It is a quiet morning as the expedition returns from its travels from the North. Tsar Mikhail had to admit that his experience as a ruler could never match the sight of a magical border opening itself for the two lands to reconnect after their decades of separation. The sheer fascination of the moment almost made the man wish to stay and explore but his duties as the emperor of Russia took precedence.
Prince Vaska had sent runners to inform him about the situation from the otherworldly Russians, a war was coming to Arendelle and the capital would be the heart of the fighting. As the regiments of infantry and cavalry returned to the capital of Arendelle, the old man noticed the changes already. The square between the town, castle, and docks were now occupied by strange war machines he had no way to understand. One could argue they were just as magical as the Arendellians and the Northuldrans; however, he did not have the time to ask around as his horse bypassed the sights and approached the docks. Local and foreigners alike were busying themselves with the defense of this country.
He would depart from this fjord for his safety but also gather support from St. Petersburg. His regiments would be left behind to provide this kingdom with enough professional soldiers to stall for time as he would confer with his generals to assemble his army to relieve the Arendellians. The Southern Isles was a relatively small kingdom when compared to the minor nations of Europe; hopefully, no one would notice these troop movements in the great game between nations.
The ship was about to depart and he would be the only one leaving; yet, he remained near the docks to take one last look at this strange land. It was a shame that this venture ended in tragedy, he had a vain hope that he would see his daughter again but perhaps her son would do. Then the knowledge of his son's death nearly tore his soul in two. The only desire he had left was to help his people survive.
Many took note of his presence; however, they returned to their work as cannons were being placated to protect the fjord and the surrounding areas. Why was he waiting? He should leave right now and go - the earlier the better. Just somehow, his heart felt that he should stay just for a moment for his own sake. What reason did he have for that?
Mikhail observed his surroundings to see his most loyal and hard-working nobleman approach him from the castle but the man was not alone. He was leading one of the otherworldly Russians - a man who seemed familiar but did not grasp. As the distance was being closed, the emperor realized it was the young soldier he encountered in the forest near Northuldra.
Prince Vaska approached him before bowing before him. "Your majesty!"
"Rise, Dolokhov," The old man ordered before his curiosity got the better of him, "Why do you bring this man before me?"
"Your grace, there has been a commotion with our communications about a group of survivors from an expedition once thought lost. I thought so too but they have returned to the fold and among those men is your grandson. He was the one who was leading them back to us."
The tsar's heart had stopped for a mere moment but he welcomed the news. Was this true? Did his grandson truly survive his travels? His hands tightly gripped the reins before Prince Vaska stepped aside and gestured towards the stranger behind him. It was an uneasy moment before Mikhail dismounted from his stead and walked over to inspect the man.
His eyes did not betray him, the stranger was the one he had met earlier. The soldier took off his armored helmet and revealed his face. For someone relatively young, his face expressed an experience that can only be expected from veterans on the battlefield. While his unshaven face could be corrected, Mikhail could overlook that detail if the man's parentage was true.
It was time to ask the question of a lost heir of the Romanovs. "Young man, it is important that you answer my questions truthfully. Who are your parents?"
"My…" The young man looked down and paused but the emperor could afford the wait, "My father was a Polis Ranger of the Spartan Order. Unfortunately, I know little about my mother other than she sacrificed her life to save me, and a station guard by the name of Sukhoi became my adoptive father."
"Thank you."
Soon the royal turned his gaze towards Vaska, who nodded his head in approval. "I was able to ask around. As you know, Sukhoi is alive, and there are documents confirming this story. This is your grandson, Artyom."
"You never told me that I was going to meet my grandfather?" The Russian soldier remarked as his head turned towards the nobleman, "You just said I needed to meet someone."
"It is the same thing."
Artyom shook his head in complete disbelief, "If I had known I was meeting my grandfather, I would have at least tried to clean up."
"What is done is done, your highness," Prince Dolokhov remarked as he brought the conversation back towards his liege, "My emperor, do you have any orders while I remain?"
"Yes. You will be in charge of the regiments until I return with reinforcements. The Southern Isles will pay for their treachery."
His eyes looked towards his grandson.
"Artyom, you should come with me. Your birthright is waiting for you."
