The Homecoming 111.

A Knight & His Castle...

On the south wall battlements of castle Lé Dic, sir Percavelle Lé Dic guffaws as one of the Harkonin soldiers holding on for dear life on one of the beams across the moat where the drawbridge housing has opened.
Loses his grip, and falls to the water below, and onto one of the spikes just below the surface of the water. Which goes through his stomach, and out though his back.
He was the only one of the twenty five or so enemy soldiers not to fall when the canopy to the drawbridge suddenly opened up beneath them as they were crossing to the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
And he held on for quite some time, as some of the defenders upon the wall with bows and crossbows shot at him, all miraculously missing. Until his strength finally gave out and he eventually dropped to the water below.
The former earl of Lé Dic who is grinning, looks over to his right to where Riley Hait the mercenary ranger calls out to him "Percy you might want to help out over there!".
The heavily armoured knight looks to where the ranger Hait is pointing along the south wall parapet. To where the sole remaining Harkonin siege tower on this side of the castle, is in the moat near the wall.
It's one of originally three siege towers that the baron had on this side of castle Lé Dic. One was destroyed by multiple trebuchet hits as it came up the road from the south. While a second, or what's left of it, sits smouldering in the moat a bit further to the right from where the main gates on this side of the castle are.
Now the last one, of five in total that's been brought from the Harkonin fief. The other two are on the east side of the massive castle.
Is further to the left of the gates here on the south side of the castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for over four centuries.
"Righto!" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic who then calls out to the mercenary ranger from the principality of Envadarlen "I shall deal to these miscreants who dare to attack my family's quiet abode!".
The ranger Hait rolls his eyes, and shakes his head as he watches the former paladin return his longsword to it's scabbard. And swing the shield of Saint Mar-che on it's strap, across his back.
Then 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.
Frowns as he sees the nobleborn knight pick up a large canvas bag that he had brought up to the battlements by the castle armourer and his assistant.
Whatever is in it must be heavy, because the heavily armoured knight who by far is the third strongest member of the group behind lord Farque and Dorc da Orc. Struggles to pick it up and put it over one of his broad, heavily armoured shoulders.
What the hell has that idiot got in that? Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman thinks to himself as he watches the former knight of the first class walk away to the left along the parapet.
The mercenary ranger who was raised and trained in the elven principality of Envadarlen then shrugs his shoulders, and having run out of yard long shafts to shoot from his elven made longbow.
Hurries over to help a soldier and two townsmen, to drop rocks and chunks of broken masonry down upon the enemy who are trying to climb up to the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic grunts in effort as he readjusts the heavy bag he's carrying over his right shoulder. The former earl of the fief that's been invaded by the army from the neighbouring fief to the east.
Chuckles under his breath as he continues on his way to the stretch of wall that the enemy siege tower is coming close to.
There a number of soldiers and townsfolk are waiting for the massive, fifty foot tall siege tower, that was designed by baron Harkonin's former war engineer, Tovis.
That section of the wall is the heaviest defended by far, and though a couple of the castle servants hurry away further to the left, to help others push a scaling ladder off the face of the wall. There's at least a dozen, soldiers, townsfolk and castle servants. Waiting between a pair of merlons for the Harkonin siege tower, to drop the top part of the front, to form a bridge between it and the battlements along this side of the massive castle.
"Good, good" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic after he grunts and drops the heavy canvas bag he's carrying, which clunks when it hits the parapet.
"Well done chaps" adds the heavily armoured knight as he sees that firepots have been lit, and that most of the defenders he's joined, have either heavy spears, and in the case of two of the castle servants, a jousting lance they must of taken from an armoury next to one of the stables in the castle.
The defenders, soldiers, servants and townsfolk, alike all grin or cheer as they see that their former earl has joined them to help repel the attack from the enemy siege tower upon this part of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
"Remember men, even though you lot are commoners, you are of the Lé Dic fief, my family's fief and this is my family's castle!" declares the knight who is both nobleborn and ordered "And we shall not let this rabble who calls itself an army, from that fief to the east ruled by that despot Harkonin spawn, top the walls of my family's castle!" adds the heavily armoured knight in his loud voice that illicits cheers, not just from the defenders he's joined.
But also from others along the battlements on this side of the massive castle that's his family's ancestral home. He has a loud voice, and can been heard quite easily over the sounds of battle.
"Bother" mutters sir Percavelle Lé Dic as an enemy arrow shot from an archer across the moat clangs off the breastplate of his heavy plate armour, then the knight in the order of saint Mar-che yells out "Lé Dic!".
It's answered in kind by those with him, and others along the parapet to either side of them.
"Lé Dic!" once again shouts the former paladin, who grins as it's repeated by many a voice along the battlements on this side of the castle that's been the home to his family for generations.
The heavily armoured knight then bends down, and opens the heavy canvas bag at his feet, Sir Percavelle Lé Dic softly chuckles as he looks at what's inside the canvas bag.
"Get ready men!" calls out sir Percavelle Lé Dic as the enemy siege tower groans and leans forward a bit, a sign that those who are in, are gathering at, and towards the top of it.
Firepots are picked up, and are prepared to be thrown. While the former earl of Lé Dic, who is the uncle of the young girl, who is the lady of the fief. Grunts as he grabs something in the heavy canvas bag, and pulls something on it, essentially arming it, before he lifts it up.
The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che who strains to hold up what he's taken out of the bag, calls out "Watch out for archers and bowmen they have in there!" then he says to a townsman, holding a heavy spear "Be a good fellow and help me with this" followed by "Be prepared to biff it forward when i say so".
"Yes sir Percavelle" says the townsman, who tentatively grabs one end of it, while the others around them move out of the way when they see what the heavily armoured knight has pulled out of heavy canvas bag.
Just then, the near top ten feet, of the front of the siege tower falls forward, and crashes down onto the top of the wall between a pair of merlons.
Firepots are thrown at the top of the siege tower, which this one has a roof. While a handful of bolts and arrows come flying back at the defenders upon this section of the wall.
But for the most part, those Harkonin soldiers who were waiting at the top of the siege tower, rush forward.
"Now!" shouts the former paladin to the townsman holding the other end of what the nobleborn knight pulled out of his heavy canvas bag.
They throw it onto the bridge that's been created between the top of the siege tower, and the battlements when part of the front of the Tovis designed tower came down.
Then those with spears, and the two holding the lance, shove their weapons forward at the oncoming enemy.
But it's what the knight in order of saint Mar-che, and the townsman he had helping him. Which "Attacks" first.
It's an animal trap, infact a series of them, that are all linked together, forming a line of them about nine foot in length, or width in this case. As it was thrown out across the width of the temporary bridge between the top of the Harkonin siege tower and the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
It's armed by a single rod at one end, which takes a bit of strength to do, as it opens up all the traps. Which are usually used to trap fairly large game.
Though it isn't used to trap game this day. It's used to trap soldiers from the Harkonin fief who are trying to gain the battlements along the south side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
A half a dozen soldiers from the fief across the border to the east step into the traps as they rush to the top of the wall.
Some step perfectly into a trap, which slams into an ankle or shin as it shuts firmly closed. Some hit a plate so cleanly below the jaw of a trap. That it chops off the foot below the ankle or shin.
While others don't hit the pressure plate so square on, and the trap shuts snap a little late. Slamming around a booted foot that's being lifted in mid step.
Yells and howls of pain come from those crossing the makeshift bridge between the top of the siege tower and the battlements here on the south side of the castle Lé Dic.
Then those who stumble forward with a crushed foot, or even missing foot. Slam into the spears and one lance pointed at them.
Screams and shouts come from both attackers and defenders as those Harkonin soldiers die on the tips of Lé Dic spears.
"Lé Dic!" shouts the former earl of the fief in encouragement to those defending this section of the wall of his family's ancestral home.
He's answered in kind with a chorus of "Lé Dic" from his niece's soldiers, the castle servants and the townsfolk.
Then they and the heavily armoured knight briefly pause as a Harkonin soldier, on fire from his boots to his hair, staggers forward from the top of the siege tower.
Swinging and waving his arms about wildly, as flames and smoke pour off of him. Before falling off the side of the makeshift bridge that was created when the top bit, on the front of the fifty foot tall siege tower came down onto the battlements between two merlons.
"Huh" murmurs sir Percavelle Lé Dic as he watches the burning Harkonin soldier hit the water below. Then after a slight pause, he picks up the heavy canvas bag, which is considerably lighter. And shoulders it.
"Tally ho chaps!" shouts the former knight of the first class, who then leaps up onto the bridge between the battlements and the enemy siege tower. And crosses it, jumping over a couple of the wounded Harkonin soldiers, who are lying flat on the makeshift bridge, with an ankle or leg stuck in the row of game traps.
"Follow me lads!" shouts the heavily armoured knight who doesn't look back as he runs into the smoke at the top of the siege tower
Knocking down a Harkonin soldier who has just thrown off his cloak that was on fire. And shoulder charging another one who is trying to reload a crossbow in the smokey environs at the top of the siege tower.
The nobleborn knight spies the steps that go down into the siege tower, and eventually go out the back of it.
The former paladin not caring about his safety, since he doesn't ever think about it. Dives head first down the steps, crashing into some Harkonin soldiers who are climbing to the top of the siege tower.
Back up on the battlements along the south wall of the massive castle, a  couple of the Lé Dic soldiers, veterans who have fought beside their former earl in the past. Look at one another, and one rolls his eyes, and the other wryly smile.
Then they, and another, younger soldier, climb up onto the temporary bridge. One of the veterans soldiers looks back at the other defenders along this section of the wall and tells them "Don't let any of them onto wall".
Then he and his two fellow soldiers cross the temporary bridge to the top of the enemy siege tower, heading into the smoke as they follow after their former earl, sir Percavelle who they can clearly hear from somewhere further down in the siege tower, shouting "Lé Dic!" . . . . . .

