[brianeyci]

==

"Psst. You'd better take a look at this.", said Bato.

"What's that?", murmured Bitus.

"Wake up you bonehead. Take a look."

Bitus sat up. They were sitting on high observation post several hundred feet from the ground at the border between Eldorneth and Elantria. These observation Posts dotted the Elantrian borders at regular intervals, manned by men like Bitus and Bato who lived for months at a time. They were quite large and spacious, and had food and drink regularly delivered to them.

Bitus peered through his dwarven telescope. "So what, a small fire, probably the Eldorneth's having a picnic."

"You idiot. Look at how many fires there are. That's not the paper thin guard that normally patrols the border you dope."

At that moment, the small bell attached to a string that ran down the tower rang.

"[censored]. Someone's here. Stand up, get your helmet on, it might be an officer."

"Who disturbs the men of the watch? Speak!", shouted Bitus through a horn.

"Valerius Severius. I command thee to provide meal and drink for a representative of the Senate!"

Bato nodded to Bitus. Bitus picked up a large bucket filled with rations and waterskins. They started lowered it down a rope.

"Think we should tell him?"

"Tell him about what you moron?"

"You know, about the fires."

"You mean about the increased activity at the border?"

"Yeah, that."

"Nothing to say. Let him go. Not our concern."

Bitus curled up. Bato kicked him. "Its your turn to watch, my turn to sleep." Down below, the sound of a horse moving off as the messenger left.

"Uh, Bato?"

"What."

"The messenger is heading straight for the border."

"Well that's his problem. Maybe he'll run into a few Eldornethian patrols that will straighten out his attitude."

==

Brian