The Homecoming 137.

Battle Castle...

Riley Hait the mercenary ranger doesn't see the explosion across on the otherside of the moat, away to his left. As he's busy rolling a barrel filled with rocks and stones off the top of the wall, with the help of a couple of townsmen.
The mercenary ranger from the elven principality certainly heard the explosion. And after the barrel he rolls off the top of the wall, crashes down upon a raft and those on it at the base of the wall.
He looks away to the left, and spots the aftermath of the explosion. The ranger Hait who spots baron Harkonin first. Being helped away to the rear. Frowns as he sees further infront of the baron. His advisor, the dark druid Palvarc being carried away too.
The spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east is knocked out by the looks of it. As he's still firmly clutching his staff to his body as he's carried away.
When the hell did he get back? Riley Hait the mercenary ranger thinks to himself a little worryingly, as he knows Helbe the elven thief, who took Shur Kee the monk with him.
Took off earlier in the day in pursuit of the dark druid who serves as the advisor to baron Harkonin.
The mercenary ranger, who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson. Who by no fault of his own, just so happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Riley Hait.
Can't worry about that now, as he's got the defence of castle Lé Dic to worry about.
The human ranger who was raised and trained by some of the elven warders of the principality of Envadarlen. Wryly smiles as one of the townsmen points out something in the courtyard below.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman shakes his head as he looks to the east down in the south courtyard of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
There he spots Dorc da Orc sitting on the ground. With Tovis the war engineer, and a few others standing next to him.
The last time the ranger Hait saw the large ork, he was swinging an enemy scaling ladder at the enemy who were trying to climb to the battlements, further to the east along the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
The ork warleader who has obviously been knocked backwards off the wall. From the dark druid Palvarc, suspects Riley Hait. Is trying to stand up, after he pops something into his mouth. Most likely a healing potion.
Though the mercenary ranger is willing to bet it's one that the war engineer Tovis had on him. As the big, burly ork hates the ones given to him by prince Helbenthril Raendril.
After Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson orders one of the ballistas to shoot at the enemy, including baron Harkonin heading back towards the enemy camp.
He can't order the other ballista crew to do so. As there isn't anyone manning that one. As he's had the remaining crew members spread out along the parapet, to help out the other defenders.
Likewise with one of the small catapult crews up here on the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
There just isn't enough trained soldiers to crew both of the small catapults now. As they've been targeted throughout the battle by enemy archers and crossbowmen.
He has one of the remaining runners up here on the south wall parapet of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for generations.
Go to the west wall battlements, and to ask Tamric Drubine who is in charge of the defence of that side of the castle something.
Once the youngster has taken off, Riley aka Zubutai the son of Timagin shouts out "Lé Dic!" as hears the call of Lé Dic coming from his left along the parapet. Most likely inspired by the former earl of Lé Dic, sir Percavelle who can be heard once and while shouting out his family's name.
"Yeah me fine cunt" says Dorc da Orc who stretches after he stands up "You sure?" asks Tovis the war engineer as he looks at the large ork who has just taken one of the young engineer's healing potions, in exchange for one of his own.
The ork warleader grunts "Yeah cunt" as he yawns. While Tovis, who saw the big, burly ork go flying off the battlements, and land down here in the courtyard. Who frankly is still in disbelief that the ork weaponsmith is even alive. Looks on a little dubiously as the large ork stands there yawning.
"It fucken nothin" says Dorkindle who waves one of his big, meaty hands and continues with "Happens all the fucken time". The warleader of the ork race grins at baron Harkonin's former war engineer and tells him "Dorc too fucken tough" as he taps with his knuckles the plate of armour from an actual dragon, that he wears on a heavy chain around his neck, that covers his chest, and most of his rather ample belly.
"You lot can fuck off now" says the ork who hails from the southern polar region of the world as he waves in the direction of the nearest of the war machines, though he's looking up at the parapet he went flying off a little while ago.
Dorc da Orc frowns, then scowls as he sees that sir Percavelle Lé Dic is still up on the battlements of the south wall of his family's ancestral home.
The large ork who is the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, who was hoping that the heavily armoured knight was flung off the top of the wall too.
Sets off towards the nearest set of steps to the battlements above. The warleader of the ork race briefly stops and looks back, and growls as he sees that the young engineer Tovis is following him.
The war engineer who until recently served baron Harkonin, halts and after one look at the growling ork weaponsmith. He turns and goes with the rest of those who came over to check on the big, burly ork. Back to the nearby war machines that they've been manning.
Dorkindle grunts in satisfaction, then he turns back around. And though he's a little unsteady on his feet for the first dozen steps or so. He's more steady once he reaches the steps, and starts heading up them to the parapet of the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
"That silly fucken knight cunt not gonna have all the fucken fun up there" large ork mutters to himself as he makes his way up the steps to the battlements above.
The ork warleader continues muttering with "And fuck up ya cunts" as he hears a number of the defenders up on the parapet shouting "Lé Dic!". In defiance at the enemy, and encouragement to their fellow defenders along this side of castle Lé Dic.
Over on the west wall parapet of the massive castle, Tamric Drubine who is in command of the defence along this side of the castle. Turns to an out of breath runner who has made his way up to the battlements here, from the south courtyard.
After the youngster, a castle page gets his breath back, and tells the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin something.
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's often referred to by the others in the group, frowns as he looks away to the west through the smoke of the smouldering town of Massic.
"I haven't" says Tamric Drubine to the youngster "If i do, I'll send someone to tell him" adds the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who then nods for the runner to return to the south wall parapet of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
"Yes m'lord" says the castle page, who turns and heads to the nearest set of steps down, as he makes his way back to the south wall.
While Tam, who is a former heir of castle Drubine in northern Sarcrin, looks back to the west, beyond the town of Massic, searching for any sign of Helbe the elven thief and Shur Kee the monk. Who left castle Lé Dic in the morning, in pursuit of the dark druid Palvarc. Who has returned from to the massive castle, from what the runner who was sent by Riley Hait the mercenary ranger has just told him.
Where can they be? Tam thinks to himself, who is glad to hear that though the dark druid has returned, he's incapacitated at the moment.
Though he's more than a little worried that the elven princeling, and the short, statured monk haven't made their way back to castle Lé Dic.
As he thought the two of them could of eliminated the spellcaster who is the advisor to baron Harkonin. But apparently not.
"I hope they're alright" the nobleborn teenager murmurs to himself as he looks westwards through the drifting smoke that's coming from the buildings in the town of Massic, part of which, is still on fire at this moment.
As he's heading back along the road, between sir Haleníc, and one of his soldiers, both of whom are holding him upright, as he's a little unsteady on his feet.
Baron Harkonin slightly flinches as there's a thump, then a scream that comes from behind them.
The head of the Harkonin family glances back, then winces at what he sees.
One of the trailing soldiers has been struck by missile shot from a ballista up on the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
It's gone right through him, then into the right leg of another of the soldiers who was caught up in the explosion that they all were in.
He's lying on the ground screaming, with a ten foot long heavy spear through his leg.
It's no use going back for him. As he'll soon be dead. That's why none of them stop to help him. And they continue on to the camp.
As they get closer, they're met by some of the baron's personal servants. Who along with the surgeons and healers, are about the only ones not taking part in the assault upon the walls of castle Lé Dic.
The servants have brought a stretcher with them. And though they've brought it for the baron.
He nods for his advisor, the dark druid Palvarc to be put on it. Which the trio carrying the unconscious spellcaster, are willing to do.
After the servants pick up the stretcher, and carry it. The head of the Harkonin family orders one of the soldiers ahead. To get one of the army surgeons to attend the dark druid.
As he does, sir Haleníc leads the way to the closest tent that has a number of camp chairs and chests infront of it.
The baron basically slumps down onto one of the heavy chairs that can support him and his armour.
"Haleníc have one of the men go back onto the road, onto one of the war machines, and observe what's happening" says baron Raevar Harkonin, who still feels a little dazed after taking such a heavy hit, when he was flung backwards in the midst of the explosion they were in.
"Have him every so often call out what's happening" adds the nobleman who rules the fief to the east, who has invaded the Lé Dic fief, intending to wipe out all members of that particular family, and take over their fief.
"Will do m'lord" says sir Haleníc, who steps away to quietly speak to one of the soldiers, who is more or less unhurt, as he was at the edge of the explosion.
As he does, the baron looks away to their right, between two rows of tents, to where he can see the surgeons tent, which his advisor Palvarc has just been carried into.
And as baron Harkonin accepts a goblet of wine from one of his servants. Which tastes a hell of a lot better than the water he's drinking throughout the day.
He wonders how the dark druid fares. And if his advisor is just knocked out. Or if there's anything more serious to his condition after the explosion.
The baron looks back up to the road, where he sees the soldier sir Haleníc spoke to, is making his way to the nearest war machine, which he'll climb, to watch what's happening along the south side of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for generations.
Sitting on the camp chest next to the chair Raevar Harkonin is on, sir Haleníc says "We might of got the rough end of the stick of it m'lord" the young nobleman from the Harkonin fief continues with "Apart from that, the battle is progressing in our favour. And with commander Taevar up near the front, in charge of the assault upon the south wall of enemy's castle, I'm sure we'll have plenty of men in there soon enough".
I hope so, baron Harkonin thinks to himself, as he nods his head to what his young knight has just said.
Then the head of the Harkonin family who is about to say something to sir Haleníc, remains silent as he spots one of the surgeons hurrying this way from the tent, he and his fellow healers have been working in.
After gulping down the rest of the wine in the goblet, baron Harkonin asks the surgeon "How fares the druid Palvarc?".
"He's unconscious m'lord" is the reply of the surgeon, a short man, around the same age as the baron himself "The smelling salts, and the hot spices have been unable to wake him" adds the surgeon, who continues with "When that happens, we tend to let them wake up by themselves. Which could be fairly soon, or tomorrow. It's different for everyone".
The baron nods in understanding, then seeing the surgeon pause, Raevar Harkonin asks "What else is it?".
"For someone who is so completely knocked out" says the surgeon, who continues with "The druid still has strong body functions. In his case, the phenomenal grip he has upon his staff. Which we've been unable to take from him".
"Best you leave it alone" says the head of the Harkonin family, who pauses as the soldier who has been sent to observe the battle, calls out to them, that some more of the men have topped the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Baron Harkonin smiles, then he frowns as the soldier up the side of one of the trebuchets, calls out something else.
"What was that?" asks the baron looking at sir Haleníc, who tells him "He's certain sir Percavelle is now attacking those of our men who have just gained a section of the wall".
"Damn" mutters the nobleman who rules the fief across the border to the east, who then adds "You may go" in response to the surgeon saying "M'lord" with a nod back to the tent many of the injured and wounded are in.
As the surgeon hurries away, and the baron lifts the goblet up to be refilled, Raevar Harkonin quietly says to sir Haleníc "I don't know what that raving lonnie Percavelle did. But whatever it was, it caused Palvarc's spell to rebound and hit us".
"Yes m'lord" says the young knight, who is just able to keep the judgemental, and rather sour tone he feels, out of his voice at the thought of the dark druid Palvarc, and his failed spell that almost killed a group of them.
"That damn Percavelle has always been a big annoying pain in the ass, today is no different" mutters the baron, who falls silent as the soldier up the side of one of the trebuchets on the road, calls out again.
"Huh?" murmurs the head of the Harkonin family with a frown upon his face, then the baron looks at sir Haleníc, and quietly asks him "What was that?".
"I'm not sure m'lord" says the young noble, who stands up on the chest he's been sitting on, and calls out "What was that last bit?" to the soldier on the road observing the assault upon the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Both nobles, and those with them, concentrate as they listen to what the soldier up the side of the trebuchet, calls out again, what he sees happening during the assault.
"Damn" mutters baron Harkonin once more, when they hear that the large green monster is again on the battlements along the south side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
I thought Palvarc killed it, baron
Raevar Harkonin thinks to himself in disbelief, as he saw the large, green fellow, who is apparently an ork, go flying backwards out of sight, off the back of the parapet along the south side of castle Lé Dic. When it was hit by something that the dark druid Palvarc shot from the end of his magical staff.
"That idiot Percavelle, and that damn green monster, that's all we bloody well need" dryly mutters the baron of the Harkonin fief as he wonders how the battle will continues with those two now back on the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for centuries . . . . . .

