LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - THE STATE OF THINGS - SECTION 8
Once again, seated across from Serek Vern (Fradel), Dokurek explained, "I did not take that precaution for my own sake, you understand. I know that you trust them, but one can never fathom the depths of another man's heart." The old man shrugged.
The possibility of his men
being informants was unthinkable. They'd
been with Fradel as long as he could remember but, so as not to antagonize
Dokurek, he stilled the protests on his tongue and let the old man collect his
thoughts.
"All right, I suppose
I should start with the scholar Taok Therkan.", Dokurek commenced.
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| 01- TAOK THERKAN |
Taok Therkan, Fradel learned, was a brilliant, prolific writer and a just minister. While still in his teens Taok had summarized his political thoughts in several brilliant works that were then circulated among the literati and politicians alike, winning him both instant fame and a reputation for controversy.
“But then with the
political shift, the freedom of speech, once widely enjoyed under the old
regime, was the first casualty, first tenet to disappear under the rule of
Zakhertan Yozdek.” Dokurek dismally shook his head. “But hey, I’m getting ahead
of myself…. Let me see, yes, from the first day Taok Therkan had assumed
office; he had fought uncompromisingly against corruption in the court,
continued to do so, right up to his untimely end.”
“Earlier on, becoming
acutely aware of the deep roots of the corruption and the manifest danger to
the reigning monarch Taok had, against all friendly advice, sent in his
memorial, to His Highness Zuronghan Alric Therran Valamir. In it he strongly advocated positive reforms
to be carried out in the government that would have curtailed the influence and
power of certain military and civil officials and their cohorts among the
dominant gentry. Though he had carefully
avoided using any names, a specific reference to a matter overseen by the
office of the Minister of War had earned the good minister Taok the undying
animosity of Ovan Kustan.”
 |
| 02- MINISTER OF WAR OVAN KUSTAN |
“Minister of War Ovan Kustan was not a man to be crossed. With the cooperation of the Prime Minister, Morvald, and the blessings of Field Marshall Zakhertan Yozdek, he used his powerful clique at court to accuse Taok Therkan of such heinous crimes that his instant execution was a certainty. However, the benevolent and wise Majesty (Zuronghan Alric Therran Valamir) favored Taok's integrity and suspected foul play. His Highness ordered another independent, in-depth inquiry into the incident. Unfortunately, the efforts of the investigators were obstructed from the start. His Royal Highness Zuronghan Alric Therran Valamir, in his wisdom, still suspected a conspiracy, even though no proof could be obtained that would substantiate his intuition and extricate Taok from blame.”
“Taking into consideration
Taok's invaluable service to His Highness and the State, the extreme penalty
was hence averted; Taok Therkan was instead, demoted to the rank of Census
Official and banished to the remote frontier province of Birgerchi.”
Dokurek’s father had
played host to the good minister on his way into exile; during which time, Taok
had left such an indelible impression on Dokurek’s younger brother Yutzu that
he decided to follow a literati pursuit instead of a military calling.
In exile Taok had
continued to serve his Monarch with unwavering loyally for seven more years.
Birgerchi prospered and citizens enjoyed lasting peace following Taok’s
precedent guidelines of not accepting any bribes and benefiting from Taok’s
expanded administrative obligations to run a judicious office.
Zakhertan Yozdek,
meanwhile, was amassing greater power through land acquisitions and secret
military buildup, furthering his influence in Court through a strategic
marriage to then Prime Minister Morvald’s younger sister Bera.
“When news of the
conspiracy by the Yozdek family to depose His Highness Zuronghan Alric Therran
Valamir reached Taok’s ear, he made several attempts to contact the Monarch and
warn him of the impending danger. All his
attempts failed, however, due to the Therkan family's interference. The dominant matriarch of the Therkan family
opposing Taok’s ideals successfully intercepted or killed every courier and
destroyed every warning letter Taok sent to the Royal household. Taok was then forcibly incarcerated in his
own home like a criminal and forbidden by the Therkan family to interact with
any outsiders until Zakhertan Yozdek had completed his plans to depose HRH
Zuronghan Alric Therran Valamir.”
