The Homecoming 158.

The Order's Grounds...

In one of the many buildings that's in the grounds of the order of the knights of Saint Mar-che.
Knight general Dalacell has just been in a meeting with some of the more senior members of the order. Paladins and knights of the first rank. Discussing which of the squires and knight's apprentices, who will come up in rank later on in the spring.
They've decided on a dozen youngsters who will rise in rank later this spring. A few more maybe added later on. But for know, a dozen squires and knight's apprentices will move up in the ranks of the order.
The knights general, along with his squire Markell, cross a courtyard to the main administrative building in the grounds of the knights of Saint Mar-che.
The senior most member of the order looks away to the left, through the trees on the otherside of the courtyard.
There beyond the trees, he can see one of the many practice yards and training fields that the order has in the park like grounds that are their headquarters.
And though the knights of the order of Saint Mar-che have many a chapterhouse throughout the Southlands.
It's here in the city of Leeabra, the capital of the kingdom of Druvic. That they have their base of operations and headquarters.
Unfortunately for the knights general, so do a number of other knightly orders. But Dalacell is firm in the belief that his order, has the most influence here in the kingdom that's their home base.
They also have the most amount of members of any of the knightly orders based here in Leeabra. And they have the largest grounds by far.
Taking up a large area just to the north of the center of the capital city of Druvic. In the third domain of the city.
And when the knights general enters the administrative building with his squire. Then goes through the office of his secretary, where his squire Markell waits.
And he enters his ground floor office, and looks out the glass windows, where across the park like surroundings of the order's grounds. Where he can see over to the basilica of Saint Mar-che on the western side of the grounds.
Dalacell the knight general of the order of Saint Mar-che knows that it's his order, and his order alone that has the most influence of all the knightly orders based in Leeabra.
Infact he knows that even the trio of magical guilds. And the various churches and temples don't have as much influence as his order.
Only the various trading associations, and the nobility of the kingdom. Have at least an equal footing, or in some cases, more influence than his order does at the court of the king of Druvic.
In particular with the lord high constable of the kingdom, constable Twimen. The senior most noble in the kingdom outside of the royal family.
Twimen, who just happens to be good friends with knight general Dalacell.
The senior most member in the order of Saint Mar-che after putting his full helm on a stand, takes a seat behind his desk, which gives him a view out the glass windows across the park like grounds, to the basilica in the distance, that's nearly fully restored after it was nearly completely destroyed in the incident that kicked off the civil war a decade ago.
The knight general sourly smiles at the memory of that. As he was part of the army at the time that had invaded the Sunreach Mountains, and was defeated.
Only to return to the kingdom of Druvic and the capital Leeabra, which was attacked by a group of elementals and others from the Sunreach Mountains.
Which led to the death of the then king of Druvic, king Newkym the second. And the civil war that followed. Which Newkym the second's nephew, the duke of Carville would win, and become king of Druvic.
The knight general then smiles as he sees how near complete the repair work of the basilica of Saint Mar-che is. He glances at the closed door to his secretary's office, and his about to call out to him.
When suddenly he slumps forward in his chair. His head hits his desk, and he's snoring, fast asleep.
"Hells, by the forest gods it took me long enough to find him" mutters Helbe the elven thief to Narladene the ground pixie, who nods her head in agreement with the blurred and shielded elven magic user.
"Go and tell Dalin I'm on my way" quietly says the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel.
The ground pixie who is attached to him, nods her tiny head. Then jumps off the right shoulder of the elven master assassin. And dives down into the floor, and the ground beneath.
While prince Helbenthril Raendril increases his strength threefold by way of a spell, so he can pick up the heavily armoured knights general of the order of Saint Mar-che who he has just made invisible.
After putting the sleeping and invisible leader of the order of Saint Mar-che over his right shoulder.
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel who has spent much of the morning and early afternoon trying to locate knight general Dalacell across the massive park like grounds of the order of Saint Mar-che.
Looks out the glass windows of the office, and shifts away. Heading southwards where Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy is waiting for him.
In a large building, about three storeys up, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy looks across the wide street below, over to the main gates on the south side of the grounds of the knights of the order of Saint Mar-che.
The gates in the wrought iron fence, that must go at least a mile, are open at the moment. Allowing people to enter and exit the grounds of the order of Saint Mar-che.
Apparently a lot of the park like grounds are open to the public, as the spy Tanith sees the knights on gate duty allowing people who don't have any business with the order, through the open gates across the street.
