The Homecoming 46.

The Border...

"Get those tools stacked Larm" says Tovis the war engineer, who then adds "Then get down to the small square and join the others".
"Yes sir" says Larm the work yard apprentice, who hurries into the smithy to help with the storing of the tools, while the young war engineer hurries across the yard behind the inn that they've taken over as their headquarters.
Baron Harkonin's war engineer heads across town, heading to the small square in the west. As he does, he looks to his right, and on the next street over, he sees one of the catapults being rolled to the west of town.
It's one of the war machines that's been here since the last border conflict. Which the Lé Dic army had appropriated. Until last week when the town of Falshire was retaken by the advanced forces of baron Harkonin.
Falshire, a town on the border between the fiefs of Lé Dic and Harkonin. That's been fought over countless times over the years.
It was even fought over before there were actual fiefs, and a kingdom of Druvic. When robber barons ruled these lands, nearly seven centuries ago, before the kingdom was founded.
A town that's been fought over due to the road that goes through it. A trade road, that's been around even before the town was a small out of the way village.
A town, that since the kingdom of Druvic was founded. And the original fiefs were drawn up on the maps of the kingdom. Because it makes such an excellent battlefield. With the open ground to the west of town.
Open ground that used to be meadows between the woodlands.
But over the years as most of the surrounding forest was cut down, and the nearby hills, were developed into vineyards and orchards. The meadows were tilled, and turned into fields for farms.
Open ground that was basically flattened to make them into fields. Which also made it into the ideal place to have a battle. Especially as it's right on the border between two of the most eastern fiefs in the kingdom of Druvic.
Falshire, the town in the kingdom that's probably seen more battles than anywhere else in Druvic. Even during the civil war in the last decade. Which the eastern nobles, weren't that particularly active in. There was still a couple of battles in around Falshire.
It didn't help that the Lé Dic and Harkonin families were on opposite sides during the war of succession. With the Harkonin's on the side of the duke of Carville. The eventual winner of the civil war. Who is now the king of Druvic.
While the Lé Dic family sided with the dukes uncle, the brother of the previous king, who died in mysterious circumstances when a small force of elementals and other malcontents. Flew in from the Sunreach Mountains, and attacked the capital Leeabra. In retaliation of their range being invaded by a combined force of noble families, and knightly orders from here in Druvic, as well as the city-state of Kuradum. Which lies to the north of the Sunreach Mountains.
The town of Falshire, where there was a battle just over eighteen months ago. When the previous head of the Lé Dic family. Earl Maxiss Lé Dic was killed. Even though he died, the Lé Dic fief retained Falshire in that battle. Much to the annoyance of baron Harkonin. Who vowed to take it back, and once again, have it part of his family's fief.
Now the baron has got his wish, having staged a surprise attack with his best squads, upon the garrison of Lé Dic soldiers here in Falshire. Who never expected an attack to take place at the end of winter.
As all indications had led to a campaign later in the springtime. As both sides have been building up to that. As it was always inevitable that conflict was going to break out between the two fiefs once again.
Since the Harkonin's wanted Falshire back under their rule. While the Lé Dic's wanted revenge for the death of their former earl.
As he walks through Falshire this cool morning, that's in that week between the end of winter, and the start of spring. Tovis the engineer looks at the buildings here in the west of the town.
Many of which are in a state of repair, after being damaged during the conflict, more than eighteen months ago. There's gaps between some of the building, where other buildings and structures once stood.
They were either destroyed in the conflict, that took the life of earl Maxiss Lé Dic. Or they were so badly damaged then, that they were brought down, as they were never going to be fixed again.
Over the years, the town folk of Falshire have rebuilt and rebuilt countless times. They know exactly when a building is too far gone, that it's waste of time to rebuild. And it's best to bring it down and start again.
One building that's in a state of repair, is a three storey storage building. On the edge of the small square in the west of the town.
Tovis passes the soldiers at the back door of the building, and enters it. The war engineer makes his way upstairs, going by soldiers and others who have come from castle Harkonin and the town of Maliss.
He gets to the top floor, most of which is missing it's roof, and some of the walls. Including everything that faces to the west.
The young engineer walks around the frame of an interior wall that's been worked on recently. And joins others who are standing in what's to be a west facing room here on the third floor of the building.
Tovis nods to the young knight in waiting Tamár. The squire grins as he's sees the war engineer, who he's gotten to know better as they've traveled from castle Harkonin, and been here in Falshire the last couple of days.
The war engineer looks around, and spots the apprentice druid Maren, who has just come up from somewhere downstairs. Maren stands off to one side, keeping away from the others, who are all listening to lord Sarvaine, who is in command here in Falshire.