The Homecoming 136.

On The Wall. Off The Wall...

Sir Percavelle Lé Dic is turning when out of the corner of his right eye, he spots Dorc da Orc further back along the top of the south wall, go flying backwards off the parapet.
The heavily armoured knight who caught a glimpse of a dark, green light striking the big, burly ork before he went flying off the battlements.
Ducks down, as he looks into the courtyard below. And sees the large ork lying about thirty feet from the base of the wall.
The former earl of Lé Dic knows how tough the ork warleader is. After all he spent a number of years trying to kill him, and was unable to.
And whatever it was that struck the ork weaponsmith, should be treated with caution. Considering as he looks at Dorkindle, he sees that he isn't moving. Until a few moments later, he sees the large ork starting to stir.
The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che pops his full, helmed head up over the top of the wall, next to one of the two merlons he's between near the southeast corner tower of his family's ancestral home.
He looks across the moat, further to his right, inline to where Dorc da Orc was standing upon the parapet.
"Wicked spellcraft of some kind got the beast" murmurs sir Percavelle Lé Dic as he peers over the top of the wall, the heavily armoured knight looks across at the enemy on the otherside of the moat, at those who have yet to get onto the water. He quickly finds who he is searching for.
"Raevar and his pet druid" mutters the former paladin as he spots baron Raevar Harkonin, along with his personal advisor, the dark druid Palvarc. Along with others, about fifty yards back from the moat along the south side of castle Lé Dic.
The nobleborn knight who is the uncle of lady Linara Lé Dic. Who thought the dark druid Palvarc had taken off from the battle.
Narrows his eyelids as he watches the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east. Along with baron Harkonin, both of whom are looking up at the battlements. Along this half of the south wall of the massive castle that's been home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
The former knight of the first class ducks his head back down "Come on Percy lad, think" the heavily armoured knight murmurs to himself.
Who after looking back down into the courtyard below, and sees the large form of Dorc da Orc trying to move.
He looks up behind him at the tower that's on the southeast corner of his family's castle.
Up there is a small number of archers and crossbowmen shooting down at the enemy. Those who top the wall, or who are down on the moat, trying to get up to the battlements on this side of the massive castle.
The nobleman who is both a landed and an ordered knight, then looks along the parapet to his right. Where he spots a couple of the enemy have gained the top of the wall, about fifty feet from where he is, now that the large ork isn't there using a scaling ladder to whack the enemy trying to climb up to the battlements.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic or Percy as he's commonly referred to by the rest of the group, grins behind the faceplate of his visor.
Then he slips the shield of Saint Mar-che off his back, and holds it infront of him. The the former earl of Lé Dic then looks behind him and up to the tower on the corner, and he calls out an order to those defenders up on the top of it.
Down in the large south courtyard of castle Lé Dic. Dorc da Orc opens his eyes after momentarily blacking out after hitting the ground, back first.
The large ork, who now has been hit off the top of the walls of the massive castle, twice today during the battle.
Groans as this time, definitely hurt a lot more than the first time, which happened over on the east wall of castle Lé Dic.
"Fucken magicky shit" mutters Dorc da Orc who knew immediately he got hit by something magical as he was flying backwards off the parapet.
The ork warleader, who if he wasn't an ork, would of been dead from the near fifty foot fall from the top of the south wall of the massive castle.
And would of been dead if he hadn't been wearing his plate of real dragon armour, that covers his chest, and most of his ample stomach.
Then grunts as he goes to move "Fuck hurties" mutters the big, burly ork who hails from the southern polar region of the world.
He lifts a hand, and says "Yeah cunt" and waves away a castle servant who has hurried over and asked if he's alive.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks sourly smiles as he contemplates taking one of his healing potions. As his body fair tingles up and down the length of it.
The large ork who wishes to his god Krom that he could swap one of his healing potions with one belonging to Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, as he did this morning.
Strains as he lifts his head, and looks up to the battlements of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, which he came flying off the back of.
The warleader of the ork race scowls as he looks along the parapet, to near the southeast corner tower of the massive castle. Where he spots sir Percavelle Lé Dic kneeling down behind a parapet.
What that fucken silly knight cunt up to? Dorkindle thinks to himself as he sees the former earl of Lé Dic is holding the shield of Saint Mar-che, and is looking up to the top of the corner tower, calling out something to the defenders up there.
The scowl upon the broad, green, feral looking face of the large ork turns into a frown as he hears what the heavily armoured knight up on the battlements calls out.
Then Dorc da Orc as he tries to sit up, grunts as he catches the scent of the newest member of the group. The war engineer Tovis hurrying this way across the courtyard.
The son of the former matriarch of wolf tribe of orks wonders if he can swap one of his healing potions with one that the former war engineer to baron Harkonin has. He sure hopes so, as the ones given to him by Helbe the elven thief taste like stewed vegetables. Which is totally disgusting to the palate of the large ork.
Up on the parapet of the south wall of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic who is looking up at the top of the tower behind him.
Grins as he sees a couple of arrows, then crossbow bolts fly from it, across the moat, to the open ground beyond. The former paladin then starts crab walking along the parapet, keeping below the top of the wall and the height of the merlons.
"Thou ungodly druid is going to get a surprise if he tries the same thing on me, that he did to the smelly beast" murmurs the former earl of Lé Dic as he carries the shield of Saint Mar-che infront of him, as he basically waddles in a low crouch back along the parapet, heading away from the southeast corner tower of his family's castle.
The heavily armoured knight grins behind the visor of his full headed helm as he intends to make himself a target for the dark druid across on the otherside of the moat from the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
"Can you see him?" asks baron Raevar Harkonin as they look up at the battlements along the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home of his enemies, the Lé Dic family for centuries.
The baron looks at his advisor, the dark druid Palvarc, who is standing beside him. Who shakes his head no, as they try to locate sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
The ruling nobleman of the fief across the border to the east then looks at sir Haleníc, and the young knight's squad who have joined them.
Who shakes his head no as well, as they can't see the former earl of Lé Dic who was spotted near the southeast corner of castle Lé Dic.
The baron who is glad Palvarc disposed of the large, green creature, that's supposedly an ork, that was terrorizing his men.
Looks at his advisor, who is frowning as he looks at the battlements across from them.
"Has Percavelle got something magical with him?" asks Palvarc the dark druid as he uses his magical senses as much as his normal one's as he looks across the moat, to the top of the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for generations.
With a sour looking smile upon his face, baron Harkonin says "It's a sword i think" he continues with "The idiot was using it on the men, sent them flying through the air every time he hit one of them with it".
The baron's advisor nods his head, then he and Raevar Harkonin look sharply to the right, as one of the baron's personal guards hops quickly backwards, and yelps "Shit!" as a crossbow bolt hits the ground right infront of him.
The dark druid who has only recently returned to the battle puts up wards as arrows and bolts fly their way from the archers and crossbowmen who are up on top of the tower at the southeast corner of castle Lé Dic.
Then after glancing westwards and sensing as far as he can in that direction. And glancing at his staff, which doesn't give him the feeling of any threat coming from that direction.
Palvarc looks sharply to the battlements near to southeast corner of the massive castle, where he senses a magical item, infact he's sure he senses two. As the young knight, sir Haleníc says "There!".
They all spot the heavily armoured figure of sir Percavelle Lé Dic standing up between a couple of merlons. Where he's just shouldered one Harkonin soldier off the top of the wall.
And sent another one flying sideways along the parapet a good thirty feet, after hitting him, with what the dark druid presumes is the magical sword he has in his possession.
Pointing the end of his staff at the former earl of Lé Dic up on the south wall battlements of the massive castle, Palvarc the dark druid says "Got him". Beside his advisor, the baron grins as he waits for what's about to happen.
The spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east, sends a beam of dark, green energy from his staff, shooting across the moat towards the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
As he does, the staff screams out a warning to him. Not from the west where he expects it. But from the top of the south wall of the massive castle. Right where he's sent the beam of dark, green energy. Right where sir Percavelle Lé Dic stands upon the parapet.
Up on the battlements of his family's castle, the former earl of Lé Dic, who has the shield of Saint Mar-che leaning against him, below the top of the wall.
Grabs it and lifts it up when he sees the dark druid Palvarc pointing his magical staff at him. The heavily armoured knight drops down to a knee, and braces himself as he holds up the magical shield, that rightfully belongs to his order, but he took from the previous caretaker of it, after he died during a battle.
In the moment before he's knocked back down, with a fair bit of force, onto the parapet by what hits the shield of Saint Mar-che, sir Percavelle Lé Dic is grinning from ear to ear behind the faceplate of his full helm.
For he knows whatever it is magically that's just hit the shield of Saint Mar-che, is going directly back where it came from. Faster, and more powerfully than when it hit the magical shield.
Wards are all well and good, if you know what to protect yourself from. And if you've got them up in time.
But for the dark druid Palvarc, who has up a barrier spell to stop the arrows and bolts shot at them by the defenders up on the southeast corner tower of castle Lé Dic.
Doesn't have a protection spell up, which protects oneself, and others from magic. For the simple reason he wasn't expected a magical attack.
The advisor to baron Harkonin only had the warning at the last instant from his staff. And that warning was so quick. That he could barely slam up a protection spell. Before the beam of dark green energy shot from his staff, comes back at him, far quicker and a lot more powerful than he shot it at sir Percavelle Lé Dic up on the battlements along the south wall of the massive castle.
Palvarc barely gets the protection spell up infront of him and the baron standing next to him, before the beam of dark green energy returns and hits.
There's a burst of dark green light, and baron Harkonin finds himself flung backwards, he hits the ground with a fair bit of impact, and groans.
He goes to take a breath, and gasps as he's winded. The nobleman who rules the fief across the border to the east, turns his head to the left. And sees his advisor, Palvarc lying nearby, clutching his staff, unconscious or dead he's not too sure.
The baron sees the charred body of one of his personal guards beyond the dark druid.
And a bit further beyond him, he sees another of his personal guards, missing the top half of his body.
Raevar Harkonin gulps as he tries to get his breath back. He lifts his head, and sees a couple more bodies further away to the left.
One missing a leg, and is slightly burnt. While the other is intact, though there's tendrils of smoke coming from it.
The baron spots one of the soldiers stagger by, missing an arm. While another is stumbling blindly the other way, towards the moat. Hands out infront of himself, his face slightly burnt and bloody.
The head of the Harkonin family looks the other way when he hears someone say "M'lord?".
He sees a dazed looking sir Haleníc stumble, and kneel beside him "You alright m'lord?" asks sir Haleníc.
Nodding his head, baron Harkonin says "Fine" he then winces as he tries to sit up.
The baron then gestures at his advisor lying nearby, and says to the young knight "See to Palvarc".
Raevar Harkonin chooses to ignore the muttered "Fuck him" from sir Haleníc as he looks at the dark druid, and instead tells the young noble "And to the men as well".
The dazed looking knight nods, and calls out to those soldiers near the moat, to hurry over and help.
Further to the left along the moat, near the water's edge. Sir Taevar the army commander, has seen what's happened. And he sends a group of soldiers and camp followers to assist the baron and the others who were hit by the rebounding beam of dark green energy shot from the tip of the dark druid's staff.
The army commander hopes the baron's advisor was killed with what just happened. As he couldn't think of a better person more fitting to die from their own hand, than Palvarc the dark druid.
Up on the battlements of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, sir Percavelle Lé Dic groans in pain as he sits up, gasping for breath as he was winded by being slammed down onto the parapet by the dark, green beam of energy that struck the shield of Saint Mar-che.
The former paladin who is facing the courtyard, looks down into it. And sees that Tovis the war engineer and a couple of others have reached Dorc da Orc, and are helping the large ork to sit up.
The heavily armoured knight sourly smiles behind the faceplate of his helm as he sees the ork warleader is more or less hale.
Then the former earl of Lé Dic, after taking a couple of deep breaths. Turns and gets to a knee, as he reclaims the shield of Saint Mar-che beside him. And he pops his head up over the top of the wall, and he looks across to the otherside of the moat.
With a chuckle, sir Percavelle Lé Dic says "Take that you Harkonin rabble". As he sees the destruction he's wrought by using the shield of Saint Mar-che to protect himself from magical attack.
The nobleborn knight who is grinning behind the visor of his full helm, frowns as he sees baron Raevar Harkonin being helped up, as bodies lie scattered around him. Many burnt and others missing limbs.
Then as a Harkonin soldier with a bloody and burnt face walks into the moat. Percy sees the dark druid Palvarc, who is still holding his staff. Being lifted up by a trio of camp followers.
And though the baron's advisor is unresponsive, and seems dead to the world. The way in which he's clutching his staff, the former earl of Lé Dic suspects he's still alive.
"That evil villain might still live, but he's out of action for the moment wot" murmurs the uncle to lady Linara Lé Dic.
Who watches the dark druid being carried away. While baron Harkonin, who leans upon a young knight, and a soldier on the otherside of him.
Follow after those carrying the unconscious dark druid. Who are heading back in the direction of the Harkonin camp.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic stands up, after wincing as he's fairly certain he's going to be badly bruised down the side where he slammed down onto the parapet.
The nobleborn knight starts heading along the battlements to where the enemy have a got a scaling ladder up against the face of the south wall of the massive castle that's been his family's home for centuries.
As he makes his way along the parapet, the former knight of the first class, with the shield of Saint Mar-che on his left arm, draws the sword of knockdown, holds it aloft and shouts "Lé Dic!" by way of encouragement to the under sieged defenders who are nearby.
A smile appears on the face of sir Percavelle Lé Dic behind the faceplate of his full helm, when he hears the calls of "Lé Dic!" from the defenders along the parapet in response to their former earl . . . . . .

