To War 36.

Summer. Melaurn.

"Are you nuts?" demands baron Wilmot of Pirtgott as he looks at his twin brother Gormica.
"Not in the least" replies lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
They're standing upon the north wall of the city of Pirtgott, just above the main gates of the city.
And the lord of Salmah Forest has just told his twin brother what he intends to do.
The brothers, who have led either side of the war between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw in the recent conflict.
Stand there upon the wall, looking at one another. With the younger of the twins, lord Gormica, waiting for what his brother Wilmot says next.
"You're getting a bit above yourself here, aren't you?" says the baron of Pirtgott with a shake of his head in disgust at what his twin brother intends.
"How you think you can be king, is a bit much isn't it?" adds baron Wilmot who continues with "Hell, your lordship of Salmah Forest isn't particularly large over in Karricaw, so how you think you can govern the entire kingdom is beyond me".
"That might not happen" says lord Gormica, who then dryly adds "The crown could very well wipe me out".
"There is that" sourly says the baron of Pirtgott, who then looks along the wall, to where the elven envoy named Helbe is standing, and he quietly adds "Though who knows what could happen, with that lot you've hired".
"You hired them too" quietly says the nobleman who led the province of Karricaw in the recent war between it, and the province of Corlinda.
The baron grimaces at that reminder, then he clears his throat, and wipes his brow, as it's warm here on top of the north wall of the city of Pirtgott.
"Before you berate me even more for what I've decided to do" says lord Gormica who decided to tell his twin brother what he intends to do.
For the simple reason, this will just as likely involve the province of Corlinda, as much as it does Karricaw.
"Your ally Milson, if it is him causing all the destruction up in Moleau" says the lord of Salmah Forest, who continues on with "Has made a grave mistake in trying to blame me for what's happening up there".
"How so?" asks baron Wilmot, who at first was pleased to hear about what's happening in the province of Moleau.
But now is a lot more circumspect about it, because of the unintended consequences.
One of which is the possibility of seeing his twin brother Gormica leading a military force against the crown.
"Having him blame me, has not just put Karricaw in peril, but also Corlinda too" says lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
The baron frowns, then says to his twin brother "How so?".
"Who effectively rules Corlinda at the moment?" is the reply of lord Gormica.
Baron Wilmot pauses, then grimaces, and mutters "Shit".
"You do understand then" says Gormica of Salmah Forest.
His twin brother, Wilmot of Pirtgott sourly smiles, and just grunts in reply to that from the lord of Salmah Forest.
The nobleman from across the border to the east, in the province of Karricaw, adds "The crown will fight it's way through here in Corlinda as much as it will over in Karricaw".
Lord Gormica turns and looks over the city of Pirtgott, as he quietly continues with "I had them destroy your keep" followed by "But at least they left the rest of the city untouched".
The lord of Salmah Forest gestures at the city as he adds "The king's army and airships won't be so accommodating" he continues on with "They'll destroy the city if they get the chance".
The baron of Pirtgott grimaces once more, though he does nod his head in agreement with what his twin brother just said.
"And they'll sweep across the rest of your baroncy too" adds lord Gormica who follows that with "Not to mention all of Corlinda as they make their way into Karricaw".
"Okay, you don't have to go on about it" sourly says the baron of Pirtgott, who then adds in the same tone "I get the point".
The baron lets out a deep breath, then mutters a foul oath to himself as he leans against the parapet, here on the top of the north wall of the city of Pirtgott.
Wilmot of Pirtgott is silent for a few moments, then he looks at his twin brother Gormica, and asks him "Why have you told me about what you're going to do?".
Gormica of Salmah Forest is silent for a little while as he continues to look out over the city, then he eventually looks at his twin brother and says "Because I'll need allies if I'm to save what's left of both Karricaw and Corlinda".
Baron Wilmot blinks in surprise as he realises what his twin brother is suggesting.
He blinks again, as he can't quite believe it, then the baron of Pirtgott says "Are you fucking out of your mind?".
The baron lowers his voice, as he sees his vassal knights Holjma and Crissen, along with his son Krissner. Look this way, from the guardhouse further along the top of the north wall of the city.
"I mean, are you fucking nuts?" says Wilmot of Pirtgott in a hiss to his twin brother Gormica.
