The Lost Ones 25.

Summer. The Maldin Hills. The Southlands.

"We should be there some time later today" says Tamric Drubine the field commander as he walks alongside Saanea the witch.
A dozen yards infront of them is sir Percavelle Lé Dic. While out infront of him is Lisell Maera the messenger, who is leading the way.
A dozen or so yards behind the pretty looking hillwoman and the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin. Is Shur Kee the monk.
While as usual, Dorc da Orc is behind everyone else as they make their way along one of the many roads that go up and down, and crisscrosses the Maldin Hills.
They've made much better time going up the west side of the hill range. Than they did coming down the east side as they searched for the witch who has now joined their group.
Their days start early in the morning, well before dawn. As here on the west side of the hill country.
The heat during the morning of the summer days isn't so bad. It's in the middle of the afternoon when it's hottest on this side of the range.
They usually stop then, as it's too hot for Dorc da Orc to travel.
They could continue on at that time of the day. But the large ork would complain more than usual, and loudly too.
And field commander Drubine just doesn't want to deal with that.
Below them on the hillside they're on. A couple of hillmen, and their herd of sheep, are on trail, that goes downhill. They're heading for lower ground this morning. As the sheep dogs occasionally bark at the animals to keep the herd moving downhill.
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
Waves in reply to the herders who wave to them in greeting this morning, which feels like it's going to be another hot summer's day here in the Maldin Hills.
Then the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, which is located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin, asks the spellcaster walking beside him "What was it like growing up here in these hills?".
Up infront of everyone else, a good fifty yards infront of the others on the hard packed, and rather dusty road.
Lisell Maera the messenger glances back at the rest of the group as she leads the way northwards.
Looking beyond sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who though he acts all bright eyed and talkative in the morning.
The attractive young woman originally from the city-state of Brattonbury, knows that he really isn't a morning person.
Who would prefer to get underway a lot later than they have been. As they've got going again most mornings, well before dawn.
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly referred to by the others in the group.
Sees Tamric Drubine and Saanea the witch in deep conversation, quietly speaking to one another as they walk side by side. Which more often than not, they do most days now that the hillwoman has joined the group and is now traveling with them.
The messenger in the scouts and rangers division in the armies of Farque, looks ahead again with a small quirk to her lips.
No one else might not of noticed it, but she has. And knowing Tam as well as she does. After all, they've basically grown up together.
Lis is more than certain that the young field commander is infatuated with the pretty looking hillwoman.
Infact the messenger or runner, as they're often referred to. Thinks the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin has fallen for the witch who has recently joined the group. And fallen hard.
She's got you Tam, that's for sure, Lisell Maera the messenger thinks to herself, who then silently adds, not that she knows it.
The attractive young woman who hails from the coast of the Southlands, and wonders why the others haven't noticed this.
Then she wryly smiles, as the three others, are the three in the group least likely to notice anything like what's happening to field commander Drubine, who is falling in love with the latest member of the group.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic only cares about sir Percavelle Lé Dic. And if it doesn't involve him. He's oblivious to it.
Then there's the most enigmatic member of the entire group. Shur Kee the monk.
Who is off in his own world most of the time. That of course he won't notice that the young field commander has fallen hard for the newest spellcaster to join the group.
It's the same, but worse for Dorc da Orc. Who frankly doesn't give a shit about what the others in the group get up to.
He's too busy drinking and eating. And thinking about who or what he can either fuck or kill next.
The ork warleader is totally oblivious to what's going on amongst the others in the group.
And even when it involves him at times. He hardly even bothers as well.
Lis shakes her head at the situation. And wonders when the others will eventually notice what's happening with Tam and Saanea the witch.
She figures they will, when the two of them are affectionate with another infront of the others.
That's if the hillwoman has the same feelings for the young field commander, that he has for her.
I wonder if she even likes him? Lisell Maera thinks to herself, who then looks back at the others. In particular the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin. And the hillwoman who has recently joined the group.
"Maybe?" murmurs the messenger in the armies of Farque as she looks at the witch, and wonders if Saanea is infatuated with Tam, as he is with her.
She's sure hanging onto every word he says, the attractive young woman from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury thinks to herself, as she watches the spellcaster listen intently to what young field commander is telling her.
Lis looks ahead again, then she says "Hello cat" as there's a house cat sitting on a rock just up ahead on her right.
It's Saanea's familiar, which meows at the messenger. Who knows not to pat it. As it will only let you, if it wants to. And most times it doesn't.
