Chapter Ten.

An hora later Rusan approached Princess Aryn, Colonel Wiams, Captain Shearaj and Chief Engineer Drows who were all in earnest discussions about the following days agenda. Aryn, pointing to the seat next to her, passed Rusan a warm drink. Rusan was beyond upset, she was angry and incensed too.

“What have you discovered so far about our guest?” asked Aryn.

“Not the full story yet, but my Goddess, Princess, those Masonville animals must be stopped. Jena is fourteen, at least she thinks she is!”

“Doesn’t she know for certain?” asked Colonel Wiams.

“Not for definite, she’s an orphan, so birthdays were not celebrated, or even remarked upon.” Rusan gave vent to a great sob. “Oh Princess, you should see the state of her body! The scars, burn marks, she’s been lashed or whipped from her knees to her neck, some of the wounds are infected and your cousins are treating them at the moment! That poor wee mite, it seems she’s been raped repeatedly and continually for at least the last eighteen to twenty-four months.

Aryn spilt her drink and sat up straight looking at Rusan with a stunned expression on her face.

“Oh, Goddess, Nno!” exclaimed Captain Shearaj.

Rusan nodded sadly. “I couldn’t get the full gist of what she was trying to tell me; she’s shattered poor soul! She could barely string two words together at times, I think your cousins have now given her something to make her sleep so they can better assess her wounds. The best I can come up with is that she got into trouble with the authorities, I think she was involved in some civil unrest. She was caught, tried, sentenced all within a matter of horas, she was then sold to a Masonville soldier by the name of Art Strin!”

“So that’s where she got the name from!” muttered the Princess.

“Yes Highness!” nodded Rusan, “And, he may well have been the soldier we caught raping Srah and Jaz. She was his lackey, his cook, his cleaner, he treated her as his chattel! Raped her almost every night and was not averse to selling her favours to his fellow soldiers. She thinks she’s been pregnant at least twice, but each time she was kicked and beaten to induce a miscarriage, so she remained “ripe” as they termed it, for continued sexual relations! The bastards!” spat Rusan, as tears slid down her face. With a weary sigh Rusan added “There is a lot more to that girls story Highness, and we’ll have to wait until she’s a bit more rested, but I have a horrible, sickly feeling that she’s not the only girl who has been exposed to such brutal, degrading treatment!”

At that moment Princess Ayne was seen leaving the ambulance that housed Jena, Princess Urna and a couple of female militias acting as both orderlies and guards. She looked as drawn and upset as Rusan had when she first approached Aryn.

“How is she, Ayne?” asked Aryn as she passed her cousin a warm drink from the container at her feet.

“A mess, to be honest Aryn, a real mess!” Ayne growled. “I have never seen so much evidence of abuse on a single person, it amounts to torture inflicted by a sadist! How that girl’s will to live has survived such a prolonged catalogue of degradation I don’t know, I’m not sure I could have endured what she seems to have suffered. Someone, somewhere must be held to account!” She sat with her head slumped forward before looking up somewhat glassy eyed. “We’ve given her something to make her sleep, we’ve cleaned her wounds as best we can, but we need to get her back to the capital immediately. We can only do so much out here in the back of an ambulance. We’ll probably keep her well sedated for the next day or two, and hope her body can begin to repair itself, but I worry about her mind, she’s been through so much for one so young. Even though she’s asleep, she’s quite agitated and seems to be asking for you Rusan, she seems to have fixated on you!”

“Then, with your permission Highness, I will return to her side, she’s touched a nerve with me too, probably because of Jaz, and she reminds me so much of my girls I suppose!”

“Of course, Rusan, even though she’s technically our enemy, I will never forget her fear filled eyes and the wails she emitted, but we’re planning to take her back to the capital with us tomorrow, can you come with us? We already owe you a great debt of thanks and I’m sure my mother will love to exchange anecdotes with you about the problems of raising two girls! But I think Jena needs you at this point in her life, probably more than anything else we can do for her, you are important for her and probably her sanity!”

Rusan was already standing, “As much as I want to be there for the funerals of my friends, I feel a tie to that girl. I cannot abandon her in her hour of need, the requirements of the living outweigh those of the dead! Plus, it will give me a chance to spend a bit more time with my girls, so yes Highness, I will attend to Jena, not that an old shepherdess like me can do much to care for her, but I’ll be at her side for as long as she needs me!”

