11- LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - EVIL PERSONIFIED - SECTION 18

Once he was back in his offices, Egil Viggoaries set about writing down the petition that he had composed the day before in his mind. In an addendum, he also requested to have the burial ceremony temporarily postponed (delayed), for reasons that there were certain discrepancies (inconsistencies) about the manner of the Royal Tutor's death, which warranted an urgent and official autopsy by the Imperial Coroner. This he dispatched at once, directly to Qarzten Caimund.

The next morning when the result, which the Dark Eunuch had anticipated, was revealed and, an all-out hunt was mounted for the culprits, specifically Stewart Chutek, Egil Viggoaries had rubbed his hands together and hissed: “The orchestra has commenced with the opening bars, now let’s call in the steps and watch the minions dance (hop).” 

     

                                                                                  ~ 

01- QARZTEN CAMUND (12)

Qarzten Caimund with acuity (perspicacity, discernment)) had awaited Egil Viggoaries’s next maneuver and found that, as expected, he had opted for extorting Lady Sejon while turning the evidence into a weapon against his hated adversary. The Dark Eunuch’s timely petition for an autopsy and the following steps was all appropriately within the bounds of the law.

Furthermore, under his authority, all pertinent documents and testimonies were arranged to disclose facts, exactly the way Egil Viggoaries wanted them to appear. Lady Sejon herself was fed rumors, and they remained only rumors, that the Royal Tutor Worren Youkup had scribbled a condemning confession on his deathbed that had aroused Egil Viggoaries’s suspicions and led to the incriminating autopsy. Moreover, there was the certain verification (proof) that an ensuing investigation had turned up the agent of death which happened to be the medicinal flask belonging to Herleif’s personal physician, Enqui Rimeng.   

In the subsequent days, the Chief of Internal Security’s team had surpassed themselves in their relentless pursuit of resolving (rounding up) this case. A carefully blended presentation of factual and fabricated evidence was expertly amassed in sufficient quantity to have Chutek and Doctor Enqui Rimeng indicted and incarcerated for questioning and torture, as co-conspirators of Royal Tutor’s murder.    

Steward Chutek was quickly apprehended at an Inn near the Nexoko Pass as he was preparing to leave and was brought back in chains and under heavy guard, to Channing, to stand before the Grand Inquisitor and Egil Viggoaries. The sealed box entrusted to him by Worren Youkup was also retrieved intact and handed over to the Chief of Internal Security.

The contents of the letter addressed to Scholar Tonzeye Yevgun confirmed Worren Youkup’s suspected erratic state of mind; moreover, Worren’s unusual requests from his long-time friend unwittingly placed Tonzeye in a very precarious position. Seizing this excellent opportunity Egil had at once issued an arrest warrant for the Scholar Tonzeye Yevgun.

Qarzten Caimund, who had always been favorably disposed to the Illustrious Scholar Tonzeye, was able to intervene in time however, and taking advantage of the distance to Chukset Province, had ordered that the preliminary depositions be taken there, before the Scholar's probable, eventual transport to Capital. This measure ensured it would be at least three months before Tonzeye Yevgun could be, safely and under guard, transported back to Channing to determine, (barring a miracle) unfortunately under torture, the extent of his part in this supposed, diabolical plot. But then, Qarzten Caimund had reckoned, quite a bit could transpire in that period.

 

02-SCHOLAR TONZEYE YEVGUN (1)

Those officials within the Capital, the few who had accepted gratuities (bribes) to expedite the processing of Steward Chutek’s documents meanwhile, had all been taken in for questioning. Their under-duress testimonies, tailored to establish the Royal Tutor's secret infatuation with Chutek and his consequential unsound (irrational) state of mind at the time he had initiated those procedures (actions), were all meticulously chronicled (recorded, registered).    

The Certificates of Manumission, Powers of Attorney and latest will bequeathing all Worren Youkup’s holdings in its entirety to Steward Chutek, now deemed rigged (manipulated, swindled), were promptly and legally nullified.    

