The General & The Knight 16.

Winter. The Lands Of Farque.

Tamric Drubine the field commander who is on the grounds this morning.
Looks back along the path he's on as he watches a group of the recruits on the second course.
He rolls his eyes, and sourly smiles as through the thinning fog, he sees a rather disgruntled looking sir Percavellé Lé Dic walking this way.
The nobleborn teenager from the  feudal kingdom of Sarcrin knows exactly what the former paladin is coming to him to complain about.
It's the same thing the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic has complained about for the last couple of days.
Which is the return of his magical sword of knockdown. That's recently been stolen by Dorc da Orc.
Before the heavily armoured knight starts complaining, Tamric Drubine the field commander says to him as he approaches "Percy you're supposed to be taking the third group for sword work this morning".
That stops the former earl of Lé Dic short, who blinks as that put a complete stop to the rant he was about to start up on.
After clearing his throat, sir Percavellé Lé Dic says "I am young Tam" the nobleborn knight continues with "I've got them underway already" followed by "The youngsters are training with vigour and vim as we speak, wot".
"You're supposed to be watching over them" dryly says Tamric Drubine who is more commonly called Tam by those who know him well.
The young field commander continues along the path, keeping an eye on the recruits who are on the second course, here on the grounds just to the west of the town of Gildin Dale.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che hurries to catch up to the teenager who is a senior officer in the armies of Farque.
"Remember you're to give your assessment of them, which you can't really do with you here with me" says Tam when he comes to a stop as the recruits enter the water, as they begin the section of the course that's made up of obstacles in a hundred and fifty yard stretch of water.
"Yes, yes i shall return shortly so i can keep an eye on the recruits, to assess how they've progressed, wot" states the former earl of Lé Dic, which is his family's fief in eastern Druvic.
"But there's more important matters at hand" adds the heavily armoured knight, who has been more than a little annoyed over the last couple of days.
Ever since he found out that his magical sword of knockdown is missing.
Taken by his bitter rival, the ork warleader Dorc da Orc.
"That ungodly beast still has my sword" says sir Percavellé Lé Dic, who more often than not, is called Percy by those who know him well.
"And i hear he has taken off again" continues the heavily armoured knight "Off with the group on the east trail through the forest, that is another day he will be gone" says the former paladin who then adds in a loud mutter "That smelly green demon is trying to avoid me, 'cause he doth know i will slay him if he shows his ugly visage around here again".
Tam rolls his eyes again as he listens to the muttering knight from the kingdom of Druvic.
Everyone knows Dorc da Orc is avoiding being in town for the simple reason field commander Drubine will tell the ork warleader to return Percy's magical sword to him.
The nobleborn teenager for as long as he can remember. Has seen the sword of knockdown pass between the former earl of Lé Dic and the ork weaponsmith so many times. That he often forgets who actually owns it.
The senior officer in the armies of Farque knows that it actually belongs to sir Percavellé Lé Dic. Unlike the shield of Saint Mar-che, which the former paladin stole from his own order.
Though to Percy, he's just keeping the powerful magical shield in his possession for it's own safety.
As for the sword of knockdown. Dorc da Orc has had it for almost as long as the nobleborn knight in the almost fifteen years the two of them have known one another.
The magical weapon that was badly damaged, and altered when the large ork first got it.
When he took it off Percy during a Grande Melee the two of them were participants in.
And not too long after that, it was completely altered, and shortened from a longsword to basically a long dagger.
By a lightning bolt spell cast by Mira Reinholt the mage, who was at his most powerful at the time.
A lightning bolt spell he cast at Dorc da Orc, who only survived because he was holding the sword of knockdown at the time, which the bolt of lightning struck.
Seeing that field commander Drubine is paying more attention to the teenage recruits on the second course, here on the grounds to the west of town.
The nobleborn knight originally from the kingdom of Druvic, with a sour looking smile upon his face.
Turns and looks at them too when he hears a loud splash in the water section.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che, sees that the undead wardog Axe has jumped into the water with the group of recruits.
And that the massive canine, who seems to be enjoying himself in the water as he splashes around.
Is following behind the last of the recruits, who are heading to the first of the obstacles, in the man-made water section of the course.
The former earl of Lé Dic, narrows his eyelids as he watches Axe. Then the heavily armoured knight suddenly grins as he gets an idea.
As Tam sets off again to keep pace with the teenage army recruits on the second course, this chilly winter's morning, that per usual for this time of the year, in this area of northwestern Farque, started off foggy.
Percy walks alongside him and says "I take it yous't will still not allow i, the great sir Percavellé, the foremost knight in all the world, to go after the walking dung heap who think'st himself a general, to take back what under great Narille's magnificent gaze, doth truly belong to me?".
Field commander Drubine wryly shakes his head, as the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, does like to go on a bit too much.
"Yes Percy, you can't go off when you like" says the young field commander, who then adds "May i remind you, you're supposed to be watching the third group train with their swords this morning".
"Verily, this is true, wot" says the former paladin, who follows that with "Well, since i cannot reclaim what is rightly mine, i shall have another go and retrieve what truly belongs to me, the greatest of all knights to walk this world".
The nobleborn teenager who is the son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, a castle and it's surrounding lands, located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
Knows that there's hardly anyone who can get Percy's magical sword off Dorc da Orc.
Sir Morcin the avenger is too busy teaching the town's children in the learning center this morning.
And he's being helped by Saanea the witch this morning. Who with a spell could get the sword of knockdown off the ork warleader.
While Shur Kee the monk is helping some of the townsfolk this morning.
