Chapter Twenty-eight.

Field Marshall Eydis (aka General Brandr) breezed into the throne room of Queen Adred’s palace. He was resplendent in his best dress uniform, the gold buttons and braid glinted in the bright sunlight that slanted into the room from the windows at his back, given how new the uniform was, it was no wonder the gold and brass gleamed.

His eight large and muscular aides also prowled around the room as if they owned the premises, the largest of whom Major Gaballa stood close to Brandr’s right shoulder. They were currently the only occupants of the throne room; this was going to be too easy! These women had no idea of who they were dealing with, he’d return home to a hero’s welcome, with all the debris that was theirs by right, then he’d deal with that idiot Signi, he’d been a thorn in his side for too long now, it was about time he was dealt with!

The group gathered in the centre of the room.

“Right men!” whispered the general, “You all have your orders and know the plan, show these people no mercy, anyone gets in your way, then despatch them without a moment’s hesitation. We’ll be in and out of here before these idiots have any idea what is going on, by this time tomorrow we’ll be back in President Signi’s presence and you will all be awarded a hero’s welcome and be more than amply rewarded for your actions today, so keep alert! So, places men!”

The Queen had a reputation for keeping people waiting for an audience, he hoped she wouldn’t keep him waiting too long, he had things to do, places to be and wheels to set in motion. General Brandr and Major Gaballa stood in front of the throne, waiting for the Queen to eventually show up!

Within ten munts the doors to the throne swung open and an armed guard of soldiers entered and formed up around the room. Brandr looked on with barely concealed disdain. These too were all in best uniforms and being only young females, these Granaria bitches deserved to be taken down a notch or two. Him and his men were just the ones to do it, perhaps he’d take some of these young females back with him, it would be good to provide his men with a few fresh playthings, the problem with the state of the lower classes at the moment was that the tarts his men seized didn’t seem to have much staying power. His virile favourites certainly wore a girl out quickly these days, but that was a problem that he may well be able to resolve, for a while at least, these uniformed tarts would make a nice distraction.

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!” roared Chamberlain Dalno Glessa.

Brandr plastered his best sycophantic smile to his face and moved towards the Queen. That was his first mistake of the day, the two sentries guarding her majesty’s person lowered their spears to his chest level.

The chamberlain also moved to be in front of the Queen.

“If you please Sir, stand your ground, your credentials first!”

Brandr stepped back; he could afford to play their games for a short while. He snatched the proffered documents from Gaballa’s hands. He then handed across his ambassadorial credentials signed and sealed by Signi the previous day. Chamberlain Glessa scrutinised the paperwork, before he turned to offer them to Duchess Pellinore, before she too handed them on, this time to Queen Adred, she then studied the documentation.

“Welcome Field Marshal Eydis, I hope sir you fare better than your immediate predecessors, but tell me sir, I always thought that Field Marshal was a purely ceremonial rank within the Masonville military and diplomatic corps?”

“You are indeed correct your Majesty, up until recently it has been a rank bestowed upon individuals who have given long and loyal service to the nation of Masonville, however, President Signi wished to reinvigorate the title, and our glorious leader has seen fit to bestow such an exalted rank upon myself, his most humble servant.”

“Is that so sir, tell me, how come we here in Granaria have not heard of your past service? We assumed we knew of most, if not all the upper echelons of Masonville’s military commanders?” asked the Queen with an arched eyebrow.

“With respect your Majesty.” said Brandr, and, unable to avoid getting in a little dig. “I cannot be held accountable for any failings within your intelligence gathering service, although to be fair I have rarely served within Masonville, most of my service to our great nation has been as a representative at other courts than those in this immediate area of Villiar.”

The individual who had been introduced as the Duchess Pellinore stepped to the Queen’s side and carefully displayed to her a folder, indicating several parts of a document of some description with her finger. Brandr had heard a lot about the Queen’s sister, she’d a reputation for being a sharp and ruthless individual, he’d have to watch her carefully, but all things being equal he’d soon be away from this place and could inaugurate his own schemes to further his ambitions, he just had to deal with this bunch of mainly amateurs first.

