The Homecoming 80.

The Border...

"Any sign of them?" asks baron Harkonin "Nothing m'lord" replies the army commander sir Taevar, who continues with "Even the townsfolk have left, no sign of them either".
"No matter" says the baron of the Harkonin fief, who continues with "We'll bring our own people in, and finally this town will truly be part of our fief".
On the horse next to the baron's, his army commander nods his head in agreement, and does so again, when the head of the Harkonin family quietly says "Bet you they've taken Sarvaine back to that damn monstrosity of a castle of theirs" the baron then looks back along the line of march, then adds "But considering we've got more important prisoners than they do, i think the sacrifice was worth it".
"As do i m'lord" says the commander of the Harkonin army, who nods his head to a passing officer in the line, and quietly tells him "Have more of the scouts fan out to the north, south and west. Make sure none of the enemy are lurking about, watching us".
The baron's army is coming through the border town of Falshire, and are entering the Lé Dic fief. By his and his army commander, and officers best guess, they figure the army will reach castle Lé Dic within three days as they continue to travel along the trade road that goes through the neighbouring fiefs.
As the baron, along with his army commander, a few other nobles, and some of his officers, sit upon their mounts on the westside of the border town watching the Harkonin army enter the Lé Dic fief.
Baron Harkonin quietly asks sir Taevar "Any word on the search for Tovis?". The army commander shakes his head, then says "Nothing from the men m'lord" he continues with "Dontast has gone out with a squad of scouts to continue the search for him".
The commander of the Harkonin army pauses for a moment, then he says "Didn't you put your advisor in charge of the search for your war engineer m'lord?".
"I did" murmurs baron Harkonin, who suspects his advisor, the dark druid Palvarc, has put in minimal effort to find the missing war engineer.
After all it was Palvarc's idea to send the young engineer to Falshire to be part of the trap to encourage the Lé Dic army to enter the Harkonin fief.
A trap that the baron knew would end in the force that he had stationed here in the border town being wiped out, or nearly wiped out. Which it turned out to be. As only a small number of his force here in Falshire survived that battle, and were able to escape.
"I'll have a word with Palvarc about intensifying the search for Tovis" says the baron of the Harkonin fief, who has had only two real setbacks so far in his plan to defeat the Lé Dic family.
One was the loss of the pair of cockatrice that was given to him as a gift by someone of influence at the king's court in the capital Leeabra. The naturally magical creatures were perfect in their role to help defeat the Lé Dic army that had entered the Harkonin fief. It's just unfortunate they died when the battle was all but over, and already won.
The other setback was the loss of his war engineer, Tovis. Who went missing when the cockatrice went out of control. The young engineer hasn't been seen since. And the baron fears for the young man's life.
And though he did put Tovis in harms way when he sent him to Falshire to be part of the trap that lured the Lé Dic army into the Harkonin fief. Baron Harkonin genuinely worries for his war engineer. Who is an integral asset to the nobleman who rules the Harkonin fief. Whose skill with the war machines and siege engines is unparalleled.
And as the baron looks back through the town and sees the first of the war machines being wheeled through Falshire, and across the border. He wonders how well the crews will do if they have to repair any of them during the siege of castle Lé Dic in the absence of Tovis.
The baron of the Harkonin fief knows they won't work as efficiently, nor as quickly without the war engineer there with them, to oversee the work.
The head of the Harkonin fief slightly sighs, then he glances at his army commander, who quietly says "Your advisor approaches m'lord".
The baron looks to where sir Taevar nods, and he spots the dark druid Palvarc walking from between two buildings here on the outskirts of town.
The spellcaster takes the reins of his mount from the groom holding them, then he walks his horse over to where the baron and the others are.
As the dark druid gets up into the saddle, baron Harkonin says "Well?".
"He's dead" replies Palvarc the dark druid, who takes from one of his long, voluminous sleeves, a bit of a broken staff. The dark druid, who already knew that his apprentice Maren was dead, tosses the bit of broken staff away, then tells the baron "Died in a magical battle is my best guess".
Baron Harkonin blinks in surprise, then he says "You mean they might actually have a competent spellcaster with them after all?".
"Maybe" replies the follower of the old ways, who after a momentary pause, continues with "Though there's always been the rumour that sir Percavelle Lé Dic has a magical weapon of some kind. And now with his return, such a thing might be able to defeat a spellcaster who is unaware of what he's facing".
