The Hire 97.

The Battle Of Almaic...

"The front ranks of Tam's army are advancing" says Lisell Maera who is looking to the east along their flank. Where the front ranks of the army led by the young field commander Tamric Drubine, are advancing.
The forward elements of that army are well in advance, amongst the enemy battlelines. Infact some of them are near halfway to the north wall of the city of Almaic, and it's still not yet midmorning.
"Well here we go then" murmurs Darid Parsen the cavalry commander who looks eastwards as he stands next to the messenger, Lisell Maera.
The cavalry commander who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Watches as the front ranks, those in the van of the army, predominantly made up of the armies of the robber barons Almard and Larimer.
Move forward facing no resistance from the enemy, who have been cleared out by the forward elements of commander Drubine's army.
The cavalry commander who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Darid Parsen. Looks quickly towards the north wall of the city that's under attack.
There he sees, then hears a couple of the magetubes up there. Fire off shots at the advancing army that's led by the young field commander in the Farqian mercenary army, who is originally from the kingdom of Sarcrin.
"Will we advanced too?" asks Lisell Maera who has just quickly looked back and to the right of them. To where the robber baron Gergus stands with his fellow robber baron, Solamard. Along with their seconds, and others of their senior staff.
They too have noticed that the army to the east of them are now advancing. And for now, they're staying put.
"Not yet" says Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman in response to the question from the attractive young woman who hails from the city-state of Brattonbury.
The councilor, who like the messenger, is speaking the elven language, then quietly tells her "Soon enough though".
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called, wasn't privy to the plans of the attack upon the city of Almaic. Well not in detail at least.
Nods her head after commander Parsen tells her that this army. Which is predominantly made up of the armies of the robber barons Gergus and Solamard. And led by the field commander Leivyn. Will advance by at least midmorning.
She then quietly says to the cavalry commander "Not soon enough for somebody" as she gestures away to their left.
Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin looks that way and sourly smiles. As he sees that sir Percavelle Lé Dic has resumed his pacing.
The heavily armoured knight has alternatively done that, or sit upon a nearby tree stump throughout the morning so far. As he waits for the order to advance.
"Percy!" calls out Darid Parsen in the common language, which stops the pacing of the former earl of Lé Dic. Which is a fief in the east of the kingdom of Druvic. The fief which is named after the nobleborn knight's family.
The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che looks expectantly at the cavalry commander who is a member of the personal council of lord Farque.
"We'll be advancing forward soon enough" says councilor Parsen.
The heavily armoured knight, who happens to be a former paladin in his knightly order. Looks quickly eastwards at the army that's advancing there.
Then the nobleborn knight looks to the enemy battlelines, to where the advanced elements of that army has got to.
The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic then looks back at the cavalry commander, and sourly smiles.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic or Percy as he's more commonly called by those who know him well. Slaps shut the faceplate of his full helm.
The former knight of the first class in the order of Saint Mar-che. Who is pretty oblivious to the warm temperature this clear, sunny summer's morning.
Resumes his pacing back and forth. Making it fairly obvious that he isn't happy that the army to the east led by field commander Drubine is advancing now.
Not to mention the forward elements of that army, have moved well ahead into the enemy battlelines. And are basically halfway to the north wall of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
"He'll get over it once we attack" says Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman in the elven language, who after a slight pause, dryly adds "Or if Dorc gets himself killed".
"He'd be completely happy not to go into battle at all today, if Dorc was to get himself killed" quietly says Lisell Maera who is originally from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, who is now a runner, or messenger in the armies of Farque.
"There is that" murmurs the member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who then waves over a junior officer, a subaltern. And has a quiet word with him.
The subaltern then hurries over to where field commander Leivyn stands with her senior staff watching the progress of the battle for the city of Almaic.
The subaltern delivers the message to the small, lithe, attractive field commander in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
Commander Leivyn looks quickly around, and spots councilor Parsen standing off to one side with Lisell Maera.
The Farqian field commander slightly nods to the cavalry commander, who eighteen months ago, was a foot soldier in the army of lady Linara Lé Dic in eastern Druvic.
Until he died, and was brought back to life. Though with the soul of Zubutai Timaginson inhabiting the body of Darid Parsen.
"What is it?" asks Lis who didn't hear what councilor Parsen said to the subaltern.
"Nothing much" is the quiet reply of the cavalry commander, who after a slight pause, continues with "For now".
The attractive young woman originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, who is now a messenger in the armies of Farque.
Refrains from sourly smiling as she wants to do after hearing that for Zubutai the son of Timagin.
The runner, goes back to waiting as she stands side by side with the member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
While not faraway from the two of them, sir Percavelle Lé Dic continues to pace back and forth as he waits for the order to advance towards the enemy battlelines and the city of Almaic.
Around on the west side of the city of Almaic, the bombardment upon the enemy battlelines continues.
Tovis the war engineer who is standing near one of the trebuchets that are firing upon the defenders of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
Looks over at his second in command of the engineering corp, the sorcerer Larris, who has just said "You know, i don't think there's too many people on the streets out here".
The Farqian sorcerer continues with "I don't think there's all that many in those buildings either".
The sorcerer who is looking through a brass, cylindrical eyepiece, takes it away from his face and looks at the young engineer and tells him "I think a lot of them have been evacuated to inside the city proper".
As the nearby trebuchet flings a shot off at the enemy battlelines, Tovis the war engineer says "Are you sure?".
