Wonderful 68.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

"Percy wait here for a moment" quietly says Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, who then jumps up and grabs the overhanging eaves of a roof, and pulls himself up onto the top of a building that's empty at the moment.
As he does, sir Percavelle Lé Dic sourly smiles at being called Percy, something he's never been happy with, and something that the entire group tend to always call him, though he calls himself that all the time.
The elf from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands, after looking back down and seeing that the heavily armoured knight is staying put. Makes his way across to the otherside of the roof, keeping low and moving at a crouch as he does so.
As he looks towards the eastern side of the large village on the northern side of a small lake, the spy Tanith who spots a goblin going around lighting lamps on that side of the village, for the human residents and visitors.
He spots the guards and two of the elven nobles who have made their way into the village.
Dalinvardél Tanith looks around, then spots what he's been looking for, he slightly nods, then hurries back across the roof, crouching down as he does so, then he drops down off the roof.
"Well my fine pointy eared fellow?" asks sir Percavelle Lé Dic in as a quiet a voice as possible, well it's quiet for him, meaning it's not loud.
"What did you spy in the night with your cat like eyes?" adds the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic in the Southlands, Dalin nods for the earl of Lé Dic to follow him.
And as the two of them walk away, the elven spy informs the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che of what he saw, but more importantly, what he wants the paladin to actually do, and fairly soon as well.
Trying to make as little noise as possible, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger drops down to the ground and looks beneath the house that's been built up off the ground.
The ranger Hait looks through a two foot gap for a few moments, then he quickly gets up and nods his head to Lisell Maera.
"Hit as many as you can" Riley Hait the mercenary ranger whispers to the orphan teenager from the city-state of Brattonbury in the Southlands, she nods in understanding and the ranger Hait whispers to her "You'll be the signal".
Lisell Maera nods again, then crouches down as quietly as possible, she then lies down and looks beneath the house that's raised up on stone bricks on the four corners. Lis sees that a lamp has been lit somewhere on the street on the otherside, making it easier for her to see. She slightly lifts her loaded crossbow and waits.
While at one corner of the house is Shur Kee the monk and Tamric Drubine, while Riley Hait walks quickly, and as quietly as possible to the other corner of the house as they wait for Lisell Maera to act.
As they walk along a street, lady Laelmainé quietly says "Haelvéne there's a magical sword just up ahead on your left" the elven noble continues with "Either in that house two along, or someone just outside it on the back left corner has it".
Her senior guard nods in understanding, and looks at two of the other guards and gestures to them to check it out. While a couple of the guards of lord Parsenellé enter a house on the right hand side of the street, where the front door has just been opened to them by one of the inhabitants.
"That one's so still, that it might be inside" murmurs lord Galithellé to his cousin Laelmainé beside him, the elven lord whose lands are furthest to the east out of the extended Parsenellé family quietly continues with "It's that other one I'm more concerned with".
The two elven magic users sense another magical weapon, along with a shield, a very powerful shield at that. Approaching them fairly quickly from the northwest side of the large village on the shores of a lake.
The two cousins, who sense their cousin Parsenellé further to the north of them in the large village, glance at one another, then the lady Laelmainé nods.
Just then one of the two guards who have gone to check out the house the oldest of three elven nobles indicated has a magical weapon in it, or behind it.
Drops to the ground and groans in pain after he swears, the others nearby see that there's a crossbow bolt in his left calf. The second guard with him goes to crouch down next to him. Then he topples over, exclaiming in pain as a bolt is his left butt check. The other guards close by, along with the two elven cousins who are magic users, move into action.
Lisell Maera pulls back the repeating crossbow again, and fires a third bolt at a pair of legs, running she assumes straight at the front door of the house she's lying behind.
She gets lucky, and the bolt smashes into the right shin of an elven guard, who stumbles forward in pain, and smashes into the front door as it opens, as one of the people inside goes to see what's happening outside.
The teenager from Brattonbury pulls back the underside of the crossbow again, and with a bolt in place, she looks for another target as she sees legs running by on the street on the otherside of the house she's behind, then she sees an even better target.
One of the two guards of lord Parsenellé who were just about to enter a house on the north side of the street, after turning and seeing the two injured guards on the ground, and seeing a third go crashing into the door of the house opposite the one he was just about to enter.
Quickly bends down and looks across the street, as he sees that the house opposite is built off the ground. He jerks up then falls over, as the left side of his face explodes when a crossbow bolt slams into it.
Riley Hait with the traditional hordes cloth wrapped around the lower half of his face, stands completely still as he listens to what's happening around the otherside of the house.
The mercenary ranger then hears someone hurrying around to this side of the house, between this end of it, and the house beside it. Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman who knows he's at a disadvantage at seeing at night, and of being heard. Knows that he'll have to move at the last moment if he wants to take the elf rushing around to the back of the house by surprise. The mercenary ranger just hopes it isn't one of the elven nobles coming his way. As he knows he'll have no chance against one of them if they've got spells up to protect themselves.
"Fuck your mother" murmurs the ranger Hait in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra, as he suddenly ducks down and swings his shortsword. The blade slams into the legs of the elven guard who was running around the corner, another quick swing of his blade, and Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson slashes the downed elven guard across the back of the neck, killing him.
The mercenary ranger looks quickly up as he catches sight of something out of the corner of his eye. He sees someone, an elf, most likely a noble, standing upon the roof of the house next door, looking down at him. The ranger Hait goes to throw the long dagger in his left hand, when suddenly that elf is knocked sideways with some force, and goes flying off the roof, before disappearing just before they hit the ground.
The lady Laelmainé looks sharply to the north when she see senses her cousin Galithellé get knocked off the roof of the house just before the one where the guards have been attacked.
The attractive elven maid who senses Galithellé teleport away, nods her head as she also senses her other cousin lord Parsenellé casting a spell at whoever it is that just attacked Galithellé.
"Get them Parsen" murmurs lady Laelmainé who then goes to hurry forward, when she senses the other magical weapon, and a powerful feeling shield heading this way. She stops, when at the end of the street they're on, a large heavily armoured figure runs into view.
The knight! Laelmainé thinks to herself, who then gets in contact with both of her cousins by way of mindspeech, to inform them that she's found the knight they've been looking for.
Tamric Drubine looks at Shur Kee the monk who is standing there with his eyes closed. The nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin in the Southlands is tempted to look back at what Lisell Maera and Riley Hait are doing, but he keeps his eyes and attention upon the short statured monk.
Then both the former heir of castle Drubine and the acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li hear someone rushing around this end of the house they're behind.
Tam who is behind Shur Kee, doesn't move as he watches the short statured monk slightly move his upper body, then suddenly the physical adept thrusts his right arm out, with his palm of his hand held up and open.
An elven guard hurrying around the corner is hit in the side by Shur Kee's open handed thrust punch, and he goes flying sideways a half dozen feet, where he crashes into pile of firewood. He's knocked out when he hits the wood pile.
The monk from the far eastern kingdom of Wah Lee opens his eyes and looks at Tam and nods his head around the corner. The two of them start walking around the end of the house, when they stop as they suddenly hear a familiar voice from somewhere out on the street ahead. "Oh dear" murmurs Shur Kee the monk to Tamric Drubine, who winces at what they hear out on the street.
After rolling her eyes as she looks for someone else to shoot, Lisell Maera dryly murmurs to herself "I guess the distraction is here" as she clearly hears who it is that's now out on the street on the otherside of the house she's lying behind,
As he's creeping along the other end of the house, Riley Hait stops then sourly smiles when he hears who has turned up "At least he's good for something" the mercenary ranger who is infact a hordes outrider dryly murmurs to himself.
As he looks down the street, that's lit by a few outside lamps here and there, as well as the illumination of now two of the moons of Volunell that are up in the night sky. Sir Percavelle Lé Dic loudly says "Alright you pointy eared knaves, which one of you roustabouts wants the justice of i, the great sir Percavelle, the paramount knight in all the world" the heavily armoured knight doesn't just say it, he basically shouts it so half of the fairly large village more than likely heard him.
