Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK I - Chapter 23

All of a sudden, breaking the peaceful air, there was a huge thwack of noise, as a statue that had stood for six, or perhaps seven hundred years was hit by cannon shot. At the same time shot ran through several ships and buildings. A small vessel, that had been captured as the raiding party had approached the island, was then set ablaze and sent careening into the harbour. Within what seemed like seconds the whole waterfront was engulfed in flames and dust.

A few moments later the bells of the Ethereal Tower rang out across the city. Rousing those not already riled to action by the chaos. Where Essen was standing on deck these bells were barely audible amidst the cannon blast, but their deep distinctive tone cut dimly through from the distance, adding to the cacophony. The tower itself, with its tall stained glass windows, rising high into sky, glinting, barely visible on the skyline.

The city of Woodville was the one major settlement on the Island of Tunida, and as it came under siege from this surprise attack its importance - and vulnerability - dawned quickly and heavily on its inhabitants. There were a few other villages and minor coastal towns dotted about the island, but all were dwarfed by their beautiful and dominant capital. It being both the jewel and the key to the entire island. Consequently, there was no obvious place to flee to. In fact, the entire island was little suited to defence at all. The land being largely just flat and fertile plains, with little in the way of mountain retreats. A perfect place to live and prosper, but not especially primed for guerrilla warfare or resistance.

With the island tucked away so safely in the Southern Ocean, and the Tunidans so ensconced in their strategic dominance, such thoughts were of little concern anyway. At least in normal times. There wasn't even an ancestral memory of an invasion, let alone a living memory. So the shock of the attack, and the breath-taking violence of the cannon fire used, was bewildering. As the panic and confusion spread, a few women and children were ushered off by their menfolk to inland farming settlements, or other more out-of-the-way locations. However, most Tunidans simply hid themselves away behind the walls and towers. Bravely peering out occasionally to witness the strange destruction. Trying to gather some context for what was now happening.

Essen had anticipated this, and he'd wagered that if they could just stun and capture the magnificent city they would, by extension, control the rest. Now seeing the city with his own true eyes though, the plan seemed a tad ambitious - even amidst the destruction he was wreaking. The idea that they could hold such a place with so few men feeling woefully naïve. With little time to think he pressed on with the onslaught however. The tall ships in the harbour a smoking wreck, he began to focus his fire on the city itself. Pulverising the city's sea front and meagre defences.

By this time the city guards and soldiery were standing flush, ready to defend the seaport. Yet, like the scrambling civilians, they too were stunned and clueless as to how to respond. Their weapons useless against the blast raining down upon them. Some arrayed themselves courageously around the now smoking harbour front, aiming their crossbows inconsequentially at the distant ships. Acalee had been mindful of arrow shot, and had drilled it in to both Essen and the rest of the crews to make sure that no easy windows were offered. Yet, even so, such talk was pointless in hindsight, given their huge advantage in reach. The arrows and their marksmen being barely noticeable, let alone felt. The Brynnyfirdian ships entirely imperious in the battle, if it could even be called as such.

As the firing raged the heat and smoke combed back through the city, the scent of blood and burning timbers infesting the nostrils. Prince Reach stood in the palace, conversing frantically with his advisers, desperate to descry a course of action. As he hurriedly walked down the steps to the palatial gardens he headed to the aviary. He then took one his prized Tunida Birds and attached a tiny, furled-up message to the leg. Cupping the bird in both hands, he then stepped out of the loft to release it into the air. It soared into the sky, circled once, then flew south at high speed. As he watched it vanish into the blue he then turned to the young boy beside him. He assigned his four most trusted guards to the boy, and told them to head for Om Bay - a tiny coastal village on the east of the island. As they unhesitatingly followed his orders he then marched with his remaining guards and advisers back to the palace. His brow furrowed with worry, as he watched over the distant scenes.

Prince Reach, the Prince of Tunid, was the youngest brother of the king, and in his absence it had fallen on him to defend the island. As he paced back and forth he gave the order that all men should retreat to a safe distance from the water's front. A sensible decision, but one which he now realised he should have made much earlier. It was a painful surrender of the city's edge to destruction, but there was little choice. It would now fall upon his enemy to decide their next move.

Essen and Acalee pondered this question as they looked out at the smoking city. Taking it would almost be impossible. Even with muskets they would struggle to contend with the sheer numbers, and they'd be open to arrow shot the moment they stepped on land. So they too were now suddenly burdened with a degree of apprehension. Just as the inhabitants of Woodville had been awestruck by the cannon fire, so too were they in awe at the scale of the city. There was also the slight pang of guilt that they'd laid siege to something of such beauty, though this minor pang remained firmly below the surface. As they both pondered what path to take they admired these aesthetic buildings through the black smoke. Though the name Woodville implied a settlement made of wood it wasn't a very apt one, with every building, even the dainty little houses, standing upright in solid white stone. The city walls and towers stretching off into the distance, ascending higher towards the city's plateau, which was home to the ionic columns of the king's palace, where Prince Reach now fretted with worry. Branching out were other buildings, of similar impression, including a large arching amphitheatre for sports and performances. All of this interspersed with tall trees and other vegetation. The only wood now visible. The unfitting name harking back to a much earlier time, when the first wooden precursors to these mighty buildings stood hoary and rough-hewn, as the cradle of an emergent civilisation.

Such a commanding vision was an unfamiliar sight to the Brynnyfirdian crewmen. None of whom had seen a depiction of Tunida before, let alone the living embodiment. Few had even stepped foot upon the mainland of the Three Kingdoms. In comparison to the settlements on the Western Isles, and the rather more pedestrian port cities on the western edge of the mainland, this was something different. Even if it was viewed through the eyes of those who'd came in the guise of pirates. As the novel vision settled on their minds the thought of a land excursion moved firmly to the backburner.

"We need to maximise our sea advantage," noted Essen.

They then made sure every ship in the harbour, from the largest to the very smallest was completely fired, then headed further east along the coast. Looking for more places to set to ruin. Hoping to completely obliterate the entire seagoing capacity of the Tunidans. Likewise, the thought of finding a less well-defended spot to attack, where they could land to take on food, fresh water and other spoils also held appeal.