The Deed of the Invisible Weasel Ch 9
Anna plugged her ears and blinked as the second cannon roared, and its charge burst forth into the morning sky. The third and fourth cannon followed shortly after, and the scent of gunpowder filled the air. Her ears still rang despite covering them, and she watched as the dark cannonballs arced through the sky. She lost sight of the first one, but thrilled when she heard the sound of wood smashing and saw one of the warships begin to rock violently. The rest of the cannonballs plunked loudly against the ice and sunk into the fjord.
“Yes!” Anna cried. “Concentrate on sinking the ship we’ve already hit!” She ordered. She watched the soldiers reload their cannons and then she started to leave knowing that they understood their orders, and would continue to bomb the ships until they saw their signal. Anna looked up one last time as she descended the stairs down the castle gate and smiled to herself confidently.
“Your Highness, the soldiers are ready for the first attack on the Weseltonian ships,” the Captain of the Guard said as Anna approached the castle gate. Anna nodded, and she slid a piece of chainmail over her chest and middle section. Then she put a piece of fitted armor onto her chest.
“Has the watchman seen any of the Weseltonians exit their ships yet?” Anna asked. The cannons in the upper level of the curtain wall fired again.
“Not yet,” the Captain said, “But it’s only a matter of time now.” Suddenly the castle shook as several heavy objects collided with it. Anna would have fallen if not for the captain steadying her. A young soldier ran down the stairs and looked at Anna and the captain nervously.
“Your Highness, Sir, they’re firing back at us, and we’ve taken several hits!” she stated.
“We knew we would,” Anna said, “Keep firing. The cannons are our best chance right now.” The young woman nodded and raced back up the stairs. Anna bent over and attached cleats to her boots. As she stood, the Captain of the Guard was ready with a scimitar and a sheath.
“Your Highness, you don’t have to go into battle,” The Captain said.
“Our people are going into battle,” Anna said simply. “If I won’t do what they have to do, then what sort of leader does that make me?” She took the scimitar from her captain and walked through the gate where her small platoon of Arendellian soldiers stood waiting for their princess. As she and the captain approached the soldiers snapped to attention.
“At ease, Soldiers,” Anna said. “Now, we’re about to go into a battle where we don’t know what sort of numbers we’ll be fighting, but we have one big advantage that our enemies will not.” Anna lifted one of her boots and tapped the cleats attached to her shoes. “Once our enemy is on the ice - the advantage is ours to take and keep.” Anna raised her sword, and the soldiers raised theirs back and cheered. “Let’s go!" The cannons continued to fire as the group crossed Castle Bridge towards Market Square and a small set of stairs that led straight to what was normally the water’s edge.
The giant warships stood, black monuments against the orange and pink ice, as the sun rose behind them. The soldiers piled onto the ice and made three lines of four. Anna and the captain stood next to the first line and squinted at the ships. The ship momentarily lit up as it fired a cannonball at the castle.
“I see movement on the side of the ship.” The Captain stated. Anna nodded.
“I do too,” Anna said. “Soldiers, we’re heading toward the first ship in the harbor! The cannons will continue to lay siege to the ships in the fjord!” Anna shouted. She raised her sword into the air to rally her troops. “For Arendelle!” Anna’s mind kept flashing to the picture in the gallery in the castle of Joan of Arc riding on her horse. “Hang in there, Joan,” Anna whispered to herself, and she continued charging forward.
“For Arendelle!” The soldiers echoed and everyone stepped onto the ice and began marching toward the ship in the harbor. Men began to appear on the ice near the ship, clearly climbing down on a small ladder. They waved their swords and began to run toward the Arendellians.
“Soldiers, hold strong!” Anna urged and they marched on. The soldiers clanked their swords against their shields as they walked, trying to intimidate their rushing enemy. The Weseltonian soldiers struggled to keep their footing on the ice, but continued to hurry toward the Arendellians. “Soldiers, stand your ground!” Anna cried and the soldiers stopped moving forward.
