The Homecoming 105.

The Camp & The Castle...

They've been hauled out of the back of the wagon and beaten. They've been bound with ropes around their wrists. And made to sit and watch the attack upon castle Lé Dic.
And though they got some slight amount of pleasure earlier when the Range Lord sir Parvin Dé Gorveré brutally killed the knight in the order of Althilgah, sir Dontast.
They only feel pain now, whenever a passing nobleman from the neighbouring fief to the east, kicks at them when they walk by.
That's until they, and the others at the rear of the Harkonin army. See the wall of fire go up, setting alight everything on and in the moat on this side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
And from the plumes of smoke coming from the eastern side of the massive castle, the same thing must of happened around there too.
Though pretty much silent since the deaths of sir Parvin Dé Gorveré, and sir Dontast, since the battle commenced.
Lord Kievar Milburn can't help but chuckle as he watches the Harkonin soldiers on the moat, disappear in the wall of flame from the naphtha floating upon the water.
This earns him a cuff in the back of the head from one of their guards. And a kick from a young nobleborn teen, who is the runner with the squad of soldiers guarding the three of them.
The young teen takes off, when a squad leader further ahead, calls out for him. As he's needed by the army commander sir Taevar.
The lord of Milburn estate looks over at his fellow prisoners. His grandson, Jared Milburn. And the Lé Dic army commander, sir Galmot.
Both of whom are bloody and battered like he is. And like him, are grinning as they watch the Harkonin soldiers who have made it onto the moat, burn.
As the attack upon castle Lé Dic momentarily pauses. Lord Milburn wonders what his, and his fellow prisoners fate is. Oh he knows they're going to die. He just sits there watching the thick black smoke coming off the moat now, wondering how he and his grandson Jared, and sir Galmot are actually going to die.
It's not too long after, that he and his fellow nobleborn prisoners learn of how they'll die. When the smoke starts clearing from the moat, and the runner returns to where they are, and tells the soldiers guarding them "Bring them" followed by "They're to be staked".
Lord Milburn grimaces as he's hauled to his feet. He thinks about making a scene, as sir Galmot does. As he kicks out at one Harkonin soldier, catching the man between the legs and dropping him. And headbutts another, which sends that soldier staggering away, while the Lé Dic army commander drops to his haunches, totally dazed.
He earns another beating for that from the other guards. And is almost knocked out. He's so badly disoriented, and unable to stand after that beating. That one of the larger guards, has to pick him up, armour and all, and put him over a shoulder, as the three of them are brought forward.
The lord of Milburn estate limps as he makes his way forward. He doesn't look at his fellow nobleborn prisoners, especially his grandson Jared, now that he knows how they're to be executed.
The nobleman who is the grandfather of the young girl who rules the Lé Dic fief, who has condemned them to death. Not that he can blame her. As he would do exactly the same thing, in the same situation, if it was his father was murdered by three people who had his trust.
Sees thick posts being placed into the ground, just off to one side of the trade road. Lord Milburn sees that it's out of bow range, though definitely within the range of the war machines inside the massive castle, that's being defended a hell of a lot better than he thought it would be, considering how few people are defending it.
Percavelle, lord Kievar Milburn thinks to himself, the nobleman who is the grandfather of lady Linara Lé Dic, knows it's because of sir Percavelle Lé Dic, and most likely that band of mercenaries with him. That castle Lé Dic is being so admirably defended.
Which isn't all that surprising to the lord of Milburn estate. As the former earl of Lé Dic was always a terror in battle. Who seems to have a knack of winning battles, that look like they're a lost cause before they even start.
In recent memory, it's because of sir Percavelle Lé Dic that there was the longest amount of sustained peace between the two neighbouring fiefs.
As the then earl, who truth be told, didn't spend nearly enough time in his own fief. As he spent more time away, warring on behalf of the knightly order he's a member of.
But back when he first became the earl of Lé Dic after his father passed away from a long illness.
He took a much smaller army than the Harkonin one at the time. And soundly defeated them in battle. Which lead to a nearly decade long peace between the Lé Dic and Harkonin fiefs.
So no, it's not really a surprise to the lord of Milburn estate that castle Lé Dic is being defended so well today.
The three of them are shoved to the ground. Well lord Milburn and his grandson Jared are. While the Lé Dic army commander, sir Galmot is dropped on the ground next to them.
Kievar Milburn grins with a bloody mouth, as he sees one of the siege towers up ahead, get hit by a boulder, most likely flung from a trebuchet in the eastern courtyard of the massive castle. As the war machines within castle Lé Dic resume their bombardment now that the smoke has all but disappeared.
The Harkonin war machines respond in kind. With their trebuchets, catapults and ballista firing upon the castle that's been the home of the nobleborn Lé Dic family for centuries.
As the lord of Milburn estate watches as survivors are searched for in the siege tower, that's missing a good ten feet off the top of it after being struck by the boulder flung from a Lé Dic trebuchet.
His grandson Jared Milburn quietly says to him "Grandfather, to the left". The nobleman who is the grandfather of lady Linara Lé Dic looks that way, while behind the two of them, a groaning sir Galmot tries to sit up.
So, come to watch us die have you? lord Milburn thinks to himself as he watches baron Harkonin and others approach, the lord of Milburn estate then silently adds in a dry tone, probably to gloat as well.
"Spare us your yabbering Raevar" says lord Milburn through a bloody mouth as the baron of the neighbouring fief to the east, comes to a stop infront of them, and is about to say something. "Get it over and done with why don't you" adds the grandfather of the lady Linara Lé Dic.
After shrugging his shoulders, baron Harkonin nods to the nearby posts, and says "Sure" he looks at the prisoner's guards, and tells them "Hang them up".
As the dazed looking Lé Dic army commander sir Galmot is hauled up, and dragged to the nearby posts that have been put into holes that have been dug into the ground.
