Service — #writephoto The Tunnel

Sue Vincent's Photo The Tunnel

Wounded King Herman was on his deathbed. His sons were killed fighting the warlord Zutom who was overthrowing the independent city-states. His wife died with the birth of Charlotte who was by his side. General Kim was also there. The plan was set and ready. King Herman asked his daughter if she would lead in his place and finish what they started–now. She said, “Yes.” Minutes later, and without ceremony, nineteen-year-old Charlotte became Queen of a debilitated city-state under siege by Zutom whose walls would fall within the month.

Word quietly spread of the King’s death because Zutom’s men were listening for sound and reported the increasing smell of decaying flesh. Inside General Kim gathered the inhabitants around the ruins of the chapel each knowing their accepted tasks. Queen Charlotte stepped up to the platform and placed her hand on the remains of the altar and whispered: “This ends today!” She approached General Kim who bowed, “It is our honor to serve you, our Queen. We will not fail you.” Queen Charlotte whispered in reply, “And I will not fail any of you.”

Queen Charlotte took her lead in the tunnels, the ancient, forgotten tunnels, unknown to Zutom’s spies, built a century ago for defense and escape and recently reopened. General Kim arranged the surrender of the city-state to Zutom. Twenty among the many volunteers of men, women and youth were previously selected by King Herman to accompany General Kim unarmed onto the field of surrender. Zutom didn’t think so many were still alive. To celebrate his victory he would show the world his power in case anyone were foolish enough in the future to rebel against him. On Zutom’s command, General Kim was bound while the others were executed.

“Take me to your King’s stinking body and then you will be permitted to join him.” General Kim led Zutom and his close defenders through the open gate of the city to the chamber where King Herman’s body lay. As Zutom prepared to decapitate the body, General Kim thought, “It worked!” They got Zutom inside the city on their terms. He had one final task. He pushed his foot on the floor panel setting off the explosion destroying the chamber. This triggered the gate of the city to shut. Archers emerged from hidden recesses. When they removed the threat of Zutom’s men trapped inside, they brought Zutom’s body above the city wall directly over the gate hanging it in the presence of Zutom’s forces. As Zutom’s body swayed, hundreds of archers in unison rose with their attention held on the field. They waited.

General Kim, with those inside the city, did not fail their Queen.

At the sight of Zutom’s body hanging above the center of the gate, his conscripted forces fled. Queen Charlotte signalled for the firing of the explosions in the tunnels concentrated under Zutom’s core forces, the only ones they did not want to escape and regroup. Fires blocked their retreat. Guerrilla attacks and confusion pushed them onto the field within range of the archers.

Years after the coming Unification, and then the Federation, and through the Renaissance and up to the present time, children grew healthy, strong, proudly recalling to their children how Queen Charlotte did not fail them either.

Linked to Sue Vincent’s Thursday photo prompt — The Tunnel — #writephoto
Photo provided by Sue Vincent for this prompt.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events or people is unintended.

Sue Vincent's #writephoto icon

Author: Frank Hubeny

I enjoy walking, poetry and short prose as well as taking pictures with my phone.

22 thoughts on “Service — #writephoto The Tunnel”

    1. I had her give General Kim a hug before they left, but removed it thinking I didn’t want her to be someone who would lose focus. She lost her entire family. She is now protecting her larger family. Thanks, Sue, for the prompt.

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    1. I am glad you found it interesting and fun. I usually write poetry which is short and metrical. The problem with writing something prosaic and longer is to keep the readers focused so they will go on to the next paragraph and be glad they did when they are done. It is hard to tell if that will work. Thank you!

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    1. I am glad you liked it! Having the King die before the plan was complete made the plan even riskier to accomplish. Now there might be a succession challenge. Thanks, Maniparna!

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  7. Pingback: Service — #writephoto The Tunnel by Frank Hubeny | Sue Vincent's Daily Echo
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    1. I was thinking of Sun Tzu’s Art of War while writing it and some stories about tunnels used for military purposes. Luckily the story was short so I could hide my ignorance of how all that could have happened. Thanks, Hank!

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  10. SMiLes.. War Games
    Explode.. Bedrooms
    Grow Cold..
    Reflection
    iN A World
    MiRRoR
    Stress
    ScarCities..
    Killing Games
    More Fun Than Reproduction..
    True.. Reproduction often
    takes A place
    oF
    Creativity too..:)

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