The General & The Knight 36.

Winter. The Border.

"You'll go to about here" says Kolmic, the garrison commander here in Halmard.
"Then circle around, and head back to the border, and here" adds the commander. Who then looks at those he's talking to. He's glad to see the recruits are paying attention.
He then wryly smiles as he sees their two instructors are too busy eyeing one another. To pay any attention to the garrison commander, as well as the maps on the table.
"You get that sir Percavellé?" asks Kolmic, a broad shoulder individual in his early thirties. From the very south of the lands Farque. Who has been the garrison commander here in Halmard for the last year.
"I did indeed good fellow" says sir Percavellé Lé Dic, who finally takes his eyes off his bitter rival Dorc da Orc, who is scowling at him.
Kolmic's eyebrows rise up in surprise when the nobleborn knight says "We are to go all the way up here" as he points at a spot on one of the maps, then he adds "Then circle back, going inland, before we come back here to the border".
Apparently the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic was paying attention.
You wouldn't think so. As he's gone back to staring at the large ork who is his longtime rival.
"And you general?" asks the Halmard garrison commander.
"What the cunt knight say" replies Dorc da Orc with a nod of his head at his bitter rival, sir Percavellé Lé Dic.
The ork general takes his eyes off the heavily armoured knight, then points at the map as he says "Up fucken here on the coast".
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, makes a circular motion whilst pointing at the map, then continues with "Go in, then come back fucken down to here".
The ork weaponsmith then grunts, and goes back to scowling at the Druvician knight. Who he's in a bitter rivalry with.
The garrison commander Kolmic arches an eyebrow as he first looks at the large ork, then the foreign knight.
"Hell" mutters Kolmic the garrison commander in the elven language, who continues on muttering in the same language with "Hope i don't regret this".
As he's decided to send both of the instructors. Dorc da Orc and sir Percavellé Lé Dic.
Along with the recruits, who are going on patrol north of the border for the first time by themselves.
They've gone in groups of five, with soldiers from the garrison here in Halmard. Both mounted, and on foot.
But this is the first time the first group of recruits who for most of the winter have been living and training in the forest town of Gildin Dale.
Will be going north of the border by themselves. Though they'll have the ork general and the nobleborn knight along for company.
That's if you can call two bickering rivals company. But nevertheless, Dorc da Orc and sir Percavellé Lé Dic will be going along with the teenage army recruits when they head north out of the town of Halmard. And across the border, into the unruled lands to the north.
The garrison commander Kolmic after one last glance at the big, burly ork from the frozen bottom of the world. And the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic. As the two of them are glaring at one another once more.
He says to the ten teenagers who are from throughout northwestern Farque, and have undergone basic army training this winter "I shall expect you ready and out in the yard before dawn tomorrow morning".
The garrison commander continues with "The supply officer will have everything extra you will need" followed by "Make sure you have that and more".
Commander Kolmic whose garrison here in Halmard patrols the border, among other things, then says "No roads up there" he follows that with "And hardly any trails" then he adds "It's slower going up there, so take more than what you think you'll need".
The garrison commander looks at each of the teenage recruits of the first group, who have been here in Halmard for the last week and a bit, and asks them "Understand?".
They do, and reply that they do. Kolmic the commander of the garrison here in Halmard doesn't bother asking the nobleborn knight and the ork warleader the same question.
Instead he says to the ten recruits of the first group "First thing in the morning then" followed by "Dismissed".
The teenagers, who are from throughout northwestern Farque file out of the main room in the garrison building.
And are followed by two of their instructors. Dorc da Orc or Dorkindle which is his given name. And sir Percavellé Lé Dic, or Percy as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
It's early evening, and the teenage army recruits along with the general and the knight.
Head to the refractory, between the garrison building and the barracks. To get something to eat and drink as the evening meal is already served.
The ten teenagers of the first group have had a long day of training. And early tomorrow morning they'll set off on a fairly long patrol.
Though they'll be going on patrol by themselves for the first time since they've been here in the border town of Halmard.