The Queen nodded to her sister, agreeing with whatever she’d been shown.

“Excuse me Field Marshal, I am sure you are used to the requirements of government! Chamberlain, please arrange for refreshments to be brought in for us all.” smiled the Queen at her aide who promptly nodded to the herald who tapped his mace on the floor twice.

“Now, tell me Field Marshal Eydis, what has brought such an exalted individual such as yourself to our humble court?”

“Well, your Majesty, it seems our scientific community, whilst conducting research that would ultimately benefit all the peoples of Villiar, inadvertently deposited the waste from an experiment onto the lands of your own nation. Now, obviously, we of Masonville are eager to recover the detritus of our experiment to learn what we can from the remains. Now, your Majesty, we of Masonville are ready to obtain our property, but never let it be said we are not a fair and honest people, so we are willing to make full and fair reparations to anyone who has suffered any loss or damage from our scientists, and their negligent but ultimately honourable experiments!”

At that moment a phalanx of serving girls entered the throne room and each approached someone who was already in the room. Everyone from the Queen down was offered a gold goblet containing some sort of refreshment, most taking the offered drink. The woman who stood to the left of Brandr was possibly the eldest woman in the room, so he assumed she was the senior waitress. He waved her offer of a gold goblet of wine away, but she simply stood there smiling at him inanely.

Now this was getting annoying!

The Queen sipped from her goblet, seeming to savour the flavours of the drink. “A fair and honest people you say Field Marshal?”

“Of course, your Majesty!” sneered Brandr “As the pre-eminent nation of Villiar, we of Masonville pride ourselves as being a just and honourable people! We know for a fact that elements of your militia undertook an expedition into the foothills of the mountain ranges that separate our two countries, and whilst there they removed property that rightly belongs to Masonville and we will Majesty, have the return of that property! Artifacts that even now, lie within your palace compound! Now Majesty, do you really want to take on the might of Masonville over such insignificant pieces of junk, junk that is meaningless to anyone other than our scientists?”

“Well, Field Marshal, forgive me, but, that statement sounds very much like a threat, a threat from someone who claims to represent a just and honest people, a nation that claims to be friends of us here in Granaria, is that an accurate interpretation of your statement?” Stated the Queen lowering her goblet and placing it on the arm of her throne.

What was it with this woman who just stood there smiling at Brandr, she was really beginning to get on his nerves.

“I cannot be responsible for how you choose to interpret my words your Majesty, I will just reiterate that we of Masonville will not be held accountable to you or any other bunch of pathetic women, now, you could have accepted proper recompense for your losses, but not any longer, NOW MEN, NOW!!!”

Chaos then broke out within the throne room. Weapons appeared from within the folds of ceremonial tunics all over the throne room. Muffled cries and gasps were heard from various groups of individuals. Several gunshots rang out as Brandr’s men attempted to overpower the main dignitaries and their guards.

Unbeknownst to those of Masonville, the beverage within the goblets most had imbibed from contained a mild sedative, whilst not enough to seriously drug them, it was enough to slow down their reflexes. Those who had managed to draw their concealed weapons were now lying in pools of blood, of the five sprawled on the floor, three would never draw breath again. The sixth had two firearms rammed into his temples. The seventh was face down on the floor, his nose, arm and hand obviously broken and was moaning with pain.

One of the “waitresses” was nursing a wound to her upper right arm.

Meanwhile Brandr and his aide Gaballa had seized the two waitresses that had been stood either side of them, both women were held in the firm grasps of the two men, who had both in rigid neck holds.

“Now that was stupid your Majesty!” sneered Brandr. “Now before we have to take unfortunate action against these two innocent servants of yours, I suggest you get everyone to back o..f....f...”

Brandr sailed through the air before fingers entwined themselves into his scalp, as he landed on the ground, he felt the sharp blade of a knife lightly run across his throat before the point of the blade dug deeply into his neck, next to his jugular vein, blood seeped not only from the scratch across his skin, but from the point of the knife being pushed ever more firmly into his neck. The knee of the waitress was rammed into his shoulders.

