Soldier Of Gods 13.

Tuledare. 

He figures the city of Tuledare must have some of the largest squares of any city in all of the Southlands. 

Only maybe the city of Leeabra, the capital of the kingdom of Druvic, which has a number of great squares, are bigger than those found here in the city of Tuledare. 

He looks across one such square, to where the large building, that's the chambers of the ruling council of the city-state of Tuledare, stands. 

After watching a number of people go in and out through the open doors, to the side of the main doors that are firmly shut. 

Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy turns around and walks from the massive square, heading into a nearby lane that leads away from the center of the city. 

Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well. Is heading towards the south of the city. To one of the inn's located in that part of the city. 

The elf who hails from the principality of Alínlae, where he previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses in that particular elven principality. 

Glances up at the sky from beneath the hood of his gray cloak. To see that cloud is starting to roll in this afternoon, on what was previously a clear and sunny autumn day, here in the city of Tuledare. 

The elven spy in the Armies of Farque, hops over a low fence, and cuts across a courtyard behind a building. 

Dalin goes around the building, and comes out onto one of the more quiet streets in this part of the capital city. 

The spy Tanith crosses the street, and ducks into an alley between two buildings. Out the other side of the alley, and onto another street. Where he turns left, and follows a pair of hobbits pushing a cart, half full of vegetables. 

The elven spy who now holds the rank of commander in the Armies of Farque, after following the pair with the cart for a while, before turning right into one of the lanes that runs off this particular street. 

After a group of grumbling dwarves go by. Merchants complaining about how the war is affecting their businesses. 

The elf originally from the principality of Alínlae, then hears an all too familiar female voice whisper in his right ear "We're here in the city". 

Dalinvardèl Tanith nods his hooded head, then continues to listen to Narladene the ground pixie whisper "We'll be at that inn you're using". 

The elven spy nods his hooded head, and the voice, as well as Narladene herself is gone, as the invisible ground pixie has flown away. 

Dalin hops over a sleeping dog, then once he gets to the end of the street he's on, the spy Tanith briefly stops. 

The commander in the Armies of Farque looks away to his right, at one of the army barracks here in the city. 

This one in the southern quarter of the capital city, in peacetime is primarily used to house calvary units, that usually patrol the trade routes south through the disputed lands to the city-state of Phamal. 

But now that the two city-states are at war, it's main purpose is that it's the recruiting grounds for mercenary companies that the Tuledarians hire in their war against the city-state of Phamal. 

The elven spy originally from the principality of Alínlae, watches the army barracks and it's surrounding grounds, and those in it for a bit. 

Before he turns left onto another street, and continues on his way to the inn that he's been staying at whilst here in the city of Tuledare. 

A short while later, and the spy Tanith enters The Traveler's Comfort. Not one of the more expensive inn's to be found in the city. But also not one of the less desirable one's either. 

It's a perfectly clean and satisfactory inn's one would find in any large city found throughout the Southlands. Making it an ideal place for a spy to stay in while in the heart of enemy territory. 

Though it might not be one of the more expensive inn's here in the capital city of Tuledare. The innkeeper like every other innkeeper in the city since the war began, has put up prices to stay here. 

Subsequently most of the inn's here in Tuledare, aren't especially busy, even with mercenary companies from all over traveling into the city. 

Added to that, travel between the city-states of Tuledare and Phamal is pretty much non existent at the moment, with all trade between the two city-states, by land and air, has ceased since the war began. 

The Traveler's Comfort is no exception to this, and after Dalinvardèl Tanith enters the inn, and nods a greeting to the woman behind the counter. He sees just a few people in the common room of the inn, even though it's getting later in the afternoon. And ordinarily it should be getting busy for when dinner will be served in such an establishment. 

The elven spy in the Armies of Farque makes his way upstairs, and goes to his room on the third floor of the inn. 

Once in his room, he finds the window shutters open, and standing at the open window is a hooded figure in white, who stands a couple inches short of his own six foot four inches in height. 

"Good view" says Helbe the elven thief, who looks out the window, where away to the left, the main street in this part of the city leads to the southern gates of Tuledare. 

While the view away to the right, gives a near perfect view of the nearby army barracks in this quarter of the city. 

The spy Tanith nods, and the younger elf who hails from the island principality of Laerel, closes the window shutters, and sits down on one of the chairs in the room. 

While Dalin sits on his bed, and with a yawn flips off the hood of his gray cloak, as he leans back against the wall behind him. 

"So what's been happening lately?" asks the elven masterthief who is a member of the personal council to Lord Farque. 

The elven spy details everything he's been up to while here in the city for the last few weeks. As he and a number of other spies in the Armies of Farque, have watched and listened to everything and anything since war broke out between the city-states of Tuledare and Phamal. 

"So none of them in the city at the moment" asks Helbe the elven thief after Dalin details what he's found out. 

"None" replies the elf originally from the principality of Alínlae, who is a little under a century older than the young elven princeling from the Island of Laerel. 

"Smart" quietly says the elven master assassin who is not just a member of Lord Farque's personal council. But essentially the most important member, as he's also the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque's envoy. 

"Probably scared they'll get assassinated by someone like you" dryly says Dalinvardèl Tanith which causes his fellow elf to chuckle. 

