A Grand Design 8.

Mid Autumn. Salme. Dalmar. Girdane.

"They want what?" asks lord Farque "To see if we're worth hiring" replies Helbe the elven thief, Arvelle Ganard the plainsman nods in agreement with the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel. 
"I thought a ten thousand strong army worth hiring would be fucking enough" dryly says the undead warlord, who after a moment's pause adds "So what exactly does this entail?".
The elven masterthief and the tall, shaven headed plainsman who have just returned from duke Hilloc's castle share a look, then the elven magic user explains to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque what the duke of Dalmar wants to see.
After listening to the elven master assassin, the heavily armoured deathlord grunts, then Draugadrottin as he's also known by to his people, asks "When?".
"Tomorrow or the next day" says the young elven noble who is a member of the royal family that rules the island principality of Laerel.
"After the duke of Falosen gets here" says Arvelle Ganard the plainsman who along with Helbe the elven thief, has been negotiating with duke Hilloc, his advisors and allies.
"He's expected in town sometime over the next couple of days" adds the tall, shaven headed plainsman who is a former illegal wrecker.
The lord of the death realm nods his full helmed head, then looks out the window of his room here on the second floor of the Wayfarer inn.
Des'tier as he's known by to an older generation of elven kind who might know who he is, is silent for a little while.
Then he looks at the two who have just returned from the large castle that's sits on the hill in the north of the town of Salme.
"Might as well then" says lord Farque, who like the other two, is speaking in the elven language "If it'll get us hired, why not" adds the undead warlord.
The two others, both members of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque's personal council nod to that. Then Arvelle the plainsman asks "Who?" followed by "Dorc?".
"That wouldn't be a good idea" dryly says the deathlord of Farque, who continues in that same dry tone with "That big fat fuck will just kill everyone that's put up against him". Draugadrottin continues with "That goes for that idiot knight Percy too".
Both the elven masterthief and the former illegal wrecker nod in agreement to that, and do so again when the lord of the death realm says "If Shur Kee was here instead of in the capital, he'd be ideal to use".
Both the elven magic user from Laerel and the tall plainsman from the Kaldel Plains can see the logic of that.
As there's nothing more surprising than seeing a short, slight man like Shur Kee. Fighting with just his hands and feet. Beating up anyone and everyone, no matter how well armed and armoured they are.
"Me?" asks the young elven noble who is the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel.
"No, better not" says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who continues with "It wouldn't be much of a surprise to them, since you're an elf who they know has lifetimes of experience compared to them".
The heavily armoured deathlord who is sitting upon a large, not to mention heavy wooden chair, looks at the two standing in the middle of the room and says to them "We want to make a statement here" lord Farque then asks "How are Lis and Tam's unarmed fighting skills?".
"Over the last couple of years I've started teaching them open handed fighting" says prince Helbenthril Raendril referring to the unarmed combat style known to the elven nobility.
"Tam is okay" adds the elven masterthief who wiggles a hand from side to side "And Lis" says the highly talented elven magic user who just shrugs his shoulders.
"They'll do" says Draugadrottin who continues with "Tovis will just resort to his hammer, and Beldane the same with his mace" he then adds "Fighting unarmed isn't something they're accustomed to".
Both Helbe the elven thief and Arvelle the plainsman nod in agreement to that, then the undead being says "It's Tam and Lis then".
The deathlord of Farque after glancing out the open window again for a few moments, looks at the two standing in the middle of the room, and tells "Bring the others up here" he continues with "Might as well tell them what's happening".
Once the others come up to lord Farque's room and hear what's happening. And both Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic look a little disappointed that they weren't picked.
And Tovis the war engineer and Beldane the cleric, look relieved that they weren't picked.
The two who were picked, Tamric Drubine the field commander, and Lisell Maera the messenger share a look.
With the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin sourly smiling. And the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury nodding in agreement with me.
As neither one of them is particularly looking forward to what's been asked of them.
But since they've been ordered to by lord Farque, they have to do it, whether they like it or not.
It's the next day, just before midday. When a messenger from duke Hilloc's castle comes down to the Wayfarer inn, telling them that they're requested at the castle.