Egil Viggoaries's prosecuting team additionally, had attained further incriminating data, the so-called monitory gift payments, for a covert, perverse sexual liaisons between (routinely shadowed) Physician Enqui Rimeng and Chutek that had gone on, decidedly, for more than eleven months. The Judiciary stored all this amassed evidence temporarily in a safe place, pending the time (of the Trial) they will be required to be presented as proof (mark) of, Physician Enqui Rimeng and the chief culprit Chutek's complicity in the pre-meditated murder of Worren Youkup.    

Chutek in the interim was, with all his funds frozen and having no hidden stash of his own to fall back on, effectively blocked from contracting (hiring) competent legal aid (defense team) and proving his innocence. Not that it would have done him any good, as most in Channing had already in their minds, convicted Chutek; believing him to be the mastermind of the sinister ploy- which had the unsuspecting Worren Youkup ingesting the poisoned substance while Chutek was conveniently absent from the Capital. Even Prime Minister was not of a mind to lock horns with his chief rival Egil Viggoaries, over this sensational, highly publicized felonious act (criminal act) of an insignificant Steward Chutek. With no one to champion his rights, things looked bleaker each passing day for Chutek.

03-STEWART  CHUTEK 8 JP

Despite the expended effort to tie this case up swiftly and neatly however, there had been still one unforeseen, major snag in the steady progress of the Dark Eunuch’s persecution team, for no confession could be had (extracted) from Chutek. Quite unexpectedly and stoically Chutek had borne (withstood), to the bitter end, the unconscionable humiliation and the barbaric torment.    

 When viewed, the state of Chutek's remains had made even Qarzten Caimund wince, and he had seen it all. That day as they had descended the spiraling, perilous steps, Qarzten Caimund (from the corner of his eye) observing Egil Viggoaries’ reticent conduct, had confirmed fully then, how the hellish, foul-smelling dungeon with its endless corridors and cells, with steady groaning coming from its labyrinthine depths, its air ripped with terrifying screams of its victims being tortured, was almost a source of comfort for the demented Dark Eunuch.  Ushered solicitously into the cell which Chutek had been endlessly tormented and seeing Chutek or what was left of him, Qarzten Caimund had drawn back violently, shuddering to the marrow of his bones. Yes, despite himself, despite his efforts to conceal it from Egil Viggoaries, he had shuddered with deep inner revulsion. 

At that point, additionally, the Dark Eunuch’s inhumane, eerie peal of mocking laughter grated on Qarzten ‘s ears; meanwhile, the subhuman mirth (hilarity) rising from the depths over the anguished cries had reverberated in that chilling air. His resentment of Egil Viggoaries had apexed then, and it had seriously sickened Qarzten to the core, to be so cognisant (aware) of the degree of vileness of Egil Viggoaries’s perverted mind.   

Meeting Eunuch's eyes, Qarzten Caimund had glared at the Dark Eunuch with fierce disapproval, his heart suffused with outrage, finding no words to express the vulgarity of what he had witnessed just then. In all his years of faithful service as a vassal of Zakhertan Yozdek, Qarzten Caimund had seen countless victims of torment; many were subjected to cruel procedures to prevent their escape, barbaric (inhumane) methods that were clearly marked (patent) sadistic tortures. In cases where all else failed and other means had proven ineffective, the application of torture had been justified. It was an accepted norm in Wenjenkun, an unavoidable evil, during the Reign of Zakhertan Yozdek. Qarzten Caimund bore the burden of guilt himself for having overseen, initiated, or partaken (participating) in many acts of inquisition and torture in the past, but never had it been taken to this extent of barbarism.  And he had never seen this degree of suffering inflicted upon a living being. Nothing comparable could have prepared him for this most abhorrent of gruesome scene. But what was even worse, what was more disturbing still, was Egil Viggoaries’s chilling repulsive reaction to the disembodied corpses strewn about them and his startlingly atrocious conduct next, that had violently churned Qarzten’s stomach. It was as though Egil Viggoaries had an inherent need, had insisted on Qarzten Caimund’s presence to heighten his amusement, to reassert his belief that he and he alone was untouched, unmoved by this sort of monstrous act and the vileness of it all. The ignoble (base, dastardly) goading had infuriated Qarzten and at that point he had looked away, biting back his fierce contempt.

04- QARZTEN CAMUND (21)JP

"Was this really warranted?" Qarzten Caimund, keeping the anger from his voice had asked, as he, for a spell, burrowed his unyielding, menacing, (threatening) gaze on Egil Viggoaries. But before the Dark Eunuch could respond, suddenly, at that very moment an inhuman scream had filled the tense morbid air.

