To War 16.

Summer. The Province Of Karricaw.

"They haven't got much choice have they?" asks Tamric Drubine the field commander.
"None" answers Arveem the undead heavy foot trooper.
Next to him, his younger brother, the undead scout Dargarven nods in agreement.
As they watch the trio of local nobles ride slowly this way. Near the destroyed castle here just to the east of the Salmah Forest.
Arveem looks at his temporary adjunctant and quietly says "You and couple of the runners hold their mounts".
"Yes sir" quietly says Hamblin the officer in training.
Which earns him a shake of the head from Arveem, who tells him "I'm a trooper young Hamblin" followed by "I've told you not to call me sir".
The undead heavy foot trooper, who is even taller and larger than lord Farque himself.
Infact at nearly seven foot tall, and well over three hundred pounds in weight. He's the largest of all the Farqian undead.
Continues on with "You call knights, or officers like the field commander here, sir".
"Yes" says Hamblin who briefly pauses as it instinctively feels right to call the undead being sir, but instead he adds "Trooper".
"You can call me sir if you want youngster" says Dargarven the undead scout, who grins behind his full helm as he adds "I don't mind in the least".
Which earns him a scowl from his older brother, who tells him "Don't confuse him" followed by "And stop grinning like an idiot in that helm of yours".
"Am not" says the younger of the two undead brothers.
"Yes you are" dryly says the large, heavily armoured undead foot trooper.
"You're my brother for four hundred and seventy years, i know when you're grinning" dryly adds Arveem.
Which illicits a chuckle from the undead scout. Who physically looks completely different than his older brother.
Dargarven is not even six foot tall, and though muscular, is fairly lean looking. Especially compared to the bulk of his older brother.
"And why the hell you wear that damn helm like a knight or paladin is beyond me" mutters the older of the two undead brothers, followed by "Hell, you wear little armour elsewhere".
"It's because I'm so hideous looking" says Dargarven in a deadpan tone of voice.
Which gets a roll of the eyes from his older brother Arveem.
And a sideways look from field commander Drubine. And a similar looking glance from the teenager Hamblin.
As they've all seen the face of the undead scout. And to call him handsome, or dashing would definitely be an understatement.
Apparently when he was alive he was a bit of ladies man. Though by the time when he died, he was married and a young father.
Just like his older brother Arveem was when he died in the same battle, barely moments apart.
The young field commander in the armies of Farque is accustomed to the two undead brothers always nitpicking one another.
Not so the young officer in training Hamblin, who has been assigned to be Arveem's adjunct.
The fourteen year old who completed his basic army training in the wintertime.
Training under the command of Tamric Drubine, who was one of his instructors during the basic training, up in the northwest of the lands Farque.
Still isn't used to the two undead brothers always trying to one up each other. Often bickering as siblings do.
But for all that, Hamblin notices that the two undead brothers never get into an outright argument about anything.
He wonders if they do so silently. As he knows the Farqian undead are able to communicate silently with one another via mindspeech.
"Field commander you do all the talking" quietly says the undead heavy foot trooper Arveem.
Who then nods for Hamblin and two of the nearby runners to go forward and take the reins of the three local's mounts. As they've stopped about twenty yards away after Tamric Drubine holds up a hand for them to halt.
Lord Gormica shares a look with his vassal knights sir Deemus and sir Riknall as they come to a stop.
The lord of Salmah Forest who can't but inwardly wince whenever he catches sight of the destroyed castle that was his home.
Quickly looks back at the edge of the burnt forest, where his army and the locals they've gathered over the last day are waiting.
The local nobleman who has led the forces of the province of Karricaw in the border conflict with the province of Corlinda.
Hopes nothing goes amiss here, which could see the innocent, who include his family, be wiped out.
There's no way his army of around five hundred could do anything against the army of over three thousand facing them.
Not to mention all the airships, most of which are warships. That are with the army, who he assumes is from the lands Farque.
