The orcish line falters, but charges.  But it's obvious that the swift conclusion of their greatest warrior has completely broken their spirit.  In a matter of minutes there are a few orcs fleeing the battle but the majority, nearly two score<em>((40))</em>of orcs lay dead in the pass.  Celes, green blood spattered across her body begins the cheer as the heavies tramp through the field making sure every fallen orc is dispatched.  Today the field was definitely carried by her dozen berserkers.<br/><br/>She's just beginning to look around, trying to decide who to bed as a victory celebration when she spots one of her scouts jogging to her quickly.  The name of the youth escapes her at the moment, she knows that she hasn't bedded this one yet.  Maybe he's hoping that he'll be the lucky one today?  She can feel that familiar tingle in the pit of her stomach as she thinks about a warm bath to clean up followed by a good roll in the furs.<br/><br/>But the young man, barely more then a boy really, stops and salutes in front of her.  "Commander," he says shifting his hunting leathers in muted colors to hide the slight bulge in his pants, but failing, "A raven came in for you, it's marked urgent and for your eyes only.  It's from the mayor of Barvia."  The lad cocks one thumb back over his shoulder, as if he's pointing to the mining village a half a day north of their location.  The whole reason that they are here.  It wouldn't be possible for the Mayor to know of the victory already... he'd have to have written a letter before the battle even began for it to get here that quickly.  There must be some other reason.<br/><br/>Celes sighed, a raven with news marked urgent and for her alone?  She had the sinking suspicion that her victory celebration might have to wait.<br/><br/><hr/><div class="floatright">(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/besrikarie/dnd/sonjasitting.jpg)</div>"So you see Lady d'Vynar," the sea captain explained, "I can't return to Brittania without you."  He held out a letter penned in her fathers hand, which had grown slightly shaky over the last few years.<br/><br/>They sat in the mayors office in relative comfort.  That is to say the office was very cold, but it didn't personally bother Celes.  She had learned how to tune out all but the most extreme heat and cold.  Probably a good thing since all she was wearing was her 'standard' armor.   That of course being a set of mail that barely covered the minimum allowed for most modest societies.  But she was nobility after all, and a successful leader of troops.  These two things allowed one to get away with quite a bit.  Especially when that noble house was the one that payed the coffers of most people in this town.  Even more so when those troops just defended the town from an orcish invasion.<br/><br/>Still, the room was cold, she knew that.  What did the mayor do?  Open the windows at night to let in cold air, then close them in the morning before the sun warmed the sky?<br/><br/>The sea captain continued, "All I know m'lady, is that your father paid me a heavy sum to retrieve you.  He said that every single moment counted.  That you were to leave Vynar's fist in the hands of your second and come home at once.  That your mother has died."<br/><br/>That last comment was the one that made Celes so uneasy, her mother died more than a decade ago, in childbirth, bearing her youngest brother.  But the sea captain had no more information, nor was any forthcoming from the letter... only insisting that she return home immediately.