"You there with that bolt in your buttocks, will you face thy doom?" calls out the earl of Lé Dic, who continues with "Or you squirming on the ground, with thy leg split in twain, will it be you?" he then adds "What about you, with half your face missing, will it be thou who partakes in thy drubbing of a lifetime?" sir Percavelle pauses for a moment, then he says in his overly loud voice "Get up man, i mean elf, it's just a flesh wound".
Then the heavily armoured knight then calls out "Or you my lady, your visage might be comely for those attracted to those with the pointy ears, and the slanty eyes" the earl of Lé Dic adds "But at this moment, your countenance looks like one who has just eaten a large spoonful from a bowl of week old prunes" he then says "Would thoust like to face the wrath of justice that i wield?".
Sir Percavelle who to be fair, isn't really waiting for an answer, shouts "For Saint Mar-che!" then slaps down the visor of his full helm and starts running down the street, with the shield of the founder of his order held out infront of him. He has been warned that there's spellcasters amongst the enemy, and he intends to use every advantage he's got.
As he runs, the earl of Lé Dic slips his sword of knockdown from it's scabbard, sir Percavelle grins behind the visor of his full helm, and murmurs to himself "Lets get them Percy" . . . . . .

Wonderful 67.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

"Come on you lot" says Riley Hait the mercenary ranger who has slid open one of the stable doors "We've got company" adds the human ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen in the Southlands.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic who is sitting on a couple of hay bales, where he's eating an apple, quickly gets up and is the first one out of the stables. The heavily armoured knight is followed by Tamric Drubine, and finally Shur Kee the monk.
"Pray tell, what is about?" asks sir Percavelle Lé Dic who for once, speaks as quietly as he can, which is about a normal speaking voice for anyone else.
"Percy go with Dalin" says Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who then looks at the other two and adds "Shur Kee, Tam" followed by "You're with me and Lis".
The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic shrugs his broad shoulders, then he puts on his full helm as he follows the elven spy Dalinvardél Tanith.
"Where are they off to?" quietly asks Tamric Drubine "To be bait" is the quiet reply in elven from the ranger Hait, who then adds in the same language "Well Percy will be" followed by "Eventually".
Riley Hait nods for the other three to follow him, and as they walk in the relative darkness of the early evening, Shur Kee asks the mercenary ranger "Where is friend Helbe?". "He'll be around" replies Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who then he glances at Tamric Drubine, and in the elven language, he quietly tells the nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin in the Southlands "Look after Shur Kee".
You mean, he should be looking after me, the former heir to castle Drubine dryly thinks to himself, as he knows that the short statured monk can be extremely dangerous at times. So much so, that the two spellcasters normally in the group, Helbe the elven thief and Mira Reinholt the mage give the acolyte in the order of Bru Li a wide berth when he's in his meditative fighting state.
The four of them head along the lake shore, walking slowly as they make their way eastwards, for on that side of the large village, is where the two griffons and those who were upon them, are at the moment.
While Dalinvardél Tanith and sir Percavelle are wandering around to the otherside of what's essentially a town, heading west, then north. As the elven spy wastes time, and to keep the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che out of trouble until he's needed.
The elf from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands looks north into the evening sky, and he spots the third griffon quickly approaching the lake and the large village on it's northern shore.
The elven spy who is ignoring the questions directed at him by the earl of Lé Dic in the kingdom of Druvic. Sees that apart from the rider upon the back of the approaching griffon, there's at least seven others. Guards by the looks of it.
Dalinvardél Tanith sees that the heavily armoured knight has both his shield and the shortsword with him, both of which are magical. The elven spy is glad that sir Percavelle has them, for no doubt they will need them.
His griffon drops in altitude, then sweeps down low over the ground, just to the side of the paved road, which was obviously dwarven in origin. The griffon then lands down next to where two more of it's kind waits. Both of which squawk in greeting, as they were hatchlings together when they were younger.
He gets off his griffon, and the seven guards he's brought with him, get off the large winged creature too.
His guards join the half a dozen guards one of his cousins has brought along, while he walks over to where his two cousins stand a bit further away, closer to the shore of the lake, here to the east of the large village.
"You know there's an elven noble here" says lord Parsenellé after he's hugged his cousins in greeting "There is?" says lady Laelmainé, as she along with lord Galithellé look from their ambitious younger cousin to the large lake side village they're just outside of.
"Can't sense anyone" says lord Galithellé, who is closer in age to Parsenellé than the maid Laelmainé. Lord Parsenellé, who helped both of his cousins carve out their lands from the lands of the lords to the east and northeast of their own family's lands, nods his head, then says "There is" he continues with "I can't sense him as well" as the three of them converse in the language of the elven nobility.
Both Galithellé and Laelmainé nod in understanding, as they know that their younger cousin, who has taken over the traditional lands of their extended family from his father, in what amounted to a coup. Has a sprite that's attached to him, who will be able to sense anyone or anything magical.
"Wonder how they're doing that?" murmurs lord Galithellé who then adds "Holding their power within themselves?" the tall, lean elven noble follows that up with "If they have, they've been doing it for a while cause Lael and myself have been here for quite some time" the lady Laelmainé nods her head in agreement with her cousin.
"It's a spell of some kind, it's masking them" says the youngest of the three cousins, his two older cousins are surprised at that, and the lady Laelmainé murmurs "How the hell are they doing that?".
Lord Parsenellé shrugs his shoulders then says "Who knows?" then adds "Who cares?" he continues with "I'll deal with them if they interfere". "Well at least we know something" says lord Galithellé, who then adds "At least we know it isn't Yardeníl" the two other cousins chuckle at the mention of the local lord whose lands they're in. An effectual lord at best, who to the north of him is the extended Parsenellé family. And while there's a series of peaks directly to the south of here which is basically land of the principality, that's if a ruling prince was in charge of Maladimbáh at the moment.
Further south of that, little over a day's ride on horseback, is the northern reaches of lord Haldéilv's lands. One of the powerful southern lords of Maladimbáh whose lands border the arid and dry plains of the nomads south of the elven principality.
"Did you see him?" asks lord Parsenellé who continues with "Or those traveling with him?" lord Galithellé replies with "I'm not sure" he continues with "I did see a group of travelers approach here while i was flying in" the cousin who got here first then adds "He might be amongst them".
"Bloody knight" mutters the youngest of the three cousins, lord Parsenellé, whose guard were attacked by a traveling knight in a tavern in one of the villages in his lands a few evenings ago says "More of my guards are heading this way, infact an entire column of them, they'll be here sometime tomorrow" he continues with "Until then, we'll check this place out and the surrounding area for him".
Lord Parsenellé turns and says in the normal elven language "Karrelíth lets begin the search" the senior guard Karrelíth says "Yes my lord". "Haelvéne you and the others go with them" says lady Laelmainé to the senior guard of the squad of six she brought with her, the senior guard nods her head, and all thirteen elven guards start spreading out as they start towards the large village on the northern shore of the lake, they're followed by the trio of elven nobles who are cousins.
"Who else is with this knight?" asks lord Galithellé who then adds "There's a few of them, but your messenger wasn't exactly rich on details". "A short fellow with an odd shaped hat, and two youngsters, a boy and a girl really" replies lord Parsenellé who continues with "Obviously all human". "Obviously" dryly says lady Laelmainé who at nearly three hundred and eighty years of age, is the oldest of the three cousins. Though that's still fairly young for an elven noble who could easily live to be twelve hundred years old, and even older.
"There might of been an elf with them" quietly says lord Parsenellé as they walk by the first of the buildings here on the eastern side of the large, lake side village "In fact, I'm fairly certain there's one" adds the youngest cousin who is now the head of their extended family, he continues with "One of my guards who was attacked, briefly remembers speaking to an elf just before the knight attacked him and his fellow guard".