Lord Milburn after noticing who is with baron Harkonin, and more importantly who isn't, says to the head of the Harkonin family "Where's that lapdog of yours?" the lord of Milburn estate continues with "It's not like Palvarc to miss out on something like this".
"He's busy" is all the baron Harkonin says "I wonder why" dryly says Kievar Milburn with a nod of his head towards the massive castle that's under attack from the baron's army.
"Good luck trying to crack that nut" says lord Milburn with another nod at castle Lé Dic, he continues with "You've got that raving idiot Percavelle in there, and it won't be easy trying to pry him out of there".
The lord of Milburn estate falls silent as screaming comes from their right. He looks that way, and wishes that he hadn't. As what he sees, will soon happen to him.
A rope has been thrown over the top of the post, that has a groove across the top of it that goes from front to back, that a rope can fit into.
The rope has then been tied around the wrists of the Lé Dic army commander, sir Galmot. And a trio of Harkonin soldiers behind the post, have taken a hold of the other end of the rope, and pulled on it. Lifting the nobleborn prisoner up off the ground. He's at least four foot off the ground, as the post, a basic log really, is about twelve foot tall.
He hangs there, arms outstretched above him, as the soldiers tie their end of the rope to a metal stake in the ground further behind the post.
Sir Galmot screams in pain again, this time not from being stretched out, hanging by his wrists. But due to a spear being stabbed into his side by one of the Harkonin soldiers after the breastplate of his armour is loosened. And baron Harkonin with a nod, gives the soldier permission to stab the hanging prisoner.
"Next" says the head of the Harkonin family, who gestures at Jared Milburn. Who when he's grabbed by a pair of his guards. Puts up a fight as he's hauled off to the next post along.
The nobleborn teenager is dragged kicking and screaming to the post that he will be hung from. Even when other Harkonin soldiers punch and kick him, to try and subdue him, he still puts up a fight.
Until he's whacked in the back of the head, which almost knocks him unconscious.
Lord Milburn doesn't watch his grandson Jared being staked as it's called. The actual stake that is referred to. Is the metal stake or spike driven into the ground, further behind the wooden post. It's from that, that this style of execution gets it's name.
The head of Milburn estate looks to the battlements along the east wall of castle Lé Dic. And as Harkonin and Lé Dic war machines continue to lob various loads at either the massive castle, or the attacking army.
Kievar Milburn is pretty sure he spots sir Percavelle Lé Dic amongst those above the south gates of castle Lé Dic, watching what's happening to him and his fellow nobleborn prisoners.
Then trying to ignore the screams of his grandson Jared as he's lifted up by the arms on the post. Lord Milburn slightly frowns as he pretty certain, the former earl of Lé Dic is with a bannerman, and someone else. The lord of Milburn estate thinks it might be one of the mercenaries who came here with the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che.
And the three of them, are looking back into the massive castle, to what he assumes is something or someone down in the main south courtyard of castle Lé Dic.
"Next" says baron Harkonin, then before his guards go to grab him, lord Milburn gets up off the ground, and walks over to the third post, that he'll be executed on.
Putting his back to it, Kievar Milburn who didn't look at either his grandson Jared or sir Galmot as he limped by them, holds out his hands infront of him and says "Well?" to the Harkonin soldiers.
One of them after a glance at the baron, who looks a little annoyed that the lord of Milburn estate just walked over to the post he'll be executed on.
Ties the rope around the bound wrists of the nobleborn prisoner. Who then lifts his own arms up above his head, as the rope is thrown up over the top of the post to the otherside.
Lord Milburn groans in pain as he's hauled off his feet. So like his fellow two prisoners, is about four foot off the ground.
He feels the straps along the side of his cuissers being cut away. The armoured plate over his thighs come away. And he looks down and finds baron Harkonin infront of him, holding a dagger.
The baron slices open the front of lord Milburn's left thigh. The lord of Milburn estate can't help it, but he let's out a scream of pain. As he knows this is what he has to look forward to.
As he and his fellow prisoners, his grandson Jared as well as sir Galmot, will be stabbed at, and cut open, over a period of time. How long is up to their captors. But being staked usually takes a fair amount a time. And it often takes days for someone being executed in this fashion to die.
Knowing that he might not be too coherent for much longer, lord Milburn says to the baron "You know Raevar, even I'm not against those of the old ways like others who follow the gods are".
As he hangs there by his wrists, stretched out with his arms feeling like they're going to come out of their sockets any moment now.
The lord of Milburn estate continues with "But the way you've got this dark druid advising you, will bring about your downfall for sure" he follows that up with "Hell, even other druids don't like the dark ones".
"Is that so?" says baron Harkonin, who takes the dagger he's holding, and runs it along the other thigh of lord Milburn. Who groans more than he screams this time.
Then the nobleborn prisoner grunts in surprise as he spots something. Baron Harkonin turns to look at what the lord Milburn estate has seen. And he too spots it, as have many others.
It's a person, coming flying through the air, from within castle Lé Dic, heading this way. Over the sounds of battle, the screams of the person in the clear blue sky can be heard, as he flips about, and tumbles through the air.
Before slamming into the ground, just twenty feet infront of the posts that the trio of nobleborn prisoners are hanging from.
After looking at the dead body just infront of where they are, lord Milburn blinks in surprise, then suddenly bursts out into laughter as he realises who it is that's lying dead just infront of them.
"Hahahahahahaha!" laughs lord Milburn as he looks from the dead body, to baron Harkonin, who has a look of anger on his face as he too realises who it is that's lying dead just infront of them.
The laughter of lord Milburn is suddenly cut off, when the baron, in a fit of rage, grabs a spear from one of his soldiers, and shoves it up through the bottom of lord Milburn's face, up through his mouth, and into his brain, killing him instantly . . . . . .

