The Homecoming 61.

In The Woods...

"I could go in and take a look around" quietly says Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, who continues with "Though I'll stick out when the sun comes up fully" he pauses before adding "Because, you know" he pauses once more, then says "I'm an elf".
Riley Hait the mercenary ranger rolls his eyes, and doesn't say anything in response to that as he looks through the pre dawn light at the camp below. The camp of the bulk of baron Harkonin's army.
"He's down there" says Riley Hait the mercenary ranger, who after a few moments of silence, quietly adds "If he's alive".
"He is" quietly says the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae, who continues with "He got away, and made it here". The spy Tanith after a slight pause, says in a dry tone "All we have to do now is find him".
The mercenary ranger who was raised and trained in the elven principality of Envadarlen nods his head in agreement, then sourly mutters "We need a damn magic user with us". "I know" sourly says Dalinvardél or Dalin as he's often referred to by the others, then the spy Tanith quietly tells the ranger Hait "I'll go down closer and see what i can find out".
The mercenary ranger who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit the body of Riley Hait.
Thinks about objecting to the elven spy's suggestion. But he decides not to. And instead nods his head, giving the spy Tanith permission to go ahead.
The elf from the principality of Alínlae, gets up and moves down the wooded incline, towards the camp below, which is slowly beginning to wake up. On what already feels like it's going to be another mild day, at what is essentially the end of winter, or more precisely the start of spring.
The ranger Hait moves back amongst the trees, to join the others. He goes by Shur Kee the monk who is sitting upon a flat rock. Eyes closed, meditating as dawn approaches.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesmen walks by the silent acolyte in the order of Bru Li. And makes his way to where Tamric Drubine, Lisell Maera and sir Percavelle Lé Dic are. Tam is helping the former earl of Lé Dic put on his armour. While Lis is packing up their left over food after they've breakfast.
The mercenary ranger who was brought up and trained by some of the elven warders from the principality of Envadarlen, rolls his eyes as he can hear Dorc da Orc snoring further back in the trees.
Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson is just glad the large ork is far enough away from the nearby army, not to be heard by any of them.
"So pray tell ranger, what are thou plans?" asks sir Percavelle Lé Dic as he puts on his sabatons, or steel boots.
"Dalin has gone down to take a closer look" says the ranger Hait, who continues with "They'll be on the move again once the sun starts rising. Heading west towards the border" he momentarily pauses before adding "And straight into your niece's army Percy".
The nobleborn knight grunts, while Tamric Drubine says "Not much in the way of open ground between here and the border" he continues with "We only saw a couple of farms on the way here, and those fields weren't that big" the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin then adds "Hell of place to have two armies have a battle if they meet up in these woods".
Riley Hait nods in agreement, then he asks the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che "Many battles take place in these woods over the years Percy?".
"Not too many if my memory serves me correct" is the reply of the heavily armoured knight who continues with "I certainly didn't when i was earl. And nor did my father. Well nothing substantial, only skirmishes between squads" he briefly pauses then says "Not sure when Maxiss was earl, during the war for the throne recently wot".
The mercenary ranger who is the temporary leader of the group in the absence of lord Farque, Mira Reinholt the mage and Helbe the elven thief. Knows that Druvicians, well the nobility at least. Tend to like their battles in and around fixed points. Like towns and castles. Especially castles, as they use a lot of siege equipment and machines of war.
It's why a lot of them are knights, not just landed knights. But also knights in an order. Or like some, such as Percavelle Lé Dic, who are both.
"Well those siege towers, and catapults and the like they've got down there in camp isn't going to help them much in a battle in the middle of some woodlands" says Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman who then nods his head when Lisell Maera says "That's all very well and good, but what about the engineer we're after?" the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury continues with "If he's down there amongst them, how are we going to find him?".
"Not to fear young maiden, i shall attack that army as a distraction, so the rest of you can locate this maker of destruction" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic who briefly pauses as he thinks of something else, then he adds "And the smelly green beast shall attack as well. His hideous face, and stench alone shall cause enough chaos and confusion to send them amok. So you may find this fellow who makes the weapons of war".
The mercenary ranger rolls his eyes, while Lisell Maera shakes her head, as does Tamric Drubine, who also wryly smiles at the suggestion from the former paladin.
"I don't think we'll do that" says Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson in a slightly dry tone of voice, he continues on with "That's not exactly the plan we're looking for".
"I personally think it's a fine plan" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, the former knight of the first class as he puts on his gauntlets after he and Tam secures his vambraces, adds "True, not the best plan I've come up with. After all it does involve the filthy green monster" the former earl of the Lé Dic fief continues with "But still a fine plan nevertheless".
"I don't know about that" dryly says the mercenary ranger in the elven language, the two teens, Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera nod in agreement with what the mercenary ranger just said.