The entire group here in the town of Salme leave the inn they've been staying at while here in town. And make their way up to the castle of the duke of Dalmar.
In a training yard next to the barracks, behind the main keep of the castle.
Duke Lombasil of Falosen who arrived first thing this morning, asks "Why exactly are you doing this?".
"To see if they're worth hiring" replies duke Hilloc of Dalmar, who continues with "Korros thought of it" as he nods to duke Korros of Girnath who grins.
The three dukes of the western most duchies in the kingdom of Girdane, are standing infront of the barracks, where they're waiting for those who want to be hired by duke Hilloc to arrive.
Standing nearby are some of duke Hilloc's best soldiers, along with some of the lesser nobles in the three western most duchies of the kingdom.
"So how large of an army exactly do they have?" asks duke Lombasil who is a tall, slim man of a similar age to duke Hilloc.
"Ten thousand or so" is the quiet reply of the duke of Dalmar "Hell" mutters the duke of Falosen, whose duchy has been affected the most by the plague that's hit the very west of the kingdom.
"That would definitely make a difference" quietly adds duke Lombasil referring to the potential rebellion here in the very west of Girdane against the crown.
The other two dukes nod in agreement as they continue to wait for those who might be hired to show up.
As they wait, another of the nobles standing nearby, makes his way over to the three of them.
He's a man a bit older than the dukes Hilloc and Lombasil, in his mid forties. Who looks at duke Korros, and shakes his head before saying in a dry tone "Bloody hell, they'll let anyone be a duke nowadays".
The three dukes grin, especially the duke of Girnath who that verbal barb was directed at.
"Look, even my no good useless squire is one nowadays" says the nobleman, which causes the trio of dukes to chuckle, especially duke Korros of Girnath.
"Well, that's what happens when my father had me squire to a useless knight who doesn't know one end of the sword from the other" says the duke of Girnath who continues with "I end up being a duke".
The nobleman, who is in half plate armour laughs, then he looks at duke Hilloc and says "Cousin, you need to get your muck collector in" he hikes a thumb at duke Korros as he adds "To get this pile of crap out of your castle".
The trio of dukes burst into laughter, and duke Korros doubles over laughing when the nobleman in the half plate armour dryly adds "And to think i had him squire for me for two years" followed in an even dryer tone with "Worst two bloody years of my life".
By now duke Korros of Girnath is crying as he laughs. And the dukes Hilloc and Lombasil aren't that far off from crying as they laugh too.
Eventually the duke of Dalmar gets himself under control, and says to the nobleman who is his cousin "Now Passic, you can't go around saying that about a duke of the realm".
"Yes i can, especially one who was my idiot squire" says sir Passic, who is a lesser lord of Dalmar, older cousin of the duke of Dalmar, who had Korros before he was duke of Girnath, as his squire.
Passic, who happens to be a knight, and considered to be the best swordsman in the west of the kingdom.
Just shakes his head as duke Korros, who has finally got himself under control, and got his breath back. Bursts into laughter again at what the older nobleman just said.
Then sir Passic the knight grins as he looks at his former squire, who though short, has styled his own armour upon what the knight wears.
So much so, that the heavy iron armour that the youngest of the three dukes wears. Looks very similar to that worn by his former mentor and teacher sir Passic.
Duke Hilloc's cousin, claps forearms with his former squire, who asks him "When did you get in?".
"Last night" is the reply from sir Passic the knight, who also happens to be one of his cousin's closest advisors.
The older cousin of the duke of Dalmar who has been out and about in the duchy over the last couple of weeks. Checking on the fight against the spread of the plague here in Dalmar.
And reported to his cousin last night. That in the last week. No new village or farmstead has been hit by the plague here in Dalmar. The first time that's happened since the plague first appeared at the end of summer, the start of autumn.
"So i understand it was your idea to find out about these mercenaries, and if they're any good" says sir Passic looking at his former squire, who is now the duke of Girnath.
"It is" says Korros of Girnath "Well, seems not all of your ideas are daft" dryly says the knight of the realm.
