The City Of Vexil.
After packing his bag, Zam the ex mercenary looks out of the window of his room, here on the second floor of the Merchant's Rest, the inn the group has been staying in while here in the city of Vexil.
The youngest member of the group who is originally from The City Of Ruins likes it here in the capital of the city-state of Vexil.
And wonders if they'll return sometime in the future. He suspects so, as Lord Farque uses the city as the main hub for things he sends back to his lands.
Those things mainly being gold, and other loot that, as Mira Reinholt the mage dryly puts it, they acquire.
The ex mercenary looks up, out the window, and sees that there's a light smattering of clouds in the skies above the city. And it's another fine spring morning by the looks of things.
The teenager who hails from The City Of Ruins where the group found him, scratching together a meager living as a mercenary.
After one last look around his room, and seeing that he's packed up all of his possessions. He, carrying his pack, makes his way from the second floor room. And heads down to the common room of the small secluded inn the group has been staying at, whilst here in the city of Vexil.
There, most of the others in the group are waiting. The only ones not here are Helbe the elven thief. Who left the inn just after dawn.
And Lord Farque himself, who is still upstairs in his room, along with Mira Reinholt the mage and Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman.
"I am" says Zam the ex mercenary in response to Tamric Drubine the field commander who walks by, asking him "You ready?".
The young man originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, nods his head then continues on his way over to where Saanea the witch is waiting.
While the youngest member of the group goes and stands with Lisell Maera the scout and Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy.
"Any idea where we're going?" quietly asks the ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins when he stands next to the elven spy, and the scout leader.
While Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well remains silent.
Lisell Maera the scout shrugs her shoulders, and quietly says "No idea" followed by "Still nothing since they told us last night we'd be leaving".
The teenager who is originally from The City Of Ruins nods his head, then he along with the attractive young woman who hails from the city-state of Brattonbury, glance sideways at the elven spy standing beside them.
Who they're fairly certain knows something about where they're going. But has been ordered not to tell anyone else who hasn't been told already.
Zam is fairly certain that field commander Drubine has yet to be told. And that only Mira Reinholt, Malisse aka Zubutai Timaginson, and Helbe the elven thief along with Dalinvardèl Tanith have been told where they're going after they leave the city of Vexil a little later this morning.
The ex mercenary looks over at sir Percavelle Lé Dic who still looks annoyed, after he was told yesterday evening, to sell the war horse he got before The Spring Tourney of Vexil.
Though the former paladin was more than a little displeased to do so last night. He was more than a little pleased to see how much gold coin he got from the sale of the war horse.
Zam then looks over at Dorc da Orc, the other person annoyed that the white war horse was sold off.
Considering the large ork has been after that war horse ever since his bitter rival sir Percavelle Lé Dic purchased the animal earlier in the spring.
The youngest member of the group looks away from the ork warleader, who is sitting on the floor, drinking from an open barrel of strong ale by the smell of things.
And looks over at the others here in the common room of The Merchant's Rest inn. Along with Tamric Drubine the field commander and Saanea the witch.
There's also Beldane the cleric, Tovis the war engineer, as well Shur Kee the monk, who sits at a nearby table.
As they all wait for those still upstairs, to make their way down to the common room of the small secluded inn, that the group have been staying in while here in the capital of the city-state of Vexil.
They don't have wait too much longer, as Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, followed by Mira Reinholt the mage make their way down to the common room.
A few moments later, and Lord Farque himself makes his way down to the common room from upstairs.
The undead warlord goes over and has a quiet word with the innkeeper, who is standing by the counter of the bar.
After the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque speaks to the innkeeper, the large heavily armoured deathlord hands the man a fairly substantial sized coin bag. Which Zam is pretty certain contains just gold coins and nothing else.
After glancing into the coin bag, the innkeeper bows to the lord of the death realm, who nods his full helmed head in reply.
"Dalin lead the way" says Lord Farque to the elven spy who hails from the principality of Alinlae, the officer in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque nods, then moves off, leading the way from the common room, through the reception chamber, and after that, outside.
The others in the group follow after the spy Tanith, with Shur Kee the monk the last one to leave the small secluded inn.
The group are soon out on the streets of northern quarter of the city of Vexil, with Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, leading the way.
As they walk through the streets of the neighbourhoods in the north of the city, Zam who is walking alongside Lisell Maera, nods when the junior officer in the Armies of Farque quietly says to him "Looks like we're heading to one of gates in the north wall".
The teenager originally from The City Of Ruins replies with "Looks like it". And he wonders if they're heading to the woods, about ten or so miles north of the city, where the krean scoutship has been dropping off shipments of gold, from the mines in the northern border region of the city-state. Mines that Lord Farque has taken over during the aftermath of the border incursion by a mercenary army that was hoping to start a war between Vexil and the kingdom of Girdane.