The Homecoming 110.

Castle Lé Dic...

Feeling a hell of a lot better than he was a short time ago, Dorc da Orc looks down off the east wall battlements.
The large ork briefly contemplates jumping off the top of the wall to get to the enemy. But quickly decides against that for the simple reason that there's a moat below, a moat full of water.
The ork warleader grunts at Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy to get out of the way. The elf from the principality of Alínlae who is crouching slightly behind a merlon, does so.
Allowing the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world to continue on his way.
Dorkindle pulls out the arrow that's hanging down from his chin as he walks along the top of the east wall of castle Lé Dic. While behind him, the spy Tanith takes his crossbow from the local youngster who has been loading it for him, and shoots the bolt in it at a Harkonin soldier on one of the floating rafts down in the moat, waiting to climb a scaling ladder.
From across his back, Dorc da Orc takes an axe from his weapon harness. The large ork who a short time ago, had a broken back.
Whacks the top of a scaling ladder that's just hit the top of the wall.
Wood goes flying, and the ork weaponsmith leans over the top of the wall, and hacks down at the ladder a couple of times, smashing rungs. Causing the Harkonin soldier who is first to climb the ladder, to look up in concern at what the large ork is doing.
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, ignores the enemy arrows and bolts being shot in his direction.
And grabs the scaling ladder and wrenches it to one side. The ladder that's on one of the floating platforms below, and his held by four Harkonin soldiers, while others climb it.
Starts sliding, then falling along the face of the wall. Those soldiers on it jump off into the water, while the one's holding it steady, try to keep it upright and on the floating raft.
All to no avail, as it crashes down into the water. And even if it's able to be retrieved and used again. It will be useless, as the top six feet or so, and the top couple of rungs have already been destroyed.
The warleader of the ork race grunts in satisfaction, and continues on his way. He briefly stops and picks up a large rock from a pile, that a couple of the townsmen from Massic, are dropping on the enemy below.
From the gatehouse across the moat, to the main gates here on the east side of castle Lé Dic.
The roof of the drawbridge housing is hanging down from two long stone beams that go across the water.
The beams, are relatively narrow. Though that doesn't stop a Harkonin soldier from trying to cross one of them as he carries a short ladder.
That's until he's whacked by the large rock that Dorkindle throws from the top of the wall.
That soldier is either dead from the impact of the rock hitting him. Or from the twenty five foot fall to the water below. Whatever it is, he floats there face first in the water in the moat.
While up on the battlements along the east side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family. The ork weaponsmith from the bottom of the world has continued on his way along the parapet.
After returning his axe to his weapon harness across his back, Dorc da Orc says "Here cunts" to the ballista crew that he's just stopped beside.
The large ork takes the war machine, and pulls it back into firing position by himself, without bothering to wind it back. Two of the soldiers quickly load a near twelve foot long heavy spear into the ballista.
Which once they've done, Dorkindle slightly swings it to one side, away to the left, and pulls up the lever that fires the heavy weapon off.
The missile slams into the side of the only enemy siege tower on this side of the castle, that's in the moat, and not too far from the east wall of castle Lé Dic.
The heavy long spear slams into the side of the near fifty foot tall siege tower, and enters it. Whatever's happened, it's done some damage inside, if the shouting and screaming coming from within it is anything to go by.
"A fucken 'nother one" says the big, burly ork to the ballista crew as he pulls the heavy war machine back into the firing position again.
Once it's loaded again, the ork who was given the title of warleader a number of years ago by lord Farque. Shoots off the missile in the ballista at the Harkonin siege tower in the moat. Again the large ork shoots it at an angle in the side.
As he recalls Tovis the war engineer mentioning that he designed and made the tall siege towers for baron Harkonin in a way that the fronts of them are heavily fortified to withstand enemy attack.
While the wooden sides are relatively thin to help reduce weight, since after all they're made to go into water that's in moats.
Dorc da Orc can also see how the front of the siege tower looks thicker than it's sides. Not to mention that there's water soaked hide coverings down the front of it, to protect it from fire.
Not that, that could of saved the other Harkonin siege tower that got into the moat on this side of the massive castle, when the naphtha that was piped into the water earlier was set alight.
The ork weaponsmith fires a third ballista shot at the enemy siege tower, that has large holes in the side of it now.
Then he says to the ballista crew "Here cunts, keep shooting at that fucken thing" after he pulls the heavy weapon back into firing position.
The big, burly ork who is in his element in the middle of a battle, continues on his way along the top of the east wall of castle Lé Dic.
He steps over a dead body, a townsmen with an arrow in the throat. Then he comes to a stop by a mixed group of townsfolk and soldiers. Who are directly facing the enemy siege tower that's in the moat, which Dorkindle was just shooting at.
The ork warleader grunts in satisfaction as he sees at the feet of the humans he's next to on the parapet, firepots that have been lit.
Then the large ork says "Out the fucken way cunts" as he moves into the center of the group so that he's right in the middle, directly facing the Harkonin siege tower that's slowly drifting forward, while the nearby ballista continues to shoot at it.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks glances away to the right, back along the top of the wall in the direction he came from. And sees a large piece of masonry flung from one of the Lé Dic trebuchets, that's now right at the back of the main east courtyard, barely pass over the top of the wall, before coming down, and smashing down into the edge of the water across the moat.
Completely smashing apart a floating raft that's been put in the water, that had half a dozen Harkonin soldiers on it, who were starting to pole it across the moat.
A big splash of water goes up in the air, as well as bits of wooden debris, not to mention bodies. Which causes Dorkindle to grin in pleasure.
The large ork who can instinctively feel the ebb and flow of a battle. Knows that the defenders of castle Lé Dic have so far acquitted themselves pretty well in this battle against the army of baron Harkonin. Who badly outnumbers them, by at least seven to one, or even more, considering more than half of the defenders of the massive castle aren't actually soldiers. But are castle servants, and folks from the town of Massic which is burning on the west side of castle Lé Dic.
But Dorc da Orc knows that this can rapidly change if even one of the remaining enemy siege towers gets to the wall. Or that soldiers from the fief across the border to the east. Start to top the wall in numbers as they climb scaling ladders to get up to the battlements.
"You fucks, go help those cunts there" says the ork weaponsmith as he grabs two of the townsmen, and nods away to the left further along the top of the wall. Where a trio, a soldier and two townsfolk, are trying to push a scaling ladder off the face of the wall with polearms.