A trio of young black clad soldiers come forward and take hold of the mounts as lord Gormica nods for his fellow noblemen to dismount.
Once he's out of the saddle and on the ground, the lord of Salmah Forest goes to take off his sword belt.
When one of those waiting nearby, calls out something in a language the local nobles don't understand.
"You may keep your sword sir" says the young black clad soldier in the common language, who is holding the bridle of lord Gormica's mount.
"Thank you" says lord Gormica, who slightly nods to the youngster in black armour, and black clothing.
Who nods, almost bows in return to him.
At least they're courteous, the lord of Salmah Forest thinks to himself, who then silently adds, you wouldn't of guessed with all the destruction they've caused across Karricaw.
Then lord Gormica after looking to the right at sir Deemus, then to the left, at sir Riknall.
And nods for the two of them to follow, as he starts walking towards the small group of people waiting for them, standing about twenty yards away.
Stopping a few yards from them, it's the youngest of them in black, who held up a hand for them to stop, who is the one to speak.
"Lord Gormica of Salmah Forest?" asks Tamric Drubine who can see the family resemblance between the local lord, and baron Wilmot's son Krissner.
"Yes, that is me" replies Lord Gormica as he looks at those facing him.
The young man speaking, an officer by the looks of it, who wears dark, half plate armour.
Next to another young man in sleeveless leather armour, who wears a full helm of all things.
While to the right of the young officer who is speaking. Stands a mountain of man, the largest man the lord of Salmah Forest has ever seen.
Who is in a suit of full plate armour, who has his full helm tucked under an arm, so one can see his fairly youthful face.
The local lord picks that he's in his mid to late twenties. Though by the look in his eyes, lord Gormica would guess he's far older than he actually looks.
"I am field commander Drubine of the first army of Farque" says the nobleborn teenager who is originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, and is now a senior officer in the armies of Farque.
The lord of Salmah Forest nods and says "Field commander" by way of greeting.
Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well, tells the local lord "We are here to accept your surrender".
The nobleman who has led the forces of the province of Karricaw in the border conflict with the neighbouring province to the west, Corlinda.
Glances to either side of him at his vassal knights Deemus and Riknall. Both of whom look like they've just tasted something sour after hearing that from the young field commander.
But neither say anything, as they accept whatever decision their liege lord makes.
The lord of Salmah Forest takes a look at the pile of rubble that was once his castle, then he looks at the young field commander of the mercenary army from the lands Farque, and says "I haven't got much choice have i?".
"None at all" says field commander Drubine, who continues on with "Considering most of your allies are dead, their armies either wiped out, or so badly decimated they're of no use to anyone".
The son of a former Knight of Castle Drubine, which is located in the forested north of the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin then says "That army of mercenary companies you lot here in Karricaw hired from further up the coast of the Southlands, are stuck down in the province of Selvah Na, not knowing what to do, considering all of their leaders unexpectedly went and got themselves killed".
The senior officer in the armies of Farque briefly pauses to let that sink in, before he continues on with "Not to mention your brother has crossed the border, excuse me, i should say old border, as he's had it redrawn to where those in Corlinda want it to be".
The lord of Salmah Forest along with his two vassal knights slightly wince when they hear that, as they finally realise the conflict over the border with the province of Corlinda is well and truly over, and that they here in Karricaw, have been defeated.
"I understand he's had cartographers and map makers already send the redrawn border to the capital, to have the crown confirm the new border between the two provinces" says the nobleborn teen who is a field commander in the armies of Farque.
Lord Gormica grimaces when he hears that, then after a few moments of silence, he takes a deep breath, then nods and finally says "I" he briefly pauses before adding "We surrender".
Tam nods, then says "Have your army stand down, and make camp" followed by "They won't be harmed".
"Unless they do something stupid" quietly says Arveem the undead trooper.
The local lord nods in understanding, then has sir Riknall go back and have the army and the others set up camp. Then Tamric Drubine leads lord Gormica and sir Deemus over to what was once the castle of Salmah Forest.
