The Hire 69.

Phelm. Nastell...

They continue riding throughout the rest of the day, and only stop late in the evening to make camp.
They encountered a number of the enemy who had escaped the city of Savariss, who they took prisoner.
They sent them back to the following armies, who in turn will send them back to Savariss.
They only fought the once. Late in the afternoon, when a group of about twenty of the enemy they came across, decided to put up a fight.
Which didn't turn out well for those twenty. Who were fighting cavalry on open ground off to the side of the main road that leads south from the city of Savariss.
Seventeen of those twenty were killed in that short fight. The other three were taken prisoner, and sent back to the armies who are following.
They're up early the next morning before dawn. Breaking camp, then into the saddle, and on the road again as they continue southwards, further into the duchy of Phelm, on what looks like it's going to be another clear, hot day here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
The land they're traveling through has more farmland, and is far more genteel in comparison to the north of Savariss, and the foothills of the Colevar Mountain range.
Though as the early morning progresses, they hardly see many people in the fields and on the farms as you would expect to see.
The locals know that an army, enemy to their duke. Is coming south through the duchy. And those who have been able to, have fled further south into the heart of Phelm.
It's still well before midmorning, and at the front of the cavalry company, Darid Parsen the cavalry commander is quietly chatting with his second in command Kalleb. When Lisell Maera rides forward from the rear of the column, and joins them.
"Varric says there's two riders approaching from the north" says Lisell Maera who is a messenger in the armies of Farque "Obviously ours" adds the attractive young woman who originally comes from the city-state of Brattonbury, which is located on the coast of the Southlands.
Commander Parsen nods as he wonders who it is. He knows if it was something important, they would of come forward by way of a magical spell.
So he figures it's another messenger from the army led by general Halvane, telling him of the progress of the following armies.
The cavalry commander who is also a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, has a fair idea that the three smaller armies led by the field commanders, will pass the larger one led by the general, who is the senior most military officer in the Farqian mercenary army, some time today.
The councilor glances at his second in command Kalleb, and nods in agreement with him as he says "They must of rode throughout much of the night to catch up to us".
Just then, the lead scout in the company, the water elemental spouter Zaneff suddenly appears walking beside the cavalry commander, who in actuality, is a hordes barbarian outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit the body of Darid Parsen.
"Two riders approaching from the north" says Zaneff the water elemental spouter "We know" replies Darid Parsen the cavalry commander.
"Do you know who they are?" asks the lead scout in the cavalry company, who continues with "Because i don't think you'll be pleased to see them commander" followed by "Well, you definitely won't be thrilled to see one of them".
Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks sharply at the water elemental. Then the member of lord Farque's personal council winces when he hears Lisell Maera, who is looking back along the road behind them, suddenly mutter "Oh hell".
The cavalry commander sighs before he even looks back. And when he does look back, he sighs again then sourly smiles as he mutters in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra "Fuck me, really?".
The only thing worse commander Parsen could imagine seeing on the road behind them is Dorc da Orc and his goblin battalion. As it is, one of the two riders approaching is almost as bad.
"Where the hell did he get that great big bloody warhorse from?" mutters Darid Parsen, who then sourly smiles as his lead scout Zaneff says "I'm out of here" and turns into mist and takes off.
"Can i go on ahead and check on the other forward scouts?" quickly asks Lisell Maera "No, you can stay right right where you are young lady" is the reply of councilor Parsen who has no intention of letting the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury out of his sight for too long, especially after she went missing for a few days earlier in the campaign.
As Lisell Maera, or Lis as she's more commonly called by those who know her well, sourly smiles. The second in command of the mounted patrol, Kalleb says "I was going to ask the same thing" he continues with "I guess not then?". "You guessed correctly" says Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson who then adds "If i have to endure it, so do you two".
"Well that's not fair" mutters Lis, who then says to the cavalry commander "Tell me, is that one of the perks of leadership?" followed by "Making others feel miserable?".