The first soldiers carried larger than normal shields and balanced the tips on the ice. The soldiers behind them braced their shields against the first soldiers’ backs and the third line of soldiers placed their shields on second lines of soldiers’ backs. Together they created a reinforced line ready for the attack of the Weseltonians. “Hold the line!” Anna shouted as the two groups clashed.
The cleats held the Arendellian soldier fast to the ice while the Weseltonians slid as soon as they hit the shields. The enemies slid forward and backward and tripped other soldiers rushing to the line. “Attack!” Anna shouted again. The first Arendellians dropped their shields and ran forward with their swords drawn while the second and third line kept their shields. Anna ran with them, her scimitar biting into enemy flesh and her chainmail jingling. Several Weseltonian soldiers lay on the ground groaning, having given up while others tried to run back to the ship and slipped and slid. Some fell through holes in the ice left by cannonballs while others slid into the water closer to the boat. Others still ran for the opposite shore.
“Good job, Soldiers,” Anna shouted. “We’ve got them on the run!” She looked across the harbor into the fjord and was relieved to see that one of the ships was collapsing into the water, and the cannonballs were still firing back and forth. “Captain Hoem, you lead the soldiers toward the other ships in the fjord. Barstad, Kalberg, and I will take the first ship!” The captain nodded and broke away with the group of soldiers.
Anna slid her scimitar into its sheath and then ran for the first ship’s ladder. Catching the first rung she began climbing with her two soldiers behind her. She hurried up the ladder, reached the top and slung herself over carefully so she could look around before she helped Barstad and Kalberg onto the ship. “We need to find the Duke. This is his ship, so let’s assume he’s on it,” she said. The soldiers nodded. She drew out her scimitar. “Don’t presume that he’s the only one on this ship. Be prepared for a fight. Barstad, you guard the ladder. Kalberg, you’re with me.”
Anna and Kalberg began to look around the ship and headed toward the main cabin. Cannonballs and distant yelling filled the air around them, and Anna’s ears rang. She swung open the door to the cabin and burst in with her scimitar at the ready. Weselton was cowering in the corner with a guard standing in front of him. Anna and Kalberg swept toward the guard and easily took her down together.
“Weselton, it’s over. Give up!” Anna told him and she pointed her scimitar at him.
“Don’t kill me!” Weselton begged and he fell down onto his knees.
“You tried to kill my sister!” Anna growled and she held her scimitar to his neck. “Give me one reason not to cut your throat right now.” The Duke trembled in fear. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial and held it above his head like he intended to smash it on the floor.
“If you kill me then I’ll drop the cure to the poison I used on your sister and she’ll die.” The Duke threatened. Anna used her scimitar to back him against the wall of the cabin and he dropped the vial.
“She’s already been cured,” Anna said dangerously. “You can’t threaten us anymore, Duke.” Weselton paled and Anna pressed the sword against his throat. A few drops of blood dripped from underneath the scimitar.
“Kill me, then!” The Duke hissed. “Another duke will just rise up! Weselton will never give in!” Anna reached back with her scimitar and swung forward. She stopped just before grazing the Duke’s neck. She looked frustrated, but she took a deep breath.
“Duke,” Anna said, “I’m not like you. You may not deserve to live, but I won’t take your life. You’re going to live and call your men off.” She told him. “Get up. We’re going.” The Duke remained on the ground until Kalberg went over and wrestled him up to his feet. Then Anna marched him out with her scimitar pointed into his back.
Barstad still remained at his post, but two enemy soldiers lay at his feet and he held his side in pain. Anna grabbed a rope she saw on the deck and pulled over enough to tie Duke’s hands to his back before cutting it with her scimitar.
“Barstad, are you all right?” she asked. He nodded.
“I don’t think there’s anyone else onboard, Your Highness,” Barstad said.
“Very good,” Anna replied. “I’m going down. Kalberg, you’ll lower the Duke down to the ice and then fire the cannons to let everyone else know we’ve got the Duke. Afterwards take Barstad back to the castle for medical attention. This battle is about to end,” She told her soldiers decisively.