"After what's happened in the recent past between us, and our provinces" adds the baron of Pirtgott, who briefly pauses, before he continues on with "Hell, i don't even like you brother" followed by "I haven't for over twenty years now".
"I know" dryly says the lord of Salmah Forest, the nobleman who has led the province of Karricaw in the recent war with the province of Corlinda.
"I definitely know that" dryly adds lord Gormica with a shake of his head, who goes onto say in a more reasonable tone of voice "All the same, if you want your baroncy and the province of Corlinda to have any chance of surviving what is more than likely to happen in the coming days and weeks, then you should seriously consider what I'm suggesting".
Baron Wilmot can only grimace at the prospect of that. As he wants absolutely nothing to do with what his twin brother Gormica intends.
All the same, he knows if he doesn't do anything. His baroncy, and the province of Corlinda could be wiped off the map if he's not careful.
The baron of Pirtgott, who is unwilling to make a decision on that at the moment, then mutters "You'll need plenty of allies throughout the kingdom".
He pauses, before he continues on with "Not to mention you'll have to keep paying that lot from Farque".
"I've got plenty to pay them" says lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
His twin brother Wilmot winces as he recalls what his twin brother is referring up.
"And for weeks on end too" adds the younger of the twin brothers, the lord of Salmah Forest, who continues with "I'm not worried about not being able to pay them".
Wilmot of Pirtgott sourly smiles, as he knows that a fair bit of his own fortune is being used to pay for the services of the mercenary army form the lands Farque, that his twin brother lord Gormica has hired.
"As for other allies" says the lord of Salmah Forest, who continues with "There's the southern lords down in Selvah Na, in and around Ramaee" followed by "You know how that lot are".
The baron of Pirtgott grunts at that from his twin brother Gormica.
For everyone in southern Melaurn, well everyone who is nobleborn. Knows of the distrust, and distaste that some of the southern lords in the province of Selvah Na have towards the crown. All because of the ports in the city of Ramaee.
The port that's out of action every winter due to the pack ice that forms along part of the kingdom's southern coast.
And how the traders and merchants in the largest of the cities in the southern part of the kingdom.
Have to ship their goods and wares overland, or by airship during the wintertime.
Meaning the southern lords miss out on the revenue from the city's ports at that time of the year.
The solution of which, is building ships, with fortified steel hulls over the wooden frame.
Which can break the ice during the winter, allowing for channels through the pack ice. Allowing merchant vessels along the southern coastline, to get to and around the corner of Melaurn. And into the more temperate waters of the Kuyriers Straits.
Many of the southern lords over the years have wanted to build those ships with attached steel hulls.
But they've been denied the opportunity to do so over the last century.
Because of an edict from the crown in the capital Calinar. Banning such vessels, as they're deemed war vessels which for the most part in the waters off the coast of the kingdom is in the domain of the crown, and not the local lords who have lands along the coast.
The fact that the crown at the time of the initial edict, and as well as today. Has a major stake in many of the trading airships that crisscross the kingdom all year round, also has a lot to do with it.
"Well yeah, that lot will definitely join up with you" says the baron of Pirtgott, who continues on with "They won't ever care that you'll be leading this revolt against the crown" followed by "They'll do anything to break free of the near monopoly the crown has with the merchant ships flying between Calinar and Ramaee during the wintertime".
The lord of Salmah Forest nods to that, then he asks "And you brother?" he continues with "And what will you do?".
The nobleman who led the province of Karricaw in the recent war with the province of Corlinda, then adds "Will you stand by, and watch the crown's forces sweep through Corlinda and devastate it?" followed by "Or will you help me put a stop to them?".
"Hell" mutters baron Wilmot, who continues in a loud mutter with "Let me think about it".
And he walks away from his twin brother, heading along the top of the wall to think.
While lord Gormica turns and looks the other way along the top of the city wall.
Beyond the elven envoy from the armies of Farque. To where his vassals, sir Deemus and sir Riknall are standing outside of one of the guardhouses on top of the wall.
The lord of Salmah Forest slightly shrugs his shoulders, as his twin brother may or may not decide to join them.
While at the guardhouse in the direction that baron Wilmot has wandered off to.
The baron of Pirtgott's vassals, sir Holjma and sir Crissen. Along with the baron's son Krissner.