Though it has rubbed up against Lisell's legs a handful of times.
As for some of the others in the group. It keeps well away from Dorc da Orc. And with good reason. As the large ork wants to eat the familiar when it's in its cat form.
The ork warleader has been overheard saying how he wants to eat that pussy up if he gets his hands on it. And loudly declaring how Dorc likes eating pussy.
As for Shur Kee the monk. The familiar is all over him. Especially when it's in cat form. As it rubs itself all over the short, statured monk.
As it hops on his shoulders almost as much as it rides on the shoulders of the witch it belongs to.
At night, Lis has even seen it settling down on the chest of the physical adept when he goes to sleep.
She's seen it in other forms as it sits upon the shoulders of Shur Kee the monk. Mostly various types of birds. But she's also seen it as a lizard, with it's tail wrapped around the neck of the member of the philosophical order of Bru Li.
And once she saw it in the form of a snake, draped over the shoulders and back of the neck of the short, statured monk.
Who is from beyond the Southlands, the far east coast of the continent. Where his homeland, the kingdom of Wah Lee is located.
As for Shur Kee, he doesn't mind in the slightest that Saanea's familiar is all over him at times.
And as the others pass the cat on the rock, it meows at them. Purring loudly at the witch it belongs to. Before it jumps up onto the right shoulder of the monk wearing the strange looking white cotton clothing, and the even stranger looking conical shaped hat.
Which is absolutely perfect to protect oneself from the sun that beats down upon the dry and dusty Maldin Hills during the summertime.
At midmorning, they stop at a farmhold which is familiar to them, as it's about eight miles south of the village the group stayed at previously.
After filling up their water bottles, and having a quick bite to eat. And Dorc da Orc buys another barrel of wine from the farmers.
Tamric Drubine says "We should get there in the middle of the afternoon" as they set off again on the road they're on, that takes them north, here on the west side of the hill range.
With Lisell Maera out infront again, and Dorc da Orc trailing behind the others, they continue northwards along the road that will eventually take them to the village, they spent an extended amount of time in, before eventually finding Saanea the witch.
Late in the morning, they go by the abandoned mines to the south of the village they're heading towards.
Mines that shut down nearly twenty years ago, because Dorc da Orc and lord Farque stole all the gold that was last produced from them.
As they pass the mines, they see in the distance, an airship, traveling down to the lowlands, most likely on it's way to the coast of the Southlands, which is less than fifty miles from this part of the Maldin Hills.
In the early afternoon, when field commander Drubine is wondering if they'll have to push on through the hottest part of the day to get to the village.
Dorc da Orc who has been quiet most of the day, as he's been busy drinking and eating throughout the day, speaks up and says "Me smell smoke".
Tam stops, and looks back at the large ork, and asks him "Where?".
"Fucken there" says the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, who gestures along the road they're on, and adds "North".
"Can you find out what it is?" asks the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin as he looks at the hillwoman standing beside him.
"I can" says Saanea the witch, who looks at her familiar, which at the moment is perched on her right shoulder in bird form, a falcon to be exact.
The familiar tilts it's head, as it looks at the witch. Then it takes off, circles the group, then heads north.
"What's happening?" asks Lisell Maera who has walked back to see why the rest of the group has stopped.
"Dorc smells smoke" says Tamric Drubine who continues with "Saanea is finding out what it is". Then the young field commander in the armies of Farque tells them to continue on their way.
It's not that long later, that Saanea's familiar comes back into view. And as the witch looks at the bird of prey as it heads back this way, she slightly gasps.
"What is it?" asks the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, which is located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
"Here" quickly says the hillwoman who is a spellcaster, who continues with "I'll show you".
The witch casts a spell, showing what her familiar has found. It isn't nearly as well detailed, or as clear as a viewing spell, or illusion spell that Helbe the elven thief casts.
It's also flat, and a little bit fuzzy, is the best way that field commander Drubine can describe it as.
But he can easily see from the bird's eye view, of what's happened.
"Fuck" mutters Tam, who then calls out something in elven to Lisell Maera out infront.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, after one quick look back at the young field commander, takes off running in the direction they're going.
"Pray tell, what is it?" asks sir Percavelle Lé Dic as he looks back at Tam "Trouble Percy" says the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who then tells the former paladin "Go after Lis".
The large, heavily armoured knight from the kingdom of Druvic, doesn't have to be told twice, he takes off running after the messenger, who has disappeared around a bend in the road.