Dalinvardél Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by the others in the group, faintly smiles as he looks across the street to the wide, basically avenue that goes from the gates, in a straight line to the nearest buildings about a hundred yards away in the grounds of the order of the knights of Saint Mar-che.
He's heard a number of times, from both Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic, about the time they fought one another within the grounds across the street during the incident here in Leeabra that lead to the civil war in the kingdom.
The telling of that confrontation varies considerably, depending on who tells it.
Dalin has heard the truth only from Shur Kee the monk who was also there at the time.
As the only thing factual he can get from either Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic. Is that the large ork at the end of the fight, ended up with a bear trap clamped onto his right leg. Much to the disgust of the ork warleader. And delight of the former earl of Lé Dic.
Who never mentioned in any of tellings to the spy Tanith. That he nearly died, and that he fled. As Shur Kee the monk came to the aid of the big, burly ork and nearly killed the former paladin.
"Crazy bastards" murmurs Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, who then snorts, shakes his hooded head in disbelief, and follows that up with a murmured "And now the two of them travel together".
The spy from the elven principality of Alínlae looks quickly to his right, as he suddenly sees Narladene the ground pixie hovering close to him.
"He's found him?" quietly asks the spy Tanith "He has" answers Narladene the ground pixie, who like Dalin, is speaking elven.
"He's on his way" continues the naturally magical creature who is attached to prince Helbenthril Raendril.
The elf who once served in one of the more prominent noble houses in the principality of Alínlae, nods his hooded head and tells the ground pixie "They're waiting a couple of streets back".
"I know, I'll go and get them" says the tiny winged creature as she disappears, and takes off to get the rest of the group. While Dalinvardél Tanith waits for Helbe the elven thief to show up.
Knight general Dalacell groans as he wakes up, he finds he's lying on a wooden floor, so he sits up against the wall that's behind him.
The senior member of the order of the knights of Saint Mar-che as he tries to get his bearings. Finds that there's a number of people sitting on chairs, or standing, opposite him in the room he's in, wherever the room is.
Dalacell the knights general blinks then says in surprise "Percavelle!" as he recognises one of the two heavily armoured figures standing opposite him.
"Well, the order has sunk to the lowest of depths if they've made you knights general, Dalacell" sourly says sir Percavelle Lé Dic who continues with "By Narille, even i would of made a better knights general".
That's saying a lot, considering the former paladin knows his limitations. As he knows he's a perfectly fine field commander if necessary. But no way is he capable of being the leader of his knightly order.
The politicking that one has to deal with being the knights general of the order of Saint Mar-che. Is just something sir Percavelle isn't up to dealing with.
And the fact his abrasive demeanour, overly loud personality. And just all round obnoxious way in which he conducts his life. Would be a hindrance if he ever was to become the knights general of the order of Saint Mar-che.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic or Percy as he's more commonly referred to by the rest of the group. Is first and foremost, a fighter. Any kind of leader off the battlefield is a very distant second to that.
The senior most member of the order of the knights of Saint Mar-che sourly smiles in reaction to what the former earl of Lé Dic just said.
Then Dalacell frowns as he looks at one of those seated. A figure in a black hooded cloak.
The knights general looks closely, then quietly says "I know you" he briefly pauses then recognition comes to him, and he adds "Mage" followed by "Traitor!".
"Popular as ever i see" quietly says Helbe the elven thief to Mira Reinholt the mage who is sitting beside him. The elven princeling who is speaking in his second language, elven, continues with "You might want to do something about that one day".
The senior most member of the order of the knights of Saint Mar-che is sputtering in anger, and he finally gets out "You died" as he glares at the mage Reinholt "That dragon killed you".
"He didn't do a good job of it" dryly says Mira Reinholt the mage who fought in the same army with the then knight commander Dalacell, as well as sir Percavelle. When a faction within the kingdom of Druvic invaded the Sunreach Mountains.
The once powerful mage nods his hooded head to the side at the silent figure of lord Farque, and tells the knight general "He brought down Nol".
The spellcaster from the city-state of Vexil, who happens to also be a highly skilled swordmaster, continues with "He's the one they called the general up in the Sunreach Mountains, the one who defeated us".
Dalacell if he could back up any further, he would. Instead he sits up straighter against the wall behind him as he looks at the large heavily armoured figure, who towers over the tall figure of sir Percavelle standing beside him.
