The Hire 38.

The Southern Reaches. In The North Of The Duchy Of Phelm...

Looking over to his right, Darid Parsen the cavalry commander says "Nothing" in reply to field commander Leivyn asking him "Any word come in overnight from the scouts?".
The attractive woman who is the commander of the scouts and rangers division in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, and who is one of the three field commanders in the Farqian mercenary army, slightly grimaces as she looks away to the south as the sun continues to rise on what feels like it will be another hot day here in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains.
"We have to press on councilor" quietly says the field commander, who like the cavalry officer, is speaking elven.
Commander Parsen nods his head, then tells the small, lithe woman who commands this army that's come south from the unruled lands, into the kingdom of Nastell "I'll lead my patrol out after the scouts".
The field commander nods her head, and as the cavalry commander is about to ride away, she quietly tells him "I'm sure Axe will find her".
Darid Parsen just nods, then puts his heels to his mount. And rides forward to rejoin his patrol, who are further ahead on the road that goes through this part of the north of the duchy of Phelm.
It's now been two nights and two full days, going into the third day, that the runner Lisell Maera has been missing. Along with the robber baron Gergus, and the robber baron's second in command, Hammind,
The cavalry commander, who is a member of the personal council of lord Farque. Couldn't care less about the robber baron and his second being missing.
Since they've been gone, his army has been following field commander Leivyn without complaint. Being leaderless will do that. And it isn't a surprise to either commander Parsen, and field commander Leivyn. That the army of robber baron Gergus turned to their leadership instead of the leadership of the other robber baron with them, Solomard.
For though five of the robber barons of the unruled lands in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains to the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
Have decided to band together to wage a war against the duke of Phelm, duke Hargen. They don't usually work together. And having another robber baron take command of another's army is just unheard of.
So it was by default that once Gergus the robber baron went missing. His army would automatically follow the Farqian mercenary army without question.
Be that as it may, and commander Parsen couldn't care less about the loss of the robber baron Gergus and his second in command Hammind.
He does care about the loss of Lisell Maera. The young woman who is originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, and is now a runner and messenger in the armies of Farque.
For the cavalry commander, who over fifteen months ago, was a foot soldier in the army of the lady Linara Lé Dic in the kingdom of Druvic. Who in actual fact, 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. Was to keep an eye on Lisell Maera, to make sure she didn't get into trouble.
True, Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman knows that in a campaign of war, anything could happen. After all, Darid Parsen died in the battle for castle Lé Dic fifteen months ago. As did the body Zubutai Timaginson was previously in, that being Riley Hait the mercenary ranger.
But nevertheless, he knows he had to keep the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury at least alive. And now she's missing, and he has no idea if Lis is alive or dead.
"We continue on?" asks Kalleb, the second in command of the cavalry patrol when Darid Parsen rejoins them. Nodding his head, the cavalry commander calls out the order "Ride on!".
The patrol moves out at a trot, and soon leaves behind the rest of the army that field commander Leivyn leads.
Since regrouping after the battle at the large village of Dalbar Falls, where Lisell Maera and Gergus the robber baron went missing.
They've continued to travel further south into this part, the northeastern part of the duchy of Phelm. Finding very little resistance from the enemy.
Who are preoccupied with the two other armies that have come down from the unruled lands, that are further to the west in the northern most duchy in the kingdom of Nastell.
This is mostly due to the terrain here in this part of the duchy of Phelm. For though there's a smattering of farmland further to the west in the north of Phelm.
There's very little here in the northeast. Nor is the state of the roads particularly good in this area of the duchy. While the foothills here, though dry like elsewhere in the north of the kingdom. Are far more heavily forested compared to further west in Phelm.
Duke Hargen and his military leaders have put the least amount of his army in this part of the duchy for the simple reason that he thought the robber barons wouldn't be bothered coming this way.
And if they did, there wouldn't be many of them. Which was intended, as the armies from the unruled lands in the southern reaches sent the least amount of raiding parties down into this part of Phelm, before the armies set of from the valley where they congregated further north in the Colevar Mountains.
As they head south along a road, that isn't really a road, more of a very basic cart track than anything else.
The cavalry patrol occasionally encounter one of the scouts and rangers who are far in advance of the rest of the army this morning so far.
They briefly stop and speak with those scouts as they continue southwards. Wanting to know if any of the enemy are in the vicinity, but so far this morning, there's none.
As the sun continues to rise in a sky that has very few clouds in it. The patrol led by councillor Parsen makes it's way through what's basically a forest.
Like elsewhere in the foothills of the Colevar Mountains. When an area is heavily wooded. The trees aren't particularly thick or close together.
And the ground beneath them is just as dry and brown as elsewhere.
Especially here, as the rain from a few days ago, didn't last as long, or was as heavy here, as it was further to the north.
They're riding between the trunks of the trees, when Varric, the one scout with the patrol at the moment, quietly calls a stop.
Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, who has been riding towards the rear. Moves forward, and joins his second in command, Kalleb at the front.
They've stopped near a creek, and what can only be described as a brook. There the cavalry commander finds the patrol's other scout. The water elemental spouter, Zaneff. Standing in the creek.
The water elemental who went ahead during the night, gestures away to the south, and west.
"There's a small village, well hamlet really" says Zaneff the water elemental spouter, who continues with "That way" he then adds "Just under a mile away".
