The Homecoming 102.

Battle Moves...

Dorc da Orc sticks his head over the parapet and looks down at the moat below, totally unconcerned at getting hit by an enemy arrow or bolt. Or for that matter, anything shot from one of the Harkonin war machines.
"Nah not yet cunt" says Dorc da Orc once he leans back, the large ork then adds "Fucken nearly though".
Beside the ork warleader, standing behind the merlon that way, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy says to the ork weaponsmith "You want that tower in the moat?".
Dorkindle looks away, further to the right, where the spy Tanith has nodded to. There one of the Harkonin siege towers is at the edge of the moat.
"Yeah cunt" says the big, burly ork, who scratches the side of his head, where an enemy arrow has just skimmed off it "Get as many of them fucken Harky cunts in the yucky water as poss" adds Dorc da Orc, who continues with "Take out as many as the fuckers as we can".
The elf from the principality of Alínlae nods his hooded head in agreement. Then he steps out from the side of the merlon, and lets loose the arrow he has to his elven made longbow.
While the warleader of the ork race wanders off to their left. To one of the troughs full of shit.
Dalinvardél or Dalin as the rest of the group refer to him as. Hopes the large ork doesn't drink from the trough like the spy Tanith caught him doing the last time.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks picks up the trough, and has a quick look around as a large chunk of masonry makes it way overhead. Shot from the large trebuchet in the main east courtyard of castle Lé Dic, heading on it's way towards the rear of the Harkonin army which is attacking the massive castle.
Dorkindle sourly grunts as he spots the spy Tanith looking at him holding the trough of excrement, most of which is human. Then after letting out a sigh, and muttering something totally incomprehensible in the language of the orks. He tips the entire trough of shit off the top of the battlements.
The wooden trough, and all it's contents. Falls upon the Harkonin soldiers who are making their way up a scaling ladder that's on one of the floating platforms in the moat.
Enemy soldiers crash down into the floating rafts below, or hit the water. Most if not all of them are covered in shit as they fall off the scaling ladder.
Then Dorkindle takes a polearm that's lying on the parapet beside him, and he uses that to push the scaling ladder off and away from the east wall of castle Lé Dic.
Then he along with Dalinvardél Tanith watch as the Harkonin siege tower further to the right of where the east gates of the massive castle is located.
Go into the water as those soldiers from the neighbouring fief to the east, push it into the moat.
It sinks after it floats forward a bit, as it was designed to do by the war engineer Tovis. The tower, which is rather tall. Sinks down to the bottom of the moat. About two, thirds of the way up the length of the tower.
There's soldiers already on the steps up the back of the tower, and others are heading up it, as they cross rafts that are joined together to make a platform, which have been put in the water behind the siege tower.
"Smart" quietly says Dalin as he sees that the siege tower does exactly what the young engineer Tovis said it would do.
Dorc da Orc who has wandered back over to the elven spy, grunts in agreement with what he just said.
Then the ork who was given the title of warleader a number of years ago by lord Farque, grins then tells the spy Tanith "Still just a big fucken chimney though".
"That it is Dorc" quietly says the elf who once served in one of the more notable noble houses in the principality of Alínlae. Then Dalin who has just fired off a bolt from his crossbow, and handed it back to the youngster from the town of Massic who has been reloading it for him. Crouches down, and moves to the back of the parapet.
The spy Tanith looks down into the courtyard below, to where a wagon mounted scorpion box is positioned right behind the gates. It's infact a Harkonin scorpion that was taken from the town of Falshire. When the Lé Dic army briefly retook the border town before they crossed into the Harkonin fief, and were wiped out.
"Get ready!" calls down Dalinvardél Tanith to the nobleman who is in charge of those who are with the scorpion, and behind the main gates on the eastern side of the massive castle.
The nobleman in question is the husband of the lady Marsaé Duc de Laér. The former wife of sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
He nods in understanding to the elven spy who is in command of the defence of this side of the massive castle that's been the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family for many a generation.
Dalin has been told that lady Marsaé's current husband is fairly useless in battle. So he's kept him off the battlements, and made him in charge of what's going to happen after what Dorc da Orc has devised for the enemy attacking castle Lé Dic.
Dorkindle who has just biffed a spear at an enemy squad leader on the edge of the moat, skewering the man who was sending soldiers across to the siege tower in the moat. Says to the elven spy "Signal cunt".
Dalinvardél Tanith looks over at the nearby bannerman, and tells him "The next signal to the south wall" followed by "Then the fire one".
The bannerman does exactly that, after waving one of his pennants. And seeing it answered in kind by the same flag by the bannerman in the distance on the south wall of castle Lé Dic. Then he holds straight up on a long pole, a deep maroon coloured flag.
All along the east wall battlements, those soldiers, and townsfolk who have firepots on the parapet besides them. Light them up, one is lit near Dalin and Dorkindle.
And the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae shoves a pair of torches into it, and hands one of the burning brands to the big, burly ork who was sent into exile from Ork Range in the southern polar region, after he killed his mother, the former matriarch of the wolf tribe.
"That fucken cunt Killer would like this shit" chuckles Dorc da Orc referring to the mage, Mira Reinholt. Then the ork warleader nonchalantly flips away the burning torch, sending it out over the battlements, and down towards the moat below.
It's the signal for the others to do so, and dozens of burning brands are thrown from the top of the east wall of castle Lé Dic. Towards the moat below. A moat that doesn't just have water in it, but also naphtha. After the volatile liquid, which was stored in barrels inside the walls of the castle. Was sent out the pipes that were built into wall, and came out under the waterline.
