The Radiant War

Chapter 21b

     “Did you think of this?”

     Leothan shook his head. “The Brigadier. The idea apparently came to him during his visit to Mekrol, while looking for a cure for the Princess. Something Parcellius said, I think he said. I don't really remember. It's not important. We did a bit of investigation to find out whether the idea was feasible. Turned out it was. The biggest problem was getting so much explosives into the city without anyone finding out.”

     Glowen nodded. “The army's been complaining about a shortage of explosives for weeks, and we know the munitions factories have been producing the stuff non stop, every factory working at triple capacity. We assumed the enemy had been intercepting the transports.”

     “They've been trying to intercept them, and we’ve encouraged them to think they’ve been successful. We blew up a supply wagon now and then, with only a fraction of the amount of explosives in it that there should have been. The enemy spies apparently weren't demolition experts. They didn’t know how big a bang that much explosive was supposed to make. In reality, it were successfully entering the city, disguised as food supplies in preparation for a siege. Into the city and down into the Hetin tunnels...”

     There was a huge nearby explosion that shook the whole room. Both men staggered and had to reach out to the furniture to support themselves. Dust fell from the ceiling. More explosions followed, further away, and the King ran to the door, throwing it open and calling for Darnell. The Private Secretary was right there, with a pair of runners. “Find out what the hell that was!” he commanded. Darnell nodded and sent a runner to obey.

     “It was an artillery shell,” said Glowen. “The enemy's finally close enough to attack the city itself.”

     Leothan stared at him, then ran across the room to the window. Sure enough there were explosions across the city. Even as he watched, the library clock tower collapsed into ruins, surrounded by billowing clouds of dust, and more buildings were exploding as six inch shells slammed into them. The palace shuddered again as another shell hit it and a large patch of plaster fell from the ceiling just a couple of feet from the King.

     Leothan ran back to his Private Secretary. “The Queen!” he said. “Where is she?”

     “She and the Royal children are in the Ministry Building,” replied Darnell.

     “The Carrowmen are targeting it,” said Glowen, ashen faced with fear. “They're trying to put an end to organised resistance. I think it’s just one battery of artillery, but it would only take one lucky hit...”

     “Get my family to safety,” Leothan ordered Darnell. “Somewhere away from the centre of the city.” Darnell nodded and sent the second runner.

     “We shouldn't stay here,” said Glowen. “The Palace was already structurally unsafe after the earthquake.”

     “The structural engineers passed this wing as safe for continued occupancy,” pointed out the King.

     “Because you bullied them into it. They weren't happy about it. They knew this wing was bound to have been weakened by the earthquake, and now with this...”

     “I didn't bully them. I may have expressed my reluctance to leave the palace...”

     “Can we argue about it later? Right now we need to move to a stronger building!”

     Leothan looked at the coils of wire emerging from the wall, though. “You go,” he said. “I can't leave.”

     “Why the hell not?” As he spoke, another shell landed nearby, shaking the room again. More lumps of plaster fell from the ceiling and the room was filled with dust. A crack opened in the wall, and a horrible grinding sound came as bricks on either side ground against each other. The sound of a collapsing ceiling came from somewhere nearby, together with frightened screams. “Majesty!” insisted the General. “You have to order the evacuation of the palace!”