LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - THE STATE OF THINGS - SECTION 33

Hecun half believing his ears nevertheless listened on, as Mouro summarized Micen's reasons, his fears of retribution from the not so vulnerable, in fact the dangerously influential Fradel Rurik Korvald, and the entire sinister plot that had been concocted to extricate Micen from any danger and future trouble.

"After you had been poisoned all the corpses, including the prisoner, would have been barbarously mutilated.  In addition to some incriminating evidence planted at the scene, the blame for the massacre would have been indisputably shifted onto Zonar, and the responsibility for it onto Magistrate Rue."

"So, because of Micen's incompetent handling of this case, all of us were to be brutally sacrificed just to tidy up his own mess."  Hecun, understanding the full implications, mused out loud.

"Yes.  That, in a nutshell, would be it exactly."

"Such treachery I can expect from Micen Do," Hecun's face darkened as he burrowed his burning gaze into Mouro, "but you, you?  If you were aware of this diabolical plot from the start, why did you not see fit to warn me about it?"

"Think, brother, could I really do that without exposing myself?  As far as they are concerned, we have been adversaries ever since I took that promotion away from you."

"You're so smart; you could have found a way if you'd wanted to.”

"All right, perhaps I'm deserving of your contempt."  Mouro turned his head away, abashed, and then wryly ejected, "Though I'm ashamed to admit it now, I did, at the time, go along with Micen, selfishly wanting greater gain.  I'm not perfect."

"Greater gain… What, a greater gain!" Hecun exploded. "Greater gain than our friendship?  After all I've done for you?  You bring a new meaning to the word 'loyalty'."  Hecun highly incensed, spat on the ground in disgust.

 "From now on I will consider you as my enemy."

"Not so fast", Mouro protested, blocking the other's way.

"You're always so dramatic!  No, you listen!  Fine, I accept my shortcomings.  I confess that perhaps I'm too ambitious.  I'm guilty as Hell all right and I deserve your contempt, but doesn't it count for something that I didn't go through with it?  I didn't have to expose the plan to you at all, you know."

"True, you didn't, but there still is the fact that you collaborated with Micen against me.  You cold-heartedly plotted to murder me.  Am I supposed to feel better now that you've had a sudden attack of conscience?" Hecun scoffed coldly.

"Fine, I deserved that!  I'm a despicable human being, not as noble as you.  Now that you've gotten all that off of your chest, will you at least listen to me?  Whether you like it or not, if you're to survive this danger, you must work with me and not against me.  It’s imperative that we pool our resources together to deliver you from this perilous predicament.  Though you may now think that it’s asking too much, you must put your trust in me for this, if only but for old times’ sake."

“Trust you?  Trust you?  Imagine, you have the audacity to ask me that?  I'd sooner trust a scorpion.”

 Suppressing his inner feelings then, speaking aloud, Hecun asked wryly, "How do I know this isn't another ruse, another twisted plot?  How can I be ascertained that you're not ensnaring me in yet another facet of Micen's fatal trap, eh?"

"You're wrong, brother, in still suspecting me."

"Don't call me your brother,” Hecun spat on the ground.  "You disgust me."

"Fine, fine…Go ahead and hate me if you must but, for heaven's sake, don't let your emotions have reign over your reasoning."  Mouro was fighting hard to contain his anger.

"Stop for a minute and think.  Why did I let you in on it?  You think I like making things difficult for me?  Believe me when I say, this was the only way I could intercede and come through for you without endangering myself as well.  I haven't got much time to try to convince you of this.  I have to get back before I'm missed, so let some sense penetrate that thick skull of yours.  I made a clean breast of things too...Oh, all right; I'll confess this as well, if only to convince you: my fate, just like yours, is also hanging in balance here.  Yes, I, too, am in as much peril."

"So that's it!  It was because your own hide is at risk.  That's the reason for your change of heart.  I knew there was a good, solid, selfish motive behind all this sudden honesty." Hecun sneered.

Ignoring him, Mouro glanced around suspiciously then continued, "Unfortunately, I became aware of this fact only recently.”