As the two townsmen hurry away, Dorkindle says to the remaining group of mixed soldiers and townsmen "Throw those fucken fire things when the cunts drop the top".
Though he's a little difficult to understand, due to his deep, growling voice, and his extremely thick accent when he speaks the common language.
The ork warleader is understood by the group of defenders he's with on the parapet.
"And get ready for a shit load of fucken arrows and bolts" adds Dorc da Orc as he knows that's what they're about to face when the top part of the front of the siege tower drops down to form a bridge between it, and the top of the east wall of castle Lé Dic between the pair of merlons where the large ork and the others with him are standing.
"Come on ya cunts, come get some" murmurs the  big burly ork in his native language, as he almost bounces from foot to foot as he waits in anticipation as to what's about to happen.
The siege tower, that's drifted across the bottom of the moat on it's wheels. Comes to a stop about eight feet short of the east wall of the castle Lé Dic.
Dorkindle grabs one of the firepots, while soldiers and townsmen pick up the others.
Then the siege tower, the top of which is actually higher than the battlements. Slightly leans forward, a clear sign that those who are in have moved upwards.
"Shoot at them other cunts now!" the ork weaponsmith calls out to the nearby ballista crew as he gestures towards others down in the moat, as he doesn't want them shooting at the siege tower anymore with what he has planned.
There's an alarming creaking sound from the Harkonin siege tower in the water, then suddenly the top part of the front of it, nearly ten foot in height, falls forward and down, hitting the top of the wall between the two merlons.
Between the two merlons where the ork warleader and those with him are standing.
"Throw!" yells Dorc da Orc which is also yelled out by a couple of soldiers, and some of the townsfolk. They throw the firepots, while the Harkonin soldiers kneeling on the top level of the siege tower, shoot arrows and bolts at the defenders upon the wall.
The large ork chortles as the clay firepot he throws hits a Harkonin soldier, breaking apart, scattering naphtha and pitch soaked coals everywhere.
Then Dorkindle growls as he's hit in the face and throat by an arrow and a couple of bolts. While the Lé Dic soldier to his right drops to the parapet with a bolt through his face.
While the townsmen to his left, spins away screaming, with an arrow through his shoulder.
"Get some!" yells Dorc da Orc who jumps up onto the bridge that's now between the top of the castle and the top of the Harkonin siege tower.
Taking a step, hoping to his war god Krom that the wood beneath his boots is able to hold his weight. The large ork isn't worried about the fall. But he's definitely worried about a fall into the water below.
As he despises water pretty much more than anything else in life. As he like all orks find water abhorrent.
The ork weaponsmith shoulders a Harkonin soldier who is on fire, off the bridge between the top of the east wall of castle Lé Dic. Sending the burning soldier to the moat below.
"Enjoy your swim ya sick cunt!" growls Dorkindle, who takes just one step, and is on the top of the siege tower, and amongst the enemy of the Lé Dic family.
A screaming Harkonin soldier whose cloak is on fire, is slammed head first into one side of the siege tower, which is open at the top. The big, burly ork slams him against the side of the tower so hard, that the soldier actually goes part way out the side of the tower, head first.
The warleader of the ork race who has an arrow and bolt in either side of his face, and a bolt in his throat. Ignores the smoke and flames, and grabs one of the Harkonin soldiers who is slapping at himself, trying to put out the flames that's rising up his leather breaches.
Dorkindle roars as he picks the enemy soldier up, and presses him up above his head. Then the large ork biffs him off the top of the siege tower. Hitting one of the floating rafts over forty feet below, behind the siege tower, that the Harkonin soldiers are using to get to the tower that's basically up against the east wall of the massive castle that's the home of the Lé Dic family.
The ork weaponsmith kicks another Harkonin soldier, who is crawling around, trying to get out of the way of the crazy ork, and his fellow soldiers, most of whom are on fire here at the top of the tower.
That soldier goes tumbling down the steps, taking out others who are climbing up to the top of the tower.
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, yanks a crossbow out of the hands of a Harkonin soldier who is trying to reload it. Dorkindle smashes the weapon across the man's face, breaking apart the crossbow, not to mention the face and skull of the Harkonin soldier.
A shortsword clangs off the plate of black dragon armour Dorc da Orc wears, and through the smoke, the large ork chucks a punch. And is rewarded with a sickening sounding crunch. Which from experience, and feel, he knows he's just caved in the face of someone.
The warleader of the ork race chuckles in glee, shoulders a staggering Harkonin soldier out of the way, whose face is severely burnt. Sending the man tumbling off the top of the siege tower, to fall to the water over forty feet below.
Dorkindle heads for the steps that go down through the tower, then out the back of it. As he does, he looks back at the top of the east wall of castle Lé Dic and calls out "Come on you cunts, come and get some of these fuckers!".
On the parapet, those soldiers and townsmen who were waiting with the large ork, those still standing at least, as a few of them were shot.
All look at one another, then look across to the top of the siege tower that's directly infront of them.
Where they see the massive figure of the ork warleader, disappear down the steps in the siege tower, laughing maniacally as he does so.
There's silence for a few moments from them, then one of Lé Dic soldiers says "Ah well, might as well go across then" he then tells one of the other soldiers to remain here with the townsmen on this section of the wall.
Before he climbs up onto the wall, and steps onto the wooden bridge that's been formed when the front of the siege tower, at the top, dropped down between the two merlons.
He hurries across to the top of the enemy siege tower, going through the smoke from the burning bodies. He's followed by three other soldiers in the service of the Lé Dic family.
They dispatch the remaining enemy at the top of the tower. All of whom were on fire, or burnt in some fashion.
Except for one, who was cowering near the steps that go down. Trying to reload a crossbow with shaking hands. He doesn't even see the blade that ends his life. As he was oblivious to everything around him. His body is thrown off the top of the tower by two of the Lé Dic soldiers.
Off the back too, to crash down upon those of the enemy crossing the floating rafts and platforms to get to the siege tower that's up against the east wall of the massive castle.
The four Lé Dic soldiers then head down the steps. They know where they're going, then just head down to where the insane sounding laughter is coming from.
As well as the shouts of "Get some!" which is usually punctuated by a swear word or two in the deep, growling voice of the large ork.
Which is interspersed with yells and screams, in pain for the most part. From human sounding voices, obviously from Harkonin soldiers who unfortunately for them, have come into contact with the big, burly ork who turned up here at the castle, at the end of winter with the former earl of Lé Dic, sir Percavelle . . . . . .