The Homecoming 135.

Return To The Castle...

"You lot, shoot at that thing up there" orders sir Taevar the army commander who points up at the battlements along the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Where the large green creature, apparently an ork. Is leaning over the top of the wall, swinging a scaling ladder down at those trying to climb to the top of the wall. And at others at the base of the wall, who are on the moat, on floating rafts waiting to climb the ladders to get to the battlements above.
"But sir, we might hit some of our own men" says one of the archers in a mixed group of them and crossbowmen at the water's edge.
"I don't care" says the Harkonin army commander who continues with "Just shoot the damn thing, if not, none of the men will be on the wall for long".
As the archers and crossbowmen, after glancing at one another, start shooting arrows and quarrels at the large green creature up on the parapet of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, hoping they don't hit any of their fellow soldiers and others who are already up there, as well as those climbing to that section of the south wall, towards the southeast corner of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
Sir Taevar who has made his forward to the moat, to the water's edge. For the simple reason he doesn't want to be back near his brother inlaw, the baron.
And face his wrath at the loss of a dozen of the baron's knights. And letting the enemy nobleman, sir Percavelle Lé Dic, and the large green creature back into castle Lé Dic.
After they were both over on this side of the moat. Wrecking mayhem amongst the Harkonin army.
Orders a bunch of camp followers into the water. To swim to the rafts out on the moat that runs along the south side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
Even those who can't swim, which is a fair few of them, wade into the water as the army commander stands there watching them. With his sword in hand, ready to use it on them if they don't get in.
Sir Taevar wants them in for the sole purpose that they'll make extra targets for the defenders up on the battlements. Hopefully allowing some of his soldiers, to have an easier time of it climbing to the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Besides, some of the camp followers might get onto a raft, and climb to the top of the wall too.
Every person counts in the opinion of the nobleman who is the commander of the Harkonin army.
Just that some count more than others. As his soldiers definitely count more than a wagoner or a cook, or an ostler, or a leather worker and the like.
Turning to a runner, sir Taevar tells him "Go and inform the baron that it looks like this push will succeed" the commander of the army of the fief across the border to the east continues with "The defenders upon the wall are stretched too far now".
Even with the large green creature, and who he thinks was sir Percavelle Lé Dic on the battlements closest to the southeast corner tower of the massive castle. Clearing many of the men from those sections of the parapet, where they've gained a foothold
The army commander can clearly see that the defenders along the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic are not just stretched. But have been thinned out in their numbers.
With less and less of them up on the battlements as the battle has taken part throughout the day.
And now that it's in the early afternoon, on this clear, fine and sunny day in early spring.
They've been severely depleted, especially here, along the south side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
"Go" says sir Taevar to the runner, and as the youngster takes off. The army commander looks back at the assault upon the south side of castle Lé Dic.
Looking up and to his left, at a trio of burning and smoking barrels that come over the battlements, from within castle Lé Dic. Pass over the moat, and land amongst those that way, closer to the road, who have yet to get into the water, or onto a raft.
"They won't be able to do that all day" the Harkonin army commander murmurs to himself, he continues murmuring with "This castle is ours, they just don't know it yet".
Then the landed knight who is the brother inlaw of baron Harkonin, grimaces as he looks back up at the battlements opposite him.
And sees the large green creature, shoving the scaling ladder it's got in it's grasp. Down at those on a raft on the moat, at the base of the wall.
Not caring that arrows and bolts are being shot at him. Many missing, but plenty hitting.
Further back amongst the Harkonin army, well those few who haven't gone forward to the moat.
The baron sits upon his mount, off to the side of the road. Watching his army assaulting this side of the massive castle that's been the home of his enemies, the Lé Dic family, for centuries.
The head of the Harkonin family, who has just had a messenger tell him about how things are going on, around on the east side of castle Lé Dic.
Which is also under heavy attack, though not the sustained push as it is here on the south side. Looks over at sir Haleníc, who says "Another runner coming back".
The baron looks to where the young knight points. And he spots the youngster running back this way through the stragglers who have yet to get on, or into the moat.
The nobleman who rules the fief across the border to the east, then looks to the battlements along the south wall of the massive castle.
He looks towards the southeast corner tower, where his men have a bit of a foothold.
He sourly smiles as he spots the large green creature, that's apparently an ork. Which is on one of the sections of the wall, towards that tower.
Where it's swinging, and shoving a scaling ladder it's got, down at those of the baron's men, who are trying to top the wall on this side of castle Lé Dic.
The head of the Harkonin family then slightly frowns as he's sure he spots the form of sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who is even closer to the southeast tower. Where a number of the baron's soldiers have got up onto the parapet.
The baron, who wonders how both the big, burly looking green creature, and the former earl of Lé Dic got back into the castle. After they were both outside it little while ago, across the moat on this side of the massive castle.
Then he looks at the runner, a nobleborn page who serves in castle Harkonin back across the border in the fief to the east.
"What is it?" asks baron Raevar Harkonin "M'lord, the commander says the push will succeed" says the young runner as he gets his breath back, he continues with "The enemy is stretched too far now, is what he says" then as he looks back at the south side of castle Lé Dic, and he adds "You can see how spread out they are now".
The baron slowly nods his head, for that is indeed what he sees. And though his men who have got a foothold on part of the south wall, near the southeast corner of the massive castle. And how they're being cleared off by the large, green creature and the former earl of Lé Dic.
It's really only those two amongst the enemy, who are along the third of the parapet closest to the southeast corner of castle Lé Dic.
And they're only being helped by a few archers and crossbowmen up on the top of the southeast corner tower.
Elsewhere along the battlements of the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for generations.
Defenders are well spread out, and even from where he is upon his horse. The baron can see that there's as many castle servants and townsfolk, as there are soldiers defending the south side of castle Lé Dic now.
Raevar Harkonin slightly grimaces as a small boulder, lobbed over the wall, barely getting over it from a war machine inside the massive castle.
Smashes down upon one of the rafts on the moat. Killing and injuring the soldiers and others who had piled onto that particular raft.
"He may be right" quietly says baron Harkonin of his brother inlaw's assessment of the renewed assault upon the south wall of castle Lé Dic. Though the head of the Harkonin family would like to see more of his army up on the south wall parapet.
"Go and tell the commander to keep pushing" orders the head of the Harkonin family, the baron continues with "He's right, they are spread out, the more of our men attempt to climb the wall, the more of them will succeed".
"Yes m'lord" says the runner with a nod of his head, before he turns and heads off back to the moat, to the water's edge, where the Harkonin army commander, sir Taevar is watching the assault upon the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Baron Harkonin is just about to look at sir Haleníc, when the young knight exclaims "Hells!". The baron looks around quickly, and sees a rift has formed away to their left, and further behind them, about fifty yards away, near the camp.
The two noblemen upon their mounts see the dark druid Palvarc hurry out of the rift, which disappears behind him.
The spellcaster who is the advisor to baron Harkonin appears to breathing heavily as he looks around.
Then the dark druid spots the head of the Harkonin family. And with his staff in hand, Palvarc jogs over and joins the baron and the young knight.
"Palvarc you're back, where's that" says Raevar Harkonin, who falls silent when his advisor glances at young knight on the horse next to the baron.
"Haleníc, you and your squad get those stragglers moving forward to the moat" says baron Harkonin who understood the look from his advisor.
"Yes m'lord" says the young knight, who is perfectly fine to be going, as he like many of the others of the nobility, and many of the commoners in the Harkonin army, don't particularly like being around the baron's advisor.
After sir Haleníc rides away, and joins his squad. Baron Harkonin quickly, and quietly asks the dark druid "Where's that airship you were going to meet up with?".
"Crashed" is the terse reply from Palvarc the dark druid, who takes a quick look behind him to the west.
"Crashed!" exclaims the head of the Harkonin family, who then lowers his voice, then quietly says "Crashed?".
"Yes m'lord, i was on it when it was attacked" says the spellcaster who is the advisor to the baron.
"By the gods" mutters Raevar Harkonin, who hastily adds "By the old ways" and is relieved his advisor didn't notice his little slip up.
"Now what are we going to do?" asks the ruler of the fief across the border to the east "Not too worry m'lord, two more warships, larger ones, battlecruisers are on their way. They departed the capital after the frigate that was attacked" says Palvarc, who briefly pauses, before adding "Well, that was what my contact believed anyway".
The head of the Harkonin family nods, then he gestures at the massive castle that's the ancestral home of his enemies, the Lé Dic family, and he says "I was hoping with them here, they could of tipped the battle our way".
The baron then says "Though it might not be all that great of loss, since we've depleted their numbers enough that a lot of our men, will be in the castle before too long".
"I see m'lord" says the dark druid, who does indeed see, that what the baron says is true, as they look at the south wall battlements of the massive castle that's been home to the Lé Dic family for generations.
The defenders along the battlements are rather spread out as they try to repulse the assault upon the south wall of castle Lé Dic,
The dark druid who sees that even the camp followers in the baron's army have joined in on the attack on the massive castle.
Once again looks behind him to the west, the direction he's come from.
The baron who notices this, asks his advisor "Is something a matter Palvarc?".
"Nothing my lord, just that" says the believer in the old ways, who slightly pauses, shakes his head, then adds "It's nothing".
Then looking to the massive castle that's been the home for the Lé Dic family for generations, the dark druid slightly frowns, then says "Is that big, green thing down there to the east end of the wall using one of our scaling ladders to hit the men?".
"It sure looks like it" says baron Harkonin in an extremely sour tone of voice, the head of the Harkonin family continues "It's an ork, apparently" he follows that with "Damn thing killed seven of my knights over on the east side of the castle".
"Damn" murmurs the baron's advisor, who isn't entirely upset that so many of the nobles are dead. He just hopes they weren't all strong believers in the old ways. As he knows a lot of the nobility here in the east of the kingdom, even in the Harkonin fief. Only pay lip service to their beliefs in the old druidic ways. As you tend to find more true believers amongst the common born.
After taking another quick look in the direction he's come from, the dark druid who knows he's being pursued. By the short fellow in the strange looking hat. And one other, who is a spellcaster of some kind.
Says to the nobleman who he's the advisor to "I could help with the assault upon the castle" Palvarc continues with "Speed up things if you like".
Raevar Harkonin slightly frowns, as he knows from the dark druid's auguries, from the sacrifices he made in preparation for the attack upon the Lé Dic fief.
That his magic shouldn't been used on the castle of the Lé Dic family if the baron wants his army to be successful.
"What blast a hole in the castle doors?" asks the ruler of the fief across the border to the east, who continues on with "I thought from the sacrifices you made, that it wouldn't be possible for me".
"I did" says the dark druid as he interrupts the nobleborn lord who he's the advisor to "It didn't say anything about those inside it defending it" adds the dark druid with a nod of his head towards the south wall of castle Lé Dic, specifically the sections near the southeast corner tower of the massive castle.
Baron Harkonin briefly pauses, then he grins and tells his advisor "Do it".
"We'll have to get a little closer" says the spellcaster, who along with the nobleman, sets off. With the baron on horseback, and the dark druid on foot.
"Haleníc this way!" calls out Raevar Harkonin to the young knight as he gestures to where he and his advisor are heading.
They cross over the road, and once on the east side of it, they head closer towards the moat. As they do, Palvarc occasionally glances back behind him to the west, the direction he's come from.
And though he looks at his staff every now and then, it doesn't warn him in relation to the spellcaster he's run into today.
"This is as a good of place as any" says the baron's advisor as they stop opposite the eastern third of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, though still back about fifty yards from the moat.
Baron Harkonin dismounts, and hands the reins to one of his personal guards who has followed him and his advisor.
And as the young knight Haleníc, and his squad of soldiers head this way. Palvarc the dark druid looks closely at the large, green figure upon the south wall parapet, swinging a more than forty foot long scaling ladder down at the baron's men who are trying to climb to the top of the wall.
The dark druid points his staff at the creature that's apparently an ork, and he says to the baron "Got him".
A dark, green beam of energy shoots from the staff of baron Harkonin's advisor. Goes across the fifty yards to the moat, and up and across the moat, to the top of the wall.
Where between two of the merlons, it strikes the large, green creature that's apparently an ork.
"Yeah, you got him" says baron Harkonin with a grin upon his face, as the scaling ladder flies from the hands of the big, burly ork as it's flung backwards, out of sight, presumably off the back of the parapet.
"Now i think i spotted that raving idiot Percavelle along the wall here" says the baron who gestures towards the southeast corner tower of castle Lé Dic, then he adds "Now if you can get rid of him too, that will definitely help with the assault along this part of the wall".
After quickly glancing away to the west once more, the dark druid Palvarc nods, then tells the baron "Let's see if i can get rid of him as well my lord baron".
"Yes let's" says a grinning Raevar Harkonin, who all of a sudden feels so much better about his army attacking castle Lé Dic, and how the chances of taking the castle will happen rather sooner than he thought they would . . . . . .

The Homecoming 134.

On A Boat...