“A few days back, as I was contemplating a means of helping you and, at the same time, considering taking my own guards into my confidence when some relatively insignificant act by Dag Diez arose my suspicion.  Since this nagging doubt persisted, I arranged to have him totally incapacitated by drink and seduced by an innkeeper's voluptuous niece.  After he had passed out, she let me into his room, and I made an avid search of his clothing.  You must understand why this measure was warranted.  For the entire duration of our journey, I had not seen Dag Diez even once disrobe for any reason.  He even insisted on sleeping fully clothed.  Little did I expect to find my own death warrant?  It was there, though, that vile, confounded, confidential letter from Micen, oh, I know his handwriting, ordering him to cooperate fully with the spies in your detachment and, after the completion of the deed, to dispose of my own corpse in the same fashion and add my name to the casualty list as well."

Mouro frowned, biting his lip.  "Now, I ask you, how could you and I, who hand-picked those two hundred men, have been so remiss, so gullible, as to have allowed some of Micen's spies to infiltrate those ranks?  It boggles the mind how we could have been so easily duped.  I admit, it’s partly my own fault for underestimating the resourcefulness of that crafty Micen Do, as well as the extent of his power."  Mouro's voice softened as he began speaking half to himself and began to walk away.

"That's essentially it.  Using my weakness against me, he beguiled me into believing I was his indispensable confidant.  Oh, what a joke!  But then, yes, it’s clear to me now why he wished to be rid of me."  For a moment Mouro reflected, absentmindedly drifting off to further personal, private concerns.  Catching himself in his folly, he abruptly halted, cleared his throat, and turned his gaze back to Hecun.

Smiling wryly, he continued, “Needless to say, from the moment I'd read the letter I was positively incensed, hence even more determined to completely undermine Micen's grand scheme."

Gritting his teeth, he stayed slightly on every word, "And this will be achieved only by our safe delivery of the prisoner Fradel Rurik Korvald to the Capital."  He then nodded with assurance for emphasis, noting Hecun's remaining skepticism. 

"Therein will lay our salvation...  As I mentioned briefly prior to this, Fradel Rurik Korvald has a strong influence among the powerful elite of the Imperial Court.  As soon as his grievance against Micen is aired to them, the repercussions against the Prefect will surely follow.  We, meanwhile, will delay setting out on our return journey and so escape the inevitable rippling effects of his downfall.

03- MOURO AND HECUN

“I must rely, of course, on Fradel's sense of fair play since he does appear to be that sort.  I'm confident he won't persecute those who are only doing their jobs.  Who can fault us for merely following orders, especially if tomorrow, after the opposition is wiped out, we make certain amends to him at obvious risk to ourselves."  Recalling his own ill-treatment of the prisoner in the courtroom, Mouro hung his head in silence but quickly shrugged his shoulders and brushed it aside.

“At least you were not as cruel with Fradel Rurik Korvald as you were with that hapless Canute Yonn,” Hecun pondered the same concerns.

Surmising the Bailiff's thoughts, Mouro grimaced coldly.  "For now, you must guard the prisoner well and let no harm befall him.  When I show up tomorrow with Kade Luir, for I mean to dispose of that cur Dag Diez well before then, you and I will express concern and release Fradel from the cage.  I'm sure he won't raise a serious objection to being put back inside once we're in the vicinity of Magistrate Rue's offices.”

“Oh, unfortunately, my hasty departure tonight made me entirely forget to bring the key.  But then, it would have been rather pointless anyhow, even if I had remembered."  He spread his hands animatedly, sneering, "You couldn't just spring him out now, could you?  He'll be far safer tonight staying just where he is."

“And besides, you wouldn't want me to take all the credit in Fradel's eyes, would you?” Hecun narrowed his eyes.

"Now remember, after I've taken off in a huff tonight, you must let yourself be cajoled into a calmer state, then condescend to drinking the wine that I had brought along.  Well before this, however, you must select two competent and trustworthy men and take them into your confidence, for you cannot do this alone.  Let them know that you suspect renegades have infiltrated their ranks in order to prevent the successful conclusion of this mission.  With their support you can then make your move.  In isolated, controlled groups share the wine with each of the men.  Those guards who abstain from drinking it, as they believe that it’s lethal, must be put to the sword at once.  Do not, I repeat, do not, hesitate or even consider taking them prisoners because it will only lead to further complications down the road.  The odds are stacked against us as it is; why should we needlessly compound the risks with traitors as prisoners?  Oh, and here, before I forget."  Mouro drew out a folded paper from an inner pocket.  "The directions in here will lead you to that well.  I regret that I have no time now to show it to you."

