The Hire 33.

The Kingdom Of Nastell. The Duchy Of Phelm. The Southern Reaches Of The Colevar Mountains...

"This is as a good of place as any" says commander Berric, who then adds "Infact it's better than that" the commander of duke Hargen's personal guard continues with "The general did well picking it. We've bottled them up in this valley. If they want to try and go around, then we'll have a good go of it attacking their rear and flanks".
The commander gestures to the northern side of the valley where the enemy are located, and he says "And they know it" he briefly pauses before continuing with "They've got just the one option, and that's through us".
After nodding his head in agreement with his commanding officer, subcommander Omrick says "And that's what they're definitely planning to do" as they watch the enemy to the north of them.
Then the two of them glance back behind them, as some of the army start cheering and yelling once more. The duke is doing his rounds again. Walking amongst the men, both his own soldiers, and the many mercenaries his army has hired.
Where ever he's gone since arriving earlier today, he's been cheered and applauded by the soldiers of his army.
The commander of his personal guard isn't against it. Indeed, commander Berric is of the opinion the nobleman who rules the duchy of Phelm in the king's name.
Should get out amongst the men as often as possible. For since duke Hargen, and those who came north with him from the city of Savariss, arrived in camp earlier today.
The soldiers of his army who were already here in the valley. Cheered and saluted the duke, whose family have been the lead nobleborn family in the duchy of Phelm for a number of centuries.
It's good for the morale of the army that the soldiers and mercenaries see duke Hargen amongst them.
Besides, commander Berric is of the opinion that the enemy will be wondering why the army of the duke, has been cheering on and off throughout the day.
And now as the warm afternoon wanes, the army of the robber barons of the unruled lands to the north of the kingdom of Nastell. Are once again wondering why the army of duke Hargen are cheering and hooting with enthusiasm once more.
The commander and subcommander of duke Hargen's personal guard make sure there's a number of their men with the duke as he goes about the army.
And seeing that there is, they go back to looking across the valley to the enemy army from the unruled lands.
"We might outnumber them, especially with those we brought with us from Savariss" quietly says subcommander Omrick, who continues with "But they've got an awful lot of war machines with them".
Berric nods his head in agreement with his second in command. As they can clearly see in the late afternoon sunshine, the amount of war machines the robber barons have amongst their lines.
And that the spellcasters at general Yarmane's disposal. Have said that the enemy even have siege towers and equipment with them. Beyond the valley, on the road to the north of it.
Commander Berric, who suspects the robber baron's plans have them going south from here, to join up with another of their armies which is to the east. And move further south to the city of Savariss. The northern most city in the kingdom of Nastell.
Which no doubt they would like to take. And with the amount of siege towers they have on the road behind them. It's pretty clear that's their intention.
Glances away to the left as they stand upon a platform to the side of one of the palisades. At the western edge of their battlelines. A platform that a heavy ballista that's been brought up from Savariss, will be placed on once it's assembled.
"That hamlet is still more or less intact" quietly says the lean man in his thirties, who leads the personal guard of duke Hargen.
Commander Berric, who along with his company, aren't actually part of the dukedom's army, continues with "Looks like neither side has really tried to gain a foothold there, or attempt to destroy it too".
The commander briefly pauses, before adding in a slightly dry tone of voice "Unlike a fair bit of the rest of the valley".
The wry looking smile upon the face of subcommander Omrick is a sure sign that he agrees with his commanding officer.
For quite a bit of the valley, predominantly the northern and southern parts of the valley. Is pocked marked with craters, of varying sizes.
Where spellcasters from both sides of the conflict. Have unleashed their spells, trying to hit their enemy.
Sometimes successfully, though more often than not, they've missed.
Trees have been felled by spellwork. Burnt, or exploded by spells hitting them. Many have been hit multiple times. As practitioners of magic on both sides of the valley. Try to hit each others battlelines.
With the repair work that's been done, as well as being done at the moment, upon the bulwarks and palisades at the northern and southern ends of the valley show.
Spells at times have hit their targets amongst the enemy lines.
And though small squads, on horseback and on foot, from both sides of the conflict have gone out across the valley at times.
The opposing armies, with the exception of their spellcasters have yet to fully engage against one another.
Commander Berric suspects that will change fairly soon. For the robber barons, have to advance, as they can't stay in their position for a long time.
As they can't resupply as easily or as often as duke Hargen's army. They will have to attack before the duke's army increases in size so much, that it outnumbers their army by quite a bit.
Even now, there's at least two thousand more soldiers on the southern side of the valley than there is on the north. Mostly due to the new arrivals from Savariss that arrived earlier this morning.
The commander of the duke's personal guard, quietly says "I'm surprised they haven't made a strong push already".
"Same here" quietly says subcommander Omrick, who then adds "They're up to something" he briefly pauses before continuing with "Or waiting for something".
Berric nods his head in agreement with his second in command, then the two of them look back up the hill, where behind the battlelines. At the front edge of the warcamp, general Yarmane and lord Chesié have their command tent.
Though the duke is now here with his army, it's his general, and one of his most loyal vassals, who will command this army. As the duke isn't particularly well versed in warfare.
Berric and his second in command, have for the main, kept away from the army's command tent.
For though both general Yarmane and lord Chesié are highly competent. And lord Chesié is one of the few nobles in the duchy the commander of duke Hargen's personal guard would call a friend.
