, and they've found that the enemy has made a major mistake" says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy as they cross the marshalling yard.
"The one's coming up from the south?" asks the adjunctant Morris, who has finally got on all his armour, and is now putting on his cloak.
The elven spy originally from the principality of Alínlae, where he served in one of the more important noble houses of his homeland, nods his hooded head yes.
"They've been bogged down on the main road down there for the last few days so much" explains the spy Tanith who is a company commander in the armies of Farque.
"That they've put a lot of the following supply wagons, and siege engines on the lesser used roads down there" continues Dalinvardèl Tanith who is more commonly called Dalin by those who know him well.
The elven spy briefly pauses before he adds "Without much of their forces protecting them, or if any at all".
The adjunctant to commander Tracklen almost trips over hearing that, but he keeps his feet, then says "Why the hell would they do that?".
"Complacency, arrogance, all manner of things" says the spy Tanith who follows that with "Who knows".
The two of them make their way around the storage warehouse on the otherside of the marshalling yard behind the barracks, here in the center of the city.
There they find a group of about thirty Kuradian loyalist soldiers, and half a dozen black clad Farqian soldiers.
As well Lisell Maera the scout, Saanea the witch, and Beldane the cleric.
"You'll take command of your fellow soldiers" quietly says Dalin to the loyalist officer who is the adjunctant to commander Tracklen.
"What exactly are we going to do?" asks Morris, who is part of one of more wealthy and successful families here in the capital city Kuradum.
Who joined the army when he was a teenager against the wishes of many of those in his family.
"A hit and run attack" is the quiet reply of the elven spy who is a company commander in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
The adjunctant in the loyalist army slightly frowns as he spots small barrels on the ground infront of his fellow soldiers.
And as he turns to ask the elven mercenary soldier what they're for, the spy Tanith quietly tells him "The scout Maera will inform you of our plans".
Dalin waves over Lisell Maera, and as the scout who hails from the city-state of Brattonbury makes her way over.
The elven spy originally from the principality of Alínlae, walks over to where the two spellcasters are standing in the dawn light, of what's a cold winter's day here in the capital city of Kuradum.
"You know where?" quietly asks Dalinvardèl Tanith in the elven language.
"I do" replies Beldane the cleric in the same language as they look over to where Lisell Maera is quietly explaining things to the adjunctant in the army loyal to the ruling council of Kuradum.
"We're ready" says the powerful cleric from the kingdom of Nastell in response to Dalin quietly asking him "Ready?".
"Just give us the go ahead, and I'll take us there" says the fighting cleric who is a member of the church of Glaine, a god predominantly worshiped in the north of his homeland, Nastell.
"We'll look down at it, about thirty yards up a hill, there's scrubby trees between it and us" says the powerful cleric in the half plate armour.
Dalinvardèl Tanith nods his hooded head in understanding, as he knows Beldane knows a lot of the roads, villages and towns throughout the city-state of Kuradum.
As the group spent a few weeks traveling throughout the city-state before they were even hired by the ruling council of Kuradum.
The company commander in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque, looks at the witch from the Maldin Hills, and quietly tells her "Get as much as you can, as quickly as you can".
"I will" replies Saanea the witch as her familiar, in the shape of a crow at the moment, lands upon her right shoulder.
Then the three of them look over at Lisell Maera and the adjunctant Morris.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury nods her head to signify that's she's informed the loyalist officer to what to do.
"Alright, let's do this" quietly says Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy to Beldane the cleric.
Then the elf who is a company commander in the armies of Farque, switches to the common language, and says to the gathered soldiers "Form up".
The loyalist Kuradian soldiers form up, carrying the small barrels as they do so.
Then Dalinvardèl Tanith looks at Beldane the cleric, and nods his hooded head.
The powerful spellcaster from the kingdom of Nastell starts casting, and a few short moments later, a gateway starts to form.
Once it's formed, the black clad soldiers from the lands Farque along with Lisell Maera the scout rush through the magical portal.
They're followed by the soldiers loyal to the ruling council of Kuradum, the adjunctant Morris leading the way.
Saanea the witch goes through after her familiar flies through the gateway cast by the fighting cleric.
Then Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy goes through, and finally Beldane the cleric goes through his spell.
"There" quietly says Lisell Maera the scout who points away to the right as the sun rises in the east, on this cold winter's day in the south of the city-state of Kuradum.
Saanea the witch nods her head, while further behind them Beldane the cleric is the last one through the gateway, which he keeps open.
"The dumb bastards camped on the road" mutters the adjunctant Morris as his fellow loyalist soldiers stack the barrels, that reek of naphtha and pitch.
While down the hill, and to the right lies a road beyond some fairly short trees and scrub that has a sprinkling of snow upon them.
There's a number of the enemy, who have made camp upon the road down there.
A camp that's just breaking up on this cold winter's morning in this part of southern Kuradum.
Though the enemy aren't soldiers as such, as they're more camp followers than anything else.
As there's at least thirty supply wagons stretched out along the muddy road that's dusted with snow. As well as a number of carts and pack horses.
Having seen the enemy who are soon to get underway for the day, Saanea the witch already acts.
And a bunch of the barrels fly off down the hill, in the direction of the enemy supply wagons.
Beldane the cleric joins her, and a large chunk of the barrels they brought through the gateway from the capital.
Lift up off from the ground, and head down hill. Passing over the trees, and scrub on their way to the enemy on the road.
