The Lost Ones 4.

Summer. Western Southlands. Maldin Hills.

"Take that you damn villain!" declares sir Percavelle Lé Dic as he kicks one of the raiders between the legs.
The man, a miner by the looks of his attire, groans as he drops to his knees, clutching his groin.
He gets an armoured knee in the face for his troubles too. Which smashes in his face and mouth.
The nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic, isn't in all of his armour at the moment. He's missing quite a few pieces, as he took off a lot of his armour as he helped the villagers to dig their waterway from the spring to down here in the orchard and vineyard.
Though the former earl of Lé Dic is wearing his full helm at the moment. And on his left arm, he has the shield of Saint Mar-che.
The Druvician nobleman spins around, and stabs another of the raiders who tries to rush him from behind.
The large, middle aged knight is wielding his sword of knockdown, which when it hits, it hits with predictable results.
Tamric Drubine the field commander who has just cut down one of the raiders, and bashed another one in the face with the hilt of his own magical sword.
Wryly smiles as he sees one of the raiders go flying over the row in the vineyard he's in, over the next one, and smash into one of the first citrus trees in the orchard.
Looking through the vines, Tamric Drubine the field commander asks "You alright over there Percy?".
"I've seem to of vanquish the last of them, wot" replies the member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che "Much disappointed i say" adds the nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic.
The young field commander in the armies of Farque squeezes through the row of vines to his left, and joins sir Percavelle Lé Dic who is more commonly called Percy by the others.
"Verily, they seemed hard pressed to come this way wot" says the former paladin, who continues with "As if the very demons of hell were upon their heals".
"Well" says Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well "I don't know about that" adds the nobleborn teenager originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who continues with "But there was a big green psycho who they were fleeing".
"Yes" says Percy in a rather dour manner "Quite" adds the former knight of the first class, who sourly smiles at the mention of his bitter rival.
Then the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, who had been fighting with the faceplate of his full helm open. Slams it shut as he follows after the young field commander, who is making his way between the rows of vines.
The former earl of Lé Dic mutters under his breath about the deficiencies of his rival, which in his opinion, there's an awful lot of them. As he follows after Tam.
Only stopping for a brief moment to kick the unconscious raider he kneed in the face, in the side of the head, breaking the man's neck. Before he sets off after the young field commander again.
The son and former heir to a previous knight of castle Drubine, which is located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
Stops next to Shur Kee the monk, who is kneeling beside one of the younger hillmen.
The short, statured monk looks at Tamric Drubine and shakes his head no.
The nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin, who is now a field commander in the armies of Farque.
Sees that it's Franck, one of the better bow hunters by all accounts, who lies dead between two rows of vines on the side of the hill, just north of the village.
"He froze after he shot one of them" quietly explains Shur Kee the monk, who continues on with "Another one of them cut him down where he stood" he then adds "I was unable to get to him in time".
"It happens sometimes" quietly says field commander Drubine who continues with "Especially with someone who hasn't trained for battle, or experienced battle before".
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic grunts in agreement with the nobleborn teenager as the three of them look down at the dead hillmen.
While more of the villagers, are at the end of the row of vines, looking their way.
Tam waves to them, to come and attend to one of their own. The only one to be killed by the raiders. Who were attempting to get to the village, which lies just on the otherside of the vineyard and orchard.
Of the nearly forty raiders who approached from the north. Nearly thirty of them lie dead or dying on the northern edge of the vineyard and orchard. As well as further along the hillside on this side of the village.
The rest of them have fled, having no stomach for a fight they weren't expecting.
Tam along with Percy and Shur Kee question one of the dying raiders. And find out that they're originally from a mining community twenty five miles to the north in the Maldin Hills.
Outsiders, mostly from the flatland between the hill country and the coast.
And that the mine they'd been working in for the last few years, had finally played out, as it was a rather old mine to begin with.
And over the last few months since the beginning of spring, they'd live a sparse existence in their ramshackle mining town.