"Engineer you're here, good" says lord Sarvaine when he spots Tovis, the lord of the Long Reaches, waves the war engineer forward, and tells the rest to move away for a little while.
As the others, mostly officers, sergeant at arms, a couple of nobles, one of whom is squire Tamár. And one druid's apprentice. Wander away, here in the open air, top storey of the building.
Lord Sarvaine and the baron's war engineer move to the the northwest corner of the top floor. There, the lord of the Long Reaches, quietly says to the young engineer "Scouts came in earlier and spotted a small squad of the enemy to the west observing us".
Tovis nods, then quietly says "Well, it's to be expected" he follows that up with "Now, it's when they send a larger force that we should start to worry a bit sir".
"I know" murmurs the lord of the Long Reaches, which is located just a couple of days travel from Falshire. So he's always relieved when the border town is under the rule of the Harkonin fief. As it puts one more settlement and tract of land between his own, and that of the Lé Dic fief.
Lord Sarvaine who has come to depend on the judgement of the young war engineer since arriving here in Falshire, says to him "You fought here eighteen months ago, while i was further south of the border".
"I wouldn't exactly say i fought sir" dryly says Tovis as he interrupts the nobleman who wears some of the heaviest looking plate armour the young engineer has ever seen "I maintained the war machines and siege engines, it was my father who was acting war engineer then" adds the young engineer, who then says "Though we had the better of them most of that summer, we still lost the town to them".
"Only because you got the order to pull out of here" says the lord of the Long Reaches, who then quietly adds "And we all know why".
Tovis slightly grimaces at that, for the druid Palvarc informed baron Harkonin that it would be best to move his forces here in Falshire at the time, out of the border town.
The baron went along with that suggestion, and when his forces did retreat from Falshire. The rear guard protecting those pulling out, who included Tovis, and his father Mallick the engineer. And what siege engines and war machines they could take out with them.
They had a skirmish with a force from the Lé Dic fief. It was then, in a rather inconsequential rear guard action by the soldiers in baron Harkonin's army here in Falshire.
That earl Maxiss Lé Dic, the ruler of fief Lé Dic at that time. Was killed. By who in the army of baron Harkonin. No one is exactly sure. Just that he fell from his horse during that skirmish fighting the rear guards in the baron's army pulling out of Falshire.
The lord of the Long Reaches after looking out at the fields to the west of town, where the former earl of Lé Dic died eighteen months ago. Where now on this cool morning, at the twix of winter and spring. A few farm hands are working some of the fields. As life still goes on for the common folk of Falshire, no matter whose fief it belongs to.
He looks at those who are also on the top floor of the three storey storage building, the top floor that's open to the sky. He spots Maren the druid's apprentice at the far end, the southern end of the floor.
"You take my meaning young engineer?" quietly asks lord Sarvaine, Tovis sees who the lord of the Long Reaches is looking at, then slightly nods. The war engineer quietly says "I do sir".
The nobleman looks out at the fields and open ground to the west of Falshire again, then quietly says "If we get a strange order from the baron, you'll know why" the lord of the Long Reaches looks like he's bitten into something sour, and he sounds like it too, as he quietly adds "What with that damn druid's lackey here with us".
Lord Sarvaine is quiet for a few moments, then he quietly says "Still, it's to the benefit of the baron and our fief" he sourly adds "Can't complain too much now, can we?".
"No sir" murmurs Tovis, who knows the lord of the Long Reaches is a pragmatic man, who isn't that much of a follower of the old ways.
He pays lip service to it, for the simple fact that baron Harkonin is an ardent follower of the old ways. Though Tovis knows, the baron wasn't always like that. He's only become a stringent follower of the old druidic ways in the last decade or so. Ever since Palvarc the dark druid turned up in the Harkonin fief. And became the advisor to the baron after getting rid of the previous druid who advised the baron, ever since he took over ruling the fief when his father passed away.
"Be that as it may" says lord Sarvaine who continues with "It's us and the soldiers who will fight and die to hold this town, as it's always been" the lord of the Long Reaches is quiet for a moment or two, then he says "Right, now where again do you think is the best positions for the machines we've got at the moment?".
Tovis, who has already discussed this with the nobleman. Knows that lord Sarvaine just wants confirmation as to where it's best to place the equipment they've retaken, as well as what they brought with them on the three wagons from castle Harkonin,
The lord of the Long Reaches is silent as he listens to his baron's young war engineer explain things once again.
As Tovis comes to an end with what they've previously discussed, he adds "Though like i mention yesterday, they could still attack from the north if they have a sizable force" he continues with "They can get closer to town that way without being seen. They did that a couple of times during the conflict in the summer before last".