He was taken by complete surprise by the response of the young man. "I cannot go. My friends, my comrades, and the rest of my loved ones are here. If Prince Hans intends to bring harm, I must fight on their behalf. Especially, for Queen Elsa."
"She was the one you spoke of when we last met, wasn't she?" Mikhail released the severity of love at that moment. His grandson had fallen for the recently coronated ruler of Arendelle. "That is why you stay."
"Yes. I love her."
Tsar Mikhail stole a glance from his subordinate and saw his surprise at that statement. This was just a cherry on top of a cake. Knowing that he had to leave made this moment somewhat unbearable before he felt the urge to hold him. A great wide huge surrounded Artyom as he felt the urge to make sure he made it through this endeavor. He whispered into his ear. "Survive, my grandson, Russia must have its prince. Will you do this for me?"
"Yes," Artyom answered as he hugged him back, "I'm sorry that my parents did not live long enough to meet you again."
"When this is over, we will have much to talk about."
Sadness filled the old man's heart as he took a few steps back as he grabbed the reins of his horse and approached the docks. He looked back to find everyone stopping in their work, looking at him. Had he just made a scene? Embarrassment fell upon his shoulders but he didn't mind that. His quest to find the last trace of his daughter had come to an end and it was time to bring back the glory of the dynasty where it was.
Once the emperor had climbed up the ramp and his horse was taken below, he walked to the back of the deck to see what was left of his lineage. The captain shouted to the top of his lungs as the sails were in full. "Raise the anchors! We are departing!"
The ship slowly left the fjord and the perimeter of the coastal artillery; however, the tsar looked back to see a young man standing tall amidst the construction of the defenses. One day he would return with pride but hope will have to do. Even as the distance grew, his grandson still carried the behavior of his father and the eyes of his mother.
Agnarr recognized the familiar walls of his home as the expedition returned with their Northuldran neighbors. He should be happy; however, his heart sensed otherwise as their kingdom looked less like a peaceful paradise and more like a fortress as time went on. Batteries of cannons took position on the high ridges overlooking the fjord and the castle while the square was home to the strange otherworldly machines.
Two Russian otherworldly officers were conversing with Prince Dolokhov upon a nearby table covered in maps and documents. Curious about the current state of affairs, he approached them.
His wife immediately called out to him. "Aggie, where are you going?"
"I need to know what is going on," The royal said as he looked over his shoulder with a smile, "Please take everyone inside the castle. I might be out here."
"Don't take too long."
He continued further and heard the conversation with the Russians.
Vaska pointed his finger at one of the geographical features printed on the map. "I would hope we would have enough firepower to repel a direct naval assault on our current positions. Mel'nikov, rumor has it that your guns were just brought out of storage. Aren't you worried that they might explode on themselves?"
"I am," Agnarr recognized the man, knowing full well that he had encountered him when Anna found them. What purpose did he have here? The soldier continued with his conversation as he leaned forward to get a better look, "Fortunately, for us, the Red Line has put their weaponsmiths on lease to check for their status. The problem is that we're working with old stocks of ammo which may or may not work."
"What do you think, Colonel Klebnikov, is it fine to be using them in such a way that they won't backfire on us?"
Another Russian officer expressed his opinion as he let out a deep breath. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. We're exhausting every option to win this so we cannot hold back."
"I-" Vaska never got the chance to begin his sentence as Agnarr arrived and grabbed his attention. Soon, the servant of the tsar bowed slightly and acknowledged his presence, "Your majesty, you have returned."
"Is there an explanation for all of this?"
That was the question he needed to ask. What was the point of all of these preparations that were interrupting this idyllic life?
"Gentlemen?"
The Russian nobleman was quick to reply, "Prince Hans has sent out an invasion force to rule Arendelle. We're ensuring the capital is well-protected from attack but working out the details once he arrives."
"What do you have right now?" Agnarr questioned as he stepped closer to see the map, "Whatever you need, I can inform my daughter.."
"As of right now, we're protecting the fjord from an attack with the use of our artillery. It might not be much but one can expect Hans to lack the necessary means to storm this place under fire. The tsar has taken to his ship to confer with his general staff of the army to return with reinforcements while the ships that are with us have remained at our service."
