The Union

Bernard walked with hands tugged behind on his Geraldine . His peers called Geraldine an old and creaky galley . That might have some truth to it . Geraldine was built many years ago and was actually first captained by his uncle . Now Geraldine belonged to him and the flagship of his squadron . But soon, Geraldine might rest at the bottom of this river .

"Praise to the Omniscient lads!" Bernard declared to the crew of Geraldine "Anyone wants to p.i.s.s first before we start the battle?"

"I"ll just do it here sire . It"ll just drip into the river anyway"

"Oi! Geraldine"s deck is not for p.i.s.sing"

Laughter followed and Bernard smiled . He pointed to the knights advancing towards the fort . "Gift our guests a single barrage . Be careful not to hit the defenders instead"

"h.e.l.lfire barrage!" The artillery officer of Geraldine shouted . Similar orders were received by the other galleys .

"Three hundred and a half paces from the trench" The artillery engineer mumbled while looking at his measurement table . He looked towards the sails "Wind going east, moderate speed . Give it seven clicks and forty degrees"

The two catapults mounted on Geraldine"s deck were angled forty degrees towards the advancing knights . The springs were heaved seven clicks . The other galleys also adjusted their aims with their own distances and angles from the targets . The pots of h.e.l.lfire with burning wicks were loaded into the catapults and with Bernard"s order, the whole squadron released their wrath . The projectiles arched and then fell into the knights . Bernard couldn"t help but praise his sailors . People think that h.e.l.lfire was the reason of Vanadis" dominance at sea . They often forget that the primary reason were the sailors themselves . His sailors are professionals . The engineers were taught with the latest theory in mathematics . Their measuring tables were accurate and their minds were sharp . The sailors were one with the galleys, handpicked among recruits .

"Well that"s all we can spare them" Bernard said . He looked towards the approaching Lutani galleys "Fire when they are in range"

The artillerymen again adjusted the aims of the catapults .

"Nine clicks and thirty-five degrees" His siege engineer shouted to the crew manning the catapults .

"Ten clicks, twenty degrees" Bernard heard the engineer of the neighboring galley .

The creaking of torsion was loud as the crew adjusted and loaded the catapults . The Lutani ships were heaving their oars, splashing the river as they go . Their hulls made creases in the river, long and straight . The sails were raised as the wind turned in their favor .

Bernard bit his lips but maintained his unafraid demeanor . He must not show fear, not in front of his sailors he will not . He looked to the fort . The pretty girl inside should be suffering even worse problems than him . This was her first time taking personal command . He will not dishonor the Vanadian navy by showing a hint of his fear . If she could do it, so could he .

The catapults kicked their projectiles high . Bernard had seen meteors before and the projectiles look just like that . But unlike meteors which bring awe and wonder, the burning h.e.l.lfire pots bring death and destruction .

Eleven Lutani galleys were hit . Three of them burned and were sinking while the others were damaged . Poor show, Bernard thought . The earlier barrage against the knights had a better accuracy . He couldn"t blame his engineers though . The Vanadian navy longed for the ocean . The river wasn"t their field .

"Reload!" Bernard ordered, shouting in his coa.r.s.e voice .

The catapults again adjusted their aims . Some were quicker than others . The result was more satisfying to watch this time . Six more Lutani galleys burned while more than a dozen were damaged . The Lutani sailors jumped into the river to avoid a fiery death . But true to its name, h.e.l.lfire doesn"t permit respite .

"Continue the barrage and sail upriver!"

The Vanadian galleys oared upstream . It was grueling and slow as the flow was against them . Several more Lutani galleys were sunk by the catapults but the distance had shortened . If caught, the Lutani sailors would throw grapnels and board them . While this battle would surely degrade into hand to hand in the end, Bernard wanted as many Lutani galleys sunk by the h.e.l.lfire as possible .

The steady beating of drums was the steady heaves of oars . The nearest Lutani galleys loosed bolts upon them . Some Vanadians were hit but they retaliated with their own arrows . This remained for a while until four Vanadian galleys were grappled . The Lutanis began to board the four galleys .

Bernard knew that their advantage in range had disappeared . It was time for some old time hand to hand combat .

"Reverse course" Bernard announced . The order was repeated to other galleys through flags .