The baron nods as he sourly smiles, then says "That's all we need, that raving idiot with something magical in his hands". The nobleman who rules the Harkonin fief has always wondered about the reputation of sir Percavelle Lé Dic in battle. And why he's such a destructive force.
A magical weapon at his disposal would definitely enhance his already near perfect skills in combat. Something of a misnomer, considering most Druvician nobles, abhor magical weapons and items in combat.
Just like Percavelle, to be so good because of something magical, the damn hypocrite, baron Harkonin thinks to himself, who in times past, has often heard the former earl of Lé Dic, sir Percavelle talk about his distaste for anything magical on the battlefield.
"Be that as it may" says baron Harkonin, who then adds "And of course, I'm sorry for the loss of your apprentice". Even though the nobleman didn't particularly like Maren the dark druid's apprentice.
"But there's the matter of my missing war engineer" continues the baron of the Harkonin fief, who looks at his advisor, and tells him "I want him found Palvarc".
"Yes baron" says the dark druid, who has no intention of finding the young engineer. For all Palvarc thinks, he hopes the baron's war engineer has gone and got himself killed.
"I mean it Palvarc" says the head of the Harkonin family, who knows that his advisor isn't particularly keen on finding the young engineer Tovis.
When the dark druid just gives a sharp nod of the head in reply. The baron looks at the others, and waves a hand to have them move away.
Baron Harkonin nods his head as sir Taevar says "I'll inform you m'lord if Dontast comes back with anything about Tovis" before he rides towards the trade road, to continue watching the army passing through the border town of Falshire, and enter the Lé Dic fief.
"Palvarc let me put this another way" quietly says baron Harkonin once the others have moved away, he continues with "I want Tovis found, even though i know you don't particularity care about him. For the simple reason he's important for the war effort".
"Yes m'lord" says the baron's advisor, in what he thinks is a contrite tone, but it actually comes off as arrogant.
The baron withholds a sigh, then says "Palvarc, can you design or build a trebuchet?" followed by "Or repair a century old catapult?".
With a frown upon his face, the dark druid says "No m'lord". "That's why i need Tovis found" says baron Harkonin, who continues with "Because he can" the nobleman then adds in quiet voice "You've said it yourself, from what you've seen in your rites. We won't win this by magic alone, and that we'll need manpower to take castle Lé Dic, and take this fief for ourselves".
The baron gestures to where one of the siege towers is coming out of Falshire along the trade road, and he says "Manpower that involves the siege engines, and war machines" he pauses before adding "Which are maintained by my war engineer".
The dark druid bites down on the anger he feels bubbling up through him, and instead he says "M'lord baron, I'll make all the effort i can in finding the engineer" and though he doesn't want to say it, Palvarc says it anyway, with "By the old ways i do swear".
The baron of the Harkonin fief nods his head in satisfaction, then he asks his advisor "This other thing" followed by "How long do you think it will take them to reach the capital?".
"A few more days at least m'lord" is the quiet reply of the dark druid, who continues with "I sent them the farthest west i could, just beyond the western border of the Gallus fief".
The baron nods his head, then quietly says "Let's hope they don't run into any trouble on the way to Leeabra".
"Or in the capital too" says Palvarc the dark druid, who sent a small squad of baron Harkonin's most trusted soldiers through the druid's circle that overlooked where the battle they had against the Lé Dic army took place.
He sent them through that evening, they're now heading to the capital Leeabra, to deliver a message to someone in the king's court in the capital of the kingdom.
"You think he'll come through?" quietly asks the baron of the Harkonin fief "I believe so" says the baron's advisor, who then continues on with "He has helped out myself, and others of the old ways here in the east of the kingdom in recent times. I suspect he will honour the request" Palvarc briefly pauses before adding "After all he did gift you with those cockatrice".
"That he did" murmurs baron Harkonin who is watching his army enter the Lé Dic fief, the fief of his, and his family's enemy. Who he intends to wipe out once and for all.
At the rear of baron Harkonin's army, just infront of the camp followers. Between them and the last of the war machines.
With the supply wagons, is the wagon with the prisoners. Which at the moment is just coming through the border town of Falshire.
"Never thought I'd return home as a prisoner" quietly says sir Galmot, the commander of the Lé Dic army, not that there's an army for him to command anymore.