Mira Reinholt the mage yawns after taking a drink from his water bottle. Then he nudges, with his right boot, the tied up wizard who is sitting at the base of the mast.
The bound prisoner shakes his head no when the once powerful mage offers him the water bottle. The Vexilian mage in exile shrugs his shoulders, and returns the bottle to his pack.
Then he leans back against the gunnel behind him, and once again yawns. The mage Reinholt starts to doze in the early afternoon sunshine.
They stopped at a village here in the west of the Lé Dic fief a bit earlier, just before midday. Where the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster. Got some supplies. As he and the prisoner do need to eat.
They got underway again, continuing eastwards across the Lé Dic fief. Heading towards the town of Massic, and the massive castle beside it, that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
The hastily repaired ship's boat they acquired last night. Isn't flying all that quickly. As the wind hasn't been particularly strong this clear spring day over the west of the Lé Dic fief.
Until now, in the early afternoon. As the breeze, though still not strong as it blows from the west. Is now, far more steady, compared to it being intermittent, as it was previously.
The swordmaster Reinholt wakes up from his brief nap, when he hears lord Farque tell him in elven "Wake up".
The exiled Vexilian mage opens his eyes and looks around, he immediately feels the steady breeze coming from behind the ship's boat.
He nods his hooded head in response to the heavily armoured deathlord, who is at the tiller, telling him "Try now".
The spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in the Southlands.
Has never been particularly good at weather spells. Unless it was something destructive like a lightning storm. Which was one of his favourite spells he used to cast before he lost the majority of his powers.
And has never been good at specifically affecting the weather in a small area. But now with the breeze more steady, and having a near limitless supply of power. In the form of the wizard in the kingdom of Druvic's aircorp, who they hold prisoner.
He casts a spell to increase the strength of the breeze pushing the flying boat through the early afternoon sky, above the western area of the Lé Dic fief.
He waits a few moments, then after the lines snap, and the sail billows out more. Mira Reinholt the mage quietly says to the undead warlord in the elven language "Might work for a while".
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque nods his full helmed head, as he slightly turns the tiller, so that he's quartering the ship's boat from the starboard side, to capture most of the increased breeze coming from a stern.
The mage who belongs to one of the most wealthy, and prominent trading families, not just in his homeland, the city-state of Vexil. But in all the Southlands.
Stands up and looks to the north, and asks the deathlord of Farque in elven "They cross over the border at all?".
"They have" replies the undead being in the language they speak infront of the prisoner "Further north" adds the warlord of the lands Farque, referring to the decent sized squad of soldiers, from the Gallus fief they saw earlier this morning.
Des'tier as he's known by to an older generation of elven kind, who might know who he is. Stands up from the aft bench, and still holding the tiller, he looks eastwards, the way they're heading.
"What is it?" asks Mira Reinholt, who turns and looks that way too. "An airship" is the reply of the large figure, in the suit of dark blue, black heavy plate armour. "It's down" adds the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
After a quick glance at their prisoner, who lord Farque captured last night, when they destroyed a pair of battlecruisers in the personal fleet of the lord high constable of Druvic.
The Vexilian swordmaster asks the undead warlord, who rules the largest nation, size wise, in the Southlands "That other ship that went out first?" followed by "The frigate?".
After a slight shrug of his broad, heavily armoured shoulders, the deathlord of Farque says "Could be" he then adds "More than likely it is".
The once powerful mage slightly nods his hooded head. And continues to look to the east, for the downed airship, that's too faraway for him to see at the moment.
It's a little later in the early afternoon, when the highly skilled swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil spots the downed airship at the base of a hill.
It's crashed on the western side of the hill, pointing east, the direction it was heading.
"It's definitely a warship" murmurs Mira Reinholt, who then looks at the undead warlord, and tells him "The royal thief probably brought it down".
"Probably" says the heavily armoured deathlord, who is also known as Draugadrottin to the people of his lands, he then nods towards the crashed airship in the distance, and adds "A number of survivors down there".
The undead warlord then tells the mage Reinholt "See what you can find out once we get closer". "Will do" replies the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster,
As they near the downed warship, that's missing most of it's bow, and the aft mast is down and over the port side. Lord Farque drops the ship's boat down in altitude, so that they're only a couple of hundred feet above the ground.
"Don't" warns the once powerful mage in common to the prisoner as they hear the shouting and hollering from the survivors of the crashed airship, many of whom are waving to get their attention.
The wizard in the aircorp of Druvic, in particular the personal fleet of the lord high constable. Sourly smiles at being warned not to cast.
He contemplates doing so again, until he notices the heavily armoured figure of lord Farque at the tiller, staring at him.
The exiled Vexilian mage drops the wind spell he's been casting, and as he looks overboard as the ship's boat slows down. He spots one of the survivors of the airship that's crashed.
"Hmmm" murmurs the mage Reinholt after reading the mind of the air sailor he picked out. The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster picks another one, this one a junior officer if the uniform is anything to go by.
"That's better" murmurs Mira Reinholt the mage after reading the mind of the young officer standing near the downed airship.
The Vexilian mage in exile looks at the lord and ruler of the lands Farque and tells him "Seems Shur Kee was here" followed by "I assume Helbe was with him, and brought down the ship". The once powerful mage then tells Des'tier aka The Destroyer what he's found out by reading the mind of the junior officer standing near the wrecked frigate.
The heavily armoured deathlord doesn't say anything as the mage Reinholt explains to him what he's found out. The undead warlord occasionally nods his full helmed head as he listens to the highly skilled swordmaster who hails from the city-state of Vexil.
After Mira Reinholt finishes telling the lord and ruler of the lands Farque what's happened here. Draugadrottin says "They're going to put those boats up".
As a pair of ship's boats, about thirty yards to the rear of the downed warship, are being prepared for flight. As those upon the ground see that the ship's boat above them, which is clearly one in their aircorp, isn't going to stop.
Then speaking in common to the prisoner, lord Farque says "This advisor to baron Harkonin, the druid Palvarc, you know him?".
The officer in the king's fleet, well to be precise, the personal fleet of the lord high constable of Druvic looks at his two captors, and shakes his head no.
The undead warlord glances at the mage Reinholt who quietly tells him in the language of the elves "He doesn't, but he knows of him".
"Well, what do you know of him?" asks the heavily armoured deathlord in the common language.
After sourly smiling, the wizard from one of the two battlecruisers that were destroyed last night, says "What's there to say, he's a druid" followed by "One of those from here in the east sticking their noses into the happenings of the kingdom".
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque slightly nods his full helmed head as the spellcaster in the Druvician aircorp tells him "There's some in the 'corp who have sympathy for them and their cause. But in the end, their magics and their old beliefs will no longer have a way in the daily life of the kingdom".
"Well he certainly doesn't care for them" quietly says the Vexilian mage in exile in the language of the elves, he continues with "But he definitely knows that there was others in his crew, and amongst those lot down there, whose sympathy lies with the druids, the dark druids infact".
"That Palvarc pissed off did he?" asks Draugadrottin as he brings the ship's boat they're in, higher up into the early afternoon sky.
"Yeah he appeared onboard not long before the frigate crashed" replies the swordmaster Reinholt, who continues with "Then from what that lot down there saw, he was up on the hill here, where Shur Kee confronted him. He pissed off pretty quickly when he realised he was out matched by the monk".
"Wise move" dryly says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque. The once powerful mage wryly smiles, as he knows that it's definitely unwise to take on Shur Kee with spellcraft.
As the short, statured monk from the far eastern coast of the continent. Can protect himself from magic. And that the power he possesses when he becomes the living conduit of the Jade Warrior, Bru Li. Is impervious to magic, nullifying instantly upon touch.
"Anyone down there see where they went?" asks lord Farque, Mira Reinholt shakes his hooded head no, then says "They just saw Shur Kee and the druid disappear".
The once powerful mage then quietly asks the lord of the death realm "Can you sense any of them anywhere?".
"Not at the moment" is the answer from the undead warlord, the Vexilian mage in exile slightly nods and knows that both this dark druid Palvarc, and Shur Kee the monk. And probably Helbe the elven thief, and more than likely, Narladene the ground pixie too. Are over twenty miles away, more likely thirty miles away, at least. Since the heavily armoured deathlord can't sense them at the moment.
Then the highly skilled swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil looks overboard, to stern when Des'tier quietly says without turning "We've got company".
One of the ship's boats, that was on the ground, just behind the downed frigate that's part of the lord high constable's personal fleet. Is rising up into the sky, and heading after them.
There's more than a dozen air sailors on the pursuing ship's boat. Which is slightly larger than the one they're flying. And unlike the one they're flying, isn't damaged in anyway.
"Knock it out of the fucking sky" says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque to the mage Reinholt.
Who is just about to create a mageglobe, to have it destroy the pursuing ship's boat.
When Draugadrottin, after quickly looking at the state of the flying boat they're in. With it's badly damaged decking. Makeshift mast, with the spare sail from the locker. Being the only bit of canvas up the repaired mast.
Then glancing back at the ship's boat from the downed frigate, which is quickly gaining altitude, and catching up to them. Says "Wait a moment".
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster lifts a questioning eyebrow, and the undead warlord quietly tells him "That one's definitely better than this fucking piece of shit we're in" the lord and ruler of the lands Farque then adds "Let's have that one instead".
A few moments later, and Mira Reinholt takes the tiller as lord Farque disappears thanks to a spell cast by the once powerful mage.
A moment later and the large, heavily armoured figure appears onboard the ship's boat to aft.
The exiled Vexilian mage shakes his hooded head, as air sailors start getting biffed overboard on the pursuing flying boat. The undead warlord who appeared in the bow of that ship's boat.
Makes his way aft on it, grabbing those onboard as he does so. And throws them overboard, to fall hundreds of feet to the ground below. It's not long before the lord of the death realm is the only one onboard that flying boat.
"Come on you, we're going" says the mage Reinholt, who takes hold of the prisoner, drains him of a little bit of magical power. Then the two of them disappear as the once powerful mage teleports the two of them over to the slightly larger ship's boat, that lord Farque is now flying.
With the smaller, damaged ship's boat, floats out of control with no one at the tiller.
The ship's boat they're now on, moves fairly smoothly through the early afternoon sky above the western part of the Lé Dic fief.
With the lord and the ruler of the lands Farque at the tiller flying it, and with a constant and steady breeze to aft, behind it, courtesy of the exiled Vexilian mage in exile.
As they continue on their way eastwards to the town of Massic, and castle Lé Dic . . . . . .

The Homecoming 133.

The Wall...

