The Hire 7.

The Unruled Lands. The Camp...

Lisell Maera eventually finds him in the village at the southern end of the valley. Which shouldn't really come as a surprise. As it's far from the camp of the mercenary army from the lands Farque. And in particular, the person who showed up there yesterday. As possible without actually leaving the valley.
"What was the message may i ask?" asks sir Percavelle Lé Dic as they make their way around from the back of the tavern, where the heavily armoured knight was sitting at a table beneath a tree, enjoyment a cool ale.
"I'm not sure" is the reply from Lisell Maera, who then adds "But i would hazard to guess, with the amount of squads from our army riding out since yesterday afternoon. It would probably have something to do with that".
"Hmmmm tis possible" loudly murmurs the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, who despite the heat, is in his full suit of heavy plate armour. The attractive young woman who is originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, who can't possibly see how the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che can endure wearing all that heavy armour in this kind of heat. Says to the nobleborn knight "Some of the heavier battalions are probably being sent south".
"Ah no wonder they need me" says the former earl of Lé Dic, who doesn't have any actual official position in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
He's just part of it. And like the envoy, Helbe the elven thief. When it comes to battle. He'll fight anywhere, and with anyone. Though the heavily armoured knight tends to either stick with the heavy foot battalion, or the heavy horse. Which are a natural fit for him.
As they start making their way north through the camp of the robber barons armies, and the other mercenaries they've hired. They're joined by a trio of black clad Farqian soldiers who have been waiting for them just outside the village.
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly referred to by those who know her well. Also wears the black tabbard of the army of Farque. And a lightweight black cloak.
She thought it would be too hot to wear them in the hot and dry conditions here in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains. But they are surprisingly cool. Having been made out of a light material called silk. Which Lis has seen on occasion, but never actually worn until she became part of the armies of Farque.
The tabbard over her leather armour even has the faint outline of the crest of lord Farque's family sown into it. His family sword, that points blade downwards. In dark blue thread, that's barely distinguishable from the black tabbard.
The daughter of a street prostitute from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, who is now a runner in the armies of Farque. Glances at the middle aged knight walking beside her.
She knows he's been down here at the southern end of the valley this morning for the simple reason that Dorc da Orc returned to camp yesterday. And that the large ork has been reunited with his goblin army. Both of whom, sir Percavelle Lé Dic fought against in a war nearly a decade ago in the kingdom of Melaurn, faraway away to the south.
Infact it's even further south in the Southlands than the lands Farque, which is well over five thousand miles south of the Colevar Mountains.
The goblin mercenary army who the ork warleader hasn't seen since he saw them in the elven principality of Alínlae a number of years ago. A mercenary army of goblins, who then traveled south at the invitation of lord Farque. To live and train in his lands. Unbeknownst to the big, burly ork who is their general. Now they're part of the armies of Farque. Though they're carefully watched over. For obvious reasons. After all, they are goblins.
The runner, or messenger as they're sometimes referred to. Who is part of the scouts and rangers battalion in the mercenary army from the lands Farque. Quietly says to the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic "It's obvious we're going to make our first major push".
She gestures at the combined camp of the robber barons armies they're passing through, and quietly adds "Even they're being sent out in numbers now".
The nobleborn knight, who even with his actions in the capital of the kingdom Druvic fifteen months ago, still hasn't been reinstated as a paladin within the order of Saint Mar-che, grunts to that as he looks around at the camp they're walking through.
For once, the large, heavily armoured knight keeps his voice down, as he quietly says to Lis "This lot is as a ragged bunch as I've ever seen". The former earl of Lé Dic in eastern Druvic, continues in a quiet voice with "Like a lot of armies, there's the good and dependable amongst them. But there's an equal amount of riff raff amongst this lot too".
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic or Percy, as he's more commonly called by those who know him. Who is glad that it's only hot, and not humid here in the foothills of the Colevar Mountains. Quietly tells the attractive young woman from the coast of the Southlands "And tis not necessarily the mercenary companies they've hired who are the troublemakers".
The former knight of the first class, then adds "Many of the men in the armies of these so called robber barons are the undisciplined one's who need a good thump into shape".
Lisell Maera slightly winces at that, and hopes that some of those they're walking by didn't hear that. She's learnt that the five men who have combined forces to wage war upon the duke of Phelm, whose duchy is across the border to the south in northern Nastell. Don't like being called robber barons. Even though that is exactly what they are. And she figures their soldiers don't like to be called undisciplined, or riff raff as Percy just described them.
Though as Lis looks around at the camp they're making their way through. That's what she sees in some places.
Maybe she's just too used to the discipline in the armies of Farque. Which she has learnt is extremely strict and exacting. Especially when it comes to the training they undertake. Which she has been told, and what experience she has had of war in the past. Is often far more difficult than a battle itself.
Some of these men, for they're predominantly men, as there isn't a lot of fighting women in the armies of the five robber barons of the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains.
Unlike the mercenary army from the lands Farque, where over a third of the army are female. Are a slovenly bunch, who Lis will soon find herself fighting alongside of. Not to mention, as a runner in the deathlord's mercenary army, she will be giving them orders issued by the officers, and field commanders in the mercenary army from the lands named after the family of undead warlord, Farque.
