The General & The Knight 27.

Winter. The Nation Of Farque.

Looking across the grounds, to the edge of the field where the twin masted frigate is moored for the day.
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic watches as the recruits of the fourth group climb the ropes attached to the higher branches of tall pine trees along the edge of the field.
Once at the top, they rest for just a few moments, before they swing out on the ropes across to the masts and rigging of the warship. As they practice boarding a vessel.
The heavily armoured knight sourly smiles as he sees who else is attempting to climb one of the ropes.
Then the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic bursts out laughing as the inevitable happens.
"Fat demon" chortles sir Percavellé Lé Dic after his bitter rival Dorc da Orc, breaks the rope, and the branch it's attached to as he attempted to climb one of the tall pine trees.
The large ork who fell about fifteen feet, is on the ground, growling and yelling at himself in the totally incomprehensible language of his race.
The former paladin who was hoping his bitter rival had broken his neck. Unfortunately for the nobleborn knight, a fifteen foot drop to the ground is never going to do that to the ork warleader.
Shakes his head as he watches the ork general get to his feet. And look around for another rope that's free to climb.
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic or Percy as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
Is just about to shout out to the ork weaponsmith to get away. When someone else comes along, and does a better job of it.
The former earl of Lé Dic, which is his family's fief in the east of the kingdom of Druvic.
Watches as the undead wardog Axe walks out from beneath the trees over on the edge of the field.
And growl at the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world. Who was just about to make his way to one of the ropes that are free.
Percy chuckles to himself as he watches his bitter rival the ork warleader quickly back away, then turn and walk away from that side of the field.
The general in the armies of Farque who isn't even supposed to be with the fourth group of recruits this morning. As they train how to board an airship.
Heads this way towards the grounds. Where he's supposed to be with sir Percavellé Lé Dic and a couple of the other instructors who are taking the first and third groups of recruits.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks as he crosses the field, that over a month ago the recruits played kickball on, as part of the midwinter's day festival.
Has a scowl upon his broad, green brutish looking face. A scowl that only gets deeper when he spots his bitter rival, the former paladin watching him.
The big, burly ork from the frozen bottom of the world, who is itching for a fight.
Thinks about heading straight for the heavily armoured knight who he's had a rivalry for close on fifteen years. A lot of that time they spent trying to kill one another.
Though over the recent years that's been curbed since the former earl of Lé Dic joined the group.
The warleader of the ork race thinks better of it. As he smells and hears that Axe the undead wardog is following him across the field towards the grounds.
Instead the general in the armies of Farque veers away from his bitter rival, who says to him "Beast you should be with the recruits on the second course".
"Fuck you dickface" is all Dorc da Orc says in reply as he passes by his bitter rival by about twenty feet.
The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, who is a member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che.
Is about to get into an argument with his bitter rival the ork general.
When he thinks better of it, as he sees the undead wardog Axe look his way, as he follows behind the large ork.
With a sour looking twist to his lips. The former paladin who is still bitterly disappointed that Axe ate his sword of knockdown earlier in the winter.
Turns and makes his way over to the first course on the grounds. Hoping that the massive canine doesn't follow him too.
The heavily armoured knight who has already completed the first course with the first group of recruits this morning.
Heads to where they're sitting, listening to what sir Morcin the avenger and one of the krean sergeants is talking to them about.
The krean who have remained here in Gildin Dale with the frigate, after the strikeship and the others left town earlier in the week, after spending just four days here.
Are helping the instructors to train the young teenage recruits. Who are from throughout northwestern Farque. With the exception of Sarill the mage, and Alisian the water elemental spouter.
Percy looks away to his right, and sees his bitter rival is heading to the second course on the grounds.
And is probably only doing so, because Axe, who returned to town yesterday after being gone for a few days. Is following behind the big, burly ork who is from the frozen bottom of the world.
The former earl of Lé Dic who rather hopes the massive canine gives the large ork a bite for the fun of it.
Makes his way over to stand with sir Morcin the avenger, and the sergeant in the krean air marines.
The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, who has no actual rank or position in the armies of Farque.
Looks at the teenage recruits sitting there on the ground, on what's definitely the warmest day since the start of winter.
Spring is less than a month away, and the weather is showing it. As the mornings aren't so foggy now. And when they do get fog, it burns away fairly quickly.
