"Dufo, Kundrick
Dufo? Where have I heard that name
before?” Stark (Asger) sounded a somewhat muted (whispered) query.
"Please forgive my
presumption, my Lord, but, as I have understood it, you’re Lordship had the
privilege of being tutored by numerous famed scholars in your youth, one of
whom..."
"But of course!"
Stark (Asger) raised an impatient hand recalling at once his esteemed teacher
Sorgun Dufo and his son Kundrick; a meek little boy of two Kundrick was then,
always accompanying his father to the study but remaining attentive yet quiet as a mouse in the
background. Even so, Stark (Asger) stole
a dubious glance at Alec. "You are
exceptionally well informed about things pertaining to me, sir."
Alec's response however
was timely interrupted by an inquiry from Svein, and the details concerning
Stark’s (Asger’s) tutor Sorgun, and son Kundrick were briefly relayed.
Stark (Asger) then lapsed
into momentary silence, as images from the past, when he was but eleven years
old, succinctly played out before his mind's eye.
~
In
that fleeting moment, Stark’s (Asger’s) thoughts had trailed to this unusually
tall, thin, distinguished scholar, clad in immaculate, black attire, with his
deep, penetrating, lugubrious(melancholy) eyes and unchanging, serious
expression who spoke softly with weighty words that commanded your undivided
attention. Perhaps the strictest of his
tutors, Sorgun Dufo, had won Asger's lasting respect and awe. From the beginning Asger was enthralled by all the mystery that
had surrounded his esteemed teacher Sorgun Dufo's past (previous years), and he
recalled how tirelessly, but nonetheless fruitlessly, he had tried to get at
the facts. What little information he
had at first procured had been gleaned over the longest while from hints his
father and mother had let fall about this scholar.
 |
| 01- SORGUN DUFO |
For unknown reasons,
scholar Sorgun Dufo and his only son Kundrick had left their stately home in
far off Fukken province under the cover of night, never to return. They had already traveled an immeasurable
distance towards their mysterious destination when, dogged by several
misfortunes and the incurred expenses, they were left destitute and stranded in
Toren province.
Asger's father, Lord
Wutenzar Thuxur Marrog Zhon, recognizing the scholars worth the instant of
their chance encounter, had treated Sorgun with utmost courtesy and respect
and, in keeping with his generous nature, had invited Sorgun to be his honored
guest, lodged in their finest guest house for the duration of their indefinite
stay.
The old Lord's warm
hospitality and lavish gifts had, in turn, constrained Sorgun to stay on longer
at the Zhon residence and to become Asger's tutor in order to reciprocate a
small measure of his host's kindness.
All seemed to go well
until, one day quite unexpectedly, Lui Durek, a distant relative, visited
them. At the informal reception feast
when Lui was introduced to Sorgun the visitor was taken aback at once with an
undeniable shock. Quickly masking it he
extended his felicitations and offered a polite conversation. At the first opportunity, however, he had
discreetly pulled Lord Wutenzar aside and whispered something grievous into his
ear, throwing a furtive glance over the host's shoulder at Sorgun Dufo, who was
engaged in intense conversation with another guest.
"Are you absolutely
certain of this?’ the Lord had demanded crossly in a whisper.
"Absolutely,
undeniably so.", Lui responded, smiling sardonically. "In all the years you have known me,
have I ever led you astray, my Lord?"
 |
| 02- LUI DUREK |
Lui looked directly into
Lord Wutenzar’s eyes, his face dark, his jaw set firm. "Now you must act on this at once, your
Lordship. The culprit must be
apprehended and brought to justice.
Imagine his gall, taking advantage of your kind, generous nature like
that!" Then, noting Lord Wutenzar
Thuxur Marrog Zhon 's frown, Lui scrambled to eradicate the damage,
"Please forgive my presumption, my Lord.
I did not mean to, it was not my intention to...” he said contritely
then, oddly enough, became tongue-tied.
In his exasperation in searching for the appropriate word his face
contorted, appearing so absurd, so comical that Lord Wutenzar had been forced
to constrain his amused laughter.
His stern expression thus
erased, Lord Wutenzar nodded with a dismissive gesture, as if to say, don’t
worry, no offense is taken. I know you
meant well. You were overzealous in your
conscientious efforts, as usual.
