To War 30.

Summer. Across The Border In The Province Of Moleau.

They crossed over the border into the province of Moleau two nights ago.
Moleau, which is directly north, and northwest of the province of Corlinda.
Lord Milson of Mottman Deep has gathered other displaced soldiers to him from western Corlinda.
Whose lords are either dead, or have been scattered. When their castles and keeps were destroyed by the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
These men, who were on the border with the province of Karricaw, with the lord of Mottman Deep, and baron Wilmot.
Who returned home, after Corlinda was victorious in the border conflict with the province to the immediate east.
Are now willing to do anything for lord Milson. Now that their lords have either been killed, or are unable to be found.
The lord of Mottman Deep, along with the wizard Smesall. Have only be able to find two other local lords.
A sir Polmark of Yarmouth, and a certain lord Gimell of Farrow Downs.
Both nobles with small holdings in the northwest of the province of Corlinda.
Who are more than willing to follow lord Milson, after they found out their keeps weren't the only ones destroyed in Corlinda.
Word is starting to spread that every noble's keep or castle right across the province has been destroyed.
All by the mercenary army from the lands Farque, at the behest of lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
The nobleman who led the province of Karricaw in the recent conflict with Corlinda.
Lord Milson has led his ragtag force across the border into the province of Moleau for one reason, and one reason only.
To escalate and spread the conflict that started as a border dispute between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw.
As he knows his home province has very little going for it of late. What with a seeming defeat at the hands of lord Gormica, and the mercenary army from the lands Farque he's hired.
Ironically, the same mercenary army the province of Corlinda had hired before the lord of Salmah Forest did so.
The mercenary army that got Corlinda the victory, however brief. In the border war between the two provinces in southern Melaurn, that have always been rivals over the years.
Lord Milson contemplated crossing the border over into the province of Romial. Which is directly to the west of the province of Corlinda.
But after discussing things with the wizard Smesall. He decided not to. Because Romial is the smallest and least influential province in the entire kingdom.
While Moleau, is one of the three largest, and most important provinces in the kingdom of Melaurn. Along with the provinces of Sorros, and Calinar.
The reaction lord Milson is hoping for, is more likely to come from something happening here in Moleau, than it is in the province of Romial.
The lord of Mottman Deep looks away to his right, and spots the guard scout Grimmard hurrying up through the shrubs and bushes dotted up and down the side of the hill.
Grimmard, like everyone else. Isn't wearing a tabbard, or any type of uniform that can identify him, and what lord he serves.
Lord Milson isn't wearing anything to identify him as the lord of Mottman Deep.
Likewise for the other two noblemen, sir Polmark and lord Gimell.
Who at first were a little reluctant to give up their tabbards and sigils. But once lord Milson explained why. They both decided to give up those things that could identify them.
Milson of Mottman Deep looks down at the unsuspecting village below them at the base of the hill.
The nobleman who has been the staunchest ally to baron Wilmot in the border war with the province of Karricaw.
Knows that what he and those he's gathered to him are doing isn't right, or just in anyway.
But it will get a reaction, and reaction from the one entity in the kingdom the lord of Mottman Deep wants to get a reaction from.
The crown, in particular the king of Melaurn.
It's dusk on what's been a hot summer day here just over the border in the province of Moleau.
Lord Milson nods to the scout Grimmard, who joins him and quietly says "They have no idea my lord".
"Good" murmurs lord Milson of Mottman Deep as he looks through the fading light of the day, at the village just below the base of the hill.
The noblemen looks at the others lying on the ground to his left and right.
The lord of Mottman Deep waits until the last light of dusk fades, with the sun dropping below the horizon to the west.
Then now, as it's essentially the early evening. Lord Milson gives the signal to move out.
Those to either side of him and Grimmard get up, and they start moving down the hill towards the village.
Where a few lights can be seen on in some of the houses, as people have their evening meals.
The lord of Mottman Deep sits up, and watches what happens.
It's not long before he and the others who remained on the hill with him, hear the first screams, and shouts from in the village.
It won't be the last of them, and not just from this village. As another village, about three miles away to north.
Is being attacked by some of the others, who are being led by lord Gimell of Farrow Downs this evening.
These aren't the first places here in the province of Moleau they've attacked. And they won't be the last.
Lord Milson and those he leads will continue to do so, until they get the reaction the lord of Mottman Deep wants.
The wizard Smesall walks over, and crouches down as he joins lord Milson and Grimmard.
"You want me to burn it like the other ones?" quietly asks Smesall the wizard.
Nodding his head, lord Milson says in reply to the spellcaster "After they've let some of them get away".
The wizard, who is wearing dark clothing like everyone else, quietly says "The local lord must of got word of what's happening now" followed by "What's his name?".
"Panhurst, or Panharst" says the lord of Mottman Deep, who follows that with "Something like that".
The nobleman from the lands to the west of the baroncy of Pirtgott, in the middle of the province of Corlinda, then says "I've only ever come through here a couple of times before, and I've never met the man".
Lord Milson continues on from that with "Tend to take the main north road out of Corlinda into Moleau" followed "Not northwest to here".
"He'll know what's happening soon enough my lord" says Grimmard the scout, who continues with "This is the fourth village we've attacked in his lands, five counting the one lord Gimell is attacking tonight".
The lord of Mottman Deep, who even out of his tabbard, and regular tunic and cloak, still looks disheveled.
Nods in agreement with the guard scout, as they watch the attack upon the village at the base of the hill.
They see flames, as one of the houses is set on fire, and lord Milson says to the wizard who grew up with him "You might not need to set this place on fire after all" followed by "The men seem to be doing a good job of it themselves".