"Don't start again" says duke Korros, who can feel himself about to crack up again "It wouldn't be a good look if I'm standing here laughing my head off crying, when these mercenaries turn up" adds the youngest of the trio of dukes here in the very west of the kingdom.
Sir Passic nods and says "That's true" he continues with "Besides, they'll probably burst out laughing when they see that ugly face of yours" the knight in the half plate armour pauses before continuing with "My lord" he briefly pauses again, before adding in a sour tone "I can't believe i have to call you that nowadays".
Duke Korros who has started chuckling again even though he's tried not to, bursts into another bout of laughter at what the knight just said.
The other two dukes, are laughing once more as well. While sir Passic looks at his former squire, and shakes his head, then grins.
The three dukes only stop laughing when one of the castle guards comes hurrying around the main keep, and runs across the training yard to the front of the barracks, to inform duke Hilloc that the mercenaries are here in the castle.
Just short while later, the group of mercenaries are escorted around to the training yard infront of the barracks by a squad of duke Hilloc's soldiers.
"What the hell is that?" quietly asks duke Hilloc of Dalmar in tone of surprise, the same time that duke Korros of Girnath says "Look how damn big that thing is" and duke Lombasil of Falosen says "Is that a troll?" followed by "It doesn't look like any troll I've seen before".
The dukes of the three western most duchies in the kingdom of Girdane look at sir Passic who quietly says in tone of caution "That's an ork".
"Are you sure cousin?" asks the duke of Dalmar after a moment of shocked silence.
The knight of the realm nods his head, then quietly says "I saw one at a distance during the battle of Vexil" sir Passic, the only one here who fought during the battle of Vexil more than eighteen years ago, continues with "I'll never forget that".
He looks at his younger cousin, the duke of Dalmar and quietly tells him "Best be careful Hilloc" followed by "That thing could easily kill everyone you put up against it, then us afterwards if you annoy it".
Hilloc of Dalmar slightly nods, then murmurs to his fellow dukes Korros and Lombasil, as well as his cousin Passic "Let's hope they don't use it" as they look at the group lined up on the otherside of the training yard.
Turns out they don't, as after duke Hilloc and his guard captain make their way out onto the training yard.
And confer with Arvelle the plainsman and the elf named Helbe who they've been negotiating with over the last few weeks.
It's the two mercenaries they least expect amongst the group to step forward, to prove they're worth hiring.
A young man, clearly a teenager. Fairly tall, nearly six foot in height. Who takes off his half plate armour, and weapons. And only in leather armour, he makes his way out onto the training yard.
He's joined by an athletic looking, attractive young woman, who is under twenty years of age as well. And is also in leather armour. Who walks out to the middle of the yard to stand next to her fellow mercenary, without any weapons too.
Duke Hilloc of Dalmar says to the plainsman Arvelle, and the elf named Helbe "They're unarmed".
"Of course" replies Helbe the elven thief, who continues with "You want to see how good we are don't you?" he gestures at Tamric Drubine and Lisell Maera then tells the duke of Dalmar "They're the two youngest members of our group, and they'll go up against anyone you like, and they won't use a single weapon".
Hilloc of Dalmar lifts a questioning eyebrow as he glances at his guard captain, who shrugs his shoulders in reply.
"Very well" says duke Hilloc to the two who he's been negotiating with of late, then the duke of Dalmar and his guard captain make their way back to infront of the barracks.
Once there, Hilloc of Dalmar quietly says to his guard captain "Send our men in one at a time at first" followed by "If these youngsters can hold them off, then send more in".
"Yes my lord" quietly says the guard captain, who then makes his way over to the group of soldiers who have picked by him and the duke to test how good the mercenaries are.
"Those two don't have any weapons" quietly says duke Korros of Falosen "They'll be cut down quickly" adds duke Lombasil of Girnath.
"I know" quietly says duke Hilloc, while next to him his cousin sir Passic isn't so sure as he looks at the other mercenaries standing on the otherside of the training yard infront of the castle barracks.
Then duke Hilloc of Dalmar turns to their left, and calls out to his guard captain "Begin!" . . . . . .