LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - ON THE WAY TO THE CAPITAL - SECTION 36

 

 

"Good girl!"  Zunrogo exclaimed in pleasure as he noted the mountain of bodies piled up before the still standing barricade.  The few who still showed signs of life were quickly disposed of then moved aside to clear a path to the blockage.

Disaidun Agripe (Ms. Jepipi) had been as good as her word, more than several dozen lives had been snuffed out by her excellent marksmanship; however, her lack of response to Zunrogo's call at present gave rise to silent speculation.

“Maybe she’s already done me the favor.” Zunrogo mused.

 

01- ZUNROGO TUGO- JP  19

Zunrogo glancing at the heaps of dead men, suddenly however noticed, another irregularity. Many more of the assailants had been cut down by a sword. These mangled and hacked down men were attacked by an expert swordsman or swordsmen.

“Oh, no!” A sudden alarm gripped Zunrogo’s heart, and he shouted at Tizan to help him clear the way quickly, for he needed to get to Disaidun at once.  Soon as they had a viable path (gap,), Zunrogo swiftly advanced through the narrow strip, while Tizan up ahead, continued diligently to widen the course.  Once through to the other side, Zunrogo knelt beside unresponsive Disaidun Agripe who sat with her head and back (leaned) slumped against the wall and quickly checked her pulse.  He was not entirely concerned about the state of her condition; however, first and foremost, he needed to know if the letter was still there. He shook his head to purge slight reminiscences of his last intimate encounter with her, then fixing his attention on the part of her bodice where she had concealed the letter, his hand quickly reached beneath, to promptly retrieve it and secured it underneath his armor.

Tizan’s curious, though somewhat licentious (profligate, wicked) gaze was met by the captain’s hardhearted and cruel smirk. Tizan swiftly turned his slightly reddened face away to conceal (hide) his dubious and racy thoughts.  “So, the captain’s prior, impious relation with her, his supposed foible, carried the purpose other than carnal (sensual) indulgence (desire, need).  As there is no room for mistakes in this detachment, I should have been more astute.”  

 

Zunrogo meanwhile, was beset with some unsettling facts that had suddenly invaded his brain and needed clarification. “Decidedly she’d been overwhelmed from behind; was this carnage result of the suspected, but never uncovered, covert Black Moloch infiltrator on board? Was he still on board; for clearly, he hadn’t retrieved what he must have been assigned to do? What scared him off? Later, in private and away from Tzan’s prying eyes, he must examine the letter more (closely) carefully. “

Zunrogo’s quiet reflections suddenly ceased (halted, stayed), when she slightly stirred and at the same time, a faint groan emanated from her throat. Though her pulse was faint and her breathing shallow, a brief scrutiny revealed that she had sustained grave injuries to her head, her shoulder and left arm, as well deep cuts and scrapes here and there; therefore, as much as he’d liked to, Zunrogo could not bring her around to a sensible state, to inquisition her. True enough, she was at death’s door; however, even if she lasted long enough, still, it would take no small miracle for her to regain her faculties and in her poor state, even if she’d regained consciousness, she would still not be cognitive enough to satisfactorily answer his imminent queries, luxury of time he did not have.

For a second Zunrogo’s suspicions fell on Tzan.  “No,” He quickly dismissed that thought. Tzan had fought valiantly by his side and besides, wasn’t Tzan totally passed out, unconscious when Zunrogo regained consciousness.

Tzan had all this time, with his back to Zunrogo, continued with his dismantling the barricade.

As he labored Tzan grimaced coldly.  “Wonder what it was he took from her? …. Still, in all these years under his command, never once have I seen him do anything without a sinister reason or an underlying dark motive.  I wonder what’s really at stake here?”

 

02- 11-TZAN JP

Proceeding with methodical efficiency, Tzan had, in no time at all, disengaged (severed, disarmed) remaining, pertinent, lethal traps and cleared away the key barriers.  The rest Tzan was told, could later be safely handled by the crew, after they are released from their locked cabins.  This measure of keeping the crew safe had been deemed necessary, for they were essential in manning the vessel of this size.

