To War 79.

Summer. The Corlinda Corner.

Numbnuts the Ninth jumps over a fallen branch. And to his amazement, lands on his feet, and continues running between the trees.
The goblin soldier in a mismatch of dark leather armour, to go with a black tunic, and short black summer cloak.
Ducks under the branches of a tree, so he doesn't hit his head. He avoids smacking his head into the low hanging branch.
But this time he trips up over his own feet, and hits the ground face first.
Numbnuts groans as he lies there, but only briefly as he's hauled to his feet.
"Come on you" says Dickhead Thirty Something, who gives Numbnuts a shove after picking him up off the ground.
"Get moving" adds the goblin officer, who is more commonly called Thirty Something by the others in the battalion.
The two goblins continue running through the woods, while behind them, smoke can be seen rising up into the air.
It's a village, not all that far from lord Measum's castle. And the enemy have just set fire to it. After taking anything of worth that remained in the village, when the inhabitants deserted it, when they left it for the local nobleman's castle.
The goblins run out of the woods, and onto the road, then go left. Eastwards, which leads to lord Measum's ancestral home.
And though Numbnuts the Ninth is a little unsteady on his feet as he runs. Dickhead Thirty Something occasionally puts a hand out to steady the other goblin.
And then, even though Numbnuts is slightly dazed, the two goblins in the battalion of them that serve in the armies of Farque.
Glance at one another, as they both hear behind them on the road, a pair of horses approaching, and approachin quickly too.
As Numbnuts keeps looking ahead, as he doesn't trust himself to look back, just incase he trips up again.
Dickhead Thirty Something does look back, and spots the two riders come around the bend in the road, around the woods they were just in.
"They're ours" says the newly promoted officer in the goblin battalion.
Next to him, Numbnuts the Ninth lets out a sigh in relief as the two of them continue to run along the road, that eventually leads to lord Measum's castle.
Here in the northeast of the province of Corlinda, not far from the borders of the provinces of Moleau and Mofosild.
In the area of the province called the Corlinda Corner by the locals who live here.
The two black clad riders approach fast, they're a pair of Farqian scouts who ride straight at the two goblins who move to one side of the dusty road.
One of the riders reaches down, and grabs Numbnuts, and lifts him up onto his horse, plonking him down infront of him.
The other scout from the lands Farque does the same with Dickhead Thirty Something.
And once the goblin is seated infront of her, she asks the goblin officer "What were you two doing?" followed by "You should of been back by now".
She has to repeat herself in the common language as she forgot the goblins don't speak the elven language.
"We got lost" admits Dickhead Thirty Something, who was part of a squad of goblins their commander, Teabagger the Goblin Cunt, and their general, Dorc da Orc. Sent out to scout the enemy who are approaching from the north.
"The rest of your squad?" asks the scout, who is glad the goblin can keep his seat as they ride quickly along the road that goes to lord Measum's castle.
Unlike the other scout, who as he rides. Has got an arm around the goblin on his horse.
As Numbnuts the Ninth, who has never been on a horse in his life. Looks absolutely petrified as the scouts ride quicker than a gallop.
"They've headed back" says Thirty Something, who then mutters in the goblin language "Left us, and they're probably back at the castle by now".
Then the newly appointed officer in the goblin battalion in the armies of Farque, says in the common language "They've set that village on fire".
"We know, we were watching from the west of it" says the Farqian scout, who continues on with "We're the last ones back" followed by "The enemy army is heading our way".
Dickhead Thirty Something winces when he hears that. As he realises that he and Numbnuts the Ninth might of been caught by the enemy scouts and foreriders if the scouts hadn't picked them up.
The continue riding at pace, only slowing down when the large castle of the local nobleman, lord Measum comes into view.
Much to the relief of Numbnuts, who thought he was going to throw up if they kept riding as fast as they were.
The goblin quickly came to opinion he doesn't like riding on a horse. Admittedly something he has always wanted to try.
Now he's tried it, he doesn't ever what to do it again. And he wants to get to the nearby castle as soon as possible, so he can get down off the damn beast.
They approach some locals on the road heading towards lord Measum's castle, and the young female scout yells at them with "Run!" followed by "The enemy is down the road, and are approaching".
The locals, from a farm by the looks of it. Three adults, two pushing a cart. With them are trio of teens, and two younger children, beak out into a run.
They'll be the last of the locals from the surrounding countryside into lord Measum's castle before the enemy turns up.
The Farqian scouts, and their two passengers ride across the drawbridge, and enter the large castle.
They all dismount, much to the relief of Numbnuts the Ninth, who along with Dickhead Thirty Something.
Hurry over to where their squad is talking with Teabagger the Goblin Cunt, and their general, Dorc da Orc.
While the two scouts walk over to where Tovis the war engineer is with Shur Kee the monk. Here in the shade along the west wall of the large castle. As it's late in the afternoon now, on what's been a warm, and fairly sunny summer's day, here in the northeast of the province of Corlinda.
Lord Measum himself, along either his captain of the guard, Domall. Who have just up on the walls, checking the battlements.
Make their way down to where the young engineer along with the short, statured monk are.
After the two scouts inform the captain in the engineering corp of the armies of Farque what they've seen.