"Are you certain Kade Luir is to be trusted?  How can you be so certain that he's not in league with Dag Diez?"

04-KADE LUIR

"Him...?  Yes.  Kade Luir and I are, or rather had been once, rather intimate, sort of…”  Mouro smiled sheepishly, knowing Hecun's intolerance of his illicit relationships with men.

"You may not condone it," he could not resist rubbing it in, "but its commonplace in the army. This sort of friendship, the comradery (comradeship), fosters true loyalty, especially when your life is repeatedly put at risk; moreover, you can see how useful it proved at this instance.  Yes, I do trust Kade Luir completely; at best he will assist us, at worst, he won't give us any trouble.  Come to think of it, since he's quite adept with a sword, I will do my utmost to enlist his assistance should things go awry, and I'm forced into dire armed (conflict) confrontation with that brute Dag Diez.  You see, Dag Diez is guarded against me but not against Kade Luir.  He looks down on and despises him, considers him a weakling because of his suspected assignations a long time ago with me."  Mouro ignored the judgmental reproach in Hecun's (eyes) look.

"Hence, I can use this effectively against Dag Diez to beget (effect) his demise.  Now, let us both get back before we arouse suspicion.  You know what to do.  Play your part well."

After these directions Mouro strode boldly out of the ruined tower with Hecun close at his heels.  Suddenly, he halted in mid stride, causing Hecun to crash into his back.  Turning to face the Head Bailiff, Mouro said gravely, "Oh, there is one more thing I'd unfortunately neglected to mention."

Cautiously glancing about, he moved his head closer to Hecun's and whispered, "Fradel Rurik Korvald's identity papers that you were furnished with are false.  When my suspicions were aroused, I unsealed an envelope I had been entrusted with containing what I was told were his true papers.  Examining them with great care they, too, proved to be clever forgeries. “

“Hmm… Let us hope that, when I bring the key tomorrow, we find the originals in there with him.  Otherwise, we'll be in a terrible fix, won't we?  I don't know what we'll do then.  Now, let's play out this charade to its conclusion."  He dashed forward, along with Hecun, to be swallowed up by the oppressive darkness.

Feigning great anger when he came within sight of the guards, Mouro marched right through them with curses on his lips, violently kicking away the red-hot embers of the campfire in his path.  He boldly strode past the sentry, still fuming, and, snatching the horse's reins away, led the mare across the bridge.

Hecun, behind him, was left to play out the next, very crucial, scene.

                                                                                     ~

 

(END OF SECTION 33)  

THE ASSASSINS - SECTION 9

 LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - THE ASSASSINS - SECTION 9

Pressed upon to drink more tea, Alec happily complied and with his earlier inhibitions gradually ebbing (diminishing, fading) he now rattled on: "However, this was not the case at the start, my Lord. The disastrous outcome of the insurgents' initial campaigns had nearly stemmed the tide of this now massive resistance.  The first set of uprisings was led by San Jarl, perhaps you know of him, sir?” Alec paused to receive the answer, but Asger barely remembered the name.

 "He was a close associate of my father.  He first led his followers to stage armed resistance in his hometown district of Noran, in the fifth year of Zakhertan Yozdek's reign. 

01- ZAKHERTAN YOZDEK

Unfortunately, their initial swift victory over the provincial government's forces had given them a false sense of competence; for they were in no way ready to next engage the crack troops dispatched from the capital under the command of General Ang.”

“Though the rebel forces carried an inexhaustible will and courage they nevertheless were disastrously out matched in skill and weaponry. In the subsequent struggle San was killed in action and his entire force brutally annihilated. When the news of another rebellious outbreak reached the capital, the returning   General was then directed to cross the Lug River to the west and wipe them out also.  This he also did with ease.”

"The few that escaped merged two years later with the forces of yet another uprising at the border province… A…, Yes, this rebellion took place in Arkon province… Hmm, just for a spell, I seemed to have lost my train of thought. Forgive me, my Lord; for I must be tired…My head is clouding.” So, saying, Alec sipped more tea, believing it would refresh him.

