The General & The Knight 13.

Winter. The Town Of Gildin Dale.

After the last few days starting off foggy, then turning clear and sunny.
This morning in Gildin Dale and the surrounding forest.
It's snowing again, the first time in over a week in this part of northwestern Farque.
All of the recruits are indoors this morning. With two of the groups doing unarmed combat over in the town hall with sir Morcin the undead avenger, and Shur Kee the monk.
While the other two groups of ten recruits each. Are packed into the main room of the largest of the four houses that the teenage recruits use as barracks.
There they're being taught battle tactics and theory by Tamric Drubine the field commander, the knight sir Percavellé Lé Dic, and the general, Dorc da Orc.
Well, the young field commander and the nobleborn knight are instructing them this morning.
While the ork general is lying out in the courtyard between the four houses, enjoying the falling snow.
So much so, that the large ork has built up a pile of snow, and has burrowed his way beneath it.
Though not enough snow has fallen, so his legs and arms are sticking out from the pile of snow he's under.
The ork warleader is hoping the snow will fall even heavier. But unfortunately for him, it doesn't look like that's going to happen.
As the snowfall is getting lighter and lighter as the morning goes on.
"So what would you do differently?" asks Tamric Drubine the field commander while gesturing at the map table he's standing next to.
The nobleborn teenager who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, shoots a glance in the direction of sir Percavellé Lé Dic.
Who he sees is busy looking out one of the glass windows, glaring at his bitter rival Dorc da Orc. Who is outside in the courtyard, where he's buried himself under a pile of snow.
"Answers in elven please" says the young field commander in the elven language.
For the simple reason the battle they're studying this morning. Is the battle in which their lord, who was a battlelord at the time, was killed.
Either singly or in pairs, the teenage recruits come up from where they're sitting on the floor. Or from one of the chairs against the walls in the room.
Bringing their slates and chalk, as they get a closer look at the map table.
Which only shows part of a battle that took place four and a half centuries ago.
There's two people in the town of Gildin Dale who was in the battle.
Well, one person and one wardog. That person being sir Morcin who is over in the town hall, which is next to the learning center, on the west side of town.
The other being Axe. Who is lying out on the front portico of this house, the largest of the four homes here in the northeast of town, where the teenage recruits are housed.
After writing out movements and maneuvers on their slates, and discussing with one or another of their fellow recruits.
Each of them, in the elven language. Tell field commander Drubine what they would do differently, if anything.
None of the twenty army recruits from here in the northwest of the lands Farque.
Would change the first charge on the third day of the battle. The charge that saw their lord, who was then Kaiuss Farque, the heir to the lands Farque, killed.
As it changed the momentum of the battle. As their lord died while killing the leader of the enemy. The emperor of the Holy Norstran Empire.
Though most, if not all them. Suggest changing a few of the things that happened directly after that.
Though their lord's combined Southland army was victorious. It was a near thing that they were.
A few of the teenage recruits, including Hamblin, Garmon and Maselle.
Suggest that some of the heavy foot on the right flank could of moved sooner. Even though they were heavily depleted after the first main charge.
"Maybe" says field commander Drubine once all the recruits have all sat down again after getting a good look at the map table.
The table has the topography and landscape of the battle. Which was barren, dry, arid plains.
Along with small figures and markers representing various forces on either side of the battle that took place four and a half centuries ago, in the very northwest of the Southlands.
"That has been suggested over the years" says the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who himself suggested that very same thing when he learnt about this battle for the first time a few years ago.
"But it would've of been extremely difficult" adds Tamric Drubine who is more commonly called Tam by those who know him well.
"As the bulk of them, or what was left of them were orks" says the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, a castle located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
The young field commander who is a senior officer in the armies of Farque pauses for a moment, then he continues with "You can see the difficulty there".
More than a few of the teenage recruits nod yes to that. And Tam points at one, and asks her "And what was that?".
"They're not that organised outside of their tribal groups" says the recruit Jinsa, who is probably the best with a bow out of the recruits here.
"Correct" says Tam, who then dryly adds "They're not that organised within their tribal group to be honest".
