The Hire 23.

The Kingdom Of Nastell. The Duchy Of Phelm. Dalbar Falls & Beyond...

During the night, the battle of Dalbar Falls went more or less as expected. Until chaos broke out as a relief column from the south. From the staging grounds at Halvíc castle to be exact.
Turned up early in the morning, just before dawn. Where they found their warcamp, as well as the large village of Dalbar Falls, had come under attack from a force in the armies of the robber barons from the unruled lands to the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
An impromptu battle took place in the rain that began falling. Rain that got heavier and heavier. Which turned the already chaotic scene at Dalbar Falls into more chaos.
In that ensuing chaos, the force led by the cavalry commander Darid Parsen got split.
With many of them fighting in and around the large village itself, and in the war camp,
While others fought the enemy across the river that ran around the south side of Dalbar Falls.
A river that had dropped significantly during the night. Due to the man made dam being destroyed, that set of the wave of destruction that came down the weir, and across the small lake. And swept through the village of Dalbar Falls, and the warcamp that had been set up beside it.
The call for a withdrawal could be heard in the early morning before dawn. Unfortunately for those who were attacking duke Hargen's men across the river to the south of Dalbar Falls.
Going back across it, wasn't so easy. As the constant rain that had been falling. Had lifted the water levels once more.
Added to that, a rather viscous, not to mention, particular large water serpent. Had emerged from the river when the levels were low.
Which attacked anyone and everyone. Not caring who fought in who's army.
It mauled and killed soldiers from both sides of the campaign. Men in the army of duke Hargen. And soldiers in the robber barons armies. As well as those in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, who are leading the armies of the five robber barons, who have joined together to wage war upon the duke of Phelm, duke Hargen.
Hearing the calls for withdrawal, which were in both the common and elven languages. Lisell Maera who was across the river to the south of the village of Dalbar Falls.
Was lucky to get away with her life. As the very annoyed water serpent. Almost caught her, and mauled her to death.
The twenty foot long creature, with it's dark green iridescent body, which resembles a large eel. But with a lizard like head, and snout.
And four short, stubby legs. Which it enables it to walk on dry land. Something it's kind doesn't particularly like doing. But will do, especially when the water in it's territory, has dropped to below levels of comfort for it.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, who is a runner in the mercenary army from the lands Farque. Was knocked over by the thick tail of the water serpent.
As was a soldier in the army of robber baron Gergus who was with her.
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by those who know her well. Tried to scrambled away, as the water serpent turned on the stunned soldier from the unruled lands who was with her.
The creature bit into his right leg, and picked him by that leg, shaking it's head like a ferret worrying a rat to death.
The soldier minus his right leg, was flung away. While the water serpent swallowed the leg it tore off, whole.
Then the creature, with droplets of water spraying from it's nostrils. Turned towards Lis, as she was scrambling away on her rear end.
As she was trying to flee, the only reason the runner in the scouts and rangers battalion in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
Knows that she survived the encounter with the irate water serpent.
Was because the river that was steadily rising again because of the constant rain. Came up over the side of the bank, swept over the water serpent. And struck Lis, washing her away from the creature that was trying to kill her.
The attractive young woman from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury. Tumbled and rolled across the ground a good fifty feet or so before coming to a stop.
The runner in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, soaked and breathing heavily. Soon had her wits about her.
And quickly looked back in the direction she came from. To where the water serpent was near the river.
And in the light of the two moons that were descending as the night was coming to an end, and dawn approached.
She heard the water serpent hissing, and growling first. Before she saw it, tumbling and thrashing about, as it rolled  around in an uncontrollable manner as water picked it up, and hauled it back towards the river.
Lisell Maera blinked in surprise as she tried to figure out what was happening.
Then she realised what was happening as the twenty foot long creature was lifted up higher by a wide spout of water, that hauled it back into the river. Then swept it down the river, away from the village of Dalbar Falls.
Still tumbling and rolling about, with no control of itself at all. Smashing into the rocks along the base of the river, as well as slamming into the river banks as it was swept downstream.
