The Hire 138.

Almaic. Phelm. Nastell...

"Damn" mutters Kalleb the second in command of the cavalry company, who then says "Thought we were going to hold that bit of the wall".
Next to him, Darid Parsen the cavalry commander nods in agreement with his second. After watching a pair of soldiers in their army from the lands Farque, finally go down to the enemy up on the top of the north wall of the city of Almaic.
Then the ladder they and others used to get up to the top of the wall. Is pushed away from the north wall of the city, and crashes to the ground where it breaks.
"Did you know them?" asks Darid Parsen the cavalry commander, his second in command nods his head yes, then says "Not well, as they're in the light infantry division" quietly followed by "I think they might of been a couple".
Commander Parsen, who is a member of lord Farque's personal council, grimaces when he hears that, then he mutters "Fucking hell" and sighs.
Then the cavalry commander who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit the body of Darid Parsen.
Goes back to watching the attack upon this half of the north wall of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
Councilor Parsen nods his head as his second in command Kalleb points to another ladder, further west along this half of the north wall of the city.
Where a trio of soldiers in the mercenary army from the lands Farque are about to climb a ladder that some of the men in the armies of the robber barons Gergus and Solamard are already going up.
Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman knows that if that trio from his own army are able to get to the top of the wall.
It will take a lot of effort from the enemy to clear them off the wall. As the mercenary soldiers from the lands Farque are far more skillful, and better equipped than any of the other combatants on either side of the battle for the city of Almaic.
As commander Parsen and his second in command Kalleb watch to see if that trio from their army get to the top of the north wall of the city that's the provincial capital.
Further along in the trench they're in. Beyond where a frustrated looking sir Percavelle Lé Dic is sitting on a barrel. Annoyed that he's not allowed to join in on the assault upon the north wall of Almaic. And even more annoyed his bitter rival Dorc da Orc has. And has survived a fall from the top of the north wall of the city.
The messenger Lisell Maera stands near the robber barons Gergus and Solamard. Along with their seconds and senior officers. Who are watching the assault upon the north wall of Almaic. Here in the last battleline before the city.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury who is a runner in the mercenary army from the lands Farque. Wonders what decision the robber baron Gergus will make after their brief discussion they had earlier in the afternoon.
Lisell Maera, who is more commonly called Lis by those who know her well. Who spent a night of intimacy with Gergus the robber baron earlier in the campaign.
Basically offered the youngest of the five robber barons from the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains. To hire the mercenary army from the lands Farque again, separately from his fellow robber barons. Before the battle for Almaic is won and over.
Because once it's over, it's pretty obvious that the five robber barons from the southern reaches in the unruled lands of the Colevar Mountains.
Will turn on one another, as they'll fight to see who will become the new duke of Phelm, here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
She hopes for his sake more than anything else. That he makes a decision in a timely manner. Because one of the other robber barons might think of the idea to hire the Farqian mercenary army again. So that they can take the ducal seat and the duchy of Phelm for themselves. Once they're victorious here for the battle of Almaic.
The scout Varric who is walking through the trench, stops beside Lis, and quietly asks her in the elven language "They haven't sent out any stupid orders to their men have they?".
"They haven't" is the quiet reply in the same language from Lisell Maera the runner, who after a brief pause, adds "Yet".
The scout in the cavalry company grins, then he looks away to the west, at the position of the sun in the afternoon sky, then he quietly says "It's getting late in the day" followed by "With the failure over on the east side of the city along the river. We could very well be fighting throughout the night".
Varric, who is the second scout in the cavalry company behind the water elemental spouter Zaneff. Looks back to the next battleline further behind them, then quietly says "That's if the field commander gives the go ahead to fight at night".
"You think she won't?" quietly asks the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, who is now a runner in the scouts division of the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
"Not a lot of us can see in the dark, apart from the elves and warleader Dorc's goblin battalion" says Varric, who nods towards the nearby robber barons as he adds "Their forces will be more of a hindrance fighting at night more than anything else".
The scout in the cavalry company commanded by Darid Parsen continues with "All the dwarves from up in their mountains are in Markell's army, over on the west side of the city with commander Talbot".
Lis nods in understanding, for that army is around on the west side of Almaic with field commander Talbot for a reason. And it's not just because the robber baron has the most spellcasters out of all the robber barons with him.
It's also because he has a large number of dwarven warriors with him. As there's a clanhold in the part of the unruled lands in the Colevar Mountains the robber baron Markell lays claim to.
And they have to be as far away from Dorc da Orc as possible. Because given the chance. The large ork would go off and kill them instead of figh the enemy.
"So, not that many night fighters" says the attractive young woman from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury who continues with "And it's getting later in the day" she pauses before adding "Which means only one thing".
Varric nods, and says "That's right, this battle will go into another day" the scout then adds "With things not working out with the river crossing, this battle is going to take some time" he momentarily pauses before continuing with "I wouldn't be surprised if it takes even longer than another day".
The scout nods towards the city of Almaic, and says "From all reports, they've got an awful lot in there defending the city" he gestures all around them, at the battleline they're in, and the ones further north of their position as he adds "They had just a small amount of their army out here. All to expand our time and forces to get to the city walls".