 

 Tzan was about to go upstairs to first, finish disposing of the corpses into the river, when he was just then called to Zunrogo’ side. 

"She's not dead." the captain announced coldly, indicating Disaidun Agripe (Ms. Jepipi).

 "Take her body to her cabin and let her husband deal with her last-minute rites.”

Tzan, leaning over her warm body, understood her grave state of health at once and looked at askance (sideways, suspiciously) at Zunrogo.  “He is not known for showing least amount of mercy to anyone who’s outlived their usefulness; unless… she still has some benefit (consequence) to be utilized… hmm?”  But Tzan shifted his body with unease as he was once more mired (puzzled, stumped) by Zunrogo’s enigmatic mind, unable to phantom the captain’s decidedly sinister, future objective.

Only few hours prior, she’d been so full of life; now she was barely alive, what further use was she to Zunrogo?  Tzan could not help feeling a small measure of sadness for her short-lived ecstasy.  Zunrogo, contrastingly, with not a shred of sympathy or remorse, was already headed down the hall.

 

The time it took for Tzan to pick up the pliant body of Disaidun Agripe, Zunrogo was fast unlocking the scholar Fradel Rurik Korvald's door. Fradel emerged just in time to see Tzan, with her limp, broken body draped over his shoulder, going down the hall towards her cabin.

The scholar's inquisitive (questioning) gaze constrained Zunrogo to give a brief account of her involvement in the struggle: how she, being an accomplished archer, had offered her services and how, despite his own reservations, he had engaged (utilized) her abilities to safeguard the rest of the passengers, including Fradel.  He curtly (briskly) praised Disaidun Agripe’s courage and skill, noting how she had claimed few dozen lives before she, herself, had tragically been injured beyond recovery (saving); hence, she’d been allowed this precious remaining time to be spent saying farewells to her husband and child.

"There’s really no way she can be saved?" Zunrogo shook his head and gestured to sternly cut off Fradel's anticipated next inquiry.  "Pity, all the courage she has shown is totally lacking in Official Ceros Agripe.” Zunrogo derisively (sarcastically) snorted and looked away. “Let him come to terms with this new reality and then grieve for his impending loss in private; besides, the last thing we need now is the complications from a hysterical husband.  The rest, including the official Luvet and the crew, will be appraised of the near miss peril they’d been spared, all in good time, well after all the corpses are made fish meal.” 

“Meanwhile, for their sake and for ours, the less they know the better." Zunrogo impatiently then added that he’d taken this ill-afford time, out of courtesy to Fradel, to appraise him of the facts.  Now that the danger had passed, all that remained was the cleanup. He next went on to say, as a matter-of-factly, how to prevent pestilence, in the aftermath (result) of the deadly fray (fight, skirmish, battle), it had been deemed necessary to immediately dispose of all the corpses, into the cold, watery grave.

Fradel (Nevetsecnuac) reluctantly concurred with this hardhearted, but sound decision, then solemnly offered his assistance, where warranted.

 

03- FRADEL (NEVETSECNUAC) OFFERS ASSISTANCE (6)

“Kind of you to proffer (volunteer),” Zunrogo curtly refused his help, saying that the only task remained then, was still too gruesome and taxing, for one with Scholar’s delicate sensibilities and fragile constitution. There was no malice in his tone, just fact, so Fradel let this affront (insult) go.

Fradel was asked instead to, for a little while longer, remain in his cabin, until all the unpleasantness, in other words, all telltale signs of skirmish on deck, had been thoroughly cleared.

Zunrogo had another reason for keeping the meddlesome scholar away from the scene of the battle. He was certain, there were no survivors left above deck, however, perchance there were some, Fradel, with his moral rectitude, would be gallingly adamant for the wounded to be properly (cared for) tended; this contrasting with Zunrogo’s deemed sound judgement of, finishing them off and then swiftly discarding all the corpses into the watery grave, to prevent  any possibility of unforeseen, future complications.

