The Hire 32.

The Duchy Of Phelm. The Kingdom Of Nastell...

"You know Dorc, you can take that off now" says Tamric Drubine pointing at the poncho made from a tent that the large ork is wearing.
"Nah, it might fucken rain again" says Dorc da Orc, which illicits a raised eyebrow from the young field commander in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, who then glances up at the afternoon sky.
A sky that dawned sunny, and pretty much clear this morning. Which has continued throughout the day, with just a smattering of white puffy clouds, passing by once in a while. On what's another hot day here in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains, in the north of the duchy of Phelm.
With the prospect of further rain in the foreseeable future, being pretty much nonexistent. Which hasn't stopped the ork warleader from still wearing the poncho that some of the goblins in his battalion made for him.
Dorc da Orc grunts and looks away to his left, and asks "How much he say they fucken gots again?".
Helbe the elven thief tells the big, burly ork, how many there are in the enemy army to the south, across a patch of relatively clear farmland, here in the north of the duchy of Phelm, the northern most duchy in the kingdom of Nastell.
Dorc or Dorkindle. A name that only his mother used to call him by. Though on occasion, lord Farque has called him by that name too. Grunts after the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, tells him how many are in the enemy army.
Courtesy of a count from Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army. And is amongst them, across the farmland to the south.
"The fucken duke not with them is he?" asks the large ork who hails from the southern polar region of the world.
"No" is the answer from Helbe the elven thief, the elven magic user continues with "Rumour is it, that he's heading north from further south in the duchy, to join one of the other parts of his army. To confront the army led by either field commander Leivyn, or field commander Talbot".
The elven masterthief gestures to the enemy army that's on an incline less than two miles away, and adds "One of his generals is leading that lot".
The ork weaponsmith grunts at that, then he looks at Tamric Drubine, after asking the young elven noble "You gonna kill that cunt?". And getting a nod of the elven princeling's hooded head in answer to that question.
"If you wanna fucken start, then go a fucken head is what i say" says the big, burly ork who is from the wolf tribe of orks, to the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin.
Tamric Drubine, who is more commonly called Tam by those who know him well, nods his head, then says "At dusk we'll begin".
The former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine in northern Sarcrin then tells the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world "Make sure you and your battalion is ready".
"We fucken will be" says the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks, who then grunts at the two nobleborns, one elf and the other human.
Then he turns around and makes his way away from behind the catapult they've been standing near.
Teabagger the goblin cunt, who has been standing nearby. Hurries over, and joins his general, and the two of them head back through the lines. To where their battalion is located out of sight of the enemy.
After briefly watching the large ork, and the small, bright green goblin head back over the hill. Tamric Drubine looks back to the south, to where the enemy is located, and in the elven language he quietly asks "You think this will work?"
"Who knows" says prince Helbenthril Raendril in the same language, the two of them then look to one of the farms between the two opposing armies, and the elven master assassin says "They've been at it since the night before last" he then adds "Narladene informs me the duke's men still don't know about their presence".
"That's something i guess" murmurs the young field commander in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
The two of them are looking at a farmhouse, and some surrounding buildings. They've been abandoned ever since duke Hargen's army first started turning up to counter the army from the unruled lands north of Nastell, that was rumoured to be coming this way.
A barn or a storage shed has been all but destroyed in a fire. And the farmhouse itself is partially damaged. While beneath it is a root cellar.
Where from the first evening after the army led by Tamric Drubine arrived here. Sappers in the engineers corp in the Farqian mercenary army, have been busy labouring away out of sight.
Digging a tunnel through the ground towards the frontlines of the enemy army.
The farmland, a bit of a rarity for northern Phelm. Is on good soil, unlike the hills found throughout the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains, which are made up of predominantly bedrock.
The soil is good for tunneling, something that the army of duke Hargen across the way to the south, hasn't realised.
"If it isn't entirely successful, i doubt they'd expect a night attack" says the young elven noble who is the grandson of the ruling prince of the principality of Laerel "They've been expecting us to attack today, since it's the first fine day we've had since arriving" adds the elven master archer.
Tamric Drubine nods in agreement to that, then the young noble who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, and is now a field commander in the armies of Farque, says to the elven master assassin in a slightly sour tone of voice "I don't know how the robber baron's men are going to fare tonight".
"There will be enough light for them to see by" says Helbe the elven thief, who then adds "I've asked the other spellcasters to light things up a bit in the sky tonight".
The young elven noble who is on the personal council of lord Farque, and who is the envoy between the Farqian mercenary army and the robber barons of the unruled lands to the north of the kingdom of Nastell, then says "If nothing it'll be a distraction to that lot over there" as he gestures to the duke's army that's situated to the south of them.
Tamric Drubine, or Tam as he's more commonly referred to, by those who know him well, nods his head, then asks the elven princeling from Laerel "Has Narladene warned Dalin and the other spies over there".
"She has" says the highly talented elven spellcaster, who then adds "They know to get clear of the front once things have begun".
