THE STATE OF THINGS - SECTION 14

 LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - THE STATE OF THINGS - SECTION 14

 

After Magistrate Yakove Zewe’s departure, Judicial Commissioner Birgergu Gunt had ridden his closed carriage at breakneck speed to the residence of his good friend the Provincial Governor Rexi, in order to submit a report.  On his arrival, however, he was informed that the Governor was away on a short pleasure trip and was expected to return in a fortnight.  After leaving a message with Rexi's trusted aide, Birgergu returned home not in the least bit ruffled by the distant smoke and the glow of the fire on the horizon; subsequently, he entered his study in order to manage some pertinent neglected matters. First, removing a specific document from his locked cabinet, he placed it under the lamplight and perused it carefully searching for key correlations (crucial parallels, any links) or discrepancies between its account of facts and the detailed report of the Magistrate’s.

All was in accord, save for one: the glowing description of the stranger's horse remarkably resembled Yakove's account of Fradel Rurik Korvald's mount.

 It could very well be a coincidence. This gave Birgergu no concern as, shrugging his shoulders slightly; he put the reports aside and picked up another document from the pile for examination. Despite his outward calm, however, he was inwardly fuming over the failure of the bandit's attack on Fradel, which now complicated matters greatly.  He frowned, thinking of the berating he would get from the hot-tempered Governor, and then his thoughts reverted to Fradel's letter.  Dropping everything, he rang for his trusted steward and verbally relayed his wishes to him.

That night a cloaked figure quietly stole through the darkened alleyways to rendezvous with another whom, scaling the city wall with a cat's agility, vaulted onto a waiting horse and galloped into the hills.

At dawn the next day Birgergu's trusted aide handed him a packet.  After examining the contents in his study, Birgergu donned (gave) a wry smile and cast both the letter and its wrapping into the fire.  A short time later the aide returned with an urgent message from the Governor and Birgergu made haste to respond to the summons.

                                                                                   ~

  "I don't want to know anything about it!" the Governor Rexi raged at Birgergu with icy finality.  "Just get it done!"

"It has already been taken care of, Your Excellency." Birgergu assured him.

"Then why do you bother me with this?"  Rexi shoved (thrust) the report in Birgergu's face. 

"I have no time for such trifles.  You are dismissed."  Before the Commissioner of Justice could even respond Rexi turned his back on him and stormed out of the anteroom.

 "I'm surrounded by incompetents.” His voice trailed off as he began to muse: 

How can I ever gain favor with His Excellency (Eunuch) Egil Viggoaries when a simple matter like this cannot even be resolved.  That idiot Birgergu assured me of Fradel Rurik Korvald's demise; that he would disappear without a trace.  He's as incompetent as that doltish brother-in-law of his.  They've both managed to botch things up oh, so perfectly!  I should have taken the matter into my own hands from the outset, instead of relying on that idiot.

His steps had led him into his private chambers.  Entering in a huff, he sank his heavy frame down on the couch.  Seeing his foul mood, the servants all kept their distance, all but hiding in the corners.

Seething in anger, Rexi reflected on the origins of the Eunuch's orders, the ongoing struggle between Prime Minister Lamont Gudaren and the Minister of Internal Security Egil Viggoaries, as each vied (contended) for significant clout (portion of power) at Imperial Court.  Viggoaries's latest attempt to undermine Lamont's inroads with the emperor’s favorite concubine, Lady Sejon, had led to the confidential word sent to him to oversee the Eunuch's interest in the matter of the Lady's favorite poet, Fradel Rurik Korvald.

 Rexi still remembered his delight at accepting the task and his assurances of prompt, favorable results.  Angrily he stamped his foot to purge his mind of the ugly, stubborn trepidation (foreboding) of the possibility of dud (failure), but the persistent, gnawing doubt and the consequences of a repetition of Birgergu's inability (incompetence) to set right what, by now, had gone so terribly wrong, so terrified him that all the blood drained from his face.  A cold shiver ran down Rexi’s spine, as his mind viciously fixed on the notorious reputation of Egil Viggories’s brutish intolerance of the least flop (failure). Springing to his feet, his brows stubbornly knit together, he paced the floor in agitation.