Those senior staff with him, who are of noble birth. Don't particularly care for the common born commander of the duke's personal guard.
Nor do they care for his younger brother Gallene. Who is the captain of the castle guard. Who has remained back in Savariss.
It goes both ways, for commander Berric doesn't particularly care for most of them too. As he's of the opinion that a lot of them are incompetent when it comes to matters of war.
Just as much as they don't like how he, a commoner. Has such an important position in the duke's court.
For though the personal guard of duke Hargen aren't technically part of the dukedom's army. Their commander has a lot of sway with the duke. Who often does what commander Berric suggests, even though he's common born.
The lean commander, son of a traveling swordmaster, who like his younger brother Gallene. Has attained the same rank as their late father. So much so, that the two of them are considered the finest swordsmen in the duchy.
Slightly narrows his eyelids as he looks back up hill, while next to him, his second in command quietly says "Something's happening".
They see a number of people coming from the command tent, heading downhill. Making their way to one of the viewing platforms amongst the battlelines.
While the cheering and shouting amongst parts of the army has died down. A sure sign that the duke has returned to his tent at the rear of the warcamp, on the otherside of the hill.
After a quick look across the valley towards the enemy, commander Berric with a nod of his head towards the viewing platform that those from the command tent are heading towards, quietly says to his second in command "Come on, let's go and see what's happening".
They make their way down off the ballista platform, and followed by two others in the personal guard of duke Hargen. They head to the right through the battlelines, towards the viewing platform that a number of people have climbed up onto. Who include general Yarmane and lord Chesié.
Walking behind the bulwarks and palisades, and the trenches behind them. Commander Berric sees how ready the soldiers and mercenaries in the duke's army are to fight.
To hold back the enemy army from the unruled lands, and not to let them go any further south into the duchy.
For if the robber barons army are defeated here. Those that survive will have to turn around, and head back north. Though that still leaves two other armies of their's further to the east here in the north of Phelm.
But they're faced by two more parts of the duke's fairly substantial sized army. Which has increased in size considerably, due to the amounts of mercenaries that have been hired since a number of the robber barons of the unruled lands in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains, have banded together to wage war upon the duchy of Phelm, and it's duke, duke Hargen.
Berric and his subcommander reach the viewing platform, a wooden tower really, behind one of the bulwarks. About half way down the hill, that takes up a lot of this side of the valley.
The two of them head up the steps at the rear. While the two guards with them, remain down on the ground.
The commander and subcommander in the duke's personal guard stand at the rear of the platform, as general Yarmane, the other commoner in a position of power in the duke's court. Along with lord Chesié, and their senior staff discuss things.
The lean, not particularly tall swordmaster who leads duke Hargen's personal guard looks out across the valley, to the enemy to the north.
And he spots movement from amongst their battlelines as being discussed by the others here on the viewing platform.
"This is the first significant movement of troops they've had since arriving, and setting up their lines" says lord Chesié, a landed knight in his mid forties, who wears half plate armour, that fits well on his large frame, as he stands just over six foot tall.
"This might be the push we've been waiting for" says general Yarmane, a man the same age as the nobleman, though even taller, but leaner. Who wears plate just across his shoulders, to go with the chainmail vest, and leather armour he wears.
The general glances to his right, and says "Anything else?". "Movement away to our left, their right flank" says the sorcerer, who is the general's lead spellcaster.
General Yarmane and lord Chesié look at the officer looking through the large, cylindrical eyepiece that's mounted on a stand to the right, who has turned it in the direction the sorcerer has indicated.
"Movement there as well sirs" says the officer looking through the large, cylindrical eyepiece that cost the duke a small fortune to acquire in the capital.
"A few squads by the looks of it" adds the lookout at the large cylindrical eyepiece.
"Close to the hamlet there" quietly says the nobleman who along with the common born general, is in command of this particular part of duke Hargen's army.
"A number of their spellcasters are over there too" says the sorcerer who is the lead spellcaster in the duke's army here in this part of the duchy.
Lord Chesié looks back at the others on the viewing platform, and says "Thoughts?". Then spotting commander Berric who he didn't know was here on the platform with his subcommander in the duke's personal guard. The landed knight wryly smiles, then says "What say you swordmaster?".
The others on the platform look back, as they too didn't notice the commander and subcommander of duke Hargen's personal guard make their way up onto the platform. Though there isn't any unfriendly looks directed at commander Berric. It's clearly obvious that a few of those on the platform wish the commander, and his subcommander were somewhere else.
"A feint" says commander Berric, who then adds "Sir Chesié". Then the swordmaster who leads duke Hargen's personal continues with "Which one is the feint, who knows?" then he adds "But one of them is going to be their first major advance across the valley".
Nodding his head, general Yarmane says "I agree" followed by "The swordmaster is correct, one is a feint". The general, like lord Chesié, often refer to Berric by his rank, and not his position. They are some of the few who actually do. Which Berric is appreciative of. As his rank is forever. While his position as commander of duke Hargen's personal guard is temporary. Even though he's held it for well over five years.
"Which one though?" quietly says lord Chesié as they all look back across the valley to the enemy battlelines as the sun starts to set in the sky to the west, on what's been a hot day after the previous days of constant drizzle and rain.
"Where about to find out" comments commander Berric as he says what they're all thinking as they watch the enemy battlelines on the northern side of the valley . . . . . .