Observing the involuntary shudder that had just then rippled through Qarzten Caimund, Egil Viggoaries had sneered contemptuously and maliciously. "Of course, it was warranted." His cynical, condescending tone had still further incensed Qarzten Caimund, but he’d looked away nevertheless, not wishing a serious confrontation at that precise moment. 

Subsequently Qarzten’s gaze once more had fallen on the pitiful form of chained Chusek; however, at that moment, Qarzten’s keen eye caught a detail that instantly flooded his heart with hope. He quickly got a grip on his senses, and feigning mere technical (scientific), and in part meddlesome (interfering) interest, he drew closer to examine Chusek’s grave injuries in the head, those deep gushes and lacerations that was gradually staining crimson more parts of his hair; however, his eyes discreetly instead, had fleetingly examined Chusek’s earlobes, to ascertain of his earlier detected discrepancy.

No, he had not mistaken it! This was an imposter… He was not Stuart Chutek!

 Qarzten Camund, nevertheless feigning disgust and tediousness, stepped back and quickly lowered his eyes to hide the relief in them, while escaping the intense scrutiny of the detestable, predatory Dark Eunuch. 

Egil Viggoaries, meanwhile, not getting what he sought (wanted) out of Qarzten, gave a huff of derision and half-turning looked at Chutek's maimed and mutilated corpse; when he reverted his riveting gaze back to Qarzten, Egil Viggoaries’s face had been ugly, his body movements suddenly more antagonistic, more menacing.

The Dark Eunuch’s subsequent, spiteful abrasive words of the poor tormented creature, the uttered scornful obscenities, nevertheless, grated on Qarzten Caimund’s innate sense of morality and justice; and so, he, again bristling, clutched his fists, his fingernails deliberately digging into his palm and drawing blood; a sham performance which he had deliberately failed to veil (conceal) from the Dark Eunuch.

This, expectantly, to some extent (partially), satisfied Egil Viggoaries.

Continuing with his bogus performance and purposefully averting the Dark Eunuch's piercing eyes, lest he betray what was truly in his heart and mind, Qarzten then briskly turned about face and left hurriedly, in a quasi (pseudo, virtual) near frenzied state, rushing his steps down the hall.

Subsequently, Qarzten had ascended by twos the stone steps to abscond and to spread some distance between himself and the Dark Eunuch; his soul demanded escape(flight) from this insane vile monster who had been gloating, elated by what he had accomplished, and furthermore, by what he was still intending, proposing to do.    

Indubitably Qarzten’s core had genuinely blanched at the very thought, the proof, that there were in existence two such monsters in Wenjenkun: Sovereign Zakhertan Yozdek and Egil Viggoaries.

Then, to his greater dismay, he was quickly reminded of the third monster, Emperor Deng Hedenko of Kontu. 

 

                                                                             ~ 

 

(END OF SECTION 18) 

 

 LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - THE RENEGADE IMMORTAL - SECTION 13

Zaur Stugr remained pensively silent for a time; moreover, there was a marked skepticism in his narrowed, hard eyes that showed he was hitherto unconvinced.

01 A ZAUR STUGR JP (5)

Deizvor had been deemed until then, a mastermind linguist of the known world’s vernacular, and had furthermore, excelled in deciphering the most remote and varied indigenous groups’ sign-languages. This strange dialect which confounded (mystified) him, had to have been a most recent, ingeniously devised means of communication; if so, this warranted a prompt, in-depth (thorough) investigation into this matter. Kozurs’ linguistic team, soon put to the task, must decipher (decode) and then pass it on to their most trusted agents in Korion (and other foreign lands), before the predictable consequences could be amplified.

Zaur nevertheless curtailing his impatience sternly motioned for Deizvor to carry on with his report.