"What is it, darling?" the bewitching beauty but half his age mewed.  Her eyes still puffed from sleep; she had parted the bed curtains alluringly.  Though it was nearly noon, she yawned and stretched, settling back into sleep.

How beautiful she is!  This enchanting siren was a recent acquisition from his previous excursion.  Recalling the pleasures of last night, a smile grew on Rexi's lips, and the color returned hotly to his cheeks.  Going over, he gently sat at the edge of the bed.  Her sweet perfume assailed his nose, intoxicating his senses and enticing him to fondle her cheek once more.

"Oh, let me sleep!" she purred.  "I'm tired.  You wouldn't let me nap at all last night."

Grinning mischievously, he followed her under the covers as all his previous concerns and fury dissipated in her scent.

                                                                                       ~

At cockcrow that morning, as Birgergu received Fradel's letter, Magistrate Yakove and a few of his close associates had raised parting toasts to the scholar and had escorted him to the city gates.  Despite his protests, Fradel had been constrained to accept the protection of a squad of fifteen stout, well-armed bodyguards under the leadership of a lieutenant Zujor.  They were to deliver Fradel safely to the borders of the province.

With the walls of the great city long since lost in the distance, the party of seventeen traveled the lugubrious road at a canter for half a day, each cocooned in their thoughts.

 The uninspiring, desolate ground they traversed was but occasionally dotted with naked hillocks and the monotony left them riding in the miasma of a dream.

Fradel's reverie meandered to thoughts of his blood brother, Nevetsecnuac Alric Therran Valamir, and a troubled expression crossed his face.  To purge his heart of this longing and regret, he turned his gaze to the limitless sky, not heeding the refreshing wind that caressed his exposed neck.  He watched with misty eyes the white, billowing clouds as they converged, then parted, and then sailed (wisped) away across the sky.  When he lowered his gaze and looked ahead, he saw a small, scrub-covered knoll in their path, a precursor of a number of undulating, forested hills that skirted a great mountain whose peak seemed to scratch the clouds.

I don't remember ever having crossed such a mountain. Fradel reflected, surveying these strange surroundings.  Yet, if it was the guard's aim to injure me, they could have done it long ago.  Opportunities had abounded on that desolate path, so devoid of habitations or inns.

 He was about to query the stone-faced horseman alongside him regarding this choice of route when, quite precipitously, Fiery Comet halted and refused to advance any further.

Misconstruing this delay as Fradel's intent, Zujor left his scout and approached to reassure the scholar.

 "The reconnaissance bodes well.  The forest extending beyond these hills is clear of any danger.  If you desire, sir, we could take a short sojourn here and lunch in the shade of those trees."

Before Fradel could respond Fiery Comet, in another surprise move, suddenly bolted off on a course tangential to their line of advance (intended direction).

Zujor shouted Fradel to stop as he and the rest of the guards simultaneously fell into a hot pursuit.  That same instant a shrill whistle was heard from behind the woodland hill as a large body of armed brigands poured onto the road, brandishing their swords, charging by with the force of an avalanche out to bury its prey.

 Only the scout stood on his ground, a look of mute surprise froze on his face as his head hit the earth.  Alarmed, Zujor ordered two of his ablest men to forge ahead after the swiftly disappearing Fradel as he and the other dozen wheeled their horses about to bar the road at a defile between two hillocks.

"And just where do you think you're going, knave?" Zujor bellowed at the top of his voice.  So fierce was the lieutenant's cry that the point rider's horse stumbled, toppling its rider to the ground.

"Clear the way if you wish to live!" boomed the voice of the new Bandit Chief, as he whipped his horse to the fore.

 "Our business is not with you.  We only want revenge on the cursed scholar Fradel."

  As he brandished his sword his men let up a mighty yell to spur their murderous charge.

"You'll have to go through me and Hell first!"  Gritting his teeth the brave Zujor glowered at the new Bandit Chief as he steadied his horse, and his squad lowered their lances to meet the charge.

 The fierce fighting and bloodletting that ensued lasted several hours. Swords flailed the air and spears thrust out like pumps as the horses' hooves churned up the turf.  Though lieutenant Zujor and his men were all competent fighters, their adversaries, the bandits, were impregnable (in numbers) and unsurpassed in their cunning and maneuvers.