By the time Zunrogo caught up with his Lieutenant, Tzan having already delivered the barely alive Disaidun Agripe to the care of her hysterical husband, at present his mind totally engaged with his work, was in the process of routinely adding weights to the neck and feet of last (group) batch of tied up corpses, before they too, unceremoniously were dumped (discarded) overboard into the river.

 

04- CHURNING WATERS OF THE RIVER

Tzan mopped his forehead off perspiration with the back of his hand then stood back to check and admire his clever workmanship.  Seeing that there was a slight movement, a twitch, a flicker of life, in one of the presumed dead, he quickly lifted the bound (roped, fastened, trussed) bundle and carried it to the railing then tilted it overboard.

 " Enjoy your long, blissful sleep at the bottom of the river." he hissed with venomous sneer, as he watched it sink into oblivion beneath the waves. When he turned, he was startled to find Zunrogo standing right behind him.

"Was that the last of it?" Zunrogo asked Tzan, with an unreadable expression on his face.  Receiving Tzan's nod of affirmation, he grunted cooly. "Good work."  Then he simply turned and walked away. 

“Well, Lance Diostin, despite your invincible prowess, you are now, indisputably dead and gone; and perhaps if you are lucky, your vestige (trace, hint) of brilliant exploits will be written onto the pages of history.” Zunrogo musing, scoffed (derided) then exhaled slowly the long, tense breath, which he’d been unwittingly (unawares) holding.

 

                                                                                     ~

 

Shortly after dusk the deckhands were let out to scrub the gore from the decks and mend those parts of the ship that had suffered in the attack.  For most of the night the crew slaved away not daring to make any suppositions or ask any questions about the day's events.

To a man, however, they were in unison with their intention, to abandon this cursed vessel and vanish into oblivion the very moment they docked at the next port. For they all had their own secret reasons for not wanting to undergo, the inevitably lengthy and grueling investigation and consequently, the impending penalties.

 

                                                                                       ~

 

Subsequent days, while the top deck buzzed with a flurry of activity, silence reigned in the cabins below.

Soon as Zunrogo could get away, he had stolen into his cabin to quietly inspect the letter. Noticing right from the start some oddities about the sheath, his face darkened, and deep frown set in. He did not wish to tamper with it any further, but was convinced nevertheless, that the contents within would most definitely be fake, which meant that the actual letter was in possession of that covert Black Moloch’s agent.

“Is he still on board?” Zunrogo wondered “or had he clear gotten away. “ 

In any case, this setback put him in a real bad mood, which would last several days.

Eventually he did, very carefully, bypassing the deathly traps and poisonous dart, removed the fake inside letter and unfolding it, quickly perused the contents. What he read infuriated him still more, knowing if he had in ignorance delivered the letter to the Prime Minister, it would have brought about his immediate, ignoble (dishonorable, dastardly) death.  In his rage he promptly fed the letter along with its covering to the hungry flames in the brazier.

Later still, Zunrogo keen on discovering the particulars and whereabouts of this presumed Black Moloch spy, his tireless efforts, and astute observances, had eventually revealed to him the presumed identity of the culprit. He’d been one of the crewmen, one called Zack, most probably a pseudo name; what’s more, after the battle, he had mysteriously (gone missing) disappeared without a trace, never to been seen or heard from again. Yet, this had not alarmed anyone, including him?

 

05- CREWMAN ZACK - A BLACK MOLOCK SPY ON BOARD BOAT

Zunrogo now faintly remembered how on the day they’d boarded the vessel, his keen eye had (caught) noted the exceptional physique of this particular crewman; nevertheless, in the aftermath Zunrogo had been so completely taken in by Zack’s assumed ordinary demeanor. This infuriated Zunrogo, subsequently, his ire (indignation), his fiery temper had rained misery on all, especially since Zunrogo, upon further reflecting, became acutely aware of his own (failing) prior oversight, resulting in his sorely missing the certain oddities that should have alerted his senses.

After further thorough search of the vessel and questioning at length the other crewmen and Tzan, Zunrogo’s suspicions were affirmed; that Zack, had not been among the discarded corpses, which meant that, he’d had clear gotten away along with the actual extortion letter! Be that as it may, the vessel charting a ceaseless course in the center of this fast flowing, wide river with barely visible shorelines, however a good swimmer, could Zack still have defied all the odds?