"Despite my exasperation I was reluctant to leave and stood my ground so as to note their every action.  At one point they received what looked to be a set of written instructions from him, one can only presume that it was, directive for their next assignment.  Unfortunately, after reading the contents and nodding their acceptance, they tore it in half and consumed it.  Then, at the apparent conclusion of their business, the contact thrust a money pouch (for future expenditures) into Hugen’s hand and summarily took his leave.  I debated, of course, whether to pursue this newcomer or to persist with the surveillance on those two birds (spies) who had their heads together and looked to be hatching more plots.  Also, I wanted to see where they would finally end up and if need be, arrange to have a backup to continue on with the shadowing, while I promptly returned to relay my report. "

"And this was done?"

"Yes, sir," Deizvor hastily imparted their present whereabouts.  "Even though their contact could not be traced, we had these two fully covered, sir.  They ‘ll be dogged wherever they go from now on."

Zaur looked down to hide the anger in his eyes.  “Fool!  They’d already found you out… They were playing you.”

“What a waste. You should have gone for reinforcements the moment they made contact and apprehended all three.”  But then, Zaur did not encourage that kind of initiative.  Deizvor, after all, had done exactly as he’d supposed to.

"When they switched back to Korionese what they said took me by complete surprise." Catching Deizvor ' excitement, Zaur Stugr looked up.

02- DEISVOR

Deizvor was shaking his head and had begun to whisper in a barely audible voice, "Now I know for certain the identity of the assassin.  The Kontu emissaries were grievously wronged.  It was all a diabolical deception concocted by no less than KeTizan, Chief Minister of our formerly trustworthy ally, Xexos."

"Xexos is it then?"  Zaur exclaimed in an incredulous voice, frowning; he was fast losing his patience. “It’s a pity your presence was detected.”  Relations between the subjugated Korion and Wenjenkun's catspaw, Xexos, had always been strained.  Zaur had already deduced that Korion was behind the plot and the lengths to which their spies went to feed the patently false information about Xexos only strengthened his suspicion.

"Yes, sir, Xexos …  They were behind it all.  Who would have thought it?  Nevertheless, we now have sure confirmation of that fact."  Deizvor checking his rising doubt, nevertheless, went on to repeat, word for word, the ingeniously implanted evidence the spies had fed him.  "These Korion spies, I later learned through discreet investigation of the sources they alluded to in their conversation, were part of an independent body of observers and couriers.  Wizened to the plot against Sovereign Zakhertan Yozdek, they had been sent on to obtain a firsthand report of the developments in our country."

“At best it is more likely that they were sent here to get an independent view of the actions taken by Korion's emissaries and relay it back to their King without delay.  In the worst-case scenario, they probably had orders to assassinate those same emissaries should things go awry.” Zaur Stugr inwardly scoffed.  “Xexos, indeed…  As if we would be so gullible; so easily be duped into fighting their border wars for them.  Would they never learn?”  Zaur continued to listen with remarkable restraint to Deizvor s' specifics about the supposed conspiracy, mildly amused at times, by the tale they’d spun.  Once Deizvor had finished Zaur promptly dismissed him without comment and had just finished preparing for a return to his office when the arrival of a special courier was announced.

This night had been particularly long, too long.  Zaur’s temples throbbed, and he rubbed them absentmindedly to relieve the pressure building up then looked up to acquiesce sternly, "All right, bring him in."

The courier was briskly ushered in.  He advanced smartly all the way in, to abrupt halt before the desk.  He bowed respectfully then, reaching into his inner pocket, withdrew an envelope which he presented to Zaur.

Zaur Stugr briefly examined the familiar seal for tampering and smiled.  It was from one of his best recruits.  "How is he?" he asked the courier, studying the man's reaction from the top of his downcast eyes.

"He anticipated your question, sir, and bade me to tell you that he is faring handsomely, having made great strides.  He hopes to furnish you with more proof in the coming days that is if his proposal goes through smoothly, without undue hindrance from the one he said you would know."

Zaur Stugr appeared pleased with this cryptic message and, with a closed smile, relayed an equally esoteric (arcane) reply of his own before he dismissed the courier.  When he was sure he was alone he broke open the seal, took out the letter from its covering (envelope) and unfolding it, avidly devoured its contents.

“Confound it!”  The smile of a moment ago quickly turned into a frown.  His hunches, it seemed, had been right on.  Zaur had hoped that, for the first time, he might have been proven wrong, but the letter had only confirmed his suspicions.  With a furrowed brow, Zaur Stugr took his angry stare away from the page.