Even with general Dorc and the knight Lé Dic. It will basically be them, the recruits by themselves.
As their training this winter is coming to an end. For this weekend coming up. On seventh day to be exact. Is the very first day of spring.
Though here on the coast, it feels like it's been spring for the last few weeks.
It certainly has been for the recruits of the first group. Who have been here in the border town of Halmard for coming up on ten days.
It's early the next morning, well before dawn. It's dark as the teenage recruits of the first group gather in the yard out infront of the barracks.
As they line up, a yawning sir Percavellé Lé Dic comes out of the barracks. All bleary eyed as he drags his pack over his shoulders and onto his back.
The former paladin who is carrying his shield, looks around in the dark yard. That's barely lit by a single lantern on one end of the barracks.
The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic frowns as he doesn't spot someone who has been sleeping out here in the yard most nights.
Also noticing that, that individual is missing, Kolmic the garrison commander quietly says in elven to the subaltern who has walked over to stand beside him "Where's the general?".
"The duty guards on the wall said he left town in the middle of the night" replies the subaltern in the same language as one of the sergeant at arms checks all the recruits packs. To make sure that they've got everything they need for their patrol.
"Went north across the border" adds the subaltern who continues with "Told the duty guards he was getting a head start" he briefly pauses before saying "Not so succinctly, it was more descriptive as you can imagine".
"I can imagine" dryly says the garrison commander of the border town of Halmard.
Who like all Farqians, had heard about the large ork who is one of their lord's traveling companions.
Who is surprised his lord has tolerated the big, burly ork from the southern polar region for two decades.
Commander Kolmic has only known the ork warleader for a little over ten days. And he thinks that's too long already.
Then there's sir Percavellé Lé Dic, who doesn't smell like the ork general. Nor does he do such outrageous things as the ork weaponsmith.
But all the same, the former paladin is just as annoying, if not more so, than his bitter rival Dorc da Orc.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che. Goes on and on, usually about himself, or his bitter rival, the ork warleader.
In his pompous voice, in quite a deeming tone. That for some reason, it makes you feel guilty for something you didn't do.
Commander Kolmic is surprised his lord hasn't killed both of them over the years. As the two of them could try the patience of a saint.
It's one of the reasons the garrison commander is sending them both with the group of teenage recruits.
For the simple reason they're trying his patience whilst here in Halmard.
The other reason is because if something goes wrong. And the patrol runs into any trouble.
Those two, who commander Kolmic considers to both be raving lunatics. Can handle just about anyone, and anything that might cause trouble for the patrol.
The garrison commander looks over at the sergeant at arms, who has finished his inspection.
After the sergeant nods to him, commander Kolmic says in common "You know your orders" followed by "Recruit Hamblin lead the way".
"Yes commander" says the teenage recruit Hamblin who heads off, making his way out of the yard, followed by the rest of the first group of recruits.
Who have spent most of the winter, living and training in the forest town of Gildin Dale.
And now here in the coastal border town of Halmard at the very end of winter.
As he follows behind the group of teenage army recruits, sir Percavellé Lé Dic stops infront of the garrison commander and the subaltern and asks them "I say chaps, you haven't seen that bloated pile of dung, who thinks of himself as a general?" followed by "I do believe the foul one is supposed to be coming along with us, but no doubt his grotesqueness, is skiving off somewhere, wot"
"The general left earlier" replies commander Kolmic who continues on with "To scout the way ahead".
The former earl of Lé Dic, which is his family's fief in eastern Druvic, snorts in derision, then says "More like he's gone off to get drunk and go whoring with strange animals, wot".
Both the garrison commander and the subaltern wince at that. As that's a distinct possibility.
Amongst the sealed orders that came with the recruits from Gildin Dale. Was a missive from field commander Tamric Drubine. To keep an eye on general Dorc. And to keep him away from any of the livestock in town, and on the nearby farms.
Though no doubt since he's already gone over the border. The large ork is now free to do as he pleases. When it comes to any animal, domesticated or otherwise.