Vaska stole a glance from his otherworldly counterparts as Colonel Mel'nikov took charge of the conversation. "We currently have a submarine patrolling the waters beyond our range and give us the position of our enemy. It's equipped with a full load of torpedoes to sink a few ships before they reach us. There are also several attack helicopters refurbished to harass their fleet as they come. As of right now, they are the primary force to drive them away from us."
"Well, it sounds like a nice plan," The only thing that made sense to him was the submarine as he had heard about such a warship being special back in Vladivostok. Yet, he was worried about a slight detail as he looked at the map of Arendelle and the large coastline it presented all across to the north, "What would happen if they headed north and landed elsewhere?"
"We're working on that. We have a sum of five thousand troops arriving from Moscow, Novosibirsk, and Vladivostok to help us there."
Agnarr felt relief on his shoulders knowing Arendelle wouldn't be alone to face this threat. "Anything else I need to know?"
"Based on what we have learned from the reports by Vaska's informants, we're dealing with an army three times our size," Mel'nikov answered as he slipped his hands reached into his pockets, "We're outnumbered."
"This will be a bloodbath. We're doomed if we fight them head-on."
Klebnikov spoke up as he pointed at the coastlines. "That's if we let them form as one. Mel'nikov and his Polis Rangers are going to form a picket of observation posts across the coastline to report the landings. That way, we can coordinate towards their positions and drive them back to the sea."
"That's strange," The former king noted as he saw the officer's finger trail the coastline from Arendelle proper into Northuldra itself, "You're willing to put men in Northuldra."
"Just in case. The Northuldran picket is our secondary concern and I doubt that Prince Hans would want to take the long route. Not only that but the local maps have the Arendellian features while Northuldra is blank. If we're lacking the geography then they're likely to face the same problem as well."
This was indeed a sound plan. Agnarr doubted he or his daughters could even produce a fraction of what these men could come up with. There was never a need for the kingdom to draw up a war plan as one would wonder who would even try to declare war on his people. He lacked the military acumen of those who were present but his mind felt comfortable and safe around them. Elsa was fortunate to have encountered such people under these dire circumstances. Perhaps the united front was a miracle in disguise? "Thank you for telling me, I'll inform my daughter about your planning."
"She did a lot for our people," Colonel Mel'nikov stepped away from the table and turned towards him, "We owe that much to come to her defense. Your daughter saved us, hope that gives some comfort."
He smiled at the compliment being directed toward Elsa. There was pride to be had in that knowledge.
Iduna almost felt like a little girl wanting to show her older kin about the sights she had seen in the Enchanted Forest. Yet, she had reminded herself that this was a formal invitation into the Kingdom of Arendelle. The legacy of the violence between Arendelle and Northuldra remained but Elsa had somehow managed to soften their hearts. It was quite the achievement to bring peace between the bloodshed.
The former queen relaxed in the royal study with Yalena as they drank cups of hot chocolate. It had to begin like that otherwise it would be an insult. Then they began to place the cups on the table before the crone started the conversation, "I must admit, this place does have its charm, and no doubt that you and Agnarr probably played around in these very rooms. My mind can hardly tolerate living like a Southerner but I am glad you two managed while I was in Northuldra."
"Believe me, it took some time to do so," She admitted towards her kin as she reached for her cup, "Though, being a queen had its perks as well."
"Ha, you have servants to order around and not have to worry about a bad hunt."
This moment made the woman reminiscence about the past when she and her peers would sit around the campfire as her peers would listen to the stories and conversations of the grandparents. She missed those days but perhaps there was a chance to enjoy those moments once more.
Someone unlocked the door and stepped inside the room as Iduna and Yalena turned their heads towards the entrance. It was then that the Northuldran women were taken aback by the arrival of Elsa. Deep down, the mother felt absolute relief to hear as she put her cup back on the table and approached her with a large hug. The young woman expressed similar sentiments as she embraced her mother. "I hope everyone didn't take my disappearance too poorly."
"We were worried, dear," She replied before letting go of her daughter, "Some of us were desperate to have you back more than others."
"Who was it?"
The mother remembered the strange snow creature that had been lurking around the camp, often, following Anna around. "The large snowman."
"Oh, Marshmallow?" Elsa realized who it was before her cheeks reddened with embarrassment, "I forgot he doesn't understand human emotions well."
Soon the conversation came to a halt when another entered the room. A young man in a uniform of black and grey patterns had grabbed their attention. Artyom was here.
