Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 43

 

43. 

 

Bassanio opened his eyes lightly, feeling the pain on his eyelids that were not spared of the beatings he had undergone. He felt the restraints on his limbs; tight and well secured he was to the chair, seated there with no means to defend himself. He was in his warehouse, and it was devoid of his other wares.

“Tell them, Bassanio. I plead of you.” Bassanio heard the voice of his friend, Gratiano. “They will not let you go if you do not tell them.”

“I … I … do not have it.” Bassanio muttered out and later spat the blood from his broken tooth. “Not with me. What did you do… with other wares?”

“Port Master, let me have him for another few rounds.” Bassanio heard the tormentors of his. There were five of them: Gratiano and four others, one of whom was the Port Master.

“Hold your fun, Miguel. He is no good to us dead, or at the very least till he hands us the bill for the shipment. We need that to clear the shipment.” The postmaster was standing a distance back from Bassanio. He looked at the trader who was roughed up by his crew, asking for the shipment manifest. It was his calling, but the other named Gratiano had approached him to get the manifest. They agreed to equal shares of the shipment. Gratiano asked for one other item in the shipment: a jewel set.

“Bassanio, spare us your insolence. Tell us where the bill is. I will ensure you a swift death.” Gratiano leaned towards Bassanio. “They took your wares and traded them.”

“Bastard you are, Gratiano.” Bassanio looked at the man he called his friend. “You are to do this to me.”

“It’s trading, my old friend.” Gratiano laughed. “Nothing personal.” “I do not have it!” Bassanio called out, and it was then Miguel stabbed Bassanio in the left thigh with the dagger he had on him.

“Arghhh!” Bassanio cried out. “Kill me now. I will not tell.”

“Stop!” The call was heard in the warehouse, and in came the group of armed men rushing towards Bassanio. It was the magistrate’s guards; eight of them were armed with schiavonas, and three more guards were armed with arquebuses, the rifle design of the time. They were led by Magistrate Javier himself, armed with a schiavona.

“Stop in the name of the King.” The magistrate called out when he rushed at the port’s crew. He faced the crew member who had raised his arms in surrender, but the magistrate slashed his schiavona on the other’s chest.

“Spare no one!” That was the command given. Three of the armed arquebus guards opened fire at the others. Their shots felled two crewmen, leaving Miguel and the port master missed.

“Bastards!” Miguel rushed at the riflemen but was blocked by two guards who slashed at him. The port master saw Miguel fell and then turned towards Bassanio.

“You killed my mates.” The Port Master, holding a dagger, then lunged at Bassanio, but he was brought down by the Magistrate, who slashed him at the back of the neck.

“Thank God you arrived in time.” Gratiano approached the magistrate. “It will be……”

“I came for him.” Magistrate Javier thrust the schiavona into Gratiano’s left ribs. “You are not needed.”

“Andre Bassanio Tito, you are under arrest.”

Lord Gencio Capulet arrived home and was met by Lady Sofia at the library. Alongside was Benvolio, with Reynard. He was brief on the murder and the hiding Romeo.

“We do not know his true whereabouts.” Benvolio admitted. “He was……”

“Taken care of by myself.” It was Lorenzo who arrived. He approached Lady Sofia and rested his arms on her shoulder. “I took Romeo to be hidden till you return, Father.”

“You took a big risk there, Lorenzo. If you were ……”

“Romeo is my brother. I will defend him in any situation.” Lorenzo looked at the man he called his father. “More to it, no one knew of his whereabouts.”

“Tell us, Lorenzo. We will bring him to safety in our safe houses.” Reynard cut in. “We can ……”

“I am sworn not to tell this. Please be assured he is safe. Father, whatever happened then with Romeo may be an accidental death. He needs to be freed of the accusation.”

“Let it rest, Reynard. Another matter came to my attention. Why was our son involved with the Montague’s lady?” Lord Gencio Capulet looked at the mother.

“I do not know… how and when… but he has not told me anything.” Lady Sofia sighed. “He is young and… most times, with a different lady that I am not to be told about.”

“Lord Gencio, may I ……” Benvolio wanted to interrupt but was brushed off by the lord.