This is quite serious, indeed.  He shook his head.  Why, in all this time, with all the spies they had planted in that region, why hadn’t one of them detected anything till now?  How could such a competent group simply miss out on an event of this magnitude?  This was not something that happened overnight.  An army was being raised, for Heaven's sake!  How could such a thing remain undetected, furthermore, so completely hidden for that length of time?

Zaur Stugr had absolute confidence in his men; he knew they could not be bought, threatened, or coaxed into shirking their duty.  This meant that at some prior point this group’s cover had been blown and, besides being kept in the dark, they too had methodically been fed misinformation.  Infuriated by this temporary setback, Zaur wearily leaned his back into the plush chair and closed his eyes in deep contemplation; after a spell, his attention back on the letter, he picked it up and perused (more meticulously) every minutest detail, seeking to uncover well disguised, subtle nuances. Zaur’s elation was short lived, and his expression grew even more solemn as he reflected on the specific, supposed happenstances of the last six months. The letter had affirmed his suspicions of Korion’s ultimate hidden agenda (objective) with its long-term implications.  In the months to come, Wenjenkun would become inexorably drawn into deepening conflict with Kontu with ever widening consequences.  Korion would do its best to see to that.

“All right.” in the end he nodded self-consciously as he committed the letter to the embers of an incense burner kept close by for just such a purpose.  “I can't just deal with this matter on my own, not when the nation's security is in jeopardy. I must find a subtle, an ingenious way to broach the subject and inform Lamont Gudaren of this dangerous development.”

Leaning back, he again closed his eyes and pondered on the concern: whether Wenjenkun would withstand a lengthy and costly war of attrition with an equally determined and decidedly warlike state such as Kontu. Moreover, Kontu had access to ample rich resources in the well fortified northern islands and was now bent on extending its horizons onto the main body of the continent.

03-DENG HEDENKO (27)

Zaur was all too familiar with the unsurpassed tactics of Hedenko's past conquests: his brilliantly executed strategies, his diplomatic manoeuvrings, and his ingenious offensive campaigns.  Zaur had kept himself apprised of Kontu's recent status of an emerging imperial nation, and the fact that its economic power and military prowess, in a short while would reach its zenith. Their political stability was another consideration in comparison to Wenjenkun. Emperor Deng Hedenko was a competent, strong, and quite ruthless leader, much like Sovereign Zakhertan Yozdek.  Once a rapacious ruler sets his sights on a verdant objective, he would be virtually unstoppable.  It was a foregone conclusion that any targeted nation would be swallowed into the raging forge of their conquered domains or wiped entirely from the very face of History.

Zaur could not, of course, underestimate Wenjenkun's resilience and equally predatory Zakhertan Yozdek’s resourcefulness; but the Nation (State) and the Imperial family’s interests at present had detrimental rifts. To boot, there were strong factions entrenched in the core government, who would seize this golden opportunity to make a short-sighted deal with the new devil to attain (gain) more power. 

What concerned Zaur most, however, was the superiority of Kontu's armaments, the recent technological advances they had made in metallurgy and weaponry.

Rising to his feet, with his hands clasped behind him, Zaur Stugr paced the room then, wheeling about suddenly and with bold strides marched right out the door. 

Perched on the roof Nevetsecnuac, had eyed Zaur's obvious inner turmoil, with perplexity.  Noting the fact that the first light of the new day would be upon them soon, he abandoned the idea of following Zaur from his offices and instead headed directly back to his own sleeping quarters.

                                                                        ~

 

Zaur Stugr’s speculations about Hugen and Uyuk meanwhile had been right on the mark (dead right).  Having discerned earlier on, the presence of the eavesdropper, the two spies had safeguarded their actions and deliberately imparted misinformation to throw the snoop Deizvor entirely off course.  Moreover, both being masters of disguise and possessing superb stamina and martial prowess, they had also successfully shaken off their latent ardent pursuers and were now headed, unencumbered, once more in the direction of Korion.

Despite an intense countrified alert for the two spies, Hugen and Uyuk had eluded capture simply by journeying in the broad daylight and passing through endless checkpoints perfectly disguised as a merchant couple (as man and wife).  But the disguise carried its own drawbacks as, more times than Uyuk cared to remember, he had been hit upon (sexually manhandled) by the licentious guards. It took great restraint on his part not to pulverize these offending sentries; they were instead mollified, by dispensing bribes along with the hint of future compliance. 