“After an episode of
illness from which he nearly died, Taok suddenly made a remarkable recovery
and, under the very noses of his powerful family, began a subversive
movement. His followers began
distributing his unsigned works, exposing the treachery and brutality of
Zakhertan Yozdek, the widespread corruption at Court, the hypocritical rule and
the evil oppression of the present regime.”
“These works helped rally
scholars throughout the country to the cause of the restoration of the old
Dynasty. The timing was exactly right to
favor their cause. Zakhertan Yozdek's
main concern at this time was with the consolidation of power within the
workings of the bureaucracy and with crushing the pockets of resistance that
had sprung up under a few rebel Lords, such as Lord Shonne Gulbrand. On top of this there emerged a growing threat
from the Alvacon Tribe in the Northeast Territories.”
“The intellectual leaders
of this insurgent group were in the midst of plotting a major armed rebellion
when a disgruntled new officer, passed over for elevation from the lower ranks,
turned informant and alerted Zakhertan Yozdek to the growing danger. The Palace guards were immediately dispatched
under the strictest secrecy to bring Taok Therkan back to the Capital where he
would be charged with treason, tried and convicted. Zakhertan Yozdek wanted the list of all the
leaders in his hands and, the precise details of the planned uprising,
information his informant could not provide, even when subjected to extreme
torture.
Unfortunately, Taok had
received word of his impending arrest too late, to realize an effective
escape. What little time he had left he
used it, to commit all the incriminating documents to the fire and to send words
to others to stay clear. He then torched
his study with himself still at his desk.
The leaping flames quickly spread to reduce the whole house to ashes
(cinders) within a matter of minutes.”
“The infuriated Zakhertan
Yozdek responded with a brutal purge.
Selecting the ruthless Black Band Guard Regiment, he set them on one of
our history's most vengeful, ruthless campaigns of suppression ever. Pockets of resistance were quickly
quashed. All too unsuspecting scholars
were rounded up and, regardless of innocence or proof of rebellion, were
buried, layer upon layer, quite systematically in mass graves.”
“More than twenty thousand
people suspected of collaborating with the scholars were killed in public
spectacles of torture, slow strangulation, flailing, beheading, or were simply
burned tied to a pole in the marketplace.
This vicious purge continued for a year after Taok's death with
unabated, unequivocal force. The
subsequent three years of this witch-hunt were so severe that they threw the
country into chaos and threatened national security.”
"In that dark,
oppressive time there was no end to the atrocities, indiscriminate killings and
mass poisonings. Under such pressure
many implicated their colleagues, neighbors and even blood relatives in order to
lighten their own sentence or extricate themselves from blame. Some, taking the law into their own hands,
murdered the suspected dissidents so as to avoid incrimination by association. The purges were so severe, none escaped
Zakhertan Yozdek’s wrath." Dokurek
dropped his head, "That was truly a dark, dark time in our history. History is what gives men a sense of
belonging. History is what distinguishes
man from the wild beasts who have no awareness, no conscious past. My father preached that all the time, yet I
would gladly expunge (erase) that period of history from my memory."
It had become clear to
Fradel that Dokurek carried in the recesses of his heart some burden of guilt.
"But, even after a
supposed return to normalcy, a Royal decree muted everyone from expressing the
least discord or criticism of the policies and harsh laws imposed by the new
regime. The consequences of the minutest
disobedience were met by public execution of the offender and the extermination
of their families down to the fourth generation, followed by the confiscation
of all properties to be sold by the state.
You know where I’m going with this?” He suddenly looked up but resumed
his tirade. “Meanwhile, anyone,
regardless of age or gender harboring fugitives or possessing any inflammatory
forbidden books or pamphlets were deemed guilty and, without benefit of trial,
promptly executed on the spot. All the reminder of their family members was
then rounded-up, tattooed on the face and sent in chains to serve a cruel
sentence of hard labor for life.” He shook his head dismally.
“And many, many more
restrictions were also put into place, but it would take me too long to list
them all. Suffice to say, this was the
most dangerous time to have any enemies; for the least discord would lead to a
false accusation with incriminating evidence planted to ensure imminent
destruction. A few select schools were
allowed to function in government facilities, under the strictest supervision
and constant monitoring to ensure adherence to state propaganda.” He fell
silent for a while, pondering on a concern.
But then dismissed it all with a wave of a hand and continued on,
relieved to be releasing some of this pent-up anger and concern to a
sympathetic ear.