The elven masterthief briefly pauses, then he quietly says "Even if this doesn't go entirely to plan, we'll definitely put them on the back foot" the elven magic user continues with "Which is definitely an advantage, as they clearly outnumber us, with more of them arriving from the south everyday".
Tam nods his head in agreement to that, then as he's about to mention something else, when one of his subcommanders standing nearby loudly clears his throat.
The nobleborn teenager looks over at him, and he sees the subcommander in the Farqian mercenary army, nod his head back behind them and the catapult they're standing near.
The young field commander glances back, then mutters "Hell" then he quietly says in a dry tone to the member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque "They're more impatient to get underway than Percy" he then adds "Hell even Dorc is more patient" Tam then quietly adds "Though Dorc does know the entire plan".
Prince Helbenthril Raendril of Laerel nods his hooded head in agreement, as he too has spotted the robber barons Almard and Larimer, along with their seconds. Coming down the incline, approaching the catapult the two of them are standing behind.
"It beats me why we haven't attacked them" laments the robber baron Almard to his fellow robber baron Larimer, as they and their seconds head downhill.
"The day dawned fine this morning, and it's been fine all day" continues Almard, who then adds "The men's spirits had lifted since it stopped raining, so it was the opportune time to attack this morning" the robber baron then quietly says "I'm not entirely sure the young field commander knows exactly what he's doing".
"Better be quiet about that" murmurs the robber baron Larimer, the oldest of the five robber barons of the unruled lands of the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains, to band together, and wage war upon the duchy of Phelm, and it's duke.
Larimer who like his fellow robber baron Almard, was against the mercenary army from the lands Farque taking over the command of their campaign against duke Hargen, as per the terms of their agreement of hire.
Quietly says to Almard "Well at least we're attacking, that's something". "But at night" quietly says the robber baron Almard in a disbelieving tone of voice, who continues with "While their numbers increase throughout the day, just like the last two days we've been here".
And though the older robber baron nods in agreement, he murmurs "Shush" to Almard as they approach the catapult that the field commander Tamric Drubine, and the elven envoy Helbenthril Raendril are standing behind.
"Gentlemen" says Tam as the robber barons and their seconds stop behind the catapult "I hope you and your armies are all ready for tonight's endeavours". Almard nods, while the robber baron Larimer says "That they are commander".
"Good" says the nobleborn teenager who is originally from the kingdom of Sarcrin, who along with Helbe the elven thief, hasn't told the two robber barons, whose forces make up most of the army that Tam leads. All of the plans concerning what their army will do tonight.
For the simple reason they can't be trusted. Not because of anything treasonous. But because they might do something on their own. Which they think is better than what's actually planned.
It helps that Helbe the elven thief routinely reads the minds of the two robber barons, their seconds, and their senior officers. To see what they're planning, and what they're up to.
The elven magic user who is constantly shielding himself, so that the spellcasters in the armies of the robber barons, don't know what he's up to.
Keeps Tamric Drubine and his senior staff, regularly informed of what the two robber barons are up to.
And though both Almard and Larimer thought about sending a number of their men across the farmland to test the defences of the enemy, throughout today.
They've kept their armies inline as the young field commander has ordered.
And the only one's that have gone out across what's now been termed no man's land. Are an occasional squad, usually mounted. From both sides of the conflict.
They don't get too close to one another's battlelines. As spellcasters from the opposing armies have been hurling spells across no man's land every so often. Which has kept both armies on their toes.
The nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin, like everyone else in the opposing armies. Knows that he, and the army he leads. Has to do all the running so to speak.
As the duke's army has set up position across the otherside of the farmland, for the simple purpose of not letting him and the army he leads, further south into the duchy of Phelm.
He looks over at the elven masterthief, whose hooded head is slightly tilted to one side as if he's listening to something.
"What is it?" quietly asks Tam in the elven language "Magetubes firing in the distance" is the quiet reply of the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel.
"Airships?" asks the former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine in the kingdom of Sarcrin. While the two robber barons and their seconds, sourly look on as they can't understand the conversation the young field commander and the elven envoy are having.
"Yes" is the reply from the elven princeling "How far?" asks the nobleborn teenager "Over five miles away, because i can't sense it" says the highly talented elven spellcaster, who then adds "To the southwest".
"One of our patrol ships must of run into one of their vessels" quietly says Tamric Drubine, prince Helbenthril Raendril nods his hooded head in agreement to that.
"So" quietly says the young field commander in the Farqian mercenary army, who then adds "Things have gotten underway in the air" he briefly pauses before continuing with "Soon early this evening, those of us on the ground will be in the mix too".
Turning to the robber barons, and switching to the common language so that they can understand him.
Tamric Drubine tells them "If you could see to your men, and make sure everything is still ready for later tonight, i would appreciate it" commander Drubine continues with "Battle will of commenced by then" then he silently adds, because it's already started in the skies . . . . . .