That lack of discipline is in evidence when they pass a bunch of soldiers, who are in the army of the robber baron Larimer. Who are drinking what's called weak or small beer. Infront of a couple of their tents. Even though it's not yet midday.
One of them reaches out and grabs Lis by the left arm, and says in an inebriated tone "Here lassie, you're a good looking one. How 'bout givin' Locky a kiss".
The attractive teenager from the city-state of Brattonbury easily pulls her arm free as the drunk soldier's drinking buddies laugh. Lisell Maera takes a quick look at sir Percavelle Lé Dic to see if he'll do anything. After all he is an ordered knight, and suppose to come to the aid of a damsel in distress. Though he doesn't here. For the simple reason he doesn't see Lis as a damsel or in distress. He sees her as a member of the group he travels with, who is expected to look after themselves. When she looks at the heavily armoured knight, whose faceplate of his full helm is open and up. He has just an eyebrow arched as he watches to see what Lis will do.
After a quick glance at the trio of following soldiers in the mercenary army from the lands Farque. Who seem composed and waiting, as they watch her. Lisell Maera knows she has to do something. For the simple reason that the soldiers in the armies of the robber barons have to learn who is command of the campaign against duke Hargen of Phelm.
The attractive young woman from the west coast of the Southlands, hears one of the Farqian soldiers quietly say in elven "Just make sure you don't kill him, or any of them for that matter as you teach him a lesson. After all we are fighting for their baron's cause". Lis nods her head in understanding, then she kicks out at the leering drunk who is ogling her. She drops him to the ground with a swift kick to the balls. And as he groans on the ground, and before he can clutch his groin. Lis once again kicks him in the groin.
As the baron's soldier on the ground, rolls onto his side groaning, and dry heaving. His drinking companions infront of the two tents. Surge to their feet in anger. Some surging more quickly than others. Those who have drunk a fair bit of the weak beer this morning. Stumble, more than they surge to their feet.
"Who's next?" asks Lisell Maera, who stands calmly at the threat of a dozen drunk, or near drunk soldiers in the army of the robber baron Larimer rushing her.
"Because if anyone of you lot, or anyone else in your army grabs me, or any other woman here for that matter, in an untoward manner like this drunk prick" says Lis as she points at the groaning soldier on the ground "I'll cut his cock and balls off". With a grin upon his face, and standing in a lazy manner with a gauntleted hand upon the hilt of his sword, sir Percavelle Lé Dic says to dozen soldiers who have faced off against the attractive teenager from the city-state of Brattonbury "You heard the young lady".
The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che continues with "Your manhood shall be sliced from your bodies if you attempt such gauche behaviour upon her or any others of the fairer sex who happen to be in camp".
And though most of the drunkards are now more hesitant to do anything now that the large, heavily armoured knight has spoken up. Two of them rush Lis after the fellow upon the ground gasps out "Get the bitch" in between his groaning.
Lisell Maera steps to one side, then puts out her right foot. Tripping over one of the robber baron's soldiers who rush her. As that fellow tumbles forward, and falls flat on his face. The attractive teenager from the coast of the Southlands spins to her left, dropping down as she does so. And the second of the baron's soldiers who has rushed her. Dives completely over her head, and lands on his face too. He earns a kick in the side from Lis. While Percy stands upon the left hand of the other soldier who rushed the attractive young woman who is a runner in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
As that soldier in the army of the robber baron Larimer's army screams in pain as the heavily armoured knight's steel boot crushes his left hand. Lisell Maera says to the others who are a hell of a lot more circumspect now that there's three of their comrades on the ground, injured and incapacitated. "I did warm you" as she pulls out her dagger from it's sheath on her belt.
There's a momentary pause, then they hurry forward, and grab their three fellow soldiers in the robber baron Larimer's army, and quickly pick them up off the ground, and hurry them away into the two tents behind them.
"Hmmmm" murmurs the former earl of Lé Dic after the robber baron's soldiers hurry back into their tents. The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che taps his fingers upon the hilt of his sword, then says to the attractive young woman who is a runner in the armies of Farque "Me thinks some of these so called soldiers will need to be taught more of such lessons as we march to war".
Percy turns and looks at Lis, then with a grin upon his face, the nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic says "I knowst the person who shall deliver such lessons to these uncouth layabouts" with the grin still upon his face, he adds "I, the great sir Percavelle".
After rolling her eyes, Lisell Maera tells the former paladin "No doubt you will Percy". Then after she glances back at the trio of Farqian soldiers, who are all suppressing grins as they look at the heavily armoured knight, Lis says "Let's get moving then" as she gestures to the north in the valley, where the mercenary army from the lands Farque is camped.
"Let's indeed" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic who is now more enthused about proceedings this morning. As he's now found something to keep him occupied instead of thinking about a certain ork warleader and his goblin army.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, and the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic. Along with the three soldiers from the lands Farque. Continue on their way through the camp of the robber barons armies as they make their way to their own camp . . . . . .