Chapter Sixty Five
Envoy Exposed
ANNA
"Open fire!" Lieutenants screamed all along the walls, and their commands were punctuated by poignant silence for brief seconds before thunderous blasts of the cannons filled the air. The sounds of so many artillery guns going off were deafening in such close proximity, even for someone who'd been in the thick of so many battles.
The Imperial Horde was in the midst of deploying into formation with their artillery teams sweeping out into line to minimise their losses, but the Einsfeltai and Danish teams were already shelling the enemy before they could even properly make it out of the forest. Twelve, eighteen and twenty four pounders belched fire into the Exonian ranks, sending men and horses pinwheeling away. Anna could imagine their screams of agony even as she watched from the relative safety of the walls - safe until the Exonians opened fire anyway.
The sun was already setting, which meant it would very soon be dark. By nightfall, it would make no sense for the Exonians to continue fighting, for they wouldn't be able to see what they were hitting in the dark. At least, that was the plan. But then again, with someone as ruthless as Field Marshal Kane in command, Anna wasn't about to presume too early. Anna had given instructions for the weak spots of the fortress be doubly guarded. As part of the benefit of being on the team that infiltrated Fort Steinfall, she knew that it was a possibility the Exonians might try to do the same.
An Exonian battery responded with their own salvo of round shot, exploding into the sky and rocketing far above the trajectory meant for the walls. At this rate, the six balls of fire would rain down into fortress courtyard, but thankfully they'd already planned for this.
Two of the cannonballs were blown off their trajectories by an enormous gust of magic, while two more simply disintegrated into thin air. The fifth was neutralised by the unified blasts of magic from another couple of sorcerers, making the steel ball explode in a coruscation of multi-coloured lights and instead of debris raining down on the fort, pixie dust and colourful glitter descended from the sky.
The final one began to arc down towards the courtyard, bypassing the defences of most of the sorcerers who'd been preoccupied. Anna's heart leapt in her chest.
A long tendril of dark energy lashed out and wrapped itself around the cannonball. The tendril went taut as the ball stopped mid flight before it could impact the surface, and silence fell upon the atmosphere for a brief moment. Grunting, Eleanor jerked her hand upward and over her head, and the tendril that extended from her hand slung the steel ball up and back towards the Exonian ranks. The ball soared through the air and smashed into one of the Exonian guns, causing a massive explosion that lit up the evening sky in a brilliant warmth light.
Cheers erupted from the ground and all around the walls, and Anna felt herself release a breath of air she'd been unconsciously holding in. She shot a look at Eleanor, who was standing not far to her left. The ex-Empress returned the glance and gave her a gruff look of acknowledgement before turning back to the battlefield.
Field Marshal Frederick who was standing between the Einsfeltai and Danish batteries signalled to General Ivon.
"Fire!"
The Danish battery discharged another round of steel into the dimming sky, arcing gracefully through the air to smash into the ranks of the Exonians again. Their latest attack took out two of the Exonians' guns, eliciting another series of cheers and war cries from the Coalition.
"Good, good, good," Anna said half to herself and half to Talya who was watching the whole proceedings with her mouth gaping open in wonder. "If we keep this up, we might just make it."
"I've never seen anything quite like this before," The Agrabanian envoy whispered in awe, her voice getting drowned out by the shouts of the artillerists yelling their corrected trajectories. "To think I'm actually seeing one of your famous battles."
"Well let's just hope it becomes famous for all the right reasons," Anna glanced out at the scene before her.
Light infantry were streaming across the field in loose order, being seriously hampered by the palisades and earthworks. As the Exonians tried to cross the field, the Coalition's best light infantry sprung into action. Northuldra, Danish and Arendellian troops emerged from the trenches and earthen ramparts of snow and dirt, firing their muskets and rifles into the ragged ranks of the enemy. Even Hansel and Gretel were somewhere down below, aiding the Coalition to repel the Exonian soldiers with their distinct sharpshooting. The strategy was effective, for the Imperial Horde's advance was checked and all they could do was to try to retaliate fire at the Coalition infantry well protected by the defences.
"It's looking pretty good to me," Talya remarked. "I guess that's why they call you-"
"'Freaking Queen Anna'. Yeah, I know," Anna resisted the grin that threatened to break her serious disposition. Somehow over the course of the past week or so, the Agrabanian envoy who'd been an absolutely annoying thorn in her side had actually grown on her. In fact, Anna found herself feeling rather grateful to Talya. If it weren't for her intervention back at the river bank, the Coalition might've already been dead in the snow, destroyed by Kane and the Imperial Horde. I suppose I do owe Talya for this.