The tunnel goes through the wall, and sir Percavelle Lé Dic runs though it. Leaving a grumbling Dorc da Orc to follow him. The large ork doesn't even have to duck as he runs, as the tunnel ceiling is at least eight foot tall.
The former earl of Lé Dic quickly runs out of the tunnel into the sunlit, south courtyard of his family's castle.
The heavily armoured knight doesn't even pause, as he knows exactly where he's going. He turns to the right, and runs eastwards, heading towards the closest set of steps that lead up to the top of the south wall of the massive castle.
A scowling ork warleader runs out into the courtyard a few moments later. And after glaring up at the sun in the clear, early afternoon sky. He heads after the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che.
The former paladin runs by an injured soldier who is being helped away from the wall by a castle servant.
Then he looks up the steps he intends to go up. And he sees that the enemy are on the steps fighting some of those who are defending this third of the south wall, the third closest to the southeast corner tower of castle Lé Dic.
Putting on a bit more speed, the nobleborn knight bounds up the first step, and as he heads up them, sir Percavelle Lé Dic shouts "Lé Dic!" by way of encouragement to those defending his family's ancestral home.
Huffing and puffing as he runs, Dorc da Orc who would like nothing better than for the former earl of Lé Dic to fall off the steps he's going up, and break his neck.
Grunts as the heavily armoured knight, reaches by a Lé Dic soldier who has dropped to his knees on the steps, and is blocking an enemy sword, with his own shortsword.
And stab the Harkonin soldier with the blade he's carrying, a blade that's barely a shortsword. Nevertheless, it's a blade that's magical. And a fairly powerful magical sword at that.
With the point of the sword of knockdown barely touching the enemy soldier in the chest. It sends him flying back up the steps and through the air.
Where he smashes into two other soldiers in baron Harkonin's army, knocking them off the side of the steps. Before he lands with a thud upon the parapet above.
The former knight of the first class goes around the Lé Dic soldier kneeling on the steps. And hops over another who is down, with a bloody slash across his face.
The knight who is both landed and ordered, continues up the steps to the battlements above. While Dorc da Orc reaches the steps and starts heading up them.
Further along the top of the south wall of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family, above the main south gates.
Riley Hait the mercenary ranger after shooting off another arrow from his elven made longbow. And after wincing as a fairly decent sized chunk of masonry shot from one of the war machines down in the courtyard behind him, barely passes overhead on it's way towards the enemy on the moat, and just across from it.
Looks to the east along the parapet upon the south wall of castle Lé Dic. Where a fair few of the enemy have topped the wall, in the third that's closest to the southeast corner tower of the massive castle.
The mercenary ranger who is from the elven principality of Envadarlen, spots sir Percavelle Lé Dic, and a bit further behind him, Dorc da Orc. Making their way up a set of steps to the parapet, on the third of the wall, that baron Harkonin's men have got a firm foothold.
I think that might make a bit of a difference, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger thinks to himself as he watches the heavily armoured knight and the large ork heading up the steps to the battlements the enemy have under their control.
The ranger Hait who has sent as many soldiers, townsmen, and castle servants that way, that he can spare.
As he's already badly stretched along the south side of castle Lé Dic, since the enemy has made a concentrated push against this wall of the massive castle.
Sending basically everyone they have to the south of the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family. To the moat, and the fifty foot wall it runs along infront of.
Hopes that the duo of the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che, and the ork warleader can clear the enemy from the sections of the parapet they've basically got under their control.
The mercenary ranger who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra, by the name of Zubutai Timaginson. Who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Riley Hait.
Has every confidence that the two of them can clear the parapet out that way, of baron Harkonin's soldiers.
It's just that they'll probably be bickering as they do so. Not to mention they might try to kill one another. Not obviously, or on purpose.
But Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman knows that the two of them, would definitely try to make it look like an accident. Or have it seem that the enemy might of overwhelmed one of them.
"Mad idiots" murmurs the mercenary ranger who was raised and trained by some of the elven warders in the principality of Envadarlen as he watches the nobleborn knight and the ork weaponsmith go up the steps, where the former paladin has just made it up them, to the parapet.
"Lé Dic!" shouts the heavily armoured knight once again as he steps up onto the parapet, stabbing the sword of knockdown as he does so.
An enemy soldier who has come at him, goes flying backwards through the air, across the parapet, and up and over the top of the wall between a pair of merlons.
That soldier from the fief across the border to the east, screams as he's flung backwards, arcing up and away from the wall, before dropping down to the moat below. Where hits the water with a large splash, tipping over an already unstable raft he crashes down beside.
Those five of the baron's soldiers on that particular raft, end up in the water as well.
The former paladin, spins, blocking an enemy shortsword with the heavy vambrace on his left arm.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic, or Percy as he's more commonly called by those in the group. Then stabs the Harkonin soldier who has just swung the shortsword at him.
The point of the sword of knockdown barely touches the boiled leather armour of the enemy soldier.
And he is flung backwards along the parapet, smashing into others in baron Harkonin's army who have topped this section of the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
Then the former knight of the first class sourly smiles behind the visor of his faceplate. As he smells an almighty stench behind him.
The nobleborn knight heads the way he's just sent the enemy soldier flying. As behind him, the large ork from the southern polar region of the world, has just stepped up onto the parapet of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Dorc da Orc sourly smiles as sir Percavelle Lé Dic hurries away from him along the battlements, heading eastwards towards the southeast corner tower of the massive castle.
The ork weaponsmith briefly turns the other way, and throws the axe he's holding. Which smashes into the back of a Harkonin soldier who has just cut down a castle servant.
As the back of the enemy soldier basically explodes from the impact of the axe hitting him. And he tumbles off the rear of the parapet.
Dorkindle takes a couple of steps to his right, and another forward, and punches the face that's just appeared over the top of the wall.
The big, burly ork who is the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks chuckles as the Harkonin soldier he just punched, falls away with the front of his face caved in.
Then the warleader of the ork race, leans over, and grabs the top of the scaling ladder that's leaning against the face of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
And ignoring an enemy arrow that bounces off his forehead, the large ork roars as he pulls the scaling ladder up, and over the top of the wall.
A trio of baron Harkonin's soldiers are on the ladder, and all three of them scream and shout in a panic as they realise what's happening.
One of them falls off pretty quickly, and drops to the moat below. But the other two hold on for dear life as the scaling ladder quickly goes upwards with them on it.
"Fucken get some" growls Dorc da Orc as hauls the enemy scaling ladder over the top of the wall. The more than forty foot tall wooden ladder, and the two Harkonin soldiers clinging onto it.
Come up over the top of the wall between the pair of merlons. Then the large ork grunts with effort as he basically flips it up and over.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic lifts a questioning eyebrow as the enemy soldier he's just about to hit with the sword of knockdown, backs away as he looks further behind the heavily armoured knight.