 When Zujor's strength ebbed, he was mercilessly cut down, sliced clear through from shoulder to waist and the four remaining guards dispersed in panic in all directions.

A small force was allocated to hunt them down while the main body of bandits, responding in one voice to their Chief's command, forged ahead after Fradel.

Riding their superb beasts on the wind, they soon overtook the two guards.  As a few stayed behind to engage the soldiers, the rest chewed on the dust trail Fradel had left behind.  The distance between Fradel and his pursuers widened further with every minute.  Fiery Comet, unequaled in agility and speed, pushed on until, diving into the wall of the forest, they were both lost to human sight.

For countless hours the relentless bandits scoured the dense forest, an evil place with hidden dangers of its own where ancient trees dramatically screened out the sun or altogether, turning day into night, blotting out the sky.  A lookout, climbing to the top of the tallest tree, ardently surveyed the area beyond the forest with his eagle eyes until finally, he spotted a lone, snaking trail of dust in the southeast that disappeared into a crevice between two hills.

 Racing towards it, they traversed a great distance until the strengths of both men and beast were spent beyond their endurance.  It was as though Fradel had been swallowed up by the earth or had vanished into thin air.  With the valley veiled in the shadows of twilight they set up camp, not daring to concede defeat and resolved to continue on with their search at the first break of day.

 

(END OF SECTION 14)

                                                                                        ~

 

THE ORDEAL- SECTION 5

 LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - THE ORDEAL - SECTION 5

 

At mid-morning with all hands assembled on deck, the captain in an elaborate 

Ceremony sacrificed to the Sea-God, Denizir; then toasted to the eventual success of their voyage.  With the fair winds now in their favor, the sails unfurled in full, the First-mate Jon bellowed out in quick succession the dictates of the captain that set the ship on course towards the island of Luco. 

Soon there was no sign of land mass anywhere for the day’s favorable winds had swiftly carried them off out into the vast open sea. In every direction lay a vast expanse of shimmering, undulating (rolling) silvery waves that tossed up snowy foam and caressed the floating images of sun and moon alternately.

That night Chenko Haken and Teuquob’s cabin echoed and re-echoed with the snores of exhausted sleepers, while a whale-oil lamp suspended from the ceiling shed a faint, flickering, darting light over their slumbering bodies.

“Are you all-right?” Suddenly a hushed, concerned, voice broke the sonority of the air.

Seeing it was useless to feign sleep, she sat up.  Clutching her stomach she confessed in a meek voice, “I’m a bit queasy...it must be something I... ate.”

“No, it’s not that at all,” Chenko Haken countered, “it’s what’s known as seasickness.  I’m sorry, but there is no cure for this affliction.  Please try to bear it. But just in case you can’t,” he stopped long enough to fetch the small bucket and placed it next to her bedding. Smiling comfortingly, he then added, “And don’t be shy in using it. In a day or two your system will adjust to the motion, and I promise you, you’ll feel much better then.”

“Thank you, I shall bear that in mind.”  She closed her eyes tight, fighting the urge to vomit, to empty her guts out; very much determined instead to get some sleep.

Mindful of how she must be suffering, Chenko Haken wished he could plainly nestle up to her and let his warm embrace ward off all her discomfort- but he did not dare.  Instead, with his empathic gaze on her he reached out and squeezed her hand consolingly.  She did not fight him and quietly submitted to the tender clasp of his hand. Subsequently soothed by his presence, her breathing eased in time and the tension slowly ebbed (abated) from all her muscles. Unfortunately, on his part an uninvited thought and desire had crept in (rather intruded,) to take hold of his heart and mind.

Gradually the touch of her warm, soft skin igniting the fires in his soul, threw him into raptures, deadening all shame!  How could he resist loving this delicate flower? Clearly it was futile, for it was such an excruciating pain, a worst kind of torment being so close; yet he was bound by morality, being forced to curtail all the basic human urges that unbidden, swelled up within him.  Subconsciously in a fit of passion, he’d gripped her hand tighter.