As a number of wagons full of supplies has just shown up this morning from the farming village of Polsten, which lies about forty five miles away to the southeast.
Gildin Dale which is a forest town, has to be regularly supplied in the wintertime and during the summer.
When there's army recruits in town. As the small town in the forest in this part of northwestern Farque. Can't provide for the extra mouths.
The short, statured monk is helping the townsfolk to put away the fresh supplies of foodstuffs and the like.
And Tamric Drubine doubts that any of those who could take the sword of knockdown off the ork general.
Would even bother to do so. As they probably all think it would be a waste of their time to do so.
But there's one other in town. Who could definitely get the former paladin's magical weapon off the warleader of the ork race.
"Sure Percy, if you want" says Tam who has instantly figured out who the nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic wants to get his sword of knockdown back for him.
"Good luck with getting him to do anything for you" continues the senior officer in the armies of Farque, who then dryly adds "He kind of ignores you Percy".
"Hmmmmm 'tis true" murmurs the former paladin with a thoughtful frown upon his face, as he tries to figure out how he's going to go about doing this.
"Don't waste all morning trying to talk him into doing what you want" says field commander Drubine, who follows that with "I want you back to the third group as soon as possible, and watching over them as they practice their sword techniques".
"Not to worry, i shall" says sir Percavellé Lé Dic with his usual over confidence, even though silently he adds in a slightly worried tone, hmmmmm how shall i go about getting that big hound, to take back what's is rightfully mine, wot.
The undead wardog Axe does the first obstacle in the water section with the recruits.
When he gets onto the man-made island, the massive canine leaps the high wall in one bound after the last of the young teens has gone over, and got back into the water.
Axe gets into the water as well, and paddles around as the recruits swim to the next obstacle in this section of the second course.
It's here, as field commander Drubine keeps pace with the teenage recruits. And as Axe paddles around in circles, that sir Percavellé Lé Dic tries to get the attention of the Farqian wardog.
"I say hound, over here boy!" calls out the former paladin, who then whistles and waves to try and get Axe's attention.
Must not call it a mutt, wot, Percy thinks to himself as the massive canine ignores him.
The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic who is of the opinion that this particular wardog is either extremely lazy, or extremely active, and pretty much nothing in between.
Beckons Axe over and says "Over here boy" and whistling to the wardog, trying to get it to come over to the path that runs alongside the water section of the second course.
"I've got a task for you old chap" says the former earl of Lé Dic as Axe continues to ignore him.
That probably wasn't the right thing to say, as the undead wardog which was circling around in the water.
Heads off after the recruits, who are making their way across and over the second of the obstacles in this, the water section in the second course on the grounds, just west of Gildin Dale.
Percy winces as he watches Axe swimming away, the heavily armoured knight hurries along the path, and quickly calls out to the Farqian wardog in the water "I say hound, i mean Axe old fellow, it concerns that smelly so and so, who doth shall not be named".
Seeing the massive canine still paddling away, the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic hastily adds "That ork, Dorc".
The undead wardog stops in the water. And sir Percavellé Lé Dic sees it's stubby tail that's sticking up out of the surface, start to wag from side to side.
The Farqian wardog turns his head, and looks back at the nobleborn knight on the path.
Then Axe turns in the water, and he swims towards the path that Percy is on.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che grimaces as wardog surges up and out of the water, splashing the former paladin as he comes up onto the path.
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic grimaces again, as Axe shakes himself, spraying dog scented water across the heavily armoured knight.
The nobleman originally from the kingdom of Druvic, who isn't exactly small, as he stands a few inches over six foot, and weighs in excess of two hundred pounds.
Is always surprised at how massive the Farqian wardogs are where they're so close. Especially Axe, who at the shoulder is far taller than the former earl of Lé Dic.
He's as big as horse, but even bulkier, who stands there, and looks down at the heavily armoured knight, staring at him.
It's that look that's most unsettling in the opinion of sir Percavellé Lé Dic. As the eyes of Axe like all the Farqian wardogs. Holds far too much intelligence in them for a dog, or any animal for that matter.
After he clears his throat, Percy says to the massive canine "Yes that ork fellow, he has gone and stolen something from me".
The nobleborn knight refrains from sourly smiling as Axe looks down at the spot on the former paladin's sword belt, where the sword of knockdown usually hangs.
Seems everyone knows about the theft of my sword, sir Percavellé Lé Dic sourly thinks to himself, who then silently adds, even this hound, wot.
The nobleman, who is both a landed and a ordered knight, then says "I was wondering if you could do me a favour there Axe old chap?" followed by "If you could retrieve my magical sword from that ork fellow, Dorc?".
Percy grimaces again as the Farqian wardog shakes once more, spraying drops of water over the heavily armoured knight, and into his face, as he's holding his full helm tucked under his left arm.
The former paladin wipes his face this time, then blinks in surprise as he hears Axe bark once.
The nobleborn knight who hails from the east of the kingdom of Druvic opens his eyes, and sees the undead wardog walking away along the path, heading back to town.
"Once means yes" sir Percavellé Lé Dic murmurs to himself, who sees the stubby tail of Axe wagging furiously from side to side as he saunters off towards Gildin Dale.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che, grins from ear to ear, then he says in an exalted tone "Yes, verily, I'm off young Tam!".
In response to field commander Tamric Drubine calling back to him, "Percy get back to town and watch that group!".
The former paladin is chuckling to himself, as he starts back along the path, heading back to Gildin Dale from here on the grounds.
Watching Axe the wardog further infront of him, who is also heading back to town, and who will soon head east into the forest, as he goes and retrieves Percy's sword of knockdown from Dorc da Orc . . . . . .