“Now General, I suggest you keep that big mouth of yours shut, because I am desperate to repay you for the misery your people have inflicted on many of my friends!” whispered the grey-haired waitress.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the leader of his assassination squad, Major Gaballa lying on the floor, his neck obviously broken, a puddle of urine seeping from his trousers, as the light faded from his eyes.

Brandr’s arms were roughly rammed behind his back and metal restraints placed around his wrists.

“Let me go you silly bitches, you can’t touch me, I have diplomatic immunity!”

The Queen and Pellinore stepped forward as Brandr was roughly dragged to his feet by his hair. The Queen and her sister both stared at Brandr, then looked at each other, smirked, and then turned their attention back on Brandr.

“Diplomatic immunity you say?” asked the Queen.

“Yes, diplomatic bloody immunity, now if you know what’s good for you, you’ll let me, and my men go!”

“Is that so General?”

“Yes, once President Signi gets to hear of your attack on me and my party, then he will undoubtedly seek full redress from this poxy little nation of yours, my diplomatic despatch will be sure to tell him exactly what befell my men and myself here today! This is nothing short of an outrage, I shall . . . “

“Oh, do shut up, you are giving me an earache!” said Rusan, for that was who was the “waitress” who had been stood at his side and had her knife in his neck. With a quick wrench, she tore his pocket handkerchief from his uniform jacket and stuffed in into his mouth.

“So General Brandr, you are claiming diplomatic immunity?” asked Duchess Pellinore.

Brandr furiously nodded his head, his eyes almost out on stalks.

“So General Brandr is claiming diplomatic immunity your Majesty, should we acquiesce to his plea?”

Brandr’s face was now a lovely shade of puce, to add to his wide-eyed head nodding.

“Well, I suppose we had better conform to international law, Duchess, but I would like to inspect the general’s letter of appointment again if I may?”

The duchess made a great display of searching through the documents in her hands.

“I’m sorry your Majesty, it seems that General Brandr has not been appointed as ambassador to your court, Field Marshal Eydis is the official Masonville ambassador, if he will attend your Majesty’s court and vouch for the General, then we can release the General into his custody ready for his expulsion from Granaria.”

Brandr stopped moving his head and looking skyward screwed his eyes shut in frustration.

“If I may just point a few things out to the General your Majesty. If he cares to look over there to his left, just to the side of the tapestry, there is a cine film camera that has captured his every action since the moment he and his men entered the Throne room, if he looks to his right, to the other side of the tapestry, there is a second cine camera, and then, if he cares to glance above the throne, there is a third camera, now this one is a very special camera as this one also captures sound. So, your Majesty, I think it will be well within our rights to send copies of all the film we have shot this morning to President Signi and ask him if he wishes the General returned to his office for punishment for this unprecedented attack on a sovereign nation and a blatant attempt to seize the ruler of a free and independent society, an act tantamount to a treasonous attempt on your goodself. I wonder how President Signi will deal with an individual who has so blatantly besmirched his country’s name?”

“Yes Duchess, I think that is an excellent proposition, don’t you General? I think it will also be prudent for copies to be sent to all other nations within Villiar, just to warn them about possible nefarious actions by rogue members of Masonville’s diplomatic community!

Now, Princess Aryn, get all this detritus out of my throne room if you will, the very sight of these individuals makes me sick! Diplomatic representative, my eye! Make sure they are all placed in separate cells”

“Yes your Majesty!” answered Princess Aryn who had been the “waitress” who’d been seized by Major Gaballa.

The Queen and her sister swept out of the throne room.

Within fifteen munts the bodies and all evidence of a conflict, however short, sharp and painful it had been, had been removed from view.

Chapter Twenty-nine.

President Signi drummed his fingers on his desk in frustration. He looked at the large clock ticking away in the corner. He hated not knowing what was going on. Brandr and his team should have been reported to have crossed over the border back into Masonville by now! They were almost a full thirty horas later than scheduled. If that idiot Brandr had screwed this up, he would have great delight in dealing with a threat to his security as president, under the pretext of Brandr’s failure.