Sitting just infront of him in the wagon bed, lord Milburn nods his head in agreement. While his grandson, Jared Milburn, dozes against his right shoulder.
The lord of Milburn estate looks at the fourth prisoner in the back of the wagon, who is leaning back against the tail gate, as he glares at their captors.
The Range Lord, sir Parvin Dé Gorveré has been in an especially foul mood ever since he was healed by baron Harkonin's advisor, the dark druid Palvarc.
Sir Parvin, who lord Milburn thought was surely going to die before the baron's spellcaster healed him. Fought harder than the other three nobleborn prisoners combined.
The Range Lord, though a little fatter, and a little slower than he once was. Is still a terror on the battlefield, and was the only one out of them, who stuck up a true fight against the enemy as their own army was being wiped out.
Even when the ground beneath them, shook, then ripped apart, flinging the Lé Dic army about, sending soldiers and mounts flying. The Range Lord still fought gallantly on.
It's no wonder Percavelle and he were contemporaries, lord Kievar Milburn thinks to himself as he looks at sir Parvin Dé Gorveré, whose eyes then rest upon him.
The Range Lord's look doesn't even change that much as he looks at the grandfather of lady Linara Lé Dic. Infact he looks even angrier. The lord of Milburn estate isn't that surprised. Sir Parvin has been in a foul mood with him, and the other two prisoners since he regained consciousness after being healed.
The Range Lord blames them, as much as the enemy for the demise of the Lé Dic army. As sir Parvin spoke against them entering the Harkonin fief. As did sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who as the former earl of the Lé Dic fief, has no say in how it's run and governed now.
And where is Percavelle and those mercenaries? lord Milburn thinks to himself as the wagon they're in the back of, goes through the western outskirts of the border town of Falshire, soon exiting it.
As the wagon rolls out of the Falshire, lord Milburn spots their enemy, baron Harkonin, along with his advisor, the dark druid Palvarc, riding slowly across the open ground towards the front of the invading army.
The lord of Milburn estate leans towards sir Galmot, and quietly says to him "What say you about what i mentioned during the night?". The Lé Dic army commander, lifts an eyebrow, then mouths the word "Escape?".
Lord Kievar Milburn nods his head yes, then sir Galmot quietly says "It'll have to be at night, not to mention close to the castle if we're to have a chance" the army commander then adds "You know, because" as he holds up his bound wrists.
They're still in their armour, and of course they have no weapons. And each of them have their wrists bound. But for all that, they can move about pretty freely. Though they're only allowed off the back of the wagon to relieve themselves when the army stops.
"It would be best" quietly says the nobleman, who though his fief's army has basically been wiped out, he still sees himself as a steward for his young granddaughter, and it's he who runs the fief.
Though not at the moment Kievar, lord Milburn dryly thinks to himself as he contemplates the situation he, as well as the other three prisoners, are in.
"What say you Parvin?" quietly asks the lord of Milburn manor, and though the Range Lord didn't partake in the conversation in the middle of the night. Lord Kievar Milburn noticed sir Parvin Dé Gorveré listening to the other three quietly talk of their plans.
"I say you three should try it" quietly says sir Parvin Dé Gorveré with a slight sneer upon his face, as he continues with "So i can watch you three get caught".
The Range Lord has no confidence in the other three making good on their escape. He thinks lord Milburn is too old, and tired for it to work. Sir Galmot, who he thinks is a bully at heart. Is bound to make a mistake, as he's often want to do. While Jared Milburn is too young and inexperienced to make any plan of escape successful.
"Then you'll get that" says sir Parvin, who from where he sits with his back against the tailgate of the wagon, nods his head forward to the war machines further infront of them on the trade road.
"A one way flight to death" adds the Range Lord, causing both lord Milburn and sir Galmot the army commander to wince "Not that we're not going to get that anyway when we reach the castle" dryly adds the large knight, who pauses before continuing with "Or some horrible rite of that black hearted dark druid".
The grandfather of lady Linara Lé Dic grimaces at that, then next to him, his grandson Jared Milburn wakes, and murmurs in a sleepy tone "What i miss?".
"Nothing" quietly says lord Milburn, while sir Parvin Dé Gorveré mutters "Idiot" as he looks at the youngest of the four noblemen from the Lé Dic fief who has been taken prisoner by their enemy, baron Harkonin . . . . . .