Lis knows that it was the water elemental spouter Zaneff who saved her life. First by washing her away from the water serpent.
Then by picking it up, and returning it to the river, then sending it downstream.
The attractive young woman in the mercenary army from the lands Farque knows that Zaneff must of been waiting for the water level in the river to rise before he could act.
She also knows the water elemental, who like her, also belongs to the scouts and rangers battalion in the Farqian mercenary army,.
Has nothing to fear from the water serpent. For Zaneff is immune to anything when he's in his natural state. With the exception of fire, and fire based magic.
Lis wouldn't be surprised when dawn arrives, that the battered and bashed body of the water serpent will be found dead somewhere downriver by someone.
The runner in the mercenary army from the lands Farque got up, and looked towards the soldier in the army of robber baron Gergus who was with her.
Even though it was still fairly dark, she could tell the soldier from the unruled lands to the north of the kingdom of Nastell was dead from blood loss.
Then as she was about to move off, she heard something behind her. And all of sudden hands grabbed her.
She was in the process of pulling out one of her daggers, when a vaguely familiar voiced hissed at her "Run".
She was turned around, and in the darkness of the waning night, she caught a glimpse of Hammind, the second to baron Gergus.
The attractive young woman who hails from the largest city-state along the coast of the Southlands, followed the axe fighter. Who gestured away to their left, to the east.
Not far away, amongst some trees, they joined the robber baron Gergus himself, and one other soldier in his army, by the name of Pabell, who had a limp due to a slash from an enemy's sword.
The robber baron quickly, and quietly informed Lis that the area was crawling with the enemy, who were the relief column that had come up from the south.
And that the best way for the four of them to get away, to the otherside of the rapidly rising river which was unable to be crossed.
Was to head east, and go around the destroyed weir, that gives the village of Dalbar Falls it's name.
In that direction are a number of fords, and even a couple of foot bridges. While the enemy had taken the main bridge nearby that crosses over to the badly damaged village.
And there's nothing else downstream for at least a couple of miles. And no one wanted to go that way. As all four of them saw the water serpent being swept away in that direction.
They moved off, and that's when the chase by the enemy began. That saw them run through the falling rain, into dawn and the early morning, and beyond.
"Few more stragglers coming in" quietly says Kalleb, beside him, Darid Parsen the cavalry commander nods his head as they look back to the south, in the direction of the village of Dalbar Falls, which is now out of sight as they've moved away to the north, back towards the border.
Looking through the rain that's been falling all morning, infact it's been falling since well before dawn.
The second in command of the patrol, quietly asks his commander "We still wait?".
"We wait" is the quiet reply of Darid Parsen as they two of them converse in the elven language, a bit further away from the rest of the patrol. Well, those who survived the battle at Dalbar Falls, and it's aftermath.
And though the robber baron Gergus, along with his second, Hammind who is also his brother inlaw. Being missing is a blow. Especially once word of them being missing reaches his army.
It's Lisell Maera going missing is what the cavalry commander keenly feels.
For the attractive young woman from the city-state of Vexil, was originally searched for and found for reason.
And though Darid Parsen is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque. He isn't privy to all that the undead warlord plans.
Just that the cavalry commander, who was once a foot soldier in the army of lady Linara Lé Dic in the kingdom of Druvic. Knows that Lisell Maera is important in some way.
And that the fact that he, along with others are responsible for her safety. Even during a time of war.
"By the tundra gods, he'll fucking kill me if something happens to her" quietly murmurs the cavalry commander in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra.
"Councillor?" asks Kalleb, who recognises the southern tundra dialect, but doesn't understand it apart from a few basic phrases.
"Just thinking out loud" quietly says Darid Parsen in the elven language.
Then the cavalry commander, who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra, by the name of Zubutai Timaginson. Who just happens to inhabit the body of Darid Parsen.
