The Hire 49.

The City Of Savariss. The Duchy Of Phelm. The Kingdom Of Nastell...

As he looks down at those continuing to enter the northern gates of the city. A dead tired commander Berric asks "How many are here?".
"Too many" is the reply of his younger brother Gallene, the captain of the castle guard, who then adds "Which isn't such a bad thing really, considering what's coming this way".
The older brother sourly smiles, though he can't help but agree with his younger brother Gallene.
The younger of the two swordmasters, then says "With those who were with you still trickling in". He then points away to the northeast, and adds "And with the remnants of general Palamé's army showing up too" the guard captain briefly pauses before continuing with "We'll need every damn one of them to withstand a siege".
The swordmaster Berric yawns, while just away to his left, his subcommander Omrick is leaning against a turret wall, fast asleep. As they only arrived here in the city of Savariss a little while ago.
After traveling basically nonstop for more than two and half days straight.
The commander of the personal guard of duke Hargen looks at his younger brother, and quietly tells him "It was the right thing you did concerning the duke" he pauses for a moment, before adding "I should've thought of it".
The younger sibling, who like his brother, isn't particularly tall, nor muscular. Slightly nods his head, then quietly says "Those of us here are just going to blunt the enemy, and hope we can keep them occupied for as long as possible".
Captain Gallene continues with "The duke continuing on to the south is the only thing that might save his duchy falling into the hands of those bastards from across the border".
Commander Berric nods to that. And is glad that his younger brother suggested to duke Hargen when he turned up in Savariss yesterday morning. To continue southwards to Almaic, the capital of the duchy of Phelm. Which is in the south of the duchy.
The officers in his personal guards who accompanied duke Hargen from the site of the battle, to the city of Savariss. Immediately agreed with the guard captain. And they too talked the duke into continuing onwards to the south.
"You should take your men after you get a bit of rest, and continue south" says Gallene, who is the captain of the castle guard, which also includes the city guard.
"After all, your place is at the side of the duke" adds the younger of the two brothers who are swordmasters. A bit of a rare occurrence in a kingdom such as Nastell, considering they're common born, and not of the nobility.
The commander of duke Hargen's personal guard is silent as he first looks directly to the north, and the road that comes out of the last of the foothills of the Colevar Mountains in this part of the duchy.
The road that he and his men were on not so long ago, as they fled south from the site of the battle.
There's a trickle of soldiers and mercenaries in the duke's army coming down that road at the moment.
Commander Berric knows that hardly anymore will come from that direction.
Unlike to the northeast when he looks in that direction. To the road there, that sweeps around from the side of one of the last foothills.
On that particular road, is quite a number of the duke's soldiers and mercenaries. Part of the army that was under the command of general Palamé.
Who have only started showing up here in Savariss since just before midday, as they've had further to travel than those in the army led by general Yarmane and lord Chesié.
Two armies defeated, commander Berric thinks to himself as he watches the remnants of two defeated armies coming down the two roads to the north that lead to the only city in northern Phelm.
Could it get any worse? Berric the swordmaster thinks to himself, who then turns to his younger brother, and quietly tells him "No, we'll stay here" followed by "And help you defend the city and castle".
The captain of the castle guard just nods, as he was expecting an answer like that. As family bonds are strong with his brother Berric.
Who won't leave him behind to face what's coming. And the fact that the commander of duke Hargen's personal guards, oldest son is also in the castle guard.
The older sibling nods to the road directly to the north, and quietly tells his brother "The first of them will show up out of the foothills later this afternoon" followed by "They fought the rearguard this morning, and wiped out a lot of them".
Swordmaster Berric then gestures to the busier road to the northeast, then adds "They'll have to hurry up, because you'll have to shut the gates once the enemy get within range".
Swordmaster Gallene slightly winces, then quietly says "I know" he continues with "Any of that lot from general Palamé's army who don't get within the city in time, will have to take their chances and continue southwards".
