The Hire 131.

The Battle Of Almaic...

In the last trench before the north wall of the city of Almaic, to the west of the road and city gates.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic sourly looks on as more soldiers and mercenaries in the armies of the robber barons Gergus and Solamard rush by on their way to the wall.
The heavily armoured knight, who has found himself a barrel, and is sitting on it, looks over at the cavalry commander Darid Parsen and scowls.
The cavalry officer who is also a member of the personal council of lord Farque sees this and ignores him.
He knows the nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic is more than annoyed at the moment. Just the fact that the normally boisterous and opinionated former paladin is silent is a sign of how ticked off he is.
Darid Parsen, who is actually a hordes outrider by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of the cavalry commander, and has done for the last fifteen months.
Looks back behind him when his second in command Kalleb says in the elven language "They're coming forward" followed by "The field commander must of given them permission to do so".
Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods his head as he watches the robber barons Gergus and Solamard, along with their seconds and some of their senior officers, hurrying forward from the battleline that field commander Leivyn and her senior staff are watching the progress of the battle from this afternoon.
The two robber barons are heading straight for the trench that commander Parsen and his cavalry company are in.
"Keep an eye on those two when they get here" quietly says Darid Parsen the cavalry commander to the runner Lisell Maera as he nods his head to the two robber barons hurrying forward.
The member of lord Farque's personal council continues with "They won't go to the wall themselves, as the field commander won't let them" he then adds "But they could still give their men some dumb orders concerning the attack".
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury who is a runner, or messenger in the scout division of the Farqian mercenary army, nods her head that she will.
Then she, along with councilor Parsen, and the second in command Kalleb. Watch as the two robber barons jump into the trench, a bit further to the left from where they're standing in it.
While sir Percavelle Lé Dic ignores the robber barons and their men who have come forward to this trench. He couldn't care less about them. What he does care about is assaulting the north wall of the city of Almaic.
But he's unable to, as commander Parsen has ordered him to remain put. And that others, primarily in the armies of the robber barons Gergus and Solamard. Are attacking this half of the north wall of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
"Seen Zaneff lately?" asks Darid aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, who hasn't seen the lead scout of his company since they got the message that prince Helbenthril Raendril left to go in search of a cleric who his powers of foresight revealed to him, must be found as he's now part of the overall plans of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
"Not for a while" says Kalleb, who calls out to another of the scouts in the company "Varric, have you seen Zaneff?".
The scout Varric gestures at the city, and makes his way through the trench to where the cavalry commander and his second in command are standing.
Then as Varric tells them "He went to check on the enemy along the top of the wall". Lisell Maera makes her way in the other direction along the trench, to stand near where the two robber barons and their senior officers are standing.
"He did?" asks Kalleb, Varric replies with a nod of the head, then he says "Right down the entire length of the wall this side of the road" the scout looks at the cavalry commander and tells him "He said he wouldn't reveal himself or do anything".
The member of lord Farque's personal council nods as he knows the water elemental spouter who is the lead scout in the company, keeps his word. And will do everything he says.
"That's something i guess" says Kalleb, who looks at his commander who says "He'll be fine" followed by "At least we'll know for certain how many they've still got up on this half of the wall".
As the cavalry commander, his second in command, and the scout continue to discuss things, speaking in elven as they do so.
Lisell Maera stands near the robber barons and their senior officers, listening to what they're saying.
The attractive young woman originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, who is now a messenger in the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
Glances sideways at the robber baron Gergus who is nearest to her. And though the messenger, or runner as they're often referred to. Has kept her distance, and for the most part ever since they spent a night together romantically when they were separated from the rest of the army, earlier on in the campaign against duke Hargen of Phelm.
She can't keep herself from glancing at the robber baron every so often, like she finds herself doing now.
Gergus, the youngest of the robber barons is watching the assault upon the north wall of Almaic, listening to Solamard and their seconds talk about it. When he notices Lisell Maera standing off to one side here in the trench, which is part of the last battleline before the north wall of the city that's the provincial capital.
The youngest of the five robber barons from the unruled lands in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains, who have banded together to wage war upon duke Hargen and the duchy of Phelm, here in northern Nastell. Glances at the others from north of the border who are in the trench with him.
Then he steps away from them to stand beside the attractive young woman that he spent a night with not all that long ago.
"How are you?" quietly asks Gergus the robber baron "Fine" is the quiet reply of Lisell Maera, who is more commonly called Lis by those who know her well.
"And you?" quietly asks the runner in the Farqian mercenary army "The same" is the quiet reply of Gergus, who then adds "Fine".
The youngest of the robber barons whose armies are attacking the city of Almaic, the capital of the duchy of Phelm. Watches as a ladder that's been put up against the wall on this side of the road, is pushed off, with some of either his or Solamard's men still on it.
