[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/FqVpwVKn/Battle-of-Edgehill-Warwickshire-October-23-1642.webp[/img]

[hider=Theme Music][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B01shNYl5_s[/youtube][/hider][/center]

[h1]Smoke and Steel
Act Two: A World on Fire[/h1]

[h3]Late summer draped itself across the countryside like a worn, golden shawl. The sun, softer now than it had been, spilled a languid light over the hills, setting the tall grasses aglow. In orchards, apple trees bent under the weight of ripening fruit, their branches sighing with the quiet burden. Every path trod by man and elgafolk was edged with tired wildflowers and the dry rustle of seed heads.  Yet there was a subtle tension in the air, as if the land itself was holding its breath...[/h3]
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[h2][color=WhiteSmoke]Ebengrenzstadt: Andronika Vestele and Kreznik[/color][/h2]
(cowritten with [@Terrans])

It was a crisp morning, clouds skittered overhead, promising a day of travel that would not be quite as hot as the previous week had been.  Ebengrenzstadt was a small town, walled in prior centuries, much like Trefgodwig, walls that still stood maintained against the incursions of Quinian border reivers.  It was a mostly human city, mostly Mittelvolk, with a fair number of Quinian families and a small number of elgafolk.  Upon entering the city, Andronika had emancipated the slaves and had set bureaucrats to forcefully redraw the guild constitutions to remove barriers that had restrained human membership and authority in the institutions, but had (to the frustration of some) otherwise protected the elgafolk.  There had been no bloody revolution and a semblance of normality had settled on the town within a couple of weeks.

Then Vestele had arrived back with a detachment of Western Empire Lancers and a 'Treaty of Fellowship' with the Westerners.  It was a major victory for the Whites, though, annoyingly it had come with a request for Andronika to travel to Alveby the pledge her fealty to the Emperor.   Something which, against the protestations of some of her council, Andronika agreed to do.  It was an important piece of theatre for the Western Empire, in exchange for an essential ally for the Whites.  In the short term there would be a, potentially, dangerous trip across country. though the Lancers, a steely eyed, battle hardened body of well armoured, ancient elves, promised to give as good protection for the journey as the Westerners could offer.   Andronika had insisted on forming her own bodyguard of 50 troopers from her own regiment to accompany the force.

And so, in the morning air, the group assembled to set out.  Vestele and Andronika, both wearing devantieres were gossping together in a corner.  Some distance away, the elga Sergeant, a blonde, moustachioed figure named Ruehnar was inspecting his detachment in readiness for the journey.

The clomp of hooves announced Kreznik's presence; his mount, Victor, sidling to halt before Vestele and Andronika. Trailing loosely behind him was two handfuls of his Hounds. The young spymaster and his charges both wore cavalry uniforms of the Whites and were equipped accordingly. Though Kreznik looked remarkably uncomfortable beneath the equipment and uniform. And annoyed, but that particular emotion was not related to his garb. "The Hounds are ready to depart for another hastily planned journey across dangerous terrain in lesser numbers then our previous march." The annoyance in the assassin turned spy turned bodyguard's voice was apparent.  A slight pause as he dismounted his horse and continued speaking. Giving the barest of adjustments to his uniform while coming to a stop before the two women, "I assume my complaints will not be heeded and studiously ignored with a whimsical comment?"

"Would you prefer we try to take a whole army across country?" Andronika replied, turning away from her companion to look up at Kreznik, "That would be slow and we'd definitely need to fight.  The worst we'll encounter this way are a few dragoons scouting ahead of their main force.  No whimsical comments my friend... this time."

“I’d prefer if we stopped heading off last minute on hastily planned soirée’s [i]away[/i] from your army.” Kreznik turned down his face to meet her gaze.   A hand raising as if to cut her off preemptively, “I know you [i] have[/i] to go to swear fealty. Must be done in person. A large grant to our legitimacy.” Annoyance and another emotion pulled at his features before a bitter sigh of resignation followed and a deflating of his shoulders, “But I know I will still follow your missives. Your orders?”

"This is the fruition of a long campaign of work, Kreznik," Andronika chided, gently enough, "Vestele was sent to seek this Alliance.  It was negotiated.  This piece of theatre to seal the alliance was unforseen, but it is necessary.  I had thought sending a signed letter might suffice, but these complicated times... As for your orders.  Simple: stay with me, and Vestele, and make sure nobody kills either of us."

"We are being escorted by the finest soldiers on the continent," Vestele commented, giving a sideways glance at a particularly tall, Lancer, "And we are mounted so, realistically the only real threat is of the nefarious kind you specialise in."

"One can make the argument I have a poor track record with my... specialties." Kreznik glanced over his shoulder at his Hounds raising a hand in a signal. A pair of them trotted off to meet the party a bit further down the trail. "Though I guess it has allowed me to examine other options."

'Other options' drew a mischievous smirk from Andronika, though she quickly wiped it off her face, "Just make sure nobody kills one of us," she said, "This mission, while it might seem trivial, has the potential to change the course of this Civil War."

“We will do our best. However good that might be.” The assassin turned to remount Victor; the rest of the Hounds  beginning to coalesce around them. “Would you prefer picking your personal shadows now or me assigning them behind your back?”

"You make that sound so nefarious!" Andronika raised an eyebrow, though she looked amused.  She usually did, "You know your people better than I, but I had imagined you were my personal shadow."

Flustered was not a word to describe Kreznik usually. But it fit him perfectly now, “I…I need to remain objective.” The stammer barely noticeable.

"Nothing unobjective with doing your job," Andronika smiled, the hint of amusement still in her expression, "Your job is to stay close.  I feel safer that way."