"Any of them?" asks commander Parsen referring to the enemy "None" replies Zaneff, who briefly pauses, before continuing with "Though they've gone through in the past week or so" the scout briefly pauses once more, then adds "Heading further to the west and north".
Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks at the water elemental who is the lead scout of the patrol, and quietly asks him "How bad?".
"Let's just say, the robber barons armies minus us leading them, would of been more easier on them than they were" is the quietly reply of Zaneff the scout.
"Fuck" mutters the cavalry officer with a slight grimace, who then asks the spouter, the most powerful of the water elementals "How many survived?".
"Half I'd say" is the reply of the non human from the coast of the lands Farque, who then adds "The other half might of had the better of it. For they took all their food and stores. Those left alive will most likely perish from starvation in this hot summer" Zaneff then says after a momentary pause "Unless they've got some particular talented hunters there".
The water elemental looks around between the trees, with it's brown undergrowth, if you can call it an undergrowth, and he says "Though there isn't much of the way of game around".
The member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, nods for the water elemental to lead the way to the nearby village, asking him "What's their best chance?".
"To leave" answers Zaneff, who is the only member of the cavalry patrol without a horse, as he can move way quicker than any horse when he wants to.
"To where?" asks Darid Parsen "South to Halvíc" is the reply of the led scout in the patrol, who then adds "But since we're more or less going there. I'd suggest even further south and west to the city of Savariss" he briefly pauses, then continues on with "But from the maps, that's a fair distance away. And very few of them would make it there on foot".
Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson nods in agreement to that. Then he remains silent as he thinks things through as Zaneff leads them to the nearby village.
Which turns out to be more of a hamlet alright. As it's nestled in a valley between two of the forested foothills. Some distance from what passes as a road in the area. The hamlet is joined to the road by a trail. That goes over one of the hills.
As they stop amongst the trees on one of the hills. And look down at the hamlet in the valley.
They can see the destruction wrought by the passing of some of duke Hargen's army.
For though the duke's army is to protect the duchy and it's people from the robber barons and their armies. That doesn't mean they won't take anything they need, or want. From their own people, when it suits them. And anyone who gets in their way, or objects. Will suffer the consequences.
Those consequences are evident as the look down upon the hamlet. With at least half of the buildings destroyed in some way. Mostly by fire by the looks of.
A few people can be seen out and about, though far less than one would normally see in a settlement this size. Especially at this time of the morning. Before the day gets too hot.
Having dismounted like his commander, the second in command quietly asks the member of his lord's personal council "What do you want done?".
Darid Parsen is silent for a bit, then he quietly tells Kalleb "Have them gather what possessions they have and leave" the cavalry commander continues with "Force then out if you have to. Then burn it down so that can't return".
"Send them south?" asks the second in command of the patrol, nodding his head, commander Parsen says "Yes" followed by "Tell them to head to Savariss" he then adds "It's their best chance".
Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman knows that the plan is for the two other armies. One led by field commander Tamric Drubine, and the other by field commander Talbot. Is to wipe out the enemy armies they come up against. So they can't fall back and defend the city of Savariss. Which is more than likely, only being defended by the castle and city guard.
That's the plan at least, councilor Parsen dryly thinks to himself, as he knows all too well, that during war, plans hardly work out as intended.
"Best to have them travel early in the morning, and at night in this weather" says Kalleb, Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, nods his head then orders "See to it".
As Kalleb leads most of the patrol down into the valley, to the hamlet. The cavalry commander knows that those who are still in the hamlet. Don't have much to fear from the armies of the robber barons.
As the Farqian mercenary army have got a firm control upon them.
It's anymore of their own army, duke Hargen's army. Who might come this way, they should be fearful of.
Because they'll take even more from them if they can. And they don't care if they do so. Especially if they've got mercenaries they can't keep inline.
As screams and shouts can be heard coming from the locals as they see the riders approaching the hamlet.
Commander Parsen orders the two scouts Zaneff and Varric to keep an eye on things. And to make sure none of the inhabitants of the hamlet try to flee in any direction but south.
Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman takes a stroll through the trees when he sees some of the patrol put some of the already damaged buildings to the torch.
After wandering through the trees for a little while, mainly thinking about if Lisell Maera will be found alive by the undead wardog Axe.
Councilor Parsen returns to where the remainder of the patrol have been watching the hamlet in the valley below.
That entire hamlet is well and truly on fire when the cavalry commander returns from his walk. And in the distance, he spots a line of desperate looking people trudging their way up the otherside of the valley, heading south.
"Mount up" orders Darid Parsen to the rest of the patrol. And once they're upon their horses. With the exception of Zaneff the water elemental.
They head down into the valley to rejoin the rest of the patrol with Kalleb, who forced the locals out of their hamlet, and sent them off to the south.
Once the patrol is together again, the cavalry commander looks away to the left, to where Zaneff is amongst the trees, well away from the burning hamlet.
Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods for the lead scout to go south. The water elemental disappears in a fine spray of water drops.
Then the member of the personal council of lord Farque then says to his second in command "Onwards to the south". Kalleb nods, then calls out the order "Move out!".
The cavalry patrol in advance of the army led by field commander Leivyn head off, riding south, riding away from the burning hamlet behind them . . . . . .