The Homecoming 104.

The Castle...

There's smoke around three sides of castle Lé Dic. Only to the north, where there's no fire, is the air relatively clear.
The town of Massic on the western side of the massive castle is burning. While there's fire upon the water in the moat on the eastern and southern sides of castle Lé Dic.
Riley Hait the mercenary ranger who has ordered the archers and crossbowmen on the southern parapet. To hold their fire until some of the smoke clears.
Slightly jumps in surprise, when the voice of Helbe the elven thief quietly says to him in his left ear "Company coming". The blurred and shielded elven magic user continues with "Airship coming from the west" he briefly pauses then adds "It's a warship too".
After wincing, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger quietly asks in the elven language "How far away?". "Under twenty miles away" replies the young elven nobel from the principality of Laerel, who then adds "I can't sense or see it yet" followed by "But it's closing in for sure" the elven magic user continues with "I've a feeling it won't be here to help the Lé Dic's".
The mercenary ranger who was raised and trained in the elven principality of Alínlae, nods his head, then says "More than likely".
Then the ranger Hait quickly drops down to the parapet when the elven masterthief tells him "You better duck down".
A burning barrel of pitch, one of three of them. Comes through the smoke, and just passes over where the mercenary ranger was standing.
It and the other two barrels shot from a Harkonin catapult. Crash down in the main east courtyard. Splattering burning pitch all over the place, hitting one of the Lé Dic catapults there, setting it on fire. And setting a couple of soldiers on fire too.
Both Riley Hait and Helbe the elven thief look quickly down into the courtyard, to make sure that the war engineer Tovis is okay.
They see the young engineer from the Harkonin fief, is fine and in one piece. And is busy sending townsfolk, and castle workers to get buckets of water to help put out the burning catapult.
The mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen, who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit the body of Riley Hait.
Gets to his feet and quietly says "Better be careful with Tovis" followed by "No use spending all that time to find him, only for him to end up dead".
"That's for sure" murmurs the elven princeling, who then tells the ranger Hait "That smoke for the most part will soon burn away" he continues with "You can have the archers and the others resume shooting at them when that happens".
Then the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel looks through the smoke as he senses the dark druid Palvarc is about to cast. The elven magic user slightly nods his hooded head when Narladene the ground pixie whispers to him "A rift".
"Where to?" asks the young elven noble, which causes Riley Hait to briefly frown, until he realises the elven masterthief is talking to the ground pixie that's attached to him.
"West" is the whispered reply of the naturally magical creature, who continues with "Towards that airship coming this way".
"Shit" mutters prince Helbenthril Raendril in the royal elven language, who reverts back to the regular elven language, and tells the Ranger Hait "I'm going after that druid, he's leaving by way of a rift" the elven master assassin briefly pauses as he considers something, then he adds "I'll be taking Shur Kee with me".
"Stay safe" says Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman "You too" says the elven magic user, who then adds "Keep the others safe too" he follows that up with "If things get crazy here, let Dorc go wild. He'll find a way to win a battle that looks like it's lost".
The mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen nods, and the blurred and shielded elven spellcaster shifts away.
Helbe the elven thief reappears on the west wall of the massive castle, causing Tamric Drubine to jump in surprise, when he sees the young elven noble suddenly standing next to him.
"Shur Kee we're going" says the elven princeling from the island of Laerel to the short, statured monk sitting on the parapet, with his back to a merlon, with his eyes closed.
The acolyte in the order of Bru Li opens his eyes, and stands up as the elven master archer quickly tells the nobleborn teenager from the kingdom of Sarcrin "There's a warship on it's way here" followed by "And the baron's advisor, the dark druid is going to meet it" he then adds "This might be our chance to stop him".
The son of the former knight of castle Drubine in northern Sarcrin nods. Then the elven magic user asks the physical adept from the far east coast of the continent "Ready?".
"I am ready friend Helbe" is the reply of Shur Kee the monk, then Helbe the elven thief takes a hold of the short, statured monk's left arm, and the two of them disappear.
Back on the south side of the massive castle that's been the home of Lé Dic family for centuries. The smoke is starting to clear away, as the naphtha on the water in the moat has all but burnt away. And everything that was on, or in the water, has basically burnt away too.
Riley Hait, who has just informed sir Percavelle Lé Dic that prince Helbenthril Raendril has left with Shur Kee the monk, to see if they can take care of the dark druid Palvarc, who it seems has gone off to rendezvous with an airship coming this way.
Orders the bowmen and archers to resume shooting at the enemy. Who are making their way forward again, after the fire that sprang up from the surface of the water in the moat, drove those of them on the otherside of the moat, back due to the intense heat from the burning naphtha and everything it caught alight.
Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson looks away to the east as he takes an arrow from his quiver, and puts it to his bow. That way the smoke is still pretty thick, probably due to there being a burning siege tower in the moat on that side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
Then the mercenary ranger looks back to the south, draws his elven made longbow back, and through the dissipating smoke, he lets the yard long shaft fly. Sending it towards a Harkonin soldier who is yelling and shouting, encouraging his fellow squad members forward.
Until the arrow shot from the ranger Hait's longbow takes him in the top of the chest, just below the throat, and knocking him back and down onto the ground.
The mercenary ranger who was raised and trained by some of the warders in the elven principality of Envadarlen, takes another arrow from his quiver, and puts it to the plate in the belly of his bow, as sir Percavelle Lé Dic says to him "Bravo my fine fellow" followed by "Excellent shot, even for a mercenary chap like yourself".
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman slightly grins at the backhanded compliment from the former earl of Lé Dic, then he lets the cloth yard shaft to his longbow fly.
As it heads towards it's target, the ranger Hait squints to look through the smoke that's steadily drifting away, as he tries to see what's happening at the rear of the Harkonin army.
The mercenary ranger spots something, and he informs the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che about it.
The former paladin frowns as he looks to the rear of the enemy army on this side of castle Lé Dic.
Then he too spots what Riley Hait has pointed out to him. Sir Percavelle Lé Dic slightly grunts, then he says "The prisoners". Stepping beside the large, heavily armoured knight, the ranger Hait nods in agreement with the former earl of the Lé Dic fief.
"Going to stake them out by the looks of it" quietly says the ranger Hait, who then winces as a large boulder flung from a Harkonin trebuchet, slams into the south wall, about thirty yards to the left of them.
Smashing apart some of the battlements, destroying a merlon. And killing two soldiers, and a trio of townsmen who were on that part of the wall.
"Nothing they don't deserve" declares the former paladin, who as more of the smoke drifts away, so that they can see the enemy army more clearly, adds "They are villains of the worst sort, who deserve their fate".
Riley aka Zubutai the son of Timagin, slightly nods, then as the small catapult to their right, shoots away a load of rocks, he says "We'll be fighting them on the walls properly next" the mercenary ranger then adds "That's unless there's a way to drain the moat in an instant that you haven't told us about".
"Unfortunately not" says the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che, who continues with "Would have to dam the river to the northwest if one would want to drain the moat wot" the former earl of Lé Dic who is often referred to as Percy by the rest of the group, continues with "Even if one did so, it would take many a day for the water level in the moat to drop. Also the water supply to the castle, as well as the town of Massic would be cut off. We can't very well be having that, now would we?".
"I guess not" says the ranger Hait who has just let another arrow from his elven made longbow fly. There's a brief pause in their conversation as the heavily armoured knight goes over and helps the nearby ballista crew load another heavy spear into the war machine.
Then he comes back, as the soldiers and townsmen operating it take aim at a wagon mounted ballista coming forward through the Harkonin army.
As the thunk of the ballista being fired comes from their left, the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen, nods his head towards the rear of the Harkonin army, and says "That's them there isn't it?".
The heavily armoured knight, who has just glanced down at his large canvas bag on the parapet, steps to one side, so he can see around a siege tower that's making it's way towards the moat.
Then as the former earl of Lé Dic looks towards the rear of the army from the neighbouring fief to the east, he says "Hmmm it seems to be so" the nobleborn knight continues with "Seems they're going to watch" followed by "It does look like they're going to bring them forward a bit for the deed as well".
"It's so those of us on the wall can watch it happening" says Riley Hait, who after quickly looking around, quietly says to the former knight of the first class "The men and the town's people don't know what they did to your brother" the mercenary ranger brought up and trained in the elven principality of Envadarlen continues with "All they know is that your niece declined the offer of a prisoner swap. And all they'll see is the death of three of their own nobles" he then adds "Not the roundabout justice that those three deserve".
As the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che frowns, the ranger Hait tells him "It will be a blow to morale for sure, and so soon after we've wiped out a fair few of them by setting the moat on fire".
The frowning sir Percavelle Lé Dic grunts, then says "Alas too true" he looks at the mercenary ranger who tells him "You might want to retaliate in kind".
Percy who is dense about a number of things. Instantly gets what Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman is suggesting, and he says to him "I could never execute a nobleborn born prisoner. That would bring me down to the level of that lickspittle baron from across the border".
"I'm not suggesting you do it" says ranger Hait who placed emphasis on the word "You" when he said that.
Riley Hait continues with "I'm suggesting someone else should do it".
"You?" asks the large, heavily armoured knight in a tone of surprise "Hardly" replies the mercenary ranger who has just shot off another shaft from his elven made longbow.
"I was thinking about someone else" dryly says the ranger Hait as he takes another shaft from his quiver, and looks for his next target.
Beside him, sir Percavelle Lé Dic slightly frowns as he tries to figure out who the mercenary ranger means. Then the former paladin sourly smiles as he realises who Riley Hait is talking about.
"Yes i see" sourly says the uncle of the current lady of the Lé Dic fief, who then adds "It would be appropriate all things considered".
"So should i?" asks Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson as he draws his elven made longbow back again, and lets the yard long arrow to it, fly off to hit another Harkonin soldier.
"Might as well then" says the heavily armoured knight, who goes off to help the ballista crew load another heavy longspear into the war machine.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic continues to sourly smile, as behind him he hears Riley Hait tell a runner "Go to the east wall, and get the ork, Dorc. There's something i need him to do" . . . . . .

The Homecoming 103.

A Flight East...

