laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

After weeks through the deepening snow, the group followed the dwarves southwest and continued on their long road to the southern borders of Kevelaer. It was still hard to believe the avenues her life had taken over the past few years going from an assassin in service to her king to then joining the enemy and now helping them hunt down those in the past she considered allies. Fate had a ironic sense of humor.
They trudged through miles of forest and celebrated several birthdays along the way. Alandria finally turned twenty as Galena became nineteen not two weeks prior as well as Allaster’s. She was glad for them as they encamped that night. Adgertesse’ walked over towards the ranger and nearly tripped over Nicolas, Lericanin’s latest squire.

“Sorry, ma’am,” the young boy exclaimed as he tried to get out of her way. Half the time she forgot he was even with them.

“It’s alright. Slow down, he’s only hard on you to make you more disciplined. Something I think you already had a wealth of already,” a comment that garnered an unapproving glance from the large knight.

Unsure of how to answer her, he nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” He was wound so tightly that she feared that once he got his hands on a sword, no telling who his first victim would be. A grin crossed her face as she continued on to her dearest friend’s understudy as Alandria helped dig out a place to sleep, bordering the building fire near the center.

Grabbing up the birthday girl, Tess hugged her tightly. A gesture that she needed just as much. “Happy birthday, young lady.”

“Thank you. Luckily for me, you allowed me to see another one,” she giggled.

Emotion welled as the dark elf held her tighter. “Just make sure you think of me on your next one.”

“Of course. By the way,” she began as she backed. “When’s yours?”

Tess honestly couldn’t remember - victim of her training against interrogation. “Long way off yet,” she smiled. “How’s the fort building coming,” she asked, trying to avoid sympathy.

“Well. I’m getting used to this,” she sighed belaying her true feelings as she bent over to pick up the small shovel and continue. “It’s for a good cause.”

Tess nodded. “How true. Just keep that in mind.”

* * *

Ten days later, Tess and Alandria were the scouts for the army after a revelation from Lericanin who was told that they would soon approach a city full of danger. She was glad to rid herself of pent up emotions and boredom finally.
Snow blanketed the ground and trees around them as the pair rode Kailee’s horse towards the southwest. She could feel the slowly intensifying feeling of danger ahead until soon, she pulled on Soulfire’s reins.

“Wait here,” Tess directed as she lifted her left leg over the thick neck of their steed and dropped off of the saddle. “I’m going to scout ahead a bit.”

“Alright,” Alandria commented as she drew her bow.

Quietly, the nightblade drifted through the snowy underbrush and narrow avenues between towering columns of grey trunks dotted with white, pillowy mold. Soon, her piqued senses found the cause of the alarm as her orange eyes turned northward. A large mounted unit of undead was on the move towards the army. Mentally, she contacted Selyria.

‘Got about five hundred enemy making their way towards you now, mounted. Let everyone know.’

‘Alright, thanks. Where are they?’

‘Heading northeast looking to hit the northern flank. We’ll follow and keep an eye on them but, make everyone aware.’

‘Done. Be careful.’

Tess grinned to herself knowing that she had no intention of dying until Kailee was safe. Quickly, she glided across the snow back to her awaiting partner as Alandria waited, gorgeous magical bow at the ready.

“We’ve got a large cavalry unit headed towards the army. I’m going to trail them and I want you to ride back towards the unit but keep an eye on their rear and this flank just to make sure these guys aren’t pre-empting a larger ambush.”

“Alright.” She pulled the reins towards the left and soon thundered back towards the army as Tess moved northward and soon found the undead mounts who barely touched the ground as they sped towards their prey. Skeletal warriors would strike fear into the minds of normal people and regular miltia but, these guys were running to their own slaughter. Blindly charging into defeat was amazing, but whomever raised them probably wasn’t counting on an army of dwarves and paladins either.
Soon, the eruption of battlecries and the ring of steel on steel sang through the forest as she moved farther north and continued scouting the surrounds to soon find that the undead were just a raiding party. Hopefully that’s all they would encounter today.