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 . . . . . .