The older of the two brothers nods in agreement, then says "That means we have to make sure the enemy, coming down both roads, attack us here in the city" followed by "And not go around us".
"Should be interesting" dryly murmurs the captain of the castle guard, who then tells his older brother "More mercenaries have shown up here everyday since you lot went north" followed by "A lot of them i sent up to where you were".
Commander Berric nods that this happened, and he nods again when his younger brother tells him "The rest i kept here just incase things didn't go as planned".
"Good thing you did" dryly says the older of the two swordmasters, as the city is teeming with armed men. Soldiers and mercenaries from two armies that have been defeated in battle recently.
And recently hired mercenaries who have yet to be in battle against the enemy. Along with the army garrison here in Savariss, as well as the castle and city guard.
"When word got here that both of our armies were defeated, i started sending the common people south" says the swordmaster Gallene, who then adds "Starting with those who won't be that important to the defence of the city, like the refugees who've turned up since the start of summer".
Commander Berric sees the logic of this. As the less important and ineffective people in the city during a siege, the better. As it won't put a burden upon the stores and supplies in the city. As well as those who are actually defending it.
The older brother knows that his younger brother sent their families south at this time. With only swordmaster Berric's oldest son remaining.
And though the captain of the guard would of liked to of sent his nephew away to the south. He knows it wouldn't of been fair to give him preferential treatment. When so many other young guards and soldiers would of had to remain.
"Lord Chesié will command" says commander Berric, who then quietly adds "But we all know you'll be the one who'll actually command the defence of the city".
Captain Gallene nods to that, then he calls out to one of his officers further along the north wall, saying "Send out riders to tell that lot to hurry up!".
The captain of the guard who is pointing to the road to the northeast of the city adds "Tell them the enemy will show up later this afternoon!".
"Well there it is" says the squad leader Barron, who then adds "Savariss" as they make their way around a bend in road to the side of a hill, and the city comes into view about four miles away to the southwest.
"Bit bigger than i thought it would be" says Shawtus McQuade, both his cousin Smawfri, along with Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy nod in agreement with the slightly older, and slightly taller dwarven warrior.
"They must be from the other army" says Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy who gestures away to their right. To a road about five miles away to the west, that comes directly out of the foothills to the north of the city of Savariss.
There, on this clear summer's day. Even the humans in the squad can see those on the other road heading to the nearby city. It helps that the surrounding countryside is pretty much well flat now that they're out of the last of the foothills of the Colevar Mountains.
"There's a hell of a lot less of them over there, than here" says Smawfri McQuade "Aye" says his cousin Shawtus in agreement, as the road they're on is far busier than the one further to the west.
As they walk towards the city of Savariss in the early afternoon sunshine, on what's another hot, and sunny day in the north of the duchy of Phelm.
Dalinvardél Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well. Which is also the name he's going by as he's infiltrated duke Hargen's army.
Quietly says to the young squad leader, and the two dwarven cousins who are walking at the front of their small squad "Riders from the city approaching".
Barron who spots a number of the riders, see that they're from the city and castle guard of Savariss "Castle guards" says the squad leader, who then asks "What are they calling out to those they're riding by?".
It takes the spy Tanith a few moments to hear over the noise of those on the road, but he eventually hears what the riders are calling out as they head this way.
The dwarven cousins hear it too, and Shawtus mutters "Shit" followed by Smawfri muttering "Fuck". Then the two of them mutter in unison "Shit fuck".
Barron hears this, and winces. Then the young squad leader who hails from the south of the duchy of Phelm, glances sideways at the elf from the principality of Alínlae, and quietly says to him "That bad is it?".
"Bad enough" quietly says the elven spy in the Farqian mercenary army who has infiltrated the army of duke Hargen, Dalin with a slight gesture towards the road further to the west, continues with "The enemy is expected there sometime later this afternoon".