The one thing Signi understood was that it was always beneficial to keep tabs on his subordinates’ indiscretions. He knew of Brandr’s predilection for young boys. Signi knew Brandr had abused more than a few over the years, one or two of whom had died under his assault, Signi knew this, Brandr knew Signi knew this, which is what kept him loyal, especially as Signi had helped arrange for the disposal of the mortal remains of those poor unfortunates, Signi had made sure to keep a record of his subordinates victims whereabouts.

Now where the hell was he and his team? All were the top assassins within Signi’s realm, he hated not being kept up to date on what was going on, information was priceless! Information was key to running a country such as Masonville! Information Signi could use to twist individuals to his will!

For the next hora he paced back and forth across his office, becoming increasingly annoyed and irate, interspersed with bouts of worry as to what Brandr had done to so delay his return. Was Brandr up to some plotting and scheming of his own while he had the cream of the military and diplomatic corps at his disposal. Was he even now enacting a scheme to overthrow Signi?

In his frustration he stormed to the doors to his office and threw them both open, they almost swung off their hinges as they bounced back from colliding with the frames. He stared at Brandr’s temporary replacement.

“Hygens, get yourself in here now!” thundered Signi.

Colonel Hygens practically ran into the office and stood before Signi’s desk, sweat starting to break out on his forehead, he had hated being placed within Signi’s close scrutiny, he for one was looking forward to Brandr’s return, but that now seemed in doubt.

“Well, man, stop bloody fidgeting, any news on Brandr yet?”

“No sir, well, not directly, but may I be allowed to turn on Mr. President’s radio for him? We have just started to pick up a random transmission from Granaria, it’s sometimes faint, but I think you need to listen to it immediately!”

Signi just nodded his acquiescence. Hygens turned on the power switch to the president’s personal radio and as the valves warmed up the standard Masonville propaganda broadcast filled the room. Signi paced frenetically up and down behind him.

Hygens consulted a piece of paper in his hand and then started to fiddle with the tuning frequency control knob. Various stations faded in and out of the airwaves, the whistling and whining along with bursts of static were setting Signi’s teeth on edge.

“What the hell are you doing Hygens, if you are trying to annoy me you are going the right way about it!” thundered Signi.

Hygens looked up from the wireless set, a worried expression on his face. Hygens was not above instilling abject fear in his own subordinates, but President Signi scared him, pure and simple. Hygens didn’t know where General Brandr had gone specifically, all he knew was that he was on a top-secret mission and should have been back many hours ago.

“I’m sorry Mr President, but the signal I am trying to find can fade in and out, but if you will allow me a moment or two longer, it will I assure you, be well worth your while to hear what is being broadcast by our neighbours!”

“Well hurry up man, you are not endearing yourself to my good graces!” Signi snarled. Hygens continued to adjust the control dial, then, a voice came from the speaker loud and clear, a voice both men knew only too well.

“Right men! You all have your orders and know the plan, show these people no mercy, anyone gets in your way, then despatch them without a moment’s hesitation. We’ll be in and out of here before these idiots have any idea what is going on, by this time tomorrow we’ll be back in President Signi’s presence and you will all be awarded a hero’s welcome and be more than amply rewarded for your actions today, so keep alert! So, places men!” boomed General Brandr’s voice.

The transmission continued with a clear female voice reading from a prepared statement.

“That was the voice of General Brandr, head of Masonville’s military and diplomatic corps. In that segment of conversation General Brandr is briefing his squad of top assassins about the imminent attempt to seize Queen Adred and her court. Fortunately for us here in Granaria this dastardly plot was foiled, unfortunately there were casualties. Four of Masonville’s troops died at the scene and one subsequently succumbed to his injuries. One of our own gallant defenders received minor injuries and is recovering well under advanced medical care. General Brandr has been placed under arrest, and, as he was masquerading under false credentials, and operating under President Signi’s personal authority, his claim of having diplomatic immunity has been denied. We look forward to hearing President Signi’s statement on these abhorrent events. The would be attack and subsequent retaliation has been captured on cine film, copies of which will be distributed to all fellow nations within Villiar along with a copy being sent to Masonville. This transmission will continue to be broadcast on this and other frequencies over the coming days.”