The group are fairly quiet as they head towards one of the gates on this side of the city, even the usually boisterous sir Percavelle Lé Dic is quieter than usual.
Though it helps the noble born knight from the kingdom of Druvic, is walking towards the front of the line of march.
While the former paladin's bitter rival, Dorc da Orc. Is towards the rear of the line, behind Zam and Lis, just in front of Shur Kee the monk who is last in line.
The two rivals are well behaved, that's to say, well behaved for the two of them. As the group heads to one of the set of gates in the north wall of the city of Vexil.
And it's not that long before the group gets to the open gates, which Dalinvardèl Tanith leads them through.
Zam glances at the city guardsmen on gate duty, who pay them no mind. And sees that though they all glance at Lord Farque and especially Dorc da Orc, due to how large the two of them are.
The guardsmen don't even bother to stop them as they head out of the city, which they occasionally do to groups, just to see it they'll be returning to the city in the future.
Out on the road, the group keeps to the left, as do the other travellers heading north. While those coming into the city of Vexil this spring morning, are on the other side of the road.
The youngest member of the group looks behind them, and takes a long look at the massive walls of the city.
And slightly nods to himself, as he figures he'll see them again sometime in the future, when exactly he's not too sure. But he's certain he'll eventually see them again one day.
Zam looks ahead again as he walks beside the scout Maera, who quietly voices what the ex mercenary from The City Of Ruins has already thought.
"Guess we're going to those woodlands to the north of here" quietly says Lisell Maera who is a junior officer in the Scouts and Rangers division of the Armies of Farque.
In front of them, Mira Reinholt the mage glances back at them, and nods his hooded head. Though both Lis and Zam see him give the hand signal to be silent about that.
The attractive young woman who hails from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury changes the subject, and quietly says to the teenager who's the youngest in the group "Quite liked staying at that inn".
The ex mercenary nods in agreement with that, then grins when Lis dryly adds "Hell of a lot better than the dumps we usually stay in".
Zam has learnt that the group only occasionally stays in such nice and luxurious accommodations like the Merchant's Rest inn.
And that they usually stay in places that are most convenient, and advantageous to whatever they're up to at the time.
The teenager originally from The City Of Ruins wonders where they'll stay next. Wherever that may be.
A short while later, and the group turns off the cobblestone road, and onto a dirt packed road that goes through some of the farmland to the northeast of the city of Vexil.
And about a half a mile down that road, between two rises, Lord Farque says "Here will do". And Dalinvardèl Tanith leads them off the road.
Looking at Beldane the cleric, the undead warlord tells him "The rendezvous point in the woodlands further north".
Knowing exactly where, Beldane the cleric nods, then he starts casting. And quickly, because it's not all that far away, a gateway starts to form.
And once it's fully formed, Dalinvardèl Tanith is quickly the first one through, followed by sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
The rest of the group goes through one at a time, with the powerful cleric in the church of Glaine the last to go through the magical doorway.
Zam looks to the right, and finds near a tree, within some woods, stands Helbe the elven thief, who is clearly waiting for them.
Further through the trees, in an open clearing, the ex mercenary sees the familiar sight of the krean scoutship.
"Get aboard" says the lord and ruler of the Lands Farque to everyone, who start making their way to the small, lean, dark, mastless airship in the nearby clearing.
Once onboard, and on the deck after stowing away his pack, Zam finds the undead wardog Axe lying on the deck.
Seems the massive animal left the city early this morning with Helbe the elven thief, who went ahead of the rest of the group.
"Er?" says the ex mercenary, who continues with "Don't we have to be strapped in or something?" followed by "That's what I've heard anyway".
As the krean scoutship lifts off, and smoothly gains altitude, up into the skies above this region of the city-state of Vexil.
"No need, we're flying straight to where we're going" explains Helbe the elven thief who is standing nearby, here on the mastless deck of the dark, sleek krean airship.
"And where exactly are we going?" asks Lisell Maera who has walked over to stand by the youngest member of the group.
"You'll find out" replies the highly talented elven magic user, who then laughs as the scout leader looks at him with a sour look upon her face.
The young elven noble is still laughing when he turns and walks away, and heads to the wheelhouse.
Where Lord Farque is with the senior officers of the krean scoutship, along with Mira Reinholt the mage and Malisse aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman.
Zam looks at Lisell Maera and just shrugs as the small, sleek mastless airship turns to port, and starts heading to the east.
"We'll eventually find out where we're going" says the teenager originally from The City Of Ruins, next to him, the attractive young woman who hails from the city-state of Brattonbury, just grunts in reply.
The ex mercenary then looks away to the south, and in the distance, getting further away, he sees the city of Vexil.
Zam faintly smiles at what's happened to him and the others in the group, here in the city-state of Vexil this spring.
Author's Note: Here ends "Springtime In The City". The main storyline will continue in "War Fair".