Meanwhile the Lord's keen senses had alerted him to how, even at this
distance, the exchange had been ardently, though discreetly, observed by Sorgun
and he'd noted Sorgun's subsequent fleeting, stiff grin.
"You don't agree?”
the family friend Hekin had asked just then loudly, shaking his head in
astonishment, obviously misinterpreting Sorgun's momentary distraction. Then, after looking about the room, Hekin
affixed his eyes on Sorgun and abashedly apologized, his eyebrows raised in
serious inquiry.
Subsequently to all
seeming appearances Sorgun, with typical elegance, had immediately smoothed
over the matter and proceeded to elaborate his opinion on the controversy under
discussion. As he reached out his hand to
have his wine cup filled, however, he had again casually tilted his head and
glanced sideways at Lord Wutenzar Thuxur Marrog Zhon. For a brief, awkward moment their eyes met.
Acting as if nothing had
happened, the Lord smiled stiffly and looked away, feigning being lost in
abstract thought. Admittedly, Lui was
renowned for his sharp memory, meticulous handling of details, keen observation
skills and for his deductive reasoning.
That is what had made him a good censor.
Hmm, Lord Lord Wutenzar remained indecisive, nonetheless. What perturbed him the most was that, up
until that time, he had taken pride in his ability to accurately discern a
man's character. Never had he erred on
this point; never had he been so completely duped. Yet the presented facts…” No; regardless
of all the indisputable, incriminating evidence, this case warrants further
investigation,” he turned his stone gaze to a crow perched on a tree
outside.
Lending a casual ear to
Lui's continued urgings, Lord Wutenzar heaved a dejected sigh; then slowly
rising from his seat, he motioned Lui to follow him to his study. The ensuing conversation behind these closed
doors had left Lord Wutenzar Thuxur Marrog Zhon, after a time, pale and highly
agitated.
Peeking in, Asger had observed in astonishment
the color gradually draining from his
father's grim face and how, after pacing to and for with hands clasped behind
his back, his father had suddenly halted and slumped, listless and resigned,
into his plush chair.
Lui, meanwhile, looking every inch, a beast on
the prowl, had turned his face away in Asger's direction, hiding his feral grin
of satisfaction.
Just then Asger's
attention was drawn back to his father; for at that same instant Lord
Wutenzar's gaze, riveted onto the painting on the far wall, became suffused
with immeasurable fury. Asger knew the
scene well: a harmonious family gathering and banquet on the edge of the river
Yawjun. His teacher Sorgun had given him
that picture not too long ago. His
curiosity now piqued, Asger strained his ears still more, but all he could
catch was a reference to Sorgun, to a mockery and something about a crime of,
’adultery’, a vague word, the meaning of which he had not yet fully
comprehended. Added to his concern was
his father's changed attitude, his reserved, cold indifference to Sorgun Dufo
from then on (that time onward). But
this was something he could not openly inquire about, as it was, even the
merest mention of the word “adultery” had instigated raised eyebrows,
disapproving looks and frowns from his old nanny, mother and maiden aunt.
The mystery had eventually
been resolved when one moonlit night, because sleep had averted Asger, feeling
particularly restless, he had slunk out of his bed and after divesting his bed
clothes, quietly put on some outer garments. Careful not to wake up any of the
servants he’d then went outside and begun aimlessly strolling in the vast
gardens. Veering this way and that, he had finally halted his ambling to gaze
distractedly at the moon's rippling silver rays charting a course over the
emerald surface of the man-made pond, as a lugubrious symphony of insects
serenaded his ears.
Soon after he had tired of
this distraction and, with his hot blood craving adventure, bypassed the
Jadatek pavilion. Veering behind a hill, he had delved into the forbidden
sector of thick grove of ancient pines whose branches blotted out the starlit
night entirely.
Groping his way across this canopy of darkness
he'd skirted another pond, crossed the stone bridge and headed straight for the
peach groves, drawn by the exquisite scent wafting from the blossoms. Advancing at a more leisurely pace, he'd
enjoyed the light breeze fanning his hair and the soft pink blossoms tenderly
caressing his face until his eye suddenly caught a dim light streaming from the
far side.
