Springtime In The City 3.

The City Of Vexil. 

Zam the ex mercenary wakes and for a few moments he wonders where he is. Then he grunts as he realizes he's in his room, in the inn that the group are staying in, whilst here in the city of Vexil. 

The teenage ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins, shivers as he dresses, as the morning has dawned cold, even though it's early spring. 

After going about his ablutions, Zam heads downstairs to the common room of The Merchant's Rest. 

Not the most expensive inn to be found in the north of the city, nor is it anywhere near the cheapest in an area of the city that's known for it's wealth. 

But what the inn is, is that it's probably the most discreet inn located in the north of the capital city. 

Fairly small with just seven upstairs rooms, all of which are occupied by a member, or members of the group. 

Down in the common room, Zam takes a seat at the table where Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy is sitting with Lisell Maera the scout leader. 

After ordering his morning meal from the serving woman, Zam quietly asks the two others at the table "Percy and Tovis not here yet?". 

After shaking his head no, Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy replies with "Not yet" followed by "They won't be here for at least a few more days". 

Switching to his native language, the spy Tanith continues with "That mine they're coming from, isn't as productive as the one you and Dorc came from". 

Zam nods his head, as he knows the mine that he and Dorc da Orc left a week ago in the hill country of northern Vexil. 

Is the most productive of the recently reopened mines that Lord Farque has taken over in the north of the city-state. 

"Figure they'll have half as much as you and Dorc brought down" continues the elven spy who hails from the principality of Alinlae. 

They fall silent as the serving woman delivers Zam's meal and drink, then after she's gone, Lisell Maera who has just finished her breakfast, quietly says in elvish "So we need a new guard then for that run?". 

"Two would probably be best" says the ex mercenary, who over the last nearly two years with the group, has got a lot more comfortable speaking in the elven language. 

"That one who was with us was fucking useless" adds Zam with a shake of his head, followed by "The driver showed more courage than him even we came under attack". 

Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called, nods his head then he quietly says "His highness is already looking into it". 

Then the three of them turn to look at the stairs, where Dorc da Orc clomps his way down into the common room. 

The large ork then calls out for foods and booze, lots of it too. Before he sits down on the floor next to one of the nearby tables in the quiet common room. 

The benches are no where near capable of holding the weight of the big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world. 

"Is Beldane going to send me and Dorc back north?" asks the teenage ex mercenary who silently hopes not. For partnering up with the ork warleader is more than a little stressful to say the least. 

"More than likely" is the reply from the spy Tanith who can't help but grin when Zam sighs in defeat at hearing that. 

"Cheer up" says Dalin, who follows on from that with "Could be worse" as he looks at the ex mercenary who hails from The City Of Ruins. 

"How?" sourly asks Zam after he glances over at the ork weaponsmith, who he can tell is already getting impatient to be served his breakfast. 

"You could be teamed up with both Dorc and Percy" says the grinning elven spy who formerly served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland of Alinlae. 

"Now that" says Lisell Maera or Lis as more often than not she's called by those who know her well, who after a brief pause, continues with "Would be an absolute shitshow". 

Though Zam sourly smiles again, he is definitely in agreement with that from the attractive young woman, who is originally from the city-state of Brattonbury. Which lies on coast of The Southlands. 

As he eats his breakfast, and Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman comes down to the common room, followed by Beldane the cleric. 

The ex mercenary listens to the conversation between the scout Maera and the spy Tanith, both of whom are officers in the Armies of Farque's Scouts and Rangers division, with Dalin being a commander. 

Whilst Malisse aka Zubutai Timaginson, and the fighting cleric Beldane, are joined at their table by Shur Kee the monk. 

Who comes inside from the courtyard in front of the small inn, that's located in a small secluded square, that has larger buildings all around it. 

With a glance back to the stairs, Zam who is pretty certain that Helbe the elven thief is out and about in the city somewhere, even though it's just after a dawn, on what's a cold spring day here in the city of Vexil. 

He quietly asks the pair in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque "He here at the moment?". There's only one he that Zam or any of them for that matter refers to. And that's Lord Farque himself. 

The spy who hails from the elven principality of Alinlae, nods his head, and quietly replies to the ex mercenary with "He is" followed by "Upstairs in his room". 

Zam nods at hearing that, then as Dorc da Orc is delivered his breakfast and copious amounts of alcohol, predominantly beer. 

The teenage ex mercenary sees Tamric Drubine the field commander and Saanea the witch make their way inside, from outside the small inn and take a seat at one of the empty tables. 

Zam then asks Dalin and Lis "And the mage?" the ex mercenary originally from The City Of Ruins, who is the youngest member of the group, then adds "Mira?". 

Dalinvardèl Tanith and Lisell Maera share a look, then the elven spy who is a commander in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque, responds in a quiet voice with "He's out and about in the city somewhere". 