 It entirely escaped him that both Svein and Asger had circumspectly emptied part of their tea aside and purposely neglected to refill it.

“The region had first suffered flash floods then had a prolonged period of severe drought.  The parched land would not yield a single blade of wild grass, let alone a kernel of grain. 

The masses starved.  Able bodied men, too impoverished even to flee boiled tree bark for soup and dug up wild roots to keep themselves and their families alive.  Yet, the provincial government continued to ruthlessly oppress people and extracted heavy taxes and rent from them, instead of sending the sought-after relief.” Alec shook his head in utter dismay.

“Countless numbers were forced to sell their children into slavery in order to meet these demands.  Such pressures on the part of the local government naturally precipitated righteous indignation (fury) and the resulting insurrectionist army quickly grew to become a force of a quarter of a million men.  Once more the capital dispatched troops to give aid and to suppress these widespread revolts but this time they were under the leadership of another general, one less able and talented than Ang. Ang you see,” Alec sneered, “despite his impeccable record of countless victories, had become a target of jealousy and resentment and, as a result of a trumped up charge, by then had already lost his head.”

"The fortunate outcome of this turn of events gave the rebel forces the brief advantage of victory.  During their occupation of these vital areas, they raided the existing (provincial) government granaries and distributed the stored food freely to the needy masses, winning   them further support for their cause.”

“But then local government agents cleverly sowed seeds of dissension among the rebel leaders and caused them to break up.  With each fighting independently of the other they one by one succumbed to defeat.  All of them, save for a few and Nuer, perished.  In the final skirmish with the reinforced government forces, at one desperate stand, Nuer along with some sixty able bodied men successfully broke through the encirclement and fled to disappear in the marshes. This heroic group came to be known as “61 Defiant”, eventually sought refuge at Lord Shonne Gulbrand's secret mountain retreat in the adjacent province, whereupon they established a more serious underground resistance movement.”

“Unfortunately, the subsequent reprisals against the insurgents' families were most bitter.  Old folks, wives, sisters, children of all ages, all relatives that were left behind, once gathered up, they were then inhumanely, mercilessly all thrown into deep pits and buried alive.”

“Their heart-rending cries haunted the soldiers who had been ordered to carry out this gruesome deed, for days thereafter.  However, the officials were unmoved, and they passed a further decree (ruling, law) to burn and level the homes of all the suspected villagers and other such collaborators as a means of weakening the insurgents’ resolve or altogether deterring any such future uprisings.” Grinding his teeth, Alec continued, "Instead, this genocide, these atrocities only strengthened the determination of those who had gone into hiding and they vowed to avenge all who had been murdered and to fight harder still to the bitter end, till they were rid of this evil regime.  In less than a year's time, having amassed a strong militia, they rose up again and marched right across the border to stage yet another uprising.  Unfortunately, after Nuer was killed in an early skirmish, his followers were quickly trounced (routed).”

"The next rebellion, which arose in the Rue District, failed also because vital information concerning   the plan of attack was leaked to the central government by turncoats.  The result was the capture of the entire rebel force in an ambush.  All the 100,000 men lost their lives by decapitation in a two weeklong public execution.  Blood flowed like a river to dye the surrounding plain, and the sickening smell of death lingered on the air for weeks afterwards.  Their leader, Carr Elof, after being forced to witness all this, was taken to the capital in heavy chains.  There, after heavy torture and a mock trial, he was accorded the prescribed sentence of the law and, in the public market, was slowly put to death by ‘Thousand cuts.’"

Alec groaned, as flames of rage similarly seared both Asger's and Svein's hearts.

With a shrug of his shoulders, Alec resumed, "But he became a martyr to the public, because, right up to the point when his tongue was cut out, Carr Elof continued to loudly revile Zakhertan and his corrupt government."  This said, Alec relapsed into brooding.

 Svein could not resist heaving a sigh, and Asger simply shook his head.

"For a long time afterwards nothing much happened, then, just as Zakhertan was congratulating himself on having rooted out all the troublesome elements in the nation, another much larger, more fearsome and better organized insurrectionist army resurfaced under the leadership of Kade, Shon, Doje and Jary to challenge(contest) Zakhertan's authority and his government’s right to rule!"

