Springtime In The City 2.

Vexil. 

They arrive in the city of Vexil five days later. With nothing untowards happening during the rest of the trip. 

The only thing of note, was later in the day that they were attacked by bandits in the north of the city-state. 

Zam the ex mercenary noticed a crossbow bolt sticking out of the back of Dorc da Orc's right arm. 

Which Zam repeatedly told the large ork about. Who in typical Dorc fashion, completely ignored him. 

Until late that afternoon when they briefly stopped, the big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world stood there scratching his ass. 

And knocked the crossbow bolt, causing him to hiss in pain. Then promptly pull it out. Followed by growling at Zam, along with the wagon driver, and the hired guard, and telling them off for not informing him about the bolt. 

Though he didn't say it so eloquently, as he basically swore at them in both orkish and in common. 

And Zam is pretty sure he heard some swear words in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra in there too. 

They enter the city through one of the set of gates in the northern wall. As a city as massive as Vexil has a series of gates in it's walls. 

Not to mention walls that are constantly being built and rebuilt, as the city with the largest population in all of The Southlands, is continually expanding. 

Though the city guards on gate duty stare at Dorc, wondering what he is. They just wave to the wagon driver to enter the city, without searching the wagon. 

Much to the relief of Zam. Even though the young ex mercenary from The City Of Ruins, has documents for the transportation of a wagon full of gold within the city-state of Vexil. The documents are forged thanks to Helbe the elven thief. 

Now that they're in the city itself, Zam has other things to worry about. As he constantly keeps an eye on Dorc da Orc as the two of them walk behind the horse drawn wagon. 

For the simple fact that the ex mercenary who isn't a religious person at all. Hopes to the gods that there's no dwarves in the immediate area of the city they're going through. 

Even though the ork warleader has more or less done what Zam has told him to do since leaving the hill country of northern Vexil. 

There's no way in hell Zam will be able to stop Dorc from running after a dwarf and killing it in the middle of the street if one should cross their path. 

Same goes for any troll who might be in this part of the city. As the ex mercenary who hails from The City Of Ruins, has learnt that the ork weaponsmith hates trolls almost as much as he hates dwarves. And will do anything to kill one of them if he knows they're around. 

Zam does hold his breath when they round a corner onto a quieter street, and a pair of hobbits walk in the other direction on the opposite side of the quiet street. 

The ex mercenary hasn't seen it himself, but from what he's heard from others in the group, is that Dorc da Orc or Dorkindle which is his given name, will sometimes randomly kill hobbits. 

But in this instance, the large ork just points at the pair of hobbits on the other side of the street, and bursts out laughing. 

In fact he laughs so much, tears run down his face, and he almost doubles over, and has to lean an arm on the back of the wagon to keep himself upright as he laughs uncontrollably. 

Zam just wryly smiles, and wonders what goes on at times in the head of the big burly ork who is a member of the wolf tribe of orks. 

The ex mercenary who is the youngest member of the group, thinks about that for a moment. Then decides it's probably best if he doesn't know what's going on in the head of the large ork who is a general in the Armies of Farque. 

The only problem they do have whilst going through the streets in the north of the city of Vexil. 

Is that they have to briefly stop before getting to their destination. They have to stop because Dorc da Orc insists they have to. 

Zam sourly smiles as Dorkindle enters the bakery they stopped in front of. He shakes his head as he was able to talk the ork warleader out of taking a bar of gold from beneath the canvas covering in the back of the wagon, to pay for whatever he wants from inside the bakery. 

The ex mercenary also pointed out that the large ork has a pretty substantial coin bag tied to his thick wide belt next to the skull of his mother. 

Infact the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks has a number of such coin bags, both on his belt, and in the sacks he carries. 

Zam is pretty certain that Dorc da Orc is extremely wealthy. And that the large ork doesn't even know it. Which is indeed true. 

Infact Dorkindle is the wealthiest ork in the history of his race. Something he does not know, and does not care about. 

And a little while later, the big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, walks out of the bakery carrying a number of boxes. 

Which he puts in the back of the wagon, on top of the stack of gold bars hidden under the canvas covering. 

And when the wagon gets underway again, the ork warleader opens one of the boxes, and takes a cake from it. 

Which he then proceeds to shove in his mouth, as he attempts to eat what looks like a chocolate cake of some kind, in one go. 

Zam just shakes his head as he walks beside the ork general who is making sounds of satisfaction. Growls and grunts that aren't threatening to the ear of the ex mercenary. As he eats the chocolate cake all at once. 

"Wonder if any of the others are around?" asks Zam the ex mercenary a few streets later after the warleader of the ork race finishes off the third cake he brought from the bakery, and is about to reach into the back of the wagon to get a fourth. 

Waving a hand behind them, Dorc da Orc says "Back there" he continues with "That elf cunt follow us". 

"His highness?" asks the ex mercenary, who quickly adds "Helbe?" after the large ork looks down at him, and sourly smiles. 