Geraldine"s oarsmen rowed towards the Lutani galleys . The wind blew south, a welcomed gift from the Omniscient . Geraldine angled its bow towards a single Lutani galley .

The creaking was loud when Geraldine hit the side of the Lutani . It was like an explosion with splinters of wood flying high . A huge gaping hole was inflicted upon the Lutani . The whole ship rocked like a bamboo . Some sailors fell into the water . Looking at the hole, Bernard knew it was over for the galley . One fewer enemy to deal with .

Geraldine tried to waddle back and find another target but another Lutani caught eye of it . The Lutani sailed closer and grapnels were thrown onto Geraldine"s deck . Geraldine was pulled towards a Lutani and a plank was laid between the two ships . The Lutani sailors started to board .

"Swords!" Bernard shouted . The Vanadians, except the artillerymen who were still raining h.e.l.lfire upon the enemies, rushed towards the plank . The first foolish Lutani to step onto Geraldine"s deck was cut immediately . The next three also suffered the same fate . But the next ones were able to present a solid a.s.sault . Clash of steel rang on Geraldine"s deck .

Bernard held on to his sword . He wasn"t good at this with his heavy steps and awkward movements . But like any other sailor in the Vanadian navy, he was prepared to do his duty to Her Majesty Lucia . He was afraid, he was honest enough to admit that . But the Lutanis would have to bite though his blade before he gives up Geraldine to them .

The melee was fierce . Blood began to smear the wooden deck . Vanadian blood, Lutani blood- all of them hued red, all had the smell of iron in them . Geraldine"s crews were being pushed back and Bernard had sent all his reserves . Two Lutani galleys were now trying to board Geraldine . Outnumbered and fighting on two sides, it would only be a matter of time before Bernard"s flagship falls . Emily owes him a chance of courtship in the afterlife, he thought .

He looked around . Three of the twelve Vanadian galleys had fallen . The others, just like Geraldine, were being boarded by multiple Lutani galleys . He just sighed and accepted his imminent death .

Bernard then looked towards the melee on his ship . He gripped his blade firm and rushed towards the fighting . His personal guards joined . They ran with fury in their eyes and the sharpness of their sword in their hands . Bernard would have to cut down as many as he could . They wanted Geraldine . He wasn"t willing to give it to them without a steep price .

But before they made contact, horns sounded . They belonged to the Lutani galleys . The long and shrill melody was familiar to Bernard . It was a signal for a retreat . The Lutanis trying to board Geraldine retreated to their ships . The grapnels were cut loose and the two galleys backed away .

Confused, Bernard started looking around for answers . As his look angled west, he saw the reason .

**********

Emily doesn"t know what to do . The first trench had fallen . The gate fell after just a few hit of their rams . The knights then burst into the gate with their rams . Emily"s men tried to hold but were slaughtered . Hundreds of her men lay dead and many more were bleeding . Only the Castonians and some courageous lads were fighting until the bitter end .

"The Omniscient is with us!" Emily shouted while gripping the flag of Tulosa in her hand . She doesn"t know if her act was helping boost their morale but those who routed were again defending the gate . Her hand was tired and her throat hurt from shouting .

"It is over for us right?" She asked secretly to her Royal Guard, begging for the cruel and grim confirmation .

"We will defend you to the end Your Majesty"

Many of her people were being cut down by the knights . She did this to them . She didn"t know anything about defending a fort but she did anyway . She was a stupid little girl who thought that she could match Erik and Henry . In the end their efforts would be in vain and she would either be captured or executed . Emily wondered what Erik and Henry"s reactions would be . They would probably think of her as foolish . Maybe they would feel pity for her . It doesn"t matter now . She wouldn"t know anyway .

Several blasts of horn both sounded from the attacking knights and the Lutani ships . Even though she was still new to this, she knew that the signal was to retreat . The knights attacking her men retreated to whence they came . They were in haste .

Confused, Emily looked to her veteran guard for answers . The aged guard was looking to the west with eyes wide . Emily traced the guard"s look and soon she shared the shock .

They lined as far as the eye could see . They filled the horizon like stars in a dark night . They were fast, charging in their horses . They were endless . All of them were on horseback and flying different banners .

"We held" Emily said in her little voice .