Mira Reinholt the mage steps over the hole in the decking, and takes the tiller again. He looks ahead, and watches as lord Farque gives the makeshift rigging a yank.
The once powerful mage slightly winces as he hopes the sail stays up. It does, much to the relief of the Vexilian mage in exile.
Considering the last time, it came down when they changed course earlier in the morning.
Now they're heading more northeast, than directly east. Not sailing all that quickly as there's very little wind this sunny spring day in eastern Druvic.
They might not be sailing all that quickly. The mage Reinholt is perfectly fine with that, because it surely beats walking.
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, turns the tiller slightly to starboard as the undead warlord directs him.
Then the heavily armoured deathlord makes his way aft, and retakes the tiller from the once powerful mage, who takes a seat on the sail box.
"Think that frigate would of got there by now?" asks Mira Reinholt the mage as they fly eastwards in the ship's boat they took from some of the survivors of one of the two Druvician aircorp battlecruisers they destroyed.
"Probably" says lord Farque with a shrug of his broad, heavily armoured shoulders, then the undead warlord adds "Even with the lack of wind this morning, it's probably there, or at least in the vicinity. Considering it left the capital at least a half a day before us and those battlecruisers".
The spellcaster, who is a graduate of the most famous magical institution in all the Southlands, the mage college of Vexil. Nods his hooded head in agreement with the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, then quietly says "If what he knows is true, then castle Lé Dic is in trouble" Mira Reinholt continues with "No way will it withstand a sustained attack from even a small warship like a frigate" then he quietly adds "Better hope the royal thief is there to bring it down".
The heavily armoured deathlord nods his full helmed head in agreement, then says "Let's hope so". Then he, along with the exiled Vexilian mage look at their passenger. Who is tied up in the bottom of the boat, tied to the mast, looking dejected as he watches the two of them.
"Don't do that" sourly says lord Farque who has switched to the common language, as he and the swordmaster Reinholt were conversing in the elven language.
Draugadrottin as he's also known by, to the people of his lands, glances at the once powerful mage, who slaps the mind of the wizard they've taken captive.
The spellcaster in the aircorp of the kingdom of Druvic, thumps the back of his head against the mast he's tied to, and groans in pain. He drops the spell he was about to cast. And tears come to his eyes again, when the lord of the death realm tells him "If you try to cast again, the mage here will once again drain your power".
The wizard, who has only been in his position on the battlecruiser that lord Farque destroyed for just a few months. Gulps in fear, and silently cries as he sits there feeling totally dejected.
"Should of stayed in the regular fleet, instead of signing up to the lord high constable's private one" dryly says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, the bound wizard slowly nods his head. And once again wonders why he's not dead. Since everybody else who was onboard the two battlecruisers that left Leeabra, bound for the fief of the Lé Dic family on the orders of the lord high constable, to assist the baron Harkonin in his war against the Lé Dic family. Or more precisely, assist the baron's advisor, the dark druid Palvarc. Are all dead, and only he's still alive from the two crews.
Switching back to the language of the elves, the deathlord of Farque says to the mage Reinholt "Wonder how much of all of this shit, the members of the royal family know?"
"Who knows?" says the once powerful mage in the same language, who nods at their captive passenger, and adds "He certainly doesn't".
The highly skilled swordmaster, continues on with "My guess the lord high constable is acting on his own" he briefly pauses, then adds "Well apart from those knights who want Percy dead for him stealing that shield of their's".
The spellcaster, who was once more powerful than any other mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in the Southlands, then says "The king's constable is definitely in with these druids in the east of the kingdom" he continues with "No way would the king, or anyone else in the royal family follow the old ways of worship. The churches and temples would be in an uproar if they were. And the palace won't want to upset them only a handful of years after the civil war came to an end".
The Vexilian mage in exile then says "Not to mention all the knightly orders who have their headquarters in Leeabra" Mira Reinholt then adds "They aren't too keen on the druidic way, especially the dark type".
Des'tier, as he's known in elven, nods his full helmed head, then says "The king's family might not be involved, but i bet somebody else at court is in cahoots with the lord high constable" then he dryly adds "As well as the knight general of Percy's order".
The once powerful mage rolls his eyes, then says in a dry tone "Only that idiot Percavelle could make an enemy out of his own order" the swordmaster Reinholt then continues with "I'm surprised they haven't tried to hunt him down sooner".
"Probably couldn't be bothered" says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who then dryly adds "I know i fucking wouldn't bother" the undead warlord follows that with "They're only doing so now because they know he's returned to Druvic" the heavily armoured deathlord continues with "If he wasn't here in the kingdom, they'd soon forget about him, and that precious fucking shield of their's he's stolen".
Then the lord of the death realm, rolls his eyes, and sourly says in common "Don't" and picks up a coil of rope and throws it at their passenger.
The bound wizard flinches when the rope hits him, and drops the spell he was starting to cast.
Lord Farque gestures at the Druvician spellcaster tied to the mast, and says to the once powerful mage "Go ahead".
Mira Reinholt gets up off the sail box, and makes his way forward to the mast, where the young wizard in the Druvician aircorp is tied up.
The Vexilian mage in exile puts a gloved hand on the other spellcaster, and drains him of some power.
As the wizard from the capital city of Leeabra sobs, the mage Reinholt stores the power he's just taken from the wizard, in one of the spell gems he's got in his possession.
The spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, has already got the limit of power he can store within himself. And doesn't need anymore at the moment. So whenever he drains the wizard, who regains his power after time. He stores it in a spell gem. Which the mage Reinholt has a handful of, secreted about himself, hidden in his cloak pockets.
The once powerful mage makes his way back to the stern after telling the wizard "You keep trying to cast, and I'll keep draining your power".
It only takes the swordmaster Reinholt a few steps to head aft and sit down upon the sail box again, as the ship's boat is under twenty five feet in length.
After looking around for any wind, lord Farque drops the vessel down in altitude. And ignoring the quietly sobbing wizard, the mage Reinholt looks down overboard.
And waves to some children from a nearby village, who are out in a field, looking up at the small flying vessel, passing about five hundred feet overhead.
"Are we in the Lé Dic fief yet?" asks the mage who is in exile from his homeland, the city-state of Vexil as he looks over at the undead warlord at the tiller.
"I doubt it" answers the lord of the death realm as the two of them speak in elven, which their passenger is unable to comprehend.
"Guess we're going over the neighbouring fief to the west" adds the lord and ruler of the lands Farque "The Gallus fief" says the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster, who then adds "If we drop down low enough, i could ask someone we see, where we're exactly are".
The undead warlord slightly nods his full helmed head, but doesn't say anything else on the matter.
The mage Reinholt, who notices the heavily armoured deathlord has fallen silent. A sure sign he doesn't want to talk to anyone.
Closes his eyes, and leans back against the gunnel behind him. The once powerful mage is soon dozing in the morning sunshine. Glad they're not walking to the Lé Dic fief.
Which they did the last time they came this way. Until they went through an activated druid's circle, which took them to the very west of the kingdom.
The exiled Vexilian mage wakes up when he feels his right shoulder being nudged. The swordmaster Reinholt opens his eyes as lord Farque tells him "Take the tiller" as he heads forward.
The lord of the death realm, gut punches the bound wizard, who was about to cast a spell.
And as the spellcaster serving in the aircorp of Druvic, groans in pain. The undead warlord raises the stay sail, as the wind has picked up a little bit.
"No" says the heavily armoured deathlord to their prisoner as if the man is a disobedient dog, as he passes the wizard, who has a got a look in his eye, showing that he wants to test his limitations. Or wants to get himself killed. For this is not what he signed up for, when he joined the aircorp of the kingdom of Druvic.
Handing the tiller back to Draugadrottin, Mira Reinholt mind slaps the prisoner again. Then makes his way forward once more, and drains some of the wizard's power.
"Keep doing what you're doing" says the once powerful mage to the bound spellcaster "And you'll have nothing left for the rest of the day" adds the spellcaster who is also a highly skilled swordmaster.
The Vexilian mage in exile heads aft, and stands next to the large figure in the dark blue and black suit of full heavy plate armour, who is dropping the ship's boat further down in the sky.
The mage Reinholt looks over the side, and sees that they're following a road, by the size of it, he figures it's the trade road that goes through the east of the kingdom of Druvic.
The swordmaster from the city-state of Vexil spots some horsemen down on the road, further to the east from where they are at the moment.
The spellcaster who was once more powerful than any other mage of his generation, to be found anywhere in the Southlands, looks over at the lord and ruler of the lands Farque.
Who tells him "Soldiers" the heavily armoured deathlord continues with "Belonging to earl Gallus most likely".
The mage Reinholt slightly nods his hooded head, and does so again, after the undead warlord says to him "Keep him fucking quiet" as he gestures at their prisoner, sitting there, tied to the mast in what's a fairly small ship's boat.
Since he's got plenty of power to spare, Mira Reinholt silences the wizard they're holding prisoner. The once powerful mage moves forward, and grabs the prisoner's legs, and pulls them out, and drags him out a bit more flat.
In the common language, the highly skilled swordmaster tells the prisoner "Keep still, if not it'll be the last thing you do". The wizard fearfully nods his head, as the small flying craft drops down towards the ground.
"When we get close enough, see what you can find out" says Des'tier in the elven language when the exiled Vexilian mage makes his way back aft.
The once powerful mage nods his hooded head in understanding as the level out to about eighty feet above the ground. Flying more or less over the trade road below.
With the breeze a bit stronger now, they make good time, and it's not too long before the swordmaster Reinholt can clearly see that it's a fairly decent sized squad of soldiers in the Gallus army, heading eastwards.
They've been spotted by the riders in the rear, as they get to within a few hundred feet of the mounted squad in service of earl Gallus.
Mira Reinholt reads a few of their minds, then slowly nods his head, then quietly says in elvish to the lord of the death realm "They're heading to border of the Lé Dic fief".
The exiled Vexilian mage continues with "Word has got to the earl that the Harkonin army has wiped out the Lé Dic army, and has crossed it's eastern border" he then adds "Seems the baron Harkonin is about to lay siege, or is laying siege to castle Lé Dic".
The highly skilled swordmaster waves in the direction of the thirty riders, and tells the lord and ruler of the lands Farque "They're going to see how things fare there".
Behind the faceplate of his full helm, the heavily armoured deathlord sourly smiles as he wonders if the others have been able to locate the war engineer they're been searching for.
And if so, they've been able to get away from castle Lé Dic. Which he and the mage Reinholt figured might of been in danger. But now they have confirmation that it actually is under attack.
"Well" says lord Farque, who as some of the soldiers down on the road call out to them, he tells the Vexilian swordmaster in exile "We'll most likely be late to whatever the fuck is going on there" the lord of the death realm then adds "Let's just hope the others are keeping out of harms way" . . . . . .

The Homecoming 102.

Battle Moves...