The former paladin who wouldn't normally care about such things. Is actually impressed at how much the young recruits have improved over the winter.
For a bunch of thirteen and fourteen year olds, both boys and girls. They've far exceeded what he thought they would of achieved after this amount of time.
The nobleborn knight can already see some of them joining the armies of their lord in the coming spring and summer.
While others will continue on with specialised training elsewhere in the lands Farque.
As Gildin Dale, here in this area of northwestern Farque. Is used as a training center during the winter months, and the summer months. For what's considered the basic training for the teenage army recruits in the northwest of the nation.
If they consider this basic training, Percy would hate to see what they think is more advanced, or specialised training.
As what the recruits are doing here in Gildin Dale this winter, far surpasses any of the training he did as a squire, and a knight's apprentice in his order.
Only half listening to what sir Morcin the avenger, and the krean air marine sergeant are discussing with the recruits of the first group.
The nobleman originally from the kingdom of Druvic doesn't quite hear what the former knight sir Morcin just said to him.
"What was that old chap?" asks the former paladin who is a member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che.
"I didn't quite hear" continues sir Percavellé Lé Dic, who then adds "Wot".
"I said you have been in many a battle, and tasted defeat on occasion" says sir Morcin the avenger, which causes the heavily armoured knight to sourly smile, as he hates to be reminded of his defeats in battle.
He just likes remembering when he's been on the victorious side.
"Like i was saying to the recruits here, this will no doubt happen during a war they may find themselves in" continues the undead nobleman whose kingdom of birth no longer exists, who then adds "How have you dealt with such defeats, and moved on from them?".
Percy who is just glad the avenger is speaking the common tongue, and not elven or any other language, the recruits, and the krean can speak in.
Clears his throat, then says "Indeed" followed by "Wot" before telling the teenage recruits of the first group "Yes, i know it's hard to believe, but even i, the great sir Percavellé has been on the losing side of a battle".
The nobleborn knight hastily adds "Not often mind you" followed by "But alas it has happened".
The heavily armoured knight refrains from scowling as out of the corner of his eye, he spots his bitter rival, Dorc da Orc out on the second course.
Which reminds him of the first couple of times he encountered the large ork.
First in a Grande Melee in a tourney, which the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world won.
Then a couple of months later, in a battle for a mountain village during a war in the Sunreach Mountains.
Which was another defeat for Percy and the forces he was fighting for that winter.
Trying to ignore the presence of his bitter rival, which is rather difficult, considering how big he is. Or as Percy thinks, how fat he is.
The former earl of Lé Dic says to the group of teenage recruits "I found the best thing to do is to not dwell upon those times when it has not been the best for you".
The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic who tries to ignore those times when he's been on the defeated side in a battle, continues with "And to try and make sure it doth not happen again".
"Learn from your mistakes and move on then?" says sir Morcin the undead avenger.
"Indeed, quite" says the former paladin, who wouldn't put it so abruptly, but that's the general gist of it when it comes to a defeat in battle.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che then grunts as the fairly nondescript looking man who is an avenger, continues speaking to the recruits in the elven language.
As he does, sir Percavellé Lé Dic shoots a glance in the direction of his bitter rival, Dorc da Orc. Who is across the grounds on the second course.
The nobleborn knight rather hopes the ork warleader falls into the water section of that particular course.
As he knows something like that, will totally ruin the large ork's day.
As the former earl of Lé Dic stands there hoping to see his bitter rival fall into the water on the second course.
Sir Morcin the undead avenger is saying to the teenage recruits in the first group "There's those of you who one day maybe officers in our lord's armies" followed by "And you may end up defeated in battle".
The former knight, briefly pauses before he continues on with "When that happens, learn from your loss, and move on".
Sir Morcin looks at each and every one of the recruits of the first group, then he tells "Remember the most important thing of being an officer in command is the ability to let others do their jobs" followed by "This is why we train you so hard, so you all know what you're able to do, and when you're pushed beyond what you think you can do, you have the ability to go even further".
The undead being who died four and a half centuries ago, in the same battle that their lord died in, then says "Also just as importantly for an officer in command, is to make those difficult decisions when necessary. Which will happen a lot if you happen to be on a defeated side in a battle".
