"Sir, we're getting some Intel from the Taliphone you placed on that adventurer kid." A young officer reports. He's sitting inside a tent with a small device pressed against his ear.
"Good, I knew this would work out in our favor. The key is to always be one step ahead of your enemy. So what are they saying?" The Earl gloats.
"Yes, sir. You can listen in using this Audistone." The Earl gleefully snatches the device out of the officer's hand. A Taliphone is a Talistone that can transmit sounds. By planting a small Taliphone on Nick's body, they can now monitor what he's saying. The Audistone is the receiving device that projects the sounds collected from the Taliphone. This whole plan was created when he heard a rumor that Nick was working with the fairies. Having an extra Taliphone, he figured he could hide it on the kid's body in order to figure out his opponent's plans.
"I'll take it from here." The Earl places the device by his ear and listens carefully.
'It seems they know I'm working with you.' The first voice is clearly the boy he planted the device on, Nick.
'That's fine. The humans aren't stupid. We should expect at least that much from them.' The next voice is small but powerful. In all likelihood, a high-ranking fairy. The Earl's smile broadens as he hears their evaluation.
'What are we going to do?' Nick asks, a hint of panic woven into his words.
'The plan remains the same; we will try to divide them into small groups and kill them individually. We don't stand a chance in a heads-up fight.'
'What if they stay in the fort?'
'We'll have to do what we can to draw them out. If we can get them to patrol the surrounding area in small squads, then that should be enough.'
'How are we going to do that?'
'Do not worry, child. I'll take over from here. You should head home for now.'
'Okay.'
'Don't forget. You will be handsomely rewarded for your efforts.'
'Right, thank you.'
'Yes, goodbye for now.' The conversation cuts off after that. The only noise that can be heard through the listening device is the crunching of leaves. The Earl's sickening smile stretches across his face. A devious plan begins to form within his mind. If he can deal a heavy blow to the fairies before the war actually begins, he's sure to acquire even greater accolades. The Earl, with the ambition of a king, leaves the tent.
"Earl, what can I do for you?" The fat man sitting on a horse straightens up as he's approached by his superior.
"Baron Brimsfield, you're in charge of the forward base operations, yes?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good, I need you to suspend any and all patrols around the area."
"But sir, we're under direct orders from the Duke to map–"
"Well, he's not here right now, which means I'm in charge, got it?"
"Yes, sir."
"If the Duke asks, just tell him it was me. I'll take full responsibility. Also, try to prevent anyone from wandering away from the fort. The fairies are going to try and lure people into the woods and kill them while they're vulnerable."
"Understood, sir." The Earl finishes his orders and marches over to his next victim.
"Earl, I'm Thaddeus, the chief architect. How can I help you?"
"How tall are you planning to make those walls?"
"About four feet, sir. Fairies aren't very big, so the walls shouldn't matter much."
"Make them twice as tall."
"But sir, we would have to drag a lot of those resources in from town. It would be really expensive. We could use some of the surrounding materials, but much of the stone and cement will need to be imported."
"No, keep everyone within sight of the fortifications. The fairies are going to try to pick off any stragglers."
"But what about the porters needed to carry goods? They have to walk between here and town."
"Make sure they only travel in groups and add a squad of guards to each unit. I don't want to lose a single man during the construction of our fortifications."
"Yes, sir." Thaddeus quickly runs off to speak with Baron Brimstone in order to organize the caravans. Feeling satisfied, the Earl retires to his tent for the night. He assigns one man to keep an ear on the Taliphone in case any more Information can be gathered.
The next week moves along smoothly. The walls of the fort are slowly rising above his head, and not a single casualty has been incurred. Considering he thought this war would devolve into a battle of attrition, this is welcome news.
"Earl Belmont, I thought I made my instructions clear." Duke Avaritan strides into his tent on the morning of the fifth day.
"Yes, you did, sir, but I acquired some conflicting information. I have reason to believe your original instructions would have led to the loss of many lives." For most nobles, it would be a death sentence to question their orders. One thing that stands out with the Duke is how quick he is to consider others' opinions. This flexibility has served him well over the last several decades. His hair my be growing white but the vigor in his eyes has remained just as sharp as it was in his early twenties
"Go on."
"I placed an Audistone on the boy that's been in contact with the fairies. He went straight to them after guiding us here, and I heard their plans. They want to pick off individual soldiers who wander into the forest and isolate small squads as they patrol. They understand that they don't stand a chance against us in a heads-up fight, so they want to whittle down our forces." Earl Belmont quickly lays out the framework of the acquired Intel.
"Who spoke to the boy specifically?"
"I'm not sure; they didn't say."
"So we can't be sure he went to talk to the fairies, right?"
"Well, yes…"
"And can we say for certain that they weren't setting you up?"
"I don't think– I mean, it all fits together so well. What could they gain from having us build up our fortifications?" Earl Belmont asks in a pleading voice. His fool proof plan now feels like a flimsy hunch.