Then shouts can be heard from down below, as the first of the barrels smash into wagons and carts.
Or hit the makeshift tents that many of the enemy camp followers and wagon drivers spent the cold night in.
The spy Tanith doesn't even have to give the order to light them up. As first the witch from the Maldin Hills. Then the powerful cleric from the kingdom of Nastell. With different spells, ignite the naphtha and pitch that's splashed everywhere from the broken barrels.
"Hell" mutters the adjunctant Morris as wagons and carts, as well as people down on the road, instantly go up in flames.
Beldane and Saanea send more of the barrels flying down to the road where the flames are spreading.
As the intention of the hit and run attack, is to destroy all of the wagons and carts as quickly as possible.
Barrels ignite as they pass through the spreading flames, before smashing into wagons and carts that are yet to catch on fire.
People down on the road attempt to put out the flames to no avail. In doing so, that catch on fire themselves.
After sending some more of the barrels flying towards the chaos down on the road.
Saanea the witch after quickly looking through the eyes of her familiar, which is heading back this way, says to the spy Tanith "Their army is on a road about four miles to the west of here".
The pretty looking practitioner of magic who hails from the Maldin Hills, then adds "They're just getting underway for the day".
Dalin nods his hooded head, then looks over at the fighting cleric in the church of Glaine, who has just levitated the last of the barrels down amongst the fire and flames on the road.
"That sorceress of their's will know about us if she senses in this direction" says the powerful cleric originally from the kingdom of Nastell.
The elven spy who is a company commander in the armies of Farque, nods his hooded head, then says "Time to head back".
"Back through the gateway" orders Dalinvardèl Tanith to the rest of those who have come from the capital this morning.
First back through the open gateway are the half a dozen Farqian soldiers, along with Lisell Maera the scout.
Then the Kuradian loyalist soldiers and the adjunctant Morris hurry back through the magical portal.
Saanea the witch goes through next, with her familiar flying over here, and through the gateway as she does so.
After one last look down at the burning wagons and carts on the nearby road.
Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy heads back to the capital city via the gateway.
Then lastly it's the fighting cleric himself, Beldane. Who heads back to the city of Kuradum via the gateway he's cast.
Which disappears once he's on the otherside, and back in the capital of the city-state.
It's one of councilman Hirrye's personal guards who is the first to spot it.
As he's walked away, and taken a piss. Looking off to the east as he does so. Spotting the smoke in the distance, on this cold winter's morning in this part of southern Kuradum.
He hurries back to the others who are about to get underway for the morning.
As the rebel army is about to resume it's march northwards towards the capital city of Kuradum.
After he informs the rebel councilman what he's spotted. The rebel leader looks around and calls out for the sorceress Losmena.
"Some of our supply wagons are that way, aren't they?" asks councilman Hirrye.
"Yeah on the road over there" says subcommander Phogarn, who is the assistant to the self styled duke of Kuradum.
As they wait for the teenage sorceress to join them just off to the side of the main road through the southern part of the city-state of Kuradum.
There's a concerned look upon the face of the rebel officer who is the assistant to councilman Hirrye as he looks away to the east.
And against the sky, and the sun that's rising up in that direction. He's sees the amount of sooty black smoke in that direction too.
Then when the sorceress Losmena joins them after coming from her tent, that's just been taken down.
The rebel leader tells general Ukaj to get the army moving, then councilman Hirrye points eastwards to the smoke in that direction, and tells the powerful sorceress "Get us there".
The practitioner of magic, who is still a teenager, looks away to the east, then nods her head.
And a short while later, Losmena the sorceress, subcommander Phogarn, and councilman Hirrye.
As well as four of the rebel councilman's personal guards are on a road, four miles away from where the army camped for the night.
There's silence from them as they look down the road, as less than thirty yards away, is the remains of the supply wagons and carts who were using this road.
As the main one the army is on, is a muddy mess, that the army is getting bogged down on every now and again as they head north.
There's a handful of survivors from the early morning attack, mostly riders, and their pack horses.
Who are standing off to the side of the road, looking at the destruction along the road in disbelief.
"Fuck" mutters councilman Hirrye as he finally breaks the silence, as a few wagons and carts continue to burn further down the road.
Then he turns and asks his assistant "How many did we have in this line?".
"About thirty wagons" is the reply of subcommander Phogarn, who continues with "And a similar number of carts".
The so called duke of Kuradum grimaces when he hears that. Though he's glad the line of war machines, and siege towers further south along this road, haven't been attacked.
Or for that matter, the much longer supply line on a road further to the west of the main one the army are traveling on, as they head north towards the capital of the city-state of Kuradum.
"Smells like pitch" quietly says one of his personal guards.
"And naphtha too" adds another of the personal guards to the rebel leader.
Councilman Hirrye looks over at his assistant, who nods his head in agreement to what the guards just said.
Then the self styled duke of Kuradum looks at the attractive young sorceress, and asks her "Any sign of the attackers?".
Losmena who has her eyes closed, and has been casting a spell to locate whoever it was that attacked the supply wagons.
Opens her eyes, and tells the rebel councilman "No sign of anyone that i can find".
Councilman Hirrye grimaces once again, then again mutters "Fuck".
As smoke continues to rise up into the air from the last of the burning wagons and carts.
On this cold, winter's morning in this part of the south of the city-state of Kuradum . . . . . .