"Your Majesty!" Someone shouted from somewhere behind her.
Anna whirled and saw a messenger rushing across the wall, waving a rolled parchment. The man - the teenager actually, judging by his boyish features - was stopped a few feet from her by the Queen's Guard.
"Let him through," she ordered and watched her soldiers ease up. "What is it?"
"Your Majesty," the boy bowed hastily. "The first ships are here with the Captain of the Highlander Navy and an ambassador from the Agrabanian King."
"And what's the issue?" Anna asked. "Isn't Prince Kristoff there to meet them?"
"Yes Ma'am," the boy blurted out. "But the ambassador's saying he can't accept anyone's authority other than yours. Here," He nearly shoved the rolled up parchment at her.
Frowning, she took it and read. "This is ridiculous. I gave my husband my written seal of authority to receive the navy," Exasperatedly, she rolled the scroll back up and passed it back to the messenger. "Alright, fine." She turned to Talya. "Let's go. You could probably talk some sense into your people."
Talya looked slightly hesitant.
"I don't want to have to make another trip back here to come fetch you," Anna said impatiently. "Now come on, we're wasting time!"
Rather reluctantly, Talya nodded and trudged after Anna as they followed the messenger down to the courtyard where his horse was tied to a tree trunk.
Anna looked round. In all the chaos, her royal staff had forgotten to prepare her horse. But thankfully, the Xerflorians were camped a stone's throw away, and a familiar figure was strutting about barking commands to his officers.
"Horatio!" Anna shouted as she jogged up to him.
The marquess spun, his luscious hair flipping as his head turned. He looked to be in good health, his shoulder all healed up after the rifle wound he'd taken days ago. Holli did a damn fine job. "Anna. What-"
"I don't have my horse with me. I'm going to need to borrow one of yours," Anna cut him off. "Think you can lend me one?"
He grinned annoyingly. "You're not as dense as you let on then, Your Majesty. The Xerflorians have the best cavalry, after all."
She grabbed his arm. "Horatio! I don't have time for this. The first ships of the fleet are already here, and they need my authorisation before they can let our troops on board."
Horatio sighed. "Alright, alright," He stuck two fingers in his mouth and let out a shrill whistle, attracting the attention of his stablehands who immediately led a beautiful white thoroughbred to the marquess.
"Thank you," Anna clasped his arm gratefully as he handed her the reins.
"You owe me one," He said as Anna swung herself into the saddle and motioned for Talya to do the same. "And you better bring Ares back in one piece."
"I will," she promised. The moment the reluctant envoy was mounted up behind her, she motioned to the messenger to lead the way on horseback and they galloped off through the camp.
MELODY
"Pump them full of lead, boys!" A sergeant was screaming somewhere on her far right. "Show these bastards what it means to be Danish!"
The Exonian light infantry were already on the retreat, moving back hastily to rejoin the ranks of the main body.
"Hold!" Came the echoed order from all across the field. "Hold positions!"
Heeding the command, the defenders stayed where they were. They'd already been briefed by the Field Marshal himself on Kane's probable strategy. The Exonians would try to pull back to feign being routed in a bid to draw the skirmishers out of the trenches and from behind their earthworks for a victory charge. But it would be a trap, for the next wave of the Imperial Horde would swarm forward to cut down the exposed defenders in large swathes. Thankfully, the defenders were seasoned campaigners who were disciplined enough not to let themselves get swept up by the rush of adrenaline and the taste of victory.
As the first wave of Exonians retreated, their trap failed spectacularly as the defenders discharged another deafening carbine salvo into their backs, cutting many of them down where they stood.
Hunkered down in one of the many trenches beside Oliver, Hansel and Gretel, Melody watched as another wave of Exonian light infantry trudged forward as quickly as they could through the snow and onto the palisade-ridden field. It was a nightmare fighting a war during winter, and Melody could see why it was rarely ever done. But then again, this wasn't any ordinary war.
"I reckon after we're through with this war," Hansel shouted as he raised his long rifle to his shoulder. "We'll be rich enough to retire! Think about it! We won't need to do hunt anyone for the rest of our lives!"
"You're thinking a little too far ahead!" came the pragmatic response of his sister. Gretel pulled the trigger and a lead ball spun out of her rifle and hit an Exonian soldier between the eyes at two hundred paces. "We've got to make it through this first!"
"Naw, don't sweat it, sis!" Hansel cocked his head slightly and shot another enemy down, immediately snapping the pan open to prime it again with fresh blackpowder from his powder horn. "After having to fight sorcerers, this is easy money!"