Sir Morcin briefly pauses again, before he continues on with "Just because you're defeated in battle, doesn't necessarily mean you'll lose a war, far from it" he then adds "There's a reason why it's called a campaign, you'll learn first hand why, when you go off to war in one of our lord's armies".
Next to the undead avenger, the krean air marine sergeant, who is from the small city of Mosqeyn in the Krean Protectorate, in the mountains of northern Farque.
Nods his reptilian like head in agreement with the former knight, who when he was alive, served in the heavy horse troop of the armies of Farque.
Sir Morcin switches back to the common language for the benefit of sir Percavellé Lé Dic.
Who he sees is keeping an eye on general Dorc over on the second course.
No doubt wishing ill fortune upon the the large ork, who the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic has a bitter rivalry with.
"I know it's getting towards the end of the winter training here" says sir Morcin in the common tongue "And you lot have an inkling as to what divisions you'll end up once you're finally in our lord's armies" adds the undead avenger.
After a moment's silence, the former knight continues with "But some of you might not end up when you think you should be".
Sir Morcin who knows for a fact that all the teenage recruits here in Gildin Dale, with the exception of Sarill the mage, will be in either the scouts and rangers divisions, or an infantry division, both light and heavy.
Says to the ten teenagers paying attention to him "Don't take this as a slight upon your skills and abilities" followed by "The other instructors and i will make our recommendations, and the commanding officers of our lord's armies will decide we you best fit".
The undead being looks at the krean beside him and asks him "Sergeant Rakildin, did you always want to be an air marine in your fleet?".
A smile splits the dragon like face of sergeant Rakildin, who replies with "Not at all" followed by "When i was younger, i wanted to be like my grandmother, who was a master weapons maker".
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic lifts an eyebrow in interest at this. As he has seen a few of the krean designed weapons in his time here in the lands Farque.
And they're considered, and even from his biased opinion, are some of the best designed weapons to be found anywhere.
Only the highly prized after, and extremely rare air elemental design weapons are better.
The former earl of Lé Dic knows a few of those weapons well. With the double bladed sword belonging to Mira Reinholt the mage one of the best examples of an air elemental designed weapon.
While the even rarer air elemental designed and made twin swords of Sephiryn the elemental.
Being the best blades that the former paladin has ever seen in his life.
He would hate to admit it. But even his bitter rival Dorc da Orc would agree with him on that.
"When i realised these hands were no good at crafting such fine weapons" says the krean air marine, who is couple of inches taller, and about forty pounds heavier than the large, heavily armoured knight standing beside him and the undead avenger, sir Morcin.
"I thought i would be a ship builder like my parents" adds sergeant Rakildin, who with a shrug of his broad shoulders, continues with "But i found out i was quite good at fighting on the wing at around your age, so i joined the air marines".
Nodding his head, sir Morcin then looks at Percy and asks the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic "And sir Percavellé did you always know you wanted to be a paladin?" followed by "Or did you want to stay earl of your family's lands?".
The nobleborn knight blinks as he's slightly taken aback by the question, and he has to think about it for a few moments.
Percy who was a landed knight first, then joined the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che at the age of the oldest of the recruits sitting on the ground infront of him.
Returned to his family's fief after he made the rank of full knight in his order. And became the earl of Lé Dic, which also included his marriage. Which in hindsight, was badly thought out, and a mistake. As he married the wrong sister of one of the neighbouring lords. As he was always in love with the other sister.
The heavily armoured knight doesn't dwell on his failed marriage for long, then says in answer to the undead avenger's question "As a matter of fact not really".
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic continues with "I only wanted to be a paladin after i stepped aside from my earldom, so my younger brother could become the earl of our family's lands".
The former paladin continues with "It's when i returned to the capital Leeabra, and my order full time that i wanted to be one of the holy knights, a paladin" he then adds "I quickly became a knight captain, then a knight commander, and was soon a paladin".
Then looking at the teenage army recruits, the usually boisterous former earl of Lé Dic says in an introspective tone "At your age, i did not know i wanted to be a paladin, or that i even thought of being one".
Sir Morcin nods, then tells the recruits of the first group "See even sir Percavellé didn't exactly know what he was going to be" followed by "So don't expect you'll know the same too".
The former paladin nods in agreement to that, as he stands there thinking about the course his life has taken, which has seen him end up here in the lands Farque.
Somewhere he never thought he'd end up, nor in the company of those he's with . . . . . .