The Homecoming 109.

The Parapet...

On the east wall parapet, above the main gates on this side of castle Lé Dic. Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy looks away to the right and down.
The elf from the principality of Alínlae grins as he sees Dorc da Orc climbing the steps to the top of the wall.
The large ork is moving very gingerly, wincing and grimacing with every step he takes. Walking stiffly, not moving his neck, and with his arms out to his side at an angle.
"Stubborn idiot" mutters Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy in his native language as he watches the ork warleader, who refuses to take a healing potion. Considering he's probably got a broken back, and possibly a broken neck, after being hit off the top of the wall by a missile from an enemy ballista.
"Sir ah elf" says one of the soldiers nearby, Dalinvardél or Dalin as he's commonly referred to by the rest of the group, looks over at the soldier, who tells him "There's a lot of them climbing up onto the gatehouse across the moat now".
The spy Tanith looks across to the gatehouse, and sees quite a few Harkonin soldiers are on the roof over there, and are about to cross the housing, or canopy that goes over the drawbridge, which has been pulled back into the massive castle by a cleverly designed mechanism.
"Get ready" says Dalin to the soldier who spoke to him, and one other. The elven spy joins them, where a metal lever sticks out of the parapet, it's about three and half foot tall, and it's directly in the middle of the section of the parapet, above the gates.
Which coincidently is right above the housing of the canopy that runs above where the drawbridge normally is.
The three of them grab the lever and wait, and as more and more of the enemy climb up onto the gatehouse on the otherside of the moat. And start crossing the drawbridge canopy, the spy Tanith ducks down as do the two soldiers with him, as arrows and bolts shot by the enemy come their way.
Peeking over the top of the wall, between two merlons, Dalinvardél Tanith sees that there's about thirty of the enemy, crossing the peaked roof of the housing that covers the drawbridge.
"Now!" orders the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae, who along with the two Lé Dic soldiers, pull the metal lever that's sticking out of the parapet, towards them.
The massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for generations. Was primarily designed by a pair of wayward gnomes, who far from their homeland. Found themselves in the kingdom of Druvic. Working on many a building project. One of which was castle Lé Dic.
And though the massive castle was originally designed by a well known castle builder from the capital Leeabra. And predominantly built by a mixed host of dwarves and humans.
It was the pair of gnomes, brothers, originally from an island in the Hynralv Archipelago out in the Great Western Ocean off the coast of the Southlands. Who took over the design of castle Lé Dic for the first earl of the fief.
And gnomes being gnomes. They couldn't help themselves, and designed and built some gnomish styled features to the castle that would become the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
They built pipes into the walls, so that naphtha and the like, could be pumped into the water in the moat. They designed the four drawbridges, which could be retracted back into, and beneath the castle, as they're on small wheels, and rails that go far into the castle. And can be withdrawn while the gates are closed.
And though the drawbridges have a cover, or canopy, or what's commonly referred to as housing over the top. Which the two gnome brothers didn't want, but the first earl of Lé Dic did. Since it was the style at the time the castle was constructed.
The two gnomes relented, and had them built. Though with a surprise, as they immediately saw a drawbridge with a canopy, to be a liability during a battle.
So, now, in the present. When Dalinvardél Tanith and the pair of soldiers with him, pull the metal lever in the middle of the parapet back. The gnomish design feature surprises the thirty or so Harkonin soldiers crossing the drawbridge housing, which is only slightly smoke damaged by the fire upon the water earlier.
The gnomish brothers designed it so that none of the pipes in the walls are too close to the drawbridges and their housing. Because it wouldn't be much of a surprise if the housing was burnt down by naphtha in the moat.
There's a shuddering clunk from somewhere beneath the parapet. And the spy Tanith slightly frowns as nothing immediately happens, for he knows what to expect, as sir Percavelle Lé Dic has described to him what to expect.
"Well, doesn't look like" is what Dalin gets out, just a moment before the gnomish design of the drawbridge housing, surprises the Harkonin soldiers who are crossing it from the gatehouse on the otherside of the moat.
The roof of the canopy, suddenly spilts in two at the peak, and folds inwards and down. Those thirty or so Harkonin soldiers quickly crossing it, some of them carrying short ladders.
Drop down to the water in the moat below. They hit the water, and they hit something else.
The rows of long metal spikes, just below the surface of the water. There's two rows of them, and they're directly beneath where the drawbridge would be. They're near impossible to see at the best of times, as the water is so murky, especially at this time of year, the beginning of spring, after a fairly cold winter here in the east of the kingdom of Druvic.
Those who are lucky enough, die instantly as they hit the water and the long, rusty metal spikes sticking out of the bottom of the moat.
Those not so fortunate, are skewered on the spikes, through a leg, or an arm, and sometimes through the abdomen. Not dying immediately, but having to endure a slow and painful death in the water as the battle continues to rage above and around them.
Only one of the thirty or so Harkonin soldiers crossing the drawbridge housing to plunge into the water below it is truly lucky. He hits the water, and misses the rows of spikes.
He swims out from beneath the now, open housing or canopy of the drawbridge. And heads back to the bank that the Harkonin army is attacking from.
He's about to get out of the water, when he's struck in the back by a yard long shaft, obviously shot from a longbow, which propels him forward with a fair amount of force into the water.
"One of my last arrows" murmurs the spy Tanith after shooting the lone survivor of those Harkonin soldiers who were crossing the drawbridge housing, when it opened up beneath them, plunging them into the water below, and the hidden spikes just under the surface of the water.
Having got rid of a fair amount of the enemy in one go, Dalinvardél Tanith calls out to the defenders along the east wall parapet "Push them off!".
While one of the two soldiers who helped pull the lever with him, calls out "For Lé Dic!". Which is echoed loudly by a number of the soldiers and townsfolk who are on the battlements along this side of the massive castle that's been the home of the nobleborn Lé Dic family for centuries.
"Keep shooting at that tower!" calls out the spy Tanith to the nearby ballista crew. There's one Harkonin siege tower remaining on this side of the castle. The other one is still smouldering at the waterline, where it caught fire earlier in the moat when the naphtha was lit.
Dalin ducks down, as one of the catapults down in the south courtyard behind them. Shoots off a load of burning barrels of pitch, that barely gets over the top of the wall. As the crews have shortened their range, by rolling the war machines back as far as possible.
As the barrels of pitch land amongst the enemy on the edge of the bank across the moat, the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae, tells one of the two soldiers "Go and tell them to get ready to throw the firepots if it gets close" he points at the remaining Harkonin siege tower, that's getting pushed into the moat and adds "Even if they get that it close, we'll be in for a hell of a time".
The soldier nods, then his eyes go wide as he looks beyond Dalin. The soldier backs up, quickly turns, and hurries away.
As he does, the elven spy rolls his eyes as he knows who it is that's approaching him from behind. His enhanced hearing tells him, even before he turns and looks.
Dalinvardél Tanith slightly shakes his hooded head, when he turns and finds a furious looking Dorc da Orc waking along the parapet this way.
The large ork still isn't moving all that freely, and is still grimacing and wincing with every step he takes. He's also growling and muttering to himself in the totally incomprehensible language of the orks as he does so.
The ork warleader briefly stops to pull an enemy arrow out of his face. Dalin suspects Dorkindle is hissing in pain, more from lifting his right arm up to take a hold of the arrow that's in his cheek. Than actually pulling the shaft out.
The ork weaponsmith flicks the arrow away, and continues on his slow, methodical walking towards the elven spy who is in command of the defence along the east side of castle Lé Dic.
Dalin shakes his head no to the youngster from the town of Massic who has been loading his crossbow for him, who has just offered the weapon to the elven spy. He only has two bolts left, and the spy Tanith wants to save them until later.
With his shoulders up close to his ears, and with a severe lack of movement, with his arms sticking out to his sides. Not to mention a thunderous looking scowl of both anger and pain upon his broad, green, feral looking face. The warleader of the ork race comes to a stop infront of the elven spy.
Dorkindle, who would very well like to slap Dalin, but swinging his arms might be out of the question at the moment, because reaching up to his face a few moments ago to rip out an arrow that was in his right cheek. Hurt like hell, not that the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks would admit that to anyone.
So the large ork settles for growling at the elf from the principality of Alínlae. Slightly shaking his head again, then pointing further along the wall behind Dorkindle. Dalin calls out to some soldiers and townsfolk "Get that ladder off the wall!". As the top of an enemy scaling ladder comes up against the top of east wall of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for a number of generations.
Then looking up at the growling ork warleader standing infront of him, the spy Tanith tells him "Dorc just take that healing potion" followed by "You're no good to us if you can't move about freely".
The elven spy who served in one of the more prominent noble houses in his homeland of Alínlae then ducks down again, as the large ork, who isn't moving that well, probably because he's got a broken back. Becomes a magnet for enemy bolts and arrows. Because he's just standing there, growling at Dalinvardél Tanith.
As a bolt hits the large ork in the right arm, and another one pings off the back of his rock hard head, Dorc da Orc growls at the spy Tanith, then says "Get fucked" in response to Dalin once again telling him to take the healing potion.
The big, burly ork from the bottom of the world then adds "Me tells you, that stuff tastes like fucken shit".
The elf from the principality of Alínlae refrains from making a smart ass comment about the ork weaponsmith being a shit eater anyway. And instead says "Come on it's not that bad" followed by "I've had them, and no way does it taste like shit".
Infact it's tasteless from what the spy Tanith has experienced from the healing potions he's had.
"Dorc fucken knows when something takes like shit" angrily mutters the large ork "That's for sure" dryly murmurs Dalin in the elven language.
Then Dorkindle, as enemy arrows and bolts fly all around him, says "That cunty stuff is yucky as fuck".
Dalinvardél Tanith slightly frowns, as it seems the ork warleader genuinely believes that the healing potions he has, taste disgusting.
"Here, give it here" says the elven spy who holds a hand out as he stays low behind a merlon as the large ork is targeted by a fair few of the enemy archers and crossbowmen.
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, fumbles in his belt, grimacing and wincing in pain as he moves his right hand about.
The ork warleader eventually takes a hold of a tiny glass vial from a slot in the top of his belt, then he grunts "Here cunt" as he passes it to the spy Tanith.
Dalin quickly undoes the stopper, and dips the tip of a little finger into the healing potion, then tastes it.
"See fucken told ya" says the large ork as the elf from the principality of Alínlae frowns after tasting the healing potion Dorkindle just gave him.
"Tastes like" says Dalinvardél Tanith, who is interrupted by the ork weaponsmith, who says "Shit".
No, actually carrots, the elven spy thinks to himself, who then silently adds, and broccoli i think?
Then the spy Tanith suddenly burts into laughter as he realises what Helbe the elven thief, who concocted the healing potions that everyone in the group has, with the exception of lord Farque. Has done to the one's he's given to the warleader of the ork race.
"What's so fucken funny ya cunt?" asks the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world.
Then as Dorc da Orc grows as an arrow hits him in the side of the neck, and he has to reach up and pull it out. Which hurts like hell to do so. Not the actual pulling the arrow out of his neck, but lifting his hand up to take hold of the arrow.
The elven spy who is still laughing, says "Here, take one of mine" Dalinvardél Tanith continues with "It's got no taste at all" as he hands a small glass vial of healing potion to the large ork.
Realising that prince Helbenthril Raendril has made the ork warleader's healing potions to taste like vegetables. Which the big, burly ork thoroughly despises.
The elven spy tells him "Go on, it's perfectly fine" as Dorkindle suspiciously eyes the tiny glass vial that Dalin has given him.
"Fuckheads" growls Dorc da Orc as he has to completely turn to one side to look at the Harkonin army attacking this side of castle Lé Dic, one of whom has just shot him in the face with an arrow.
Then with that arrow hanging from his chin, the ork weaponsmith turns back to face the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae. Then quickly sniffs at the glass vial he's holding,
The large ork grunts in surprise at what he smells, or more precisely, what he doesn't smell. Then the ork warleader, wincing as he has to lift his left hand to his mouth, swallows the healing potion, glass vial and all.
A moment later, and Dorkindle's massive shoulders drop, and he tips his head from side to side, then after swinging his arms in couple of big circles. The big, burly ork grins, then chuckles.
"Better?" asks Dalinvardél Tanith "Better" replies Dorc da Orc, who now without a broken back after taking the magical healing potion, he turns to face the attacking Harkonin army, and says "Right you fucken cunts, 'bout time for you to come and get some" he then shouts "Fucken get some!" . . . . . .