The knights general glances down, and grimaces as he sees that he has no weapons on his belt, not even a table knife. He sighs, then mutters "By Narille, what the hell is going on here?".
Dalacell who never thought he'd see the former earl of Lé Dic again. After all, he had asked the lord high constable of the kingdom to kill him, since word got to them, that the former paladin had returned to Druvic.
Definitely didn't think he'd see the mage named Mira again. For the simple reason he thought he was dead. Having been killed by the dragon Nol during the incident in Leeabra a decade ago, that kicked off the civil war.
And he definitely never thought he'd finally see the one they called the general up in the Sunreach Mountains. The one who lead the elementals, dwarves and others in that mountain range. Against a combined faction from the kingdom of Druvic, which is to the south of Sunreach Mountains. And the city-state of Eweteets, known as the city of a thousand churches. Which lies to the north of the Sunreach Mountains.
"What's going on here Dalacell old chap" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic who continues with "Is something you'd never imagined".
The former knight of the first rank, who was demoted to the third rank, because he stole the shield of Saint Mar-che. Which knight general Dalacell can see is across the back of the former paladin.
And because he went off on a holy quest that he devised and came up with. Without the knowledge, or authority from any of the other senior members of the order at the time.
Then tells the senior most member of his knightly order "Your chum Twimen the lord high constable isn't what he appears to be".
The knight general of the order of Saint Mar-che narrows his eyelids as he looks at the four opposite him. The two seated, both in hooded cloaks, one in white, who Dalacell thinks is an elf. And the mage in black.
And the two standing. Both in heavy plate armour. Sir Percavelle Lé Dic in his highly burnished, and gleaming steel plate. Who the knight general sees is still wearing a ridiculous looking white cape that's attached to the back of his shoulder plates.
And the other, the one known as the general amongst the enemy in the Sunreach Mountains a decade ago. Who is in dark blue and black plate armour. So form fitting, and tight without gaps, that Dalacell has never seen the like of it before.
The senior most member in the order of the knights of Saint Mar-che clears his throat as he tries to think of what he can do to get out of this awkward situation, then he says "Whatever do you mean?".
"Oh not that you sent some of the order with his ships in his personal fleet to help out the Harkonin rabble attack my home" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who can't help but gloat as he adds "Who by the way were defeated, not to mention the trio of airships Twimen sent were destroyed too".
The knights general winces as he hears that. He can tell the former paladin is telling the truth there. For the simple reason the large heavily armoured knight has that silly grin on his face, that he always has when he says something that he knows will annoy whoever it is he's talking to.
"Hells" mutters Dalacell "Indeed" says the nobleborn knight from the east of the kingdom of Druvic, who then continues with "This has to do with something else that Twimen is up to".
The former knight of the first class then glances at the large, heavily armoured figure standing next to him.
"Marg gakk kaughin cakl nag lalm" calls out lord Farque. A couple of moments later and the door to the room opens, and Dorc da Orc enters carrying the unconscious wizard over his right shoulder.
If Dalacell could sink into the wall behind him, he would. For he's seen the massive green figure that's just entered the room before.
Twice infact, once up in the Sunreach Mountains a decade ago. And again a couple of months later, here in the city of Leeabra during the incident that led to the civil war. Infact in the grounds of the order of Saint Mar-che. Which he doesn't know, is just across the street from the building that he's presently in.
Where it fought sir Percavelle Lé Dic in battle. After it had killed quite a few others in the order of the knights of Saint Mar-che.
Dalacell knows it's an ork. And like the others who he thought he'd never see. He definitely didn't expect it to be in the company of the former earl of Lé Dic.
With a grunt, Dorc da Orc drops the unconscious prisoner on the floor infront of sir Percavelle Lé Dic and lord Farque. And after the undead warlord nods his full helmed head back to the door. The large ork glares at the knights general, growls at him too. Then turns around and walks out of the room, closing the door behind him.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque nods his head for the former paladin to continue.
Sir Percavelle or Percy as he's more commonly referred to by the rest of the group, says to the senior most member of his order "Dalacell do you know there's something about the lord high constable, your chum Twimen, that the king would definitely not approve of?".
The heavily armoured knight continues with "I'm pretty sure the king will be pretty livid with it once he finds out" and as the knights general of the order of Saint Mar-che frowns as he wonders what the blowhard Percavelle is going on about, the former earl of Lé Dic adds "And this fellow here" as he points at the unconscious wizard lying on the floor infront of him, before continuing with "Knows all about it, wot" . . . . . .