"Where did you even find these guys?" Oliver asked Melody as he fired an arrow into the mix of smoke engulfing the battlefield.
Melody drew an arrow from her quiver. "Long story."
"Always seems to be a long story with you!"
Well, he wasn't wrong. Melody nocked the arrow against the bowstring and raised the bow to eye level. As she drew back, she felt the tension on the bow and the strength it took her to maintain her hold. The steadiness in her hand and calm in her mind was like a fresh stream of confidence, one she hadn't felt in a long time. There was no trace of shakiness or crippling anxiety, only a fire and determination to see this battle through. For the first time in weeks, Melody felt like her normal self again.
Loosing the arrow into the thick cloud of smoke, Melody watched as it stabbed through an Exonian's leg, causing him to pitch over and fall, resulting in his fellows tripping over him and sprawling heavily too. She was in rare form, and it made her glad to see that she hadn't lost her touch just yet.
"Been a while since we did something like this together!" Oliver remarked as he too nocked and loosed another arrow. "We're a long way from archery class!"
Melody shot two more Exonian infantrymen down and her lightning quick reflexes pulled Oliver into the trench as the sounds of musketry flew over their heads. She missed feeling alive.
Cannonfire thundered overhead as the Coalition and the Imperial Horde exchanged salvos, punctuating the sky with great, flaming balls of fire. Many of the enemy's cannonballs were destroyed in mid air by the sorcerers before they could land on the field, saving countless defenders' lives. With the artillery taken care of by those on the walls, the Coalition skirmishers only needed to worry about the Exonian light infantry.
Somewhere over on the other side, an Exonian battery discharged another volley of round shot. This was followed by another six steel balls, which made twelve in total. Melody's heart leapt into her throat. There were too many of them for the League to deal with!
But that didn't stop the sorcerers on the wall. They hit the round shots with everything they had, neutralising them one by one as they soared through the air. Four were destroyed. Then seven. Then ten.
Melody felt hope rising as she watched. Come on, come on.
Another ball erupted in a brilliant flash of light with no debris, but the last ball flew out of the sorcerers' reach and arced towards the coast.
Melody's heart sank as desperation took hold. "No!" She shouted as the flaming cannonball plummeted out of sight.
ANNA
Anna sawed on the reins, and Ares neighed in displeasure as he was rudely forced to an abrupt halt by the coast outside the fortress walls. A long line of soldiers stretching as far as the eye could see, extending all the way to the ships and as far back as the interior of the fortress, then looping back again to form a long snake. The soldiers looked desperate to finally be on board, but were hampered by the stifling formalities of the Highlander navy. And not far from her was her husband, waiting with a man in a white uniform whom she presumed to be the captain of the fleet, and another Agrabanian envoy dressed in the traditional light brown robes of the culture.
The two girls dismounted and Anna took the scroll from the messenger. "Thanks," She beckoned to Talya who still looked incredibly uncomfortable, her body seeming to shrink in on itself as if she wanted to just melt away. "Come on!" Grudgingly, the envoy followed Anna as she made her way past the first few soldiers waiting in line and stopped before her husband and the two Agrabanians.
"I don't understand," Kristoff was still arguing as politely as he could with the two men. "My wife's busy overseeing the siege. Why do you have to drag her all the way down here when I have the authority to vouch for the Coalition?"
"I apologise, Your Royal Highness," One of the men who was wearing a smart white navy uniform tipped his peaked cap slightly. "I am aware you are Commander-in-Chief of the Coalition, but the King was very clear on his instructions."
"But why-"
"It's alright, Kristoff." Anna put her hand on her husband's arm.
Lapsing into silence, he deflated in relief. Politics had never been his strong suit.
"I presume you're in command of this fleet?" Anna asked the man in the white uniform, eyeing the three silver stars on each of his shoulders.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the officer said with a pleasant accent as he grandly swept the peaked cap off his head and bowed low. He was a middle aged gentleman with a friendly disposition and kind eyes that went well with his wind-burnt, tan features. "Vice Admiral Zayan of the Eighth Highlander Fleet, at your service."
"A pleasure to meet you. And you're…the King's envoy?" Anna asked the other man, who was tall, lean and dark-skinned like the Vice Admiral, with a neatly trimmed moustache and beard showing him up as a seasoned ambassador in his late forties.
"Yes, Your Majesty," The envoy bowed. "Ambassador Hassan Makal, dispatched by King Aladdin to grant your request and see the rescue through."
