The Homecoming 114.

The Baron's Army...

The army commander sir Taevar hasn't got into the battle as such. Just like the rest of the nobility in baron Harkonin's army.
The army commander has ridden forward a number of times to encourage the soldiers serving in the baron's army. And he's even got close to the moat here on the south side of castle Lé Dic a couple of times.
But as yet, he's not drawn a weapon during the battle as it continues on throughout the morning.
Sir Taevar who has just sent some of the trebuchet and catapult crews forward to take part in the assault upon the massive castle since they're not using their war machines at the moment.
Dismounts, and gives the reins of his horse to an ostler. And makes his way over to the camp chairs where the baron and others are watching the battle from.
The army commander glances at the nobleborn prisoners as he walks by them. And while lord Kievar Milburn is dead. Hanging there with a spear up through his face.
His grandson Jared Milburn, as well as sir Galmot the Lé Dic army commander are still alive. Though barely.
Ponting at the right foot of the bloody and battered Jared Milburn who is staked there on a post next to his dead grandfather.
Sir Taevar the army commander says "Smash it" to one of the soldiers who are guarding the two enemy noblemen who have been staked.
The soldier takes a small hammer, one used by a carpenter. And smashes the right foot of Jared Milburn, who has been stripped of most of his armour.
The nobleborn teenager, who had almost passed out again. Screams in pain from his bloody mouth, which is missing most of his teeth.
The Harkonin army commander grins, while those sitting nearby on the camp chairs chuckle as the prisoner screams again.
Sir Taevar takes the empty chair to the right of the baron. Sitting down gently, just incase the camp chair folds up under the weight of him in his suit of plate armour.
"How goes it?" asks baron Harkonin "As well as expected my lord" is the reply of the commander of the army from the fief to the east.
So far they've had just two real setbacks during the battle this morning. Both here on the south side of castle Lé Dic, as well as around on the east side of the massive castle.
When the moat suddenly burst into flames. Killing and wounding about sixty soldiers who were either on the water, and in one of the siege towers that had made it into the moat.
A similar number of soldiers around on the east side of castle Lé Dic were taken out by the same thing.
The other setback being when about twenty five soldiers were killed here to the south of the castle. And a similar number around to the east of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
Who were killed when they were crossing the housing over the drawbridges on those two sides of the castle. Drawbridges, which the Harkonin army commander is still trying to figure out how they've disappeared.
"You can see up there" says sir Taevar who points up at the battlements along the south side of castle Lé Dic "They're going back and forth, trying to push our ladders off" adds the army commander, who continues with "There's less and less of them up there able to defend the parapet. Where wearing them out as we've intended".
The head of the Harkonin family nods, and his army commander tells him "Even the siege tower is keeping quite a few of them occupied. Even though i don't think a single one of our men has got onto the top of the wall from there".
The siege towers were always going to more of a distraction than a true means of getting up onto the battlements of castle Lé Dic. If the massive castle had no moat. Then indeed the siege towers would be a serious means of getting the baron's soldiers up onto the battlements.
But they're primarily used to draw the enemy to it, so to thin them out along the top of the wall. For the battle of castle Lé Dic, like any battle for a castle, or walled town or city.
Will be won by the army assaulting it, by using multiple scaling ladders. To get the defenders up on the battlements to spread out as much as possible as they try to repel those who are trying to gain the top of the walls.
"It's only a matter of time before we gain a foothold up on the battlements" says sir Taevar, who continues with "Once we do, it'll go fairly easily to quickly clear them from the top of the wall".
The army commander knew from the get go, that this will be a battle of attrition. And by sheer numbers alone, baron Harkonin's army will be successful. Even the baron's advisor, the dark druid Palvarc agreed with the strategy for taking castle Lé Dic.
Especially considering the baron wants the massive castle taken in more or less one piece. And is why he didn't unleash his advisor. Who could of knocked a hole in one of the walls of the massive castle, with a spell or two using his staff.
Thinking of the dark druid, the army commander quickly looks around, then quietly asks the head of the Harkonin family "Any word from Palvarc?".
"Not as yet" replies baron Harkonin, whose advisor, the dark druid Palvarc, left a little while after the battle for castle Lé Dic commenced. The spellcaster from the very south of the baron's fief. Headed west to meet an airship that's heading this way.
An airship both the baron and his advisor were expecting. As it was sent by one of Palvarc's contacts in the court of the king, in the capital Leeabra.