"Lis" says commander Parsen in a tone of caution, while Kalleb the second in command is chuckling because of what the messenger just said to the commander.
"And you can shut up too" says the councilor to his second in command, who after a few moments stops chuckling, then Kalleb says "Hell, the man sets my teeth on edge" he then adds in a mutter "And does he have to be so damn loud all the time?".
Then they, and just about everyone else in the column of riders wince when they hear an overly loud voice further on the road behind them say "Ah ha i knew we would find them!" followed by "Look my fine vertically challenged fellow, there's the horse commander up yonder, riding with his offsider and the young strumpet who is always getting herself into trouble!".
As Lisell Maera scowls at the description of herself, Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin mutters "Percy" followed by "Hell, that's all we need" the cavalry commander then dryly adds in the most sarcastic tone imaginable "Now that's just brightened up my day for sure".
"Good thing there's no enemy within five miles" dryly says Kalleb, who continues with "Because they would of heard him if they were".
"Out of the way men!" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic in his overly loud voice as he and Shur Kee the monk approach the last of the riders in the cavalry company under the command of Darid Parsen "Oh and of course ladies too!" adds the heavily armoured knight who is upon a borrowed warhorse.
"Coming through" says the former earl of Lé Dic who is known to be rather liberal with his armoured elbows, and just about anything else if people aren't quick to get out of his way.
The riders promptly part down the middle of their column, allowing the heavily armoured knight, and the short, statured monk to ride through to the front.
"Well meet!" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic by way of greeting when he and the acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li get to the front of the mounted patrol.
"Percy" says Darid Parsen in greeting to the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che. The cavalry commander then nods to the physical adept who is his closet friend amongst the group who previously traveled the Southlands and beyond together.
The short, statured monk who is an honorary member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque nods to him in reply.
"What brings you this way Percy?" commander Parsen asks the nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic "Oh myself and the rather short holy man here thought it would be a splendid idea to go for a ride out infront of the armies" replies the former earl of Lé Dic in his usual boisterous way.
I find that rather hard to believe, Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin dryly thinks to himself as he lifts a rather sceptical looking eyebrow. The cavalry commander then looks at his long time friend, Shur Kee the monk.
As he refrains from grinning, the short, statured monk wearing the odd looking clothes, and the even odder looking conical shaped hat.
Takes a rolled up piece of parchment that's sealed and up one of his sleeves, and hands the missive to the cavalry commander. Who less than a year and half ago, was a foot soldier in the army of lady Linara Lé Dic, in the kingdom of Druvic.
Commander Parsen breaks the seal, and sees that the missive is written by his fellow councilor, Mira Reinholt the mage. And that it's written in the elven language. A language that both Shur Kee and sir Percavelle don't understand.
Hell Mira, Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman thinks to himself, the cavalry officer then silently adds, you write elven a hell of a lot better than you speak it, that's for sure.
"How did you get that warhorse?" asks the cavalry commander. As the former knight of the first class tells, in his usual convoluted, not to mention, loud manner. In how he acquired his new warhorse.
Which is just a spare mount belonging to the knights in the heavy horse troop in the Farqian mercenary army, who are with general Halvane and the army he leads.
Councilor Parsen reads what the mage Reinholt has written. As he does, the cavalry officer who is a member of lord Farque's personal guard sourly smiles.
It seems that the councilors, Mira Reinholt and Helbe the elven thief decided to send sir Percavelle ahead. As the young war engineer Tovis who after less than half a day, complained to the two spellcasters on lord Farque's personal council about how annoying the heavily armoured knight was to have around.
They sent the former earl of Lé Dic forward with Shur Kee the monk, to keep the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, more or less out of trouble.
They sent him forward to general Halvane and his army. Knowing the general would quickly send the former paladin forward again.
Commander Parsen figures that the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che and the acolyte in the order of Bru Li.
Came upon Dorc da Orc and his goblin battalion. Who Darid aka Zubutai the son of a Timagin knows is now ahead of general Halvane's army.