“Sofia, he has one too many troubles. The issue with Lord Helmut was not forgotten yet. Now he got into this, and the... rumours of his affair..." Lord Gencio Capulet could not find the word to say the name then.

“Father, Romeo loves Juliet.” Lorenzo spoke out. “They are in love.”

“Do not mention her name in this house. Love is a fallacy among young ones.” Lord Gencio Capulet glared at his half-son. “He may poach, do lewd acts on anyone but never the ……. Montague. That I forbid.”

All that was there stood looking at the flooring, and it was interrupted by the arrival of the servant.

“Madam, the friar is here. You……”

“Not now, Rose. Tell him to wait.” Lady Sofia cut off the servant. She did request that the friar allow her in to see when he arrived.

“Am I not welcome in this house anymore?” Friar Dino Lawrence stepped in.

“You are always welcome, friar.” Lord Gencio Capulet looked to his good friend. He was irritated by the outside presence but hid it from himself. He embraced the friar with a smile.

“We are talking on the whereabouts of Romeo. You may know for nothing evades your ears and sight.”

“Young Romeo…” The friar looked at the mother and then the son and the others. “I know not where he is. It is annoying when they rush off when in trouble. Their parent’s concern is ……”

“Friar, you are the one they will come to then.” Reynard looked at the friar.

“Most times, but not this one.” Friar Lawrence smiled. “He will turn up one day.”

“Friar, I beg of you. Please tell us if you know.”

“And I will, Lord Gencio Capulet. I will.” Friar Lawrence smiled. “Lady Sofia, I will take my seat now and wait my turn to be called.”

“Men of my clans, I hold news for you all. Vlad Tepes is dead, but there are tales that he is not. He may be here in Genoa or will be soon.” Lord Gencio Capulet looked at them. “He is ……”

“Lord Gencio Capulet, did you say that Vlad Tepes is in here? I heard that he died in battle.” Benvolio was curious. His network of spies did not tell him anything. “He held a long list of enemies.”

“Unfounded or a ruse to appear so. He has a family here.” Lord Gencio Capulet looked at the friar. “He is a man who had seen to repent his sins, as I was told. But could his sins be repented?”

“God forgives those who are willing to face their sins.” Friar Lawrence spoke out in his authoritative voice. “It’s whether the devil in us recognizes that.”

“Why did you mention that, Lord Gencio Capulet?” Reynard asked.

“Prince Escalus wants to find them. He thinks they may hold something he wants.” Lord Gencio Capulet looked to his lover. “Something of value. Lovers held secrets between them.”

“How was it you are known of this… rumour, my lord?” Benvolio asked. He was surprised that he was not told of such news.

“The news spread among the few, but I was told by Count Paris.” Lord Gencio Capulet lied. He knew of the rumour from the prince, but he wanted to put the trail off. More to it, he does not trust any of his men to save his son. It will be his own doing. The Wallachian’s safety was his concern.

“Send out our men to check this. I want to be informed first.” Lord Gencio Capulet told the others. “Leave now.”

“Lorenzo, assist here. Romeo, wherever he may be, shall remain there.” Lord Gencio Capulet told his half-son. The men all marched out but for the friar. Lord Gencio Capulet looked at the friar.

“You knew I was back and crashed in. You are not……”

“Lord Gencio Capulet, I do not concur here. I am to see Lady Sofia on some matter. I was not ……” Friar Lawrence defended his arrival.

“Friar Lawrence, I am ……” The lord was interrupted by his lover.

“The friar was on my invitation to pray for our son.” Lady Sofia cut in.

“I… I apologize, Friar Lawrence.” Lord Gencio Capulet sighed. “It had been a long ride, and the disappearance of……”

“Romeo Capulet is also my concern. Sadly, I know not of whereabouts.” Friar Lawrence sighed. “He is one in my flock.”

“So be it.” Lord Gencio Capulet turned to walk away. “I have another matter to take care of.”

Lady Sofia looked to the friar and then pulled him to the far corner.

“What did you find out about Lorenzo’s father?” Lady Sofia asked.