Dorc da Orc sticks his head over the parapet and looks down at the moat below, totally unconcerned at getting hit by an enemy arrow or bolt. Or for that matter, anything shot from one of the Harkonin war machines.
"Nah not yet cunt" says Dorc da Orc once he leans back, the large ork then adds "Fucken nearly though".
Beside the ork warleader, standing behind the merlon that way, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy says to the ork weaponsmith "You want that tower in the moat?".
Dorkindle looks away, further to the right, where the spy Tanith has nodded to. There one of the Harkonin siege towers is at the edge of the moat.
"Yeah cunt" says the big, burly ork, who scratches the side of his head, where an enemy arrow has just skimmed off it "Get as many of them fucken Harky cunts in the yucky water as poss" adds Dorc da Orc, who continues with "Take out as many as the fuckers as we can".
The elf from the principality of Alínlae nods his hooded head in agreement. Then he steps out from the side of the merlon, and lets loose the arrow he has to his elven made longbow.
While the warleader of the ork race wanders off to their left. To one of the troughs full of shit.
Dalinvardél or Dalin as the rest of the group refer to him as. Hopes the large ork doesn't drink from the trough like the spy Tanith caught him doing the last time.
The weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks picks up the trough, and has a quick look around as a large chunk of masonry makes it way overhead. Shot from the large trebuchet in the main east courtyard of castle Lé Dic, heading on it's way towards the rear of the Harkonin army which is attacking the massive castle.
Dorkindle sourly grunts as he spots the spy Tanith looking at him holding the trough of excrement, most of which is human. Then after letting out a sigh, and muttering something totally incomprehensible in the language of the orks. He tips the entire trough of shit off the top of the battlements.
The wooden trough, and all it's contents. Falls upon the Harkonin soldiers who are making their way up a scaling ladder that's on one of the floating platforms in the moat.
Enemy soldiers crash down into the floating rafts below, or hit the water. Most if not all of them are covered in shit as they fall off the scaling ladder.
Then Dorkindle takes a polearm that's lying on the parapet beside him, and he uses that to push the scaling ladder off and away from the east wall of castle Lé Dic.
Then he along with Dalinvardél Tanith watch as the Harkonin siege tower further to the right of where the east gates of the massive castle is located.
Go into the water as those soldiers from the neighbouring fief to the east, push it into the moat.
It sinks after it floats forward a bit, as it was designed to do by the war engineer Tovis. The tower, which is rather tall. Sinks down to the bottom of the moat. About two, thirds of the way up the length of the tower.
There's soldiers already on the steps up the back of the tower, and others are heading up it, as they cross rafts that are joined together to make a platform, which have been put in the water behind the siege tower.
"Smart" quietly says Dalin as he sees that the siege tower does exactly what the young engineer Tovis said it would do.
Dorc da Orc who has wandered back over to the elven spy, grunts in agreement with what he just said.
Then the ork who was given the title of warleader a number of years ago by lord Farque, grins then tells the spy Tanith "Still just a big fucken chimney though".
"That it is Dorc" quietly says the elf who once served in one of the more notable noble houses in the principality of Alínlae. Then Dalin who has just fired off a bolt from his crossbow, and handed it back to the youngster from the town of Massic who has been reloading it for him. Crouches down, and moves to the back of the parapet.
The spy Tanith looks down into the courtyard below, to where a wagon mounted scorpion box is positioned right behind the gates. It's infact a Harkonin scorpion that was taken from the town of Falshire. When the Lé Dic army briefly retook the border town before they crossed into the Harkonin fief, and were wiped out.
"Get ready!" calls down Dalinvardél Tanith to the nobleman who is in charge of those who are with the scorpion, and behind the main gates on the eastern side of the massive castle.
The nobleman in question is the husband of the lady Marsaé Duc de Laér. The former wife of sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
He nods in understanding to the elven spy who is in command of the defence of this side of the massive castle that's been the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family for many a generation.
Dalin has been told that lady Marsaé's current husband is fairly useless in battle. So he's kept him off the battlements, and made him in charge of what's going to happen after what Dorc da Orc has devised for the enemy attacking castle Lé Dic.
Dorkindle who has just biffed a spear at an enemy squad leader on the edge of the moat, skewering the man who was sending soldiers across to the siege tower in the moat. Says to the elven spy "Signal cunt".
Dalinvardél Tanith looks over at the nearby bannerman, and tells him "The next signal to the south wall" followed by "Then the fire one".
The bannerman does exactly that, after waving one of his pennants. And seeing it answered in kind by the same flag by the bannerman in the distance on the south wall of castle Lé Dic. Then he holds straight up on a long pole, a deep maroon coloured flag.
All along the east wall battlements, those soldiers, and townsfolk who have firepots on the parapet besides them. Light them up, one is lit near Dalin and Dorkindle.
And the elven spy from the principality of Alínlae shoves a pair of torches into it, and hands one of the burning brands to the big, burly ork who was sent into exile from Ork Range in the southern polar region, after he killed his mother, the former matriarch of the wolf tribe.
"That fucken cunt Killer would like this shit" chuckles Dorc da Orc referring to the mage, Mira Reinholt. Then the ork warleader nonchalantly flips away the burning torch, sending it out over the battlements, and down towards the moat below.
It's the signal for the others to do so, and dozens of burning brands are thrown from the top of the east wall of castle Lé Dic. Towards the moat below. A moat that doesn't just have water in it, but also naphtha. After the volatile liquid, which was stored in barrels inside the walls of the castle. Was sent out the pipes that were built into wall, and came out under the waterline.
When the burning brands hit the moat, flames erupt along the surface of the water as the naphtha takes light.
Floating platform made of interconnecting rafts burst into flame, as does the scaling ladders on them.
Fire runs up the sides of the siege tower that's sitting in the moat. Even where the naphtha isn't, the tower quickly catches fire.
Even though those things catch fire pretty quickly. It's nothing compared to the soldiers, those on the moat, and others in the water. Who go up in flames in an instant.
The naphtha can't be put out by any water. Infact the the water in the moat is the perfect surface for the volatile liquid to sit on and burn.
As it spreads about when ever something falls into the water. And there's a lot of things falling into at the moment. Mostly burning bodies.
"Stop shooting!" orders Dalinvardél Tanith to the defenders on the battlements along the east wall of castle Lé Dic "Save your arrows and bolts!" adds the elven spy who has to shout to be heard over the loud noise of the burning liquid upon the surface of the water.
There's black smoke everywhere from the burning rafts and ladders. Though not as much as the siege tower in the moat. Which is indeed like Dorkindle described it would be. A big chimney.
Smoke funnels up into the air from the burning siege tower. Harkonin soldiers on the top of it. Jump from it as fire rips quickly up the tower.
They all jump to the rear of it, hoping to land on the ground. Most don't, most hit the burning water.
While those who do hit the safety of the ground. Probably wished they hadn't. Because most of them die from the impact.
And if they don't, they're badly injured, with many a broken bone. Though it's still better than burning to death. Going up in flames like a quick burning wick of a candle.
There's a decent sized gap in the flames on the surface of the water. Which is right infront of the main east gates. And to the either side of it, about a dozen yards or so.
The flames are away from where the drawbridge would normally be. As is planned. For the pipes along that section of the wall weren't opened. And the fact that there's no pipes where the gates are.
The portcullis comes up, and the main east gates of the massive castle are opened when the order comes from Dalinvardél Tanith up on the battlements.
The flames and smoke are so thick along much of the length of the moat along the east side of castle Lé Dic.
That many a Harkonin soldier have gone onto the road, and are standing at the gatehouse on the opposite side of the moat.
Looking towards the castle, that has flames climbing up high along it's near fifty foot tall walls.
Once the gates are opened, the scorpion there is shot off. Sending a hundred bolts shooting across the moat. Underneath the covering of the drawbridge, which has been drawn back into the massive castle.
The bolts, decimate those Harkonin soldiers who are on the road, at the gatehouse on the otherside of the moat.
Then the war machines in the main east courtyard of castle Lé Dic, resume firing after a brief break.
The two catapults and one trebuchet, continue their bombardment upon the Harkonin army, which has taken a fair whack with what's just happened. Amongst those who are attacking the east side of the massive castle that's been the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
Over on the battlements along the south side of castle Lé Dic. Riley Hait the mercenary ranger who has just seen the thick black smoke rise up from the east side of the massive castle, calls out to sir Percavelle Lé Dic "Let's light them up Percy!"
"Very well wot" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who then tells the bannerman "The signal for fire my fine flag bearer".
The bannerman, who was only given the job a little while ago, due to the previous bannerman being killed. Holds up a dark maroon coloured pennant, which along the south wall parapet, can easily be seen.
Firepots are lit, and torches are shoved into them, and are set on fire.
The burning brands are thrown off the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, down to the moat below.
Which like the moat along the eastern side of the massive castle. Has had naphtha piped into the water.
And like on the east side of the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family. Flames burst into existence upon the water in it, burning away anything it comes in touch with.
Rafts, platforms, ladders and men. Who are on and in the water in the moat along the south of the massive castle. Burst into flames fairly quickly.
"Let's see if he does anything in retaliation to that" the unseen Helbe the elven thief murmurs to himself and Narladene the ground pixie who is upon his right shoulder.
As they look towards the rear of the Harkonin army who are attacking the southern side of the massive castle that's been the seat of power for the Lé Dic family for generations.
The young elven noble is keeping an eye on where the dark druid Palvarc is. Who for now, has kept out of the battle, that has his baron's army attacking castle Lé Dic.
The blurred and shielded elven magic user who has figured out, that for some reason. The advisor to the baron, isn't particularly interested in getting involved in the battle to take the massive castle.
"He's up to something for sure" the elven princeling from Laerel murmurs to himself, who then says "Ah hmmm?" in response to Narladene the elven pixie quietly saying to him "Ah Helbe".
The elven masterthief frowns as he spots in the distance, the three nobleborn prisoners. Lord Milburn, along with his grandson Jared. As well as the Lé Dic army commander, sir Galmot.
Are being moved on the orders of baron Harkonin himself.
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, repeats "Ah hmmm" in response to the tiny winged creature saying to him again "Ah Helbe".
Now what are they going to do to those three? prince Helbenthril Raendril thinks to himself, who figures something rather unpleasant is going to happen fairly soon to those three prisoners.
Then says "What?" in response to Narladene saying to him once again "Ah Helbe".
The elven master assassin glances at the ground pixie on his right shoulder, who is pointing away to the sky in the west. South as well, but mostly to the west.
Helbe the elven thief looks that way and frowns, as he doesn't see anything in that direction, nor does he sense anything.
"What is it?" asks the young elven noble from Laerel "Coming this way" replies Narladene who can sense hell of a lot further than the elven magic user. The naturally magical creature then adds "An airship" which causes the elven masterthief to wince then mutter "Shit" . . . . . .