"Mother, this is Artyom. He saved my life."
Yalena remarked on the moment. "You leave for Ahtohallan and now you come back with a man. If this was back up north, the gossiping would be endless."
"If that is a compliment, I'll take it," She remarked before turning towards her mother, "I was wondering if we can talk about my relationship with my father. He doesn't know how much he means to me as you do."
Iduna realized that it was young love that she was witnessing here. It was going to be difficult to explain that to her husband. "I'll see what I can do. We're a small kingdom so it wouldn't be too noticeable for the Queen of Arendelle to fall for a commoner."
"Ma'am, I think I need to correct you on that detail."
It was coming from the Russian besides the young woman.
"I'm not exactly a commoner."
What did he mean by this? Was it because he had an important position in his world? "Why is that?"
"I talked with someone and I'm the grandson of some tsar."
She widened her eyes with complete shock in her soul. This was not something she expected to deal with after returning from the expedition. "Well, it would seem there is much to discuss."
Being in a submarine had its perks and drawbacks. Sure, it was nice to ride in an underwater vessel armed with torpedoes, cruise missiles, and nuclear warheads but it also came with some degree of psychological problems. Few people had the mental courage to maintain their psyche throughout their service. Captain Baranov hoped that this unofficial war against these foreigners would be a short affair so that the crew can return to their friends and families.
He stood beside the American he vehemently disagreed with throughout his entire encounter. Yet, the naval officer couldn't blame him for trying to get this ship running. Maybe he saw something in the future while the old man was so worried about repeating the same mistakes of the past. A fresh pair of optimistic eyes had its uses.
Tom looked over his shoulder as he noted the captain's gaze. "Do you still think so poorly of me after all of this time?"
"I hate to admit it," This was filled with the truth coming from his heart, "It's something to like a man and still disagree with him."
"Good to hear. You're a good guy, one of the few I've ever admired and despised."
Eduard chuckled at the man's honesty as the Mayflower continued its journey to patrol the waters near between Arendelle and the Southern Islands. As they returned to their duties, the captain leaned against a railing while his legs felt a burning sensation. Age was the curse among mankind and it was a sign that he was getting too old but his love for this vessel was the one that encouraged him to spite his body's ailing health. That and it would give Tom some form of satisfaction after their encounter with each other.
A massive fleet was supposed to invade Queen Elsa's realm and so they were quite literally the first line of defense against this force. Fortunately, the age of sail warships was no match for Soviet naval technology. Even a single vessel could hopefully turn the tide if they put enough effort into this fight on behalf of that young girl's homeland. It was a fight worth bleeding for.
The mood of the con changed when one of his men turned his head from his workspace and turned towards the leaders of the submarine, "Multiple contacts on our sonar. Bearing 2-4-9."
"Bring us to periscope depth I need eyes," Now was the time for action as he walked over to the periscope and he looked towards his men, "What flag should I be looking at?"
"They should have multiple pennants with white and red. I hope that helps."
Of all the people in the room, it was Tom. "Thanks, I'll be looking for them."
The captain tightly gripped the handles of the periscope and began to look through the slots as he steadily searched around the open waters. It took time as he rotated towards the final bearing before seeing a numerous fleet approach them.
On the surface, Eduard maintained a stoic persona like the old officers of the Red Navy, but he was truly scared within. There were so many ships approaching their direction that he doubted there were enough munitions on board to destroy them all. He paused at the thought of deploying nuclear warheads; however, shook his head at the concept.
He focused his full attention on the flags above the ships. The information of the ships' loyalties was evident as they fluttered against the wind. Hostile vessels had their sails fully opened, revealing the pace of their movements.
The beginning of war had begun. "Load the torpedoes and open the hatches. Someone get me a firing solution on those vessels."
Captain Baranov looked to his men to see their hesitant expressions before he continued further. They couldn't be the only ones fighting this battle alone.
"Call our comrades in Arendelle. They need to know what they're up against."
Anna woke up in her bed, feeling like a sack of potatoes after she attempted to drink her wine. Is this what it felt to be drunk? Perhaps that's why people were discouraged from drinking too much. She sat up with her disheveled and unkept hair overturning all the effort into her beauty. As she looked around, the princess found herself back in her room. Then she realized that Elsa would also be here before excitement took over.
