The Hire 140.

The Kingdom Of Nastell. The Duchy Of Phelm. The City Of Almaic...

"He wants to have a meeting?" asks Darid Parsen the cavalry commander "Yes councilor" says the messenger who continues with "Before it gets dark".
The cavalry officer who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, nods in understanding.
Then turns to his second in command Kalleb and says "I guess we're off then".
Councilor Parsen then nods away to the left along the trench they're in, and says to Lisell Maera the runner "Go and get them" followed by "And make sure Percy comes along too" then he dryly adds "Knowing him he'll attack the wall by himself if we're not here".
As the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury nods, then moves away.
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.
Says to the runner who just informed him of the message from field commander Leivyn "Tell the field commander we'll join her shortly".
"Yes councilor" says the messenger, who then scrambles up and out of the trench, and hurries back to the battleline that field commander Leivyn and others of her senior staff, are observing the assault upon the north wall of the city of Almaic.
"What do you think it is?" asks Kalleb the second in command of the cavalry company "I guess Tam and Leivyn and Talbot are going to decide if we continue on into the night".
Kalleb nods in understanding, then Darid aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman quietly says to his second "Have Zaneff, Varric and the others stay here and continue to observe the battle" he follows that with "While we take Gergus and Solamard, along with Percy and Lis with us".
Across the road, at the base of eastern half of the north wall of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
Dorc da Orc who has just thrown a spear straight up at the top of the wall, and taken the head off an enemy soldier who should of been a bit more cautious as he looked over the top of the wall.
Grunts as behind him Teabagger the goblin Cunt says "A messenger boss, er general".
The large ork, who hopes it's a runner saying they've found more scaling ladders. Turns and spots the messenger in the Farqian mercenary army hurrying forward, trying to avoid getting shot, or hit by the enemy, to join the ork general and his battalion of goblins.
"Yeah cunt" says Dorc da Orc when the runner reaches him and the goblins at the base of the north wall of the city that's under attack.
"Warleader" says the messenger in greeting, who then quickly adds "Field commander Drubine requests your presence back in the line he's observing the battle from".
"Request?" says the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, who doesn't know what that word means.
"Presence?" adds the ork weaponsmith, who doesn't really know what that word is either.
"He wants to see you boss, er general" says the small, bright goblin who commands the battalion.
"He not fucken blind, the cunt can see me from back there" says the ork who is the son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of his people.
"Me is fucken big and green, he can't miss me" adds the ork warleader.
"Er, i mean he wants to talk to you boss, i mean general" says Teabagger, who smiles apologetically to the messenger.
"Me fucken know that" quickly says Dorkindle, who then grunts and looks around, then says "Youdead, you in fucken charge while we gone".
The big, burly ork then says to the small, bright green goblin standing beside him "Come on cunt, let's go see what Tam wants to fucken talks 'bout".
The ork warleader and the goblin commander head back, following behind the messenger, who hurries back towards the battlelines here to the north of the city of Almaic.
Teabagger the goblin Cunt slightly flinches as he hears an enemy ballista up on the top of the wall fire. And a moment later a heavy longspear slams into the ground, just a dozen feet to the right of his general.
Who doesn't react, as he couldn't care less that he's been targeting by the enemy now that he's moving out from the base of the city wall. And heading back to the battlelines north of the city that's the provincial capital.
A little bit later, it's late in the day. And they meet at the end of a battleline, right next to the road. About quarter of a mile north of the city that's under assault by the armies that they lead.
Those closest to them, are the camp followers and support staff. Who are a bit closer to the city. In the lines the enemy dug, and between them. Where they're doing everything from repairing weapons and armour. To healing the wounded, and cooking meals. And everything in between.
Field commander Leivyn turns to her fellow field commander, and asks him "Talbot?".
Field commander Drubine nods towards one of the spellcasters amongst his senior staff, who is standing up in the makeshift fortification behind them.