“Turn that damn thing off!” howled Signi to Hygens.

What the hell had that idiot Brandr done to give the game away so badly.

“Go on, get out, don’t come back until you have news of when the cine film arrives across our border!”

“Yes sir, certainly sir!” Hygens said as he backed out the doors closing them behind him, he couldn’t help the sly smile that fleetingly crossed his face.

Signi sat at his desk and pondered his next move, the obvious thing was to throw Brandr and his men away and leave them to their fate, to deny all knowledge of the failed plan and to come out of this debacle squeaky clean, but how to do it?

‘Should he denounce them now or wait until he had seen the photographic evidence?’

‘Could he claim that Granaria had fabricated the whole event and ignored all the protocols of diplomatic niceties and attacked his representatives?’

‘Did he care what happened to Brandr? Not really!’

‘Could Brandr injure his reputation? Possibly!’

‘Could he retain control of Masonville? Without a doubt!’

‘What to do next? What to do? What to do?’

Chapter Thirty.

Princess Aryn had spent a lot of time talking with Magni Porarinn, his insight into the deviousness of General Brandr had proved invaluable in their preparations in repelling Brandr’s subterfuge. Equally important had been his portrait sketches of Brandr, Gaballa and the rest of the assault force that Masonville had assembled for the attack in the throne room. To keep his whereabouts a secret and as a reward for his information Magni had been moved from the cells to a room within the palace barracks.

Raul was still struggling to come to terms with the sudden change in her circumstances. She set the recording she’d pieced together to continuous playback, and the transmission to cover various frequencies.

She was pleased that she was able to utilise so many components from the escape pod, not only to record the whole event, but to now boost the broadcast capabilities of the whole of the Granaria Broadcast Corporation, or the G.B.C. as it was known. This meant the message within the broadcast was being heard far and wide.

She had also helped the fledgling motion film industry within Granaria to mass produce duplicate copies of all the footage shot within the throne room along with versions of the audio track captured during the foiled attack.

The G.B.C. had a whole series of transmission and repeating stations arranged across the country. With Granaria being centrally positioned within Villiar it was relatively easy to broadcast to its near neighbours. It would be interesting to hear the response from other countries, especially as Raul had been led to believe that many had suffered depredations at the hands of Masonville for many years.

Karin had finished supervising the treatment to Trooper Alzer’s injured arm, which, being basically a superficial scratch had required little more than a thorough cleansing and a secure dressing, and she had returned to her barrack room later the same day as the averted assault.

Aryn and Caryn had placed all the various arms of Granaria’s militia on high alert, and all access points between themselves and Masonville were under close observation.

Meanwhile Brandr and the surviving would be assassins were being kept in isolation and left to stew over events.

Rusan was sat next to Jena and was continuing her literacy lessons. Jena was so proud of her surrogate mother’s role in averting the assault. Queen Adred had been strongly opposed to Rusan being involved in the whole disarming process, as were Aryn and Caryn. It was not until Rusan had demonstrated her hard-won skills with the knife in close quarters and her superb reflexes that had been honed by all her years of hard hilltop living, that they’d reluctantly agreed that she would provide a distraction, being that much older than the rest of those charged with protecting the Queen.

Whilst Jena was so much better than she had been, she had been retained in the infirmary to finish her treatment, Rusan, as ever, was by her side. While President Signi was still weighing up his options, Queen Adred, Pellinore and the princesses were all sat in their usual gathering seats with Raul and Karin making up the numbers as was normal for their evening get together, as they all amicably chatted and unwound after another days efforts.

A messenger entered the infirmary and after attracting her attention, spoke quietly into the Duchess’s ear.

The duchess smiled, nodded and returned to her seat, and resumed drinking her tea, she exchanged a surreptitious nod with the Queen.

Munts later the same messenger reappeared, flanked by two sentries dressed in their best uniforms, escorting a middle-aged woman and a young girl down the room. All the inhabitants of the infirmary looked up to view the newcomers with interest.

The two newcomers looked around themselves with no small amount of apprehension, wondering what exactly was happening to them and why they’d been escorted into what looked like some medical facility.

