Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK II - Scene XXIV

Elsewhere, King Kaspria stood self-pleased on the hard stony battlements of Castle Tori, looking over the vast coast of Patina. The newly hewn warships in various states of readiness, an impressive sight. He was little more than an under-king now, a deputy in the vast war to the mighty King Mizmeam. However, with the humiliation of his navy's sacking behind him, and a new one in bloom, he felt a renewed vigour, and took it upon himself to oversee all operations with a purposeful and beaded eye. A few ships had already left port, and the reports were good. The advantage of fire power - not to mention the great swell of men and slaves that King Mizmeam had sent east - a clear potentiate in the press for seaward domination. As he watched the darkened naval scenes he thought little of his daughter, the Princess Liofia, instead focusing wholly on the grand eastern war before him. The suppressed anger, frustration and insecurity finding medicine in the pursuit of violent victory. There would be little quarter given upon the waves. He'd learnt the lesson of complacency the hard way, he could not afford to behave weakly again.