LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - ON THE WAY TO THE CAPITAL - SECTION 26
Because the official who
had originally chartered the dispatch boat was most eager to reach his
destination, soon as Zunrogo's party stepped onto the deck, the anchor was
hauled up and the craft immediately headed out.
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| 01- AN OFFICIAL LUVET |
The same official had remained cloistered in his cramped cabin (private quarters) for the remainder of the journey, with always his head buried deep in documents. The crew went about their business efficiently but edgily in that tense, pervading (all encompassing) atmosphere.
Earlier Fradel Rurik
Korvald (Nevetsecnuac) had been told that, for security reasons, his true identity
had not been disclosed to anyone on board, it seemed to Nevetsecnuac; thus,
Zunrogo’s presence alone was sufficient grounds to put everyone on their unease
(tenterhooks), including the official, with his self-imposed confinement.
Nevertheless, for the next several days their journey passed uneventfully, as
both the river current, and the wind sped them downstream until, at the crack
of dawn on one overcast day, the government craft safely moored at the
designated slip in Kenzor harbor. Had it not been for the vessel's urgent need
for repairs, Zunrogo, without a moment's hesitation, would have confiscated the
craft for the rest of the voyage and pressed on. Instead, by the time it took Fradel and
Zunrogo to consume a satisfying hot breakfast at one of the prospering tea
houses, Tizan had expeditiously booked another passenger boat and had their
luggage transferred aboard, ready for their prompt (summary) departure.
Later that same morning, when they set off for the Capital, there were only few other boats sharing their course (headed the same way). By noon the fair-weather-wind, rolling down the river valley from the north had again picked up momentum (speed). To take full advantage, their swift, modern craft at once hoisted its triangular sails and, instantly picking up speed, in no time at all put a considerable distance between them and the rest of the riverboats, save one. This one seemed to be persistently keeping up the pace.
On the subsequent days
this same north wind brought down drizzling rain and fog so dense that the
riverbanks became virtually invisible. Then the blustery weather picking up
force, out of nowhere herded in, a dark mass of clouds that turned midday into
dusk. The river water, churned by the
tempest wind speed, broke up into rolling, silvery waves that tossed snowy foam
onto the deck, perpetually rocking the craft until the dowels and bindings that
held the craft together were strained to the breaking point.
The captain of the vessel, Ortusz Doku, responding to the petitions of his other, sickened passengers and, the insistence of his crew, bent on his knees before Zunrogo to obtain his permission to steer the craft into a safe harbor before the boat was battered apart by the storm.
Neither Zunrogo nor Tizan
were affected in the least bit by the incessant rocking of the boat. Frowning and cursing, Zunrogo denigrated
Ortusz with his cutting words until the captain, his pride sorely bruised, made
to leave. But then Zunrogo (on second
thought) relented and gave his consent.
Soon after the vessel was expertly steered through the blinding rain
into a bend in the river where the anchor was cast, and the ship moored fast by
strong ropes to huge trees onshore. Just in time too, for suddenly strong, gale
force winds sprang up as the worst of the storm hit. The vessel, safely moored,
still was violently, unmercifully rocked, like it was but a toy. The waves beat against the shore in an angry
uproar as torrential, pelting rains drenched everything to the core. Thankfully, the precautions they had just
taken enabled the boat to ride out the storm and sustain only minimal damage.
During this grueling
episode, akin (like) other passengers, Fradel (Nevetsecnuac) had fought off the
terrible motion sickness; but then, under the watchful eye of Zunrogo Tugo, reluctantly
had taken some medicated wine at Tugo’s insistence, which in fact aside from
some troubling side-effects, had alleviated (assuaged) his discomfort. In this partially vulnerable state, chiefly
to get his mind off his ailment, he had, moreover, dashed off a few lines of
verse about boats and storms. The
brilliance of poetry composed in such dire straits won him Zunrogo’s great
admiration and, in due course, eliminated the Captain of the Palace Guard's
last (ounce) residue of suspicion.
Finally (on the third
day), when the storm abated, the boat was made ready, with improvised
improvements to, just before noon, cast off.
As the journey continued
it appeared to an observer, looking only at the deceptive shroud of
congeniality spread by Fradel Rurik Korvald and Zunrogo that they were
conversing frankly, without the least inhibition. Yet, after hours of conversation, Zunrogo had
to admit that he found this stimulating intellectual sparring more
exhilarating, more closely akin to combating a powerful foe on the battlefield
and, he began to crave more of it.
Nevetsecnuac’s assumed,
present identity had seriously constrained (curtailed) his abilities, forcing
him to adapt to more shrewd and indirect means; and so, while seemingly
obliging Captain Zunrogo, he used this opportunity instead, to explore (delve
deeper into) Captain's innate nature and, extracted from Zunrogo, few,
well-guarded detrimental weaknesses and flaws.
Once this was accomplished Fradel (Nevetsecnuac) relaxed his vigil, as he
much preferred fighting any formidable foe directly, by way of (via) tangible
(physical) combat.
As both Nevtsecnuac and
Zunrogo possessed remarkable staying powers, the ensued lively exchange
utilizing acumen, wits, and stratagem (subterfuge), had continued well into the
night, with no possibility of satisfactory cessation. There came a time, however, upon discussing a
particular concern, after several fruitless turns and diversionary strategies,
Zunrogo (the undefeated champion) was forced to, for a spell, capitulate Fradel's
point of view.
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| 04- - CAPTAIN ZUNROGO TUGO JP 2 |
And though Fradel (Nevetsecnuac) at present, incurred deep respect for his brilliance from Zunrogo, captain not being one to cede, with renewed zeal (fervor) he quickly revised his stance (estimation, viewpoint) and retaliated. His irrefutable logic (analysis) gave him the added edge and, following this up with an all-out offensive, he achieved his absolute victory. Fradel could have still challenged some of the seemingly unequivocal deductions, but with due practicality, he instead, gracefully conceded to defeat.