The baron as he continues to watch his men assault the south wall of castle Lé Dic. Wonders if the battle would of proceeded more quickly if sir Dontast was still alive.
He has a feeling it might of. Not to mention the knight in the order of Althilgah, who was killed by the enemy nobleman, sir Parvin Dé Gorveré. Would be amongst the men, already taking part in the assault upon the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
"Which one of you is going to go into the frey first?" asks the head of the Harkonin family as he looks at his nobles, who are comfortably sitting on their camp chairs, watching the battle.
Though there's a few murmurs here and there, none of them reply in any meaningful way. Nor do any of them look in their baron's direction.
Except for the army commander, sir Taevar, who looks at his baron and shrugs his shoulders.
As army commander, sir Taevar is not expected to go into battle himself. Though he will do so if necessary. He also knows his baron doesn't expect him to go into battle. Unless something untowards, or unexpected happens.
Sir Taevar glances at the others sitting near the baron, then says to one of them "Parnak, you're always up for a fight. You going to go and join the men anytime soon?".
Sir Parnak, a short, rotund man, who wears a full suit of heavy, black iron armour. The heaviest armour worn by any nobleman in either the Harkonin or Lé Dic fiefs.
Says in reply to the army commander "Mayhap i will Taevar". The nobleman in the suit of heavy iron armour, who is always spoiling for a fight, who in his time, has got into a few scraps with some of those sitting here with baron Harkonin watching the assault upon the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Continues with "Though not until the men open one of those gates, and i can float across the moat to it on one of the rafts" sir Parnak then adds in a dour tone "I don't fancy climbing one of the ladders while wearing all this". As he raps his gauntleted knuckles upon his breastplate.
The others chuckle, as does baron Harkonin, then the army commander who is keeping an eye on the battlements along the south wall of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family, says "Another one is up" the landed knight then adds "Wonder if this lot will gain the parapet?".
There's quiet wagers made by some of the nobles as they watch the some of the men go up the latest scaling that's been put up against the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Harkonin soldiers are scrambling up it, and the army commander quietly says "Good spot that, hardly any of them on top of the wall there" as he nods towards where the scaling ladder is closer towards the southwest corner of the massive castle.
And though the first Harkonin soldier on the ladder falls off it after being hit by a crossbow bolt. And the next one gets to the top of the ladder, until he's shoved off it. The next soldier in the baron's army actually gets onto the wall. Which gets more than a few of the nobles up off their chairs.
That Harkonin soldier also falls from the top of the wall, to the moat below. But the next one, in a feat of strength and agility, leaps up and over the top of the wall, and gets onto the battlements between the two merlons where the ladder is placed.
Both baron Harkonin and his army commander get up off their camp chairs as another soldier from their army gets up onto the top of the south wall, quickly followed by a third.
"This might be it" quietly says the head of the Harkonin family, who truth be told, is pleased the battle, which though is in a bit of a stalemate. Is going as it is, since it's not even midday. And now there's a very good chance a section of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, might be taken by his men.
The next soldier from the fief to the east, falls from the top of the ladder. But the next one behind him, gets to the top of the wall, and stands between the two merlons, swinging his sword down at the defenders on the parapet.
"That's four of them up there now" murmurs sir Taevar, who like the rest of the nobles, watches in anticipation to see if the men are able to clear that part of the parapet along the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
The nobility from the fief across the border to the east, are silent as they try to see what's happening. They can see the very top of the wall. But they don't have a clear view of what's happening on the parapet. Due to how large the merlons are on the castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
Baron Harkonin grunts in disappointment when his soldier standing on top of the wall falls off it screaming. And a few moments later, he sees another of his men, obviously dead, picked up by the enemy, and dropped off the top of the wall. Narrowly missing those who are climbing the ladder now, and the raft the scaling ladder is on.
"Damn" mutters the Harkonin army commander next to the baron, when one of their soldiers is placed on the top of the wall, back to them. Then shoved off the battlements to the moat below.
That Harkonin soldier does smash into the raft below, sending those on it, into the water. And the ladder sliding sideways. Which is enough for the defenders upon that section of the wall, to shove it off the face of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, and into the water.
A few moments later, rocks and broken masonry is thrown off the battlements in that section of the wall. Down at those Harkonin soldiers in the water, and at the scaling ladder that's drifting away from the base of the wall.
