The Homecoming 65.

Battle In The Woods...

They find out they're under attack when a body comes flying out of the air, and slams down amongst the foot soldiers. Killing one, and knocking over two others.
Warning shouts come from the scouts ahead on the road, who thought they heard something, when they hear it again. It's the sound of a trebuchet being shot off.
A few moments later, over the trees up ahead. A large boulder can be seen hurtling through the air towards them. Soldiers in the van, those on foot and those who are mounted. Scattered as the boulder comes down towards them.
"Fuck!" yells lord Kievar Milburn as the boulder lands somewhere behind him amongst the soldiers. He starts shouting out orders, as does the army commander, sir Galmot. Other nobles, as well as officers also call out orders.
And for the most part, the army moves ahead quickly along the road. While others go through the trees. As a bombardment starts raining down upon them. From what can only be coming from enemy war machines, somewhere up ahead on the road.
A scout can be seen riding back towards them. And the commander of the army, sir Galmot who hears what the scout is shouting out, grimaces and looks over at lord Milburn.
"So there's an army of them up ahead is there" says the grandfather of lady Linara Lé Dic who also hears what the returning scout is calling out "Let's show these Harkonin bastards what we're made of" adds the lord of  Milburn manor.
The army commander nods as they ride ahead, then sir Galmot stands up in the stirrups, calling out "Advance!" he looks back at the majority of the army who are following, and yells at them "Attack them!" as he draws his sword, and waves it in the direction of the enemy, who are somewhere to the east of them.
Halfway up the hill to the north of the trade road, just back from the forward elements of the Harkonin army. Dorc da Orc says "Dumb cunts are riding into a trap" as he looks westward along the road, and is able to make out the Lé Dic army who are riding, and running towards the meadow, where the Harkonin army is positioned, on the eastern edge of it.
Riley Hait the mercenary ranger nods his head in agreement, but instead of saying anything about it, he says "Don't bother with that" the ranger Hait gestures down at the Harkonin army, then adds "Keep looking down at them, and see if you can find that engineer".
The large ork grunts, then mutters in his native tongue "Me can't even 'member what that cunt s'pose to looks like". For all that, the ork warleader does look down at the Harkonin army. Searching for the war engineer that he and the rest of the group are trying to locate.
The mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen looks over at sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who is standing behind a thick tree trunk with Tamric Drubine.
The former earl of Lé Dic is looking to the west and frowning as he watches his niece's army, who have come under attack from the Harkonin army.
As one of the two trebuchets launches another load, this one a netting full of rocks, that goes hurtling through the air towards the advancing army from the Lé Dic fief.
The ranger Hait still worries the heavily armoured knight will do something rash. Even though the former earl of Lé Dic gave his word that he won't.
Not trusting the word of the former paladin, the mercenary ranger who was raised and trained by the elven warders of Envadarlen. Has told both Dorc da Orc and Tamric Drubine to keep close to sir Percavelle Lé Dic. And to keep an eye on him. He's also told Shur Kee the monk to watch the former knight of the first class. And to make sure he keeps to the task at hand, and not to do anything else.
"Percy" says Riley Hait, 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 the ranger Hait, he continues with "That engineer is somewhere down there below us" followed by "Not on the road to the west".
The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che grunts, then after one more look in the direction of the advancing Lé Dic army. He looks down at the Harkonin army, and continues to look for the individual they're trying to find. A war engineer by the name of Tovis.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks downhill through the trees, and wonders if Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy and Lisell Maera are having any better luck.
Then the ranger Hait looks down at the army from the Harkonin fief who are across the trade road, and to the south of it. Along the eastern edge of the meadow.
The mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen looks towards the clump of trees, just in advance of the Harkonin army.
A couple of cockatrice are with the small squad of scouts behind those trees. Riley Hait knows that those two creatures will be decisive advantage for the baron of fief Harkonin.
He slightly shakes his head, then goes back to looking at the war machines behind the front ranks of the army. Trying to spot the war engineer that he and the rest of the group, have traveled to the kingdom of Druvic to find.
Behind and to the side of one of the trebuchets, Tovis the war engineer watches it being loaded again. The young engineer is just about to say something to senior captain Malcené, when Larm the workyard apprentice says to him "Sir, there's the signal for them being spotted by the front ranks".
Baron Harkonin's war engineer as he hears the soldiers at the front of the army. Yell and holler at the appearance of the enemy army on the trade road on the otherside of the meadow.
Nearby officers and sergeant at arms start calling out orders, and Tovis the war engineer says to his apprentice Larm, and the runner with them "Get ready to look down at the ground".
"Sir, we can't even see them from back here" says Larm, the not yet fourteen year old who works in the yards just outside of castle Harkonin.
"It doesn't matter" says the young engineer who continues with "Your eye will be drawn to them no matter what. It's just natural curiosity, it can't be helped" he follows that with "So look down at the ground" then the war engineer asks "Is that understood?".
"Yes sir" is the answer from Larm, while the runner says to Tovis "Yes engineer". "Good" murmurs baron Harkonin's engineer, who hears a crescendo of shouts and yells from the front of the Harkonin's army, before dying down, almost as quickly as when it started up.
Then an order passes through the ranks. And soldier after soldier starts looking down at the ground infront of them as they fall silent.
"Right" says Tovis, who then adds "Look down now" as they hear the order for the cockatrice to come out from behind the clump of trees they've been waiting behind.
The war engineer looks down, and contemplates the state of his boots, as he figures the two naturally, magical creatures are moving. And that their handlers will soon be taking the blinders of the cockatrice. Unleashing their formidable powers upon anyone who happens look at their eyes.