Dorkindle whose face is smeared with crumbs and icing, grunts then says "Nah the other cunt" before he takes the fourth cake from it's box. 

"Dalin?" asks Zam, the ork general in the Armies of Farque responds with a positive sounding grunt. 

The teenage ex mercenary nods, and is just glad another of the group is nearby. To say it's been nerve wracking for him as they've brought the wagon full of gold down to Vexil from the hill country of the north of the city-state, would be an understatement. 

Mostly due to the often unpredictable ork weaponsmith walking beside him. Who at the moment is trying to stuff another cake into his mouth. 

Though after the big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world licked all the whipped cream off the top of the cake, which is some type of soft white cake from what Zam can see as Dorkindle shoves it in his gob. 

The ex mercenary looks back trying to see if he can see the elven spy Dalinvardèl Tanith anywhere. 

He can't, and as they turn onto another street on their way to their destination. Zam wonders why the elf who hails from the principality of Alinlae, hasn't joined them. 

The reason why the spy Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, hasn't joined them. 

Is that he's actually following someone who is discreetly following after the wagon full of gold, which Dorc da Orc and Zam the ex mercenary are walking behind. 

The elven spy who is a commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque, has climbed onto a roof, and hurries across it, slightly bent over at the waist. As this spring day is rather windy above the city streets. 

The spy Tanith who knows exactly who it is that he's following. One of the seconds in one of the gangs of thieves found in the capital city of Vexil. 

Crouches down at the edge of the roof he's on, and looks down at the figure in the alleyway he's above. 

A figure in a hooded cloak, watching the wagon loaded with gold bars, going along the street to the right of the alley. 

Dalin jumps off the edge of the roof, and lands behind the thief, who spins around, pulling out a hidden dagger as he does so. 

But he's too slow for the elven spy, who with an open handed palm strike, hits the local thief in the face, instantly breaking the man's nose. 

Dalin quickly follows that up with an elbow strike to the throat, which drops the man, who now has a crushed windpipe. 

The spy Tanith catches the thief, and picks up his dagger. And drags him to a nearby nook in the wall opposite the building that commander Tanith was just on top of. 

The elf who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland of Alinlae, leaves the thief to die there in the alleyway which he exits. 

The elven spy who already killed the lookout for the thief before he climbed up onto the roof. Heads down the street to the right, at the end of which, the wagon has just turned the corner onto another street. Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy takes his time to catch up to it. 

"There cunt" says Dorc da Orc who nods behind them, Zam the ex mercenary looks back, and a few moments later he sees Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy walk around the corner they've just made their way around. 

The young man originally from The City Of Ruins, has never been so happy to see another member of the group show up. 

For the simple reason it's been completely nerve wracking to be partnered up with the ork warleader, since leaving one of the mines up in the hill country of northern Vexil. 

"Anything interesting happen?" asks Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy after he catches up to them, and greets them. 

"Nah" is the reply from Dorc da Orc who has yet to open the final box with a cake that he bought from a bakery here in the north of the city. 

"Yes" says Zam the ex mercenary after he wryly smiles, and glances sideways and up at the large ork walking beside, behind the wagon. 

"Oh?" say the spy Tanith, who like everyone else in the group, thought that the ex mercenary and the ork weaponsmith wouldn't run into any trouble coming down from northern Vexil. 

"What exactly?" asks the elven spy, who though hails from the principality of Alinlae, is now a commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque. 

"We were attacked by bandits" is the reply from the ex mercenary originally from The City Of Ruins, who follows that with "Up in the hill country in the north, second day out from the mine". 

Even though Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy is interested in hearing more of what happened, he quietly says "Save it for later, so you tell the others". 

The spy Tanith gestures in the direction they're heading, then quietly says "Not far to the counting house". 

Dalin briefly pauses before continuing with "Some of the others are there, including Lord Farque" he then adds "You can tell them in detail what happened". 

Zam the ex mercenary nods in understanding at that, while Dorc da Orc just grunts, as he eats the last bits of the final cake that he purchased a little earlier, here in the north of the city of Vexil. 

It's not too long before the horse drawn wagon draws up into the side yard of a building, that houses one of the leading counting houses to be found in the capital of the city-state of Vexil. 

Private guards stand at the side door, and the wagon driver after bringing the two horses in the traces to a stop, hops down, and gives one of the guards a rolled up parchment. 

The guard looks over at Dalinvardèl Tanith, and the elven spy nods his hooded head in response to that look. 

The guard quietly speaks to another of the guards, who enters through the side door. And a few moments later, the barn like doors further down along this side of the building are slid open. 

And the guard who went inside, walks out of the sliding doors, and waves to the wagon driver, to bring the horse drawn wagon inside. 

As the wagon loaded with gold bars heads into the side of the building that houses the counting house. 

Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy says to Zam the ex mercenary and Dorc da Orc "Come on, let's head in". 

The spy Tanith leads the two of them inside, through the side door, that one of the private guards opens for the trio. 

They enter the counting house, on this breezy early spring day, here in the capital of the city-state of Vexil . . . . . .