To War 62.

Summer. Melaurn.

"What have you got there Dorc?" asks Tamric Drubine the field commander.
"Snacks" is the reply from Dorc da Orc who chuckles as he slings the stuffed sack over his right shoulder, then wanders away.
The young field commander looks over at Dargarven the undead scout. Who just rolls his eyes, then follows after the large ork.
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who is now a senior officer in the armies of Farque.
Turns to his lover, Saanea the witch who is taking down their tent, and has just asked him "What was that with Dorc?".
"You don't want to know" dryly replies Tamric Drubine, or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
The pretty looking spellcaster who is from the Maldin Hills looks to where the ork warleader is walking away through the trees.
And even in the early morning light, she can see the blood stain sack the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world is carrying.
The witch, who is the newest member of the group to travel with lord Farque.
Shudders as she can well imagine what's in the blood soaked sack the ork weaponsmith is carrying.
Saanea, shakes her head. Then continues to take down her and Tam's tent. The young field commander helps her with that.
It's the morning after the battle that took place here towards the eastern end of the border between the provinces of Moleau and Corlinda.
Not all that far from where the three provinces of Moleau, Corlinda and Mofosild meet.
The Farqian army that defeated the crown's army. Which was predominantly made up of armies from various nobles who call the provinces of Olind, and even Sorros home.
Made camp in the woods to the north of the battlefield which field commander Drubine picked out.
The teenage noble who is the son of a previous Knight of Castle Drubine, which can be found in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin.
Will happily admit that he didn't have all that much to do with the victory of the Farqian force that he commands.
It was mostly down to the abilities of the Farqian soldiers he's in command of.
And the simple, but effective tactics of the ork general, Dorc da Orc. Who is still annoyed he didn't actually take part in the battle.
The next battle or skirmish his force gets into. Tam will have the large ork get involved with the fighting. At least for a bit. As that should keep the warleader of the ork race happy.
And a happy Dorc is a Dorc not getting into fucking trouble, field commander Drubine thinks to himself, who after helping Saanea pack up their tent and hand into to one of the nearby adjuncts.
The nobleborn teenager who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin quietly asks his lover "Is the flagship anywhere in the area?".
The dark, haired pretty looking hillwoman who is only a couple of years older than her lover, who was previously married before the two of them met in the Maldin Hills last summer, says "I'm not sure".
The spellcaster who never thought she would be in a relationship again after walking out on her marriage.
And who definitely never thought she would be leading the life she's living now, adds "I'll have a look once we get out".
As she nods towards the treeline, that isn't too far from where they set up their tent in the camp.
The senior officer in the armies of Farque who is bitterly disappointed that he even lost one of his soldiers yesterday, not just the couple of hundred who died, and a similar number wounded.
As they fought the enemy army that outnumbered the Farqian mercenary force of just over three thousand, by at least eight hundred soldiers.
Knows that Saanea will look through the eyes of her familiar soon. Which is no doubt flying around somewhere this morning.
The young field commander then turns to one of the messengers, and tells her "Have the scout Maera bring the prisoner".
Lisell Maera the scout looks at the prisoner. Who methodically eats the food he's been given this morning.
The enemy general, by the name of Sumic. Who is from the capital city Calinar. Is a senior officer in the king's army. Who got to his position on merit alone. Something of a minor miracle, considering he's not nobleborn.
Though from the information gathered from questioning him. And by some of the spellcasters, including Saanea the witch reading his mind.
The general in the black chainmail armour with leather shoulder pads. Is a passing friend of the king himself.
Which is probably the only reason he's attained the rank of general in the crown's army. When no other commoner in the kingdom of Melaurn holds such a high rank.
Lisell Maera or Lis as she's more commonly called by those who know her well.
Turns as a teenage runner comes up to her, and quietly tells her something in the elven language.
"Tell him, we'll be there shortly" is the quiet reply of Lisell Maera the scout who makes sure she's out of hearing of the prisoner who can understand the elven language.
