Chapter 4
"Dawn at Ortega"
By the time that the smaller combine British and Danish fleets arrived in Ortega, it had been two weeks since the battle on the high seas at Trafalgar where so many had been killed. Many of the French and Spanish prisoners on the fleets were either pressed into service or sent back to England and Denmark as prisoners of war. Eric had been fully healed of the injuries he had sustained in the fight and was now able to properly lead his navy into battle again. As the eight ships came into Ortega, they stopped just outside the Cape of Ortega where eight French and Spanish ships were stationed.
"The rules of battle are not for Le Pelley, Admiral Strachan," said Percy as the British Admiral looked out through his telescope. "Let us attack now while they sleep."
"Sir Percy, we will attack when I give the command," replied Sir Strachan, firmly. "At dawn."
Percy saluted his superior and left, even though he felt it was right to attack while the combined enemy fleet least expected it. It was still just before dawn and Sir Strachan needed the light to see his enemy. Just then, he saw movement under the water and Triton emerged from the sea armed with his spear still showing blood from the dead soldier he had impaled.
"King Triton," he said, saluting the king of Atlantica. "I am giving the attack at dawn, so you and your soldiers will wait until then."
"I'd consider myself a reasonable merman," replied Triton. "But, if you wish to attack at dawn, human, then so be it. But, I warn you, my daughter and granddaughter are to be protected at all times. Do I make myself clear?"
Sir Strachan didn't like what he had just heard and felt somewhat insulted, but Queen Ariel and Princess Melody were to be protected. After all, they had been nearly killed at Trafalgar as well as nearly stripped of their dignity.
"As you command, your majesty," answered Sir Strachan. "Your daughter and granddaughter will be protected at all costs. You have my word."
"Furthermore," continued Triton. "The ship that killed my wife is among those ships out there, the rest of the ships are yours, but that ship is mine."
Sir Strachan honored Triton's request and instead focused on the task at hand. With a plan in place, his main task was overseeing the men who were about to finish what Nelson had started, while Triton went back down below to oversee the platoon of mermen soldiers who were about to join the fight from under the sea.
"Prepare yourselves my loyal warriors," said Triton, raising his trident into the air and firing a small blast from it. "For today, the humans who killed your queen will suffer the wrath of what Atlantica has been blessed with. Leave no human alive and immerse yourself in the blood of each human you kill."
A loud cry came from the soldiers as they responded loudly to the cries of their king. The cries could also be heard from above the surface as Sir Strachan listened in briefly.
"By George, he sure knows how to inspire an army," he thought.
Meanwhile, down below in their cabin, John was just about to join Sir Strachan on deck when he noticed the room where the dead and wounded were stationed in the battle of Trafalgar. It had been cleaned and where the tables once stood was where a set of pews now stood. On each spot in the pews was a bible and a rosary.
"What is this?" John wondered as he picked up a rosary from a bible. "This is where the dead and wounded are supposed to go."
John then walked down the aisle and came up to an altar table with a grail of Eucharist on one side and a grail of wine on the other. He couldn't believe that this was now a place of prayer rather than a place of death.
"Amazing," gasped John. "Who would bring God's house into our ship?"
"We did," said a voice and John turned to see Ariel and Melody standing in the back of the room.
Ariel was dressed in the pink and white gown that she wore to her first dinner with Eric and Grimsby while Melody was dressed in the pink gown that she wore for her 12th birthday as well as the ball back in Denmark.
"Melody, Queen Ariel," remarked John. "What is going on here?"
"We thought it would be best if we use the power of prayer to get us through this battle," explained Ariel. "There is no better place for a man to be when he is in pain, you know."
"It was Vanessa's idea, John," added Melody, walking over to John. "This room was filled with death before."
John was amazed by this and hugged Melody tightly. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to just stay here and pray with her and Ariel. But, he had a duty to fulfill up on deck. A duty that his father once held.
"I don't want to leave you," cried John as he and Melody broke apart.
"I'm afraid you must," said Ariel. "Sir Strachan is waiting for you up on deck."
Pulling himself together, John left the room but not before giving Melody a kiss with Ariel watching. John was afraid for a brief second that Ariel wouldn't take it well, but she didn't react and allowed John to pass out of the room and up onto the deck. Ariel and Melody weren't alone for very long as Eric was the next to enter the makeshift church.
"Are you sure that you want to do this?" asked Eric. "It may not be safe here in case the ship gets boarded."
"Eric, you have to trust me," replied Ariel. "I'm not sure how this battle is going to turn out, but if we die, we die praying to God."
"Then, why are you dressed in your best?" wondered Eric, noticing the dresses that his wife and daughter were wearing. "You would not stand a chance if the enemy came in here."
"We are dressed in our best so that if we come to God," said Ariel. "We come to him as a Queen and a Princess. Besides, I wore this gown when we had our first dinner together."
Eric could not help but think back to that night when Ariel had dinner with him and Grimsby. Eric was so enthralled by Ariel's beauty, that he told her she looked wonderful. But, she wasn't wonderful, she looked beautiful as did Melody.
"Well, the English say we like our people well dressed for the enemy," chuckled Eric, briefly. "But, I can see what you and Melody are trying to do, Ariel. We need all the prayers we can get."
With those words, Eric hugged his wife and daughter before leaving the room and heading back to his ship for the start of the battle. Ariel and Melody were alone and were now turning to God for protection in the coming battle.
Meanwhile, the sun had risen and the eight English and Danish ships took up position around the Cape of Ortega. John stood by Sir Strachan as the elder English Admiral drew his sword and pointed it in the direction of the third enemy ship from the right.
"We'll begin the attack there," he ordered. "At the Spanish ship from the right."
After a few moments, the cannon was fired and the Battle of Ortega had now begun…