The Hire 52.

The Duchy Of Phelm. The City Of Savariss...

"That's why they haven't done anything since they arrived yesterday" says lord Chesié from a top of a tower in the north of the city of Savariss.
The senior most noble in the city at this time, who like the others on top of the tower, is looking away to the northeast, adds "They were waiting for another damn army to show up".
"Three of them" mutters Berric the commander of duke Hargen's personal guard, as he watches the third enemy army to show up, making it's way towards the northern most city in the duchy of Phelm.
Which makes it the northern most city in the entire kingdom of Nastell.
Lord Chesié looks at commander Berric, and his younger brother Gallene, both of whom are swordmasters.
"Seems we've got a slight situation on our hands" dryly says the lord to the two senior most commoners in the duchy of Phelm.
Both brothers, smile almost an identical looking smile at the humour of the nobleman who is from further south in the duchy.
Lord Chesié glances at the others nearby here on top of the tower, this fine, clear and rather hot summer's day, then he looks at the two swordmasters standing next to him.
"Well out with it" quietly says the nobleman who has found himself in command of the defence of the city of Savariss.
"What are our chances now?" asks the lord, who then tells the two brothers who were born and raised here in Savariss "The truth now".
After a quick glance at one another, it's the younger of the two brothers who answers.
"Not good" quietly says Gallene the captain of the castle and city guard, who continues with "Infact I'd say, we have no chance" he follows that with "The best we can hope for is to delay them for as long as possible".
After a moment's silence, the commander of duke Hargen's personal guard, nods his head in agreement with his younger brother, the captain of the guard.
"I had a feeling you'd say something like that" mutters the lord with a slight grimace upon his face, then the nobleman, who was one of the few of the nobility to support the swordmaster Berric in becoming the commander of duke Hargen's personal guard, says "Well, we had better make them pay dearly now, don't you think?".
Both brothers, who are themselves, sons of a swordmaster, nod in agreement with the nobleman from further south in the duchy.
Then the captain of the castle guard says "I wonder how this lot will set themselves up?".
"And i wonder what that lot will do too" adds the older brother who commands the duke's personal guard.
The swordmaster Gallene, and lord Chesié see that commander Berric is pointing towards those of the enemy in the newly arrived army, in black tabbards and cloaks, many of whom are out infront of the rest of them.
"Same mercenary army as that other lot you told me about?" asks swordmaster Gallene, his older brother Berric nods his head yes, then says "That's them" followed by "A hard and thorough lot if I've ever seen any" he then adds "And to think they're mercenaries".
"Tough bastards" quietly says lord Chesié who like commander Berric, saw the mercenaries attired in black. Up close, when the army they were with further north in the duchy. Were defeated in battle by the enemy, who is predominantly made up of soldiers and mercenaries of the robber barons of the unruled lands to the north of Phelm. In their case, it was the men of the robber baron Markell they faced.
"Well we're outnumbered now, and amongst them they've got mercenaries who are far more competent and adept at war than any of our forces" quietly says the nobleman who is from further south in the duchy of Phelm, who then adds in a slightly dry tone "And for that matter, in their army too".
The swordmasters who are siblings, nod their heads in agreement with the lord, who quietly tells them "Be that it may, you are right captain Gallene, we have to make them pay dearly for taking the city" he then adds "We have to give the duke more time so he can raise an even bigger army to confront this lot from north of the border".
Commander Berric watches the newly arrived army, then looks at the enemy who are already here. And are arrayed to the north of Savariss, just out of range of the war machines in the city.
Well, this could be it, the older of the two swordmasters thinks to himself, as he contemplates that he along with his younger brother, as well as his oldest son, who serves in his younger brother's castle guard.
Could very well meet their fate in the coming days as the siege of Savariss gets underway.
"Think they'll send a herald and demand terms?" muses lord Chesié, the commander of duke Hargen's personal guard, shrugs his shoulders then says "I have a feeling they won't".
The swordmaster who is the senior most commoner in the duchy, continues with "They didn't when they attacked the army we were with" he then adds "And from what others have said, nor did they send a herald when general Palamé's army was attacked". Lord Chesié grunts, then quietly says "That's true" followed by "Unfortunately" the nobleman then adds "I was hoping to delay them some more with a pretense of negotiations".