Craning his neck and inclining his head, he'd pinpointed the location, his
father's old studio, abandoned and hardly ever used since the new one had been
built.
Who or what could it be
there at this ungodly hour? Asger had
hoped it would be a ghost or robber, a promise of a thrill to rejuvenate this
monotonous night. However, no thief could
breach the heavy security. Shaking his
head dejectedly he'd told himself, in all probability and in view of the
recently implemented restrictions on the servant's favorite pastime, gambling,
it could be but only one thing. Yes, decidedly, some of the servants must have
chosen this isolated spot for their illicit activities. Asger had never understood their fascination
over such a benign, innocuous game.
Is it worth investigating? Should I bother or
not? He’d lingered at the spot indecisively for a moment or two as he drew a
circle on the ground with his right foot.
Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Who knows, it may well prove interesting. He simply shrugged, then
sauntered towards the light.
When he'd gotten within
hearing range of the building his ears were suddenly burned by his father's
stern, icy tone as Lord Wutenzar confronted the tutor Sorgun Dufo. Without thinking twice, Asger, in fear,
ducked for cover. But this was too good to miss. Steadying his heart, wildly thumping with
curiosity and excitement, he'd then stealthily approached the open window to
eavesdrop.
"I'm greatly indebted
to you, my Lord, for the kindness you've shown both me and my son Kundrick.”
Sorgun finally said after a prolonged silence.
"Are you mocking
me?" Lord Wutenzar Thuxur Marrog
Zhon took a step forward, glowering, barely able to contain his rage.
Asger had never seen his
father this angry. Inwardly he quaked
out of concern for his tutor Sorgun.
"Please, my
Lord." Sorgun, mustering
self-restraint, indicated a seat for the Lord, then, with permission, he sat
down across from him. Sorgun cleared his throat then in a somber and most
sincere tone he promptly resumed his say, "You have every right, my Lord,
to despise me for what you perceive to be my deception, my concealing the
truth, but please believe me, it was done with the best of intentions."
Sorgun disregarded Lord
Wutenzar's disdainful grunt, "I did not wish to involve yourself or your
family in what would most certainly be a messy, lengthy litigation, and I
certainly could not make you an accessory to my so-called crime. That has been the chief reason why I have
withheld my unfortunate past from you as long as I did. But this grievous, totally erroneous account
given by Lui Durek...” Sorgun held out
his hand to stay the Lord's angry rebuke, "Please, I wish no disrespect to
the gentleman himself, for in all probability he is relaying exactly the
slander that has been circulated, and that has, no doubt also been confirmed by
your investigators, as it being on the public record.”
Lord
Wutenzar’s stone face did not waver (falter); his eyes filled with hurt, he
morosely (dourly) looked away.
 |
| 03-LORD WUTENZAR THUXUR MARROG ZHON |
"You needn’t be
concerned, my Lord, no one has breached your security," Sorgun rushed to
reassure Lord Wutenzar, "it's only to be expected. I would have acted the same had I been in
your place. This erroneous account of
Lui Durek's has nevertheless obliged me to attempt to clarify the situation
and, if nothing else, endeavor to set the record straight.”
“I owe your Lordship that
much. In absence of proof, however, I
must beg your Lordship's indulgence until..." He abruptly stopped short, seeing how, at
this point, Lord Wutenzar Thuxur Marrog Zhon was fidgeting in his seat, clearly
displeased with the scholar's evasions.
Stop wasting my time! Lord Zhon had nearly snapped, but being fair-minded
and wanting to give Sorgun an equitable chance, he had instead sat back,
constraining his displeasure and fixing
his stern gaze on Sorgun, he then indicated for the other to continue (resume
his say).
Sorgun was a proud man and
did not take too kindly to being held under such doubting scrutiny. He considered taking his leave in a huff, why
should he bear such humiliation; however, he hesitated, mindful of the Lord's
past kindness. Inwardly he struggled hence, to curtail his fury and, to forgive
this debasing hurt. His Lordship at
least deserves an explanation. It is
quite natural for him to be concerned, for hasn't he in the last while
entrusted his most precious son's education to me, (an accused) a suspected
criminal?
Lord Wutenzar, meanwhile,
noting the tutor's indignation, his inner turmoil as he struggled with certain
defiance, anger, indecisiveness and the whole range of other, unreadable
emotions on his face, regretted his manner and, softening his gaze, gave Sorgun an encouraging
smile.