The former paladin moves quickly, and slaps the Harkonin soldier who is backing away. Sending him tumbling sideways off the rear of the parapet after the magical blade makes contact.
Then the former earl of Lé Dic glances behind himself, then dryly says "How droll" when he sees what's happening, further back along the parapet near the steps that he made his way up.
There stands Dorc da Orc, who is holding an enemy scaling ladder, straight up in the air. The bottom of it is on the parapet as the big, burly ork holds it steady.
Up the ladder are two enemy soldiers, who are clinging onto it as tightly as possible. As they're both over eighty feet up above the ground.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic then slightly frowns, as he sees that ork warleader step, and turn in this direction. Turning the base of the scaling ladder as he does so, causing the two Harkonin soldiers up it, to scream in fright.
"Oh by Narille" mutters the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che who then turns and runs, after he sees Dorc da Orc look directly at him with a large grin upon his broad, green feral looking face and chuckle, then push the scaling ladder away from himself.
"Ah sir" says the Lé Dic soldier next to Riley Hait the mercenary ranger "Sir" adds the soldier "Yeah" says the ranger Hait after he shoots off the arrow he's got to his elven made bow down at the enemy below, and he looks at the soldier in lady Linara Lé Dic's army who is next to him.
"Ah there sir" says the soldier who nods away to their left along the battlements. Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson looks eastwards along the parapet. Then rolls his eyes when he spots what the soldier wants him to see.
The mercenary ranger shakes his head as he sees the enemy scaling ladder being held upright by Dorc da Orc further towards the southeast end of the southern wall of castle Lé Dic.
Then Riley Hait sourly smiles as he sees the large ork turn, turning the more than forty foot tall ladder with him, then let it go with a push,
"Idiots" dryly murmurs the mercenary ranger as he sees sir Percavelle Lé Dic running along the parapet, heading towards the southeast corner tower of the massive castle that's his family's ancestral home.
While the enemy scaling ladder, with a pair of Harkonin soldiers up it, slowly falls in his direction.
Across the moat on the south side of castle Lé Dic, just off to one side of the road. Sir Taevar the Harkonin army commander blinks in surprise then murmurs "Huh?" followed by "Would you look at that".
As he sees one of the scaling ladders standing upright on the battlements on the south side of castle Lé Dic.
He didn't see it go up, then over the wall. But he definitely sees it up on top of the wall. Being held by the large, green creature that's supposedly an ork.
And he definitely sees it fall, down towards the parapet while two of the soldiers from the fief across the border to the east, are holding onto it for dear life.
Further to the rear of the Harkonin army to the south of castle Lé Dic. Baron Harkonin himself, just stands there totally transfixed at the sight of one of his army's scaling ladders, standing upright upon the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home of the nobleborn Lé Dic family for generations.
Then he blinks in surprise as it suddenly falls forward after turning to the side. It's falling straight down to the parapet, with a couple of the baron's men holding onto it, for all they're worth.
Up on the battlements of the south wall of castle Lé Dic. On the third of the wall, nearest the southeast corner of the massive castle.
The scaling ladder smashes down onto the parapet. Narrowly missing sir Percavelle Lé Dic who ran away from it as it fell. An injured Lé Dic soldier lying on the parapet who saw it falling. Pushed himself up against the base of a merlon, and narrowly avoided it too.
Not so a Harkonin soldier, who was in the process of getting up, when the long, heavy scaling ladder hit him, and the parapet with a thud.
Also unlucky, but truly inevitable. Were the two soldiers in baron Harkonin's army, who were up the scaling ladder when Dorc da Orc let it go.
One was on the underside of the long ladder, and hit the parapet with a splat. While the other, was on the backside. Who held on for as long as he could, before he let go.
He let go to the left, and missed the parapet entirely, which was fortunate. But unfortunately, he fell another another forty five feet or so to the courtyard below.
With a total fall of nearly ninety feet, he hit the cobblestones of the courtyard with a heavy thud. Causing blood to spray out in all directions from his body, due to the hard impact with the ground.
"Beast!" yells sir Percavelle Lé Dic in anger when he comes to a stop, and spins around.
And sees back near where the steps he came up, Dorc da Orc laughing as he looks this way. The large ork is laughing so hard, that he's barely making a sound, as he's wheezing more in laughter, than anything else.
Sourly smiling behind the visor of his full helm, the former earl of Lé Dic sees the big, burly ork pointing at him, or to be exact, pointing to beyond the heavily armoured knight.
The former earl of Lé Dic spins back around, and narrowly avoids a slash from an axe swung at him by a soldier in the army of baron Harkonin.
The nobleborn knight who has slightly ducked to one side. Slaps the sword of knockdown into the left hip of the enemy soldier. Which sends him tumbling sideways off the rear of the parapet to the courtyard below.
Then the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che turns back around, and sees the large, green figure of Dorc da Orc, wiping tears of laughter from his face, before he reaches down and picks up the scaling ladder again.
The heavily armoured knight turns again, and hurries away along the parapet, to confront more of the enemy.
The long, heavy wooden scaling ladder is strong and sturdy like all such ladders. And the best way to destroy it is with an axe.
Dorkindle knows this as he picks it up. So he uses it for something else that it's fairly well suited for. And that's a weapon.
The warleader of the ork race grunts as he swings it out to his left, out above the south courtyard of castle Lé Dic. Then he swings it back to his right, across the parapet, and the top of the south wall of the massive castle.
Where it smashes into a Harkonin soldier who has climbed onto the top of the wall, and about to jump down onto the parapet.
As well as smashing into another of the soldiers from the fief across the border to the east.
Who has got to the top of another scaling ladder a bit further along, and is trying to haul himself up onto the top of the battlements.
Dorc da Orc chortles as he swings the near forty five tall scaling sideways like a bat, and smacks those two Harkonin soldiers off the top of the wall.
"Get some!" shouts the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world as he swings the scaling ladder, that's still in one piece, back from over the top of the wall, and lets the far end from him drop down onto the parapet.
Though the scaling ladder isn't that heavy for the ork weaponsmith to lift. It's length makes it bit unwieldy even for him.
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks pops his head over the top of the wall, and sees the two enemy scaling ladders about twenty feet apart against the face of the south wall.
And those enemy soldiers near the top of them. Waiting there, are more than a little hesitant to climb up onto the top of the wall. After seeing two of their number get whacked off the battlements by one of their very own scaling ladders.
"Fucking pussies" mutters the ork warleader, who then calls out to the enemy on the two scaling ladders that are nearby "Come on up ya fucken cunts, you missing all the funs up here!".
The large ork chuckles as they look even more reluctant to climb up to the top of the ladders they're on, and make their way onto the battlements along the south wall of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
Then Dorkindle looks further towards the southeast corner along the top of the wall, and he sourly smiles and mutters "Cuntface" as he sees the heavily armoured figure of sir Percavelle Lé Dic near the tower that way. Using the magical sword of knockdown as he gets amongst the enemy who are on that section of the wall . . . . . .

The Homecoming 132.

Unlikely Allies...