"Officials failing in
their duty to immediately root out the suspected dissidents and subversives
from their area faced spontaneous demotion or banishment to the remotest
regions. Did I say this already?” But again, not waiting for an answer resumed
his narrative. “So, we all did what was required of us without thinking,
without questioning. In our fear we
misinterpreted signs, heard careless words and..."
With a strange, mad gleam
in his eyes, Dokurek dropped his head to stare at his palms then agitatedly
rubbed them over his pant legs. He
raised his head but fell abruptly silent again and looked down. Fradel with sympathetic concern observed
Dokurek’s sudden new distraction, a frayed cut in his trousers, which he
absentmindedly dug his index finger in it.
Checking himself a moment later, Dokurek
looked up and explained bashfully, "You know, at one time I would not have
considered wearing a pair of pants more than once. But now..." He shook his head then, after a momentary
silence, continued, "I've done a lot of things of which I'm ashamed, but I
hope you understand. I did them so as to
survive. That, and as well, I was misguided. Alas, I came to know the error of my way a
bit too late to do anything about it."
Fradel gave a sympathetic
nod, refraining from making any rash judgments.
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| 03- YUTZU |
Dokurek appreciatively continued on, how his own younger brother, Yutzu, had been recruited to the doomed cause of Taok Therkan from the start. Remarkably, Yutzu had survived the purges to continue the underground struggle and become one of the leaders of the “Red Bandanna Resistance”.
"Of course I had no
way of knowing this,” Dokurek protested.
"How could I when,
for nearly a decade, we had lost touch?"
He threw his hands into the air in animated exasperation.
"Since childhood we
have always been at odds on every issue.
We'd never seen eye to eye, never agreed on anything, however
trivial. I was always the pragmatist; he
was the idealist.”
“After the death of our parents, one day we’d
had a dreadful row on a concern, I cannot recall what. Meanwhile, we had both uttered words that
wounded deeply and one, we could not take back and so, I divided up the
inheritance and we each went our separate ways.
As far as I was concerned, he was a dead man. I forbade my wife, the
household staff and others to never ever mention his name. How was I to know he'd still drag me into the
cesspool of his own misfortune?”
“As it was the most
sensible thing to do, I enlisted in Zakhertan Yozdek’s service. I saw His Highness as our savior, a
charismatic, strong leader, one our nation needed badly for strength and
stability. I erroneously blamed the
Sovereign Zuronghan Alric Therran Valamir for all the ills of society and the
rampant corruption at court. I swallowed
the whole propaganda that deemed Zuronghan a weak, ineffective ruler who
deserved to be toppled. What can I
say? I was beguiled.”
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| 04- DOKUREK'S WIFE KELI |
"Ah, but that’s not all. Soon after my recruitment, Zakhertan Yozdek recognized my talents and put me to good use. I was a brilliant and promising engineer, you see. You are the only one who knows this, but I was the builder of these Pitfalls. One in particular, I believe, was used to trap a prominent, influential traitor, or perhaps a member of the Royal Family. Of course I was not allowed to see who, nor did I wish to know, for all who were directly involved were put to death immediately afterwards. Too much information can be detrimental to one's health, so I kept my nose out of it.”
"After it was all
over and the struggle for power ended Zakhertan Yozdek, settled securely on his
stolen throne, rewarded me generously for my contributions. Even as the country
was being swept by the putrid tide of the purges, I'd kept my head above water
and had remained secure in my privileged position, untouched by it all."
Dokurek shook his head,
"But Yutzu, again surfaced as the bane of my Life. I should have expected it, really, should
have known that he'd be at the crux of it all.
Too late I'd learned he was a rebel.”
"Yes, it all came
crushing down on my head that autumn day when my once secure and comfortable
existence came to an abrupt end. You
see, I'd been away from home on official business for several weeks. On my way back I suddenly realized that I'd
neglected to get my wife the usual gift.
She'd be expecting one. I loved
her dearly and had no wish to disappoint her.”
“Way before this, during
the time of spring festival, as we’d strolled the streets around Hekoler Temple
she had taken a fancy to an antique jade pin in one of the pawn shops there, so
I steered off course, to see if I could purchase it for her. “
“Oh, you can imagine my
surprise when I discovered on sale there another piece of jewelry, a jewel
encrusted necklace I had given my wife for her twentieth birthday. But the pawnbroker's records were in order,
after some serious negotiations he named a satisfactory sum for it. Containing my fury, I purchased it back and
rushed home to confront my wife with it.