"Please do go on,
sir. As you can see, you have my
undivided attention."
Sorgun, after momentary
consideration, nodded thoughtfully and began, "To the best of my ability I
will spare any embellishment and confide in you the true account of my past
circumstances and my reasons for taking this precarious, unenviable path. After which I will, without the least
resistance, surrender my fate to your good judgment." His resolute stare
earned the Lord's approving nod.
So that was at the root of
my teacher’s (Sorgun's) indecisiveness, Asger, now shamefaced, had at once
realized. And of course, this also
accounts for his earlier reluctance and apprehension! And I thought it might be
…. Hmmm. All along he had been
considering making this determination, as well as this request, of my father.
"I would have long
ago surrendered to the authorities, come what may, my own fate being of no
consequence,” Sorgun exhaled a deep, dejected breath and looked away
thoughtfully, "but you see, my concern over my son's welfare had
prohibited me from taking the path of least resistance." His pain filled eyes reverted onto Lord
Wutenzar. "After the ultimate
betrayal, whom could I trust?" He
shook his head dismally.
"Foolishly I'd
expected, or rather hoped, that the matter in due course would resolve itself
and the true facts be disclosed. Now I
see I've been gravely mistaken for, far from being cleared, I've been wrongly slandered
and already convicted without even the benefit of a just trial."
What Asger next heard had
filled his heart with inexplicable feelings and had awakened him to the
otherwise unknown, harsh realities of life.
He'd learned how Sorgun
Dufo had come from a long line of aristocrats who ranked high in Royal favor
and had been endowed with a sizable fiefdom.
After his grandfather's untimely end, Sorgun's father, Kerek Dufo, being
the elder son, inherited the title of Squire and the full responsibilities of
the position.
As his only offspring Sorgun knew that much to
his own regret, eventually that restrictive life would be his as well. As it
were, being educated extensively and grilled and drilled daily, Sorgun had
grown up to become a worthy sophist literati and able politician.
On top of this, he had acquired a natural
talent for the financial aspects of every kind of business on the estate. But his true interests lay elsewhere.
Determined as he was to
have his fill of life before being restricted in obligatory duties, he had,
despite the family's discouragement, devoted much of his free time to
furthering his skill in the martial arts.
Excelling in
swordsmanship, he would, as soon as he was of consenting age, often disappear
on lengthy excursions in search of hair-raising experiences and excitement.
Gradually his father Kerek Dufo eased off on
the punishments, seeing they were of little use as a deterrent, and had allowed
Sorgun to have his way, for the time being at least.
 |
| 05 KEREK DUFO |
Sorgun had suspected this
having been partially due to his paternal uncle Minakos' convincing arguments
on his behalf and so had remained most grateful for his intervention for the
longest while.
Minakos had been the one
who had shown the most understanding and who had discreetly encouraged Sorgun
to pursue his interests. The bitterness
in Sorgun's voice as he told of his uncle rather perplexed Asger at the time,
but the answer was not far off.
After Sorgun was married,
much to his parent's disappointment, he had ensued (kept on) with his
eccentricities and not even the mourning period required for his deceased
mother had deterred him from this practice.
Upon his sudden
(abrupt) return from one such adventure one night, however, he had
unfortunately caught his sanctimonious father Kerek Dufo and his wife, Lady
Linnsar, in a loving embrace during their secret rendezvous in the back garden.
In his rage Sorgun had drawn his sword to
behead them both but, resisting, had only slightly wounded his father with the
flat of the blade. Turning away, deaf to
the curses and threats heaped upon him by Kerek (his father) and the pitiful
pleadings of his faithless wife Lady Linnsar, he'd stormed out of there.
By Sorgun’s uttered admission, all feeling had
died in him then, except for the need to safeguard his infant son
Kundrick. Heading straight for
Kundrick's room he'd snatched the baby from its warm crib and dashed outside
into the just then abrupt (precipitous) rainstorm, in his mad state of mind,
quite oblivious to the pelting rain, never to return.
Forsaking all family, even his great love of
swordsmanship, he'd hurled his precious sword far into the currents of the
Yawjun River and from then on had wandered aimlessly, much like a vagabond,
over the back trails of the vast countryside.