TYOFT - Authors Note.

Birthday Celebrations...

Happy Birthday to The Ye Olde Fantasae Tymes. You're a year older. Nine years old now!!!

The Homecoming 101.

The Battle Continues...

"Well he didn't sense that, so there's obviously a limit to how far the staff can sense" quietly says Helbe the elven thief as he watches the Harkonin soldier he's cast a mind control spell on. Finally get cut down by his fellow soldiers at the gate house of the drawbridge to the south gate of castle Lé Dic.
Though only after he had killed five of them, and wounded three others.
"I wouldn't try anything further out than that" quietly says Narladene the ground pixie as she stands upon the right shoulder of the young elven noble.
Who looked like he disappeared from the top of the south wall once the attack began by the Harkonin army. But he's been there all along.
The elven magic user who is trying to test the limitations of the dark druid Palvarc, in particular the staff that he possesses.
Quietly says to the naturally magical creature that's attached to him "There must be something wrong with it". He doesn't want to say pixie or sprite, so he refers to it, as it.
"Or being contained in that staff has drastically hampered it in some way" quietly continues the blurred and shielded elven masterthief, who then adds "You can sense a fair distance. The dark druid isn't even a half a mile away. It should of sensed me from that distance normally".
Narladene, who like all of her kind, can indeed magically sense over fairly long distances, up to twenty miles.
Who knows that only the undead like lord Farque, and dragons. Both normal and Greater. Can sense further than her.
Even when Mira Reinholt the mage still had his full powers. He could only sense to a distance of just over ten miles.
It takes an extremely large amount of inert power to sense magic over long distances. And Narladene like all pixies and sprites has such natural power. Even though they're not spellcasters. They do have their own types of power. In the case of pixies like herself, it's to do with the element she has an affinity to. Which for her is earth, or the ground.
"Maybe it's injured in someway" quietly says the ground pixie as she contemplates what the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel just said.
Then as a bunch of burning and smoking barrels go flying over them, heading towards the Harkonin army.
The elven princeling quietly says in a tone of surprise "Can your kind be injured?".
Narladene who just said what popped into her head, then says "I'm not really sure" she follows that up with "But i guess so" the naturally magical creature tells the highly talented elven magic user "I know we can be killed".
She has been in the vicinity where lord Farque has killed both a pixie and a sprite. And where one of his wardogs has killed a pixie too. That one being a water pixie which was doing it's best to kill both Helbe the elven thief and Narladene herself.
"Though only by someone like you know who" quietly says the tiny winged creature, who then adds "Or a greater dragon".
"The idea of an unthinking undead capturing it at the behest of a necromancer makes more and more sense, the more you think about it" murmurs prince Helbenthril Raendril, who like Narladene is speaking in the elven language as he stands upon the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Not too far away from where both Riley Hait the mercenary ranger and sir Percavelle Lé Dic are above the gates along this side of the massive castle that's been the ancestral home of Percy's family for generations.
The ground pixie nods her tiny head in agreement with the young elven noble she's attached to.
Then she tells him "Yes it is making more and more sense" she looks at the Harkonin army, and adds "Quite a few of them have reached the moat".
"Well they'll be in for a surprise soon" quietly says the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, who then makes his way over to where the ranger Hait is next to one of the ballista crews. There's something the blurred and shielded elven magic user has to tell the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen.
Riley Hait the mercenary ranger slightly nods after he hears the invisible elven princeling quietly tell him something in the language of the elves, then he says in common to the ballista crew who he's beside "Concentrate shooting at the war machines now".
The ranger Hait follows that with "Leave those with the rafts and scaling ladders alone now". The crew, a mix of Lé Dic soldiers, and folk from the town of Massic do so.
For they know that there's something planned for the enemy who are able to get into the moat with their rafts, that connect to make platforms. And the scaling ladders that they'll use to reach the top of the south facing wall of the massive castle that's been the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
The mercenary ranger who was raised and trained in the elven principality of Envadarlen hurries over to where sir Percavelle Lé Dic is near one of the small catapults up above the south gates of the massive castle.
"Percy, try and let them get into the moat" says the ranger Hait, the former paladin lifts up his face plate and frowns. Then it dawns on him, what the mercenary ranger means.
"Yes alright wot" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who then tells the catapult crew "Aim further back now chaps!".
While the mercenary ranger, who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to inhabit the body of Riley Hait.
Tells the bannerman nearby to give the signal for the war machines down in the courtyard below. To fire their shots for distance, at the Harkonin army's own war machines.
Looking down into the courtyard behind them, the ranger Hait sees the war engineer Tovis nod when he spots the flag the bannerman holds up.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman then looks back at the progress of the Harkonin army. And feels sir Percavelle Lé Dic grab his left arm, and haul him to one side.
"Watch out there old chap" says the former earl of Lé Dic in a pleasant tone, while the mercenary ranger yelps "Fuck me!" in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra.
As good sized boulder barely misses the two of them, by just twenty feet at most, away to their right. Between two merlons, taking the bannerman with it, as it crashes into the courtyard behind them.
Riley aka Zubutai the son of Timagin sees it bounce and roll, going between one of the trebuchets, and a catapult. Those in the courtyard are lucky it didn't hit any of them, or any of the war machines.
"Hmmm seems we're going to need a new bannerman wot" says the heavily armoured knight, who then adds "Bit of a faff i dear say if no one else knows the signals".
As the former paladin calls out for someone to be a bannerman, the mercenary ranger from the elven principality watches the Harkonin army attacking this side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
We might want to let one of those siege towers get into the moat as well, Riley Hait thinks to himself as he sees that there's a few rafts in the water below, and that more will be in there soon.
The mercenary ranger takes an arrow from his quiver, and puts it to the plate on his elven made longbow.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman draws back the long weapon, and lets the cloth yard shaft to it fly.
The yard long arrow takes a Harkonin soldier helping to carry a scaling ladder, off his feet after the broadhead arrow punches through his leather armour, and deep into his chest.
The other soldiers carrying the long ladder, pick it up, and continue on their way across the open ground towards the moat.
They're running even faster than they were before. Which is what the ranger Hait wants. As he wants them, and many more of the soldiers from the fief to the east. On the water as soon as possible.
The mercenary ranger who was raised and trained by some of the elven warders of Envadarlen. Looks eastwards, towards that wall of the massive castle. Wondering if Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy has already begun in the next stage of the defence of castle Lé Dic. He suspects so.
And when Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson looks back down at the moat that runs infront of the south wall of the massive castle. And he sees that there's now Harkonin soldiers on the rafts down there.
He says to the nearby runner who has been waiting for this specific order "Go down and tell them to open the pipes".
The runner, a young squire, whose nobleborn father was killed over in the Harkonin fief at the beginning of the week when the Lé Dic army was wiped out.
Heads down the steps, heading to the gatehouse below. There he'll give the order to one of the few officers that remain in the army of the lady Linara Lé Dic.
"You might want to drop a few rocks down on top of them Percy" says the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen, who then adds "Want it to look like we don't want them to have an easy job of it now do we?".
"Quite true good ranger" says the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che, who as he's about to pick up a large stone in the pile next to the catapult. He makes a face of disgust when the ranger Hait tells a couple of the townsfolk up here on the battlements "You might want to go a bit further along and dump the contents of one of the troughs on top of them".
"By Narille" mutters the former paladin as he watches the two men, lift the cloths around their necks, and cover their noses and mouths with it. As they trudge away towards one of the troughs full of human excrement.
The heavily armoured knight grunts as he picks up the large stone. He gets it onto the top of the wall between two merlons.
And as an enemy arrow careens off the side of the former earl of Lé Dic's full helm. He rolls the heavy stone off the battlements. And it falls to the moat below.
It kills a Harkonin soldier, who along with others, have got their raft to the wall. The heavy stone smashes through the raft. Causing the former earl of the Lé Dic fief to slightly wince. Hoping it doesn't sink. Which after a few moments, he sees that it's still floating.
Then the former knight of the first class makes a face of disgust. As away to the left, a bit of brown rain, showers down upon a raft floating towards another.
From the yells and shouts of disgust, and the sound of vomiting from those particular Harkonin soldiers on that raft.
That they've quickly realised, and smelled what it is that's just been poured down on them from the battlements above.
Seeing those Harkonin soldiers splashing water on themselves, trying to wash away all the human waste that's on them.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic says in a tone of anticipation "That's the way you Harkonin rabble" the nobleborn knight who is the uncle of the lady of the fief, continues with "Keep splashing that water on yourselves wot".
Then after Riley Hait lets another arrow fly from his elven made longbow. Taking a runner off his feet, who is making his way back through the ranks of the Harkonin army. With a message from the front, to the army commander sir Tovis, and the baron Harkonin too.
A message of importance no doubt. Which won't reach them now, well at least for a little while. Now that the young runner the mercenary ranger shot. Lies dead with a yard long shaft, that entered his back, and went most of the way out his chest.
That the runner he sent down to the gatehouse below, returns near out of breath, and tells the mercenary ranger from the principality of Envadarlen "The pipes are open" he takes a few deep breaths, before adding "It's flowing".
Looking over at the former earl of Lé Dic, Riley Hait says to him "Percy, it's begun!".
The large, heavily armoured knight frowns, and loudly mutters "Begun? It got underway a fair while ago you incompetent ranger".
Then the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che says "Aaaahhhh so it has" when he looks over at the mercenary ranger who points down at the moat below.
As he pushes another rock off the top of the wall, and watches it miss everything and hit the water with a splash. The former paladin, as the ranger Hait is doing.
Looks at the water below, looking to see if they can see what's being poured into the water from pipes in the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
They can't see it at first, then the two of them eventually spot the slight sheen in spots on top of the water in the moat.
It's the telltale sign of a slightly heavier liquid floating upon the surface of the water. In this case, it's a sign of naphtha that's coming out of the pipes hidden in the walls of castle Lé Dic . . . . . .