Commander Kolmic nods in the direction of the departing group of teenagers, and says to the foreign knight "Keep an eye on the recruits sir Percavellé".
"Of course good fellow" says the nobleborn knight who continues on with "You can trust, i, the great sir Percavellé, the most gallant of all knights to be found in this world" followed by "Wot".
The garrison commander and the subaltern share a look after the former paladin waves farewell to them.
Then follows after the ten teenage recruits, who are heading to the north side of the border town of Halmard. Walking through the darkness before dawn.
And though all recruits who come here to the coastal town of Halmard at the end of their training.
Are sent out on patrol, basically by themselves, north of the border.
This is the first time any of them. Not just in recent memory. But for all time, that a group of recruits will go across the border in the company of a rather talkative foreign knight. Who isn't actually in any of their lord's armies. As well as an ork, who is a general in the armies of their lord.
The sergeant at arms at the wall, has a quick word with Hamblin at the front of the group, then he waves the recruits on.
"Capital good fellow" says sir Percavellé Lé Dic to the sergeant at arms in command of the duty guards at the wall this morning.
"And good morning to you sir Percavellé" replies the sergeant at arms.
"Quite" says the former paladin as he follows the last of the teenage recruits, and walks out across the border, into the unruled lands.
The nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic, whose family's fief is in the east of that particular kingdom.
Hurries forward along the line of march. As away to the east, the first light of dawn is on the horizon.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che gets to the front, where Hamblin the recruit has just sent his fellow recruit Maselle up ahead to scout for a bit.
As they head north, walking just up from the beaches along the shoreline.
The heavily armoured knight in the gloomy predawn light asks the recruit Hamblin "I say youngster, are we expecting people to be about?" followed by "Wot".
"Not for some time sir Percavellé" is the reply from Hamblin the teenage recruit.
The former paladin who paid attention yesterday to where they're going when commander Kolmic explained what they'll be doing on patrol, and pretty much nothing else.
Who doesn't actually know how things stand on this side of the border.
Grunts as young Hamblin tells him "No one lives close to the border up here" followed by "The first settlement is close to forty miles away up the coast".
Which is their destination, as they're to observe it without the inhabitants knowing of their presence.
Then they're to circle inland for a distance, before heading back south to the border, and the coastal town of Halmard.
"We might see some fishing boats out on the water that come down the coast" says Hamblin who continues on with "The only others we're likely to see might be travelers heading south to the kingdom of Melaurn".
The nobleborn knight grunts again, as it sounds like the patrol here north of the border will probably be uneventful.
The former earl of Lé Dic, looks away to their right, away to the east, where it's getting lighter as the sun starts to rise up on one of the last days of winter.
Where here on the coast of the Southlands, it already feels mild. And no doubt will end up feeling like a warm spring day.
While away to their left, where it's still relatively dark, they can hear the surf, and waves lapping at the shoreline.
With Hamblin, the teenage recruit from the farming village of Polsten, along with the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic.
Leading the way as they head north, they soon come upon Maselle at the end of some headlands, jutting out into the ocean about a mile and a half north of the border.
And as the sun rises in the east, Maselle the teenage recruit says "Thought i heard him over the surf". As she points down in a sandy bay, north of the headlands.
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic sourly smiles, then says in a tone to match his smile "Leave him there".
Followed in a loud mutter with "Hopefully the tide will come in and wash him away" he continues muttering with "Or at least wash him somewhat clean, wot".
In the prevailing light of dawn, they see Dorc da Orc sprawled out on the sands of the bay.
Fast asleep with empty wine and beer barrels scattered around him.
Hamblin who is just wondering how to wake the large ork, after all he's supposed to be coming with them.
Says to the others "The general should wake up pretty soon" followed by "The tide is coming in, and he won't want to get wet".
Sir Percavellé Lé Dic grins as they head down to the sandy bay, where the ork warleader is fast asleep.
He's looking forward to the prospect of his bitter rival getting wet. As that always puts the large ork in a foul mood.
The former paladin is in a good mood as he and the group of teenage army recruits wait for the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world to wake up . . . . . .