Eventually his son's
survival had necessitated his return to the literary field once more and, being
exceptionally talented, he'd carved out a meager living by tutoring the
children of minor gentry and rich merchants from time to time. He'd never lingered too long in one place for
fear of being found out.
Sorgun vehemently swore on
his grandfather's tomb that he had not taken their lives that night. Their demise had come to his attention much
later.
"In all likelihood,” Sorgun speculated
with an icy grimace, "my repentant father, Esquire Kerek, in his shame had
finished the job for me. It was the
incompetence and corruption of the authorities that later on led to this
erroneous conclusion and, the issuing of warrants for my arrest."
"If you are truly
innocent, sir, and I don't doubt that you are you should have nothing to fear.”
Lord Wutenzar Thuxur Marrog Zhon said after a lengthy pause. "I am sorry to hear that you have lost
all faith in our judiciary process.
Regrettably, in many parts of the country, bad elements have taken root
and infiltrated the process to undermine the probity of our courts, making
mockery of our time-honored laws. But,
with persistence and an adequate outlay (dispensing) of funds, justice may
still be had even there.”
His genuinely concerned
gaze held Sorgun’s for a time then he added:
"Despite your success
thus far in avoiding capture, you have still inadvertently injured the one
thing you sought most to protect. Don't
you realize that, by your evasive actions, you have deprived your innocent son
of his birthright and condemned him to a lifetime of hardship and misery? I advise you therefore, for his sake if
nothing else, to lay your trust once more in the judiciary system and surrender
yourself to the authorities without further ado. You may leave your son in my good care and
relieve your mind of any undue anxiety.
I give you my solemn promise that I will do everything within my power,
leave no stone unturned, to uncover the truth and extricate you from this
wrongful indictment. Wouldn't that be
preferable to always being on the run, apprehensively looking over your
shoulder, faced with an uncertain future?"
Then, rising, he affectionately tapped
Sorgun's shoulder and said, "Think this over carefully. You need not reply just yet, but I expect an
answer no later than tomorrow’s sunset."
Up until that time Asger
had been intimidated by his father's stern persona, seeing him as an unbending,
highly disciplined individual, strict in his adherence to convention,
brilliant, articulate yet intolerant of weakness, a powerful being who put everyone
at their unease and one whose presence always commanded respectful
attention. In short, he'd viewed his
father more as a demigod than as a mortal man, a heavenly force he'd always
striven to win the approval of.
This unassuming, sincere
manner, this compassionate side of his father had never been revealed to Asger
for the sake of discipline, and so his ready championship of the unfortunate
scholar had misted up Asger's eyes, and he'd found it hard to resist the urge
to rush in and embrace him.
As it was, his father
would have never approved of such an open display of affection and would have
scolded him for eavesdropping on top of it.
Meanwhile Asger had noted how Sorgun had also been visibly touched by the
concern and generosity (kindness) Lord Wutenzar had shown him.
After pondering briefly,
Sorgun, with lowered head, nodded his reply, his voice choked with emotion,
"There is no need to wait. I am,
and always will be, most grateful (and beholden) to your Lordship for this consideration."
He had then risen from his seat, straightened
out his garments, and with all due humility, citing Lord Wutenzar Thuxur Marrog
Zhon as his benefactor, had respectfully bowed low to express his gratitude.
He was about to fall to his knees when Asger's
father rushed to stop him and helped him rise.
Saying that such acts were uncalled-for, he'd proposed they both go
outside for a stroll to get a bit of fresh air.
Frightened lest he be
found out, Asger had shrunk into the shadows on all fours and then taken to his
heels. Stealthily beating a hasty
retreat, he'd made his way back to his own room without incident.
In his excitement he'd not bothered to change
and had quickly climbed under the covers but, try as he might, sleep averted
him. He stayed up the rest of the night,
relieving in his mind all that had transpired, all that he'd done, heard and
seen.
Just before dawn he'd
eventually drifted into an exhausted sleep with a contented smile on his
lips. He was confident that his father,
with his resourcefulness, would soon deliver Sorgun, now his favorite, most
respected tutor, from these terrible difficulties.
(END OF SECTION 10)
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