Wonder what the nobleborn brothers have been discussing. And wonder why the baron of Pirtgott has walked away. And now seems to be deep in thought. As he's come to a stop, and has his arms on one of the merlons on the parapet. And is looking out to the north, away from the city.
The baron of Pirtgott is lost in thought as he wonders what to do.
True, he hates his twin brother Gormica. And is still bitterly disappointed in the outcome of the recent war between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw. Which for a brief amount of time, he and the province of Corlinda actually won.
But for all that, his twin brother Gormica has promised him that once the rebuild is well and truly in progress over in the province of Karricaw.
Gormica and his army, along with the mercenary army from the lands Farque. Will leave the province of Corlinda.
And Wilmot will be free to rule here in the baroncy of Pirtgott once again.
But he knows that's all up in the air now. What with the crown mobilising it's army and fleet to deal with the attacks up in the province of Moleau.
Which they think has been done by the mercenary army from the lands Farque, at the behest of lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
"Ah shit" mutters baron Wilmot who has the choice of seeing his baroncy and province completed devastated by the crown.
Or helping his twin brother Gormica defend them. Which could very well see his twin brother ending up on the throne.
"What a fucking choice" mutters the baron of Pirtgott as he looks northwards away from the city.
The baron then turns around, and looks across the city that's been his home all of his life.
And though the baron's keep no longer stands. The rest of the city is as it's always been.
And things are just as busy at the moment as it was this time last summer.
Infact baron Wilmot is pretty certain it might be even busier than it was last year.
As his brother Gormica is buying up a lot of goods, and hiring a lot of people, to help with the rebuilding of the province of Karricaw.
The baron of Pirtgott knows that the rebuilding of keeps and castles throughout Corlinda will have to eventually begin one day.
And that maybe delayed, or not go ahead at all if the crown's army and fleet lay waste to the province of Corlinda.
Baron Wilmot lets out a sigh, then mutters "Fuck". As he realises what he has to do.
The nobleman who led the province of Corlinda in the recent war with the province of Karricaw.
Sourly smiles, and shakes his head as he looks out across the city of Pirtgott.
Then swallowing the anger that threatens to bubble up from inside of him. Not to mention swallowing his pride.
Wilmot of Pirtgott heads back along the top of the north wall of the city, to where his twin brother Gormica is waiting.
"Very well" says baron Wilmot in a reluctant tone of voice, the baron of Pirtgott then adds "Me and my army will help you out".
Lord Gormica nods, then says "Thank you brother". The younger twin then holds out his right hand to his brother.
The baron looks at it for a moment, then after sighing, he takes his brother's right hand in his own, and briefly shakes it.
After letting go of his twin brother's hand, the baron of Pirtgott dryly says "I can't believe I'm helping you to take the crown".
"All i want to do is protect my province" says the lord of Salmah Forest, who briefly pauses before he adds "I should say our provinces".
The baron nods in understanding, and his twin brother tells him "Even if we defeat the crown, i may not end up on the throne".
Lord Gormica continues with "Like you said, Salmah Forest isn't particularly large, so what do i know about ruling an entire kingdom".
The nobleman who led the province of Karricaw in the recent war with Corlinda, and was victorious, then says in a slightly dry tone of voice "Let's face it, we're no way close to being related to any of the royal families that have ruled Melaurn".
The baron of Pirtgott slightly winces, then wryly says "Well, that's true enough alright".
For though their family has had the baroncy of Pirtgott for the last few centuries. It's common knowledge that they were not nobleborn to start of with.
And were only accepted into the ranks of the nobility in the kingdom because they fought for what they got.
The lord of Salmah Forest then glances in the direction of the elven envoy from the armies of Farque who has been patiently waiting while the twin brothers discuss things.
"I best go and inform them of what's happening" quietly says lord Gormica to his brother, as he nods to where the elf in the white hooded cloak is standing along the top of the north wall of the city.
"And i better tell my vassals and son what's happening" says baron Wilmot, who then dryly adds "They're going to be surprised, that's for sure".
Lord Gormica of Salmah Forest faintly smiles, and nods in agreement with that.
Then the twin brothers Wilmot and Gormica turn, and walk in opposite directions along the top of the north wall of the city of Pirtgott.
After coming to an agreement, in which the baron of Pirtgott and his army will join up with the lord of Salmah Forest to fight against the crown, and the king . . . . . .