To War 25.

Summer. Southern Melaurn.

The army knew something had gone terribly wrong when they went back across the border.
And they found not a single soldier from any of the other forces of Corlinda on the new border.
They knew some had returned home, but at least half were still on the border when they left, and went into the province of Karricaw.
And to make matters worse, the town on the border where they had built up their armies throughout the end of spring, and the start of summer.
Has been absolutely flattened. There's not a house or building standing anywhere.
In it's place are vast craters, the impact of multiple magetube shots fired from airships.
The telltale sign of what destroyed the town that was previously on the Corlinda side of the border.
And though the baron tried to keep the turn of events secret. After they crossed back into Corlinda, and headed further west.
Even the thickest and most simple minded of soldiers and camp followers have worked out what has happened.
Especially when they got just half a dozen miles from the border region.
And they came upon the keep of a certain sir Koppel. And found the keep just a pile of rubble. Though the nearby village still stands.
Everyone in the army had deduced that the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
Who had previously been hired by the nobility of the province of Corlinda, in the border war with the province of Karricaw.
Who infact, had won the border conflict for the side of those in Corlinda.
Have now switched sides as they're no longer being hired by the province of Corlinda.
As they continue westwards through their home province. Heading back to the city of Pirtgott.
They come across locals, to find out what's happened.
And though the local commoners aren't hostile to the baron's army. Hardly any of them are friendly too.
As they've now all heard how the baron of Pirtgott and his army went into the province of Karricaw to find and attack the retreating army of lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
When all the baron had to do was give the go ahead to pay the mercenary army from the lands Farque another week.
So they could chase down, and wipe out lord Gormica's army. The last force of any significance in the province of Karricaw.
Especially considering the war concerning the border had been won by the province of Corlinda.
As the baron's army continues to march westwards quickly, not stopping all that often.
They find no sign of any significant force as they go through the lands of the nobility in this part of the province.
Nothing of their allies. Nor of the army of lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
Who the baron of Pirtgott knows is now with the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
Though occasionally they get a glimpse of what they believe is the Farqian mercenary army.
As it is this morning, when at the front of the army, baron Wilmot of Pirtgott looks at sir Crissen who has just come in from riding their northern flank.
"Airship to the north" quietly says sir Crissen the vassal knight as he comes alongside his liege lord, baron Wilmot of Pirtgott.
"A sharp eyed scout is sure it's keeping pace with us" quietly adds sir Crissen.
After slightly wincing, baron Wilmot of Pirtgott quietly says "They want us to notice them".
"Why father?" asks Krissner, the son of the baron of Pirtgott.
"A sign that they don't care about us, that's why" replies the baron.
Who then nods, as another one of his vassal knights, sir Holjma says in a slightly sour tone of voice "And to show that they couldn't care less about us, and that they could attack us whenever they like".
As it's no surprise, that they all believe, correctly as it turns out. That the airship away to the north, keeping pace with baron Wilmot's army, is a warship in the fleet from the lands Farque.
"They still heading quickly westwards?" asks Jarjin Littlefoot the hobbit as he drags a wooden crate over to the port side rail.
"They sure are" replies Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy who is leaning on the port side rail, just forward of a midships.
As the halfling joins him at the rail, and stands upon the crate so he can look over the rail, away to the south.
The elf who is from the principality of Alínlae, and is now an officer in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque, says with a grin upon his youthful looking face "Bet they're wondering if we're going to attack them".
"We're giving them something to think about, that's for sure" says Jarjin Littlefoot with a chuckle as he leans his arms on the rail, as he looks away to the south.
The two of them, with their naturally enhanced eyesight. Can easily see the army of baron Wilmot away to the south, heading westwards through the province of Corlinda.
The halfling, who as a member of the personal council to lord Farque. Is the highest ranking figure onboard the fast frigate.
Has the captain of the warship shadowing the baron's army. Keep just within sight of a human with keen vision.
So that baron Wilmot, and his army know that they're being shadowed as they head back west through Corlinda, to the baron's lands of Pirtgott.
"Another keep coming up" says Dalinvardèl Tanith or Dalin as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
The elven spy, who previously served in one of the more prominent noble houses of his homeland, the principality of Alínlae.
Nods his hooded head along the road the baron's is on, where in the distance, about six or seven miles away to the west. Is what remains of the keep of the local lord in this part of the province of Corlinda.
Jarjin Littlefoot, who isn't exactly what he seems. He's infact, really a barbarian hordesman of the southern tundra, by the name of Zubutai Timaginson. Who just happens to inhabit the body of the halfling, who is from the far east coast of the continent.
Looks ahead, and sees the pile of rubble that was a keep until recently.
"Wonder if they'll find out?" quietly says the hobbit who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
"They're bound to sooner or later" says the spy Tanith.
Next to him, Jarjin aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman nods in agreement as they continue to watch baron Wilmot's army on the road to the south of them, as it heads westwards through the province.
The baron orders his army onwards when they get to the village, to the right of which, to the north of it.
Lies a big pile of rubble and stone. All that remains of the local lord's keep.
As his army marches by the village, baron Wilmot of Pirtgott. Along with his son Krissner, and the vassal knights Holjma and Crissen. And the baron's personal guards dismount.
And enter the village, where sergeant at arms Morbic and a handful of the advanced scouts are waiting.