The spellcaster nods in agreement with his friend the nobleman, who says to him and the scout "Come on, let's go down and put in an appearance" he then adds "Time to tell some of them who it is that's attacking them".
The three of them make their way down the hill, going between the bushes and shrubs.
On what's a warm and clear summer evening with two of the moons of Volunell already up in the night sky.
The lord of Mottman Deep, points away to their right as they approach the village.
Where some of the men have dragged out a few of the villagers from one of the houses.
The men see them approach, and stay their hands as they were about to kill the villagers.
"Kill one of them as i speak to them" quietly murmurs lord Milson to the scout Grimmard, followed by "And I'll give you hand signal when to do it".
"Yes my lord" is the quiet reply from the guard scout.
Then the nobleman quietly asks his friend the wizard "Can you cast something that will compel the other two to get to the local lord's castle no matter what?".
"I can" is the quiet reply of Smesall, who then asks "Why?".
"Because i just don't want them to know who is attacking them" quietly says lord Milson, who continues on with "I want this lord Panhurst or whatever his name is, knowing as quickly as possible if he doesn't know already".
The spellcaster from Mottman Deep nods his head in understanding.
Then they fall silent as they walk up to the villagers being held by the men.
Lord Milson looks at the trio, a man and his wife, and their teenage son for a few moments, before he speaks to them.
"Do you know who we are?" asks the lord of Mottman Deep.
"Murders" spits the woman, as across the way from them, another woman's screams are cut short as her throat is sliced open by one of the men.
"So you say" says lord Milson with a shake of his head, who gives a hand signal to Grimmard.
The guard scout steps forward with dagger in hand, and shoves  it into the side of the neck of the woman, and rips it along her throat.
The two soldiers from lord Milson's army holding her, let her go. And she drops to the ground, with blood gushing from the fatal wound.
The man, and the son shout and scream, and wail in distress as they try to break free from those holding them.
They both groan and fall silent, when Grimmard the scout punches them both in the guts, knocking the wind out of them.
As the two villagers get their breath back, lord Milson says to them "You may of heard about the border war between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw".
The lord of Mottman Deep briefly pauses, before he continues on with "Well, we're the mercenary army from the lands Farque that lord Gormica of Salmah Forest has hired".
The nobleman from the province of Corlinda follows that with "He's defeated the armies of Corlinda, now he's got wider designs" he then adds "His eyes are on more now, to be exact, they're on the throne".
As the men holding the villagers, pull the father and son's heads back so they're forced to look directly at lord Milson, who says to them "Tell your lord Panhurst".
"Panharst" mumbles the man through his tears.
"Tell him what I've told you" says the lord of Mottman Deep, who continues on with "We're just starting in his lands, we'll be elsewhere throughout Moleau".
The nobleman briefly pauses and glances at Smesall the wizard. The spellcaster nods his head in reply to the glance directed at him.
"Do you understand?" says lord Milson as he looks at the father and son, both of whom respond with "Yes".
"Let them go" says the lord from the province of Corlinda.
His men let the two villagers go. Who take off running, without looking back at the dead woman, who is one's wife, and the other's mother.
"They won't stop until they get to lord Panharst's castle" quietly says Smesall the wizard, who then adds "Which is about a dozen miles away".
"Good" murmurs the lord of Mottman Deep, whose face is lit up when the house next door is set on fire by some of the men.
They wander through the village, with many of the houses and buildings now on fire.
A dog can be heard barking, and a milking cow can be seen running between the burning houses as it escapes from it's barn.
A handful of horses are taken by the men, as not all of those with lord Milson have mounts.
After the men let a few more of the villagers escape. After the lord of Mottman Deep speaks to them. Telling them that they've been attacked by the mercenary army from the lands Farque.
They move out when one of the soldiers who remained up on the hill as a lookout.
Informs that a rider has just arrived from Corlinda. One of those lord Milson left behind in their home province to gather information. And to find any other displaced soldiers whose lords are either dead, or can't be found.
The nobleman from Mottman Deep, along with the wizard and the guard scout hurry back up the hill.
And as the village down below them burns this night. Lord Milson speaks with the rider who has just crossed over into the province of Moleau earlier this afternoon.
"My lord, I've got word" says the rider, who pauses as he doesn't particularly want to impart the information he has.
"Go on son" says the lord of Mottman Deep as he sees the rider is reluctant to tell him what he knows.
The nobleman just nods his head as the rider says "The baron Wilmot surrendered to lord Gormica a couple of mornings ago at the gates of the city of Pirtgott" he briefly pauses as he adds "The baron's army has been disbanded".
Lord Milson nods his head, and listens in silence to what else the rider has to say.
Once the rider has finished, the lord of Mottman Deep dismisses the man, telling him to get something to eat, before he returns back across the border to Corlinda.
"So, we're alone for now" quietly says lord Milson.
"Looks like it my lord" says Smesall the wizard, who after a brief pause adds "Should we continue with this course of action?".
After a few moments, the nobleman says "Yes" followed by "Even though defeated, the baron will find a way to fight back against his brother".
He briefly pauses before continuing with "I know the man, he hates his brother Gormica like nothing else" he then adds "He'll find a way".
Even if the lord of Mottman Deep wanted to give up on what they're doing, it's too late.
For in the morning, the father and son who they let go from the village. Arrive at the castle of lord Panharst, who after hearing what they have to say.
Dispatches a wyvern and it's rider he has in his service for the capital Calinar.
To inform the crown what's been happening here in the southern region of the province of Moleau.
That the war between the provinces of Karricaw and Corlinda this summer has now spread into a third province.
As the mercenary army from the lands Farque have apparently attacked villages in southern Moleau . . . . . .