 

 

                                                                                     ~

 

(END OF SECTION 36)

 LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - ON THE WAY TO THE CAPITAL - SECTION 31

Had Disaidun Agripe known what really was at stake, how many conditions were to be added to the end of his statement, she would have (fled as if her life depended on it) run and kept on running.  Imagining only the best, however, she again thanked him profusely and promised, "Oh, you'll see how appreciative I can be."

01-DISAIDUN AGRIPE JP 23

Then she remembered the other condition and asked. "What was the second thing you wished me to do?"

"Oh, nothing particularly hard.” he smiled.  "You know the situation we face."

 He waited to hear her answer, then gave an entirely different account as to the reasons behind the anticipated, armed assault.

There were just two grains of truth in this fiction (story) he fed her: one, the foe in the pursuing vessel was fast gaining on them and two, the expected engagement would be at noon of the following day as soon as the fog had lifted.

 "Your part in all of this will be is, to guard the entrance to the cabins on the lower decks, when the assault starts.  You will be, of course, positioned behind a strong, impenetrable barricade and though it is highly doubtful that anyone could break through, in the likelihood that they do, it will be your responsibility to intercept (block) them."

"It is then my task to protect the Scholar Norek," she strove to impress Zunrogo but was met with a blank stare.

Disaidun Agripe obviously had no inkling of the scholar's importance or his identity.  "Why do you ask?"  He was curious to find out how she arrived at her notion.

Her answer was expectedly, tritely dull.  "Oh, I’d just overheard Captain Doku whispering something about him to another shipmate.  The rest of their conversation, beyond his name, was incomprehensible, I’m afraid.  I have also noticed how vigilant you and that big fellow Tizan are in guarding him.  I don't wish to pry (meddle), but is Norek's life in danger from these pursuers?"  She still pushed, even though she knew better.

 

"Let’s just say that his work is highly controversial and offensive to some crude individuals, whose ill-breeding overhaul (outstrip) their aesthetic sense." Zunrogo brushed her question away, with a wave of his hand.

Disaidun Agripe did not buy any of this but wisely desisted pursuing the matter. “There will be ample time in future, to understand his reasons for this deception.” She falsely believed.

"Of course, you must be armed.  Are you adept (capable) in handling swords, and also, the crossbow?  Perhaps you may prefer a machete or an axe at close quarters."

"I have been trained in all of them." she boasted.  "I will use whatever you think is best."

"I think the crossbow will be more ideal in stopping those, capable enough to breach the barricade.  You can also utilize a knife, if it’s warranted, in such close quarters."

"And what of the other entrance?" she asked, trying to impress him.

When Zunrogo looked at her sharply she beamed, sure she had one up on him, "The secret passage, behind the bookcase, in Captain's cabin?"

But Zunrogo robbed her of any further satisfaction when he laughed knowingly and nodded, "You are a resourceful girl, aren't you?"

 Meeting his stern gaze, she abashed, cast her eyes down. As Disaidun Agripe indulged herself in the luxury of self-reproach, incensed Zunrogo, made a mental note to have Tizan take care of that crucial detail that had escaped them both.

"You need not worry about that secret passage.  It has long been secured well and proper."  He lied, after his prolonged scrutiny of her.

Her cheeks had flushed crimson (cherry red) under his burning stare but, even though all her senses were alerting her, she chose to believe otherwise.

 

Zunrogo could now afford to be magnanimous.

"Good.", he finally broke his silence. His eyes were unmistakably soft and affectionate, at odds with his cold, forced smile. 

"Then I would say for now, our business is concluded."  Nevertheless, he remained reluctant to dismiss her outright.

His mixed signals made her shift uneasily into her seat.  Disaidun did not wish to go either; furthermore, she hoped that he would ask her to stay.  Her worst fear was that he would reject her.

