Cinnamon Bun

Chapter Three Hundred and Fifty-Eight - The Enemy Always Gets a Vote

Chapter Three Hundred and Fifty-Eight - The Enemy Always Gets a Vote

Amaryllis looked really cross with me. Broccoli. Which one of us has wings?

Um, you? I said.

Then she smacked me atop the head with her feathers. Thats right, she said between smacks. You could have died! Jumping to your death like that like a headless moron. Stupid bun! Stupid Broccoli!

Hey, dont smack the ears, theyre sensitive! I complained.

I ought to test the sensitivity of your behind with a paddle if it means you wont try something like that again, she said. She sounded really angry. Then I noticed how wet her eyes looked, and I instantly felt terrible.

Im sorry, I said. I moved in close and gave her a hug. I thought... well, I didnt.

She huffed. Yes, not thinking is a habit of yours, she grumbled.

I probably would have been fine! I can make myself small, so Id weight less and wouldnt smack the ground as hard, and my ears can act as parachutes, and Im good at jumping! I prattled, but it didnt seem to be winning Amaryllis over much.

This is very sweet and nyall, but can nya two pay a bit more attention to whats goin on? Calamity asked.

I glanced up while still clinging to Amaryllis, after all my heart was still beating fast from the spook I got while nearly falling and I needed the comfort. Calamity was right though. The Beaver Cleaver and the rest of the fleet was coming around and so were the pirates.

We dont have much time, Awen said. We need to tell the fleet what to do.

Either turn around or face the pirates, Caprica said. I dont imagine we can fight them while loading on the hostages. That would be the height of irresponsibility.

What about the baron? I asked. I finally pulled out of the hug with Amaryllis and half-turned to see where the barons little ship had gone.

It wasnt too far off yet. I could still hear the rumble of its engines as it puttered along. The crew harpy aboard the ship seemed busy inflating the balloon from the reserves they carried onboard. It looked like theyd just barely managed to remain buoyant in the air.

Theyre heading west, Awen said. Towards the Snowlands?

Technically were in the Snowlands already, even if all they do is claim this space without inhabiting it, Caprica said. But yes, the nearest city to the west of here would be Sissifin. Or maybe the pirates have a second base of operations, or hes aiming for somewhere entirely different. I don't think we have time to speculate.

She was right, the pirates crew were coming, and theyd know something was up. We wouldnt be fighting pirates caught with their pants down and split apart across a dozen rooms where we could take them out in clumps, but a properly prepared group expecting a fight. And I bet that all the best fighters were on board those ships. You didnt leave your best back at the base when you were going out to pirate something. Or so I assumed.

I looked to my friends. Bastion made it up onto the roof and glanced around, he was soon followed by Capricas guards who ran up to stand near her. My friends were all here and no one was proposing anything.

I think it was mostly because we were all a bit tired. The last bit had been... well, it was all a lot.

I have a plan, I said. The idea was still somewhat fresh, but it was there. And we needed to do something. Speaking up got everyones attention. Caprica, call off the fleet, tell them to pull back and wait. If they do need to fight, then itll be best if theyre in the air already. Bastion, we need to move the prisoners up to here. Or the floor right below. Well evacuate from the rooftop. Prepare some of the slyph to take over the weapons of the ships below too. If the pirates decide to fly over the tower to attack the fleet, then well hit them from below. If they come to land... then we let them.

And if they do land? Caprica asked.

Then theyll have to climb all the way up the tower to reach us, I said.

Through a narrow, easily defendable stairwell, Amaryllis said. Three or four sylph soldiers working in tandem could hold the stairs for a week.

Theyll be able to free the pirates we imprisoned, Calamity pointed out.

I shrugged. Thatll take a while. We cant exactly move the prisoners with us. Besides, if we leave with all the hostages and sabotage their ships, then its an absolute victory for us, isnt it?

Ill send the message right away.

Theyll see the barons ship, Awen pointed out with a gesture in the barons direction.

I chewed on my lip, then shrugged. Okay. Its a loose end, but I never said my plan was perfect.

Its good enough, I think, Amaryllis said. Lets start moving people up. The hostages below will have had a few minutes to relax and get their legs under them for the climb.

We shouldnt rush them, theyve been in cages for a while, I said. But, uh, maybe hint that they should put as much effort into moving as they can.

Bastion clapped his hands. Alright, you heard the captain. Clear the roof, we dont need them seeing us up here and figuring things out. Someone free the hostages on the level below us and push the barons guards in their cages. Captain Broccoli, youre in charge up here for now. Once the ships arrive, start the loading process. Princess, Im heading back down to direct things from there.

And with that, Bastion jogged to the edge of the roof and took the quick way to the ground floor. I almost gasped before remembering that he could fly.