After the prisoner finishes his meal, the lean, athletic and attractive looking young woman who is originally from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury, says in the common language "Bring him".
The two rangers standing to the side, and behind the prisoner on the ground, here in the woods.
Step forward and grab an arm each of the prisoner, and stand him up.
The enemy general whose bound wrists, are infront of him now. Is marched forward by the pair of rangers as they follow the scout Maera.
General Sumic looks away to their right. As hanging from the branch of a tree over in that direction. Is sir Lommard, who was taken prisoner with him early yesterday afternoon when their army was defeated.
The young nobleman from the province of Olind was the senior most noble to survive the battle.
Now he's hanging dead from a tree limb, after what general Sumic is pretty sure is an ork of all things. Hung the young nobleman from the province of Olind. After he cut away at the young noble for a bit. Before the young commander of the mercenary army from the lands Farque ordered the large ork to hang sir Lommard.
Lisell Maera falls back so that she's along side the prisoner and the two rangers holding him.
With a nod of her head at the dead nobleman from Olind hanging from the tree branch they go by, the scout Maera says in common to the prisoner "Don't worry, that's not going to happen to you".
The attractive young woman originally from the coast of the Southlands pauses for a moment, before she adds "Yet".
"How reassuring" dryly says general Sumic of the king's army.
The common born general from the capital city of Calinar, is a man just under six foot tall, and appears younger than his forty one years of life.
He finds himself looking eye to eye with the young woman who is his captor. Who if truth be told, is actually taller than he is.
"You're not going to give me to that ork are you?" asks the prisoner, who faintly grimaces as he didn't particularly want to voice that concern of his.
Lisell Maera, whose mother was a street prostitute, and whose father. A man she never knew, or met. Was a sailor who plied his trade upon the Great Western Ocean.
Glances sideways at the enemy general, who though let that slip. Is smart enough to identify what Dorc da Orc is.
When most people don't know what the hell an ork is. As most when they see the large ork for the first time. Believe that he's a demented, and feral looking troll. A shorter, and fatter troll that is. But nevertheless, that's what most people believe Dorc da Orc to be.
"You better hope not" dryly says the tall, lean, athletic and attractive looking young woman who hails from the city-state of Brattonbury, and is now in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
They walk out of the edge of the woods, and after looking both left and right, the scout Maera gestures away to the right.
As they Farqian mercenary army. Well this force of the first army of Farque that Tamric Drubine is in command of.
Breaks camp as they prepare to depart this part of northern Corlinda, where a battle took place yesterday.
As the scout, two rangers and the prisoner walk along the treeline.
Lisell Maera asks the enemy general "Did you think you'd come across our army?" she then adds "Or the local army of lord Gormica?".
General Sumic who learnt yesterday when he was first questioned, it's no use lying. As his captors have spellcasters who can read his mind.
Says to the attractive young woman who seems to be in charge of his captivity at the moment "To be honest, we thought it would mostly be the rebel lord's army".
Lis lifts an eyebrow at that description of the nobleman from the province of Karricaw, lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
"Rebel lord is he?" says the tall, lean, athletic and attractive looking young woman who hails from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury.
"Of course" says the prisoner, who has the highest attained rank of any commoner in the kingdom of Melaurn.
"You'd find that lord Gormica isn't a rebel at all" says Lis who continues on with "I do believe it's the crown who has attacked him under false pretenses after the war between the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw".
General Sumic snorts in derision, then dryly says "Tell that to the farmers and villagers in southern Moleau, you mercenaries attacked and killed".
The prisoner who is resigned to the fact he's going to be killed by his captors, he just doesn't know when, or how.
Continues on with "Mercenaries by the way, in the hire of the rebel nobleman, lord Gormica".
"We did no such thing" says the scout Maera, who follows that with "That was a disgruntled nobleman from here in Corlinda who was angry that Corlinda lost the recent war against Karricaw".