She watched him rising to his feet, and after fetching the jug on the night table, (which was set aside for him to indulge in just before sleep,) breaking the seal then pouring himself a cupful. It gladdened her heart, when he took the trouble to pour on for her as well, and then quietly (in silence) placed one of the cups on the table in front of her.

His burrowing (investigating) eyes were fixed on her, as they drank their alcoholic brew (beverage, draft) in long prolonged sips, his expression all the while, frustratingly unreadable.

By now Disaidun Agripe was on the brink of letting her passion explode.

Zunrogo looking away, smiled knowingly, and after another sip, simply put his cup down and slightly leaned forward.

"Perhaps we can now talk of more pleasant things." He said softly as his hand reaching forward, his fingers lightly tapped (pat) the top of her hand; Zunrogo’s implied suggestion, stole her breath away.

02- ZUNROGO TUGO JP 5

 Disaidun did not pull her hand away, nor did she reject him when he next took her hand into his and this time, gently squeezed it; instead, she shut her eyes and let the thrilling, warm sensation envelop her (swathe her). She told herself that she had longed for this moment from the instant she had laid eyes on him, that she was a willing participant in whatever he desired and that, whole-heartedly, she also desired him.

 

                                                                                ~

 

When the fervent, immoral interlude was over, Disaidun Agripe beamed in delight, truly believing Zunrogo's affections had come straight from his heart.  She may have suspected otherwise had he tried to steal the letter from her bodice and, had he done so, she was not altogether certain she could have found the strength to refuse him.  Fortunately, he had made no such attempt.

 

Tizan, when he was now escorting her back to her cabin, masking his umbrage, had remained surprisingly civil in his treatment of her. 

 

Of course earlier while she’d slept peacefully in Captain’s bed, Tizan summoned to Zunrogo’s presence, in the next room were summarily briefed about the slight changes in their plan: that furthermore, Disaidun Agripe (Miss Jepipi), had now been temporarily recruited to (abridge, fill-in) secure the gap in their defenses created by Frastos and Briac's absences and, even though her contribution was negligible (insignificant) at best, it was nonetheless necessary.

Tizan had also been (commanded) ordered to say nothing, to run no interference, but to keep her under scrutiny (a watch) as she waved her net of deception over her husband and set the wheels of (destiny) destruction in motion.

 

                                                                                 ~

 

Once the secret entrance from the deceased Captain Doku's quarters had been effectively barricaded from within, Zunrogo quickly climbed above deck to assess the work Tizan had completed. 

He smiled in satisfaction, seeing that all the traps had been properly set in the key positions according to his exact specifications and that the fortifications on deck were all solidly reinforced to encompass the required parameters of stress.

That afternoon, both Zunrogo and Tizan, furthermore, had jointly concluded the last leg of the preparations by erecting below decks the barricade that would be Disaidun Agripe’s (Miss Jepipi's) duty to defend, leaving only one passage that would be sealed later from the inside. 

                                                                                          ~

 

Now that all the necessary preparations were concluded (finished, done) and the vessel had been made completely battle-ready, Zunrogo next went to the mast and, as Doku (had he been alive,) would have done at this point, hoisted the red flag with the single white star enclosed within an equilateral diamond.  Their pursuers would interpret this, as the “all clear” signal that they have been expecting.

As they watched the pennant hanging limp in the mist, Zunrogo took a few moments to update (apprise) Tizan of another revision to his prior plan; that, he intended on apprehending the culprit Lance Diostin alive, but gave no explanation, whatsoever, for the reason for this last-minute amendment.

 The outcome of the battle would determine whether-or-not, Zunrogo could risk taking his Lieutenant Tizan into total confidence; it was still too early for him to expose his actual intentions, should Tizan prove unworthy or, was somehow captured.

03- -TZAN JP

Tizan, of course, sensing that there was more at stake here than met the eye but, at the same time, knowing it would be fruitless to press Zunrogo for answers, remained reticent (taciturn, quiet). Tizan was confident that, even if in future Zunrogo didn’t oblige him with an apt answer, he could still, with his resourcefulness, resolve this mystery.

 

(END OF SECTION 31)