Until they finally got desperate, and decided to go raiding some of the neighbouring hillmen communities.
Through the late spring, and early summer they attacked two other villages. Taking everything from food, alcohol and herds, and women too.
Today was supposed to be the third village they'd attack. As they'd come south, as it's common knowledge that this particular hillmen village has a prosperous vineyard and orchard. Even during the hot months of the summer that the Maldin Hills regularly endures.
As the wounded raider dies in mid sentence as he talks to them. Field commander Drubine sees Lisell Maera the messenger and Dorc da Orc approaching between the rows of vines.
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Druvic better speak to the large ork, and tell him not to eat any of the dead. At least not infront of the hillmen.
"Find out anything?" asks Lisell Maera the messenger "A bit" replies Tamric Drubine who quickly explains what they found out by questioning the wounded raider.
As Dorkindle wanders around sticking a spear in the raiders as they lie scattered across the edge of the vineyard and orchard.
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by the others, asks "Where were these other villages they attacked?".
"Northeast of their mining town" replies the young field commander in the armies of Farque, who winces when the messenger says in the elven language "I hope to hell she wasn't in one of those villages".
The son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine nods in agreement with the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury.
Then Lis spots some of the hillmen carrying a cloak wrapped body away from the orchard, and back to the village.
"What's that?" asks the messenger who nods towards the hillmen making their way back to the village.
Tam turns around and looks to where Lisell Maera has nodded, and he says "One of the hunters was killed" followed by "He was the only villager to die".
"Who?" asks the attractive young woman from the coast of the Southlands.
"That young guy" says field commander Drubine who then adds "Franck".
Lis pauses for a moment, then she nods, the messenger in the armies of Farque looks around, then walks away, heading in the direction of the nearby village.
"Better help them bury the dead" says Tam to Shur Kee and sir Percavelle Lé Dic as some of the hillmen have started carrying away the dead raiders.
"Well, i do say, these dead villains will make fine fertiliser for the trees wot" states the former paladin in the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che. Which causes both the young field commander and the acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li to wince.
The three of them walk away, while over in the next row of grape vines, Dorc da Orc chuckles as he sticks his spear into another of the raiders, who was injured and not dead. He's dead now, that's for sure.
Later in the day, at dusk where a bit of a breeze has picked up, to help cool things down from the stifling heat of the daytime.
And all the dead raiders have been buried after they've been stripped of everything of worth. From the coins and any jewels they were carrying. To the weapons they were using. Along with a few drinking leathers of wine and mash liquor they had.
The alcohol which Dorc da Orc took, along with a pair of legs he took when no one was looking.
And now the ork warleader is up next to the boulders at the top of the trail, up at the top of the hill, above the orchard and vineyard.
Where he's happily chewing away on a leg, and drinking some of the mash liquor. As he looks down to the village below as dusk gives way to the early evening.
In the village, Lisell Maera has just made her way out of one of the houses. It's the family home of the young hunter Franck. Where she's just paid her respects to the young man. Who though annoying as he often paid attention to her during the nearly two weeks they've been in this village. He was never untowards the attractive young woman from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury.
The messenger in the armies of Farque could only stay inside a short time before she had to get out.
The sight of Franck's two younger siblings, along with his parents. Who were all mourning the young hunter. Who they all relied on. Was enough to drive Lis back outside.
She pushed her way through the other hillmen who have come to pay their respects to the recently departed and his family.
The messenger in the armies of Farque makes her way back to the house that she and others are staying in.
She finds Tamric Drubine, Shur Kee the monk and sir Percavelle Lé Dic sitting at the table they've brought outside.
The table is laden with food and drink, that the locals have brought over in appreciation for the defence of their village, orchard and vineyard.
"Where's Dorc?" asks Lis as Tam fills a goblet full of wine for her "I'd thought he'd been here to enjoy all this" adds the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, whose mother was a street prostitute and whose father was a sailor.