"Would you believe
it, there was another surprise waiting for me there, my cursed brother! I needed no explanation; I knew then the
cause of my wife's indiscretion. I lashed
out at him Like a mad dog, letting lose all those years of pent-up anger and
disappointment. During this heated
exchange he shouted his defiant, treasonous tenets right to my face. Was I
supposed to believe his embroidered yarn?
Supposedly, after his meeting with the other surviving leaders of the
underground, he'd succumbed to an attack by bandits on his return journey. Being stranded in this province without any
means of getting back, he'd swallowed his pride and came to ask for my aid,
though I suspect it was my wife's sympathies and help he was really after. Surely, he would have gotten away with it too
had I not returned home earlier than expected.”
"Overcoming my shock,
livid, I was about to revile him further and threaten him with disclosure, just
to scare him, mind you, when a noise outside distracted us both. At once I rushed out to investigate but found
no one there. Nevertheless, I was
terror-struck! I knew the calamity or
ruin this portended. So, in frenzied
fear of my life, I had him bound and gagged.”
"Seeing him again
after such a long time, I confess, had rekindled within me the deep brotherly
love I'd later supplanted with hate.
However different our views, he was still my little brother. I paced the floor, to and for, in sheer panic
while I pondered on the appropriate course of action. I debated whether to turn him in to the
authorities or to arrange for his escape.
I did not know just how much the spy had overheard and just how much
this would implicate (incriminate) my family and my wife. She had run off to her boudoir in tears
before I could question her.”
“I was robbed of any
decisive act however when the sudden presence of armed guards at my door was
announced. I was mortified when I
learned that they already had the house surrounded and carried a warrant for
the arrest of my brother and my wife.
And yes, I too was carried off to be charged (of this crime) as well,
before the magistrate. After a lengthy
questioning and with some finagling I managed to establish my total innocence
and loyal intentions, after all, Yutzu was already bound and gagged ready to be
turned over to the authorities.”
“In the end it was my
impeccable service record and the fact that I had been away and only just
returned from a business trip that absolved me from blame. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts and
numerous bribes, I failed to extricate my wife from serious culpability. In the end she was judged guilty of being an
accomplice.”
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| 04-ZURONGHAN ALRIC THERRAN VALAMIR |
"The informant who had turned us into the authorities had trailed my brother for some time and compiled serious, incriminating data. Furthermore, his damning testimony against my wife could not be refuted. She'd been quoted as saying that her sympathies lay with the insurgents. She'd loudly reviled the Yozdek regime and promised my brother her full support. All this was news to me. I had no idea that she understood politics much less that she had so passionately harbored such treasonous views. I felt utterly betrayed and, what's more, despaired for my children's fate. I only hoped that they were too young to have been contaminated by their mother's misled loyalties. It's a funny thing with women; they seem on the outset so mindless, so frivolous..." Dokurek dropped his head and, after a moment's pause, swallowed hard, holding back the welling tears.
He continued in a choked
voice, "I was the ignoramus of true facts and real politics. I was the one who had been misinformed, a
misled, utter fool. My brother was
tortured to death. He suffered an
agonizing end, and I was made to watch it all, watch to his final hour, when he
was no longer in any recognizable human form, watch until his last, labored
breath expired. He died once but I’ve
died a hundredfold. For days thereafter
the pain seared my soul. I could not forget his eyes; those accusing eyes have
left such an indelible gash in my heart to this day.”
“To my further shame, I
was even too frightened to claim his body for burial and left it there for them
to dispose of in the usual way. His
mutilated corpse was fed to the wild dogs at the nearest crossroads. Because of my cowardly act I had been spared,
but I could only guess at the terrible fate that awaited Yutzu's wife, my niece
and nephew. I prayed that their end was
swifter than his had been, as swift as that of my wife's
corpse that was left impaled on a soldier's spear at the same crossroads.
"Despite my
acquittal, I was not let off that easily.
In the end my entire property was confiscated, and I was banished to the
remote frontier with my two sons to live out the remainder of our days.”
(END OF SECTION 8)
~