The Homecoming 100.

In The Midst Of Battle...

He grew up in the Long Reaches, those lands in the east of the Harkonin fief that lord Sarvaine's family has had dominion over for centuries.
He's served in the lord of the Long Reaches guards for a little over two years, as he's only just turned seventeen. He wanted to join earlier, but his parents pushed him into being an apprentice to a carpenter. Which he wanted nothing to do with.
And when the carpenter in lord Sarvaine's mansion kicked him out for being so lazy. His parents finally relented, and allowed him to join his lord's guards.
Lord Sarvaine being a vassal to the baron Harkonin. Means that he finds himself in the baron's army.
He was thoroughly disappointed that he wasn't with lord Sarvaine when the force he led took the border town of Falshire.
But now that the baron has defeated the Lé Dic army, and marched into the Lé Dic fief. He finds himself with the army laying siege to the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
He's with those to the south of the castle, pushing onwards towards the the very tall, and very thick walls of castle Lé Dic.
He's helping to push one of the siege towers forward now that the teams of horses that was previously pulling it forward. Have been taken away, well those that were still alive were taken away.
There's dozens and dozens of them pushing the siege tower, which is rolling along the open ground, to one side of the trade road after they've moved off it once they've got closer to the massive castle.
He looks away to their left, as rocks fall from the sky, slamming into the soldiers that way, who now that they're closer to castle Lé Dic, are shooting arrows and bolts from their bows, and crossbows at the defenders up on the battlements.
There's screaming from infront of the siege tower they're pushing. Then he hears some of the others swearing and cursing. He slips, but keeps to his feet. He looks down, then looks quickly away after what he sees.
One of the soldiers crossing infront of the siege tower, either tripped or was hit by something shot from castle Lé Dic.
He was run over by the massive siege tower that's being pushed by his fellow soldiers in the army of baron Harkonin. There's very little left of that soldier, as the large wheels of the war machine crushed him into the ground.
He and the others look back as a mounted nobleman who has ridden forward, calls out encouragement.
They cheer when they see it's the army commander sir Taevar. And they redouble their efforts.
The army commander, wisely as it turns out. Thinking that he's a little too close to castle Lé Dic. Turns his mount around, and quickly rides back to the rear of the army.
Just after he does, burning barrels of pitch crash down into the very area. Setting the grass alight, and anything else it sticks to. Some of those pushing the siege engine. Who were waiting behind the others, as only so much of them can push it at one time. Are caught up in the flames that spread across the ground.
He looks back, and sees one of the men who was next to him just a little while ago. Running around on fire, trying to slap the flames out that are climbing up his breaches, and now on his cloak.
He grimaces, as he definitely doesn't want to go out like that. Infact he doesn't want to go out at all. He intends to get the siege tower to the massive castle. And be one of those to go up and get onto the battlements of castle Lé Dic, and help take it for the baron Harkonin.
What he intends, and what life intends for you, are often two very different things. As is the case here.
He's at the right edge of the siege tower, as you tend to get pushed out by your fellow soldiers.
He doesn't know why, but he wants to look around the side of the rolling tower, not just to see how close they are. But to see the massive castle they're heading towards, and look at the defenders up on the battlements along the south side of the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
He does so, and it's the last thing he does. For as he sees the south gates away a bit to the right. And those above it on the battlements.
And who he thinks is sir Percavelle Lé Dic up on the wall there. As word has spread that the famous knight who has recently returned to the region, is up on that part of the wall.
He goes flying backwards, after something thuds into his chest with a fair amount of force.
He's on the ground, and hears the other soldiers following behind, swearing as they have to step over him. Some don't, and actually trod on him as they continue to make their way forward, towards the south side of castle Lé Dic.
He's able to lift his head up slightly, and he sees the long arrow that's imbedded in his chest. Longer than the arrows used by the archers in the army that he knows.
Amongst his last thoughts, is that he must of been shot by someone with a longbow. Then before he dies, his last thought. Is that he never should of joined lord Sarvaine's guards, and should of stuck to carpentry as his parents wanted.
He's been in the army of baron Harkonin for over a decade. He's a squad leader now. And is with his squad and others, making their way forward on foot towards the south wall of the massive castle that their baron's army has laid siege to.
For awhile they followed behind the siege towers, until they quickly realised that those were, and still are being heavily targeted by the war machines inside castle Lé Dic.
He's had his squad spread out, then rush forward across the open ground just to one side of the trade road that leads straight to the south gates of the massive castle that's been the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
He's heading towards the drawbridge. Well the drawbridge housing really. As the drawbridge is no longer actually there.
The housing gate on this side of the moat is still there, as is the covering that crosses the moat. But the bridge itself beneath it, has gone.
Still, the housing gate will provide cover from the archers and crossbowmen up on the battlements along the south side of the massive castle.
And the stone covering, if they can climb it. Will be ideal to cross the moat to get to the wall. And you'll only need the smaller ladders to then get up onto the wall. Instead of the long scaling ladders that will be used on the floating platforms and rafts that are being brought forward.
Since they're in the open, he and his squad, and those others in the front elements of the baron's army. Have to rush forward, hoping they don't get shot by anything from up on top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic. Or anything flung from inside the massive castle.
The closer they get to the moat, the less likely anything flung by the war machines from within the castle will hit them.
Alternatively, it's more likely they'll get hit by something shot from the battlements.
It's a two edge sword one expects when attacking a castle. And the squad leader, a veteran of a decade in baron Harkonin's army gets lucky. And neither of those happens to him.
What he doesn't expect, is what actually happens to him. Which is get hit from behind, from his own side.
A trebuchet flings a load forward, it's a boulder. One of many brought from the Harkonin fief on the wagons in the army. While others have been found since they crossed into the Lé Dic fief. But this one was from the neighbouring fief to the east that the baron rules.
It was flung forward by the massive war machine. Though unfortunately the heavy ropes around it snapped just after it was lifted up off the ground, and flung away by the war machine that uses a counterweight for power.
So the boulder went more straight up into the clear, spring morning sky, instead of more forward and up.
It fell well short of the south wall of castle Lé Dic. It even fell short of the moat. But it didn't fall short of the ten year veteran in baron Harkonin's army.
It landed right on top of him. Killing him instantly. And killing another two soldiers in his squad who were infront of him. As the boulder with it's momentum bounced and rolled forward.