The clung to each other as they stumbled forward.

Jena looked on with the same interest, then a frown crossed her face. Then she gripped Rusan’s hand extra tightly. Her stare increased in intensity. Her whole body was rigid and trembling slightly.

It had been a strange few days as the two were quietly escorted away from the hovel they called home, and they had been in a state of more or less constant travel ever since. They’d been allowed to wash and had been given clean clothes before being led into this long room, they were both equally confused and frightened despite the good treatment they had received.

Jena, raised herself upright with Rusan’s help.

The woman then stared at the girl sat in bed surrounded by these obviously important people, she seemed drawn to this individual for some reason. Then, she stopped dead in her tracks. She stared intently at the girl in the bed. Suddenly, as if she’s seen a ghost everyone else’s presence faded into the background.

“Jena?”

“Mum?”

The girl with the woman then looked at the girl in the bed closely, stared as if unwilling to believe what her eyes were telling her.

“JENA!” she screamed and rushed towards the girl in the bed.

“JINZ!” screamed Jena as she struggled to extricate herself from the bedding and regain her feet as she slid from the bed and staggered down the space between herself and the newcomers,

“MUM!” she also yelled and all three collided in a group hug.

The wails and sobs were overwhelming to everyone who witnessed the reunion. The onlookers were all equally affected. Tears were quietly shed by them all, even Raul, blast these hormones! But even she was unabashed by the tears she’d shed.

The almost bear like hugs were interspaced with members of the group holding the others at arm’s length, before grasping each other tightly again.

Rusan decided she was no longer needed and was quietly heading towards the nearest exit leaving Jena to the embrace of her genetic family. She had fulfilled the task she had set herself up in the hills all those days earlier, when she had first pulled Jena from the bog.

Jena was now healthier than she’d been in a long time, and reunited with her family, Rusan couldn’t quite see for the tears she was shedding, but she knew her task was done. Time to get back to some sort of normality, but she would miss Jena for every day of the rest of her life.

“MMMMUUUUUMMMMM!!!!!” wailed Jena, breaking free of the group hug she’d been an integral part of moments before.

She shuffled down the infirmary, past the Queen and the rest of her friends and staggered up to Rusan and grabbed both her hands, hot tears streaming down both cheeks and started pulling her up the infirmary.

“Come on Mum, you have to meet my other Mum, come on, you have to, please!” Jena was, for possibly for the first time since she’d been rescued, acting her true age of not more than a child, not the hardened tough woman she’d been forced to become to survive.

She dragged Rusan down to meet her birth mother Sleal and her sister Jinz. Despite Rusan trying to extricate herself from this reunion. With the brief explanations that were fleetingly made, she found herself firmly entangled in this smothering mass of arms and tears.

Sleal grabbed Rusan and uttered her thanks repeatedly, as she kissed both her cheeks. Sleal was desperately trying to come to terms with being reunited with a daughter she’d long given up for dead and this woman, this one individual in particular had fought more than anyone to save her daughter’s life, not with medical know how and the latest treatments, but with love, pure and simple, a mother’s love for another woman’s daughter.

Jinz was hugging her newly found sister then she hugged this strange woman who had done so much to reunite her family. She didn’t know what to do with herself and was approaching emotional overload. Before she knew it, Rusan had picked her up and was hugging her tightly and Jinz instantly felt the comfort Rusan radiated and Jinz cried into her shoulder before falling fast asleep.

Now Sleal was beyond happy, not only had she been reunited with her eldest girl but Jinz and her were finally free and safe from further abuse. Now she had met this wonderful woman who had protected her Jena, and enabled a reunion she’d never thought to have.

As the rest of the gathering decided to retreat from the infirmary to leave this new family unit to become better acquainted, they gave each of the four of them a caress and quietly left them to it.

As they headed down the corridor they passed Ayleah and Lrna heading in the opposite direction. They had been getting to know their new younger sister during her time in the infirmary, now it seemed they had an extra, newer, and even younger sister to get to know along with a new aunt thrown in for good measure.

As if life had not changed for them enough already.