Which causes the twenty teenage army recruits to chuckle.
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic sourly smiles as behind him, the young recruits all laugh about something.
He has no idea about what. As they along with young Tam, are speaking elven. Which he doesn't understand.
The nobleman originally from the kingdom of Druvic who has glanced at one of the recruits sitting on the floor close by.
Sees on the youngster's slate the written elven script. Which of course the heavily armoured knight can't read.
The former paladin who is a member of the order of the Knights of Sanit Mar-che, would normally find all of this more than annoying.
But as he looks out one of the windows at the front of the house. He's more perturbed by what he sees outside in the courtyard between the four houses, that are basically the recruits barracks.
Where his bitter rival, Dorc da Orc. Is lying beneath a pile of snow in the middle of the courtyard.
The nobleborn knight for awhile thought the large ork was asleep out there.
But every so often, the ork warleader can be seen moving his arms and legs that stick out from beneath the pile of snow.
The former earl of Lé Dic, which is his family's fief in eastern Druvic. Guesses, correctly as it turns out. That the ork general is probably enjoying himself. As he knows the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world likes being out in the falling snow.
As sir Percavellé Lé Dic, or Percy as he's more commonly called by those who know him will, continues to watch his rival Dorc da Orc out in the courtyard.
Muttering to himself under his breath as he does so. Usually about the intelligence of the ork weaponsmith, or lack of.
And the way in which the warleader of the ork race smells. Or to be exact, how he reeks.
Tamric Drubine the field commander, who is only five years older than most of the young teens, and is still a teenager himself. Continues with the lesson on battle tactics.
"Still, there was a couple thousand of them left, one of whom was the most important person left on the Southland's side" says the nobleborn teenager, who continues with "The senior most officer left alive in the Southland's forces".
The young field commander in the armies of Farque points at one of the recruits, and asks "Who was that?".
"Grond" replies Lamis the recruit.
"Correct" says Tam who then adds "The famous warleader".
Tamric Drubine who knows all of the recruits have been taught history ever since they started at the learning centers in their home towns and villages.
And know all about the history of their lands, and their armies. And the various wars they've been in over the years.
Including the most important one. Where their lord was killed in battle four and a half centuries ago.
The young field commander looks at each of the recruits, all of whom are human.
Then tells them "Named warleader by the previous lord Farque, and who would rally the Southland's forces that fateful day, and bring about victory".
The nobleborn teenager who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, briefly pauses then says "The lord made the decisive strike and killed the emperor doing so".
Tam follows that with "But it took a tactical genius to continue on with the battle and eventually win it, even with a force that was still outnumbered by the enemy".
The young field commander pauses once more, before saying "You all know that the lord essentially sacrificed himself and the heavy horse troop to give the Southlanders a slim chance at victory".
He continues on with "Do you also know he had the ork tribes in that first charge on that day led by his own personal guard, the ork weaponsmith Trung?".
The recruits all glance at one another, as they weren't taught that bit of information in their history lessons.
"And not warleader Grond who he had go to the back of the ork ranks?" adds Tam.
Another bit of information the recruits weren't taught concerning the battle that ended the invasion of the Southlands by the Holy Norstran Empire.
"From all accounts the famous general and warleader was dead set against this" says Tam who continues with "But since it was a direct order from his lord, well, battlelord at the time, the warleader did what he was told".
"And because of that, that sacrifice the lord and the others willingly made, was capitalized on by warleader Grond" adds field commander Drubine, who momentarily pauses before continuing with "Who by the way, was from the wolf tribe of orks just like general Dorc is" he then adds "Who like Grond, was also named warleader of the ork race by a lord of Farque".
The teenage recruits are all silent. For them, the ork warleader Dorc da Orc does nothing more than shout and swear at them.
Slow to keep up with them on the courses out on the grounds to the west of town.
Or who tries to hide and scare them out on one of the forest trails around Gildin Dale.
And when he's not doing that. The ork general is trying to eat and drink everything within sight.
Or he's arguing and shouting at sir Percavellé Lé Dic, as apparently the two of them see themselves as bitter rivals.
