Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK I - Chapter 51

Prince Reach had been in a deep state of despair since Prince Estorie had been captured. The decision to shroud him away to safety by sea was a colossal mistake, and it weighed heavily. In an effort to lighten the anxiety and guilt he focused on the one thing could do: repair the kingdom. Busy efforts had been made to fix much of the damage that had been done to Woodville by the Brynnyfirdian raiders. He'd also made sure that efforts to replace the ships that had been lost in the carnage were well underway.

Now, as he walked through the streets of the great city, the bells of the Ethereal Tower rang out once more. Over the weeks that had passed the bells had rang out mainly for the deaths of the men lost in the attacks. However, today they were ringing out for a wholly different reason. It was the Day of Water. An annual celebration, where the regenerative feminine aspect, personified in the person of the Queen of Tunida herself, was venerated. Throngs of people were gathered on the streets, and a carnival atmosphere was in the air.

Relations between Prince Reach and the Queen of Tunida had been frosty since the abduction of her eldest prince. So he was not looking forward to having to spend time in her presence during the day's pageantry. Normally, on Tunida, women were suppliant, taking on roles antipolar to those of the men. Calm, forbearance, patience, quiet poise - all the hallmarks of ideal female behaviour. Naturally, the queen, as the premier woman in the land, embodied this to the height of perfection. Her entire life lived under such a purpose. Understandably though, now, in private, her anger and grief had occasionally spilt over in the aftermath of the events. With Prince Reach the focus of these rare moments of frustration. Nevertheless, in public she masked her sorrow, fulfilling her role as the symbolic vessel of the nation.

As the bells finished ringing out she entered out onto the balcony. In a soft blue dress. No make-up. Her long hair tied back in a long braided ponytail. She didn't speak, nor wave; acknowledge the crowd in any other way. She simply stood there calmly. The still image of woman. Icon-like. As was the way on Tunida. It was expected that she was to be figurine-like. There to symbolise the high ideal of motherhood. This was her duty, and after taking a moment to pose before the multitude, she then slowly descended the stone steps, and took a seat to watch the scenes below. This minor public display acted out, it was then Prince Reach's turn to step out and take his seat. He cast an unnoticed shadow in comparison to the beauty of the queen. His impressive, but dour clothing incapable of pulling the eye from the colourfulness of all the various courtiers and handmaidens. Still, he preferred it this way. As he looked at the queen he felt another pang of guilt, which in turn led him to think once again about the problems that existed beyond the merry fete. He forced it from his mind as he approached his allotted place.

Then, just as he was about to take his seat, one of his advisers paced towards him.

"We have word that ships have been spotted. Heading perhaps here, or out further east."

He bowed in the direction of the queen in a polite, but abrupt, way, then headed through the crowds of dignitaries to the palace.

"It looks as though they're heading into the Eastern Ocean. Just two ships, similar in appearance to the ones that accosted our island last time."

"Why that way?" wondered Prince Reach, as he rushed back, "Perhaps they're just circling round in readiness for another assault?"

Two ships was hardly an armada, but given the impressive damage done the last time it caused concern. There was also the worry that this was just the start, and that more ships might be lurking just beyond the horizon. Reach looked at the large chart on his desk. As he tried to mentally parse the situation he then wandered out onto the terrace, overlooking the palace gardens. Stepping into the open air he could hear the multitude of people in the far off distance, celebrating the festivities. "We should put the island on alert just in case," he ordered.

"Also, what of the ship that spotted these vessels?"

"It's still following, sir, though at a distance."

"Good."

In his mind's eye he conjured a picture of the entire southern ocean. A picture more vivid than the simple and limited chart that lay spread atop his desk. Where are these ships heading? he thought, trying to map their direction. "Keep following."

"Should our ships attack if they get the chance?"

"Just follow. We'll see where they're heading. If the ships become separated we can pick them off, but we'll take things as they happen. Give the captains leeway to use their own discretion. Perhaps the sea battles that are raging in the Western Isles are now on our doorstep too."

As he said all this he paced back and forth across the terrace, soaking in the panorama of the city with paternal worry. The joyous hiss of noise rising up from the streets growing louder and quieter with the changing breeze - quite at odds with his own feelings. The thought of further attacks weighing anchor-like, rooting him to the hard palace floor.  Whilst these thoughts charged through his mind the queen was likewise toying with worry and woe. She watched the pretty spectacles. The palm trees lining the streets, strewn with ribbons and flowers. The young soldiers dressed formally with their shining shields. The dainty and healthy-looking girls singing in procession. It barely registered past her eyelashes though. She thought of her eldest son, his fate unknown out across the waves.

With little more to do Prince Reach headed back out to the celebrations. Before doing so though he quickly scribbled two messages, then raced to the royal cages. Taking two birds; he released one into the air, then the other. One went north to his brother, the King of Tunid, the other went elsewhere.