“What ails you, Elder Brother, are you, too, suffering from seasickness?” Opening her eyes, she gazed up at him in all naivetés and queried.

“Ha!”  Chenko Haken was startled from his private reflections.  Quite embarrassed, he felt the red-hot blood surging to his cheeks, and he abruptly (dropped,) let go of her hand.  After few moments of awkward silence, he finally plucked up the courage to reply, “I was thinking of you.”

“But I’ll be all right.”

Her pristine, natural response doused him with inexplicable shame.  How could I even think of tainting such an innocent, pure blossom!   Strongly denouncing the emotions, he had been swept by just then, he silently rose to his feet and after making sure the others were fast asleep, he declared. “I need some fresh air.”  Not waiting for her response, for he did not wish her to be in tow, he swiftly climbed the stairs and emerged outside.

It was out there, under the canopy of heavenly stars and the moon that he swore his solemn silent oath, to resist any impure temptations, to preserve her chastity and to be nothing other than a devoted flesh and blood brother to her.  He returned to the cabin shortly after- not daring to leave her alone down there too long- with his heart cleansed of any sinful desire and quietly laid down his head now riddled with sobering thoughts, on the hard, makeshift pillow.

                                                                            ~                                                               

 Mokak had just about enough fright with all that water, water everywhere!

He could not imagine a worse fate than being trapped in a precarious wooden craft amid that vast ocean.

“All that infinite, abysmal water!” He shivered despite himself and quickly returned his attention, as measure of reprieve, back on Shutizan.

 He was curious to know what befell her, expecting some delightfully riveting (gripping) details. Her registered trace, after several tries having been picked up, Mokak, sat on his posterior (buttocks), in a dark spot of the cave and, leaning his head and back against the cave’s wall, closed his eyes.

On solid landmass of Kontu, Shutizan, after having seen Teuquob off to safety, had successfully returned to her room without being seen, but once there her imagination unleashed, then fearing the dire consequences such as: What if when Teuquob’s absence came to light, herself cracking under torture, she could not help betraying her beloved lady, or worse, Chenko Haken? She’d, hence, rather than risk this, was resolved to end her life.  Despite her advanced years, even Mokak had to agree, she had spunk and was quite a brazen individual. 

Indeed, after quietly making the premise look like there’d been a struggle of sorts, with all the furniture strewn about, therefore throwing the suspicion onto abduction, she’d then stoically taken a potion (poison) that brought on a heart attack, and thus died. Her reasons for suicide had been clear; she’d hoped against hope that this would buy the runaways at least some time, as well, to spare the family from any possibility of persecution.

Her corpse was discovered the following morning when the alarmed servants gained forceful entry into the compound by (ridding the obstruction and) breaking down the barred door.  As it was locked and barricaded from the inside, the authorities when called to the scene, had been puzzled to solve the irregularity in this investigation, the obvious dilemma- as to how the intruders had broken in and despite the signs of struggle, had carried Teuquob off in utter silence during the night. A strict search was made of the compounds gradually extending it to wider circumference, as well, roofs and the outlined walls were scrutinized (by the keen inspectors) for any sign of intrusion, but again to no avail. By that afternoon, however, the merchant ship had already left the harbor.  A subsequent thorough search of the city, its boundaries and port therefore, proved fruitless.  All avenues of exit blocked, the authorities went on board the stranded ships next, imposing a stricter search of the passengers, but since they were avidly looking for a captive young girl in her teens, the difficult trail to the merchant ship was not linked until much later.  When things eventually came to light giving new, incriminating evidence against Shutizan, linking her to Chenko Haken, all the members of the family were immediately arrested, and two swift vessels were promptly launched in hot pursuit of the merchant ship.  Fortunately, their target “Silver Dreams”, itself a fast boat (craft), enjoying good weather and most favorable winds for several days, had ultimately spread an insurmountable (great) distance between them.

                                                            ~

 Mokak’s attention had again reverted to the young man Ckenko, who’d sacrificed his family, his future, all to rescue a damsel in distress. And laughable foible (quirk, twist of fate) as it were, despite his best intentions clearly smitten, after curtailing his urges, Chenko’d committed himself to a vow; an earnest pledge that now bound him insufferably to the mode of behavior of an elder sibling.