"That's not such a bad idea" says captain Gallene, who continues with "Though since they probably won't send a herald to negotiate, why don't we send one of ours to them".
Both commander Berric, and lord Chesié raise an eyebrow at this, and the younger of the two swordmasters, who is the captain of castle and city guard, tells them "We might be able to stall them if we do".
"There is that" murmurs the senior most noble left, not just in the city of Savariss, but the entire north of the duchy of Phelm.
"Who should we send though?" quietly says the lord "Me" answer both brothers who were born here in Savariss, and grew up here.
The lord sourly smiles as he looks at the swordmasters, and he tells them "I'd not put either one of you in anymore danger than necessary".
The commander of duke Hargen's personal guard shrugs his shoulders, then says "I don't mind" followed by "Besides i can assess their commanders if i go".
His younger brother Gallene goes to speak, and he interrupts him, by saying first "No, you will not go" followed by "The defence of the city depends on you, not me".
"I agree" says lord Chesié, who looks at the younger swordmaster and adds "You are more important than anyone of us" the nobleman, who is admitting who is really in charge of the defence of Savariss, continues with "You will not put yourself in anymore risk than is necessary" followed by "That's an order".
Gallene, who might be in charge of the defence of the city, knows that he has to obey a direct order from a senior noble of not just Phelm, but the entire kingdom. Which lord Chesié is.
And though he could ignore the orders of a lesser noble, which he does all the time. He won't with the lord who has remained here in Savariss to help defend it.
"Yes my lord" says the captain of the guard "Good" says the nobleman, who is only in his early forties, only a few years older than swordmaster Berric, who he tells "And you can forget about it too Berric" lord Chesié continues with "We'll send someone else".
"Who?" asks the commander of duke Hargen's personal guard, who then says "It better not be you" commander Berric briefly pauses, before adding "My lord".
"Hardly" dryly says the nobleman who has two defeated armies within the city's walls, and outside of the walls, thevenemy armies that defeated them a few days ago in battle. Not to mention a third enemy army.
"I'm not that brave" adds the lord, who continues with "I know an officious court functionary, who got caught up in our battle with the enemy" lord Chesié follows that with "He got stuck here in the city when we arrived, and wasn't able to get out with the last of those who left just as the enemy showed up".
The gates of Savariss have been firmly shut since the enemy first appeared yesterday just after noon.
And no one has been able to leave or enter since. All so those defending the city believe.
"What's he doing?" asks the squad leader Barron, who continues with "Saw him do it a number of times when we were out patrolling".
"Oh he's praying or meditating to his gods" is the reply from Smawfri McQuade, who after a moments thought, adds "The tree gods i think".
"Forest gods" says Shawtus McQuade, who is always glad to correct his slightly younger, and slightly shorter cousin "It's the forest gods" adds the older of the dwarven warriors, who hail from the Sunreach Mountains.
"Whatever" mutters Smawfri McQuade, who then turns to the young squad leader from southern Phelm, and tells him "That's what he's doing".
Barron nods his head, as they sit beneath the overhanging branches of a tree in a park in the north of the city of Savariss.
They're not on lookout duty at the moment. And the small squad that Barron leads, has taken a section of this park as their own, and have set up camp here, as others in the army of duke Hargen have done.
For the simple reason that the barracks are full and overflowing. And a lot of the other accommodation in the city the army has taken over and is using, is a lot to be desired. Besides it's cooler outside in the open, beneath the shade of the trees. Than it is inside, on what's another hot summer's day here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
Nothing much has happened, apart from word that another enemy army has started turning up. This one slightly larger than the two that are already here, just to the north of the city.
By now everyone in Savariss knows they're badly outnumbered by the enemy who have come down from the unruled lands of the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains. Especially now that a third army has shown up.
Barron, who though young. Can work it out. That those here in the city of Savariss. Can at best, only delay the enemy for as long as possible. Making them use up their time and effort in taking the city. Before moving on, to further south in the duchy. To get into the more populated and more fertile land to be found in Phelm.
As the two dwarven cousins share a small barrel of ale between themselves as they sit beneath a large sprawling tree.