What surprised her was Pavel sitting down in a chair on the opposite side of the room. His eyes were closed as his head leaned back against the wall. Even the slight noise she made in her bed wasn't enough to wake him and as she got onto her feet, the young woman couldn't help but admire the way he slept.
She wanted to grab her blanket and wrap it around him but the girl never got that chance when the door opened and Olaf was entering the room. His eyes lit up with excitement and embraced the girl with a hug. "Anna, I got good news for you. Elsa is in the castle but she's talking with your mom."
Now the moment was ruined but the princess overlooked that interruption as she turned toward the snowman.
"Oh, did I do something wrong?"
She shook her head at the thought. He's just a snowman with innocence in his heart. "No, I just got up."
"Your sister is downstairs. Let's go meet with her."
Pavel groaned as he stood up from his seat. "Uh, maybe I shouldn't have drunk the rest of that bottle."
"I told you it was a bad idea while coming back," Olaf replied as he walked into the room and crossed his arms in disappointment, "But you had to drink it despite Anna not being able to handle hers."
"No offense to her highness - I'm Russian. Getting drunk is kinda my people's thing."
Once again his charm bore through as he rubbed his temple and massaged them with his fingers. "Still, you knew better."
"Not great, not terrible," Pavel added before looking towards the royal, "So Anna, looking forward to seeing your sister again?"
She smiled and nodded her head. "Of course, we've been through so much and I'll do my very best to be there for her when I can."
"You have fun then, based on the rumors of what is going on, this might be the last moment to enjoy what you can before we're met with an invasion."
"What are you talking-"
The radio on his person had crackled with a loud alert that asserted dominance in the room. "ALCON, ALCON, ALCON - hostile fleet has been sighted by the Mayflower! All available officers and company commanders are to assemble at the rally point beside the dockyards. That is all."
Soon the princess felt worried about the implications. "What's going on?"
"War," The major replied as he checked his gear and grabbed his weapon leaned against a desk, "The Moscow Metro, Novosibirsk, and Vladivostok have been preparing for the fleet by Prince Hans. We were hoping to have more time to prepare but that's being incredibly optimistic if you want my take on that. Now he's coming."
The thought of conflict occurring on the shores of her home did little to comfort the girl as her heart was saddened. She walked over to the window to see formations of Russian soldiers and Arendellian guards approach Colonel Mel'nikov by the dockyard. Anna saw Artyom stand beside him in the distance and it was quite clear that today was the day they would fight… and perhaps die.
"Are you okay?"
She realized the question was directed at her before the royal turned around to see Pavel adjust his belt and straps before he was just about to leave her. "Will you be joining them?"
"Yes," He nodded his head before stepping away from Olaf and joining her by the window, "It's going to be alright. We'll survive this."
"You're so confident that you will."
Pavel hugged her. "Sometimes, a little bit of trust and faith is all you need."
He was still the ever-so-charming man Anna had met in the Metro. If this was to be their last moment, the princess of Arendelle felt that she needed to express her feelings for him. It was strange how this man was preferable over the endless dreams of a prince coming to take her away from the dreary life of the castle. Her hands grabbed his collar and pulled him in close to kiss him on the cheek.
"Oh," The Russian was taken aback by the moment as he expressed his embarrassment, "I-I didn't know…"
"Well, now you know. Do try to return to the castle in one piece?"
It was surprising to find the man displaying his vulnerability towards the maiden. "I'll do my best. Want to escort me to the rally point?"
"Yes," It might help give her comfort in the end, "I would like that."
Olaf managed to catch their full attention. "Let's go, guys."
The trio went their way throughout the castle hallways. As Anna passed by the rooms, she noticed a rather somber feeling by the servants as they began to prepare every aspect of the castle for war. Entire walls were empty of portraits and paintings, statues and sets of armor were removed from their stands, and furniture found itself moved out of place. After they arrived in the courtyard, it was filled with a large number of horses as Russian cavalry brushed and cared for their horses.
Any trace of her childhood home would be changed forever.