"Found something interesting my lord baron" says sergeant Morbic when the nobleman who has led the province of Corlinda in the border war with the province of Karricaw, walks up to the sergeant at arms and his party of scouts.
"What is it Morbic?" asks the baron of Pirtgott.
"Best you hear for yourself" quietly says the sergeant at arms to his lord.
The baron nods, and gestures for Morbic to lead the way.
Wilmot of Pirtgott and the others with him, follow after the sergeant at arms, who leads them into the village.
What few locals are about, aren't hostile towards them as their tabbards are recognised.
Then again, the looks directed at them, aren't exactly friendly either.
"In here my lord baron" quietly says sergeant Morbic who points to one of the houses closest to the destroyed keep.
"Krissner remain out here with sir Crissen and the others" quietly says baron Wilmot who follows on from that with "Holjma will come in with me and the sergeant".
The baron's son nods, and remains outside with the vassal knight sir Crissen, the baron's personal guards, and the scouts.
The nobleman who rules the lands of Pirtgott in the middle of the province of Corlinda, along with his vassal knight sir Holjma.
Follow after the sergeant at arms, who after knocking on the front door, and saying "It's me again". Opens the door, and leads the way inside.
"You know who this is?" says sergeant Morbic to the occupant of the house, as he gestures at the baron.
The local, a young man, maybe in his late teens, early twenties at the oldest, nods his head, and says "Yes" followed by "Baron Wilmot of Pirtgott".
"This is Refuss my lord baron" says the sergeant at arms, who goes onto explain "One of sir Yammick's men, he broke his leg in the spring, so remained as a keep guard when sir Yammick's force joined us out on the border with Karricaw".
The baron of Wilmot nods, and sergeant Morbic says to the local man "Tell him what you saw".
"Baron" says the guard Refuss, who continues on with "We on guard duty waited for sir Yammick and the others to return when word got to us that victory was ours on the border".
The local man looks out the window that faces the pile of rubble just thirty yards away, where the keep once stood.
Then he looks at the baron of Pirtgott and tells him "Instead of my lord returning, a warship turned up instead. One belonging to that fleet from that mercenary army we had heard had been hired to help with the war against Karricaw".
The guard in the local lord's small army, swallows before he continues on with "Some of those black clad soldiers entered the keep, and ordered us out. Giving us a quarter of a turn of a sand glass to take what we could carry and leave" he then adds "With them were others, who from what their sigils were, i understand are lord Gormica of Salmah Forest's men".
The guard Refuss is silent for a moment, as he's got rapped audience in baron Wilmot, and sir Holjma.
As they both wonder what the young local man is going to tell them.
"Some of them went down into my lord's cellar, that he uses as his strongroom" says the guard, who stands, leaning back against the table behind him, as he's still not all together steady when he stands for an extended period of time.
"Took his family's strongbox, as well as the chest with the year end taxes" adds the guard Refuss, who continues on with "There was nothing any of us could do to stop them".
Baron Wilmot nods in agreement with his vassal knight sir Holjma who sourly mutters to him "Now we know how he's able to pay them".
Referring to how lord Gormica of Salmah Forest is able to pay the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
When previously there was no way in hell that the lord of Salmah Forest could afford by himself to pay the Farqian mercenary army.
"Anything else?" asks baron Wilmot as he looks at the young guard.
"Nothing much baron" says Refuss the guard, who follows that with "They destroyed my lord's keep quickly as we all watched, then they flew away".
The local man momentarily pauses, then he says "Now we wait for sir Yammick and the others to return" he then adds in a low murmur "That's if they'll return".
"They might be coming back cross country and avoiding the roads" says the baron of Pirtgott offering the young guard a bit of hope.
Though deep down, baron Wilmot is sure that sir Yammick and his small force have been wiped out.
"Keep an eye out for his return, and when he gets back, send word to Pirtgott that he's back" says the nobleman who has led the province of Corlinda in the border war with the province of Karricaw.
"Yes baron" says Refuss the guard, who watches the baron, the vassal knight, and the sergeant at arms walk out of his house.
Knowing that his lord, sir Yammick and the rest of his force. Will never return.
For if they're not back from the border by now, they'll never get back. Outside, the baron of Wilmot shares a look with his vassal knight, sir Holjma.
Then the baron says to the others who have been waiting "Back to the horses" followed by "Let's rejoin the army".
As they walk through the village back to their mounts, Krissner the son of the baron asks "What did you find out father?".
Wilmot of Pirtgott is silent for a few moments, then he answers his son with "We found out how that bastard of a brother of mine is paying that army from Farque".
As they get back to their horses, and get up into the saddle, and ride off to join back with the baron's army.
Baron Wilmot hopes to hell, and all the gods. That his city of Pirtgott hasn't been attacked like the keeps and castles they've seen as they've come back through the province of Corlinda.
For in his keep in the middle of the city, is his family's fortune amassed over centuries.
Not just that, but in the city, is the only counting house in the entire province.
Where he and the vast majority of the nobility of Corlinda keep some of their wealth.
Mostly the tax payment sent to the crown in the capital Calinar once a year.
If that's gone, there'll be hell to pay for the province of Corlinda. As the crown, in particular the king, won't be happy with that.
As they ride to rejoin his army, baron Wilmot of Pirtgott winces at the prospect of that.
And hopes that the city of Pirtgott has so far gone untouched in this new conflict he, and the province of Corlinda finds itself in . . . . . .