"Split their force maybe?" asks lord Sarvaine "Yes sir" replies the war engineer, who continues with "Out in the fields to the west, while sending foot soldiers through the forest to the north".
The lord of the Long Reaches slightly nods, as he knows that a highly likely possibility. For though the warfare in Druvic, when it isn't attacking or defending a castle, is often in open ground. For the simple reason the nobility are usually heavily armoured and mounted.
It isn't beyond them to skulk about. In what one would consider to be warfare that's beneath one's noble standing. Especially between fiefs that are often in conflict with one another. Such as the Harkonin and Lé Dic fief.
"If they've got an advanced force, with only a small number of horse, then they might come through the forest to the north as well" says lord Sarvaine, who after a slight pause adds "We have to take that into consideration when we deploy the men".
The nobleman rubs his chin, then glances towards the southern end of the top floor of the building, and slightly grimaces. The lord of the Long Reaches then quietly says in a slightly sour tone of voice "Wonder if Palvarc's lackey can give us fair warning with which they'll come?".
"I don't know sir" murmurs Tovis, who doesn't exactly know the ways of spellcasters, especially the ways of the dark druid and his apprentice. Apart from the rites that he's been present at. None of which, he wants to endure going through again. Not when some of his own equipment was used in their last rite, that completed a druids circle overlooking a village not that far from Maliss and castle Harkonin.
"Maybe sir" says the young engineer, who continues with "Who knows?". "Who knows indeed" says lord Sarvaine in a slightly sour tone of voice, who then adds "Suppose we better find that out". Tovis just nods his head to that. For even though he knows the lord of the Long Reaches is right. It doesn't mean either one of them particularly wants to talk to Maren.
The war engineer has found that the least one has to deal with the dark druid Palvarc, and his apprentice Maren, the better. Unfortunately that's easier said than done. Since Palvarc is baron Harkonin's advisor. And he's the baron's war engineer. Their paths often cross, and they're often in the same meetings, and on occasions, have to work together.
Lord Sarvaine glances at Tovis, then quietly says to his baron's war engineer "I see you're not exactly enamoured with the idea of chatting with Palvarc's lackey".
"You could be right sir" is the quiet reply of Tovis "I am right" dryly says the nobleman who is command of baron Harkonin's forces here in the border town of Falshire. He continues in that same dry tone with "Nor am i really" followed with a muttered "I can't stand the little cretin".
After slightly shaking his head, the heavily armoured landed knight looks out to the west of town, then to the north, as the building they're in, especially without it's roof, and most of that outer walls here on the top floor, gives them a good view in all directions.
Then the lord of the Long Reaches glances at Tovis, and quietly tells him "You know war engineer, I've always appreciated you and your father's work for the baron". The young engineer knows there's a but coming. So he's not at all surprised that lord Sarvaine adds "But" before continuing on with "I've never really cared for your position in the baron's court, or for what you have to say for yourself about things".
Tovis isn't at all surprised, it's the prevailing feeling of many a noble in the Harkonin fief. After all he's a commoner, and they're the nobility. It's just the way things are.
So he is surprised when the lord of the Long Reaches quietly tells him "I think I've made a mistake not listening to you, and your ideas about things in the past" he then adds "For that i apologise".
Feeling slightly embarrassed, the young engineer hastily says "That's alright sir, nothing to worry about". The nobleman nods to that, then quietly says "Be that as it may, myself andiothers should listen to what you say more often, after all, you're the baron's war engineer".
Tovis who is curious to know about the change in attitude from the lord of the Long Reaches, asks "Sir if you don't mind me asking you, why the change in attitude to me?".
Lord Sarvaine wryly smiles, then says "Before we left the castle and Maliss, Taevar and that firebrand Dontast told me to listen to you and get your advice on things".
Tovis slightly nods, as sir Taevar the army commander, and especially sir Dontast a knight of Althilgah. Have always treated him like a friend. The only nobles in the fief to do so really.
"They both said you're smarter than most of our officers, even though you're fairly young" says the lord of the Long Reaches, who then dryly adds "Dontast bluntly said you're smarter than most of us nobles too".
Tovis slightly grins as he can well imagine the knight in the order of Althilgah saying something like that. Sir Dontast is well known for being a bit of an upstart about things. It's why he's so popular with the common folk, and the younger members of the nobility, like squire Tamár.
Sir Sarvaine shakes his head, then says "Well enough of that" the nobleman gestures away to the left, then quietly says to the young engineer "Let us find out from that druid's lackey what he can tell us about the enemy, and what they might do" the lord of the Long Reaches then sourly adds "That's if he actually can".
Tovis nods in agreement to that, as he doesn't have any confidence in Maren, and what the druid's apprentice can find out about the enemy, and what direction they might attack the border town of Falshire from . . . . . .