Swallowing, I ran back inside and into the barons lavish quarters, my friends bunching up behind me.

Some of the sylph had already started freeing the hostages, and I noticed that they were complaining quite loudly already. That was something I could work with.

Amaryllis, can you stay up here and help me with the nobles? Awen, Calamity, um, would you mind bring the other hostages up from the bottom of the tower?

Awen nodded, and Calamity gave me a sloppy salute. Sure thing, captain, he said before moving off.

I nodded to his back, then turned to the nobles. Okay everyone! I said loud enough that my voice rang out above their grumbles and calmed them down for a moment. My names Captain Bunch, and Im one of those responsible here. I need to talk to you all, so please listen for just a moment.

A mere captain? one of the harpy asked.

A snapping spark flickered next to Amaryllis, like a whip-crack, and the nobles flinched.

Thanks, I muttered, then raised my voice again. In a moment youre all going to be freed. We have ships coming in, but there are a lot of pirates returning to the tower. Were going to evacuate everyone from above. So, please stand off to the side over there where you can, uh, relax out of the way. Im sure the baron had some food up here, and well share that between everyone while the other hostages are brought up.

Other hostages? a harpy asked.

I nodded. The crews of your ships, and all the others who the pirates captured. Were not leaving anyone behind, okay?

The last of the hostages cages was opened while I finished up my speech, so Amaryllis and I directed the nobles towards the far end of the barons quarters. Someone had demolished a few walls, leaving only pillars behind, but some walls were left intact. It turned the upper floor into a space with lots of wide open nooks where plush sofas were waiting.

Thats mine! One noble harpy said before she flounced over to a large seat and flopped down into it.

Uh, it is? I asked.

She sniffed, a very Amaryllis-like expression. That... rotten-yolked good-for-nothing baron Vonowl made a point of parading around all of the necessities we brought with us.

Mhm! another agreed. Did you think he commissioned that fine suit he was wearing himself? Of course not! The fatherless curr was merely lucky that our sizes were close. Though, perhaps they were closer before I went so long without food.

Well work on the food thing, I promised. I just wanted to wait for all of the barons guards to be tossed into cages before we started to snoop around.

Once the nobles were settled out of the way, I left Amaryllis to babysit them while I searched for some food. Unfortunately, I was waylaid by a sylph I recognized as one of the scouts while looking. Maam, he said with a quick salute. We have issues.

Issues, plural? I asked.

He nodded. We were seen, we suspect.

I gasped. Oh no. Are the pirates heading towards it?

He shook his head. They are moving lower. We suspect theyre planning on connecting to the tower midway up, onto some of the balconies on the middle floors.

I blinked. They can do that? I asked. Wait, how do we know thats what theyre planning?

Speculation, based on the height theyre flying at, maam, the scout said.

It would be a pretty clever manoeuvre. Wheres Caprica? I asked.

The princess is still here, the scout said. He leaned to the side and pointed over to the other end of the room where Caprica was pacing.

Thanks, I said.

Any orders, maam? the scout asked before I could go.

I considered what to say. It was weird to have people looking to me for orders. Prepare for a fight, I said. This is going to get complicated, I think.

The scout saluted, then darted off without making more than a whisper. I didnt have time to marvel at how cool the sylph scouts were though, not when things were about to get rather hairy in a not-fun sort of way.

Caprica, I said. What do we do?

First, we dont panic, she said. She was next to a thin slit of a window, the curtain covering it tossed aside so that we could see out. I noticed the Beaver Cleaver and one of the sylph frigates flying our way. Well have several minutes between the arrival of our fleet and the pirates, even if theyre kicking things into high gear.

Will that be enough to evacuate everyone? I asked. None of the hostages below had arrived yet. They werent in great shape, and there were lots of steps. Were not going to have a choice, well have to fight.

Caprica didnt look too pleased with the idea, but she turned to one of her guards anyway. Contact Bastion. Have every archer and range-specialised mage come up here. Well launch what attacks we can from the rooftop.

Would that work? I asked.

Against an entire airship? It would be a miracle if even one arrow hit someone past the gasbag, but theres a chance, and the pirates wont enjoy having arrows and spells shooting past their heads, Caprica said. Its the best we can do from here. The fleet will have to take care of the rest.

I stepped past her and looked out the window. Two of the pirate ships were relatively close. Both were larger than any of the ships we had in our little fleet, and they were probably better-armed too. We might have had the numbers on our side, but that advantage wasnt great when we needed every ship we had.

The third pirate ship was lagging way behind, so it wasnt a worry just yet.

I squinted. The two ships that were closer werent flying together, I noticed.

In fact, one of them was racing ahead of the other.

Almost as if it was coming straight for us.

***