The undead brothers Arveem and Dargarven wander along behind them.
Sitting on some rubble that was the outer wall of his castle, lord Gormica slightly shakes his head and says in a quiet and forlorn tone of voice "This was my home".
"It can be rebuilt" says field commander Drubine as he sits next to the local lord and his vassal knight.
"Your life can't if you're dead" quietly adds the undead trooper Arveem as he stands a few yards away with his younger brother Dargarven.
"That's the truth for sure" dryly murmurs sir Deemus, next to him, his liege lord, the lord of Salmah Forest nods in agreement.
Then after a few moments, lord Gormica asks "What is to become of us?".
The nobleborn teenager originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin slightly shrugs, then says "Your brother, baron Wilmot wants you dead" he continues with "By his own hand of course".
The local lord sourly smiles when he hears that, then nods when the young field commander says "His allies, and even his vassals aren't willing to go that far" followed by "They want you defeated and ground down, and the new border in place and you alive to know it".
Tam briefly pauses before he continues on with "Which we have accomplished".
Lord Gormica nods, and looks away to where his army and the locals with them, are setting up camp at the edge of the burnt forest, on what's a warm summer day here in southern Melaurn.
The local lord then looks to the south and east of the burnt out village, at the destroyed crops and fields, and says "There will be a famine across the province come the autumn, and winter".
"Not necessarily" says the senior officer in the armies of Farque, who continues on with "There's a hell of lot less of you to feed" followed by "And we only destroyed the crops and stock close to the villages and towns" he then adds "Farms and herds elsewhere in the province are untouched".
"Why?" quietly asks lord Gormica, he then adds "Why did you destroy our homes?".
"It got you and your armies away from the border quick smart, didn't it?" replies the young field commander.
The local lord who has led the province of Karricaw in the border conflict with the province of Corlinda, nods as he concedes that is indeed true.
"We wanted this war over quickly, to win decisively and not drag it out" says Tam, nearby the undead brothers Arveem and Dargarven nod in agreement.
After a moments thought, lord Gormica asks "What is to happen to me then?".
"Well, if your brother Wilmot gets here before midnight tonight, he'll probably kill you" is the reply from the senior officer in the armies of Farque, who shrugs before adding "After that you can do whatever you want".
The local lord is silent, and shares a look with his vassal knight sir Deemus, who raises his eyebrows in a questioning manner.
"Why's that?" asks lord Gormica, who then adds "And why midnight tonight?".
"Because your brother the baron of Pirtgott, and the other nobles over in Corlinda have paid us for our services for one week, which ends tonight at midnight" says field commander Drubine who pauses before he adds "We doubt they'll make another weekly payment considering they've won the war with your province, and got the border they wanted".
The lord of Salmah Forest realises that the army from the lands Farque are true mercenaries, who have done what they've done for financial gain and nothing else.
Lord Gormica thinks quickly, and comes to the conclusion that the other nobles here in Karricaw who were against the last offer to hire an army from the lands Farque, are all dead, and can no longer be against it.
He looks to where his army is setting up camp, and to those wagons they bothered to bring back with them from the border.
On which are numerous strongboxes and chests containing coins and bars of gold and silver.
Making a quick decision, lord Gormica says to the young field commander in the armies of Farque "I've got a proposition for you".
After a moments pause, the nobleborn teenager who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin says "Go on".
The local lord quickly says what he's has just thought of, hoping that the proposition is successful.
Tamric Drubine is silent for a few moments, then looks over at the undead heavy foot trooper Arveem.
Who is looking up into the midday sky, at a small speck that is an airship high in the clear blue sky.
After a moment, Arveem looks over at Tam and slightly nods his head yes.
"We will have to discuss things, and work things out" says field commander Drubine as he looks at lord Gormica, who finally sees a small ray of hope in the defeat against the province of Corlinda . . . . . .