Then came a period when, in the interest of making good time, they had opted for the shortcut routes of Hugen’s choosing and traversed through isolated, especially rough and perilous terrain; where which they had more than once, encountered, not only wild, carnivores’ beasts but also marauding bandits who had them pegged for an easy prey.  After locking horns with these two undercover agents the bandits, however, were the ones who were disarmed, disgraced, and then robbed of what little valuables they carried.  The bested and badly wounded brigands scurried off in fear of their lives like the rats they were, tail tugged between their hind-legs, morbidly ashamed to ever recount of the encounter.

04- HUGEN (45)jp

Being adept at surviving under the harshest conditions, Hugen deemed (considered) all these arduous, hair-raising experiences as trifling adventures.  For him the journey was a breeze, it was going off without a hitch and through it all he hummed a tune of some song.

Uyuk, on the other hand, held a much different opinion. His strong constitution weathered the hardships with ease all right, but these were seen by him as an unnecessary imposition.  He was a pragmatist and valued his comfort whenever he could get it; hence, he increasingly became resentful of Hugen’s obstinate eccentricities.   

 

(END OF SECTION 13)                                            

 

 

 LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - ON THE WAY TO THE CAPITAL - SECTION 32

 

 With nothing else left to do, Tizan donned (wore, put on) Captain Duko's attire over the light armor he kept on underneath to protect him from arrows then, as ordered, went back below decks to retrieve (fetch) Disaidun Agripe.

This time quite unexpectedly, Disaidun’s spineless husband, having mustered all his courage, charged at Tizan just as they were headed out the door. 

 

01- CEROS AGRIPE STRIKES BACK

Though Ceroz Agripe was half-crazed, filled with remorse and rage, he was still no match for the Lieutenant of Imperial guards and so, with just one blow from the back of his fist, hardly any effort at all on Tizan's part, Ceroz was hurled right across the room, bloodied and almost cataleptic (almost out cold), to crash onto the floor of the cabin.

 "You dare oppose me, wretch!" Tizan’s rage not assuaged, growling he went over to deliver a couple of vicious kicks to the Ceroz's side; the force of the second kick was such, it lifted the massive body up and slammed (smashed, crashed) it against the far wall of the cabin.

 

02- CEROS AGRIPE KICKED TO FAR END

 Tizan turned his fiery gaze back to the woman Disaidun Agripe and bellowed.  "What have you done to him to bring him to such a state?"

Not condescending to answer, Disaidun Agripe simply shrugged and walked on ahead.

“Quite the vixen, aren't you?” Tizan smirked as he locked and barred the door behind them.  In truth he liked a woman with such spunk but, since Captain Zunrogo had taken special interest in her, she was off-limits to him.  Such was the rule he had always lived by and continued to follow. 

Grabbing Disaidun Agripe’s arm forcefully next, and ignoring her volley of threats, he lugged (toted) her to the barricade.  "This is your post.  The captain forbids you to stray an inch from this point…  Understand?"  Only then Tizan let go of her arm. He was inwardly thrilled at her repressed seething contempt for him, and could not help but provoke her further, "We have only a few hours now before the fog lifts.  If you want to pray for your salvation, go ahead; now may be your only chance."  He smirked.

 

Her retort froze on her lips when her eye just then caught the exceptionally crafted crossbow leaning in the far corner.  Walking over, Disaidun Agripe picked it up, examined it carefully and said, “Where did you find this?  It’s magnificent."

Then, she sedately withdrew an arrow from its quiver.

 

“Show off, as if you can discern a good weapon from a bad one.  Some maven (expert, professional, doyen) you are.” He’d inwardly scoffed, fixing his cold gaze at her; Tzan once more could not resist goading (inciting) her, "You do know how to use it, I trust?".

 

Disaidun Agripe did not answer him but, instead, loaded the arrow in the blink of an eye then aimed it directly at Tizan's heart and asked. “Do you want a demonstration?"

This was too much!  Throwing his head back and trusting his hidden armor, Tizan laughed heartily, "Go ahead, I dare you to."