The sorcerer, who is fairly young himself, shrugs his shoulders, then says "Sure enough i guess" he then adds "It certainly looks like most of those who usually live and work there aren't there this morning".
Larris hands the eyepiece to the war engineer, who looks through it. Looking behind the enemy battlelines, to where the city of Almaic spills out of this side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
Tovis, who is originally from the kingdom of Druvic, where he once served a baron Harkonin as war engineer.
Sees that his second in command is correct. And that the streets that are outside the city proper, are fairly empty. Apart from soldiers and mercenaries hurrying to and from the battlelines, to inside the city.
After looking at a few of the buildings that stand outside the city proper. And not seeing much in the way of movement in or around them. Tovis the war engineer quietly says "I think you're right".
After handing the eyepiece back to the sorcerer, the young engineer who leads the engineering corp in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
Waves over a nearby runner, and tells her to deliver a message to field commander Talbot, who leads this particular army that's attacking the west side of the city that's the provincial capital.
After the messenger runs off, the young engineer who commands the engineering corp, who holds the rank of captain in the armies of Farque, calls out to one of his subalterns "Prepare to move the larger trebuchets forward again!".
"You think the field commander will want us to try and hit that part of the city?" asks the sorcerer from the lands Farque "Definitely" is the reply of the war engineer, who glances off to one side, and sees Shur Kee the monk nod in agreement with his response to Larris.
"Especially if we're able to get their attention even more" quietly says the young engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic.
Tovis then calls out to the nearby subaltern "Get the pitch and naphtha ready, some of them will be fire shots!".
The sorcerer slightly winces at that order, though he can see the logic of it. Then Larris puts up a barrier spell infront of a trebuchet thirty yards further to the left of them, as an energyball from the enemy lines heads towards it.
Another of the spellcasters in the army led by field commander Talbot, which is predominantly made up of the robber baron Markell's army. The robber baron who by far has the most spellcasters with him.
Sends an energyball back at the enemy battlelines, to the spot where the incoming one originated from.
A perfect example of how magic is usually cast during battles. Where spellcasters from any side, are best to work in unison. Or if not, they quickly become an easy target for the practitioners of magic on the opposing side.
Though if you're highly skilled or alternatively, very powerful. You can cast how ever you want during a battle, even one the size of this one that's raging around the city of Almaic.
Some of the larger catapults are firing at the enemy battlelines now. And some of their war machines are firing back too.
Tovis who sees a load of rocks come crashing down upon some of the soldiers and mercenaries in the army of robber baron Markell. Well those who were too slow to find cover.
Says to his second in command "If we set enough of those buildings out here on fire, that might draw some of the others from elsewhere in the city, out here to help put out those fires".
The young engineer originally from the kingdom of Druvic continues with "No way in hell will they want fire to spread inside the city proper".
The sorcerer from the lands Farque nods his head in agreement with that, then quietly says "If we move the larger trebuchets forward again they'll definitely be in range of their larger catapults".
The war engineer nods at that assessment from his second in command, then quietly tells him "The spellcasters will have to target them now".
"That'll at least keep them distracted if nothing else" quietly says the sorcerer Larris, who looks in the direction of the nearest spellcaster in their lines. Another practitioner of magic in the Farqian mercenary army.
Who he tells her by way of mindspeech what the plans of the war engineer are, if they get the go ahead from field commander Talbot.
The young engineer along with his second in command, as well as Shur Kee the monk, who has kept close to Tovis all morning so far.
Walk to the next trebuchet along, and when they get to one side of it, and watch it's crew reload it.
The messenger the war engineer sent off a short time ago, makes her return.
"That was quick" murmurs Larris the sorcerer, who slightly nods when the messenger tells the young engineer that field commander Talbot gives him the okay to fire attack the city where it spills out onto the ground to the west of the city proper.
The war engineer starts issuing orders, then as fire shots are being prepared, the larger trebuchets are pushed and towed forward, so that they're closer to the city of Almaic, and also closer to the enemy battlelines.
"This is going to get dicey now" quietly says Larris the sorcerer, who is prepared to help the other spellcasters nearby in their own lines, who are now targeting the largest of enemy war machines.
Beside the sorcerer, the young engineer nods in agreement with him. For Tovis knows that the battle on this side, the west side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm. Is the most fluid and changeable of the battles on three sides of the city.
To the north, as well as the east, where the river Mareb runs alongside Almaic. The battle plans are more precise, relying on timing just as much as brute force.
While here on the west side of the city that's the provincial capital. The plans for attack are much broader, with the option to change as field commander Talbot sees fit.
For the simple reason there's more of the enemy outside of the city proper on this side. And the fact the battle on the west side of Almaic is one giant distraction, to draw more of the enemy out here, and away from defending the other sides of the city that's under attack.
As they follow the trebuchet that's being hauled forward, Larris the sorcerer says to the commander of the engineering corp in the Farqian mercenary army "Here we go again".
"Here we go again alright" quietly says Tovis the war engineer as he spots one of the larger enemy catapults amongst their battlelines, send a shot heading more or less in this direction.
While the enemy catapult right next to that one, suddenly goes up in flames as it's hit by multiple fireballs cast by spellcasters in the army led by field commander Talbot.
The young engineer Tovis looks up and watches a boulder come hurtling through the morning sky in their direction, and hopes that his second in command can deflect it. So it misses the trebuchet that's being hauled forward. But more importantly, that it misses them too . . . . . .