"My request?" Anna blinked, slightly puzzled. "I'm sorry, I think there might have been some confusion here. Let's start over," she handed the scroll to Hassan. "Why did you need me to come out here personally again? Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful to King Aladdin volunteering to help us."
It was the ambassador's turn to look perplexed. "Beg pardon, Ma'am?"
Bewildered, Anna turned to find Talya practically hiding behind her. "Talya! Can you sort this out with your colleague?"
"Colleague?" Hassan inquired, peering curiously at Talya. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, you have me at a loss for words. I was under the impression I was the only ambassador here."
"This is absurd. We're wasting time," Kristoff muttered but Anna shot him a sharp look.
"I'm confused. King Aladdin sent your colleague Talya ahead of your fleet to inform me about the navy's arrival," Anna said.
Hassan rubbed his beard as he stared at Talya, then back at Anna. "I am afraid you are mistaken, Ma'am. This was the Arendellian envoy you sent to request aid from King Aladdin."
"What?" Anna whirled to Talya. "Talya, what's going on?"
Talya had turned red. "I-"
"What the hell's going on?" Anna demanded. "Are you not an Agrabanian envoy sent by the King?"
"Miss, are you not an Arendellian envoy?" Hassan asked.
Before Talya could respond, Anna whirled back to Hassan and Vice Admiral Zayan. "She told me King Aladdin dispatched her to tell us that he was voluntarily extending aid to the Coalition. Was this not true?"
"Your Majesty, if I may," Hassan's face was set in a slight frown. "I think there's been a great misunderstanding here," He gestured at Talya. "This woman told the king she was an ambassador sent from Arendelle bearing the authority of Queen Anna, requesting aid from Agrabah to evacuate the Coalition out of Empire territory. The King agreed, on the condition that Queen Anna be the one to accept the arrival of the Eighth Highlander Fleet."
"What-" Anna found herself at a loss for words. "I didn't reach out to Agrabah! You mean to tell me this…this-" She glared at Talya. "Who the hell are you?"
By this time, even the soldiers in the line nearby had caught on to the commotion and all eyes were on them.
"Look, I can explain," Talya stuttered uncomfortably as everyone turned their attention to her.
"You'd better," Anger rose and she ignored the hand Kristoff placed on her shoulder. "You lied to me!"
"You lied to us!" Hassan exclaimed. "You lied to the sultan!"
"Look out!" Someone shouted, his warning echoed by the shouts and frantic yells of the soldiers.
"Get down!"
"Incoming!"
Anna whipped round and saw a flaming twelve pounder ball descending from the sky, plummeting in a deadly arc right at her.
The two Agrabanians exclaimed something in their language and dove off the coast and into the freezing waters.
"Down!" Kristoff pulled her to the snow and buried himself on top of her.
Anna gave her a loud squeak as the both of them hit the soft coast and covered her head with her hands. From the peripheral of her eye, she could see Talya still on her feet.
"Talya! Get down!" She screamed.
The girl ignored her and raised both hands to the sky.
Anna's eyes widened like saucers as she saw white streams of ice rocketing out of Talya's hands, meeting the falling cannonball in mid air with ferocious sorcery. The sheer force of Talya's ice disrupted the steel ball's velocity and held it in abeyance, the flames immediately vanquished by the subzero magic. Then with a grunt, Talya drew her arms back and jerked her hands in an outward motion as though she were tossing a handball. Her sorcery launched the twelve pound round shot towards the other end of the snow-covered beach which was empty, and the weapon that would've killed many tumbled harmlessly and rolled across the coast and stopped in the water.
Whooping cheers and applause filled the air as the soldiers all around began to rise and shouted their gratitude for the sorceress who'd saved them from what should have been certain death.
Talya lowered her hands, then sheepishly met Anna's eyes.
"What in-" Kristoff trailed off as he helped Anna to her feet.
"You're an Elemental Sorceress," Anna stared at Talya, her mouth gaping open in shock. Just like Elsa. "Who are you really?"
"Look, I'll explain everything but not right now," Talya said in a low voice. "I promise."
Anna exchanged another bewildered look with Kristoff who looked just as lost, then watched as Vice Admiral Zayan and Hassan climbed out of the freezing seawater.
"Get these men some blankets!" She shouted to the nearby soldiers, then mustered a smile as best as she could, turning to the shivering Vice Admiral and ambassador. "I'm sorry, it's all been a big misunderstanding but you have my authorisation to let the Coalition board the ships. Welcome to Fort Steinfall."