Then in common, Riley Hait says "We can come up with something better" a frowning Percavelle Lé Dic asks "Such as what?". "Once they're on the move we'll shadow them" says the ranger Hait who continues with "If he's down there, which I've got a feeling he is. He'll be with those moving the war machines when they continue on their way westwards. Hopefully Dalin will be able to spot him".
"And then?" asks the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che "Then we snatch him" says Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman "Oh?" says the former earl of Lé Dic, who then adds "Just like that?".
"Just like that" says the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen, who briefly pauses then adds "Though it'll be in the chaos of the two armies coming together. We'll try and get him before they're too heavily engaged".
"That'll be risky" says Tam, the former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine in northern Sarcrin, continues with "That's if we're even able to actually locate him".
"I know" quietly says the ranger Hait, who knows that a hell of a lot can go wrong with the fairly simple plan that he and the spy Tanith have come up with to find, and take the war engineer Tovis.
The mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen wishes they had a better way of finding, and taking the war engineer they're after. But he can't think of one. The lack of a spellcaster with them has severely hampered their plans.
If Helbe the elven thief, or even Mira Reinholt the mage was with them. They could easily locate, then take the engineer named Tovis. Especially if the elven magic user, prince Helbenthril Raendril was with them.
Riley Hait sighs as he knows it's not going to be easy for them. And when, and not if, the two armies of the fiefs Harkonin and Lé Dic come together. The war engineer could very well be in danger, even more so than he was during the battle of the border town of Falshire.
Tovis the war engineer yawns as he looks around the camp. The young engineer is standing near one of the cook fires, having a breakfast of gruel and a small loaf of bread, as the camp wakes, and the army prepares to leave, and continue on their way west towards the border.
Baron Harkonin's war engineer shakes his head, for yesterday he was fleeing from the west, coming back east. Trying to get away from the border region, where a force from the Lé Dic army, had retaken the border town of Falshire.
Now he's going to go back that way with the bulk of the baron's army. The baron, who Tovis was surprised to find, wasn't too annoyed that Falshire had fallen back into the hands of the enemy. Infact the young engineer, if he's not too mistaken. Believes baron Harkonin almost expected the border town to be lost to the Lé Dic forces from what his conversation with the baron and others early last night, when he and others who had fled Falshire, came into camp.
Tovis looks down to his left, and a sleepy looking Larm the workyard appreciate, who is yawning heavily as he sits upon a log eating his breakfast.
"Can't believe we're going back there sir" says Larm the apprentice "I know" says Tovis the war engineer, who shrugs his shoulders then continues with "That's the way things go" he then adds "At least we're heading that way with most of the army this time".
A yawning Larm nods to that, but murmurs "I'd still rather not though" followed by "Rather head back to the castle". The young engineer doesn't say anything about that, instead he continues eating his breakfast. Knowing that soon he and the rest of the baron's army who are in camp, will be getting underway, heading back towards the border, and the town of Falshire.
Tovis, Larm and a few others from the workyards outside castle Harkonin, who were able to escape from Falshire. Have joined up with others from the workyards, who have come with the army, in support of the crews operating the various war machines.
The soldiers and workers are already up and packed, and are moving their equipment and machines, starting to head west as the sun starts to rise in the east behind them. They and the war machines and siege engines move the slowest in the army. So they have to get away first behind the scouts and advanced squads.
The rest of the army, those both on foot and mounted, will depart after them. As they'll soon overtake the crews and workers moving the war machines and the like, once they're on the trade road.
Tovis, along with Larm, after finishing their breakfast. Carry their newly acquired packs, and head through camp to the road. Where catapults and siege engines can be seen moving in the dull light of dawn as they're hauled by teams of horses.
The young engineer, who isn't surprised that his workyard foreman Bassark has remained behind in the town of Maliss and castle Harkonin to oversee the completion of the latest trebuchets that Tovis has designed.
Hears the gossip from the soldiers as he walks towards the trade road with Larm at his side. Apparently a rider came into camp last night. One of the enemy bearing a flag of truce.
He came bearing terms of a ransom demand for lord Sarvaine who was captured in the recent battle for Falshire. Apparently baron Harkonin had the enemy soldier taken. And instead of negotiating the ransom of the lord of the Long Reaches. The baron had the enemy soldier tortured, to find out any information about the Lé Dic forces in Falshire and along the border.
Tovis and Larm walk onto the trade road, they look up at one of the larger war machines. One of the older trebuchets, where the body of the enemy soldier, is hanging from the top of the war machine as it moves slowly westwards along the road.
"Well" quietly says Tovis the war engineer to the youngster who is basically his own apprentice under him "It's going to be a full on war this time" quietly adds the young engineer, who continues on with "We're going to be fighting until one army is wiped out" he nods up at the dead enemy soldier hanging from the top of the trebuchet as the sun continues to rise in the east "That's just the start i imagine" says Tovis as they start walking west on the road to the border . . . . . .