"This mysterious noble perhaps?" quietly asks lady Laelmainé "Maybe" murmurs the youngest of the three elven magic users who doesn't mention what his guards were attempting to do when they were attacked a few evenings ago.
As a couple of the guards knock on the door of a house and enter it before anyone answers, lord Galithellé quietly says "You sense that?" he follows that up with "A weapon of some kind" the other two cousins nod as they sense what he's talking about.
And as all three of them put up barrier and protection spells around themselves, lord Parsenellé says "Another one on the otherside of the village too" he pauses for a moment, before continuing with "A shield too" he then adds in a murmur "Damn powerful as well".
The youngest of three cousins, who apart from being the most ambitious of them, also happens to be the most powerful out of them when it comes to magic, glances at his right shoulder where his sprite Dolmanad has just appeared to him. The sprite whispers something to him in his right ear.
"To the right, through the buildings that way" quietly says lord Parsenellé to his two cousins "That's where that noble is" quietly adds the fairly young elven noble who is the head of their extended family.
After sharing something with his two cousins via mindspeech, lord Parsenellé moves away to the right, following behind a couple of guards who are heading that way. While the cousins Galithellé and Laelmainé continue the way they're going, briefly stopping as a goblin fumbles to light a lamp on a post beside a building, a sure sign that there's a fair few non elves living and working in and around the lake side village.
They sense a magical weapon, a sword they can now discern is getting closer to them, while another weapon, along with a powerful feeling shield is heading to this side of the large village as well, as the guards continue to check all the buildings and dwellings they come across.
Away to their right, lord Parsenellé listens to the directions of the sprite Dolmanad of where this hidden elven noble is, who from what the sprite says, isn't all that far away . . . . . .

Wonderful 66.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy glances around the side of the boat hut he's been waiting beside. The elf from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands looks at the two wyverns that are just outside the large village on the lake shore. Dalin as he's known most of the time by the others in the group, sees that along with the elven noble on the second wyvern that's landed most recently, there's also a half a dozen guards who have got off that wyvern. While the first just had it's rider.
The two riders are off to one side quietly talking in the elven noble language, while the guards look to the large village, which is basically a town on the northern shore of a small lake.
They're definitely out of their lands, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy thinks to himself, the elf who was once in the service of one of the noble family's in his homeland silently adds, both of them.
The spy Tanith then looks away to the north, into the late afternoon sky, where far in the distance, he can just make out another wyvern heading south.
Shit, the elf from south of the equator thinks to himself, who then sees one of the elven guards near the griffons, point away to the north, and call out that another wyvern is approaching.
This doesn't bode well, the elven spy thinks to himself as he sees that when the two elven nobles look northwards, they both grin and start to chat excitedly in their language. Dalin sourly smiles and hopes that the local lord was around, or at least would turn up. But from what he's already found out from some of the inhabitants of the large village, that's not going to happen anytime soon.
The elf from the Southlands turns and walks away from the boat shed, making sure to keep it and the other nearby buildings, between him and those just outside the large village.
The elven spy walks just up from the shoreline, where a number of small fishing boats are pulled up from the pebbled shore, and onto the grass.
Dalinvardél Tanith then turns right into a wide lane, smiling in greeting to an elven maid and an adolescent elf, who walk by in the lane. He's in turn answered by a smile from the maid, and a quick wave of the hand by the adolescent.
After turning a corner, Dalin shakes his head at seeing such a young elf, for no matter where you go, even within a principality ruled by elven kind, you don't exactly see adolescents or those even younger that often.
The elven spy as he walks towards the stables where their mounts are, sourly smiles at what he hears, then after sliding one of the stable doors open, and entering, Dalin dryly says in the common language "Do speak up Percy, i don't think they quite heard you all the way down in the Southlands".
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic does have the decency to blush in embarrassment, as he's been told in no uncertain terms to be quite, the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic in the Southlands shuts up. Much to the relief of Shur Kee the monk and Tamric Drubine who he's been talking with, well arguing with him really.
The spy Tanith who has nearly shut the stable door behind him, quietly says "There's another one approaching from the north". "Three?" quietly says Tamric Drubine, Dalinvardél Tanith nods his head, then quietly tells the three who are waiting here in the stables "They seemed pretty excited to see it too" the elf from the principality of Alínlae then adds "It should be here by dusk, or early evening at the latest".
"Fucking shitballs" mutters Tam in the elven language, which causes Dalin to roll his eyes as he thinks to himself that the nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin in the Southlands spends way too much time in the company of Dorc da Orc when the large ork is with the group.
"Indeed" dryly says the elven spy in his native language to the former heir to castle Drubine, then switching back to the common language, the elf from the principality of Alínlae says to the three of them "Remember stay quiet" he then adds "Hopefully we won't even have to confront them" though he knows the likelihood of that is rather slim.
After all, they kind of attract attention when they're trying not to, especially when there's one loud mouthed, rambunctious, and overbearing knight in the group.
At least Dorc isn't with us at the moment, that's something i guess, Dalinvardél Tanith thinks to himself after he slips out of the stables, closing the door fully behind him. The elven spy then crosses to the inn, that's across the street.
The elf form Alínlae in the Southlands walks up onto the porch, and enters the inn, and after greeting the innkeeper, a rather attractive elven maid, the spy Tanith makes his way into the common room, where he walks over to the table where Riley Hait the mercenary ranger, and Lisell Maera are sitting.
"Seems everyone in town is talking about them" quietly says Dalin after he hears what some of the patrons in the common room are discussing. There's about a dozen other people in the common room at the moment, with more entering for the evening meal as it approaches dusk. And everyone, mainly elves, with just a few humans in the inn at this time, are all talking about the two wyverns and those who flew them here to the lake side town.
"Where is he?" quietly asks Riley Hait the mercenary ranger in the elven language "Most likely watching them" replies Dalinvardél Tanith in the same language, who then adds "As are half of the villagers are doing" as he saw quite a lot of the locals watching the two wyverns and those who came with them. Though they were watching from a far, as they were keeping their distance.
The spy Tanith looks at the ranger Hait, and mouths the words "Another one" then he quietly says "From the north" the mercenary ranger sourly smiles, then after nodding in understanding, he dryly says "Great".
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, who along with Lisell Maera are posing as siblings, says to the elven spy "The others?". "Keeping quiet" replies the elf from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands, who then silently adds, well i hope they are.
Both the mercenary ranger and the orphan teenager from the city-state of Brattonbury lift eyebrows in scepticism at that, and the spy Tanith tells them "Well they were when i just checked in on them before i came in". "I wonder for how long?" dryly says the ranger Hait, the elf from south of the equator doesn't answer that, as he knows that sooner or later sir Percavelle will start yapping again, and loudly too. Dalin just hopes it's much later, rather than sooner.
The spy Tanith orders some bread and cheese, as well as a bowl of fruit, and a cider, a non hard one, which he sees Riley and Lisell are drinking too. After the server departs to attend to another table, the elf from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands says "I don't think they'll enter the village until the other one shows up" the ranger Hait asks "You sure?". "Seems likely" replies the elven spy who then adds "After all this isn't their lands". Both the mercenary ranger who is from the elven principality of Envadarlen, and the orphan teenager from the city-state of Brattonbury nod when they hear that.
For the three of them, along with the rest of the group, have been told by Helbe the elven thief, that the trio of elven nobles, the two just outside the lake shore village, as well as the one still approaching from the north, are all related, they're cousins.
With the one yet to arrive, the nobleborn elf whose guards were attacked by sir Percavelle Lé Dic in a village tavern a few evenings ago when they were traveling down from the north in the central region of Maladimbáh.
And by all accounts he's one of the least reputable local lords in the principality, who presses, as in force interns, those in his lands, into his service. Either to his guards, their support, or household staff at his various towers, manses and lodges throughout his lands.
