The Justice rocked against the anchor chains, as its guns roared, its shots peppering the thick stone walls. Chunks of stone sprayed off the walls, leaving foot deep impressions behind. From the south, MacRae watched as the cannon took shot after shot, until it found the gate. The wood shattered and splintered open with the impact, leaving the castle open to attack. From across Duich, the thirty two pound cannon barraged the west wall, demolishing the new cannon battlement and any means of defence.
Garreth stood on the west wall remains, looking across at hundreds of men, unable to cross to them, or counter the attacks. Three birlinns full of men had sailed back to the south shore of Alsh, far enough down to avoid attack.
From high in the tower house, a call of tall ships coming rang out, as another volley from all sides followed. Shot sent shards of rock everywhere, wounding anyone within striking distance. Garreth ran from his cover and into the tower house. As fast as he could climb the steep stairs, he made it to the top floor and looked down the loch. There, as big as anything he had ever seen, was the Ville de Lyon coming out of Kyle Rhea and then two smaller ships following behind. His heart raced in desperation, knowing the guns aboard such a ship would pulverize the castle walls with little effort.
Closer they came, passing the island and wending their way slowly towards them. It was then that Garreth saw the flag flying from the centre mast. The Fleur de Lis waved slowly in the breeze and Garreth felt his heart leap. He had no idea why they were there, but he knew Fate played its hand close and gave nothing away until it wanted to. He saw a birlinn rowed fast towards the large vessel, then men climbing aboard. He would find out later that it was Grayson who had boarded the ship. The tower shook violently, as another multitude of shots pounded against the walls below him. Before he ran down, he watched as the birlinn reached shore and the two smaller ships began sailing down the coast. The large ship began turning its sails, pivoting on its anchored side, coming broadside to him.
He sprinted for all his worth, descending to the ground and racing outside. Standing by the razed battlement wall, he and dozens of others watched, as rows of barrels were rolled out in preparation for firing. A moment later, smoke billowed angrily from the top row of the ship, blanketing it from view, followed by a tremendous roar. The masts and rigging of the Justice blew apart in splinters, falling on the decks and crushing anyone underneath. Captain Roberts looked at the French ship and knew his duty. Fight till the cannons stopped firing. The cannons able to fire were loaded and the order given. Shot pounded the walls of the tower and opened holes in previously hit areas.
Before another order could be given, the second tier of guns roared and the Justice blew apart along her port side superstructure. Men were hurled into the water, already dead with splinters of wood imbedded deep in their bodies. Roberts pulled himself up bloodied and injured and shouted for the cannons to be loaded. As men began the task of reloading and clearing debris, the rearmed top row and bottom row of guns firing, signalled the end as they engulfed the ship in smoke, Twenty shots of thirty two pounds of iron, along with twenty incendiary canisters streaked across the expanse in seconds and blew the hull apart, while the remaining deck area was engulfed in flames. In ironic consequence, Roberts was hit full force by a canister, driving him onto the deck, before exploding and obliterating him completely, the way he liked to do to others, his ship destroyed by the same methods he used.
While the Ville de Lyon demolished the Justice, the two smaller ships had slowly made their way along the coast and began opening fire into the trees where Blair and his men, along with soldiers, were hiding. Shots exploded and burst into flames, driving the men from cover, some becoming running torches, their screams of agony unheeded. The Insurgent rounded the point first and opened fire with its guns on the cannon battery. The shots went over their heads and exploded behind them, creating an inferno out of the trees. The crew wheeled the cannon around to fire at it, unaware the Vengeance had rounded the point and was now lining up their guns on them. Before the cannon roared once more, the frigate's guns belched out smoke and shots bombarded the area, smashing the cannon's carriage to pieces and sending bodies and parts of them flying in all directions.
The two ships sailed slowly down the loch and began turning to the opposite shore and sailing back up. The starboard cannons of the Insurgent were loaded with incendiary shot and awaited command to fire. MacRae and Rennie watched the carnage happen on the opposite shore and knew there was no hope in staving off an attack. Orders to seek shelter were given and men began dispersing from the scene in haste. The first ship opened fire and the battery placement was engulfed in flames, as powder was hit and exploded, sending lethal projectiles in all directions. The Vengeance's cannons were loaded with 'spice' shot and fired at the mass of men still trying to gain distance form the scene. Bodies were blown to pieces, as the shot erupted in their midst and shrapnel tore through their flesh. With both cannons and the Justice out of action, the ships sailed back to the Ville de Lyon and awaited further orders.
Grayson and the men who had landed up from the west side cannon and Blair, now made their way in cautious haste towards the area where the men were hit, while the others on the far side, now sailed past the burning hulk of the Justice. As Sorely and Colla closed in on men still clinging to life, holding on to wreckage, they signed the Cross over themselves and ran their swords through them, laughing and smiling as they did it, while others shot arrows at ones further away. The others followed suit and by the time the last boat crossed to Donan's shores, nary a live man was in the water. The beaches of the atoll and peninsula would be stained with the blood for days after, the bodies littering the shores and left to rot and be eaten by animals.
Robert and the men stood in awe, watching the action unfold before them from on top of the beinn. By the time the last ship had fired, he had given the order to charge the army from behind and drive them into Garreth's men and the re-enforcements now north of the castle. Two hundred and fifty riders rode down the path the archers had taken and were soon racing across the flat land to the bridge they ambushed from. The dead animals made the men cheer, knowing they had succeeded well in delaying the attack and no sign of any of them dead made for greater joy. They raced along the coast, the way unhindered by attackers, watching the whole time, what MacRae did to guard his rear from attack. A small contingent of two hundred had broke off from the main formation and rode into the hills by Keppoch, so Robert knew to be aware of attack once he neared the area.
Unknown to the contingent, Iain and his one hundred and forty men were up higher still on the ridge above them. Leaving their horses and travelling on foot, they quietly made their way down and watched them. It would be foolhardy to take them on, but Iain was prepared to lessen their forces when the time was right. Bows and arrows were readied, as they crept closer, coming within fifty feet behind them.
Robert and his men were riding hard along the newly made road, eyes constantly looking up into the hills above them. They had rode past the spot he knew they went up, so an ambush was imminent at any time. The ambushers waited patiently, keeping their horses quiet and steady, as they heard the horses approaching. They had complete cover from trees on approach and a clear view of anyone after passing them.
Iain watched them, seeing them getting tense, as the horses came by them. His men readied their arrows and waited for his order, as he waited for the leader to give his signal to charge. Iain saw the first horses pass them and recognized who it was. The leader had his hand raised to give the order and when the last horse past them, he dropped it quickly and they began to ride. Iain gave his order and as the first riders rode off, arrows began piercing the men in their back rows. Quickly re-arming, another volley was launched and twenty more soldiers fell from their mounts.