 Alec's voice had just then boomed, fueled with the surging enthusiasm that had swelled his chest.  He apologetically smiled and bit the corner of his lip to check his zeal.

"This radical force had the strongest backing of Lord Gulbrand who had enlisted into its ranks the banished civil and military officials. With their implementation of sound military strategy and tactical maneuvering, the virtually unstoppable rebel army quickly seized large territories in Fukken, Lonar, Tarak and Buker provinces. “

“To suppress them Zakhertan Yozdek's Defense department had to marshal more than seven million cash for military hardware and expenses and then mobilize forces from five provinces to the tune of 650,000 troops. Moreover, the central government adopted stronger measures of crushing the sporadic resistance.  Suspected collaborator's houses were systematically demolished or burnt to the ground, in many instances slaying all the occupants in it. “

“Meanwhile, most able-bodied farmers were taken from their fields, displaced from their villages and forced into slave labor in remote border fortifications and castles. The women and children left behind to till and harvest, under strict scrutiny journeyed each morning   to their fields and returned only at night for scant respite.

 At the first sign of any trouble gongs and bells sounded to recall everyone into the walled village square after which the gates of the stockade surrounding the village would be securely bolted.  Any left outside was fired upon by archers or put to the sword.  With such measures the government hoped to sever the least link between the farmers and the insurgents.”

"In other areas they made good use of the provincially controlled militia, who were incorporated into the regular army from the Capital to fight the rebels.  Thus, they were able to, on short notice; mobilize a large force from adjoining   provinces for the effort...  These measures, in addition to the planting of spies, offering timely amnesties, tempting bribes of various kinds, as well as sowing dissension among the suspected leaders, inevitably brought about the sure downfall of any lethal uprisings.” 

“The last bastion of staunch resistance- after several months of continuous fighting, in the final confrontation what came to be known as the “Flakanut Hill”, only half of the freedom fighters were able to break through of the fiery encirclement to retreat to safety.  The remaining   bunch refusing to surrender had continued to fight to the bitter end until they were all consumed by the searing flames.  Their death was not in vain however, for they had forced also a vast number of the government’ forces to accompany them to their deaths.”

"Three- and one-half years later, in the seventeenth year of Zakhertan Yozdek's reign, two more uprisings erupted, one led by Doje and Jary, the other by Kundrick Dufo.  Falling into an ambush at Fenzu pass, Doje was killed in action and Jary was taken prisoner.  Jary was tortured for days, then barely alive, he was hung up at the north city gates for the carrion birds to feed on.  He died an agonizing death at their beaks and claws."  Alec's face contorted in bitter disgust and, as if still seeing the grotesque figure before his burning eyes, gave an involuntary shudder. 

“All was not lost however, the scant few who had escaped death, managed to catch up with Kundrick Dufo's army and they re-emerged in Buo province to take the government's mountain stronghold at Decan pass."

 

Stark (Asger) was quite impressed with Alec’s apparent resilience.  The drug was designed to reduce his inhibitions, yet Alec had stuck to his narrative with amazing equanimity. At the outset, Stark (Asger) nodded his head regardless of the veracity of this remarkable blending of facts.  Conveniently also, all these supposed rebellious activities had taken place at the opposite end of Wenjenkun, so far removed from this segment of the Empire.

"Kundrick Dufo is courteous to his officers and good to his men, so his just reputation has earned him their undying loyalty.  Each, without a moment's hesitation, would lay their lives on the line for him.  A seasoned campaigner, he is utterly fearless in the face of the enemy and has always fought in the forefront of each battle.  When his army retreats, which is rare, he is the last one to cross over to safety.  Reportedly, each time the army encamped, and new wells were dug, he drank only after his men had had their fill, and ate what they ate, however unpalatable.  The spoils of war and rewards of conquest he has always divided equally among the men, enjoying no personal privilege. That is why to this day, my Lord, the insurgent, loyalist army under his great leadership has remained undefeated and has become the most formidable force to contend with.  They have, with increasing frequency, engaged the Yozdek government's forces, the latest two, at Zenro Pass and Koniko, being particularly successful, with heavy casualties being inflicted upon the enemy ranks."  Alec cleared his throat and smiled wryly, confessing, "This last bit of news, of course, was acquired through hearsay.  Still, I have no reason to doubt its validity."

 

(END OF SECTION 9)