"Waiting for a response" says the field commander Tamric Drubine who called the meeting, then he adds "He's a bit busy around there by all accounts".
"Having a bit more success than us by the sounds of it" quietly says the lithe, and attractive woman in the tight fitting leather armour.
The nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin, who is the youngest of the trio of field commanders in the mercenary army from the lands Farque, nods in agreement with his fellow field commander.
Then the two of them look up at spellcaster in the enemy fortification, who leans down, and quietly says to them "Field commanders" followed by "Field commander Talbot is busy at the moment, and unable to make it around to this side of the city".
The spellcaster, who is a sorcerer in the mercenary army from the land Farque, continues with "He's with his army, trying to make a push into the city itself around there to the west".
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, nods his head then says to the sorcerer "Continue to watch the assault upon the wall, and inform us if we're able to take, and hold a section of the wall".
Then the nobleborn teenager shares a look with his fellow field commander, and the two of them make their way to the edge of the road, where the others are waiting in the late afternoon sunshine.
Except Dorc da Orc who is sitting in the ditch next to the road, eating a haunch of deer that he was able to find in the camp.
The big, burly ork as he gnaws away on the deer haunch, glares at sir Percavelle Lé Dic who is totally ignoring him. And is instead pacing back and forth across the road, looking towards the north wall of Almaic, that's under assault.
With the exception of the large ork sitting in the ditch. And the large heavily armoured knight pacing back and forth on the road.
The others are in two define groups. With the robber barons Gergus, Solamard, Almard and Larimer, along with their seconds off to one side.
And all the others, who include the two councillors. Reinholt and Parsen off to the otherside.
The two field commanders, one born in the kingdom of Sarcrin that he left before he was eight years old. And the other a born and breed Farqian.
Wave over the members of lord Farque's personal council. The once powerful mage and the cavalry commander join them at the edge of the ditch, which Dorkindle is sitting in.
"We've got a decision to make" quietly says Tamric Drubine, when they're out of earshot of the others with the exception of Dorc da Orc.
Not that the ork warleader can understand anything they say, as they're all speaking in elven which he obviously doesn't understand.
"To continue the attack along this side of the city into the night or not?" asks Darid Parsen the cavalry commander.
Both field commanders nod to that, then the lithe attractive woman who is the older of the two field commanders by eight years "That's the one".
Field commander Leivyn continues with "Their armies will be a liability more than anything else if we fight into the night" as she nods to where the quartet of robber barons and their seconds are standing on the edge of the road, quietly chatting amongst themselves.
"You think we shouldn't?" asks Mira Reinholt the mage who is pretty certain what decision Tam has come up with.
"Seems best not to" says the youngest of the trio of field commanders in the Farqian mercenary army.
Field commander Drubine continues with "If their armies didn't make up the bulk of our forces, then I'd agree to continue the assault into the night".
Next to him, field commander Leivyn nods in agreement as she says "I agree" followed by "Unfortunately they make up the majority of our forces. And can't be trusted to fight in the dark".
"It'll be hard explaining that to them" says Darid Parsen the cavalry commander, who slightly nods to where the robber barons and their seconds are standing, and he quietly adds "Especially since they've already tasted victory during a nighttime battle at Savariss".
"That was more than a little different" says Tamric Drubine, the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin "The walls there were lit up like a festival night, and we had infiltrated that city too".
"Not to mention there weren't wards there, like there is here along the north side of the city" adds the attractive woman, who though not that tall, is very lithe and muscular, which she shows off to great effect in her tight leather armour.
"That's for sure" dryly says the mage Reinholt, who has expended much of the power he has stored in the spell gems in his possession. As throughout the day, he's sent spells and mageglobes at, to, as well as under, and over the magical wards the enemy have along the north wall of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
"If more of those wards were down, we would of gained the top of the wall in a number of places by now" continues the mage, who is in exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil.