"Not going to lie, that was a plan" says prince Helbenthril Raendril, who follows that with "But not now since none of them are here". Referring to members of the ruling council of Tuledare. 

"Who's in charge then?" asks the young elven noble who is one of most talented spellcasters to be found in the Southlands. 

He's not especially powerful like pretty much all elven nobles. Especially royal elves, like his family are. Some of whom, like his grandfather, Prince Raendril himself, are amongst the most magical powerful beings to be found on the world of Volunell. 

But what he lacks in power, the elven masterthief is incredibly ingenious when it comes to magic. So much so, he's one of a few practitioners of magic, who has created brand new spells in recent centuries. And in his case, he's invented a good score or so of brand new spells. Something unheard of in the last millennium. 

"The military" replies the spy Tanith, who faintly similes as he catches the sour look upon the youthful looking face partly obscured by the hood the young elven princeling has up on his head. 

"Don't tell me" sourly says Helbe the elven thief, who follows that in the same tone with "Their generals, who happen to all be in the field". 

The faint smile turns into a grin upon the face of the youthful looking face of the elven spy who hails from the principality of Alínlae. 

The highly talented elven magic user rolls his eyes at that, then sourly smiles before muttering something in the royal elven language that Dalinvardèl Tanith doesn't understand. 

Then switching back to the normal elven language, prince Helbenthril Raendril says "Bloody hell, by the forest gods I'll have to travel all over to find them and kill them". 

"Is that the plan?" asks Dalin, who then shakes his head when the elven master assassin tells him "Well Tam hasn't explicitly said so, but he also said it isn't". 

After rolling his eyes, the spy Tanith who is a commender in the Armies of Farque, says "So what you're telling me young Tam doesn't know you plan to kill the enemy general staff". 

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him" says Helbe the elven thief with a dismissive wave of a hand, the highly talented elven magic user continues on with "I'm just helping him out, and making things easier for him". The elven master assassin then mutters "That's if I can find the lot of them and kill them". 

Dalin just shakes his head again, then he says "They've left representatives behind to run things". 

In response to the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel asking him "Since the council have skipped town, then who's running the day to day things here in the city?". 

The elven envoy slightly grunts at hearing the reply to his question, and he's quiet for a moment, before saying "Be a waste of time killing a bunch of administrators, especially considering the Phamalians want to start up business again with this lot here after we've won this war for them" followed by "And those administrators would come in useful for that". 

The elven masterthief along with the elven spy are confident in them winning the war on behalf of the city-state of Phamal. There's no question about it, not even the thought of defeat is brought up. 

The only issue which hasn't risen yet, is if the ruling council of Phamal are unable to pay the Fifth Army of Farque. 

And from the snooping around that Helbe the elven thief did before they took the offer from the Phamalians, the city-state can pay them for just under a month. 

Having paid them already for the first week, even though the Fifth Army of Farque has only been involved so far for half a week. 

The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel looks at the elf who is originally from the principality of Alínlae and tells him "Most of my infiltration squads have crossed the border" he then adds "By now all of them would of crossed over". 

The member of Lord Farque's personal council then says "Some of them will be heading here to the capital" followed by "I guess the first one's will be here by at least tomorrow". 

Dalinvardèl Tanith nods in understanding, then says "I'll tell the others to keep an eye out for them" followed by "I assume they have their targets?". 

"They do" replies the highly talented elven magic user, who then explains what those infiltration squads will be doing when they arrive here in the city of Tuledare. 

"Things should get interesting around here soon" quietly says the spy Tanith, who continues with "Considering this lot is sending everyone south to the border region after their losses down in the disputed lands". Dalin pauses for a moment, before asking "Tam still going ahead with what's planned?". 

"He is" answers prince Helbenthril Raendril, who continues with "It's what the Tuledarians will expect, so he's giving it to them". 

The elven masterthief briefly pauses before adding "What they won't expect is what else he has planned" followed by "This war will end pretty quickly after that". 

The spy who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland of Alínlae nods in agreement with that. 

Then after a moment he asks "Any word if". Knowing what the spy Tanith is referring to, the elven princeling interrupts him with "Nothing yet". 

The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel continues with "I get word to you if things change". 

Dalinvardèl Tanith nods, then drops the subject, and the elven master assassin, after listening to what Narladene the ground pixie, who is standing on his right shoulder, whispers to him, he tells the elven spy "I'm off". 

Before the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel opens the window shutters, he tells the elven spy "Remember, keep an eye out for my squads". 

"I will" says Dalin, who watches the elven envoy open the window shutters, look outside then disappear after he nods his hooded head at the spy Tanith in farewell. 

The elf who hails from the principality of Alínlae, who is now a commander in the Armies of Farque. 

Gets up off the bed, makes his way over to the windows, and after glancing out and up at the late afternoon, early evening sky, which is now completely cloudy, he closes the shutters. 

Dalinvardèl Tanith leaves his room, and heads downstairs to the common room to get something to eat. 

The elven spy intends to have an early night, and to get a decent night's sleep. As he knows most likely from tomorrow, things are going to get hectic in the war. 

Not just in the battle lines to the south in the disputed lands and in the border region. But also here in the city of Tuledare itself . . . . . .