The young squad leader from the south of the duchy of Phelm. Looks across a bit of open ground. To a small clump of trees, which under the branches of, sits the elven mercenary ranger from the principality of Alínlae, by the name if Dalin.
Who is sitting there, cross legged, eyes closed. With his hands open, palm upwards, on his thighs.
The elf, who has basically been the scout for the small squad that is led by Barron. Is sitting there, murmuring away in the language of the elves.
And though the young squad leader, as well as the dwarven cousins. Not to mention the rest of the squad. All think Dalin is softly praying to his forest gods, as they've seen him do before as they traveled throughout the north of Phelm.
He is doing something entirely different from that. For Dalin, or Dalinvardél Tanith as his full name is given. Is in quiet conversation with someone.
"I heard" murmurs Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy, he continues in his native tongue with "Commander Leivyn's army".
Hovering close to the spy Tanith, is the ground pixie Narladene, who is only visible to the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae.
"There's more" says Narladene the ground pixie, who speaks in a whisper due to there being a pair of dwarves just forty yards away.
The naturally magical creature then goes onto explain to the spy Tanith what else is being planned for the taking of the city of Savariss.
A city that the robber barons who have hired the mercenary army from the lands Farque. Want pretty much left intact, and not destroyed.
Dalinvardél Tanith, or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well. It's also the name he's going by here in duke Hargen's army, which he's infiltrated.
Listens in silence as to why the robber barons of the unruled lands of the southern reaches to the north of the kingdom of Nastell, want Savariss left more or less intact.
That's going to make for a bloody battle if that's so, Dalin thinks to himself, the elf who once served in one of the more prominent noble houses in his homeland of Alínlae, sitting with his eyes closed, nods his head in agreement with Narladene who has just voiced his exact thoughts.
The tiny winged creature, still speaking in a whisper in the elven language, then details the current plans for taking the city of Savariss.
"Though they could very well change" dryly whispers the ground pixie who is attached to Helbe the elven thief.
The naturally magical creature who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains, then whispers to the elven spy who hails from the principality of Alínlae "If someone doesn't come for you" Narladene continues on with "You might want to get out of the city and head south as the city falls".
The tiny winged creature, who plans to give that same warning to the other spies in the Farqian mercenary army, who have infiltrated duke Hargen's army, and find themselves here in the city of Savariss, which there are three others.
Then tells the spy Tanith "It might not be all that safe here once the city is breached and entered" that ground pixie adds "And the robber barons soldiers and mercenaries don't know you".
Dalinvardél Tanith slightly nods his hooded head again as he sits there cross legged, eyes closed, hands open, palm upwards on his thighs, and murmurs "I will".
Then Narladene whispers to the elven spy, when the armies from the unruled lands to the north of the duchy of Phelm and the kingdom of Nastell, led by the mercenary army from the lands Farque. Intend to begin the attack upon the city of Savariss.
Dalin's eyebrows slightly lift in surprise when he hears that, then he murmurs "Commander Leivyn's army is just arriving" followed by "They won't be set up until late this afternoon at best".
"I know" whispers the naturally magical creature, who follows that with "So be ready" she then adds "And remember, be careful".
The elven spy from the principality of Alínlae, who is posing as a mercenary ranger from his homeland whilst here in the army of duke Hargen of Phelm. Slightly nods his head to that, and murmurs "I will".
The ground pixie vanishes from his sight. She has dived into the ground, and is moving off to elsewhere in the city that's under siege. Where she will speak with another of the spies in the the Farqian mercenary army who has infiltrated duke Hargen's army.
Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy opens his eyes, stretches, then stands up after it appears he's come to the end of his contemplation and prayers.
The spy Tanith walks over to the large, sprawling tree that the squad leader Barron and the McQuade cousins, Shawtus and Smawfri are sitting beneath. The elf who is originally from the principality of Alínlae, sits down in the shade next to the young squad leader.
"So with this new lot joining them, when do you think they'll finally attack Dalin?" asks Barron the squad leader who has already asked the same question to the McQuade cousins, who have given him various answers to it.
With a shrug of his shoulders, the spy Tanith says "I have no idea really" Dalin who infact does know exactly when the city of Savariss is going to be attacked by those who have laid siege to it, silently adds, early this evening . . . . . .