Dalinvardél Tanith's meal and drink arrives, as do other customers to the inn, one of them a little bit later as the fading light of dusk takes affect outside, is prince Helbenthril Raendril. Who enters the common room, and makes his way over to the table where the trio from south of the equator are, he sits down in the empty seat beside the spy Tanith.
"We might have a bit of a problem" quietly says Helbe the elven thief "Oh?" says Riley Hait the mercenary ranger, who then adds in a dry tone "Nothing new there really". The young elven noble sourly smiles, then he casts a spell.
"You can talk freely, no one can hear us" says the elven masterthief who continues with "They'll just hear the hum of conversation, but not the actual words" the ranger Hait, who in actual fact is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra nods, then says "What's the actual problem?".
"That lord approaching from the north" says the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel in the Southlands, who then continues with "Parsenellé is his name" then he adds "I won't exactly be able to cast anything against him, and probably not that much against his two cousins waiting outside the village".
"Why not?" asks Lisell Maera with a frown upon her face, the teenager from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury in the Southlands adds "I thought you could hide your spell work from other casters?" she continues with "And that you're even a spellcaster?. "I can" says the elven magic user who after pause, he sourly smiles, then in a tone that matches his smile, he says "He has a sprite" Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman sourly smiles, while the spy Tanith sighs and shakes his head.
With a frown upon her face after looking at the other three from the Southlands, Lisell Maera asks the elven princeling "And that means?". "Certain things, creatures and even people are immune to magic" says Helbe the elven thief who continues with "Like sprites and pixies, or dragons" the elven master assassin pauses then looks at the teen from Brattonbury as he adds "Or the undead".
Lisell winces as she thinks of lord Farque who can sense anything and anyone magical, and is immune to just about all magic "Damn" mutters Lis "Exactly" says Helbenthril Raendril with a nod of his hooded head.
"What can we do?" asks Dalinvardél Tanith "Hopefully this lord Parsenellé is getting distracted at the moment" is the reply from the grandson of Prince Raendril who continues with "But I'm guessing he'll show up a little later this evening, and we'll have to confront him and those waiting nearby when they enter the village" he then adds "I won't be that much of an advantage when we do".
"Great" dryly murmurs Riley Hait, who then after a pause adds "Shur Kee?" the young elven noble nods his hooded head, then quietly says "He'll always be our hidden advantage" the elven princeling looks at the other three from south of the equator, then he tells "If we get into a fight, which lets face it, we probably will, keep him safe until he can do his thing".
"What exactly is his thing?" quietly asks Lisell Maera "Beats me" replies the elven masterthief who continues with "It isn't magic, i think it's something to do with the system of his belief". Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson remains silent on the subject of Shur Kee the monk. He knows exactly what the power the acolyte in the order of Bru Li has at his disposal.
The mercenary ranger who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra has met the source of Shur Kee's power a couple of times over the years. Though he would rather of not, as he was dead at the time when he met the spiritual being, the Jade Warrior Bru Li in the death realm.
Dalinvardél Tanith asks his fellow elf from the Southlands "So we wait" prince Helbenthril Raendril nods then says "We wait".
A little while later and the young elven noble glances down at the table top where Narladene the ground pixie appears, and to him only, the naturally magical creature shakes her head no "Lord Parsenellé will be here fairly soon, and he knows I'm here now".
"Right then" quietly says the spy Tanith as they all get up "Here we go" adds Dalin as they make their way through the busy common room, and out of the inn and into the night . . . . . .

Wonderful 65.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

Helbe the elven thief looks away to the east, and far in the distance between the mountains, the young elven noble spots a griffon. It's the second griffon he's spotted this morning, there was another that he saw earlier in the distance to the north.
And like that one, this one away to the east, is slowly circling at a fairly low altitude, as if the rider upon it, is searching for something on the ground.
"Shit" mutters Helbe the elven thief, as there seems to be a road through the valley's in that direction. He confirms this when he takes out one of his maps of Maladimbáh, one that he stole. Which indeed shows a road to the east of where he is.
The elven magic user who is blurred and shielded as he stands halfway up the side of a mountain, looks down below where he spots the others making their way roughly southwards along a trail that goes across this mountain, over the saddle of one next to it, then down into a nearby valley. From there it's a short distance to another road, which heads directly south, the way they want to go, as the lands of lord Haldéilv is located further south.
The elven masterthief, who also happens to be a prince, drops his blur spell, and shifts down to where the others are, he has to shift twice to reach them, as the mountain he's halfway up is well in excess of ten thousand feet tall.
"We've got to hurry up" says Helbenthril Raendril after he appears at the front of the group, the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel in the Southlands continues with "We're definitely being hunted".
"I wonder why?" dryly says Riley Hait the mercenary ranger as he looks back to where sir Percavelle Lé Dic is leading his horse. The heavily armoured knight is near the rear of the group, where Shur Kee the monk is leading the pack horses. The acolyte in the order of Bru Li is a little disappointed that the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic is back with him instead of his usual spot out infront of the group. For he has to listen to the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che, which at times is even trying to the normally patient monk from the far eastern kingdom of Wah Lee.
Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy who is in the front, picks up the pace as they lead their mounts. The trail is a bit too narrow to ride, and the footing isn't the best, so the group are leading their horses, with the elf from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands the one out infront.
As the group starts to climb up the trail towards the saddle between this peak and the next, the elven princeling who is the nominal leader of the group from south of the equator, disappears as he shifts away, the elven master assassin makes his way up to the saddle and blurs himself. As he does, and he looks first south, and sees that the trail widens out as it goes through more forested terrain on it's way down into the nearby valley. Then he looks to the east, then finally to the north, the direction they've come from, Narladene the ground pixie appears next to the elven magic user and says "That griffon to the north has landed for the moment".
"Who is it?" asks the young elven noble "Some noble" replies the naturally magical creature as she settles upon the right shoulder of the elven master archer, who sourly smiles then dryly says "I know that".
The tiny winged creature grins then says "It's a cousin of the lord whose guards the idiot knight beat up the other evening" Narladene continues with "He's the local lord of the lands we're going through at the moment" the ground pixie who is 'attached' to the elven prince from Laerel then adds "Their family rule a fair bit of the lands in this part of the principality".
"Let me guess" says Helbenthril Raendril who looks away to the east, and gestures that way where in the distance they see a griffon, a griffon whose rider is far too faraway from the elven magic user to cast a spell against.
"There's another relative to the east there?" asks the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel "Yep another cousin" answers the tiny winged creature, who continues with "She's the lady who rules the lands about twenty five miles away in that direction".
"Fucking great" mutters the elven masterthief in the royal language of his race which Narladene doesn't understand, then switching back to the normal elven language, he says "Hopefully they don't catch up to us" as he looks down the trail and watches the others in the group making their way quickly up to the saddle between the two mountains where he is at the moment.
The rest of the group reach the saddle and go over it by mid morning, after walking downhill for a while, the track widens out and they're able to mount, and ride down into the trees which are fairly wide apart at the moment, before they start to thicken up the further you go down the mountain, until you reach the valley, which isn't heavily forested, and has plenty of open meadows, used for grazing by the local farmers herds.
Helbe the elven thief who is floating in the air above the trees, spots the griffon to the east, it's about a dozen miles away, and though it's heading westwards, he's sees it's also heading slightly north.
Probably going to meet up with that other one, the blurred and shielded elven magic user thinks to himself, then the elven princeling floats down amongst the trees, and once he's upon the ground, he shifts to the south, scouting out infront of the others, on what is a fairly warm day here in this part of the mountainous principality of Maladimbáh for the end half of summer.
As they ride down through the trees, faster than a walk, but slower than a trott, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger looks to his right, and says in the elven language "You see or hear anything?". "Nothing much" says Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy as the two of them ride in the lead "Just those houses dotted next to the meadows we saw from up above" adds the elf from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands.
They avoid most of the local population as they make their way down into the valley, and they stop briefly at midday near a steam, to have something to eat. They're rejoined by Helbe the elven thief then, who says "It'll be far more quicker once you're on the road below" the young elven noble then adds "However, you'll be easier to spot from the air by those two griffons and their riders that aren't that faraway to the north and east".