“How long would the fool last out?” Curiosity getting the better of Mokak, he fought his dread of water and turned to probing her memory once more, about the more private and intriguing adventures at sea. Interestingly enough, by then, Chenko Haken and Teuquob, through numerous adjustments and compromises had alleviated (resolved) most of their difficult circumstances; meanwhile, being ever so vigilant about the aforementioned seedy character, the two fugitives rarely exchanged conversation and certainly never partook of the revelry (the boisterous festivity or entertainment) with their fellow passengers or the crew. 

Most were aptly deterred by Chenko and his younger sibling Sunse’s cold, aloof manner and eccentric behavior; only intellectually acute (keen) Beko and his newfound friend Ytuke who was a busybody merchant, broke down the barriers and imposed their company from time to time, on the two young brothers. Meanwhile, Beko still felt somewhat indebted to Chenko Haken for bailing him out of the dire predicament he’d found himself in Kontu.  

Beko and Ytuke, although from different parts of the world, almost from the beginning of the journey had become fast friends, as both had similar temperaments, many things in common and corresponding backgrounds. Besides, both shared a curious nature and loved a good mystery which presently, Chenko Haken and his supposed younger brother presented. These two deemed safe merchants- with Beko taking his lead from sly Ytuke and opting to believing in Chenko Haken’s fabricated tale and his subsequent design to find fame and fortune in foreign lands- boasted openly of their own incredible adventures, embellished riches and some attainable opportunities that lay in wait in Luco and the adjacent, well populated, cluster of smaller islands. As worldly men, they also imparted valuable pointers (info) about the hidden (obscure) aspects of law, customs and beliefs that were entrapments for embezzling naïve, unsophisticated foreigners in that part of the world. With their outright, faithful manner, they had done all they could to further win Chenko Haken’s confidence; unfortunately, the latter remained guarded and close-lipped on the private concerns, giving only ambivalent answers to their subtle queries. The silent younger sibling Sunse, a supposed shy introvert, always under the protective, watchful gaze of his elder sibling, had proven even more difficult to reach, let alone break. Despite the temporary annoyance (a snag), it’d nevertheless confirmed Beko and Ytuke’s suspicion about the seriousness of Chenko Haken’s plight. Fortunately, when another development concerning an insubordinate sailor called Tupov drew their attention, for the time being at least, they’d opted to letting things slide with Chenko Haken; after all, they had the luxury of time on this tedious, (tiresomely long) voyage.

The captain’s thorough investigation subsequently had uncovered an undesirable, flourishing, illegal drug trade on board and the vile criminal activity of the mastermind, repugnant Tupov. He was found to moreover, maliciously and spitefully poison the junior navigator, his co-conspirator, after having suspected him of skimming some of the profits. Tupov, the burly sailor in question, defiant to the bitter end, did not go down without a fight.

After an intensive struggle, he’d been cornered and captured alive; then as the only appropriate punishment for his crimes, he’d been subjected to humiliating rounds of abuse, publicly flogged and been made to walk the plank.

This invigorating episode had alleviated Beko and Ytuke’s boredom for a time but not for long. Once more they seemed restless and sought to gain fresh scandal.

During the subsequent days at sea, Beko discreetly observed a devoted elder brother Chenko Haken, to the best of his ability protecting and solicitously tending to all his younger brother’s needs.  He diligently kept Sunse from harm’s way- a difficult feat, as Sunse was extremely attractive, even sensuous in his looks; and shielded the innocence of the young sibling from the corollary rude acts, the verbal exchange (conversation) when the other merchants or sailors engaged in coarse, vile language- oftentimes reminiscing about their sexual exploits, to relieve the humdrum phase of the journey. 

Inseparable as the two fugitives had become, gradually Teuquob had grown quite fond of Chenko Haken, the intensity of her feelings reaching above and beyond that of gratitude. But Chenko Haken’s moral behavior was beyond reproach. He’d put up so many barriers that none, not even Teuquob could transcend it.

  Until that is, the day the prevailing winds of fate had shifted!

(END OF SECTION 5)