Tovis the war engineer says "We'll close the gates after those locals on the road come in"
The young engineer originally from the kingdom of Druvic looks over at the local lord, who nods his head in agreement with that suggestion.
"If it's alright, we might want to keep the east gate open longer" says lord Measum who continues with "Others approaching from that side can still come in" he then adds "I doubt they'll circle us in force".
The local nobleman is right about that. As his castle, his family's ancestral home is not just large, but it's massive.
Only the north facing wall is what one would call straight. The other three bend, and curve depending on the ground it's on.
The west wall, the longest of the walls at over five hundred feet.
Curves away to the southeast, as it follows the moat, that goes down that side of the castle, and turns around to the south side of the castle. Following that wall for a couple hundred feet. Before it joins a small river that runs away to the south.
The large castle is not a square, far from it. It's more of a tapered shape, ending somewhat at a point at the southeast corner of it.
And though the long west wall, and the south wall would appear to be the best defensively of all sides. What with the moat along those sides of the castle.
They're actually lower in height than the north and east sides of the castle. With the long, west side wall. Only being twenty five feet high for most of it's length.
Only gaining in height where it meets the south wall, at the southwest corner tower.
And with the enemy army numbering around two and a thousand strong. It's impossible for them to surround such a large castle.
Though just as importantly, it's impossible for those inside lord Measum's ancestral home to defend the entire length of all four walls.
And though they have the goblin battalion, and a number of the engineering corp from the first army of Farque here.
They can't defend every foot of the battlements of the massive castle, that has a small town within it's walls.
"Even with the moat, they'll concentrate their attack upon this wall" says Tovis the war engineer, followed by "It's what i would do".
Dorc da Orc and Teabagger the Goblin Cunt who have just finished speaking with the squad of goblins who went out to observe the enemy army.
Make their way over to Tovis and the others. As does sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who has been standing in the shade a bit further down the wall.
Where he's been keeping an eye on his bitter rival, the large ork who is a general in the armies of Farque.
"When they get here" says Tovis, who commands the engineering corp in the first army of Farque.
"Which will be well before dusk" adds the young engineer who previously served in the army of a baron Harkonin, is the east of his homeland, the kingdom of Druvic.
"Think they'll attack straight away when they get here?" asks Domall, the captain of the guard.
"Maybe" says the war engineer, who is the one in charge here at lord Measum's castle.
"They'll have to set up any siege equipment they may have first" says Tovis, who continues on with "They really can't make a serious assault without any of that they might have".
Dorc da Orc grunts in agreement with that. While the ork warleader's bitter rival.
The nobleborn knight who like the young engineer, hails from the kingdom of Druvic.
Nods in agreement with the captain who commands the engineering corp in the first army of Farque.
A mercenary army hired by the nobleman from the province of Karricaw, lord Gormica of Salmah Forest. Who is at war with the crown and king of Melaurn.
Some of who's allies are on the march along the road that comes to lord Measum's castle from the west.
Looking at the local lord and the captain of the guard, Tovis the war engineer tells them "You'll have to have your people do the support roles so all of your guards can concentrate defending the walls".
"We've explained this to all of those who have come in over the last couple of days" says lord Measum, who follows on from that with "They'll do what's asked of them".
The young engineer who commands the corp of engineers in the first army of Farque nods his head.
Tovis who is really only worried about what spellcasters the enemy have with them, if any.
Has plans to keep the enemy army, who are allies of the crown. From the province of Olind mainly, as well as Moleau and a lesser amount from Mofosild.
Engaged with them here at lord Measum's castle for as long as possible.
For the more time they spend here in a siege upon the local lord's castle. The less time they'll have going further south here in the province of Corlinda, or southeast into the province of Karricaw.
Both provinces effectively under the leadership of lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
Who recently won the war between the two neighbouring provinces, here in the south of the kingdom of Melaurn.
The war engineer who hails from the kingdom of Druvic, and is now a commanding officer in the armies of Farque.
Knows that his role, and those with him here in the castle of the local nobleman, lord Measum.
Is to hold up any of the enemy who come down across the border into the Corlinda Corner.
To keep them occupied so they don't continue onwards, to further south into the province of Corlinda, or over into the province of Karricaw.
Looks at those watching him, then says "They'll get a surprise when they try to take the walls".
As his engineers have brought most, if not all of their equipment, they have with them here in the kingdom of Melaurn. Equipment they've already assembled, and are ready to use.
Tovis looks over to the gates, and sees the locals who were out on the road, come in through the west wall of the castle.
The captain in the first army of Farque then says to lord Measum "Give the order to lift the drawbridge, and shut the gates".
The local nobleman nods, then starts calling out orders to his men who are on gate duty.
Tovis looks at the others, then tells them "Might as well go up on the wall and watch them arrive".
As they all troop off to the nearest set of steps that go up to the top of the west wall of the large castle.
The two goblins Numbnuts the Ninth and Dickhead Thirty Something share a look.
Then the two of them, follow after the group with includes Tovis the war engineer, Shur Kee the monk, Dorc da Orc, Teabagger the Goblin Cunt, and sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
Who are making their way up a set of steps to the parapet of the west wall of lord Measum's castle.
On what's a warm and sunny, summer afternoon, here in the northeast of the province of Corlinda.
In the area of the province the locals refer to as the Corlinda Corner . . . . . .