The elf who was in the service of one of the more prominent noble houses in his homeland of Alínlae, then adds "If those of us on this road don't get a hurry on, and the enemy show up the city gates will be closed to us. And we'll be forced to go around Savariss and continue southwards at our own peril".
"Do we want to go south?" quietly asks Barron as he looks at Dalin, then Shawtus and Smawfri.
"Well if we had mounts i might suggest we do that" says the elven spy who is passing himself off as a mercenary ranger from the principality of Alínlae. "But it's probably best to get to the safety of the city" adds Dalinvardél Tanith.
"Aye 'tis best" says Shawtus McQuade, his slightly younger and slightly shorter cousin Smawfri grunts in agreement with him.
"Well that's settled then" says the squad leader from southern Phelm, who continues with "We make for the city".
Barron then gives the order to quick march, then after a while to jog. Those riders who have come from the city, don't even bother to call out to them to hurry up as they ride past.
They just continue on, and call out to the next bunch of soldiers and mercenaries in duke Hargen's army on this road heading to the city of Savariss.
They make good time, and get to the east gates of the city just before mid afternoon.
Barron leads the squad into the city of Savariss. Which they find to be far busier than a city this size would normally be. A city that resembles more of an armed camp than a normal walled city.
An officer in the castle guard, seeing that they're fairly well equipped, armed and supplied. More so than just about any of the others in the retreating army that was led by general Palamé, that's entering the city.
Tells them to report to the marshalling yard at the northern barracks of the city guard. There they'll be given orders to do where they'll be assigned in the defence of the city.
It takes them a while to get to those barracks. Firstly none of them know the city that well. With only two in the squad who have actually passed through briefly in the past.
And secondly because the McQuade cousins stop at a tavern. Where they pay an exorbitant price for two small barrels of ale.
Not that they care the local tavern keepers have put up their prices. As the two dwarven warriors from the Sunreach Mountains have plenty of coin to spend.
When they finally get to the marshalling yard at the northern barracks of the city guard. Another officer, this one in the army that was led by lord Chesié and general Yarmane, which was also defeated in battle. The exact same morning that the army they were part of was defeated.
Assigns them, for the moment to the north wall of Savariss. For the simple reason they've got a trio of non humans in their squad. Whose eyesight would be best suited to be used as lookouts in the direction the enemy is coming from.
A runner shows them to the north wall of the city, and gives them over to another officer, who tells them how they're to be deployed.
For now they're assigned to one of the towers along the wall, and they're to watch the foothills to the north of Savariss. Which means Dalin, Shawtus and Smawfri are to watch. As they're the only ones in the squad who can see the foothills five miles away to the north with clarity.
As most of the squad sit and rest in the shade that the tower offers at this time of the day.
And as the McQuade cousins broach one of their ale barrels, and start drinking from it. Which immediately puts them in a much better mood than they have been in since well before the battle got underway, that the army led by general Palamé eventually lost.
Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy looks away to the north, while beside him, Barron the squad leader leans forward across the top of the wall, as he looks to the north.
Dalin who has already spotted his fellow soldiers in the Farqian mercenary army on the last of the foothills to north of the city of Savariss.
Doesn't say anything about them yet, and instead says to Barron "It will be a pretty full on siege to take on a city this size".
"And we'll be in the thick of it, if we're permanently assigned to this wall" says the young squad leader.
The spy Tanith nods to that, then as he sees a number of mounted foreriders in the mercenary army from the lands Farque. Riding down the road out of the foothills directly to the north of Savariss.
And figuring that another non human, or someone with an eyepiece, or a spellcaster will spot them any moment.
Says to the young squad leader from the south of Phelm "Well, i guess they'll be closing the gates fairly soon".
"Oh?" says Barron, while Dalin looks around, and spots some officers away to the right, closer to the north gates of the city, and he calls out to them "Enemy on the road approaching the city!".
Well that got them stirred up, the elven spy in the Farqian mercenary army thinks to himself, as orders are shouted out by those officers, now that the enemy are in sight of the city of Savariss . . . . . .