Aryn stood and embracing Rusan she said quietly, “You are an amazing woman Rusan, thank you for everything you have done for Granaria, you will need a great deal of physical and mental stamina to be the help that our young friend will need in the coming days, weeks and months!”

“Ayne also stood back up and hugged Rusan, “Yes, thank you Rusan. You can always sleep in the cot next to Jena, we can slide it right next to hers for tonight if needs be, then you can sit inthe ambulance with her tomorrow!”

A tearful Rusan just nodded to both these young women, then with a strangled, “Good night, all!” she left the group and climbed into the back of the ambulance.

As they all settled back down to finish their drinks Caryn came from the radio truck and sat next to her sister.

“I have just finished messaging the palace. The Queen sends her regards to you all and looks forward to your return to the capital and will rest easier once we are all safely back in the palace compound and can make our reports in person. She suggests that our cargo is disguised as best we can, and to time our return to the capital to be in the hours of darkness. Our intelligence service thinks it’s highly likely that Masonville has operatives keeping an eye on the capital and the palace in particular. If we time our arrival to the wee small hours, the roads will be quiet, and any observers will be that much easier to spot. If we can confirm our approach time, she will ensure that we have the roads closed off to ensure we can get our cargo into the palace compound as safely and as quickly as possible! Less chance of Masonville interfering, and less chance of injuries to our own people should the enemy mount an attack!”

“Sounds sensible Highness!” said the Colonel. “I’d rather keep as low a profile as we can, the rumours will no doubt spread whether we like it or not, but the fewer eyewitnesses to our convoy the better!”

“Definitely, Highness!” agreed the Chief “Plus, we’re going to have to travel sedately anyway, just to ensure we get back to base without any mishaps. As you have seen, it looks like we have an extra-long box body on the back of the lorry, and with the number of tarpaulins covering it no- one can look in and see what we have on board. But we’ll need to be extra vigilant the closer we get back to the palace compound. I think if we format the convoy, so it looks that our precious cargo is, well, anything but precious, then so much the better. We all know the steadier the pace of the lead vehicles the easier it is on those further down the convoy. That way we can ensure we are closed-up with minimal distance between each vehicle, the more concentrated our convoy, the better our response will be should anyone be foolish enough to mess with us. In theory! Plus, the less time it’ll take us all to pass any trouble spots!” she added with a half-smile.

“Agreed, I think you’ve all made sensible points and they’re the same ones I had thought of myself! Right, everyone, let’s try and get some sleep, it’ll be dawn before we know it!” said Aryn.

Some three horas later the original convoy had been marshalled into position and had already cleared the crest of the valley that had witnessed so much tension and been adjacent to so much death and destruction. About a third of way back from the lead vehicle was a nondescript lorry that bore a slightly larger than usual cargo. Three vehicles further back was marshalled an ambulance containing a sleeping Jena who had briefly woken a couple of times, and who, once she was sure Rusan was by her side, settled back into restless sleep, with awful images stampeding through her dreams. In the centre of the convoy was the second ambulance in a position of honour, carrying as it did the mortal remains of the innocent shepherding family, ready to transport them home. As the original convoy headed back towards civilisation, the reinforcements sent by the Queen were tacked onto the tail end of the consist.

As they reached the junction where the road diverged, one way to Willowton, the other to Riventon. People working in the fields were amazed as the approaching cloud of dust, slowly resolved itself into a seemingly endless array of vehicles. All sorts of rumours had been circulating as the passage of a vast array of traffic had been seen heading up into the high country over the previous days, now, it seemed that all those vehicles were returning to the capital, just what was going on?

What was also apparent were the small flotillas of Granaria’s aircraft, circling high overhead keeping a constant vigil on the road convoy. At least twice that day, single engine, canvas biplanes aircraft were seen to chase off sleeker and faster aircraft that seemed to belong to Masonville.

At least no-one paid any particular attention to an innocuous lorry with an extraordinary cargo securely fastened to its deck and completely hidden from view.

Two horas after the last inn had evicted its final drinker, the convoy drew up on the approaches to the capital city. The convoy was quickly and quietly reformatted into three columns rather than single file as had been necessary on the smaller country roads. The centre row consisted of the larger vehicles, the flatbed trucks, the winch vehicles, the ambulance and troop trucks towing the artillery pieces that had proved so essential during the exchanges with the Masonville forces up in the mountains. On either side of these were ranged the smaller troop-carrying vehicles and the motorcycle outriders. No matter how tired they were, every member of the convoy was at full readiness, firearms at the ready, all hoping and praying that they would soon be safely ensconced within the barracks and catching up on much needed sleep.