Who wouldn't be too displeased if the other one ended up dead. Doing something ridiculous most like.
The large ork who has taken the recruits for weapons training. Isn't allowed to spar with them. For the simple reason he will actually try to kill them.
The only thing that any of them will willingly admit he's taught them of worth.
Is about the many types of weapons one is likely to come across. And how to maintain them, and keep them ready for battle.
It helps that he has about every conceivable weapon in his possession. Tied to his weapon harness that he wears.
To the recruits, the big, burly ork from the southern polar region looks like a walking armory who could easily arm a company of soldiers.
As the silence grows, field commander Drubine breaks it by saying "We shall see what the warleader thinks of this" as he gestures at the map table.
Then the nobleborn teenager who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, looks at the heavily armoured knight peering out one of the front windows, and says in the common language "Percy, will you have Dorc come in here".
The former paladin in the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che sourly smiles when he hears that.
And knowing that his bitter rival Dorc da Orc never does what he wants. Percy is about to tell Tam that he won't do what he's asked.
When the nobleman who hails from the kingdom of Druvic suddenly grins as he sees who is out on the front portico.
"Of course young Tam, i shall do that immediately" says sir Percavellé Lé Dic who can't quite keep the sound of glee out of his voice as he says that.
The heavily armoured knight hurries out the front door, unable to suppress the grin upon his face.
So he shuts the visor of his full helm, chortling to himself as he does so.
After sir Percavellé steps outside, the former earl of Lé Dic says "I say hound, er Axe good fellow".
The undead wardog Axe lifts his head up and looks at the nobleborn knight, who tells him "Young Tam wants the beast yonder there inside" as he points at his bitter rival the ork warleader out in the courtyard under a pile of snow.
"I think to demonstrate something to the youngsters" continues Percy, who then adds in a mutter "On how things can go wrong most likely".
Axe turns his head and looks through one of the glass windows along the front of the house, where he sees field commander Drubine looking outside.
The undead wardog, softly barks a few times, then after getting up and stretching he hops off the portico, not bothering to use the steps.
The grinning nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic watches as the massive canine walks to the middle of the courtyard, where the ork general is lying beneath a pile of snow.
Dorc da Orc is just thinking about pulling down his pants to enjoy the snow even more.
When he hears and smells what can only be the wardog Axe approaching.
The massive animal who easily weighs twice as much as Dorc himself. Is extremely light footed across the snow covered ground.
But it's his smell that truly gives him away to the ork warleader.
As he's one of the Farqian wardog that smells cold to the sense of smell of the large ork.
A cool, clean ice like cold, compared to the cold air on this snowy morning here in this area of the northwest of the lands Farque.
As the ork weaponsmith is hoping that Axe is just walking by to head somewhere. He suddenly yelps as something grabs his right boot.
Sputtering snow, Dorc da Orc or Dorkindle which is his given name. Is dragged out from beneath the pile of snow he's under.
The large ork feels himself being flung to one side, and goes tumbling across the courtyard, and rolls to a stop infront of the largest of the four homes that are essentially the recruits barracks.
The big, burly ork from the frozen bottom of the world, looks back as he scrambles to his feet, and sees the undead wardog Axe walking towards him.
"Fucknuts" mutters Dorc da Orc, who then sourly smiles, as he hears his bitter rival sir Percavellé Lé Dic say "Young Tam wants you inside here, you filthy green demon".
The large ork looks at the former paladin up on the portico, who has the visor of his helm up again, and is grinning.
"Chop, chop there you smelly beast" says Percy who continues with "Get a hurry on, or thy giant hound there will no doubt help you inside, wot".
Dorkindle looks back, and finds Axe standing right behind him.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks hurries up the steps to the portico, and after glaring at his bitter rival the former paladin.
The ork general makes his way inside the house, followed a moment later by a chuckling sir Percavellé Lé Dic.
"Dorc, come here and have a look at this, and tell me you what you think of it" says Tamric Drubine the field commander when the ork warleader comes in from outside . . . . . .