Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 52

 

52.

 

Monsieur, this is a day
I can never forget
Is gratitude enough
For giving me Nerissa….

(performed by Michael Ball & Gary Morris)
(adapted from "Les Misérables: The Complete Symphonic Recording" soundtrack)

“Shut up, Maurice.” Officer 24602 Jean hissed out at Maurice who was doing his crooning at the gate. “She may hear us.”

“Why should I stop? I can see the gleam in your eyes from the moment she left us with her bakeries.” Maurice smiled. “Do you know the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? And to a lady’s heart is to……”

“Oh, remain to yourself with your comments…...” Officer 24602 Jean then paused. “Did you hear the ……”

Echoes the beating of the heart drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!

Adapted from "Do you hear the People Sing?"
(from "Les Misérables: The Complete Symphonic Recording" soundtrack)

“Drop it, Maurice. I will check the house area.” Jean picked up his baton. He walked along the wall surrounding the house. He would have missed it if he was not vigilant. The servant entrance to the kitchen was ajar, and he heard voices. He rushed to the entrance and looked in. He saw the three servants there pushed to the cellar where the foods and drinks were stored. There were two men armed with daggers there. They were dressed like any others.

Jean was tempted to call upon Maurice but took his own action. He went into the kitchen and approached the two men who was latching the door there. He took no chance and swung the baton on the first man he saw. The baton impacted on the back of the head, and the man staggered. He then swung the baton sideways to hit the second man in the side of the head.

Jean followed on with another knock on the first man with the baton on the back of the neck. It was a hard blow with his strength behind it, and the man fell to the flooring. He had his baton raised to deflect the second man’s dagger attack at him. The baton impacted on the blade, and caused the man to drop the dagger. Jean followed on with the fust at the man’s face. He felt the bridge of the nose broke under the blow. He heard the scream from the chambers above.

“Shut up, bitch!” The man who confronted Portia at the chamber. She was asleep and woke up when the door to her chamber was opened. She saw the silhouette of the unfamiliar figure and screamed.

“Shut up!” The man rushed towards the bedding, but Portia was ready for such intrusion. Her father taught her well. 

“I do not have a son, but you will be trained as one. You will be given the learning befitting of one.” Those were her father’s words, and was how she was given the needed training in the business including the contract laws, and along came the need to defend herself.

“This is a pugio, a Roman Legionary weapon. It will be more deadly than the needle pin of yours.” Lord Belmont told Portia. The pugio typically had a double-edged blade between 7 to 12 inches long, with a handle about 4 inches long.  “The way to use the dagger is to thrust it.”

Portia did her works on it, which the kitchen help was grateful to her for the slices but not up the arse; the chef needs it for his own, the servants roared then.

The pugio served its purpose; Portia stabbed the man in the left ribs. The man screamed and fell to the side, clutching the wound. Portia climbed out of the bed and stood there stunned. It was her first stab at a living creature. She heard then the scream from Nerissa’s chamber.

“Get off me!” Nerissa screamed out when the man jumped on her on the bed. She knew the vile of man when they get into the bedding of a lady. She kicked out with her legs and clawed her fingers on the man’s face.

“Hold the vixen!” The man grabbed Nerissa’s arms. Nerissa felt her lower limbs were restrained by the second man. She struggled against her restraints and spat at the man who was on top of her.

“She is a spiteful one.” The man roared out. “Save your spits when we spit roast you.”

“Aye, Jonas. Grab her legs.” The man sat on Nerissa’s chest while he tore at the lady’s nightdress. He was laughing at the helplessness of the lady. It was a simple task for five of them, paid in ducats, to get in there and secure the house. Then they were to find the document on the shipment. That was the instruction given by their hirer.

“I will, Samuel, the man seated on the lady had agreed to it, but he was also keen to see what else he could get from the house. They were told of the two ladies’ inhabitants with a servant.

It was an easy task, and they split into pairs.

“Help!” Nerissa screamed out.

“Holler out, wench! When I am done with ……” Jonas was gleefully holding the lady down when he felt himself lifted out from the rear. He was not a huge person, but held his weight as average. He felt himself lifted and tossed to the left. He landed on his head on the floor.

“Hold……” Samuel felt the lady was squirming beneath him, and then he felt the heavy blow on the back of his neck.  He felt his body pulled backwards, and the second blow was on his face. He was then tossed from the bedding to the flooring.

“Are you okay, my lady?” Jean avoided looking at Nerissa, who was holding the seams of her bodice to cover herself. He did not wait for the reply and rushed to the two stunned intruders. He rained blows on them and then grabbed the curtain drapes to bind them.

“Jean, I am here.” It was Maurice who rushed in. “I got two in the kitchen.”

“Maurice, tie them all up and then get the Magistrate,” Jean called out to Maurice. He then addressed the distressed lady, Nerissa.

“My lady, please get dressed.” It was Portia who rushed in when Maurice left the chamber.

“The other is dead. I killed him.” Portia cried out. It was different when she stabbed the carcass of the sow or the cow, but that was a living person. “It was …….”

“Who ……” Jean looked at the lady who had blood on her nightgown.

“Dead? Oh, my poor mother’s soul. It must have been Steward. He was looking for the documents.” Jonat called out while seated on the flooring/ “He was in the other chamber.”

Soon, the authorities arrived, and the house was secured. The Magistrate was called on for it was late at night. Portia and Nerissa had settled their nerves and were seated at the library. Jean met them there and told them of the works that was being done.

“You did not kill the intruder. He was wounded but will live. They are all brought down to the Magistrate’s office.” Jean reported to the ladies. “One of them mentioned of some documents they were to find. Some shipping documents.”

“I do not know of any. My father may have ……” Portia then recalled the documents handed to her by Bassanio. “I know now. There was a parcel that Bassanio left with me. It contained that Bill of Lading for his shipment It was given when he was last here.”

Count Paris called to the carriage driver to move on. He was waiting outside the house and saw the authorities arrived.

“Obviously, your men are untrusty to the task.” Count Paris looked to the other seated across him in the carriage.

“I have no excuses to give you.” Vuk Branvonic sighed. The five men was with him in the battles and fought with their lives for him. He had seen to their loyalty but they had failed.

“I trust they will not talk of your involvement.” Count Paris spoke. “Or of mine.”

“Their silence to our identities will be preserved.” Vuk Branvonic nodded. “They knew only of myself and not you nor the prince.”

“Then it is best that you take leave of Genoa. I can arrange …….”

“That is not required. I will ride out tonight. I will return to Hungary. The matter of Vlad Tepes will be reported to the King, and then I will be on my way to the borders. I hold no concern on what ……”

“You will not report to the King on the Jewels!’ Count Paris cut in. “The matter shall not be made known ……”

“The Jewels does not concern me. It is a fable and more to it, it is the desire of the prince to secure it. If the prince is successful in the matter, then he will be ……. King and I will be for me to serve him if he asked of me. If he does not, I will still serve my own people. I hold no loyalty more than my own people.” Vuk Branvonic nodded.

“Driver, let me off at the tavern.” Vuk Branvonic called to the driver. “I bid you farewell, Count Paris. My task is done here at Genoa. I found Vlad Tepes.”