"There" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic who has spotted a raft that's just been put out, and those enemy who are upon it, are struggling to pole and paddle it across the moat to the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Huffing and puffing behind the heavily armoured knight, Dorc da Orc spots the raft in question. Which he's pretty dubious about getting on, and whether it'll hold his weight.
The large ork sourly smiles as the former paladin further infront of him, stabs an enemy soldier in the back. Propelling the man forward with a fair bit of force, sending him crashing into a group of Harkonin soldiers who are at the edge of the moat.
The ork warleader who thinks the sword of knockdown should be his. After all, he's the one who got it in it's current shape. Though he, and it got hit by a lightning bolt cast by an enraged Mira Reinholt the mage.
To get it to it's current shape, which is the length of shortsword, when previously, the magical weapon was a longsword.
"Dorc's fucken magicky sword" mutters Dorc da Orc in his native language as he follows behind the former earl of Lé Dic to the water's edge.
Then Dorkindle's eyes open wide, and his nostrils flare wide as a look of utter disgust appears on his face, as the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che doesn't stop, and runs into the water.
The big, burly ork comes to a quick halt at the edge of the moat. While sir Percavelle Lé Dic kicks up water as he runs to the raft before it gets to far out. For the simple reason the moat drops straight down to about fifteen feet, just a few yards from the edge of the moat.
The uncle of lady Linara Lé Dic leaps forward to the raft, swinging the sword of knockdown as he does so. The former knight of the first class lands on the raft, hitting one of the enemy soldiers with his magical sword as he does so.
The Harkonin soldier goes tumbling sideways, smashing one of his fellow soldiers off the side of the raft, with the two of them ending a good twenty feet away from the floating raft, in the water.
"Unlucky for you chaps, this here piss, poor excuse for a boat now belongs to me" says the heavily armoured knight to the remaining Harkonin soldiers on the raft, which is lazily circling around as no one has got a pole or a makeshift paddle in the water at the moment.
"Get back here cunt!" yells Dorc da Orc as he watches the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che on the raft, just twenty feet away from him. Though it might as well be twenty miles, since it's water between him and the raft he wants to be on.
"Mine" growls the large ork who grabs a spear that's stabbed at him by a Harkonin soldier.
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, who has grabbed the spear about a third of the way down the length of it.
Pulls it hard, sending the enemy soldier still holding it, up and over into the air. Flinging him away into the moat. Hitting the water with a splash.
Then the ork who hails from the bottom of the world, in the southern polar region. Flips the spear in the air, catching it so that the spearhead is now facing away from him, and in one smooth motion, he throws it.
Now, Dorc da Orc might not of been aiming directly at sir Percavelle Lé Dic. But the spear passes by the former paladin by just mere inches.
Going over the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che's heavily armoured right shoulder.
To take one of the Harkonin soldiers on the raft, right in the face. The spear hits so hard, it takes that enemy soldier's head right off.
Dorkindle grunts, it's not a grunt of satisfaction, nor is it one of dissatisfaction. It's just a grunt of acknowledgment. As he wouldn't of cared if the spear he just threw. Hit sir Percavelle Lé Dic or not. He's just fine with it hitting anyone on the raft that's drifting out on the moat.
"This way cunt, back here!" says the warleader of the ork race after the former earl of Lé Dic, kicks one of the enemy soldiers off the raft. And sends another one flying through the air, courtesy of the sword of knockdown, back to the bank, to land away to the right of where Dorc da Orc is standing.
The last Harkonin soldier on the floating raft, after finding himself alone on the raft with the famous sir Percavelle Lé Dic. Jumps off the raft, and into the water. He'll take his chances in the water, rather than being stuck on a raft with the heavily armoured knight who will more than likely kill him.
"Yeah that's it ya fucken knight cunt, this way" mutters the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks when the former knight of the first class, picks up one of the long poles, puts it into the water, and pushes against the bottom of the moat.
The floating raft spins towards the bank, until sir Percavelle Lé Dic, or Percy as he's commonly referred to, by the rest of the group. Pushes the end of the pole against the bottom of the moat again, and the raft spins away from the water's edge.
Dorc da Orc's mouth drops open, and an incredulous look appears upon his face, when the former earl of Lé Dic says to him "Hurry you filthy green beast" as he waves for the large ork to come over to the raft.
"The waters of thy family's moat tis shallow for the first few yards, you have nothing to fear from drowning wot" says the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che, who then grins behind the faceplate of his helm as he knows how much the large ork despises water.
"You dumb fucken knight cunt, Dorc's not getting in that fucken water!" says the ork weaponsmith is his deep, growling voice. Then pointing down at the ground, the big, burly ork demands "You fucken get back here with that fucken raft now, you silly fucken cunthole!".
"No can do, you filthy stink beast" says the grinning sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who pauses as the big, burly ork slams his axe down into the head, and then body of a Harkonin soldier who runs at him.
And grabs a second, who also goes to attack him. And throws him into the moat, to land next to the raft that the former earl of Lé Dic is on.
"Quaint" sourly says the nobleborn knight as water splashes up onto him, from where the enemy soldier hit it, after being thrown into the moat by the ork warleader.
"Hurry up beastie, I'm going now" says the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che, who sticks the long pole back into the water, after he kicks the Harkonin soldier in the face that Dorkindle threw into the moat, who tries to climb up onto the raft,
"Cheerio" says Percy with a wave of farewell to the ork weaponsmith standing at the water's edge.
Behind the faceplate of his full helm, the grinning former paladin guffaws as he watches the big, burly ork, who has what can only be described as an enraged look mixed with disgust upon his broad, green, feral looking face at the possibility that he might just have to get wet.
"Dorc gonna fucken kill you" growls the ork warleader in his native language as he scowls at the heavily armoured knight on the raft, who he just knows is grinning at him behind the visor of his full helm as he watches him.
The former earl of Lé Dic once again puts the pole in the water and pushes, though this time towards the bank that the big, burly ork is standing on. Though he doesn't do so again, leaving the rickety looking floating raft, a few yards short of the water's edge.
Seeing that the nobleborn knight isn't going to bring the raft in any closer. The scowling ork weaponsmith grimaces in disgust, then after muttering "Krom" he takes a step forward.
He closes his eyes as he does so, and makes a retching sound mixed with an angry hiss as he feels his boots and legs getting wet.
"Hurry you bloated beast" says the grinning sir Percavelle Lé Dic as he watches the large ork walking through the water.
Dorkindle grunts after he takes another step, and he bumps against the edge of the raft. The ork warleader opens his eyes, and leans forward, and almost slides onto the raft.
The former knight of the first class kneels down, as the big, burly ork flops aboard like a fat seal that's out of the water, propelling itself forward on the ground.
And though the end of the raft where the former earl of Lé Dic goes up in the air a bit as the large ork gets onto the raft. It goes back down to water level with a small splash when the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks gets most of his bulk, more or less into the center of the raft.
The nobleborn knight who once ruled the Lé Dic fief gets up and steps over the ork warleader. When he's at the other end of the raft, sir Percavelle Lé Dic puts the long pole into the water, and pushes off.
"Paddle you useless creature" says the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che "Neh get fucked" says Dorc da Orc as he basically lies there, though he tucks his knees under himself, and he keeps his arms in close, as far from the water as possible as he keeps a weary eye on it.
"Pick up one of those oars and paddle you big, fat filthy imbecile" says the heavily armoured knight who has to use all his strength to push down on the long pole to keep the raft, and the considerable weight on it moving forward towards the south wall of the massive castle that's his family's ancestral home.
That weaponsmith from the southern polar region of the world spots one of the makeshift paddles lying on the raft, and he grunts when the former paladin in his overly loud, and quite pompous sounding voice tells him "By the gods, paddle you smelly beast, more of those Harkonin blighters are getting to the top of the wall as i try to propell your fat derier towards the castle".
"Dairy what?" mutters Dorkindle, who picks up the paddle, reaches out over the raft, then the water, and carefully sticks into the water, making sure he doesn't get wet.
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, slowly sweeps the makeshift oar back through the water. And though he isn't particularly fast, he gets the raft moving a bit quicker now as he helps the former earl of Lé Dic.
The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che, who has the shield of his order on his back again, looks up to the parapet above the main gates of the south wall of his family's castle.
Then as both he and the large ork ignore a fairly substantial sized rock, a boulder really. Flung from one of the war machines inside castle Lé Dic, that lands with a loud splash further behind them in the moat.
The uncle of lady Linara Lé Dic searches for someone on the parapet of the south wall.
"Where is he?" murmurs Percy as he continues to pole the raft, basically forward, towards the wall.
"Ah there he is" adds the heavily armoured knight, who then calls out "Ranger!" to those defenders above the south gates of the castle that's been home to his family for centuries.
Looking down at the moat, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger spots the floating raft that sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Dorc da Orc are on.
The ranger Hait slightly frowns as the two of them aren't heading towards the siege tower in the water that the former earl went down, to get across to the otherside of the moat. Besides the top of that has now been burnt away.
He sees that they're making their way towards the gates itself. Then the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen narrows his eyelids as the former earl of Lé Dic calls out to him, and points at something.
Riley Hait immediately understands what Percy wants. And he starts issuing orders. As the mercenary ranger does, he gives a hand signal to the two upon the raft. One of many on the water. But the only one with a large ork, and a heavily armoured knight on it.
"Beast, what signal did the ranger fellow just give wot?" asks sir Percavelle Lé Dic "Huh?" mutters Dorc da Orc, who lifts his head up, and looks up to the battlements above the gates, where he sees Riley Hait the mercenary ranger repeat the hand signal.
The large ork grunts, then tells the nobleborn knight "He gonna fucken open it" followed by "We better fucken hurries".
The former paladin, who though demoted, still remains a member of the order of Saint Mar-che. Puts in more effort as he poles the raft towards the south wall, going across the gates, just to one side of it.
Dorkindle picks up another of the makeshift oars, and biffs it at one of the nearby rafts that the enemy are on.
Hitting one of the Harkonin soldiers on it, who knocks one of his fellow soldiers into the water when he falls off the raft.
"Almost there" murmurs the heavily armoured knight as they near the wall, about thirty feet to the right of the main gates.
Percy digs the pole into the bottom of the moat one more time, pushing the raft forward. Then he moves forward, basically jumping over the prone ork warleader who is as low as possible on the raft.
With the long pole in hand, the knight who is both landed and ordered, swings it away to the right. Whacking it into the enemy on a raft up against the wall, where they've got a scaling ladder up, which a few of them are climbing up.
"Lé Dic!" the former earl of the fief shouts his family's name.
"Ah fuck up ya cunthead" mutters the warleader of the ork race, who then murmurs "Me gets you" and grins.
As the enemy are knocked off the raft further to the right of their's. And those enemy up the scaling ladder start to fall as it slides away further to the right.
The portal, or sally port right infront of the raft the heavily armoured knight and the large ork are on, opens up.
Dorkindle gets up grinning and goes to grab sir Percavelle, to yank him back, preferably into the water.
But the former knight of the first class has already leaped forward, and crossed the six foot gap across to the open doorway, and into the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
"Fuck" mutters Dorc da Orc in disgust, who stands completely upright, then after scowling at the water all around him, not to mention angrily hissing at it, he too leaps forward.
The ork weaponsmith makes sure to keep low, and he does, so that he can get under the height of the open doorway. Once inside the south wall of the massive castle, those defenders who opened the sally port, quickly close it now that sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Dorc da Orc are within the walls of castle Lé Dic . . . . . .

The Homecoming 131.

Battlefield...