Soon they brushed past them and crossed the bridge, where the otherworldly Russians had amassed their officers and commanders in one area. Cannons and artillery had been brought forward towards the defensive measures while the open areas were occupied by war machines that Anna saw in the bunker complex. As Colonel Mel'nikov addressed the men in front of them, Artyom stepped away from his side and walked towards them with his weapons at the ready and his armored visor raised.
The young Russian smiled as he started the conversation. "Good to see you two. The Spartan Commander is issuing orders to the regulars. Pavel, I'm going to be a door gunner for one of the helicopters. I could use you as a partner."
"No problem, comrade," The major answered as he slung his weapon over his shoulder, "What are we doing with the helicopters?"
"We're going to harass them before they make their way towards the fjord. Weaken them before the artillery gets into action."
He turned his attention towards Anna.
"Hey, how are you doing?"
She didn't want to admit it but she trusted him with her feelings. "My kingdom is going to war. I don't know how to feel."
"I'm sorry it had come down to this," Artyom remarked as his facial expression shifted into remorse, "I wish there was another way to avoid this."
"It's not your fault. None of us knew that this was going to happen."
One of the men near the helicopters shouted for them. "We're ready. Find your partner yet?"
"Yeah, just give me a sec!" The Polis Ranger yelled back before looking towards the princess, "Take care."
There was nothing else to be said as Artyom and Pavel jogged towards their helicopter with haste. Multiple blades began to spin as the air kicked up the dirt. The vehicle slowly rose from the open spaces leaving behind nothing save for the cobblestone that it once rested upon. The princess saw Pavel pressed against the doorway as he manned the gun.
The other war machines began to ascend into the skies as the soldiers in the open cheered and hollered at those who would be airborne. One-by-one they created an awe-inspiring moment where a single line flew towards the direction. Citizens of Arendelle waved their hands or handkerchiefs at them up until the last one was out of sight.
Once it was over, Anna didn't know what to do until Olaf spoke out his thoughts. "Let's go find Elsa. They'll be alright."
Another ship had exploded for no apparent reason as Prince Hans looked over the starboard side. The wreckage erupted into flames after the detonation of its gunpowder. He could see a few survivors swimming with their heads above the water as the warship slowly embraced its fate in the seas. A loss of this sort was unexpected as he was unsure what means the Arendellians and Russians had for him.
Someone approached him from behind and the royal looked over his shoulder to find Saul with a pair of binoculars. He pointed towards the empty vastness of the sea. "We're not alone. There's a periscope out there shooting at us. Mind explaining to me why the fuck we're being attacked by a submarine?"
"I don't know," It was the truth. The prince did everything he could to remember his time in the kingdom of Arendelle but the young man could not recall any dangerous threats that could oppose him aside from the otherworldly Russians, "There was never any mention of this when I was there."
"Shit, let's hope that their torpedoes are not aimed at us."
What was fortunate for the fleet was that the wind was on their side and was speeding the pace of the invasion force. However, the optimistic thought of reaching Arendelle easily was dashed when a lookout at the crow's nest shouted from above. "We got company! Something's large is flying towards us!"
"What the hell does he mean by that?" The soldier bandit asked himself as he looked up at the man above, "Hey, which direction?!"
"Northeast!"
Hans ran towards the front of the deck and looked to see what had come to greet his fleet. Nine silhouettes made their approach from afar; yet, it was not the number that surprised him but the sight of seeing flying war machines above the water. This couldn't be their force to repel their landing, could it?
His question was answered when smoke trails and gunfire rippled through the air. It was inaccurate at first with bullets splashing in the water but that immediately changed when a galleon on his left had its wooden hull torn by the rounds. Holes filled the sails as the masts were cut in two and landed in the water. Sailors and soldiers alike were frantically trying to brace for the impacts, to no avail. What made it worse was the two rockets screaming past the wind and slamming into its side. Splinters and broken shavings littered its deck as the surviving wounded moaned or cried out at the pain inflicted by the Russians.
Saul tried to rally the men to resist the attack. "We need all the guns we have on those helicopters. Shoot them down!"
The Russian bandits on board began to obey their superior, firing wildly at the aircraft that had broken formation to perform their attack runs on the fleet. Meanwhile, the troops of the Southern Isles had found themselves shocked in the midst of the assault, paralyzed by the destruction of one ship.
Prince Hans made his way back towards the ship's wheel and looked at the captain, who was stationed behind the wheel. "Can we get our guns on them?"