"Will they continue south out of their lands?" asks Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman who continues with "Hopefully there's a bit of strife between them and whoever's lands we're riding into". "We can only hope" says the elven masterthief, who after finishing his meal, disappears as he shifts away.
Soon the others are finished, and are mounted and riding south through the valley to a road, which they discover was probably originally dwarven in origin. As the track they've been following, joins up with a road that's made from paving stone.
They get onto the road that heads directly south, hardly ever deviating from a straight line as it goes across flat land, with mountains in the distance to the east, while to the west, it's more hill country than mountainous. Though the hills are heavily forested, much more so than most of the mountains they've seen lately.
On one of the mountains to the east, stands prince Helbenthril Raendril, who looks westward and spots the group on the road a couple of miles away, they're heading towards a fairly large village, infact you would call it a town, as it sits beside a small lake.
The elven magic user after looking at one of his maps of Maladimbáh, sees that they're still north of lord Haldéilv's lands, and that they'll get to the north of them sometime tomorrow at the pace they're going.
Looks north, and in the distance in the afternoon sky, he spots one of the griffons less than ten miles away.
"Can you distract that griffon?" asks the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel, as he knows that Narladene can probably get to it, faster than he could. "I can" says the naturally magical creature, who drops off the right shoulder of the elven master assassin, and dives into the ground, and starts flying through it as she heads north.
As she does, the elven princeling keeps an eye out for the other griffon, while always keeping an eye on the rest of the group from the Southlands, who will stop at the large village they're approaching as they ride on the road that was originally built by dwarves many, many years ago.
Hopefully they don't get into any trouble there, Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself as he looks at the large village that's on the shore of a small lake, the elven master archer then dryly adds in a murmur "And in them, i mean that idiot Percy" as he knows it's the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che who is most likely to cause trouble wherever they go.
The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic's capacity to get into trouble is only surpassed by Dorc da Orc when the large ork is with the group.
Though the young elven noble knows that sir Percavelle Lé Dic is nowhere near the levels of idiotic behaviour and stupidity that the ork warleader gets into that causes trouble, not just for himself, but often the entire group.
As the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel keeps an eye on the the skies to the north, as well as the mounted group to his west, on the road to the lake shore village.
Narladene is flying quickly through the ground, the tiny winged creature who can fly faster through her natural element, than she can through the air.
She is quickly more than eight miles north of where the elven princeling she's attached to, is on the side of a mountain.
The naturally magical creature comes up through the surface of the earth, and finds she's in the valley the others rode through earlier. The ground pixie heads up into the sky, to where a griffon is slowly circling a thousand feet or so above the ground.
Narladene knows the elf on the griffon, an elf who is of noble birth. Can probably see the group from the Southlands on the road away to the south, though from this distance, probably not clearly enough to identify them.
It also helps that there's others on the road, both mounted and on foot, as well as on carts and wagons. So they might not get too much attention, unless the griffon and it's rider continues south before the group from south of the equator reaches the large village located next to the small lake.
The ground pixie who hopes to delay the griffon and it's rider, infact she hopes to send it in another direction, makes her way up to the large winged creature. The naturally magical creature is soon winging her way around the head of the wyvern, which like all animals, can see her.
Narladene gets infront of one of the large eyes of the griffon, and starts talking to it, the ground pixie who can talk to basically all animals. Tells the griffon to go back north, it shakes it's head, and starts squawking, much to the surprise of the elven noble in the saddle, who doesn't know what to make of the sudden change in behaviour of the griffon.
As she confuses the griffon, the tiny winged creature sourly smiles as she spots another griffon fly over the saddle to the north that the group rode over earlier this morning.
"Damn there's two now" mutters Narladene, who looks quickly southwards, and sees that group from south of the equator are almost at the large village on the edge of the small lake.
She then looks to the southeast, and spots the blurred and shielded Helbenthril Raendril shift from the mountainside he's on, and head to the large village that the others are riding to.
The ground pixie nods her tiny head, and continues to distract the griffon she's infront of. She plans to do the same to other griffon that's to the north and heading this way, hoping to delay them as the afternoon continues on . . . . . .

Wonderful 64.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

Mira Reinholt the mage looks down at the foothills below, the once powerful mage then looks around and on what's an overcast day, the Vexilian mage in exile sees no sign of the other wyvern anywhere.
The mage Reinholt has the maroon wyvern land, which it does eventually, much to the relief of the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, for at least the large winged creature is actually listening to him for once.
They're in the west of the principality of Maladimbáh, and Mira Reinholt who is keeping a careful eye out for any griffon. For any nobleborn elf who spotted him and the maroon wyvern, wouldn't exactly be pleased to find them. Is also looking for signs of the rest of the group from the Southlands. Who he believes are here in the elven principality of Maladimbáh. Where exactly, he's not too sure.
The swordmaster Reinholt who has hopped off the wyvern, which has scuttled under an overhanging ledge on the rocky foothill they've landed on as it starts to lightly rain. Looks around and up at the sky, through the leather wrapped, brass cylindrical eyepiece that he acquired here in Maladimbáh.
The once powerful mage nods his head when he spots something in the sky to the southwest, heading this way "There they are" murmurs Mira Reinholt the mage as he watches the large glossy green, black wyvern that lord Farque and Dorc da Orc are on.
The exiled Vexilian mage who is glad that the ork warleader isn't flying with him, waits for the other wyvern with the undead warlord and the ork weaponsmith upon it to land.
The large glossy green, black wyvern lands, and Dorc da Orc who basically falls off, gets up off the ground and hurries under the overhanging ledge to get out of the lightly falling rain.
The large ork just grunts as he passes the mage Reinholt, then Dorkindle yells at the maroon coloured wyvern to move over to give him room beneath the overhanging ledge. While the larger wyvern remains on the side of the foothill, curled up with a wing over it's head to give itself some form of shelter from the rain that's started falling a little heavier.
"I doubt they'll be here in the west" says lord Farque when he joins Mira Reinholt at one end of the overhanging ledge, the undead warlord continues with "If that portal they went through is like the one we went through to Belinswae near Falnic, then a similar distance in this direction will put them somewhere in the center of the principality" the heavily armoured deathlord then adds "Probably more north than south".
"But will they head south once they find out where that lord Haldéilv's lands are?" asks the swordmaster Reinholt who then adds "It's kind of obvious they'll think she is there". The lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who is also known as Draugadrottin to the people of his lands, nods his full helmed head, then says "More than likely" lord Farque then adds "It's what she'll expect Helbe to do, and he'll do it just so he can figure out whatever she's going to do to try and trap him with".
The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, until the vast majority of his powers were stripped from him when he was off world after accidentally going through a rift/void spell he miscast, says to undead warlord "I don't think she'll be all that welcomed back to her father's lands after what happened when you turned up".
The swordmaster Reinholt continues with "Her father will blame that on her for having me as her prisoner in his tower" the spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil in the Southlands then adds "From what i saw of him, he's one to hold a grudge, especially against her, who he was never that happy to have under his roof again".
"That conniving bitch will try and figure out something that will involve her father and his lands" says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque who is also known as Des'tier to an older generation of elves who might know who he is "It's the only advantage she's got while she's here, and she'll fucking need it if she hopes to capture or kill that thieving elven prince" adds the heavily armoured deathlord, the once powerful mage nods his hooded head in agreement with lord Farque.
Looking at the late afternoon sky as the rain gets heavier, Draugadrottin then looks over at Dorc da Orc who is far back beneath the overhanging ledge as possible, where he's drinking from a gourd of fermented goats milk he got from the nomad tribe they briefly stayed with when they were crossing the dry, arid plains to the south.
