Richard Parker - Elsewhere

“No, the navy…hundreds of warships,” Zebo explained as Prince Phillip, Tabernas and Tarina N’dori joined Gwaynn and his group. Tar Kostek and Monde were not far behind and moving quickly. “The High King will not be allowed to land reinforcements on your land.”

“A blockade?” Kostek yelled down and Zebo nodded his head. Gwaynn stood silent for a moment as Lonogan and na Gall embraced one another, all smiles.

“Phillip,” Gwaynn said turning to the Toranado Prince. “How would you and your mother like to return to Eno?”

“Eno?”

“When Weldon arrives in Manse he’ll order his army out of your country,” Gwaynn stated confidently.

“And if they refuse to leave?”

“Then the Palmerrio King dies,” Gwaynn answered and Tar Kostek gasped, but N’dori chuckled softly at the bold announcement once more.

Phillip frowned, thinking for several moments. “Mother of course would be happy to return to Toranado. Losing Eno has been hard on her…she’s not the same, but I will not leave until all of our enemies are defeated.”

“We may still need the Toranado heavy troops,” Bock said alarmed by the thought of losing such a well trained and powerful force. The Temple Knights were still there, just across the plain, and Lonogan did not relish facing such vaunted warriors without the Toranado.

“I’m aware of that,” Gwaynn said with just a touch of impatience. “But I need to close the Gap.”

“Gaston could…”

“We’ll need our cavalry to deal with the Knights,” Gwaynn interrupted. “The Toranado could effectively seal the Gap from any but the most determined attack. And,” he continued looking pointedly at Phillip. “Eno will need to be secured…especially now, if the Cassinni are truly guarding our shores. If the High King is denied landing in Massi, he’ll turn to Eno. Sailing around the finger and landing in Deutzani would leave them with an extended march to reinforce the Knights. It would not be a practical or timely move.”

Samantha moved close to Gwaynn and slipped her half arm through his. “We would not control the Plateau without the Toranado,” she said with care, also worried about losing the very heart of their force.

Gwaynn glanced down at her and smiled, then took a deep breath.

“Jess,” he began simply, “can you confirm the presence of the Cassinni. I’m sure Zebo is correct, and if he is, then Eno may be the key to victory. If Mastoc is allowed to reinforce the Temple Knights with another army, we may well lose Massi, but the Knights alone cannot hold the land…there just aren’t enough of them.”

Everyone waited silently, thoughtful. N’dori studied Gwaynn, a smile on her face and nodded for him to continue.

“We may not be able to defeat the Knights as a force, but if we can seal Massi for long enough, we may be able to wear them down…especially with the help of our friends from Noble,” Gwaynn finished.

Now Tabernas and Kostek were smiling, but Prince Phillip was still deep in thought. Gwaynn waited and watched as Vio, Tam and Bethany approached along the ramparts. Finally Phillip looked up and frowned at Gwaynn.

“The Toranado will hold the Gap. Two thousand heavy infantry should be able to block the way for several weeks, certainly long enough to call for reinforcements if necessary. Eno will have to wait, but if the Palmerrio truly abandon the city, my people will quickly reestablish control.” Phillip said finally, “and I’ll send Captain Wicks to Eno Harbor. That should effectively seal the city off from the High King. I’ll stay with Tabernas and five thousand troops. I’d not miss the pleasure of facing and defeating the Knights myself,” he added and for the first time Albas Tabernas heard the King to be in the voice of his Prince and felt a swell of pride. War destroyed nearly everything it touched, but in some men it also created; not just the ability to lead men in battle, but lead men in any environment. Phillip was beginning to display such leadership; the horrors of battle had strengthened and tempered his youthful, immature personality.

Gwaynn reached out and took the Toranado Prince’s hand and they shook enthusiastically, Phillip gratified and pleased by the respect he saw reflected in the younger man’s eyes.

“Now we just have to hope the Knights stay put until we can seal off the exit,” Tabernas said, and the entire group turned in unison and gazed out at the enemy army.

XIV

Captain Wicks was surprised by the order to abandon the harbor at Cape and sail home to Eno, though she had full confidence in the Cassinni Admiral to take up the cause of guarding the Massi port city. Wicks was excited and happy to be going home; she relished the idea of having one more chance at the enemy who’d driven her and the fleet away. But the thought of leaving the Massi coastline was also causing a degree of disquiet in her belly. Something was coming; something was going to happen…and soon. Fatima had learned to respect any such feelings that settled over her. Today was no different, and as she led her small fleet of ships away from Cape she set a heading far out into the Inland Sea.

“It will take many days to reach Eno on this heading,” her first mate Armitage said as he walked across the gently pitching deck to her side.

Captain Wicks stood at the bow of the ship and continued to stare out to sea for a moment, but then turned to her long time friend and comrade.

“We’ll take a circuitous route to Eno…have a look about,” she explained, though Armitage did not require one. If his Captain wanted to push out to sea on the way to Eno, no sailor under her command would question her. And so they moved out to sea, heading almost due north. Three hours later, under full sails and quarter oars, they’d made nearly thirty miles. Wicks was about to order a more westerly heading when Raskin shouted from above.

“Contact!” He yelled and suddenly the entire ship was humming with anticipation.

“Merchants?” Armitage yelled up to the sharp eyed sailor.

Raskin looked down at the senior officers and smiled. “Not unless they’re moving in force…I count over a dozen of the bastard ships.”

“Heading?” Wicks asked her heart thumping strongly in her chest. ‘This is it,’ she thought but had little idea what caused such an powerful inclination.

“What heading are they on?” Armitage bellowed as the young sailor failed to answer.

“Due east, moving quickly…half oars at least,” Raskin finally answered.

Wicks glanced at Armitage and nodded. “Signal the fleet. Half oars; set a course to intercept.”

“Aye Sir,” Armitage said with a grin and the Toranado fleet turned to the east to begin the chase.

All through the late morning the ships on the horizon grew steadily closer and steadily more numerous, so that by mid afternoon there were now over seventy ships visible. Of these, however, only about two dozen triremes and thirty galleys were spotted in and amongst the lumbering troop carriers. Wick’s inner voice had paid off again, for the approaching fleet was clearly an invasion force.

“We should engage the outer ships within an hour…perhaps a bit longer,” Armitage said as he watched the oarsman shift once again to give rest for those who had pulled oars the last shift.

“Within an hour I’d say,” Wicks replied, the troops ships were riding low and slow over the sea and as they advanced closer to the Massi shore the swells would slow them even more.

A half an hour later Captain Wicks could clearly see the panic her ships were causing the crews of the fleeing vessels. A half dozen heavy triremes and another eight galleys had broken off from the fleet and were now moving directly into the path of the Toranado, hoping no doubt to slow down the advancing ships so that the troopships could make it to shore.