The Homecoming 108.

The Battlements...

On the south wall battlements, sir Percavelle Lé Dic says to the ballista crew "Alright chaps, just shoot straight down as much as possible". As an enemy arrow clangs off his armour, the former paladin continues with "There's quite a few of those Harkonin swine in the moat again, best we get as many as when can before the blighters start climbing to the top of the wall wot".
The crew manning the ballista, lift it up from the rear, to get it to point down as much as possible. The soldier who has been shooting the war machine. Drags over a bench, and gets up on it, to fire the war machine.
There's the familiar thunk of the ballista shooting off it's missile. And the heavy spear goes down at an angle, hitting a floating raft that's just been put into the water by the Harkonin forces attacking this side of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
Further along the battlements, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger says to the crew of one of the two small catapults on the south wall "Just drop it straight down" then the human ranger who was raised and trained by some of the elven warders in the principality of Envadarlen, calls out to others along the top of the wall "Start dropping those rocks and debris on top of them!".
The ranger Hait momentarily pauses as he grimaces, then he adds "And that crap in those troughs too!". 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. Doesn't know what's worse.
Having a rock fall upon you? Or a trough of runny looking shit? He knows what he'd preferred to get hit by if he was a Harkonin soldier. And it's definitely not the shit!
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks down into the main courtyard here in the south of the massive castle. And he sees that Tovis the war engineer has already had the war machines roll back, and shorten their range.
Their shots are barely passing over head now. And more of them are hitting the moat, or the bank just on the otherside of it.
Baron Harkonin's former war engineer has taken it upon himself to decrease the range of the trebuchets and catapults in the south courtyard. For the simple reason the enemy war machines have stopped firing. Now that quite a few Harkonin soldiers are on the water, and some are lifting scaling ladders, or have lifted them, and have started to climb them to the top of the battlements.
The ranger Hait calls out to the other ballista here on top of the south wall "Shoot at that siege tower!" as he points to the tower in question that's being rolled forward into the moat.
Then the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen, who is low on arrows in his quiver. Hurries along the battlements to join the former earl of Lé Dic, who has made his way back to above the south gates of the castle that's his family's ancestral home.
The ranger Hait has to hop over a soldier who has just dropped, clutching at his left arm that has a crossbow bolt in it. Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson makes it to the heavily armoured knight. Pretty sure than an enemy arrow just narrowly missed him as he did so.
"Think they'll get onto the drawbridge housing and cross that?" asks Riley Hait "Let us hope they do" says the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che, who continues with "And in numbers too wot".
The mercenary ranger nods his head in agreement, and hopes the same too. As the next little surprise for the enemy has to do with the drawbridge housing. And that surprise will only be successful if quite a few of them get up onto it, and cross it at the same time.
After sir Percavelle Lé Dic lifts up a heavy rock, and drops it off the top of the wall, to have it crash down onto the edge of a raft in the moat below. He looks around, then loudly mutters "By Narille".
Then in his loud voice, the former knight of the first class calls out "Push those ladders off with the polearms!" then lifting the shield of Saint Mar-che, and drawing his longsword and brandishing it, the nobleborn knight calls out "For Lé Dic!".
Over on the west wall battlements, where there's been little if any action. Apart from when Harkonin soldiers get too close to this side of the town of Massic.
Tamric Drubine has to order some of the townsfolk on the battlements to remain where they are. And not run off to the south side of the castle, which once again is under heavy attack.
While here to the west, the town of Massic continues to burn. The entire town isn't up in flames. But much of the western, and southern sides of the town right next to castle Lé Dic, is well and truly ablaze.
One of the soldiers further to the right above the gates where Tam stands. Draws his bow back, and lets the arrow to it fly. A Harkonin soldier sneaking between houses, on this side of the town. Is struck in the back by the arrow, and he falls to the ground, screaming in pain. Dropping the bundle of unlit torches he's been carrying.
There's very few of the Harkonin soldiers in the town of Massic now. As most of the squads, predominantly mounted. Who came around to this side of the castle to set fire to the town. Have made their way back to the south side of castle Lé Dic, to help with the attack there.
The nobleborn teenager who is in charge of the defence of this side of the massive castle looks over to the battlements along the south wall.
There he spots the familiar figures of sir Percavelle Lé Dic, and Riley Hait the mercenary ranger, leading the defence of that side of the castle.
By the looks of it, Tam suspects they'll be in the thick of it soon. With Harkonin soldiers climbing to the top of that wall. As the enemy war machines to the south of castle Lé Dic have ceased firing. A sure sign that the attacking army will be topping the wall with as many men as possible.
The former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine in the north of the kingdom of Sarcrin then looks eastwards. To the otherside of the castle that's under heavy attack.
The nobleborn teenager can't see as clearly that way, due to so many towers, not to mention much of the main keep is in the way.
But what he can see in the distance that way, is soldiers and townsfolk hurrying along the battlements. Picking up heavy stones and rocks, and bits of broken masonry, and dropping it onto the enemy down in the moat, who presumably have started to climb scaling ladders that they have on floating rafts.
Tam slightly grimaces as he also sees them picking up the troughs full of human and animal faeces. And dumping them off the battlements, to the enemy on the otherside of the wall.
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, is just glad that there's very few of those troughs here on the west wall of castle Lé Dic.
And those few that there is, are located at the southwest corner. Near the tower that sits upon that corner of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for multiple generations.
"Stay in position!" calls out Tamric Drubine, making sure that the townsfolk on the west wall battlements stay where they are. For he knows once the enemy sees that there's less of them up here on this wall.  They'll come around to this side of the massive castle in numbers. Knowing that the defenders will find it near impossible to fend them off,
"And pick off any of them you see on this side of town!" adds the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin, reiterating his orders from when the battle for castle Lé Dic began.
Then Tam as he's most often referred to by the rest of the group, looks away to his right, to the north side of the massive castle. Where there's been even less action than there has been here on the west wall.
The son of the former knight of castle Drubine in the kingdom of Sarcrin, can't see her at the moment. But he knows that Lisell Maera is on the battlements over there somewhere.
He wonders how she and those few with her, are doing at the moment as they help to defend castle Lé Dic.
On the battlements along the north wall of the massive castle, Lisell Maera helps two townsmen push a large rock off the top of the wall.
It drops down, and smashes into a floating raft down in the moat. Creating a fairly decent sized hole in, causing it to sink, and the four Harkonin soldiers that were on it.
To jump into the water, and swim to the bank opposite the north wall of castle Lé Dic.
As one of the few soldiers with a bow on the northern battlements of the massive castle starts to shoot at the four Harkonin soldiers in the water,
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury makes her way along the top of the wall, looking down at the enemy.
There's not many of them, and those that are here to the north of castle Lé Dic. Have made their way around from the eastern side of the castle, which once again, is under heavy attack.
The orphan teenager from the west coast of the Southlands, stops next a pair of the more senior of the soldiers. Veterans really, who have taken it upon themselves to act as her officers. Which isn't saying much, as there's just over a dozen soldiers along the top of the north wall of castle Lé Dic. And about twice as many townsfolk, who are helping them out.
"They're still pretty light on this side" quietly says Lisell Maera to the two veteran soldiers she's stopped beside.
"They won't attack in force around here until some of us skip off to help along the east side" says one of the two older soldiers in the Lé Dic army, who nods towards the battlements along the east wall, then he turns and nods to the south of the massive castle and adds "Or along the south side of the castle".
The attractive teen from the city-state of Brattonbury nods her head, as she too looks to the east side of castle Lé Dic, then across to the south side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the nobleborn Lé Dic family.
Off to the east, Lis as she's commonly referred as by the rest of the group. Spots the elven spy Dalinvardél Tanith upon the battlements along that side of the massive castle.
He's helping a couple of soldiers, and a townsman use a couple of polearms to push a scaling ladder off that wall.
The teenage orphan from the largest city on the coast of the Southlands, sees no sign of Dorc da Orc anywhere along the east wall battlements. She saw him a little earlier, and she suspects he's around. Most likely down in the main courtyard on that side of the massive castle.
Lisell Maera then turns, and looks directly to the south. To the side of castle Lé Dic that's directly opposite to where she is. The attractive young woman who is in charge of the defence along the northern battlements of the castle.
Can't see the south wall in the distance all that clearly. As the main keep is directly in the way. But where she's walked to. She can see part of that side of castle Lé Dic.
And she sees that there, like the eastern side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family, is under heavy attack by the Harkonin army.
Lis knows that both Riley Hait the mercenary ranger and sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who are leading the defence on that side of the castle. And who she presumes are most likely above the gates on the southern battlements. Are undoubtedly in the thick of the battle.
Lisell Maera is just wondering how they're doing, when one of the veteran soldiers she's standing beside here on the north wall of the castle, says "Some more of them have come around".
Lis turns again, and looks down off the battlements, and sees a trio of Harkonin soldiers. Followed a few moments later, by two others. Run around from the east side of castle Lé Dic "Wait until they're in range!" calls out Lisell Maera to those with ranged weapons as they watch the Harkonin soldiers run to the rocky ground to the north of the massive castle, that offers them a bit of cover.
Meanwhile, back on the southern battlements of castle Lé Dic. Riley Hait the mercenary ranger, who has just shot off one of the last of his arrows. Hitting a Harkonin soldier who has climbed up onto the gatehouse on the bank across from the gates, murmurs "Come on you lot, make a push for it".
As he watches to see how many of the enemy soldiers climb onto the roof of the gatehouse across the moat, so that they make their way across the housing that covers the drawbridge, which has been pulled in since before the battle began.
"Push that ladder off!" calls out Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman as a scaling ladder hits the wall, further to the right of the main gates along this side of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for many generations.
The ranger Hait winces as the enemy siege tower is pushed into the water, and starts to float forward before sinking. Until a bunch of heavy rocks and stones fired extremely shortly from a catapult in the main south courtyard. Pepper the front and top of that tower in the moat. Sending chunks of wood flying, and shattering bits of it everywhere.
Still, it's more or less in one piece. And the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen sees the enemy putting rafts in the water behind it, so that soldiers can cross from the bank, to the steps at the back of the siege tower.
"I do believe a bunch of the miscreants from across the border are going to climb up onto the roof of the gatehouse yonder at once" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic as he joins the ranger Hait "So they cross over to the wall" adds the heavily armoured knight, who then yells out "Lé Dic!" in encouragement to the defenders upon the battlements.
"Let's hope so" quietly says Riley Hait, who then slightly grins as two, then three, and four, then five and six, and more and more of the enemy, climb up onto the roof of the gatehouse across the moat.
Beside him, the former earl of Lé Dic chuckles as they watch those Harkonin soldiers who have got up onto the gatehouse roof, start crossing the peaked roof of the housing that covers the drawbridge, that's been drawn into the castle.
"As that smelly green beast is want to say so often" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic with a chuckle, who after a pause, and to the surprise of the ranger Hait, and to himself if he's honest, adds "Surprise fuckface" . . . . . .

The Homecoming 107.

The Walls...