After shaking his full helmed head, lord Farque dryly says "I guess we're going no where until this rain stops" the mage Reinholt lets out a slow breath, then says "I was rather hoping you were going to say that" the exiled Vexilian mage continues with "I wasn't looking forward to flying in this rain till nightfall". "Pussy" murmurs the lord of the death realm, which the once powerful mage doesn't respond to, but instead makes his way to his pack, and some firewood he gathered earlier before it started raining, to start a fire and cook himself something to eat.
The trio from south of the equator stay on the rocky foothill for the night, with even Dorc da Orc falling asleep as he, along with the swordmaster from Vexil, and the maroon wyvern spend the night beneath the overhanging ledge.
The rain stops in the middle of the night after it drops in intensity to intermittent showers. By early morning, just before sunrise, it's fairly fine, with just patches of grey clouds above this part of the west of Maladimbáh.
Even though it's heading towards the end of summer, it's a little chilly this far west in the mountainous principality, though only briefly, with only the mage Reinholt feeling the chill. Dorkindle was hoping it would get colder, while lord Farque doesn't feel the temperature no matter what it is.
After the once powerful mage and the ork warleader break their fast, the trio from south of the equator are back in the air. Though only briefly, as they pause on their way to the east and north, to let the two wyverns hunt for something to eat.
"There aren't any more dragons around is there?" dryly asks Mira Reinholt, for when last he and the deathlord of Farque were here in the west of Maladimbáh, they encountered a dragon, who was hell bent on killing them, until lord Farque killed it.
"No" replies the undead warlord as they watch the two wyverns eat a brace each of deer in the valley they've stopped in "Well none that i can sense anyway" adds the lord and ruler of the lands Farque in the elven language.
"I don't know if that's reassuring or not" murmurs the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster in the same language "Relax" says the lord of the death realm, who continues with "They're territorial bastards, there won't be another one near where one lived" Draugadrottin then adds "You know this".
Dorc da Orc who is ignoring the conversation in elven between lord Farque and Mira Reinholt, grunts in disappointment when the two wyverns finnish their kills. The large ork was hoping for some of that deer himself, but no such luck.
A little while later and trio from the Southlands are upon the two wyverns again, and in the air, heading east and north through the peaks here in the western part of the principality of Maladimbáh.
With the swordmaster Reinholt flying a little lower and infront on the slightly quicker maroon wyvern. While the larger, glossy green, black one that the undead warlord and the ork warleader are on, which can fly higher and longer. Is usually a thousand yards or so behind the smaller wyvern.
As they go between peaks and over valleys, mountain lakes and rivers, the once powerful mage looks down and sees more signs of life down below the further east they go.
The spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil in the Southlands, spots trials and tracks, and narrow winding forest roads, leading to small villages and hamlets.
Which is were a large number of the population live in the principality of Maladimbáh. Most larger towns are near the seat of power of the local lords. Usually a stronghold, or palatial like tower that's dotted here and there across the principality.
There's only one real city in Maladimbáh, and that's in the east of the principality, where if there was a ruling prince or princess of Maladimbáh, they would live there. As of now, there's no ruling prince, there hasn't been one in nearly a hundred years. And the local lords are fine with that, as they're in no hurry to have one of their own rule over them.
As the morning moves on, and it gets warmer, then after midday then in the afternoon, Mira Reinholt as they pass over a road leading from a village towards the center of Maladimbáh, sees a fairly large number of elven guards belonging to whoever is the local lord, riding south.
The Vexilian mage in exile who keeps an eye out for any griffons, has the maroon wyvern circle around back to the one the heavily armoured deathlord and the ork weaponsmith are on. When he comes alongside the larger glossy green, black wyvern. The lord and ruler of the lands Farque signals to land. The two wyverns make their way down to a wide strip of grass near a river.
"You see that?" asks Mira Reinholt "I did" replies lord Farque, who then nods his full helmed head in agreement to the once powerful mage saying "That was definitely troop movement, and not just a local patrol".
"Something's happened" says Draugadrottin who then dryly adds "Considering who we're looking for, i wonder if it's got anything to do with them?". "Probably" murmurs the highly skilled swordmaster, who then nods his hooded head, and says "I will" in response to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque telling him "Go and see what they're up to".
The mage Reinholt vanishes as he teleports away to the trees nearby, towards the direction of the road they just flew over. As the Vexilian mage in exile goes to see what's happening, lord Farque stays with the two wyverns, while Dorc da Orc with a scowl upon his broad, green brutish looking face, wonders over to the river, which he squats down beside after pulling down his pants, and takes a shit in.
A little while later and the once powerful mage returns, and says "Take a guess who they're after?" the undead warlord dryly says "Them" Mira Reinholt nods, then says "A couple of the local guards were attacked in a village tavern further south of here, from the minds i read, sounds like it was the loud mouthed knight Percy who did it".
"That fuckface" says Dorc da Orc from the side of the river where he's kicking lose dirt and rocks into the water after he's taken a shit in it "The local lord wants to bring him and the others with him to justice".
"When did it happen?" asks the lord of the death realm "The evening before last" replies the highly skilled swordmaster, who then adds "They were spotted heading south".
"Let's go" says lord Farque who then calls out in the ork language "Hurry up cunt, we're fucking going!" as the large ork hurries back to where the two wyverns are, the undead warlord says to the mage Reinholt "There's an elven noble on a griffon somewhere to the north, heading south" the heavily armoured deathlord adds "Probably the local lord those nearby guards serve" he then says "Keep an eye out for them" Mira Reinholt nods his hooded head and says that he will.
The trio from the Southlands are soon in the saddles of their respective wyverns, and up in the air again, where they head south now, continuing their search for the rest of the group they usually travel with . . . . . .

Wonderful 63.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

Kaldeàlil Haldéilv the elven magic user pops her head around the side of the building she's behind. The attractive elven maid is in the river town in the lands of the Walashàele family, adjacent to the lands of her father.
The elven magic user thinks it's best not to return to her fathers lands at this time, as he's more than likely to kill her if she shows up, after all he will blame her for who it was that turned up and attacked his faux palace like stronghold that sits upon a tor.
The attractive elven maid looks to the west hoping to see her fathers seat of power, but the low cloud and misty rain that's falling today obscures it today. On a clear, sunny day the tower upon the tor can just been seen from this town across the river in the lands of the Walashàele family.
Kaldeàlil Haldéilv who returned to the principality of Maladimbáh yesterday morning after crossing the nomads plains without any success in finding those she's after. Is now looking for someone else, infact two of them, who she's heard are now in this town across from the lands of her father.
The illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv looks back around the corner to where a tavern is located at the end of the street. The tavern is mostly frequented by the humans and goblins in the town, not many of the elven residents frequent it, as it's a rather rowdy establishment at the best of times.
The elven magic user who is invisible at the moment looks away to the right, at a street that connects to the one the tavern is on, she knows the warehouse of a certain trader is on that street, a trader she's taken notice of since returning to the principality of her birth yesterday morning.
As she looks away to the street to the right through the misty rain, the attractive elven maid spots out of the corner of her eye, a pair humans, armed and armoured hurry from a lane near the tavern, which they quickly make their way to,
The attractive elven maid wryly smiles we she sees the two of them "I should of guessed" dryly murmurs Kaldeàlil Haldéilv as she watches the two enter the tavern at the end of the street.
Dropping her invisibility spell, the elven magic user who is the illegitimate daughter of the neighbouring elven lord, makes her way around the corner of the building, and with the hood of her cloak upon her head, she walks quickly through the misty rain on what's a warm day in the later part of the summer here in the principality of Maladimbáh.
The attractive elven maid enters the tavern, and looks around. In the crowded and rather noisy tavern, more than a few of the patrons turn to look at her. As there's only a handful of elves in here at the moment, none of them as striking as the attractive elven maid who has taken the hood of her cloak off her head.
Kaldeàlil Haldéilv makes her way through the common room, with people quick to get out of her way. She steps over a goblin who has tripped up infront of her as he was hurrying to the bar to get another drink.
The illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv makes her way to a small corner table, where she sees the two men she spotted, are just sitting down after they glared at a couple of others who were already sitting there, causing those two other customers to quickly move away.
"Why am i not surprised to find you two in here" dryly says Kaldeàlil Haldéilv in the common language when she stops infront of the small corner table "Shit" says one of the armed and armoured men in a surprised tone of voice, while the other who is just as surprised, says "Kalde".
The attractive elven maid quickly shakes her head no, then after the two men share a look, the first nods to a nearby doorway that leads into a hallway, and he says "They've got private rooms, we can talk in one of them".
The trio pay for one of the private rooms in the back of the tavern, and once they're in it, and the door closed behind them, the attractive elven maid who casts a spell so no one can hear them, says "I thought you two were dead until i heard a rumour you were working in this town".
"We were almost dead" says Harrick the mercenary guard, who along with his fellow mercenary Linden, was hired by Kaldeàlil Haldéilv in the south of the region of Belinswae, to guard her captive at the time, a mage by the name of Mira Reinholt.
"That big guy in armour who busted the mage free, whacked both of us so hard i thought we were going to die" says Harrick who continues with "I shattered a bunch of ribs, and Linden's right leg was busted".
"We were both knocked out" says Linden the mercenary who is the younger of the two guards from the south along the coast of Belinswae, who continues with "When we woke up, one of your father's healers, a cousin of yours i think, healed us with some spells" the younger of the two mercenaries then adds "From what we heard, we're extremely lucky, for everyone else hit by that big bloody walking ironworks was killed".
They don't know it, but it's because of their former charge the mage Reinholt, that they're still alive, as he asked his fellow Southlander lord Farque not to kill his two captors, who he got along with, and enjoyed their company, and didn't want them to die.
"Then your father kicked us out and told us to get lost" sourly says Harrick as the three of them sit around a table, on which is plates of food, as well as various drinks. The older of the two mercenary guards after downing some of his light, amber coloured ale in his tankard, then adds "Said if we ever returned, he'd hang us" he pauses for a moment, before saying "Said he'd do the same thing to you too".
"That's not the only thing he said about you too" mumbles Linden as he eats a slice of dark bread, that he's smeared some soft white cheese onto "Oh such as what?" asks Kaldeàlil Haldéilv with an arched eyebrow as she looks at the two human mercenaries from the south of Belinswae.
Both of the guards wince, then the attractive elven maid says "Well?" followed by "Out with it" she then adds "I'll just read your minds anyway if you don't tell me" Harrick blows out a breath, then he says "Alright then" after he takes a long drink of his ale.
The older of the two mercenary guards clears his throat as he pours more ale from a jug into his tankard, then he says "Well your father said, i wish i had never raped that little bitch's mother in the first place, I'd wish i had killed the whore instead" Harrick who has a slight grimace upon his face as he speaks, continues with "And when i didn't do that, i should of killed that little bitch when she was born".
"And i love you too father dear" murmurs Kaldeàlil Haldéilv in the elven language, which the two mercenary guards don't really understand, apart from a few words and phrases they've picked up in their time here in Maladimbáh, as well as being in the company of the attractive elven maid, who for the most part, often spoke almost exclusively in the elven language to her former captive Mira Reinholt the mage.
"I see my father is as charming as ever" dryly says the attractive elven maid in the common language, who then adds in a more reasonable tone of voice "He'll get over it eventually" Harrick after taking a sip of ale, and spearing a couple of slices of ham with his table knife from a platter to his plate, asks "How long will that be exactly?".
"Oh thirty or forty years most likely" says the illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv "No time at all" wryly says the older of the mercenary guards from the south of Belinswae, while the younger adds in a murmur "Glad I'm not long lived like you elves".
The elven magic user whose mother was a maid in the stronghold of her father, softly chuckles then after taking a sip of the wine in her goblet, and taking an apple from a bowl, she asks "Did that justifier from Belinswae survive that attack on my father's place?". "He did" replies Harrick "Is he still there?" asks Kaldeàlil Haldéilv who then adds "My father's place is a bit too far for me to sense if he's there".
"Last we heard he was" says Linden who continues with "He was pissed at that attack and more than half of his guards getting killed". "Not to mention losing both of his griffons" adds Harrick who then says in a slightly dry tone of voice "Probably why he hasn't returned to Falnic".
Father won't be too pleased at having that justifier as a guest longer than he expected to, the elven magic user thinks to herself as she nods her head in agreement with what Harrick just said, then the illegitimate daughter of the neighbouring local lord looks at the two mercenary guards she hired on the coast in the south of Belinswae, when Harrick asks her "What of the mage?" followed by "Mira?".
Hopefully detained in Falnic, Kaldeàlil Haldéilv thinks to herself, who then says in response to Harrick's question "The last i know, he and the other one were chasing after me". "Who is that other one?" asks Linden the younger of the two mercenary guards, who are townsmen from the region of Belinswae "You don't want to know" sourly says the attractive elven maid in reply to Linden's question.
After a lull in the conversation as the three of them eat for a bit, the elven magic user who is able to cast without being sensed due to an magical amulet she wears on a chain around her neck, says "You don't have to work for the trader anymore, I'm hiring you again".
"Good" says Harrick, who then adds "Guarding that warehouse of his was bloody boring" followed by "Crime isn't exactly prevalent around here, even with the amount of humans and goblins in and around this town" Linden nods his head in agreement with the older guard.
After eating a roll of diced up, spiced pork mince, with finely chopped vegetables, wrapped up in a thick leaf of lettuce, Harrick asks the attractive elven maid "So what will we be doing?" he continues with "Looking for the mage Mira?" he along with his fellow townsmen from Belinswae, Linden. Got along with their former charge, come prisoner, the mage Mira Reinholt who they not just used to guard, but spend a lot of their time with.
"Maybe" says Kaldeàlil Haldéilv, who then silently adds, though i don't want him showing up with that damn undead fiend! I'll be lucky to get away alive again if he does.
The illegitimate daughter of lord Haldéilv, then says "Remember i told you about a group of others who the mage usually travels with?" Linden nods his head, then says "That lot from faraway to the south like the mage is" he then adds "Who you had us look around in Falnic for, when we briefly stopped there".
"The very one's" says the elven magic user, who drinks what's left in her goblet, before she adds "I suspect they're here in the principality, or arriving here soon" the attractive elven maid continues with "I want them found" Kaldeàlil Haldéilv pauses for a moment or two, before she says "And there's one of them i want dead" . . . . . .

Wonderful 62.

The Principality Of Maladimbáh...

One of the two guards of the local lord at a nearby table looks over, and says in the elven language "Passing through on your way south?". "We are" replies Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy as the question was directed at him. At the table next to the one the elven spy is sitting with sir Percavelle Lé Dic, Shur Kee the monk and Lisell Maera. Helbe the elven thief and Riley Hait the mercenary ranger look at one another, with the ranger Hait lifting a questioning eyebrow, which the young elven noble replies with a shrug of his shoulders before he takes a drink from his mug of cider.
The guard in the service of the local lord doesn't say anything else to the spy Tanith, and goes back to his conversation with the other guard at the table with him. Who occasionally glances at the elf, who appears to be a smith, or an apprentice smith who is sitting by himself nursing a mug of ale after finishing his meal.
Dalinvardél Tanith glances over at the other table, at prince Helbenthril Raendril, who slightly shakes his head. The elven spy from the principality of Alínlae in the Southlands goes back to his meal, eventually joining in the quiet conversation happening at his table. It's quiet because sir Percavelle Lé Dic, in one of those rare times, isn't speaking, as he's busy eating and drinking. Though the heavily armoured knight isn't too enthused about some of which is on his plate, but does enjoy the bread, and the fruit conserve he's having with it, and spread upon the slices he cuts off the loaf of bread.