 

03-TZAN JP

Just then Zunrogo appeared on the scene, his stern looks at once sending Tizan without another word, scurrying off to above deck, to take up his assigned post.

Disaidun Agripe’s (Jepipi's) alluring approach was met with the same icy rebuke.

Not taking it to heart, she behaved as if he bade her, sizing up Zunrogo from the corner of her eye and admiring his heroic countenance.

 

“By the Gods, he is magnificent! “Gearing up for this single, bitter battle, she was positive he would triumph over any foe, however invincible, before the end of the day.

                                                                                         ~

 

For seemingly endless hours now, Disaidun Agripe (Miss Jepipi) had fidgeted at her post.  These times preceding an engagement (battle) had always seemed to drag on forever; furthermore, the angry rants and ravings of her half-crazed husband Ceroz, only two doors down aggravated her soul and ignited her ire, making things far worse.

“Oh, why won't he shut up?” Disaidun Agripe groaned, for her conscience bothered her a little now; after all, it was she who had brought him to this state.

“But it was necessary,” she told herself to ease the guilt.  “I had to do what I did to survive.  Why couldn't he be a bit more like his half-brother?  Insipid fool brought this misfortune down upon himself because he's less of a man, he’s so weak! “Her face contorted in disgust.

 

                                                                             ~

 

Yesterday, upon her return from her blissful experience with Zunrogo, she had hesitated for a few moments outside the cabin door, just long enough to dishevel her hair, loosen her belt, scratch her shoulders, and rip her bodice slightly, altering her appearance and assuming a tragic countenance.

 Let inside and, finally free (away) from Tizan's prying eyes, Disaidun had then given an incredible performance of a woman who had been both physically and mentally abused.

 

Ceroz Agripe already looked haggard, his face unusually gaunt and pale, and his eyes sunken and bloodshot.  It tore at his heart and ripped his bowels to shreds, nearly driving him to the brink of insanity to hear Disaidun’s embellished accounts of the shameful mauling (pawing, battering) that she had supposedly endured at the hands of that vile, lecherous old official, Luvet. That’s right; not Zunrogo but Luvet, her husband was led to believe, was the supposed sole perpetrator of this grievous sexual assault on his beloved wife Disaidun.

 

04- LUVET

Luvet’d spared her face but not her body, under her garments, she’d claimed, was all black and blue as testament of his ill treatment. She had brazenly offered to show it to him but Ceroz, the fool, trusting in her implicitly, simply taken her at her word.

Ceroz Agripe was further led to believe that, behind Luvet's seemingly benign, quiet disposition lay a calculating, sinister, greedy, licentious, and vindictive villain who had, from the moment he’d laid eyes on Disaidun, lusted after her and from then on shamelessly had striven (endeavored) to possess her.

The convincing story Disaidun fed her husband was wretched enough in itself but her quiet tears, her unspoken insinuations just compounded Ceroz’s already intolerable existence, his unbearable misery. Highly incensed, Ceroz Agripe’d gnashed his teeth, shaken his fist in the air and vowed to exact vengeance on that dog's spawn. 

“He'd make him pay dearly for his vile deeds, enlist the help of his half-brother, Zohuj Kez and his influential friends, if needs be.”

"And how do you propose to survive this present danger?  You know you're powerless to stop him or them."  Disaidun had rebuked him, then relayed to him the information she’d overheard, when they thought she’d passed out, in Luvet’s cabin.

Luvet the mastermind, Ceroz Agripe came to believe, had conspired from the start with Captain Doku, the two assassins, the Imperial guard Tizan and Captain Zunrogo, and the seemingly upright scholar, to intercept in mid-stream a tribute vessel bound for the Capital with its cargo of gold bullion.

The details of this grand larceny had been worked out months in advance, down to the minutest point and, the specific measures needed for smooth transition and the eventual execution, now had been finalized.  Many more were involved in a scheme of this magnitude, including some subversives planted on the targeted vessel. The few expendable passengers/witnesses, like them, were all imprisoned in their cabins, to be dealt with later; their predictable demise, however, would eliminate (eradicate) any possibility of trouble later-on.

Then she reminded her husband how she had wanted to disembark along with the other, lucky passengers when the opportunity had availed itself, when there was still time.