Watching Dorc da Orc approach from the right, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy shakes his head, then says "Have you been eating more of that shit in those troughs?" when the large ork finally gets to him.
With a hurt look on his broad, green, brutish looking face, Dorc da Orc says "Nah cunt" followed by "Why you say that?".
Pointing at the ork warleader's face, and making a circular motion with his forefinger, the spy Tanith dryly says "Oh because of all that".
Dalinvardél or Dalin as he's often referred to by the rest of the group, lifts the cloth he has wrapped around his throat and neck, and covers his mouth and nose with it, as he says "All that shit over your face".
Dorkindle chuckles, then says "Maybe" followed by "Maybe not" the ork weaponsmith then adds "Me might of found some fucken choc-o-late".
"No fucking chocolate ever smelled like that" mutters the elven spy in his native language as he looks at the large ork, whose face is smeared in what's obviously shit from one of the troughs filled with it, dotted along the battlements of castle Lé Dic.
After taking his crossbow from the town youth who loads it for him, and shooting off the bolt in it, at a Harkonin soldier getting onto a floating raft, and handing it back to the youngster crouching behind the merlon to the left.
The elf from the principality of Alínlae asks the large ork who has just returned from the south side of the massive castle "What did Riley want with you?". The spy Tanith as he takes an arrow from his quiver to put it to his bow, finds that he's running low on shafts, as he's shot quite a few of them off this morning.
"Oh to kill a fucken cunt" is the reply of Dorc da Orc, who goes onto explain how he killed the prisoner, lord Sarvaine. By flinging him out of the castle by trebuchet. Having him land, basically right infront of his liege lord, baron Harkonin.
The elven spy who once served in one of the more important noble houses in the principality of Alínlae, winces as the chuckling ork warleader recounts how he killed the lord of the Long Reaches who was captured during the battle for the border town of Falshire.
"Well i guess that means the prisoners they've got have been killed?" asks Dalin "Yeah cunt" answers the large ork after he finishes chuckling, and telling the spy Tanith how he killed lord Sarvaine.
"Those three fuckers have been staked" continues Dorkindle, who then adds "That lord what's his fucken face is dead". "Milburn?" asks the elven spy when he eventually finds a suitable target, draws back his longbow, and puts the arrow to it, to flight.
"Yeah that cunt" says the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, who then adds "Them other two cunts were still alive when me come back here" Dorc da Orc continues with "But they was doing a good fucken job of  dying when me left there".
Dalinvardél Tanith nods in understanding, as he figures both Jared Milburn, and sir Galmot the Lé Dic army commander. Could very well be dead already. Or that they are still infact alive. As their captors may likely inflict as much pain as possible upon them at they're staked.
The spy Tanith suspects it's probably the latter, and not the former, that those two prisoners of baron Harkonin, are being inflicted with.
As Dalin takes his crossbow once more from the town youth who loads it for him, who tells him "Only a few bolts left sir".
The elf from the principality of Alínlae sees that more of the Harkonin soldiers, here on the east side of castle Lé Dic, are rushing towards the moat, and onto the water. Now that the smoke has basically drifted away.
Only the charred remains of the siege tower in the moat, further to the right of where Dalin and Dorc are above the east gates of the massive castle, with smoke still coming off it. Poses any problems for the Harkonin soldiers making their way across the water, with the exception of the defenders up on the battlements of castle Lé Dic.
As the spy Tanith takes aim with his crossbow, and lets the bolt go, taking an enemy squad leader in the gut, who is behind his squad carrying a scaling ladder.
Dorc da Orc calls down behind them to the courtyard below "Shorten the fucken range!".
Dalin repeats the order to those working the catapults and trebuchets down in the main east courtyard, as sometimes the large ork, with his deep, growling voice, and thick accent, is more than a little hard to understand.
With the cloth still covering the lower half of his face, which the nearby youth from the town of Massic has done as well, considering the ork warleader reeks more than he usually does, because of his face being covered in shit.
Dalinvardél Tanith with a nod to the south side of the castle, asks the ork weaponsmith "Anything else happen over there?". Dorkindle answers with a grunt, followed by "Helbe has fucked off somewhere"
The elven spy from the principality of Alínlae briefly pauses as he takes one of his last shafts from his quiver, and looks at the big, burly ork who is scowling as he watches the Harkonin forces attacking this side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
"Where?" asks the spy Tanith with a frown upon his face, the large ork shrugs his massive shoulders then says "How the fuck should Dorc know?" the warleader of the ork race then adds "Pretendy Zubu just say he fucked off after that druid cunt with these Harky assholes" he continues with "He take that little monkey Shur Kee with him".
Dalin slightly nods as he figures the young elven noble has seen fit to final deal to baron Harkonin's advisor, the dark druid Palvarc.
Then he rolls his eyes, when Dorkindle grunts then says "That's right" followed by "There's a fucken flying warship coming this way" the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks continues with "The fucken little thief cunt has gone to check it out".
"Hell, by the forest gods that's all we need" mutters the spy Tanith in the elven language, he continues muttering in his native language with "A damn airship coming here, and more than likely not being on our side".
The elf from the principality of Alínlae looks at Dorc da Orc who is staring at something amongst the enemy on this side of the massive castle, then as the ork warleader loudly mutters "The fuck?". Dalinvardél Tanith asks his "Did Riley say where exactly".
That's all the spy Tanith gets to say to Dorkindle. Because the big, burly ork is flung back off the battlements with force, and falls back into the courtyard below.
Dalin blinks in surprise as a missile shot from a Harkonin ballista clatters on the parapet, before falling off the back edge of the battlements.
Then the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae quickly looks down into the courtyard, where he sees Dorc da Orc lying on his back, about a twenty feet back from the east wall of castle Lé Dic.
"Dorc are you alright!?" calls down Dalinvardél Tanith who pulls the cloth down off his face, as he looks down at the ork weaponsmith lying in the courtyard, over forty feet below.
The spy Tanith knows the plate of armour from an actual dragon, that the large ork wears, will stop everything and anything. Including the heavy spear shot from a Harkonin ballista that's just hit the warleader of the ork race.
But he isn't so sure about the big, burly ork surviving a more than forty foot drop to the stone courtyard below, landing on his back too.
"Dorc!" calls down the spy from the elven principality of Alínlae, who is eventually answered by a groaning grunt from the large ork lying in the courtyard below.
"You still alive down there big guy!?" calls down Dalin, who sees that the ork weaponsmith is alive and breathing, but isn't really moving. Then the spy Tanith sourly smiles as the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, slightly lifts his right arm and hand, and gives him the middle finger.
"Fuck" wheezes Dorkindle who grimaces in pain "Fucken hurties" mutters the large ork as he lies there in the main east courtyard, about twenty feet behind the wall.
The ork warleader has been hit by a missile shot from a ballista before. And he can attest to it hurting like hell.
And he's taken a fall or two off castle walls over the years as well. Some even higher than the walls of castle Lé Dic. And they've hurt like hell too.
But this is the first time he's ever been hit by a heavy spear shot from a ballista, and fallen off the battlements of a castle at the same time.
And he can rightfully say that it hurts a hell of a lot way more, than just either one of them. Infact it's one the worst things he's ever felt.
Dorc da Orc who is pretty sure that he's got a few broken bones, in his back as well. Affectionately pats the plate of black armour that covers his chest, and much of his ample stomach, and murmurs "Good dragony armour".
Though he wishes he had one across his back, which would of definitely helped with the fall he just had.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks, grunts and waves away some of the war machine crew from a nearby trebuchet who have come over to see if he's still alive.
Then he grunts, and says in a loud voice "Nah cunt, fuck that shit stuff!" in response to Dalinvardél Tanith calling down "You better take the healing potion you've got!".
Dorkindle grimaces, and he goes to sit up. The big, burly ork hisses like an enraged cat that's fallen into water.
For a moment, he thinks he's going to black out from the pain he's in from sitting up. Then he grunts as he sits upright. Though his shoulders are high, and are up around his ears, as he finds it near impossible to move from side to side.
The ork warleader takes a deep breath, and mutters "Krom" under his breath, as he puts out a hand to push himself up so that he can stand.
Up on the battlements, the spy Tanith who has just shot off a bolt from his crossbow again, calls out to the defenders along the parapet "Start dropping stuff on them!" as there's now quite a lot of Harkonin soldiers on the water now. Almost as many as earlier, when the naphtha that was piped out into the water was set alight.
Dalin looks back down into the main east courtyard of castle Lé Dic, and finds Dorc da Orc on his feet. Though to say the large ork's movements are a little stiff, would be an understatement in the extreme.
The ork weaponsmith's big, broad shoulders are hunched up. And his arms are out to his side, at an angle. And when the warleader of the ork race goes to take a step, he grimaces, and loudly hisses in pain.
Rolling his eyes, as he figures the large ork has probably got a broken back, and possibly a broken neck from the fall that would of killed anyone else, the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae calls down to him "Dorc take that healing potion!".
"Nah fuck that, it's yucky!" says the ork weaponsmith who grimaces and hisses as he takes a step, then adds "Tastes like fucken shit!".
Dalin pauses for a moment, and with a twist of his lips to stop himself from laughing, the spy Tanith, who can't resist it, calls down "Well then, since you like eating shit so much, a little potion like that shouldn't be much of a problem!" he then adds "Right, shit eater!?".
Dorkindle sourly grimaces, then mutters "Smart fucken pointy eared cunt" as he tries to look up at Dalin on the battlements, but is unable to, as he has a severe lack of range of movement at the moment.
The large ork repeatedly hisses in pain as he tips his head back further and further so that he can get a look at the elven spy on the battlements above, and when he's just able to spot the elf from the principality of Alínlae, he calls up "Fuck you cunt!".
"Fuck you!" is the reply of Dalinvardél Tanith who then adds "You shit eater!". The elven spy grins as he sees an infuriated Dorc da Orc, start moving towards the steps. Hissing and growling in pain, clenching his teeth and jaws with every step he takes.
An angry Dorkindle heads to the closest set of steps, with his shoulders hunched, and his arms out to the side at an angle, with what is obviously a broken back.
The large ork, who wants to get at the spy Tanith up on the battlements. Also wants to get up to the top of the wall. For the simple reason, that he, who has experienced more battles than anyone else here in castle Lé Dic has noticed something.
The Harkonin war machines on this side of castle Lé Dic have stopped firing, that means the soldiers now on the water in the moat, are about to climb scaling ladders to try and top the wall . . . . . .

The Homecoming 107.

The Walls...