At the shining of a series of bright lamps facing back down the convoy from the lead vehicles, the procession started the final leg of their journey to the palace, would there be any interference from representatives paid by foreign powers? Well, they’d soon find out.

Chapter Eleven.

The streets were quiet and relatively deserted as the convoy made its way towards the palace.

The rumble of so many engines inevitably drew people from their beds to twitch open their curtains to see what was going on. Most thought it was the various forces returning to their bases after manoeuvres up in the hills. Whilst others wondered if the happenings in the sky of a few days ago had anything to do with events passing their windows. The convoy made its way to the centre of the capital and the palace without interruption, as they drew closer and closer to their base, so more of the junctions were closed off to prevent any late-night traffic impeding its journey.

The further into the centre of the city they travelled, the buildings they passed slowly changed from those of a residential nature to those of a more commercial status. Shops, stores, offices and those of an industrial nature, although these were relatively few and far between. The closer the convoy got to the palace, so the tension increased as they would have to cross an open square with taller buildings around its perimeter.
The plan called for the escort vehicles to fan out across the square leaving the heavier vehicles to enter the palace gates unimpeded, traversing to its rear compound and the garages. The troops deployed around the edge of the square tried their best to scan doorways, windows and rooftops for any signs of a threat, whilst others deployed on the roof of the palace did their best to spot any signs of a hazard, not easy to do in the dead of night and the moon Atos obscured by clouds.

With the lead heavy vehicles almost halfway across the square, a red signal lamp was observed frantically flashing from the palace roof. The heavy vehicles accelerated to attain the relative safety of the palace grounds. Princess Aryn ordered her vehicle to pull to the side of the roadway by the palace gates as the loud crack of a high-powered firearm was heard and a bullet slammed into the bonnet of her vehicle and a cloud of steam hissed from the shattered radiator.

Next was heard the almost simultaneous firing of two mortars and flares arced their way into the sky illuminating the square in their stark, bright white light. Meanwhile the princess was struggling to get back to her feet, only to be held firmly down by her bodyguards. Other bullets were fired and struck several trucks including the lead lorry and one of the escort soldiers tumbled from the vehicle landing on the roadway.

Moments later the “Brrrr” of a heavy calibre machine gun was heard being fired from the palace roof, striking the roof of a large store halfway down the lefthand side of the square, a second burst shattered several of the upper story windows of the same building.

Almost immediately several escort vehicles screeched to a halt in front of the store, within moments the front doors were blasted open and windows were shattered, with members of Granaria’s armed forces streaming inside. Several bursts of gunfire were heard from the interior, before a soldier appeared waving his arm to signify the coast was clear and there was no longer a threat, from that building at least. All the while this was happening, the centre column of the convoy continued to race through the palace gates and to the relative safety of the rear compound.

Just as Princess Aryn was being allowed to rise to her feet, three bodies were dragged from the store and arrayed on the pavement outside its doors. The princess was unceremoniously escorted towards one of the troop carry lorries about to enter the palace gates and she was hastily shoved in the back despite her protestations.

At this point flames were seen to gain a larger hold on the top floor of the store, and, as the last heavy vehicle reached the security of the palace, the two flares slowly burned themselves out and the square was once more enveloped in darkness. A third flare was quickly fired skywards to assist the security teams combing the square for any further threat.

The body of the shot Granaria trooper was placed onto a stretcher before being loaded onto a personnel vehicle and driven into the palace.

The local fire service, whose main station was also situated in the square were quickly on the scene of the burning store, which despite their best efforts was soon fiercely ablaze with thick smoke enveloping the square as it lazily drifted in the breeze. All they were able to do was prevent the spread of the fire to adjacent structures, even though some were scorched by the heat.

The bodies of the three snipers were thrown onto the back of an empty flatbed truck and escorted into the palace.

Crowds of civilian onlookers were held back at all the entranceways to the square, until all the buildings could be checked to ensure no further threats to life and property were hidden from view. It wasn’t until daylight that security was relaxed, and life returned to something approaching normality.

Within the palace itself some semblance of order was maintained as investigations were undertaken into who, if anyone was hurt, what damage had been inflicted and that the extraordinary item was still safe and secure and under rigid armed guard to prevent further attacks.

Amongst those escorted into the body of the palace itself were the three princesses, the shepherd Rusan and her charge Jena who was still clinging to her like a limpet.