"He's up the hill somewhere" says field commander Drubine, who switches to the elven language and tells Lis "Eating some poor bastards legs he thought no one saw he took, but i caught a glimpse of".
The messenger rolls her eyes, then loads up a plate full of food. Both cold and hot meat, lamb of course. As well as some grilled chicken, that's in a dish with onions and peppers.
There's also an assortment of cheeses, mainly made from sheep's milk. But there's a couple of harder yellow cheeses too. As this village has a handful of milking cows, a rarity in the villages that are higher up in the Maldin Hills.
As Lis takes one of the flatbreads from a pile of them, and puts some of the spiced lamb, and some pickled vegetables on it, then wraps it up.
She says to Tam "She'd better of not been in one of those two villages".
"I know" says the young field commander with a slight wince upon his face "And we haven't gone up that way yet" adds the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin as they've only searched to the north and northwest in this part of the Maldin Hills for the person they're looking for.
"Two of us go out tomorrow?" asks Lis who continues with "Head up that way to check things out?" she then quickly adds "I'll go again if you want" as she doesn't particularly want to be here in the village at the moment.
The young field commander who was thinking about going himself, nods his head, then looking at Shur Kee and sir Percavelle Lé Dic, the senior officer in the armies of Farque says "Take Percy with you this time".
Though she prefers to travel with the short, statured monk from beyond the Southlands, because he doesn't unnecessarily chat. She nods her head in acceptance at the suggestion from Tam for the former earl of Lé Dic to go with her.
"We'll stay here, and make sure those ten or so raiders who fled don't try and come back to attack again" says the nobleborn teenager who is the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, a castle located in the very north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
Tamric Drubine after taking a drink of wine, adds "Keep an eye out for them as you go up north, they might head back to their mine, or those two villages they've already attacked".
The messenger nods her head in agreement as the four of them continue to eat their evening meal outside infront of the house they're living in the village in this part of the Maldin Hills.
In the morning, Tamric Drubine is up fairly early. Mainly because of the loud snoring from Dorc da Orc, who sleeps outside next to the house they've been living in for nearly two weeks.
The young field commander isn't up as early as Shur Kee the monk, who is coming up one of the paths that wind through the hillside village.
The physical adept who is the living incarnation of the Jade Warrior Bru Li, has been meditating on a nearby outcrop that looks out, and down the hill the village is on.
The nobleborn teenager originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin knows that Shur Kee would of practiced his unarmed combat techniques too. And he'll be willing to train Tam this morning too.
The senior officer in the armies of Farque isn't up to it this morning, instead he gets a bucket of water from the nearby trough, and uses that to wash himself.
And short time later, he and the short, statured monk are sitting at the table infront of the house, eating breakfast.
While Lisell Maera and sir Percavelle Lé Dic are around the back of the house, in the lean to, that's a rudimentary stable. Where they're saddling two of the horses they've purchased from the villagers.
All the while, Dorc da Orc continues to sleep blissfully unaware that the others are already up and about.
The large ork will soon be awake, as the heat will get to him eventually. Even early in the morning it's warm. Especially as the breeze that was blowing last night, has disappeared this morning.
"We're off" says Lis as she and the former earl of Lé Dic walk their mounts from around the back of the house.
"We'll eat on the road" adds the messenger in the armies of Farque.
"Stay safe" Tamric Drubine says to the attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, and the nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic.
"See you when you get back" adds Shur Kee the monk, the two riding north this morning, nod their heads.
Then they lead their mounts down the path, through the village to where the road that goes north is.
As they finish breakfast, and they hear the mutterings in the ork language from Dorc da Orc around the side of the house as the large ork wakes up in grumpy mood because of the heat.
Tamric Drubine and Shur Kee the monk watch Lisell Maera and sir Percavelle Lé Dic get to the road, where they hop up into the saddle.
And as they ride out of the village, and head north. They hope they find out any information about the woman they've been searching for here in the Maldin Hills . . . . . .