Chapter 20: Sheepish Problems and a Siege

14/6/1 070 The day before the wedding. Sir Zacharias, Adan, 2 of the de la Roche men at arms (Marc and Pierre) and a peasant lad went to investigate the missing sheep. It turned out that 12 sheep and a shepherd lad had disappeared, literally vanishing without trace from a grassy knoll, close to the border with Méchant lands.
They asked at a local farm, and rode to Chateau Méchant, where the bridge across the lake was down and being repaired.

Apparently Sir Méchant had stormed about on his horse when he heard the latest news about his daughter. The bridge had been rotten. Vaine was not at home. Needless to say, he knew nothing about any sheep.
Adan waited at the knoll all night, but saw nothing. He did notice the tracks of 2 horses going East when he scouted around next morning.

Sir Zacharias returned to de la Roche, and was waylaid by some of his knightly friends and plied with strong drink until dawn.

15/61 070 The day of the wedding, hangovers, tears, bells a-ringing... and the bride, who should have arrived in a carriage, didn't. One of her servants, arriving at Chateau de la Roche, looked worried and surprised.
Eventually the guests were shown to the reception, Adan tooled up and rode East (after the 2 horses), whilst Sir Zacharias and myself rode West to de la Grande Fond.

Mercedes' family were distraught as Lady Mercedes had left on the previous afternoon, with 2 mounted servants, to arrange matters with the Birdman. She had not returned (no one had noticed until later).

Sir Zacharias, his brother Robespierre (and his man), 6 men at arms and a pack of hounds set off towards Chateau Méchant. Sir Z challenged Sir Méchant to come forth, whereupon he refused, but invited Sir Z to enter alone (over the partially rebuilt and inadequate bridge; this happened twice in fact, but Sir M never ventured off the bridge). Sir Z refused, and there was a lengthy but unsatisfactory discussion.
Sir Zacharias declared the castle besieged until he met satisfaction.
He caused 2 of the 3 boats to be destroyed, but captured the third.
I absolved everyone... and we started preparing for the siege.

Meanwhile Adan had followed 2 horses to another hill top, where, according to the tracks the larger horse vanished, to be replaced with a smaller one. Someone dismounted briefly. These horses continued to Chateau Méchant, where Adan joined us.

Whilst Sir Zacharias prepared his strategies, and Adan rowed across to the castle and recieved a chamberpot on his helmet, I took a man at arms... and the hounds, and backtracked various horse tracks.
The hounds were excited and a little afraid (these hounds hunt boars and bears) at the hill top. There were broken branches, as if by a great wind. The tracks stopped, and started. It is obviously black sorcery and perhaps flight, but not, I feel sure, Demons.
We followed the tracks backwards, towards the Birdman, where 4 horses lead in, 3 from la Grande Fond (Lady Mercedes and her 2 maidservants). 2 lead away in different directions, which we followed, finding 2 maidservants, both stabbed (by the Birdman) tied to horses and driven off. 1 was alive, 1 dead.
I HEALED the living one.
The man at arms (I think that he is called Marc, as most of them are called Marc) returned the maids to la Grande Fond.
I SPOKE WITH THE DEAD maid, and confirmed the account, then performed the rites and sent her soul on it's way.

I went to la Roche, where I obtained a document from the Bishop throwing considerable doubt on the Méchant family title to their lands and chateau.
I returned to the siege on the next day.

Meanwhile Sir Zacharias had obtained the 2 ladies of the castle, on the condition that he not harm them, but he would hold them hostage. 

He had gathered a small but potent force; knightly guests from the wedding and la Grande Fond, peasants, blacksmiths and carpenters, and the great siege crossbow la Grande Pjaff.

He started on the psychological warfare, cooking wedding food upwind, plundering Méchant lands, etc.
Disposition of Sir Zach’s forces (15-16/6/1 070) - from Jan:

Main group
Camped across the moat from the main castle gate in several tents, with baggage carts to the rear, just out of bow range but with some rudimentary earth works and mantlets close by the bridge.
Sir Zach
Sir Jean Paul (Adan really - Palle's character)
Frere Jacques (Oleg's character)
5 x Knights (Sir Zach's local friends)
3 x Men-at-arms (sent by Lady Mercedes father and armed with crossbows and currently guarding Lady Amelia Méchant and Lady Vaine)
Hawks, presumably with hawker. (intended to prevent message birds from sending for possible reinforcements)
Olivier & Marcello.
The black smith and a carpenter (with mate) from Sir Zach's local village (I’m assuming these aren't classed as peasants belonging to Sir Zach and will expect some form of numeration after the seige is concluded)
10 x assorted peasants from Sir Zach's home estate. (Maintaining the camp and baggage, assisting the carpenter and blacksmith if needed and building a gallows)
An unknown number of local peasants mostly conscripted to cut an irrigation ditch, others to cut wood and dig latrines.
One large crossbow mounted on a tripod
One Mangonel under construction
The baggage, with a field kitchen and various seige related materials, such as ropes, arrows and iron.

Rear group
Camped to the rear of the castle with rudimentary earth works and mantlets.
Robespierre (commanding rear group)
5 x Local knights (the youngest of Sir Zach's local friends)
3 x Men-at-arms (sent by Lady Mercedes father and armed with crossbows)

Foraging group A
5 x Local knights (Sir Zach's local friends)
10 x peasants from Sir Zach's home estate

Foraging group B
5 x Local knights (Sir Zach's local friends)
10 x peasants from Sir Zach's home estate


16/6/1 070 I arrive at the siege.
I questioned Lady Vaine. It is clear that something had abducted her, but she remembered being snatched into the air and something seizing her mind.

The Birdman claimed that he was rescuing her (which is true), and is in the chateau.

I presented the legal paper to Sir Zacharias, who looked pleased.
I also suggested that we build a gibbet in plain sight of the defenders (Sir Z took that rather well, as well).
We do face a number of problems; private warfare is frowned upon if it gets out of hand (though in the swamplands, we can get away with rather more).
The Méchants do not have any powerful friends, but the Birdman's father could be a big factor.
So far, word of our little war has not got out, nor will it for a few days, as the place is encircled (the de la Roche hawks will stop pigeons). But word will spread, especially if the Bishop leaves (we have to keep him well fed).
On the other hand, our cause is just on 3 counts: Lady Mercedes, the document, and that someone (according to Lady Vaine at least, and I can confirm this) has been using magick.