Lis nods, then looks over at the nearby robber barons. And catches Gergus glancing her way. Before he looks back to the battle along the north wall of the city of Almaic.
She figures he might have a bit more time to make a decision on what he'll do when the battle for the capital city of the duchy of Phelm is eventually won.
Lisell Maera has no doubt that they'll be victorious. It's just how long it will take for them to defeat the enemy, and take the city of Almaic under control. Having either captured or killed duke Hargen.
Over on the otherside of the road that leads to the gates in the north wall of the city that's under assault. Facing the eastern half of the north wall of Almaic. A similar conversation is taking place in one of the battlelines. Specifically in one of the makeshift fortifications that the enemy built.
On an archers platform where they're watching the assault upon the north wall of the city that's the provincial capital. As the subcommander Waiamin frowns as he looks westwards, and sees the sun starting to drop in the afternoon sky. On what's been another hot summer's day here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
Tamric Drubine quietly says to Mira Reinholt the mage "If we don't take a number of sections along the wall soon, do you think we should fight into the night?".
The once powerful mage who is a member of lord Farque's personal council, shrugs his shoulders.
Then Mira Reinholt the mage, who speaks in elven like the nobleborn field commander is, quietly says "Well, they're sure as hell not going to light any torches along the top of the wall for us to see by".
The mage, who is in exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil continues with "Which only leaves the elves in our army, along with that fat lump Dorc and his goblins able to fight with surety".
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, points to the base of the north wall of Almaic, and some of the soldiers in the armies of the robber barons Almard and Larimer who are waiting to climb a scaling ladder, and says "That lot will be near useless in the dark, getting in each others way, and getting in the way of our soldiers".
"So you're saying we shouldn't?" asks Tamric Drubine who is more commonly called Tam by those who know him well.
"I'm not saying anything of the sort" replies the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands. Until he was stripped of most of his powers when he accidentally cast a rift/void and went offworld.
"What i am saying, is that it's a decision up to you, Leivyn and Talbot" adds the Vexilian mage in exile.
The nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin, who is now a field commander in the armies of Farque. Who at seventeen is the youngest of the trio of field commanders here in this mercenary army from the lands Farque. Nods his head at what the mage Reinholt just said.
As he knows that ultimately, it's he and his fellow field commanders Leivyn and Talbot, along with general Halvane. Who has to make the decisions of what their forces will or will not do.
They might get input and planning from others. Like the councillors Reinholt, Raendril and Parsen. As well as the honorary councilor Shur Kee the monk. Along with the ork warleader Dorc da Orc.
But the final decisions are up to the three field commanders and the general.
"Maybe Talbot will push into the city before it gets dark?" quietly says Tamric Drubine, as the last message they received from around on the west side of the city. Is that field commander Talbot has had a lot more success than they've had here to the north of Almaic. And what general Halvane has had to the east of the city, where the attack across the Mareb river failed.
"He just might" says Mira Reinholt, who then continues with "But you never know".
The once powerful mage faintly smiles as he looks at the young field commander, and tells him "We've had it fairly easy so far in this campaign. Winning the battles along the border in no time. And taking the city of Savariss in less than a night".
The highly skilled swordmaster who hails from the city-state of Vexil continues with "The battle here possibly going into another day, or even longer isn't a setback".
The mage Reinholt then adds "Remember our plan today was to see if we could take the city as quickly as possible" he follows that with "If not, we know we can still take the city. It might take longer, and unfortunately more lives will be lost. But we will eventually take the city".
Tamric Drubine nods to that, then after a few moments of silence as they continue to watch the assault upon the north wall of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm, he asks "Then what?".
"We know what" says councilor Reinholt, who then shrugs his shoulders as he adds "They'll scrap over who'll be the new duke of Phelm" the exiled Vexilian mage then dryly says "If one of them had half a brain, they'd hired us separately for after duke Hargen is defeated".
"Think one of them will?" asks Tam who has thought of this very same thing a number of times, ever since they were first hired by the five robber barons of the unruled lands in the southern reaches of the Colevar Mountains, who have banded together to wage a war upon duke Hargen and the duchy of Phelm.
"One might" says Mira Reinholt, who continues with "If not, it'll be a bloodbath worse than the actual campaign if they turn on each other after the duke is defeated".
"It still might, even if one of them does go ahead and hire us separately from the rest" says the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who is the son and heir of a former Knight of  castle Drubine in his homeland.
The highly skilled swordmaster who hails from the city-state of Vexil, and is now a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, faintly smiles as he says "Not really".
"Oh?" asks the young field commander who lifts a questioning eyebrow as he looks at the mage Reinholt.
"If one does hire us again, we don't have to fight the armies of the other four" says the once powerful mage, who continues with "We just have to eliminate the other four" he then adds "And there's a certain thieving elven prince who can do with that ease".
Tamric Drubine nods in understanding, as he realises the exiled Vexilian mage is right. Then the teenage field commander says "I wonder where Helbe is at the moment?".
"Who the hell knows with him" dryly says Mira Reinholt who knows his fellow councilor and spellcaster, Helbe the elven thief could be anywhere at this moment . . . . . .