Looking over to the south wall parapet, Tamric Drubine sees that a number of the enemy have topped the wall towards the far end, well the end furthest away from where he is on the west wall parapet.
The nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin then looks towards this end of the south wall, which out of the four walls of the castle, is under the heaviest attack so far from the enemy.
The former heir to a previous knight of castle Drubine, sees one or two of the enemy getting on to the battlements on the south wall, nearer to the southwest corner tower.
But as soon the defenders upon the battlements there cut them down. They're replaced by another of the soldiers in baron Harkonin's army who has been able to get to the top of the south wall.
Tamric Drubine, or Tam as he's often referred to by the rest of the group. Knows that the tower on the southwest corner is safe unless the enemy bring up a battering ram to the top of the south wall.
Or a lot of them have heavy axes to smash in the iron banded doors that open up to the parapets.
So he sends a couple of archers and a crossbowman further south along the west wall parapet.
So that they can shoot at any of the enemy who gain the top of the south wall, near the southwest tower.
There's already a a pair of crossbowmen and two archers on top of the tower. Which is about twenty five feet higher than the fifty tall walls of castle Lé Dic.
The nobleborn teenager who is in command of the defence of the west side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
Sees that the four on top of the tower are busy shooting down at the enemy south of the wall, either on the moat or across it on the otherside.
Any little thing he does, he knows will help the defence along the heavily attacked southern side of the castle.
And as a small boulder flung from one of the catapults down in the large south courtyard barely gets over the south wall, passing over some of the defenders by just a couple of yards, on it's way towards the enemy.
He wonders if what little he can do will make that much of a difference on the south side of castle Lé Dic.
He hopes so, as he looks away, and looks to the west. At the town of Massic, which is just across the moat on this side of the massive castle.
Tamric Drubine slightly shakes his head as he looks at the town, nearly half of which has burnt to the ground.
It's only the half closest to castle Lé Dic that's relatively untouched.
But even then, some of the houses and buildings in the part of town closest to the massive castle, are smouldering, or have licks of flames on them in places.
Tam knows that if it wasn't for him, and the others with bows and crossbows along the west wall parapet. Then all of Massic would of been burnt down by now.
As a little bit of a breeze picks up on this clear, spring day. Sending smoke from the burning town, across the western side of castle Lé Dic.
The nobleborn teen from the kingdom of Sarcrin looks back over to the south side of the massive castle, to continue to watch the push from the enemy against that side of what's been the home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
"Shit" mutters Riley Hait the mercenary ranger, who then quietly adds "Shit, shit, shit". After he sees a defender a bit further along the top of wall to the left of him.
Get knocked forward off the wall, by a burning barrel of pitch. One of a trio that was shot from a catapult down in the large courtyard behind them.
Down there, Tovis the war engineer is having the depleted crews of that catapults and trebuchets.
Fling their loads to as short of a range as possible. So that they can hit the enemy down on the moat, or just across it.
Shooting at that short of a range with war machines. You're bound to make a few mistakes.
As just happened with one of the Lé Dic soldiers here along the south wall parapet getting hit by a burning barrel shot from a catapult down in the large courtyard on this side of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for many generations.
The mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen after shooting off an arrow he has to his bow.
Looks away to the left across the moat, when the Lé Dic crossbowman beside him, here above the gates on the south side of the massive castle, says "There, over there".
The ranger Hait looks to where the crossbowman is pointing to. And he slightly grins at what he sees.
Dorc da Orc has come around to the southern side of castle Lé Dic, and he's amongst the enemy on the otherside of the moat.
"How did he get there?" asks the crossbowman, the mercenary ranger who was raised and trained by some of the elven warders in his homeland of Envadarlen, was just wondering that as well.
Then the ranger Hait, who in actuality is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Riley Hait.
Looks directly across the moat from the main south gates, to where he sees sir Percavelle Lé Dic on the road that leads to the massive castle that's the ancestral home of his family.
"The same way sir Percavelle got across the moat i guess" says Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman in answer to the crossbowman's question.
However the large ork got across the water, which the mercenary ranger knows he hates more than just about anything else in life. And how he made his way around to the south of castle Lé Dic, when he was previously around on the eastern side of the massive castle.
He sees the ork warleader wrecking havoc amongst baron Harkonin's army, who have yet to get onto the water, as they make a concentrated push against this side of castle Lé Dic.
Sending basically everyone in their army, who was on this side of the massive castle to the moat and the south wall, as they continue their assault upon the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family that began this morning.
"Hmmmm" the ranger Hait murmurs to himself as he takes an arrow from his quiver and puts it to his elven made longbow, as he continues to watch the big, burly ork. Who is working his way along the bank of the moat, heading towards the road.
"Ooohhhh shit" murmurs Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson as he looks quickly from Dorc da Orc, then to where the former earl of Lé Dic is on the road fighting the enemy.
The mercenary ranger who hails from the elven principality of Envadarlen sourly smiles as he can guess where the large ork is going. It doesn't take a genius to work out that the ork weaponsmith is heading straight for the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che.
Riley Hait steps back to the rear of the parapet, turns to his left as he draws back on his elven made longbow, takes careful aim, then let's the string go, and the shaft fly.
Along the top of the battlements, towards a Harkonin soldier who has topped the wall, on the third of the parapet closest to the southeast corner tower of the massive castle.
As there's quite a few of them are on the parapet in that direction.
The arrow narrowly misses a number of defenders upon the wall. Before it slams into the chest of the enemy soldier, knocking him backwards into another of baron Harkonin's men. Sending that one off the back of the parapet, to the courtyard over forty five feet below.
The ranger Hait then looks back across the moat, to where the large green figure of the ork warleader can be seen making his way along the bank, heading towards the road.
"Get in the water ya cunt!" yells Dorc da Orc who backhands an enemy soldier, whacking him in the chest, sending him into the water.
The large ork retrieves his axe out of the chest of another Harkonin soldier lying on the ground. Then kicks a third, who is trying to crawl away.
The ork weaponsmith kicks that enemy soldier into the moat to the right.
Dorkindle growls as water splashes, getting onto his big, black boots, and his shins.
The big, burly ork who wears the grubbiest looking knee length pants imaginable. Has a look of utmost disgust upon his broad, green, feral looking face at getting water on his boots and legs.
The warleader of the ork race who hails from the southern polar region of the world. Who hates water as much as anything in life.
Looks along this side of the moat, after glancing up at the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, where he sees a number of the enemy have gained a foothold.
The large ork puts his hammer back on the front of his weapon harness. Picks up an enemy shortsword from the ground. Flings it sideways without looking across the moat, where it hits a couple of Harkonin soldiers on one of the rafts on the water.
Then he grunts as he spots who he has caught wind of on this side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
"Me see you cunt" mutters Dorc da Orc as he sees the tall, heavily armoured figure on the road about seventy yards away.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks, then sets off again, at a jog. Running over anyone who gets in his way, as makes his way towards the road. There's a mix of a grin, and a scowl upon his broad, green, brutish looking face as heads straight towards the heavily armoured figure on the road, who though is surrounded by Harkonin soldiers. Is sending them flying back through the air, as quickly they surround him.
"Take that you base born villain" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who could do with another break, so he take a drink of water as his voice is once again a bit hoarse.
The heavily armoured knight kicks a Harkonin soldier between the legs. Dropping the man from the fief across the border to east, to his knees.
Where the former earl of Lé Dic, slaps him across the face with the sword of knockdown.
The kneeling enemy soldier, goes cartwheeling sideways across the ground, smashing into the legs of some of his fellow soldiers in baron Harkonin's army.
The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che is just about to whack another of the enemy with the sword of knockdown. When all of a sudden he hears an all too familiar roar, which causes him to roll his eyes, then mutter "Oh by Narille, not that big, smelly cretin".
The nobleborn knight smashes the shield of Saint Mar-che into one of the enemy. Knocking him to the ground, and kicks another in the right knee, which drops him too.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic, or Percy as he's more commonly referred to by the rest of the group. Knees that Harkonin soldier in the face, before he spins to his left.
The uncle of lady Linara Lé Dic sourly smiles behind the visor of his full helm, as he watches who is running towards him on the road.
Bowling, and knocking over anyone unlucky enough to get in his way. The former paladin hopes he trips over and breaks his neck, no such luck as he runs onto the road.
"Be gone beast!" shouts Percy who continues with "I the greatest knight in all of the world, doth not need your foul stench reeking up the place".
Then the heavily armoured knight whacks his magical sword of knockdown into the side of one of the Harkonin soldiers he's just dropped.
The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che grins with pleasure as he does so.
Dorc da Orc growls "Cunt" as he hops to one side to avoid an enemy soldier who comes tumbling towards him along the ground at speed.
After the Harkonin soldier goes flying by him, the large ork glares at sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who he can't actually see grinning at him. But Dorkindle suspects he's grinning behind the faceplate of his full helm.
The ork warleader gets hit in the face with a quarrel, which causes him to wince as he yanks it out of his right cheek.
The former knight of the first class says "Like i said you foul, stinky beast, i the great sir Percavelle, does not need your assistance" he pauses before adding "You hulking dullard".
"Huh, a hulking fucken what?" mutters the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, who kicks a Harkonin soldier who gets too close, sending him sliding backwards across the road.
And using his axe, lobs the head off another. The body drops, spraying blood from the neck everywhere as it hits the ground.
"You silly fucken knight cunt" says Dorkindle, who after jumping to one side again, when the former earl of Lé Dic sends another enemy soldier tumbling sideways at speed, towards him.
He uses his bloody axe to point at the south wall of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the heavily armoured knight, and tells him "Me needs to fucken get up there ya cunt".
"Whatever for?" asks the former paladin, who is a little disappointed he hasn't been able to hit the large ork with any of the Harkonin soldiers he has sent flying towards him, who he's hit with the sword of knockdown.
The landed and ordered knight who is the uncle of lady Linara Lé Dic, looks back across the moat, and up to the top of the south wall of his family's castle, to where the big, burly ork is pointing.
"Drats" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic as he sees that there's a fair few of the enemy on the parapet of the south wall. Particularly the third, nearest to the southeast corner tower.
The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che, looks quickly down the road, in the direction he was heading. To where sir Taevar, the enemy army commander fled to.
The former paladin, then grimaces as he looks back to his family's castle, as the large ork growls at him "Find me a fucken way up there cunt".
As an arrow clangs off the shield of Saint Mar-che, the heavily armoured knight looks quickly across the moat, to one side of the main gates on this side of the massive castle that's been his family's home for centuries.
Percy who immediately gave up on the idea of climbing one of the enemy scaling ladders to the battlements of castle Lé Dic. For the simple reason he doubts one of them could hold the considerable weight of the large ork.
Sets off back to the moat, saying "Well come along beast, I've no time to waste, waiting for you".
Dorkindle follows after the heavily armoured knight, growling "You not gonna fucken swim are you cunt?".
The former earl of Lé Dic doesn't understand what the big, burly ork says next, as he growls something unintelligible in the language of his race.
And though the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che would like nothing better, than to have the large ork swim. He knows that speed is vital now, and says to the following ork warleader "A raft you big green, smelly buffoon" followed by "When need one of those rafts".
"What the fuck for?" asks the huffing and puffing ork weaponsmith as he follows behind the heavily armoured knight.
"To get across the moat of course you foul smelling devil beast" says Percy, who points with the sword of knockdown, to where he wants to go.
Dorc da Orc frowns, then grunts as he spots what the former earl of Lé Dic has just pointed at. It's about thirty feet to one side of the main gates in the south wall of castle Lé Dic. It's the sally port . . . . . .