To War 10.

Summer. Melaurn.

Baron Wilmot looks out at the border between his home province of Corlinda and it's eastern neighbour, the province of Karricaw.
The baron, the chief protagonist, or antagonist depending on your point of view. In the conflict between the neighbouring provinces.
Looks at the enemy forces just over the border in Karricaw.
They've been building up over there for the last couple of months.
Likewise, here on the Corlinda side of the border.
And though there's been some skirmishes up and down the border, which is barely fifty miles in total between Corlinda and Karricaw.
No out and out hostilities have broken out between the two provinces so far this summer.
Though that looks like it could change any day now.
The baron who is standing on the roof of a house here in a village, only a quarter of a mile from the border.
Turns and looks at one of his vassals, sir Crissen, who quietly says to him "Hopefully we get word back today".
Baron Wilmot nods, for they've yet to hear anything back from his son Krissner, and sir Jinpel.
Who were part of the delegation from here in Corlinda. Who went north into the lands Farque.
In the latest round of negotiations, to try and secure the services of one of the armies of the mysterious land that lies to the north of the kingdom of Melaurn.
"Meanwhile we've got that bunch of animal fuckers over there, trying to see what they can get away with" says lord Milson, one of the baron's strongest allies here in Corlinda.
Milson, the lord of Mottman Deep, a rather disheveled looking man, wearing ill fitting armour.
Who has a large battleaxe strapped to his back, then says "Now there's word of an army of foreign mercenaries they've hired who are coming up through Selvah Na".
The baron of Pirtgott, frowns when he hears that. Wilmot a lean, bald headed man in his early forties. Who wears thick leather armour, with plate shoulder armour.
Doesn't like that the enemy has hired another army of foreign mercenaries. Who could very well tip the balance of the impending war. If his son Krissner, and sir Jinpel don't return with that army from the lands Farque.
There's silence upon the rooftop as they look at the enemy forces just across the border.
Then baron Wilmot breaks the silence as he says "Come on, let's get down off here" followed by "It's getting damn hot up here".
The baron of Pirtgott turns and makes his way to the ladder up against the back of the house.
The vassal knight sir Crissen, and lord Milson share a glance, after one last look in the direction of the enemy forces just across the border in Karricaw.
Then the two noblemen turn and follow the baron down off the rooftop.
On what's a clear, and sunny summer day here in the border region between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw, in southern Melaurn.
The conflict between the two provinces has been building up over the last few years.
All over the border between Corlinda to the west, and Karricaw to the east.
Over the last six months, since the winter really. Things have intensified over the border issue.
Where both sides what to change the border. Effectively pushing it out from their own side.
Which of course, means they will encroach into the neighbouring province.
And the nobility on either side of the border. Want their own province to increase in size.
None of them want to see their home province get smaller, as the proposed border change will definitely see that, depending on what side of the border you come from.
And the dispute over the border isn't all that large of an area.
Infact, most of the near fifty mile, basically north, south border between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw isn't in dispute.
It's only about a three mile long section of the border that's actually in dispute.
Where the province of Corlinda, wants to see the border in the area moved less than a mile to the east.
So it takes in all of the river that flows through the disputed lands.
While the province of Karricaw wants to see the border pushed out westwards, not even half a mile.
Which unfortunately, would put this small border region village over on the Karricaw side of the border.
Baron Wilmot is dead set against that. As this village, and the disputed region of the border. Is in his lands, or his vassals lands, here in the province of Corlinda.
Inside the house, the baron of Pirtgott, looks out one of the front windows in the house.
Out to the east, across the border at the enemy army. Who have set themselves up over the border, over the last couple of months.
Making it clearly obvious, that war is on the horizon. And could commence any day now.
There's an army of Corlinda, based here in the village. To match the one just over across the border in the province of Karricaw.
So far the armies have stayed put. Though they've steadily increased in size, especially over the last couple of weeks.
A sign that war is inevitable. As they can't continue to keep sitting here and do nothing.
As both armies are going through supplies like crazy. And it's costing both provinces a lot to do nothing, more than it is to actually fight.
A servant brings over a pewter mug of summer ale, that the baron of Pirtgott, to his delight, finds cold.
He turns, and nods his head when he spots the wizard Smesall, one of the few spellcasters on either side of the conflict.
Who baron Wilmot is glad the wizard is from here in Corlinda. And not over the border in Karricaw.
The wizard, an older man in his late fifties, who wears faded orange robes, joins the leader of the Corlinda forces at the window.
As does lord Milson, while sir Crissen stands back from them. As he isn't entirely comfortable around the wizard. Who has one eye that looks off to one side.
After taking a drink of the ale in the mug, baron Wilmot asks the practitioner of magic "Think they'll attack today wizard?".
"Not today baron" says Smesall the wizard as he answers the question that the baron of Pirtgott has asked him every day over the last couple of weeks.
"They'll be waiting for that mercenary army I've heard rumours about, coming up from Selvah Na" adds the spellcaster, who like the baron, is bald.
Though baron Wilmot is bald because he shaves his head. Unlike the wizard, who is naturally bald.
"No rumours, it's true wizard" quietly says the baron of Pirtgott, whose lands are about thirty miles further west here in Corlinda.
The village here on the border, is in the lands of sir Holjma, another of his vassals. Who is out amongst the army at the moment.
As he's the deputy of sir Jinpel. One of the commanders of the province's army.
Who is away with baron Wilmot's son, Krissner. Hopefully securing the services of an army from the lands Farque.
That's promised to be ten thousand strong by the envoy they've been dealing with over the last couple of months.