Later that morning a roll call established that everyone of the forces despatched to recover the artifacts was safe and accounted for, with the exception of the shot soldier, Trooper Eily Rast, who had died from a single bullet that had pierced her heart. A feeling of relief that no-one else had been hurt was tempered with the anger felt at the loss of a beloved comrade, especially within sight of the palace gates and safety.

Meanwhile Queen Adred and Prime Minister Pellinore received a full debrief from those in charge of the recovery mission. They both felt rising anger at the audacity of Masonville and its leaders, and deep concern of the events of the last seventy-two horas. Princess Aryn didn’t think she’d ever seen her mother so angry. However, that view was soon to change!

Chapter Twelve.

In the main receiving room of the palace, two heavy doors swung open and a herald banged his mace on the floor. “All stand, all observe Her Royal Majesty Queen Adred the Fourth, Queen of Granaria, all observe The Duchess Pellinore, Prime Minister of Granaria, all who seek audience please make themselves known to Her Majesties Chamberlain!” thundered the Chamberlain, Dalno Glessa.

“Yes, yes, I have been kept waiting for too long” said a tall thin man in the dress uniform of a General of Masonville’s’ Armed Forces as he strode forward pushing several of his aides out of his way as he approached the Queen.

Immediately four guards unsheathed their swords and amassed themselves in front of the General.

“My apologies your Highness, I meant no offence!” smirked the General. “I have grown impatient whilst awaiting an audience, perhaps you did not get my request for an urgent meeting?” he stated with an emphasis on the “Urgent!”.

The Queen sat on her throne with her sister by her right hand.

“Am I to understand the Ambassador asked for an urgent audience Duchess?” the Queen asked her sister.

“Not so much asked, your Majesty, he demanded is the wording he used!”

“I thought that’s what you said,” responded the Queen, glaring at the Ambassador.

“Perhaps the Duchess didn’t fully grasp the urgency with which I made my request!” sneered the Ambassador.

“So, you are accusing my sister of failing to pass on your request, or perhaps you are accusing her of stupidity?” snarled the Queen.

“No! No your Majesty, I meant no such inference, it is just I had been instructed to seek an audience with your Majesty as a matter of urgency!” replied the Ambassador toning down his attitude a little.

“Well sir, for your information, I did receive your request, and I am here, but I will have you and your masters understand that I will attend to your requests for an audience when it is convenient to me, my ministers and my nation, I AM NOT HERE AT YOUR BECK AND CALL! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!” thundered the Queen.

“Majesty, I came on an issue of great-”

“I ASKED IF YOU UNDERSTOOD ME?” snarled the Queen, “Because Sir, if you cannot grasp that principal, perhaps you should return to your master and be relieved of your duties if they are beyond your level of comprehension!” the Queen interrupted.

Looking very red in the face the Ambassador lowered his head,

“My apologies your Majesty, I meant no offence!”

“I should hope not sir!” the Queen replied with a hard edge to her voice. “Now sir, what do you want. I have many demands on my time, so quickly man, quickly!” she ordered.

The Ambassador coughed into his hand.

“If it please your Majesty, certain items belonging to the nation of Masonville and its exalted leaders have inadvertently landed on your country and we seek their return immediately. We will of course pay for any damage caused and all recovery costs!”

The Queen sat back on her throne and stared at the Ambassador.

“Your property you say?”

“Yes, your Majesty, our property!” he answered feeling he was over the initial antagonism evident at the start of the meeting.

“And what property are we talking about exactly?” pressed the Queen.

“Oh nothing of any note your Majesty, just some insignificant items that would be of no interest to yourselves!” answered Masonville’s’ representative feeling increasing confidence.

“So, you are telling me you are going to pay Granaria good money to recover property of yours, items that have little or no value?”

“That is correct your Majesty, we just do not wish to litter your country with our rubbish!”

The Queen turned to her sister.

“Duchess, have we had reports of anything from a foreign nation landing within our realm?”

“Well, your Majesty!” replied Pellinore, “Perhaps the gentleman is referring to the remains of two aircraft, several lorries, at least three artillery pieces and the mortal remains of just over thirty of Masonville’s military!”

“Well, there you go sir, it seems your masters were worried for no reason, we will return the mortal remains, at cost, when you can provide us with details of exactly who and what your leader is referring too, AND, A VERY GOOD REASON AS TO WHAT THEY WERE ALL DOING ON SOVEREIGN GRANARIAN TERRITORY, YOU CAN LIASE WITH MY CHANCELLOR! This concludes our audience, and I am sure you have plenty of other important demands on your time!”