When the burning brands hit the moat, flames erupt along the surface of the water as the naphtha takes light.
Floating platform made of interconnecting rafts burst into flame, as does the scaling ladders on them.
Fire runs up the sides of the siege tower that's sitting in the moat. Even where the naphtha isn't, the tower quickly catches fire.
Even though those things catch fire pretty quickly. It's nothing compared to the soldiers, those on the moat, and others in the water. Who go up in flames in an instant.
The naphtha can't be put out by any water. Infact the the water in the moat is the perfect surface for the volatile liquid to sit on and burn.
As it spreads about when ever something falls into the water. And there's a lot of things falling into at the moment. Mostly burning bodies.
"Stop shooting!" orders Dalinvardél Tanith to the defenders on the battlements along the east wall of castle Lé Dic "Save your arrows and bolts!" adds the elven spy who has to shout to be heard over the loud noise of the burning liquid upon the surface of the water.
There's black smoke everywhere from the burning rafts and ladders. Though not as much as the siege tower in the moat. Which is indeed like Dorkindle described it would be. A big chimney.
Smoke funnels up into the air from the burning siege tower. Harkonin soldiers on the top of it. Jump from it as fire rips quickly up the tower.
They all jump to the rear of it, hoping to land on the ground. Most don't, most hit the burning water.
While those who do hit the safety of the ground. Probably wished they hadn't. Because most of them die from the impact.
And if they don't, they're badly injured, with many a broken bone. Though it's still better than burning to death. Going up in flames like a quick burning wick of a candle.
There's a decent sized gap in the flames on the surface of the water. Which is right infront of the main east gates. And to the either side of it, about a dozen yards or so.
The flames are away from where the drawbridge would normally be. As is planned. For the pipes along that section of the wall weren't opened. And the fact that there's no pipes where the gates are.
The portcullis comes up, and the main east gates of the massive castle are opened when the order comes from Dalinvardél Tanith up on the battlements.
The flames and smoke are so thick along much of the length of the moat along the east side of castle Lé Dic.
That many a Harkonin soldier have gone onto the road, and are standing at the gatehouse on the opposite side of the moat.
Looking towards the castle, that has flames climbing up high along it's near fifty foot tall walls.
Once the gates are opened, the scorpion there is shot off. Sending a hundred bolts shooting across the moat. Underneath the covering of the drawbridge, which has been drawn back into the massive castle.
The bolts, decimate those Harkonin soldiers who are on the road, at the gatehouse on the otherside of the moat.
Then the war machines in the main east courtyard of castle Lé Dic, resume firing after a brief break.
The two catapults and one trebuchet, continue their bombardment upon the Harkonin army, which has taken a fair whack with what's just happened. Amongst those who are attacking the east side of the massive castle that's been the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
Over on the battlements along the south side of castle Lé Dic. Riley Hait the mercenary ranger who has just seen the thick black smoke rise up from the east side of the massive castle, calls out to sir Percavelle Lé Dic "Let's light them up Percy!"
"Very well wot" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who then tells the bannerman "The signal for fire my fine flag bearer".
The bannerman, who was only given the job a little while ago, due to the previous bannerman being killed. Holds up a dark maroon coloured pennant, which along the south wall parapet, can easily be seen.
Firepots are lit, and torches are shoved into them, and are set on fire.
The burning brands are thrown off the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, down to the moat below.
Which like the moat along the eastern side of the massive castle. Has had naphtha piped into the water.
And like on the east side of the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family. Flames burst into existence upon the water in it, burning away anything it comes in touch with.
Rafts, platforms, ladders and men. Who are on and in the water in the moat along the south of the massive castle. Burst into flames fairly quickly.
"Let's see if he does anything in retaliation to that" the unseen Helbe the elven thief murmurs to himself and Narladene the ground pixie who is upon his right shoulder.
As they look towards the rear of the Harkonin army who are attacking the southern side of the massive castle that's been the seat of power for the Lé Dic family for generations.
The young elven noble is keeping an eye on where the dark druid Palvarc is. Who for now, has kept out of the battle, that has his baron's army attacking castle Lé Dic.
The blurred and shielded elven magic user who has figured out, that for some reason. The advisor to the baron, isn't particularly interested in getting involved in the battle to take the massive castle.
"He's up to something for sure" the elven princeling from Laerel murmurs to himself, who then says "Ah hmmm?" in response to Narladene the elven pixie quietly saying to him "Ah Helbe".
The elven masterthief frowns as he spots in the distance, the three nobleborn prisoners. Lord Milburn, along with his grandson Jared. As well as the Lé Dic army commander, sir Galmot.
Are being moved on the orders of baron Harkonin himself.
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, repeats "Ah hmmm" in response to the tiny winged creature saying to him again "Ah Helbe".
Now what are they going to do to those three? prince Helbenthril Raendril thinks to himself, who figures something rather unpleasant is going to happen fairly soon to those three prisoners.
Then says "What?" in response to Narladene saying to him once again "Ah Helbe".
The elven master assassin glances at the ground pixie on his right shoulder, who is pointing away to the sky in the west. South as well, but mostly to the west.
Helbe the elven thief looks that way and frowns, as he doesn't see anything in that direction, nor does he sense anything.
"What is it?" asks the young elven noble from Laerel "Coming this way" replies Narladene who can sense hell of a lot further than the elven magic user. The naturally magical creature then adds "An airship" which causes the elven masterthief to wince then mutter "Shit" . . . . . .