She blamed him, on his short-sightedness, his eagerness to reach his new post, and consequently, for this terrible predicament.

Her ill luck had also been the contributor. She then softening, had exclaimed, looking as though she desperately sought to exonerate at least in part, his guilt, which further endeared her to him, “How wonderful she was; how so very naïve to believe in nonsensical superstition.” Fool that he was, she could read him like a book.

 

05-CEROS AND DISAIDUN AGRIPE

 “Oh, darling husband, what can we do, what can you do to save me?” Once more she had wept unconsolably, heart wrenchingly.  After which, when she, feeling terribly parched, dried her eyes, and asked her husband to fetch her some water from the jug.

Her husband eager to please and to console her had rushed to do her bidding.

 It was at that point in time, when she looking even more dismal (gloomy), robbed him of least hope, by telling him that before she was sent back, she had been told, but was afraid to tell him till then, how the villain Luvet intended to murder Ceroz and the baby and if she did not agree to be his concubine in future, he threatened to sell her into slavery (bondage).

As for the reasons why, she had been sent back, it was simply to allow her to say her final farewells, while they finalized their plan and corrected prior overlooked areas of incongruity (conflict ).

"Oh, dear husband our bliss has been so cruelly cut short; as doomed individuals we are, robbed of ecstasy of growing old together. You’ll never see your son grow up. He’ll never grow up! “Disaidun Agripe had looked at him with hurtful, resigned eyes then burst into loud sobs to once more, wrench his heart.

She’d watched (seen) from the corner of her eye how self-loathing and reproach gnawed at his entrails, how flustered, how sickened at heart he’d suddenly felt, in his dire predicament.

For a brief second, seeing how she had broken him with her words, she had felt the stirring of remorse tugging at her conscience; but she had already resolved in Zunrogo's cabin to carry this ploy through to the bitter end.

"Don't worry, husband," her heart again hardened, she had seized this opportunity to add salt to his open wounds.

 "I will not blame you for what will happen to me in future. As I said earlier, I was born under an unlucky star; it has been my curse my entire life.  I don't see why it should change now.  I'm grateful for this one brief period of happiness you have given me.  It will be one fond memory I will carry with me to my grave."

Then once again Disaidun Agripe had recounted in detail, the shameful episodes with Luvet; at the end of which, she’d thrown herself at her husband’s feet, imploring him to have mercy and, by killing her right there and then, put an end to her torment.

 Of course, Disaidun knew Ceroz was totally incapable of such an act.  It was just one more pummel of guilt, another whack of disgrace, all, fostering chagrin, to further constrict the loop (strap, noose, snare, rope) around her husband’s neck, to sap his honor, his manhood and ultimately, push him over the edge.

Egged on by her pleading the fool had tried, given it his best shot too; to predictably in the end, when, she had started to turn ashen, when her eyes had bulged out only a little and, she had started to emit slight gurgling sounds, he had suddenly broken off his grip on her neck and then, with a horrified look on his face, fallen back.

"I can't go through with it! I'm no murderer." He’d cried out.

 “What did I almost do?” Traumatized Ceroz Agripe had glared hatefully at those still partially clenched, despicable hands that had almost taken the life of his beloved wife.

He had next, burying his face and fallen on his knees, had sobbed hysterically, uncontrollably, like a child.

 

06- DISRAUGHT CEROS AGRIPE

Disaidun Agripe, her senses restored to norm, though inwardly sullen, going over, had murmured her encouragement. "It’s all right, dear.  You did nothing wrong. I asked you to; I made you do it. You are not to be blamed. You are a good man; you always were.  We’ll be all right."  She'd then sobbed inconsolably as she cradled him and rocked his head soothingly in her arms.  "Please don't cry.”

 Drying her tears, she’d then to further shame him, promised resolutely, “You need not try, dear; I’ll find the strength somehow for us both and, avenge this wrong. This time I'll find it in myself too..."  She did not have to complete her sentence, for he had understood (grasped) her meaning. 

Disaidun would rather end her own life by throwing herself into the cold river and perishing in the watery grave, than suffer further shame. 

Her strong determination only belittled him further, robbing what little bit of humanity was left within him.  He felt smaller than a maggot, slime, a piece of offal.

 

 

                                                                              ~

 

 

(END OF SECTION 32)