Watching Dorc da Orc approach from the right, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy shakes his head, then says "Have you been eating more of that shit in those troughs?" when the large ork finally gets to him.
With a hurt look on his broad, green, brutish looking face, Dorc da Orc says "Nah cunt" followed by "Why you say that?".
Pointing at the ork warleader's face, and making a circular motion with his forefinger, the spy Tanith dryly says "Oh because of all that".
Dalinvardél or Dalin as he's often referred to by the rest of the group, lifts the cloth he has wrapped around his throat and neck, and covers his mouth and nose with it, as he says "All that shit over your face".
Dorkindle chuckles, then says "Maybe" followed by "Maybe not" the ork weaponsmith then adds "Me might of found some fucken choc-o-late".
"No fucking chocolate ever smelled like that" mutters the elven spy in his native language as he looks at the large ork, whose face is smeared in what's obviously shit from one of the troughs filled with it, dotted along the battlements of castle Lé Dic.
After taking his crossbow from the town youth who loads it for him, and shooting off the bolt in it, at a Harkonin soldier getting onto a floating raft, and handing it back to the youngster crouching behind the merlon to the left.
The elf from the principality of Alínlae asks the large ork who has just returned from the south side of the massive castle "What did Riley want with you?". The spy Tanith as he takes an arrow from his quiver to put it to his bow, finds that he's running low on shafts, as he's shot quite a few of them off this morning.
"Oh to kill a fucken cunt" is the reply of Dorc da Orc, who goes onto explain how he killed the prisoner, lord Sarvaine. By flinging him out of the castle by trebuchet. Having him land, basically right infront of his liege lord, baron Harkonin.
The elven spy who once served in one of the more important noble houses in the principality of Alínlae, winces as the chuckling ork warleader recounts how he killed the lord of the Long Reaches who was captured during the battle for the border town of Falshire.
"Well i guess that means the prisoners they've got have been killed?" asks Dalin "Yeah cunt" answers the large ork after he finishes chuckling, and telling the spy Tanith how he killed lord Sarvaine.
"Those three fuckers have been staked" continues Dorkindle, who then adds "That lord what's his fucken face is dead". "Milburn?" asks the elven spy when he eventually finds a suitable target, draws back his longbow, and puts the arrow to it, to flight.
"Yeah that cunt" says the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, who then adds "Them other two cunts were still alive when me come back here" Dorc da Orc continues with "But they was doing a good fucken job of  dying when me left there".
Dalinvardél Tanith nods in understanding, as he figures both Jared Milburn, and sir Galmot the Lé Dic army commander. Could very well be dead already. Or that they are still infact alive. As their captors may likely inflict as much pain as possible upon them at they're staked.
The spy Tanith suspects it's probably the latter, and not the former, that those two prisoners of baron Harkonin, are being inflicted with.
As Dalin takes his crossbow once more from the town youth who loads it for him, who tells him "Only a few bolts left sir".
The elf from the principality of Alínlae sees that more of the Harkonin soldiers, here on the east side of castle Lé Dic, are rushing towards the moat, and onto the water. Now that the smoke has basically drifted away.
Only the charred remains of the siege tower in the moat, further to the right of where Dalin and Dorc are above the east gates of the massive castle, with smoke still coming off it. Poses any problems for the Harkonin soldiers making their way across the water, with the exception of the defenders up on the battlements of castle Lé Dic.
As the spy Tanith takes aim with his crossbow, and lets the bolt go, taking an enemy squad leader in the gut, who is behind his squad carrying a scaling ladder.
Dorc da Orc calls down behind them to the courtyard below "Shorten the fucken range!".
Dalin repeats the order to those working the catapults and trebuchets down in the main east courtyard, as sometimes the large ork, with his deep, growling voice, and thick accent, is more than a little hard to understand.
With the cloth still covering the lower half of his face, which the nearby youth from the town of Massic has done as well, considering the ork warleader reeks more than he usually does, because of his face being covered in shit.
Dalinvardél Tanith with a nod to the south side of the castle, asks the ork weaponsmith "Anything else happen over there?". Dorkindle answers with a grunt, followed by "Helbe has fucked off somewhere"
The elven spy from the principality of Alínlae briefly pauses as he takes one of his last shafts from his quiver, and looks at the big, burly ork who is scowling as he watches the Harkonin forces attacking this side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
"Where?" asks the spy Tanith with a frown upon his face, the large ork shrugs his massive shoulders then says "How the fuck should Dorc know?" the warleader of the ork race then adds "Pretendy Zubu just say he fucked off after that druid cunt with these Harky assholes" he continues with "He take that little monkey Shur Kee with him".
Dalin slightly nods as he figures the young elven noble has seen fit to final deal to baron Harkonin's advisor, the dark druid Palvarc.
Then he rolls his eyes, when Dorkindle grunts then says "That's right" followed by "There's a fucken flying warship coming this way" the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks continues with "The fucken little thief cunt has gone to check it out".
"Hell, by the forest gods that's all we need" mutters the spy Tanith in the elven language, he continues muttering in his native language with "A damn airship coming here, and more than likely not being on our side".
The elf from the principality of Alínlae looks at Dorc da Orc who is staring at something amongst the enemy on this side of the massive castle, then as the ork warleader loudly mutters "The fuck?". Dalinvardél Tanith asks his "Did Riley say where exactly".
That's all the spy Tanith gets to say to Dorkindle. Because the big, burly ork is flung back off the battlements with force, and falls back into the courtyard below.
Dalin blinks in surprise as a missile shot from a Harkonin ballista clatters on the parapet, before falling off the back edge of the battlements.
Then the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae quickly looks down into the courtyard, where he sees Dorc da Orc lying on his back, about a twenty feet back from the east wall of castle Lé Dic.
"Dorc are you alright!?" calls down Dalinvardél Tanith who pulls the cloth down off his face, as he looks down at the ork weaponsmith lying in the courtyard, over forty feet below.
The spy Tanith knows the plate of armour from an actual dragon, that the large ork wears, will stop everything and anything. Including the heavy spear shot from a Harkonin ballista that's just hit the warleader of the ork race.
But he isn't so sure about the big, burly ork surviving a more than forty foot drop to the stone courtyard below, landing on his back too.
"Dorc!" calls down the spy from the elven principality of Alínlae, who is eventually answered by a groaning grunt from the large ork lying in the courtyard below.
"You still alive down there big guy!?" calls down Dalin, who sees that the ork weaponsmith is alive and breathing, but isn't really moving. Then the spy Tanith sourly smiles as the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, slightly lifts his right arm and hand, and gives him the middle finger.
"Fuck" wheezes Dorkindle who grimaces in pain "Fucken hurties" mutters the large ork as he lies there in the main east courtyard, about twenty feet behind the wall.
The ork warleader has been hit by a missile shot from a ballista before. And he can attest to it hurting like hell.
And he's taken a fall or two off castle walls over the years as well. Some even higher than the walls of castle Lé Dic. And they've hurt like hell too.
But this is the first time he's ever been hit by a heavy spear shot from a ballista, and fallen off the battlements of a castle at the same time.
And he can rightfully say that it hurts a hell of a lot way more, than just either one of them. Infact it's one the worst things he's ever felt.
Dorc da Orc who is pretty sure that he's got a few broken bones, in his back as well. Affectionately pats the plate of black armour that covers his chest, and much of his ample stomach, and murmurs "Good dragony armour".
Though he wishes he had one across his back, which would of definitely helped with the fall he just had.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks, grunts and waves away some of the war machine crew from a nearby trebuchet who have come over to see if he's still alive.
Then he grunts, and says in a loud voice "Nah cunt, fuck that shit stuff!" in response to Dalinvardél Tanith calling down "You better take the healing potion you've got!".
Dorkindle grimaces, and he goes to sit up. The big, burly ork hisses like an enraged cat that's fallen into water.
For a moment, he thinks he's going to black out from the pain he's in from sitting up. Then he grunts as he sits upright. Though his shoulders are high, and are up around his ears, as he finds it near impossible to move from side to side.
The ork warleader takes a deep breath, and mutters "Krom" under his breath, as he puts out a hand to push himself up so that he can stand.
Up on the battlements, the spy Tanith who has just shot off a bolt from his crossbow again, calls out to the defenders along the parapet "Start dropping stuff on them!" as there's now quite a lot of Harkonin soldiers on the water now. Almost as many as earlier, when the naphtha that was piped out into the water was set alight.
Dalin looks back down into the main east courtyard of castle Lé Dic, and finds Dorc da Orc on his feet. Though to say the large ork's movements are a little stiff, would be an understatement in the extreme.
The ork weaponsmith's big, broad shoulders are hunched up. And his arms are out to his side, at an angle. And when the warleader of the ork race goes to take a step, he grimaces, and loudly hisses in pain.
Rolling his eyes, as he figures the large ork has probably got a broken back, and possibly a broken neck from the fall that would of killed anyone else, the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae calls down to him "Dorc take that healing potion!".
"Nah fuck that, it's yucky!" says the ork weaponsmith who grimaces and hisses as he takes a step, then adds "Tastes like fucken shit!".
Dalin pauses for a moment, and with a twist of his lips to stop himself from laughing, the spy Tanith, who can't resist it, calls down "Well then, since you like eating shit so much, a little potion like that shouldn't be much of a problem!" he then adds "Right, shit eater!?".
Dorkindle sourly grimaces, then mutters "Smart fucken pointy eared cunt" as he tries to look up at Dalin on the battlements, but is unable to, as he has a severe lack of range of movement at the moment.
The large ork repeatedly hisses in pain as he tips his head back further and further so that he can get a look at the elven spy on the battlements above, and when he's just able to spot the elf from the principality of Alínlae, he calls up "Fuck you cunt!".
"Fuck you!" is the reply of Dalinvardél Tanith who then adds "You shit eater!". The elven spy grins as he sees an infuriated Dorc da Orc, start moving towards the steps. Hissing and growling in pain, clenching his teeth and jaws with every step he takes.
An angry Dorkindle heads to the closest set of steps, with his shoulders hunched, and his arms out to the side at an angle, with what is obviously a broken back.
The large ork, who wants to get at the spy Tanith up on the battlements. Also wants to get up to the top of the wall. For the simple reason, that he, who has experienced more battles than anyone else here in castle Lé Dic has noticed something.
The Harkonin war machines on this side of castle Lé Dic have stopped firing, that means the soldiers now on the water in the moat, are about to climb scaling ladders to try and top the wall . . . . . .

The Homecoming 106.

The Castle & The Camp...