Baron Wilmot who knows the enemy over in Karricaw, have also been trying to hire an army from the lands Farque this summer.
Infact the envoy who took the delegation north with him. Freely admitted this to the baron of Pirtgott.
Making it obvious he was playing the two provinces off against one another.
To see which one is willing to pay the most for the army from the mysterious nation that lies to the north of the kingdom of Melaurn.
Baron Wilmot, who hopes the latest offer the delegation is willing to pay, is enough to buy the services of a mercenary army from the lands Farque.
Nods his head after taking another sip of the cold summer ale, when the wizard quietly says "If that's so, then i expect them to attack whenever that army of mercenaries come across the border from Selvah Na and join them".
The spellcaster, who is from the lands where lord Milson castle is located, then asks the nobleman who leads the province of Corlinda "Any idea how many of these mercenaries they've hired?".
"At least a few thousand" replies baron Wilmot, who continues on with "We'll have to get confirmation of their true numbers though".
"Even so, with that many, they'll attack us" says the wizard Smesall, who follows that with "They'll outnumber us, and no doubt these foreigners will be urging to fight".
"And no doubt Gormica, will send them across first" sourly says lord Milson, referring to lord Gormica of the Salmah Forest. The leader of those in the province of Karricaw. And baron Wilmot's arch enemy.
"Probably" quietly says the baron of Pirtgott, who then bitterly adds "The bastard".
Smesall the wizard refrains from grimacing. Not, lord Milson, who does grimace when he hears that from his friend and ally, baron Wilmot.
Who despises the lord of Salmah Forest with a vengeance. As the two of them have been rivals since childhood.
And who now in their forties, they're the most bitter of enemies.
Which isn't all that uncommon amongst the nobility in any kingdom anywhere.
It's just that not common when it's brothers, such as is it with baron Wilmot of Pirtgott and lord Gormica of Salmah Forest. Not just any brothers though. But actually twin brothers.
Wilmot of Pirtgott, which has been his family's lands for at least four centuries.
Has never forgiven his twin brother Gormica of Salmah Forest. Taking up residence in Karricaw, when he married nearly twenty years ago.
As the provinces of Karricaw and Corlinda here in southern Melaurn. Have always been the two most fractious of provinces in the entire kingdom.
Where rivalries, both petty and serious. Are abundant between the nobility on either side of the border between the two provinces.
And while most land disputes in the kingdom are amongst neighbouring nobles within the same province.
Not so here in southern Melaurn, where it's the province of Corlinda against the province of Karricaw.
"If they attack, we'll be ready for them, even with these foreign mercenaries they've got coming up from Selvah Na" says lord Milson.
The disheveled looking nobleman from Mottman Deep is the most forthright of the baron's allies.
Who has often urged the baron of Pirtgott to attack across the border.
Infact he's been telling baron Wilmot that every so often over the last couple of years, more so since the winter.
The lord of Mottman Deep served with the twin brothers Wilmot and Gormica when they were squires.
Ever since they were young, Milson got along with Wilmot more than Gormica.
And when Gormica moved to Karricaw and became lord of Salmah Forest when he married.
Lord Milson came to dislike the twin brother who left Corlinda to live in the neighbouring province that's always been their rivals.
Baron Wilmot wryly smiles as he looks sideways at his friend Milson, who is ever confident. Even if they'll be outnumbered by at least a few thousand when these foreign mercenaries traveling up through Selvah Na, arrive just across the border in Karricaw.
To say the lord of Mottman Deep is a little enthusiastic would be an understatement in the extreme.
He's been itching for war against their neighbouring province to the east for years.
But baron Wilmot knows they can't be too hasty in an attack across the border.
As his twin brother Gormica, is a bit of a genius when it comes to military matters.
Who over the years he's been living in Karricaw, nearly twenty of them. He's made alliances with those nobles in that province who don't get along with one another.
But more importantly, he's built up the military strength throughout the province of Karricaw.
Probably more so that what the baron of Pirtgott has been able to do over the same amount of time here in Corlinda.
Baron Wilmot knows that he faces a larger force over the border, even without the foreign mercenary army that's coming up through the province of Selvah Na.
It's why he's so desperate to hear word of how the negotiations went between the delegation from his province, with the lands of Farque, that lies to the north of the kingdom of Melaurn.
The baron is just about to mention that they need word back from his son Krissner and sir Jinpel.
When an officer hurries inside, and quickly says "Baron that envoy has returned" followed by "That elf".
"Where is he?" demands the baron of Pirtgott.
"Just outside my lord baron" replies the young officer.
"Bring him in" says baron Wilmot after he shares a look with lord Milson, sir Crissen and the wizard Smesall.
A few moments later, and the envoy from the lands Farque enters, and after the baron orders the servants outside.
The chief antagonist in the conflict between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw, here in southern Melaurn greets the elf in the white hooded cloak.
Then he asks the envoy from the lands Farque "So how did the negotiations go?". Hoping for the best, but dreading the worst.
"You were successful" says Helbe the elven thief.
There's relief on the faces of the three noblemen and the spellcaster, who have been waiting to hear that for the last couple of weeks.
"An army of around ten thousand will be serving alongside your forces" adds the elven magic user who is the envoy for the armies of Farque.
With a smile of triumph upon his face, as baron Wilmot knows that this has given the province of Corlinda the advantage over their enemies across in Karricaw.
He asks the envoy representing the lands of Farque "When can we expect your army here on the border?".
With a faint smile upon his lips, Helbe the elven thief, much to the shock of baron Wilmot and the others, says to them "We're not actually coming here to the border, we're going somewhere else" . . . . . .