"Trouble Shur Kee" says Tam to the physical adept when the short, statured monk catches up to the young field commander.
The acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li, takes off running. He's followed by the field commander in the armies of Farque, and the witch who has recently joined the group.
Looking back, Tamric Drubine calls out "Dorc, trouble!".
The large ork grunts, and showing a lot of effort on his part, as it's getting hotter and hotter now it's the afternoon. The warleader of the ork race breaks out into a run as he follows after the others.
With her long legs, the lean, athletic, not to mention attractive young woman originally from the coast of the Southlands.
Quickly covers the distance to the village they stayed in previously. Her ability to travel long distances fairly quickly. Is why she's a runner in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
Lisell Maera, daughter of a street prostitute and a sailor from the city-state of Brattonbury, goes up the side of the hill, and crests it.
Then suddenly stops as she looks down at the village they were living in just two weeks ago.
"Oh fuck" mutters Lis as she's more commonly called by the others in the group, as she looks at the village.
Which has obviously been attacked, as quite a lot of it has been burnt down. There's tendrils of smoke coming off some of the buildings.
And Lis sees bodies lying here and there. The messenger also sees a number of survivors wandering around, looking at what's happened to their village.
While she spots others going through the destroyed houses and buildings, looking for others who may of survived the attack upon their hillside village.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury, grimaces as she sees the winery has been destroyed over on the north side of the village.
And that some of the orchard, and vineyard has been burnt as well. The lifeblood and livelihood of the village, will take years to grow back to what it was.
"Hell" mutters the runner, who finds herself holding her sword in hand. She returns it to her belt, then heads down to the village, to see what she can do to help those who survived the attack upon their home.
The rest of the group eventually turn up as well. With Dorc da Orc the last to arrive.
The large ork lower lip quivers, and tears threaten to flow from his eyes, when he sees what's happened to the winery. His favourite place in the entire village.
Then his mood picks up when he smells the burnt bodies.
Though he grunts in disappointment, when he enters the village. And Tamric Drubine warns him not to touch any of the dead.
And in touch, he means eat. As that's what the ork weaponsmith was contemplating.
As he was hoping to take a burnt body or two when no one was looking.
He definitely can't do it now. As field commander Drubine tells him to keep close to him.
And while Shur Kee the monk is up the terraces, where the house they were staying at is located.
And is shaking his head, as he looks at their horses, which have all been slaughtered.
Though their gear and equipment they had left here, and hid. Infact they buried it. Are still intact and safe.
The house itself hasn't been burnt down. But it has been badly damaged, as well as ransacked.
Meanwhile Tamric Drubine is speaking to one of the survivors down in the main part of the village. Which has taken the brunt of the damage.
"What happened Darmin?" asks the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin.
The hillman, who has a bleeding arm, and is been tended to by Saanea the witch as he lies in the shade next to his badly burnt house.
Looks at the young field commander, Darmin the hillman tells him "It was that traveling merchant and his guards" followed by "That one who showed up that morning a few days before you lot left".
"Sharnd wasn't it?" says Tam as he remembers the merchant and his guards who turned up, and traded with the villagers one morning "The flatlander?" adds the young field commander in the armies of Farque.
"That's the bugger" mutters the injured hillman in disgust, who continues with "He and his guards, and a bunch of others turned up first thing this morning on an airship".
He gestures all around them with his good arm, as he says "And attacked us, and took all our wares after they killed a lot of us, and a lot of our stock" Darmin then adds "The buggers took off in their ship after that, heading down to the lowlands".
"Hell" mutters field commander Drubine, who along with the rest of the group saw the airship in question earlier this morning, going down to the lowlands.
Tamric Drubine sees that Shur Kee has come down from the terraces, and looks at him. And that sir Percavelle Lé Dic who has just carried a dead body out of a nearby house, looks over at the young field commander as well.
Meanwhile Dorc da Orc, who has just look towards the burnt down winery with longing. Looks at the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin too.
While Saanea the witch who has got the bleeding to stop, and is now wrapping Darmin's injured arm with a bandage. Looks at the field commander in the armies of Farque as well.
Lisell Maera walks over, and looks down at Tam who is crouching next to the injured hillman.
"Well?" asks the attractive young woman originally from the city-state of Brattonbury "What are were going to do?" adds Lis.
"We're going to do something about it" is the reply of Tamric Drubine, who looks to the west, to the lowlands as he adds "That's what we're going to do" . . . . . .