He winces as it falls to the ground, then the youngest, and easily the most charismatic of the five robber barons from north of the border, looks at the attractive young woman standing beside him, and is about to say something to her.
When she gets in first, when she quietly says "Have you thought about it anymore?" Lis slightly gestures all around as she quietly adds "What you'll do once this is all over?".
Gergus who knows exactly what she's referring to, as she has mentioned it once before already. Quickly darts a glance to his left to where the others are standing talking about the attack upon the city of Almaic.
He then looks the other way beyond the tall, young woman standing beside him. The person closest to them that way, is the large heavily armoured knight, who is a bit of a loud mouth in the opinion of the youngest of the robber barons.
Who he sees is sitting on a barrel, with the faceplate of his full helm open, clearly showing a scowl upon his face as he watches the battle for the north wall of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm, the northern most duchy in the kingdom of Nastell.
"A bit" quietly says Gergus who steps even closer to the messenger, so that their arms are touching one another. He lightly clasps her hand, and is relieved that she doesn't let go".
"And?" quietly asks Lis "I'm not sure" is the quiet reply of the youngest of the five robber barons, who though is still under thirty years of age, is about a decade older than the attractive young woman who is originally from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury.
Gergus is silent for a moment as he watches an enemy catapult up on the top of the wall, fling a shot of rocks away to the right of the battleline he's in, then he quietly says "The other four are no doubt all thinking about it as well, considering it was mentioned before the battle got underway".
"Anyone declare for it yet?" asks the messenger in the Farqian mercenary army, Gergus shakes his head no, then looks over at his fellow robber baron Solamard, who is busy talking with some of their senior officers as they continue to watch the assault upon the north wall of Almaic this afternoon, on what's another clear and sunny, not to mention hot summer's day here in the north of the duchy of Phelm.
"One of them will though" quietly says the robber baron, who rules the part of the southern reaches in the Colevar Mountains furthest east compared to the other four robber barons who are waging a campaign against duke Hargen and the duchy of Phelm.
"You?" quietly asks the attractive young woman whose mother was a street prostitute in Brattonbury, and whose father, who she never knew, was a sailor.
After a few moments of silence, and a slight squeeze of Lisell's hand, Gergus quietly says "I'm not sure".
Infact, the youngest of the robber barons isn't all that certain once they're victorious over duke Hargen, that he'd want to be the next duke of Phelm.
"Well, whatever your decision is either way" quietly says Lis, who continues with "Make your decision quick" she nods her head towards the city under assault, and adds "Once the duke is defeated, our deal with the five of you is over, and it's pretty obvious what will happen next between you lot".
The messenger in the scouts division of the mercenary army from the lands Farque momentarily pauses, before she quietly says "Now if one of you were to rehire us". She leaves it that as the youngest of the five robber barons looks sharply at her, before he eventually nods, then glances over to where his fellow robber baron Solamard is standing in the trench.
Who before the battle began, when the five of them were last together. Was the one who mentioned what might happen once duke Hargen is defeated, and the duchy of Phelm is theirs.
And though he didn't come out and say that they'll all turn on one another. He definitely hinted at it. And it's definitely what all of them where thinking.
"We'll see" murmurs Gergus, who squeezes the runner's hand before letting it go, and moving away as his fellow robber baron Solamard looks around for him, after asking him a question.
As Gergus returns to the others from north of the border. Lis makes her way back to commander Parsen and his second in command Kalleb. Walking by sir Percavelle Lé Dic who has stood up from the barrel he's been sitting on, and is looking away to the east, to the otherside of the road, with a frown upon his face.
With the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury still keeping an eye on the robber barons and their senior officers. The lead scout Zaneff suddenly appears beside Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, and his second in command, Kalleb.
As the water elemental spouter explains to the cavalry commander about the state of the enemy along the top of the north wall, well this half of it at least.
Lisell Maera frowns as she sees the former earl of Lé Dic, still with a frown upon his face, is looking intently away to the east half of the wall, to the otherside of the road that leads up to the city gates.
"Something's happened over there" says Lis as she interrupts what Zaneff is saying, the messenger in the Farqian mercenary army continues with "Something has caught Percy's attention, and he doesn't look pleased about it".
Commander Parsen along with his second Kalleb, and the scouts Zaneff and Varric look to where sir Percavelle Lé Dic is looking.
And as councilor Parsen says "Percy what is it?". The water elemental spouter Zaneff who has the eyesight by far, mutters "Oh hell" as he spots what it is.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic looks over at Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson and with scowl upon his face he says in an outraged tone "That great big dirty green oaf is climbing to the top of the wall, that's what!" he then adds a muttered "Wot" . . . . . .