There's nothing recognisable of the squad leader. All that's left of him, is a bloody, messy smear along the boulder as it bounces and rolls forward, crushing to death the two soldiers who were running infront of him.
He's a bakers apprentice, just fourteen. And something he didn't know when he and the baker he works for when they joined the camp followers in the army of baron Harkonin.
Is that when you're a lowly bakers apprentice, is that you have to help out whenever you can. And during battle, that means you have do things you definitely thought you'd never do.
And in the fourteen year old apprentice from the town of Maliss next to castle Harkonin in the fief to the east.
Is that he would be running a stretcher forward with a blacksmiths apprentice. To help gather any of the wounded, and bring them back to the camp. To see if they can be healed by the army surgeons.
The spellcaster in the baron's army, the dark druid Palvarc won't be heaing anyone. Unless it's one of the nobility if they've been unfortunate enough to get injured.
But that seems unlikely to happen, since for the most part. The noblemen are keeping to the rear of the attacking army at the moment.
He and the blacksmiths apprentice race along the trade road, carrying their stretcher after already taking one of the wounded back to camp.
They go off the road, passing an injured soldier who is limping back to camp. They go by a couple of burnt bodies. And both slightly wince as a fairly large chunk of masonry flies about fifty feet overhead, on it's way towards the baron's catapults and trebuchets that have been brought forward.
They head towards an wounded soldier on the ground, who is waving out to them, calling out for help, trying to get up, but is unable to, as he has an arrow through his left thigh.
The bakers apprentice is just about to say something to the apprentice of one the blacksmiths in the army.
When the other youngster, who is infront, slightly trips. Causing them both to drop the stretcher they're carrying.
As they pick it up, there comes a thud of a war machine shooting of a load. It sounds like one of the small catapults from on top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic. It is indeed one of them.
He's just picked up the stretcher, when all of a sudden the young blacksmiths apprentice, is slammed sideways into the ground after his head explodes in a misty spray of blood, bone, and brain matter.
The next instant as he looks out of the corner of his left eye at the massive castle they're near. Something smashes into his face, killing him instantly as his skull shatters apart as one of the large rocks flung from one of the two small catapults up on the battlements to either side of the south gates, hits him square in the face.
He's one of the more experienced soldiers in baron Harkonin's army. And he and his fellow squad members. Are further back from one of the siege towers trundling towards castle Lé Dic.
He like the rest of his squad, are lightly armoured. With most of them carrying short length weapons. Such as shortswords, and long knives and daggers.
They'll be the first to either go up the siege tower they're following behind. Or up one of the scaling ladders. One of which he sees being carried forward, with some of the rafts, that will be connected to make a floating platform for the scaling ladders.
He nudges his fellow soldier beside him, and nods towards the scaling ladder away to their right. And asks him which one he'd prefer to go up. The ladder or the siege tower they're following.
Definitely the siege tower answers his squad mate. And he nods his head in agreement. Especially when those soldiers carrying the scaling ladder are hit by a heavy longspear shot from a ballista on top of the south wall of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
The missile kills a couple of the soldiers carrying the scaling ladder. But more importantly for the defenders upon the battlements, if badly damages the scaling ladder. Destroying a few of the wooden rungs outright. Damaging others, and snapping one of the outer poles about a third of the way along the length of it.
A boulder slams into the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, taking out part of a merlon. And killing a couple of soldiers who were shooting crossbows next to it.
He and his fellow squad members cheer when they see that. Then part of the top of the siege tower they're following, shatters apart, sending wood flying all over the place.
As a boulder flung by one of the Lé Duc trebuchets in their massive castle. Clips it on it's way towards the Harkonin war machines that are further back.
Unfortunately for the experienced soldier in the baron's army. A large chuck of wood from the shattered top of the siege tower, slams into his throat and the side of his neck. Almost decapitating him, and definitely killing him.
He's one of the soldiers carrying one of the rafts to be put into the water in the moat. He and the other four soldiers in the baron's army carrying the raft with him. Are pretty fortunate compared to most of the rest of the army who are on foot, attacking the south side of castle Lé Dic.
They're carrying the raft out infront of them like a large shield. Using the underside of it to protect them from arrows and bolts shot by the Lé Dic soldiers up on the battlements.
As one of the soldiers on the right carrying their raft, says that the moat is less than thirty yards ahead. They pick up the pace.
And though the raft can protect them from arrows and bolts. It can't protect them from missiles. As a heavy longspear shot from a ballista, slams into the underside of the raft, goes through it, and strikes him in the upper stomach.
It hits him with such force, that the missile goes out through his back, well about half of it does. And it pins him to the ground, as he stands there dead, in a half crouch.
The other soldiers who were with him, who came to a sudden halt. Have to pull the heavy longspear back through his body, and out of the raft. Which now has a hole through it, which will definitely allow water up through it once it's in the moat.
They continue carrying it towards the moat anyway just infront of them, leaving his dead body on the ground behind them.
He's made it to the moat, infact to the housing of the drawbridge. A gatehouse that stands on this side of the moat. He's a soldier from the mansion of the Dontast family.
And he like the rest of the soldiers from that particularly mansion over in the Harkonin fief. Are angry at the recent death of the knight in the order of Althilgah, sir Dontast.
A few of them have made it to the gatehouse, and yell at those following with the scaling ladders to hurry. As they're the first to get this close to castle Lé Dic, on the south side at least, in any numbers they are.
As one of the other soldiers starts climbing the gatehouse, to get up on the covering that's above the drawbridge, which somehow has gone.
One of the other soldiers from the Dontast mansion next to him, nudges him and nods to their left.
There out in the open, standing at the edge of the moat. Is a soldier in the army of baron Harkonin. He doesn't know the soldier, but he thinks he's from castle Harkonin itself.
Wherever he's from, he's extremely lucky, as not a single arrow or bolt shot from up on the battlements of the south wall of castle Lé Dic, comes anywhere near him.
Then the soldier standing on the edge of the moat, draws his sword, and slowly turns in their direction.
The soldier from the Dontast mansion slightly frowns as he sees the empty look in the eyes of the soldier from Harkonin castle.
He doesn't think much of it. Until that soldier moves towards the gatehouse, and once he's there, inexplicably he starts attacking them.
Wounding and killing his fellow soldiers in the baron's army. Killing the soldier from the Dontast mansion.
It's the strangest thing to happen so far in the midst of battle here on the south side of castle Lé Dic . . . . . .