"Likely story" sourly says the general in the army of the king of Melaurn. Often referred to as the king's own, sometimes as the kingdom's or crown army.
"What reason would i have to lie?" says the attractive young woman from the coast of the Southlands. Who is a member of the group that travels with lord Farque.
The common born general glances sideways at the scout who is in charge of his captivity. Who to a certain degree, does have a point there.
"We were paid by baron Wilmot to fight for Corlinda first" says Lisell Maera who follows that with "Then he stopped paying us, so lord Gormica started paying us, and that's why Karricaw ended up winning the war between the two provinces".
The scout continues on with "Now he's paying us to protect both Karricaw and Corlinda from the king and his allies".
Lis looks at the prisoner, and tells him "Tell me, why did the crown only get involved after they thought the conflict had spread beyond either Karricaw or Corlinda?".
The scout Maera continues with "And not before, when the two provinces were at war?" followed by "Or even before that, as they'd been building up their forces for months before they actually went to war over their border dispute".
General Sumic doesn't say anything, and stays silent on that matter. As he knows exactly why the crown didn't intervene earlier.
And only did so when the king, and crown believed that the Farqian mercenary army had attacked the people living in the south of the province of Moleau.
"Is it because the crown has never given a shit about the southern provinces such as Corlinda, Karricaw and Selvah Na?" asks Lisell Maera as they head towards where Tamric Drubine and others are standing just outside the woods where the Farqian force camped during the night.
"I think so" adds the scout, who follows that with "I'm a foreigner, who only knows so much of the history of your kingdom, but even i know that's the reason the crown decided to get involved with things".
The tall, lean, athletic, and attractive looking young woman from the coast of the Southlands then asks the prisoner "You think the crown would of got involved if the conflict between Corlinda and Karricaw went over the border southwards into the province of Selvah Na?".
General Sumic remains tight lipped, and doesn't say a word about that. As both he and his captor know exactly what the answer to that will be.
"I thought not" dryly says the scout Maera as the prisoner stays silent about that, as they approach where field commander Drubine and others are waiting.
On what's turning out to be a slightly cloudy morning, which is far cooler than it has been in recent weeks this summer.
"So" says Tamric Drubine the field commander as the prisoner is brought before him.
The nobleborn teenager originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, who has been told by his lover, Saanea the witch that the Farqian flagship is on it's way here.
Says to the enemy general "You'll be going somewhere soon".
The common born general in the king's own, just nods his head, as he wonders what his captors are up to.
General Sumic spots the large ork back behind the others, amongst the trees. Near the fellow in the sleeveless leather armour vest, who captured Sumic yesterday afternoon.
The prisoner hopes to hell, that where ever he's going. The ork isn't coming along with him.
"Would you like to know where?" asks Tam who is a senior officer in the armies of Farque.
"Does it matter?" asks general Sumic of the crown army.
"It does to you" is the quick reply from field commander Drubine.
"I see" says the captured enemy officer, who then winces as he realises that the young man who commands the Farqian mercenaries just said that last thing in the elven language.
With a wry smile upon his face, the nobleborn teen from the kingdom of Sarcrin, says in the language of the elves "How well can you speak elven?".
"Not that well" general Sumic answers truthfully in the same language.
Tam nods, then reverts back to the common language and says "No use keeping secrets you know".
"I know" says the prisoner in common, who can understand elven a hell of lot more than he can speak it.
"Now as for why it matters for you, as to where you're going" says the senior officer in the armies of Farque, who after a brief pause adds "It's important because you're going to the capital".
General Sumic eyebrows shoot up in surprise when he hears that, and after a few moments of silence as he contemplates that, he says "I am?".
"You are" says Tamric Drubine, who after a pause for a moment or two, continues with "You're to go there with a message".
The prisoner nods his head, as he's fairly certain who the message will be for.
His thoughts on that are confirmed when the young field commander in the mercenary army from the lands Farque tells him "A message for the king and the crown" . . . . . .