Fradel's mind, meanwhile,
had been all along distracted by other matters, one of which was their
pursuer. Even though the ensuing
(following) vessel had been temporarily lost to sight in the storm, Fradel
hypothesized that it would again catch up to them in a day or two after the
weather abated.
Several times Fradel,
having concluded that it was Lance Diostin; he had wanted to drop that name
casually in conversation, to observe Zunrogo’s reaction. Each time however deciding otherwise, he’d
held his tongue in check.
For
what possible reason could he give for even knowing the name Lance
Diostin? More importantly, there had
been this nagging feeling that he had harbored since they boarded this
vessel. There was more at stake here
than what met the eye, more vital and sinister than the threat to his
life. What it was, unfortunately, he had
not yet ascertained, and its nature kept eluding him.
On this particular concern, Fradel's otherwise
foolproof methods of inquiry had met an impenetrable wall erected by
Zunrogo. Even after Fradel had yielded
the argument to drop latter’s guard, Zunrogo had held on fast to this secret
with unusual grit and tenacity. Fradel
could gain no grasp of the actual situation and was left, in the end, with only
his unsubstantiated intuition.
~
Later that night, Fradel
fortuitously happened on a confidential conversation between Zunrogo and Tizan
and caught a singular reference being made to Lance Diostin's martial
prowess. Fradel was intrigued, to say
the least, by Zunrogo’s respectful references to his adversary.
Was Lance Diostin such a competent foe that he cast a
doubt in Zunrogo’s heart? Keeping his hand poised above the door's
handle, Nevetsecnuac (Fradel) eavesdropped for a longer spell.
From the disjointed, coded
then decoded fragments that were being discussed Nevetsecnuac (Fradel) deduced
that Tizan had previously sighted Lance Diostin at Kenzor harbor and Zunrogo
had arrived at a similar conclusion as his (Nevetsecnuac),
That Lance Diostin’s
craft was indeed trailing them.
Nevetsecnuac further
suspected that once the storm had abated the enemy vessel (craft) would swiftly
descend upon them for that decisive fray. Despite his readiness however, his
intuition (the gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach) forewarned him that
there was far more at stake here than Zunrogo let on.
Zunrogo was about to
instruct Tizan on the finer points of the strategic defenses, that were to be
utilized against Lance Diostin’s impending assaults, when Fradel Rurik
Korvald's sudden knock at the door startled them both.
Fradel quickly dispensing
with the polite preliminaries took the seat offered to him across from the
captain. Getting right to the point and
feigning ignorance, he then confessed to overhearing the name of Lance Diostin
as he was about to knock on the door and, audaciously, inquired after the
information associated with that name.
Zunrogo's reluctant and
evasive answers further piqued Nevetsecnuac’s (Fradel's) curiosity; he,
nevertheless, letting it go, pretended to have been satisfied with Captain's
makeshift explanations. Fradel quickly
stated what he had originally come to say, and then abruptly rose to bade them
good night and then hastily withdrew.
Back in his cabin, with
many concerns praying on his mind, Nevetsecnuac did not (immediately) go to
bed, instead, he set down in comfortable chair and reflected on the past
exchange between Zhadol and Yennic. As far as he could tell, there were three
reasons to account for Lance Diostin's pursuit: a feud between the two
factions; Dwengzu's prediction that, should Fradel Rurik Korvald be allowed to
reach Channing, it would bring about Egil Viggoaries’s premature death (or,
serious downfall); and some third reason which still eluded him. His thoughts then reverted to Yennic’s
(blatant) unabashed approval, when he was informed that Lance Diostin would be
guarding the river route.
Thinking of the upcoming
confrontation between Zunrogo and Lance Diostin, Fradel grinned wryly. “That
should prove rather interesting, though I doubt that I, Fradel Rurik Korvald,
will be allowed to witness this remarkable combat. Yet, what if both Zunrogo
and Tizan, despite their combined effort, can’t…? “He lowered his eyes
thoughtfully and tersely drummed his fingers on the chair arm.
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| 05- NEVETSECNUAC JP 23 |
“It is conceivable that they might not measure up to the task. What then?” Nevetsecnuac reflected short time later, recalling Zunrogo's apparent anxiety when he had casually mentioned Lance Diostin’s name, to him. “What if they did indeed succumb to the prowess of this formidable foe? If that is the case, I'll be constrained to fend for myself and then eliminate all who witnessed the fighting. More slaughter!” He shifted uneasily into the chair.
Aside from the vessel's
Captain, Doku, and his crew and their own party, there were four other
passengers on board: a young couple with an infant son and a reserved, semi-retired
official. The rest had good fortune to
leave the river boat after the storm and preceded the rest of their way on
land. The remaining passengers kept very
much to themselves and, for the most part, stayed in their cabins.
“If the circumstances dictate it, would I have the
heart?” He knew he would not.
“There was only
one option, the only alternative choice, for him to take; yes,” he nodded decisively.
~
The last remnants of the
storm had finally abated at dawn, leaving the river a bit more swollen and the
currents in the center a touch faster.
As Zunrogo and Fradel had (independently)
forecasted, two days later the sail of the pursuing craft was spotted for a
split second, bearing swiftly down on them from the distance, just before the
river turned to hide them once more.
Accepting Zunrogo's reluctance to discuss the matter, Fradel, acting as
though he had seen nothing, occupied himself with the typical scholarly
concerns of reading and composing while discreetly noting the flurry of
activity among the deck hands.
They did not see the
vessel again for some time after that.
(END OF SECTION 26)
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