The cavalry commander can only imagine the reception the former knight of the first class got from the ork warleader. He suspects a lot of swearing was involved as the two of them dislike one another.
And that the heavily armoured knight on his borrowed warhorse probably rode away as quickly as he could from the big, burly ork and the battalion of goblins he leads.
No doubt he will end up with you Zubutai. Writes Mira Reinholt the mage. Commander Parsen gets to the end of what the once powerful mage has written.
It will be fine, Shur Kee is there to keep him from getting into too much trouble. M Reinholt.
Assholes, Darid Parsen sourly thinks to himself as he realises his fellow councilors the mage Reinholt and prince Helbenthril Raendril have basically dumped the former earl of Lé Dic upon him and his cavalry company. Since no one else what's him with them.
The cavalry commander, who knows that the Vexilian mage in exile and the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel will be taking turns looking over field commander Tamric Drubine and the young war engineer Tovis.
Now has Shur Kee the monk with him to watch over Lisell Maera. Though that's the only benefit Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman can see with having the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che here with him.
"Hmmm the general did give me this fine stead rather promptly, and he did give us supplies and the like in a quick fashion, and had us on the go again rather hastily" muses sir Percavelle Lé Dic as he continues his convoluted telling of how he acquired the warhorse he now rides.
"But he's a busy man, after all he is the general" adds the former paladin, who is part of the knightly order of Saint Mar-che, which has it's headquarters in his homeland of Druvic.
Kalleb the second in command of the mounted patrol is usually the most easy going of individuals you'll ever likely meet, unless you're annoying. Which the former earl of Lé Dic certainly is.
So knowing who it is that's between the army led by general Halvane and the forward elements out infront, such as the cavalry company led by commander Parsen.
Kalleb in a fake tone of cheerfulness, says "Sir Percavelle do you know who else is a general" the second in command of the mounted patrol then adds "The ork warleader Dorc da Orc" he continues with "Did you happen to see him on your way here?".
That's earns him a sideways look from his commander, and a scowl from the middle aged knight.
While both Lisell Maera and Shur Kee the monk try not to grin, and both fail.
After scowling, the nobleborn knight says in an offhand manner, with a wave of a gauntleted hand "Oh the filthy, smelly green demon from the underworld. Yes we passed him and his rabble of little green fellows on our way here" the former earl of Lé Dic then adds "As usual the big, stinking oaf didn't have much to say".
I'm guessing he told you to fuck off? Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson thinks to himself as he suspects Dorc da Orc had plenty to say when he saw the heavily armoured knight who he despises. The feeling is mutual from the ordered knight from the kingdom of Druvic.
Fuck off cunt! Were the actual words the large ork said when sir Percavelle Lé Dic showed up on the road behind him and his goblin battalion.
Dorkindle was fine with having the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che with him during the battle for the city of Savariss that took part in the nighttime.
For the simple reason he was hoping the former paladin would get himself killed, or at least injured. But no such luck.
The ork warleader was okay with that. But there's no way he would have the nobleborn knight travel with him and his goblin battalion.
"Now low and behold, we are with you lot" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who then asks commander Parsen "You haven't run across anymore of the enemy wot?" he continues with "My trusty stead and i could give them a good drubbing for you".
"Nothing so far today" replies the councilor, the heavily armoured knight is a little crestfallen at that, though he brightens up when the cavalry commander tells him "Though I've got some of the company scouts out infront looking for them".
"Capital, absolutely capital" says the nobleborn knight in his overly loud voice "Can't wait to give them a good smashing wot!" adds the former knight of the first class.
"Well this is going to go well" dryly murmurs Lisell Maera in the elven language. Kalleb the second in command nods in agreement with the sentiment of the attractive young woman's words.
While Darid Parsen as he rides beside Shur Kee the monk and sir Percavelle Lé Dic, sourly smiles as he thinks up of a way he can get back at Mira Reinholt the mage and Helbe the elven thief for dumping sir Percavelle Lé Dic upon him . . . . . .