"Yes, sir," His eyes trailed towards his second-in-command, "Get the swivel guns ready. We need to shoot them down!"
There was never a chance to get the order out as a helicopter made a pass against their ship with machine-gun fire sweeping across the upper deck. Saul ordered everyone to take cover and the royal eagerly took heed but the captain and his man were not so fortunate. Bullets flew over him as he covered his head. As the attack was finished, he looked up at the men beside him, only to find their bodies slumped against the wheel, drowning in their own blood.
Their ship began to turn and the young man found himself sliding towards the port side while anything not tied down began to slide in that direction. Men who couldn't find anything to hold were unfortunate enough to land in the water or get crushed by the full eight of a cannon. Hans looked around to see that he was not the only one struggling on board but as he pulled himself to his feet, he tried to get his bearings.
"Look out!"
Soon the world shook and with it, the prince found himself tossed aside as the chaos of war erupted outside of his control. Before he could have a chance to regain any semblance of command, Saul ran up to him and pulled him off the side of the ship joining him in the depths of the sea.
Another explosion but this was closer than before. All that Hans could do was remain helpless as the bandit dragged him into the waters.
Prince Vaska stood on the highest ridge where the cannons were set up. The gun batteries were set up as the nobleman waited for the enemy fleet to arrive. He was anxious to get into action; however, the enemy needed to be in range in order to make their shots count. It didn't help that he could hear the fighting echo off in the distance.
There had been a glimpse of the enemy fleet but the initial fighting had resulted in a massive fog of gunpowder and smoke. He looked through his spyglass to find that the flying war machines were proving their worth on the battlefield as the silhouette of a warship inspired the artillerists beside him. It was quite the morale booster; especially for those who were about to engage in a fight for their lives.
All that was good had come to pass. Dozens upon dozens of warships had pressed forward, revealing themselves in the open. The plan had to work, otherwise, the kingdom's capital would be overrun with enemy troops. It seemed that they would try their hand at a naval landing despite the initial losses.
The noblemen looked to the officer of the artillerists with the hope that they would see action. "Do we have them in range?"
"Already have, sir," He answered as he walked over to one of the cannons and adjusted the aim of his guns, "We're ready."
"Fire."
The soldier took a few steps back and shouted the order to the top of his lungs. "Fire!"
Soon after, the subordinates relayed the message to their men as volleys of cannon fire erupted across the fjord. They were not alone as the otherworldly Russians had fired their guns in sync with theirs. Shells and cannonballs flew overhead as the first wave of artillery fire plunged into the approaching vessels. Twelve ships took their beatings but three had combusted into a massive inferno with the crews and passengers jumped into the waters to avoid the flames.
Prince Vaska watched his men reload the cannons with another shot; however, more ships arrived at their scathing and retaliated. A great thunder echoed from below as the nobleman took the opportunity and brace for enemy cannon fire. Cannonballs flew over his head or smashed themselves against the haybales being used as cover. This was not the first time he was under artillery fire and, hopefully, it wouldn't be the last.
When it was over, the Russian walked back up to his position so he could look down at the fighting below. It seemed that the return fire was a cover for the soldiers of the Southern Isles as several dozens of boats were dismounted from their ships and made way for the docks in front of the castle. He fully extended his spyglass to see the enemy soldiers try to reach the shores; however, gunfire from the infantry had been unleashed. Some tried to paddle faster, only to be the first to get cut down. Others tried to turn around, stifling any progress to reach the docks.
He looked at the gun battery by the shore to see the gun crews fire their cannons. Grapeshot swept through them like a hot knife through butter. Some jumped off and tried to swim, sinking to the bottom because of the weight of their armor or becoming a victim of being picked off by accurate infantrymen. It was a grim fate to be a soldier on the wrong side.
An artillerist noticed something happening in the grander scheme of things. "Look, they've stopped firing! They're breaking off from the fjord and leaving."
"We did it, men!" Another one cried out as the gun crews cheered, "We won."
Dolokhov watched the enemy fleet indeed cease their firing. Yet, they pulled away from the defenses overlooking the fjord and gathered in another direction. What was clear was that they were not returning back to the isles. "We have definitely won this battle but the war is about to begin. Keep an eye out for any stragglers, I have to confer with our friends."