Dorc da Orc huffs and puffs as he makes his way across the main south courtyard of castle Lé Dic, and up a set of steps to the battlements on the south wall.
Back down behind the large ork in the south courtyard, the war engineer Tovis stands there with a stunned look upon his face. As do the trebuchet crew that he's with.
And as the ork warleader gets up on the parapet, Tovis who was formerly baron Harkonin's war engineer. And the soldiers and townsfolk with him, finally get moving again.
And they start by getting a team of horses to help them move the trebuchet forward to the position it was previously in, before Dorc da Orc joined them from the east side of castle Lé Dic.
"We're going to need a new rope" Tovis the war engineer murmurs to himself as he looks at the one that's been broken, as it was purposely cut through just before the trebuchet launched it's last load.
The ork warleader is nearly out of breath as he joins Riley Hait the mercenary ranger and sir Percavelle Lé Dic above the main gates on the southern side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
As he huffs and puffs and leans on the top of the wall, looking out at the Harkonin army that's attacking castle Lé Dic, Dorc da Orc asks "Where?".
"There?" replies Riley Hait the mercenary ranger who points to what the large ork has run up here to see "About twenty feet short of them" continues the human ranger who was raised and trained by elven warders.
The ranger Hait briefly pauses, as he didn't think the big, burly ork could actually do it, or more precisely, be so accurate, briefly pauses before adding "Good shot Dorc".
The ork weaponsmith grunts, then he bursts into laughter as he sees what he's come up here to look at.
Wiping away tears of laughter, the large ork says "You see that cunt fly?" followed by "He scream and yell like a lil' bitch when he went through the air" the laughing ork warleader continues with "The fucken cunt crapped himself even before me tied him to the rope, the silly fucker".
"How drool" dryly says sir Percavelle Lé Dic with a sideways look at the large ork, who he does not like, and also does not appreciate what he does. Though what the ork weaponsmith just did on the orders of Riley Hait. Is something that that former earl of Lé Dic secretly admires. For even though he wouldn't of done it. For he's had something almost exactly the same happen to him. And by Dorc too. He does agree with the message it sent.
Still chortling, and after rubbing his eyes with the back of a big, meaty forearm to get rid of the tears of laughter. The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, looks over at the former paladin, and says "Hey piss pot, you 'member when me did the same fucken thing to you?".
The large ork snorts with laughter as the nobleborn knight sourly smiles as he looks at him "You got fucken lucky that day cunt" says Dorkindle "Lucky it was from a cattypole and not a trebbieshade" adds the ork warleader who has difficulties pronouncing certain words in the common language. Infact he has difficulties pronouncing a hell of a lot of words in the common language.
"Lucky you dropped into that nasty fucken water too, and not onto the ice" says a chuckling ork weaponsmith "What's this?" asks Riley Hait "Nothing" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic in a huff, who then walks away to the nearby ballista, to help those using it, to reload it once again.
"Me did that to that cunt Percy" says Dorc da Orc waving towards what he just did, when the ranger Hait asks him what he and the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che were just discussing.
"Before you came along pretendy Zubu" adds the big burly ork as he grins at the memory of shooting sir Percavelle Lé Dic from a catapult during the battle they were on the opposites sides of a decade ago in the Sunreach Mountains.
A battle that was part of a campaign that would eventually lead to the civil war that broke out here in the kingdom of Druvic.
The mercenary ranger who is really a hordesman outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who by a series of events, just so happens to inhabit the body of Riley Hait. Blinks in surprise, then says "You flung Percavelle from a trebuchet?".
"Nah cunt, from a cattypole" replies the ork weaponsmith "And he lived!?" asks the ranger Hait in surprise "Yeah the lucky cunt" mutters Dorkindle, who tried numerous times to kill the former paladin in that war in the Sunreach Mountains, and over the years following that whenever they encountered one another. And failed, much to his disgust.
"And i thought you two fighting on that dragon down in Melaurn was fucking nuts" dryly murmurs the mercenary ranger in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra. Who then winces as that brings up the memory of when he, Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, actually died for the first time.
"Fuck" mutters Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson in his native dialect, who then switches back to the common language, and as the small catapult away to their right up here on the battlements of the south wall of castle Lé Dic shoots off a load of rocks and broken bits of masonry. Says "Well he definitely didn't get lucky, that's for sure" as he gestures to where the three nobleborn prisoners have been staked by the Harkonin army.
And the body that landed infront of them, which is now being wrapped in blankets by Harkonin soldiers, before it's carried back to the rear of their lines, to their camp.
Dorc da Orc grunts, then says "Fucken cuntsack got a free flight before he went splat" the warleader of the ork race, who has a fascination with flying, he continues with "That's pretty fucken lucky if you asks me".
"Until he went splat" dryly says the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen, which causes Dorkindle to chuckle, then say "Yeah cunt".
As they watch the body of lord Sarvaine being carried away by some of the Harkonin soldiers. The lord of the Long Reaches from the Harkonin fief, who was taken prisoner when the Lé Dic army briefly took back the border town of Falshire.
Who was brought back here to castle Lé Dic. Where he was held, rather comfortably, and in adequate quarters down in the dungeons of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for many generations.
Who baron Harkonin wanted released in exchange for the nobleborn prisoners that he held. An offer that was refused by lady Linara Lé Dic.
Dorc da Orc, who was the one who flung lord Sarvaine from a trebuchet down in the main south courtyard of the castle, as the ranger Hait ordered him to return the prisoner to the enemy in the most spectacular way as possible.
Nods his head towards the trio of nobles from the Lé Dic fief, who have been staked up on posts in the ground just off to one side of the trade road, and says "That cunt on the left is dead".
"Right" dryly says the ranger Hait as he corrects the large ork "Lord Milburn" continues Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson who then adds "The lady Linara's grandfather" he follows that with "The baron killed him just after lord Sarvaine hit the ground infront of them".
The ork weaponsmith grunts, then says "The cuntnose gots what he deserved" Dorkindle grunts again, then says "Those two other cunts are gonna be in for a bitchtitty of a time. Them Harky soldiers gonna get all stabby and slicey on them for the next little while" the large ork grins, then looks at the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen, and tells him "Me stay here for a bit and watch them two fucken cunts get cut the fuck up".
Riley Hait rolls his eyes as he takes an arrow from his quiver and puts it to his elven made longbow.
The ork warleader seeing this, tells him "Ah fuck, don't shoot them two cunts, me will have nothing to fucken watch".
"I'm not" dryly says the ranger Hait, who as he draws his longbow back, and takes a bead upon a target, tells the big, burly ork "Go back to the east". "Not north" says Dorc da Orc "Side of the castle, and continue to help Dalin out over there" says the mercenary ranger who just ignored the interruption from the large ork.
Riley aka Zubutai the son of Timagin lets the arrow to his elven made longbow fly, as the ork weaponsmith says "Aaawww man, no fair".
The yard long shaft shot by the ranger Hait takes a Harkonin soldier helping to carry a scaling ladder forward.
"Go on, get going" says Riley Hait, who looks down at his quiver, and mutters in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra "Fuck, I'm running out of arrows" before continuing in common to Dorkindle "They'll make another concerted effort on the walls now that the fire has gone out, and the smoke has all but cleared away".
The mercenary ranger who was brought up and trained by some of the elven warders in the principality of Envadarlen, says to the ork weaponsmith "Don't let them take any part of the wall Dorc. We haven't got the men to spare if they top one of the walls and start coming over the battlements".
The son of the former matriarch of  the wolf tribe of orks grunts, then says "Yeah cunt, me knows".
Dorc da Orc is about to set off along the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, to get to the east side of the massive castle. When he stops and looks around, then after sniffing a few times, asks the ranger Hait "Where's that pointy eared cunt?" he briefly pauses before adding "Helbe?".
"Off doing something important" replies Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman "Like fucken what?" asks the ork warleader as the mercenary ranger takes one of the remaining yard long shafts from his quiver, while looking for a meaningful target to shoot at amongst the Harkonin army attacking the south side of castle Lé Dic,
"Like hopefully killing that dark druid of theirs" says Riley Hait as he nods at the army from the neighbouring fief across the border to the east.
Dorkindle sourly grunts to show what he thinks of that. Then he sets off for the east side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
The mercenary ranger spares him glance as he walks away. While sir Percavelle Lé Dic looks along the top of the wall, and is glad to see the big, burly ork walking away along the battlements.
As he's walking along the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, Dorc da Orc becomes an obvious target, considering he's so big, not too mention, so green.
Arrows and bolts shot from Harkonin soldiers from the otherside of the moat, go flying towards him, most of them go whizzing by the ork weaponsmith.
Some hit him in the head, which he doesn't feel. While others get him in the right arm, and in the side of the face.
They for the most part don't hurt, but occasionally one of them strikes him quite hard. Causing the warleader of the ork race, to wince, then hiss, in anger more than pain, before he yanks the arrow or bolt out of the side of his face, or his right arm.
Dorkindle steps over rubble that some of the townsfolk are pushing to the edge of the parapet to act as a barrier where the top of the wall was hit by a boulder, flung from one of the Harkonin war machines.
The large ork stops at the next gap between two merlons, and says "Hey cunt, no time for fucken sleeps now" to a Lé Dic soldier leaning forward over the top of the wall.
The ork weaponsmith grunts when he pulls the soldier back, and finds a crossbow bolt that's sticking out of soldier's right eye.
Dorc da Orc glances down at the moat below, then picks up the dead Lé Dic soldier, and throws him off the top of the wall. The body smashes down onto a floating raft that a few Harkonin soldiers are polling across the water to the wall.
The big, burly ork continues on his way, with a wide grin, on his large, brutish looking face. He starts whistling, badly and out of tune too, as he like all orks, is severely tone deaf.
Dorkindle briefly pauses, looks around, then picks up one of the troughs of human waste that he had placed along the battlements. He sticks his face in the trough of shit, taking a quick gulp, and blowing a few poo bubbles. Before pulling his face out, and biffing the trough off the top of wall, to the moat below.
Another floating raft that's been put in the water after the naphtha fire has gone out. Gets hit by the heavy trough full of human waste. It sinks, while the shit covered soldiers that were on it, swim back to the otherside of the moat.
Dorc da Orc with, literally a shit eating grin upon his face, continues on his way along the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, heading back to the east side of the massive castle. As he does, he resumes whistling, spraying crap from his mouth as he does so . . . . . .