"Probably be slow going if we continued in this rain" quietly says Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy "Good thing we stopped" adds the elf who served in one of the noble households in his homeland of Alínlae. "I agree friend Dalin" quietly says Shur Kee the monk, who rather enjoys the meal here in the tavern, which is no surprise really, as he's always liked the food eaten by most elves.
Lisell Maera nods her head in agreement with what the other two just said, then quietly says "I don't particularly fancy riding in this heavy rain, especially if it's to continue into the night" the teenage orphan from the city-state of Brattonbury in the Southlands then takes a sip of the golden coloured wine in the goblet she's holding.
With his full helm on the table at his elbow, sir Percavelle takes a drink of the fruity tasting ale in his mug, then glances over at the two guards in the service of the local lord, who get up from their seats, and make their way across the common room of the tavern, that also serves as an inn for travelers who stop in the small village.
The others from south of the equator who are at two tables next to one another, glance at the two armed and armoured elves, who suddenly stop at the table of the lone elf who appears to be a smith.
One of the guards of the local elven lord grabs the right, muscular arm of the blacksmith, or blacksmith's apprentice, while the other says "You're coming with us".
Quiet until now as they've eaten their meals, sir Percavelle Lé Dic speaks up and says "Here now, let that chap go" of course the heavily armoured knight speaks in his overly loud voice, not to mention in the common language too, as he doesn't speak elven at all.
"He's just minding his own business eating his leaves and drinking his fruity tasting ale you fellows brew" says the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, who ignores the quiet "Leave off Percy" from Riley Hait the mercenary ranger at the other table and says to the two elves in the service of the local lord "I say, it's not for those in position of authority, well in your case, the arbiters of one who authorizes, since you are just simple peons doing your menial and lets face it, cruddy jobs, to be going about picking on someone who is minding their own business, wot?".
"Huh?" says one of the elven guards, while the other, whose command of the common language isn't the best, frowns, then mutters in the elven language "What the hell did he just say?".
Looking at the first guard, who has turned and looked at him, sir Percavelle Lé Dic says "Here let me make it clear to you, since everything i just said might not of got into your thick head, most likely because of those funny shaped ears you lot have" the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che adds "Let that smith fellow go now, he's done nothing wrong" the paladin, well he's actually a regular knight now since he's been demoted by his order, not that he knows that, pauses then adds "You slanty eyed, goofy eared, carrot sucking peon".
Both Helbe the elven thief and Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy wince at that description of their kind from the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic. Who has definite opinions about certain things. Strong opinions where in his mind, he's always right, and everyone else is wrong.
"What the hell?" says the elven guard who speaks the common language fluently who then adds in that language "You called us what?" as he can't believe what he just heard. While the other guard in the service of the local lord, whose command of the common language isn't the best, even grasped what the heavily armoured knight just said, and he says in common with a thick elvish accent "By the forest gods, the hell?" then he adds in a loud voice "Keep out of it human!".
"Uh oh" murmurs Tamric Drubine from the other table, while Lisell Maera murmurs under her breath "Well that's done it" as the paladin of the first rank, well he was a paladin of the first rank gets up out of his chair.
Pointing at the elven blacksmith, the earl of Lé Dic in the kingdom of Druvic says to the two guards in the service of the local elven lord "I said leave that pointy eared chap alone" the heavily armoured knight after a brief pause then adds "You lettuce munching effete prats".
"Why you" mutters the first of the elven guards who goes to draw his sword, while the other lets go of the lone elf's arm, and goes to draw his weapon too, then there's movement throughout the common room of the tavern, a lot of it violent.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic grabs his full helm off the table and throws it, it smashes into the face of the first of the elven guards, who hits the floor, with a bloody and battered face, a broken nose, and most likely a broken right cheek. The heavily armoured knight in the order of Saint Mar-che is quickly moving towards the other elven guard who goes to rush him while the others act.
The two elves sitting at a corner table go to get up to flee, they slump back down into their chairs, falling asleep thanks to a spell cast by Helbe the elven thief. As does the lone elf who appears to be a smith, who falls forward onto the table where he's sitting, fast asleep.
The elven maid who is the server, was just coming back into the common room when sir Percavelle acted. She flees back into the kitchen through the open door, screaming at whoever is in there. Helbenthril Raendril disappears from where he's sitting, as he shifts into the kitchen through the open door.
As others in the group get up from where they're sitting, sir Percavelle Lé Dic confronts the second elven guard. The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic in the Southlands lifts his left arm, and with the heavy steel plate bracer on it, blocks the sword that's swung at him by the elven guard.
The heavily armoured knight then punches the elf in the face, the elven guard who is dazed, is lucky the paladin isn't wearing his gauntlets at the moment, as his face would certainly of been shattered if the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che had been.
Sir Percavelle who is the same height as the elven guard, grabs the elf by the leather vest he wears over his ring mail armour, the nobleman from south of the equator, drags the elven guard forward, swinging his right arm forward as he does so.
The earl of Lé Dic has bent his right arm, and elbows the elf in the face. Blood goes flying, and the elven guards face is smashed and cut open by the armoured elbow of sir Percavelle.
The heavily armoured knight, still holding the elven guard by the vest. Puts his other hand between the elf's legs, and picks him up, then body slams him onto a close by table. The table is solid, and the elf who is barely conscious, groans as he slams back first into the table. Then the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che punches him in the face again, knocking him out.
"Damn that felt good Percy old chap" murmurs the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic after he knocks out the first elven guard, with a punch to his bloody and shattered face, as he was trying to sit up on the floor.
"Damn it Percy!" says Riley Hait the mercenary ranger in an exasperated tone of voice "Is something the matter my fine fellow?" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic in an innocent tone as he turns and looks at the ranger Hait and the others.
"We've got to leave" says Helbe the elven thief as he walks back into the common room from the kitchen after putting to sleep the elven maid who is the server, as well as the tavern keeper, and his consort, who is the cook in the kitchen.
"Nonsense, it's still raining out there" says sir Percavelle, the elven masterthief rolls his eyes, then says "Well we wouldn't have to if you didn't beat the shit out of those two guards" the heavily armoured knight just shrugs his broad shoulders and grins in response to that.
"What did he do?" asks Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy who points at the sleeping elven smith "Nothing" replies Riley Hait "They just wanted to press him into service with the local lord against his will" adds Helbenthril Raendril who found this out and told the ranger Hait about it earlier when he read the minds of those in the tavern.
"The lord here abouts sounds like a prick" says Lisell Maera, who then adds "Percy did the right thing if they were going to take that smith against his will" the elven masterthief slightly frowns as he looks at the teenage orphan from the city-state of Brattonbury, then he sourly smiles when the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic with broad smile upon his face, says in his booming voice "See i knew i was justified in my actions, the young maiden here agrees with me, sir Percavelle, the greatest knight in all the lands, even this one, with the pointy eared peons and their devilish lords, shall face my wroth when i find injustice".
"Don't encourage him" dryly says prince Helbenthril Raendril in the elven language to Lisell Maera, then in common, the nominal leader of the group from south of the equator says "Lets go" the group from the Southlands move.
Sir Percavelle after picking up his helm, kicks the first elven guard in the side where he lies unconscious on the floor. Then pulls the other elven guard who is sprawled across the table, off it. Dumping him on the floor. The heavily armoured knight kicks that unconscious elf in the side with his steel right boot too.
"What about that smith?" asks Tamric Drubine after picking up his pack, and he heads to the front door "They'll just come after him again" adds the nobleborn youngster from the kingdom of Sarcrin in the Southlands.
Helbe the elven thief slightly winces, then looks back and casts a spell before he exits the tavern with the others.
Later when the group from south of the equator are riding away from the village, heading into the falling rain as they head south as late afternoon turns to dusk. The elven blacksmith is the first one in the tavern to wake up, a tavern that no one else in the village wants to visit this evening for some reason.
The blacksmith after looking around, heads out, and makes his way home which is next to his smithy. He knows he has to leave if he's not to be pressed into the service of the local lord, who has already pressed a number of others into his service throughout his lands, against their will . . . . . .