"Look at the ground" warns Riley Hait the mercenary ranger, who then adds "They're removing the blinders from the cockatrice" as he looks at the ground.
The ranger Hait glances sideways at Dorc da Orc, and dryly says to him "Not you Dorc". The large ork looks back up, or more precisely down the hill at the Harkonin army.
Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson asks the ork warleader "What's happening Dorc?" knowing that the big, burly ork, like all of his kind, is totally immune to the effects of cockatrice. Or other similar creatures, that have the ability to stun or paralyze. Such as the more deadly bassalisk. Due to their mental capacity. Or to be exact, lack of mental capacity.
Dorkindle grunts, then says "Them big fucken chickens" he pronounces the word chicken as chick-ons "Are moving out from behind them fucken trees down there" adds the large ork.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks looks to the west, then tells the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen "Them other cunts are all racing this way along the fucken road, and cross the grass" he briefly pauses as he watches what's happening, then he chuckles before continuing with "They gonna get fucked".
Lord Milburn races ahead, keeping on the road. His grandson Jared rides near him, as do others. While crossing the grass to the south of the trade road, is sir Galmot and others.
With a fierce looking grin upon his face, the nobleman who is the grandfather of the young lady, Linara Lé Dic. Sees the formation of the enemy a bit better as he races towards them.
He slightly frowns as he sees that it's archers and crossbowmen at the front, when they're normally behind, or to the side of the normal foot soldiers.
Not too worry, the lord of Milburn manor thinks to himself, who sees that it's predominantly mounted soldiers on the flank that's the trade road, who he's racing towards.
Then he catches sight of something to the right, near a clump of trees across the meadow. Shouts come from those riding further to the right across the meadow.
"What?" murmurs lord Milburn, who quickly looks that way, then towards the clump of trees, which he sees riders further to the right, pointing towards.
At the last moment, the nobleman who sees himself the steward of the Lé Dic fief, essentially ruling it for his granddaughter Linara Lé Dic. Grimaces, knowing that he shouldn't of looked at the clump of trees again.
For he sees two cockatrice to the side of it now. Looking this way, to the west. At the rapidly advancing army from the Lé Dic fief.
Orders are given, and the front ranks of the Harkonin army, look up. Lifting their bows, longbows, and crossbows. Enemy horses are scattering as their riders no longer have control over them. While others are more or less still riding directly this way.
A few of the enemy riding at the front, are looking down. Still more or less in control of their mounts, heading this way. But not many, as most of the enemy riding towards the Harkonin army. As are a lot of the foot soldiers who were running behind them. Are now stunned, after looking at the cockatrice. Who are standing to the side of the clump of trees they were previously behind. Now with their blinders off, as they look to the west, at the advancing army from the Lé Dic fief.
Arrows and bolts fly through the air. As do the longer bolts shot from the scorpions amongst the front ranks of the Harkonin army. As well as long spears shot from the other wagon mounted weapons. The side by side ballistas that fire at the same time. That shoot off their missiles which are connected by various types of chains.
Further back in the Harkonin army, and the order is given to look up again, and for the war machine crews to resume their bombardment. The catapult crews join in too. As the enemy are now in range.
An enemy, many of whom are stunned, and are totally unresponsive as they're shot at. Unable to do anything in response, as they've looked at the two cockatrice, their eyes to be exact. And now they're watching their own demise. Without the ability to do anything to stop it.
Arrows, bolts, shafts and missiles slam into the charging ranks of the Lé Dic army. Rider after rider, mount after mount, drop in waves, as volley after volley from the front ranks of the Harkonin army strike them. Killing, wounding, and maiming them. Many of those who are initially wounded, snap out of the stunned state they're in from looking at the cockatrice. Only to look at the cockatrice once more, and end up being stunned again.
An officer who is knocked off his horse after getting hit by a longbow shaft that takes him in the shoulder. No longer stunned, stands up, and looks towards the cockatrice again. Catching the eye of one of the naturally magical creatures.
He stands their completely stunned again, only to get smashed over from behind by a horse, whose rider, sits in the saddle, completely unresponsive, as he's stunned due to looking at the cockatrice.
Scores of the Lé Dic army are taken out in similar ways. Many just fall from their mounts, and are trodden to death by following horses. While others are completely still as arrows,  bolts and missiles slam into them.
Noblemen in heavy plate armour have no chance, as multiple arrows and bolts slam into them. They're the main targets for the front ranks of the Harkonin army.
Nobles from the Lé Dic fief fall from their horses, their heavy armour pierced by dozens of shafts and bolts.
Sir Barid is one such Lé Dic noble. Who hit with over a dozen arrows, predominantly longbow shafts. Hits the ground after falling from the back of his mount, who also goes down, hit by arrow after arrow.
Miraculously sir Barid, who fought in the recent battle of Falshire, is still alive, and gets to his feet.
Until he's torn in two, just below the waist. By a spiked chain, that's connected to the back ends of a pair of long spears, shot from a side by side ballistas on the back of a wagon at the front of the Harkonin army.
Sir Barid dies in exactly the same way as his squire Mercent did during the battle of Falshire a couple of mornings ago.
The front ranks of the Lé Dic army is decimated by those from the army whose fief they've ventured into. The front foot soldiers are falling too, as they just stand there, while the bombardment from the Harkonin war machines resume.
It's starting to look like a total rout for the Lé Dic army as they attack the Harkonin army. But things have just started, and they're about to get a lot worse, much worse for the army from the Lé Dic fief . . . . . .