The Ambassador spluttered.

“Your Majesty I must protest, we know other items belonging to Masonville have landed in your countryside! Items other than those you have just referred too!”

The Queen stared at him as she visibly grew more and more irate by his arrogance.

“So sir! You are accusing my minister of lying are you, and I would recommend you think very carefully about your answer!” she glowered at him.

“No, of course not your Majesty, I meant no such disrespect!”

“I should hope not sir!”

“Perhaps your minister is lacking the latest information!” he answered trying to extricate himself from the hole he had dug. “I am sure my master would be more than happy to help Granaria’s limited resources in recovering our property.”

“Let me get this right sir, you are now accusing us of incompetence and offering to invade a Sovereign Neighbour, in violation of several treaties that both nations have signed and ratified over the years,.” The Queen said raising the pitch of her voice.

“No, No your Majesty, I am merely offering to help expedite this apparent misunderstanding between our nations!” said the Ambassador, “I meant no disrespect!”

“You keep saying that sir, but you keep making the same mistake, perhaps this task is above your competence!” responded the Queen.

“I am merely passing on the message my masters insist I deliver, we will have the return of our ALL our property as soon as possible, whilst maintaining the good relations our two nations share!” reiterated the Ambassador.

“Is that so?” said the queen thoughtfully!

“Of course, your Majesty!” smiled back Masonville’s representative.

“Well sir, I suggest you return to that embassy of yours and speak again with your masters. I have several questions that I want answering immediately, One, ask them, why they committed an act of aggression by sending an armed force into Granaria’s lands! Two, why they cold-bloodedly murdered four of our soldiers who were manning an observation post on our own territory? Three, why they cold-bloodedly murdered a hill shepherd and his family including raping his wife and teenaged daughter? Four, why they attacked our deputation, who were supposedly under the protection of a flag of truce, a truce requested by your forces? Five, why were armed individuals situated within a business owned by an individual from Masonville who proceeded to launch an attack within the very square outside my palace killing another of my troops. And finally, six, do they require the return of the bodies of at least thirty members of their own armed forces left in the hills? Do you think you can remember all that sir, or shall we write you a list?” the Queen demanded thumping the arm of her thrown with each point she made.

“I, err, I, err! I have no knowledge of anything you have just mentioned your Majesty, I am sure there has been a misunderstanding somewhere!” spluttered the Ambassador.

“Yes sir, there has been an almighty misunderstanding somewhere along the lines, one of which is what made your masters think you were a worthy Ambassador to this court!” stated the Queen with a hard edge in her voice.

“My masters will not be happy with your response your Majesty, I am sure they will withdraw any trade we have with you until such time as we have the return of ALL our property and assets, we shall cease export of all machinery!” the Ambassador answered with a sneer.

“Well sir!” said the Queen rising to her feet, “Before I gain the impression that you are threatening me within my own Court, within MY OWN palace, I suggest you leave and you may tell your masters that they may eat their machinery as, of this moment, Granaria ceases all exports of grain and other foodstuffs to Masonville, so, Master at Arms, show this gentleman the door and ensure he leaves this palace, I am sick of the sight of his face, so I suggest he goes before he displeases me any further!”

The master at arms along with four soldiers stepped forward with their swords drawn,

“This way sir! We wouldn’t want you to fall down the outside steps, now would we sir!”

And the spluttering and indignant Ambassador along with his aides were led from the throne room, with his increasingly irate voice fading into the distance.

The Queen swept from the throne room and quickly arrived at her private sitting room. Pellinore sat opposite her,

“Well, that didn’t quite go as I expected!” she said to the elder sister.

“Nor me really, I was already more than ready to give him a piece of my mind with the news we had received from the area of the crash site. But the arrogance of the man just asked to be treated with the same disrespect they have shown this country!” the Queen replied taking a sip of the cup of tea she’d just been given by one of her ladies in waiting.

They both sat quietly musing over the last few hours events.

“Right!” said the Queen sitting forward. “Pellinore, will you ensure that our security is in place, I don’t think we’ve heard the last from Masonville or its representatives, I want that artifact brought into the loading dock of the palace where we can keep a close eye on things until we can investigate more fully what we have in our possession. I am also interested in that young girl who was taken prisoner, I want to know what she knows about events within Masonville!”

“Yes, Adred, I shall get right on it, I’ll speak to you later!”

With that Pellinore left the room and the Queen, who remained sat in deep contemplation at all the recent events.