The spellcaster, who is also a highly skilled swordmaster continues with "But they're not, and we haven't, so here were are" who looks at the two field commanders as he adds "So it's a cease of the attack upon this side of the city once it's nightfall?".
"Yes" says field commander Drubine "Yes" adds field commander Leivyn.
"Though" says the younger of the two field commanders, who after a slight pause adds "We'll continue with a smaller, more concentrated attack upon the north wall of the city tonight" Tam follows that with "More so if Talbot makes a breakthrough with his army around on the west side of the city".
The two councillors glance at one another, then the spellcaster who was once the most powerful mage of his generation to be found anywhere in the Southlands, says "What concentrated attack?". As this is the first time he's heard of it.
Field commander Drubine, who quickly devised the plan with his fellow field commander, Leivyn. When they had a few moments to themselves as they stood by the nearby fortification. Waiting for the response from field commander Talbot around on the west side of the city that's the provincial capital.
Quietly explains to the members of lord Farque's personal council. What he and his fellow field commander Leivyn has devised.
The Vexilian mage in exile and the cavalry commander who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, share a look as they take in what Tam tells the two of them.
Then Mira Reinholt and Darid Parsen glance at Dorc da Orc sitting nearby. Then they quickly look over at the others, to where Teabagger the goblin Cunt is happily chatting with Lisell Maera and Kalleb.
The two councillors look at one another again, then they turn to the two field commanders, and it's the mage Reinholt who quietly says in neutral tone "Novel idea".
"You mean crazy idea" dryly says Tamric Drubine "You said it, not me" murmurs the once powerful mage, who then adds "Though ingenious in it's way, do you think it's the right thing to do?".
"Who knows" says the nobleborn teabagger with a shrug of his shoulders. Next to him, his fellow field commander nods in agreement, then says "Right thing or not, it is something, and it'll at least keep them occupied".
"The enemy?" asks Darid aka Zubutai Timaginson "Them too" dryly says field commander Drubine with a glance towards the nearby ork warleader.
The swordmaster Reinholt slightly grunts then says "The others?" followed by "I guess will be from our forces?".
"Yes" is the reply from field commander Leivyn who then nods towards the robber barons and their seconds at the edge of the road as she adds "Though some of their's will be involved".
"They tend to get even more annoying if somehow they're left out" says Tam in a slightly dry tone of voice, then the youngest of the trio of field commanders in the Farqian mercenary army adds "Besides, that part shouldn't be too difficult, even for them at night".
The exiled Vexilian mage nods his hooded head to that, then after glancing over at Dorc da Orc who is sitting nearby in the ditch, quietly says "Better tell him later not now".
The highly skilled swordmaster continues with "Because if you do tell him now, he might get it in his thick fucking skull to do it now, and not wait for nighttime" he briefly pauses before quietly saying "Then again there is that huge stumbling block in your plans".
The once powerful mage then adds in a mutter "By the shape of fire, why's he still wearing that damn poncho?".
"Dorc" says Mira Reinholt in the common language, the ork warleader who has stripped the deer haunch, and is chewing on the leg bone now, grunts as he looks over at the Vexilian mage in exile and the three others with him.
"Why are you still wearing that poncho?" asks the spellcaster all in black.
After looking up at the clear late afternoon sky, where the sun is now dipping down to the horizon to the west, Dorc da Orc says "Cause it might fucken rain cunt, that's why".
As the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world goes back to gnawing on the leg bone he's got.
The mage Reinholt rolls his eyes, then shakes his hooded head, then the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, says in elven to the two field commanders "Well, you two can tell him of the plan you've come up with". "I was kind of hoping you'd tell him" says Tam Drubine.
"One of the perks of command Tam, you get to tell someone like Dorc your crazy plan, which though sound in theory, you just know he's going to hate part of it" says Mira Reinholt, who after a slight pause adds "You know, that part involving him getting in the river" . . . . . .