Dalin pauses for a bit, before continuing with "Left before dawn sometime". "Checking up on places he used to frequent, no doubt" adds the scout Maera. 

Both the elven spy and the ex mercenary nod in agreement to that from the young woman whose mother was a street prostitute in Brattonbury, and father a sailor, who plied his trade on The Great Western Ocean. 

Zam after glancing over at Dorc da Orc once more, who is stuffing his face with bacon and fried eggs. 

The teenager originally from The City Of Ruins continues to eat his breakfast in silence as he listens to Dalinvardèl Tanith and Lisell Maera. 

From the two of them, Zam hears of what they've been up to as he and the ork warleader escorted the wagon full of gold down from the hill country in the north of the city-state of Vexil. 

Seems some of the gangs of thieves have started taking an interest in the shipments of gold from the recently reopened mines in northern Vexil. 

Though the first lot of gold that was brought down from the hill country mines a few weeks ago, came by airship. 

The second lot last week, which Dalinvardèl Tanith and Lisell Maera came down with. Drew the attention of some of thieves to be found here in the capital of the city-state. 

So much so that Helbe the elven thief had to kill a pair of local thieves. Who were planning to rob the wagon just after coming through a set of the gates in the north wall of the city of Vexil. 

Which is also something that the spy Tanith had to do yesterday when Zam the ex mercenary and Dorc da Orc arrived in the city with the wagon that they were tasked to protect. 

The spy originally from the elven principality of Alinlae, got rid of two thieves from one of the more prominent gangs to be found in the massive city of Vexil. 

After finishing his meal, and glancing at the stairs to see if Lord Farque will make his way down to the common room of The Merchant's Rest. But no such luck. 

The ex mercenary who hails from The City Of Ruins gets up, and nods to both the elven spy originally from the principality of Alinlae, and the young woman who hails from coastal city-state of Brattonbury. 

Zam heads outside, and after greeting the others in the common room of the inn. The teenager originally from The City Of Ruins, wraps his cloak tight around himself as it's cold in the city this morning. 

The ex mercenary as he stands in the courtyard, which is essentially a small square surrounded by buildings. 

Glances up into the sky as an airship passes overhead, heading north from the nearby main airdocks of the city, which is located in the north of the capital city. 

Zam heads off, crossing the courtyard, and goes through a covered lane that's essentially alongside one of the buildings surrounding the small square. 

He stops when he steps out of the short lane, and after looking in either direction along the street, he glances behind him, and slightly shakes his head. As from the street, you'd have no idea there's an inn, back behind him. 

The ex mercenary, who is the youngest member of the group. Then looks ahead again, and decides to go left along the quiet street which has just the one person on it at the moment. Who is opening up a shop further down it, getting ready for the start of the day's business. 

Zam takes just a step, when a familiar voice suddenly, and quietly says to him "So where are you off to this morning?". 

After jumping in fright, and muttering "Fuck". The ex mercenary glances to his left, and sourly smiles as he sees the hooded figure of Helbe the elven thief standing beside him. 

"Should I bother answering you?" quietly says Zam, who shakes his head before dryly adding "Considering you've probably already read my mind". 

The young elven noble who is originally from the island principality of Laerel flashes a grin, then quietly says "Don't go far as you explore the city". 

The highly talented elven magic user, continues with "Stay here in the north of the city". 

The teenager from The City Of Ruins nods that he will, and does so again, and says "I will". In response to the elven masterthief gesturing away to the south, and telling him "And keep away from the Mage College". 

The young elf who just happens to be the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel then disappears. 

And after a slight shake of his head, Zam starts making his way down the quiet street, on this cold spring morning, here in the city of Vexil. 

The ex mercenary who will do as Helbe the elven thief said, and stay in the northern part of the city. 

Hasn't really explored the capital of the city-state of Vexil. For when the group as a whole was last in the city, during the winter, before they headed up north to the hill country in northern Vexil, near the border with the kingdom of Girdane. 

They didn't spend much time here, and that was the first time that Zam had been in the capital of the city-state. 

Now he intends to see at least part of the city this morning, before he and Dorc da Orc are either sent back north to the border region. Or they're given some other task to do. 

As he turns onto a busier street, that has at least a dozen people on it, who are going about their day, on what's a cold spring morning in the city of Vexil. 

The ex mercenary is followed by Narladene the ground pixie, who has been asked by Helbe the elven thief to keep an eye on the teenager originally from The City Of Ruins. 

Not that Zam or for that matter anyone else sees the naturally magical creature, who is invisible to everyone. 

With the exception of a cat, which is on a roof, and stares in fascination at the tiny winged creature as she follows behind the ex mercenary. 

Here on this cold morning, in the early springtime in the city of Vexil . . . . . .