As disappointed murmurs go through the watching nobility, and coins are exchanged by those who lost bets. Sir Taevar quietly says to his baron "They won't be able to repel our men like that all the time". The Harkonin army commander nods towards the other end of the south wall of the massive castle, and says "Look, another ladder has got to the wall, the men there are just about to lift it up".
The baron from the fief to the east nods in satisfaction when he looks that way, further to the right of where the siege tower is in the moat.
He's just about to say something about it, when he changes his mind, and instead says "What's this then?".
As a rider comes galloping their way, it's one of the youngest nobles in the army, a squire who is a messenger, usually relaying orders and information between the army commander and his officers, and their squad leaders.
The messenger near leaps off his mount when he brings it to a stop, and near breathless he says "Baron" and "Sir" to the head of the Harkonin family, and his army commander.
Sir Taevar is about to tell the squire to get his breath back, and take his time. When the nobleborn teen blurts out "Sir Percavelle Lé Dic is across the moat and amongst our men".
There's a moment of stunned silence, not just from the baron, and his army commander, but all the nobles, whose attention is suddenly all upon the squire.
"The fuck?" mutters sir Taevar as the nobleborn messenger continues with "He and some of the enemy soldiers have crossed the moat, and are fighting amongst those who are trying to get onto the water".
"Where?" demands the Harkonin army commander "That way sir Taevar" says the squire who points in the direction to where the siege tower is in the moat.
Baron Harkonin looks at the commander of his army, and though he is about to say he'll go and confront the former earl of Lé Dic himself, sir Taevar quietly tells him "Stay here my lord, myself and some of the others will deal to that raving lunatic".
The baron, not one to usually take suggestions like that so easily. Sees the wisdom in what his army commander just said.
And he quietly tells sir Taevar "Do it" Raevar Harkonin is just about to add something else, when sir Taevar loudly mutters "Now what?". As he spots another messenger rider, heading this way, riding his horse at pace.
The Harkonin army commander frowns, as he recognises the squire on that horse, as one of the messengers from around on the east side of castle Lé Dic.
That rider brings his mount to a quick halt, jumps down out of the saddle, and runs to where the nobility are standing and says "Baron, army commander".
He too is near out of breath, but he continues with "That big green monster, it's across the moat on the east side of the castle, and in amongst our ranks" breathing heavily, the young squire follows that up with "No one can stop it".
Baron Harkonin looks sharply at his army commander, who loudly mutters "Fucking hell" as he grimaces.
Then sir Taevar, looks at the other nobles, and starts issuing orders. He basically splits them into two groups. One that he'll lead. And the other sir Parnak will take charge of.
"Parnak you and others go around to the east side of the castle and deal to that green thing" orders the Harkonin army commander, who then adds "That troll, or ork, or whatever the hell it is".
"The rest of you with me, we'll finally get rid of that annoying idiot Percavelle" says sir Taevar, who then looks at his baron and asks "With your permission my lord".
"Go ahead" says baron Harkonin, the army commander gestures behind them, and says "To your mounts".
As the nobles, hurry away to their horses, sir Taevar quietly says to head  of the Harkonin family "Remain here my lord, I'll send word to you when we've killed that pain in the ass Percavelle".
The army commander who has two of the younger and less experienced landed knights remain with the baron. Says to the young squire who came around from the east side of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for generations "Lead sir Parnak and the others to where that green creature is" then to the nobleborn messenger who brought word of sir Percavelle Lé Dic being across the moat on this side of the castle, he says "Lead me the others to where sir Percavelle is lad".
"Yes sir Taevar" says the squire who hurries off to reclaim his mount, while the Harkonin army commander makes his way over to the ostler holding the reins of his mount.
With the help of the ostler, sir Taevar gets up into the saddle, then he looks back to where the baron stands, who calls out "Be careful of that idiot Percavelle, Taevar!".
"I will my lord!" calls back the Harkonin army commander, as he's joined by those nobles who he'll take with him to confront the former earl of Lé Dic.
He looks further away to the left, and sees sir Parnak and those with him have got their horses, and are in the saddle, and are riding off to the east, to head around to that side of castle Lé Dic.
"Ready?" asks sir Taevar to the other landed knights with him, all of whom, like himself, have dreamed of the day where they would face sir Percavelle Lé Dic in battle. That dream is about to become a reality.
He's answered with head nods, and yes in tones of enthusiasm. The Harkonin army commander nods for the squire to lead the way, then sir Taevar says "Let's go" as they set off to confront the former earl of Lé Dic, sir Percavelle . . . . . .