Looks away to their right, where one of the lookouts, who is using the cavalry commanders, leather wrapped cylindrical eyepiece, quietly says from the tree he's standing beneath "Varric is coming in at run, he's got another straggler with him".
Both the cavalry commander and his second, look down the hill through the falling rain and the trees. And soon spots the scout Varric, with one of the soldiers in the army of the robber baron Gergus with him.
Heading up the hill, through the trees.
When the scout, comes to a stop when he reaches them, he's breathing heavily. Nevertheless, Varric says "The last one" as he indicates the soldier from the unruled lands, who stumble away to join the others of the patrol who are waiting nearby.
The scout Varric then adds "Zaneff should be here soon" followed by "I saw him a little earlier, he's been discouraging them from coming this way".
Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods his head in understanding. As he knows the scout Zaneff, the water elemental, will be killing any of the enemy, who attempt to come north from the badly damaged village of Dalbar Falls, and the warcamp the enemy had there.
"How many do you think came up from the south before dawn?" quietly asks Darid Parsen as he looks at the recently arrived scout.
"I'd say at least a hundred and fifty" is the response from Varric, who continues with "Zaneff will know for sure".
The young man who hails from the Lé Dic fief in the east of the kingdom of Druvic nods his head. Then he along with his second Kalleb, and the scout Varric, wait in silence for the other scout in the patrol. The water elemental spouter, Zaneff to show up.
It's not too long before Zaneff appears. The scout shows up right infront of them, as a roughly man shaped figure of water in the rain.
None of them see the change. But one moment there's a man shaped figure of water infront of them. The next it's the human appearance of the water elemental who is standing infront of them. Fully clothed, in his light armour, and the black tabbard of the armies of Farque.
Unlike the three actual humans. The water elemental stands out in the falling rain, while they stand beneath the branches of a tree.
"What's happened?" says Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin in the elven language, who along with his second Kalleb, and the other scout Varric, listen to what the scout Varric has to say.
They listen in silence as they listen to the water elemental spouter who hails from one of the villages along the coast of the lands Farque.
Zaneff explains what happened during the early morning, and how a force of nearly two hundred of the enemy. Came upon them after the battle of Dalbar Falls.
Hell, it's fucking lucky so many of us got away at all, Darid Parsen thinks to himself as he continues to listen to the scout explain what happened, and what's happening now.
After the water elemental finishes speaking, the cavalry commander after glancing at his second Kalleb, asks the scout Zaneff "You didn't see Lis did you?" he continues with "She's missing".
Then as an afterthought, Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman adds "So is that robber baron Gergus".
"What?" says Zaneff the water elemental spouter, who asks "They didn't make it back?".
The cavalry commander shakes his head no, and the water elemental tells him "I saw them and a couple of others when i dealt to that water serpent that popped up".
Darid Parsen didn't see the water serpent himself. But he heard from a few in the patrol who did. Who said the creature attacked anyone it could get a hold of.
Zaneff quickly explains how he swept Lisell Maera to safety as he returned the water serpent to the river, which he then sent downstream.
"I thought they would of gone east, and circled around that way to cross the river again" says the scout in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, who continues with "After all that robber baron knows the area fairly well".
"They didn't" quietly says the cavalry commander who is from the kingdom of Druvic, who slightly grimaces at the complications of the robber baron Gergus being missing or dead. Not to mention that Lis is either missing or dead too.
After a moment's silence, Zaneff says "Hell, they must of been spotted and are being pursued" he pauses then adds "You want me to go and see if i can find them?".
Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson quickly thinks about something. And though he could send the water elemental to look for Lisell and the robber baron Gergus. There's a chance the scout might not find them.
So he says "No" after making up his mind about something. And since he knows there are those who can find Lisell Maera and the robber baron Gergus, no matter if they're alive or dead.
He looks at the water elemental who can travel quicker than any of them on horseback, especially on a rainy day like today, and tells him "Go immediately back to the army, get one of the spellcasters to inform the strikeship Fídiablo that Lis along with the robber baron are missing" he then adds "The lord must be told" . . . . . .