The ship course to Catzali from Sali would take no more than two days.
Located at the farthest edges of Ursan's maritime domain, Catzali was the birthplace of Valri's late mother, the Empress Sereza.
Catzali was an independent principality with its own laws–it recognized Ursan as suzerain, but it was not a subject of it and did not relinquish its autonomy. So agents of the empire, like the House of Sasan, would need permission from both the emperor and the lord of Catzali to enter.
And the current Lord of Catzali, Valri Vi-Ursur, has no intention of giving it to anyone but his guests.
Valri stood on deck and enjoyed the salty sea-breeze and the warmth of the sun.
With him? Was one of Isetzar's men: Sunzar, dressed in a lean-version of House Sasan's black hunting gear.
Polnaz had decided to help around the kitchen and Kairm was making rounds around the frigate–studying the vessel.
Isetzar stayed in Nuriya's room as she slept and recovered.
"It's a nice day, isn't it?" Valri turned to Sunzar.
Sunzar smiled slightly and nodded in agreement.
Sunzar was a lean, muscular man of brown skin and green eyes. His hair was a shock of dark seaweed–often seen in people from the isles of the southeast.
To Valri it was obvious: Sunzar was used to the sea.
And the fact that he was mute? Well, that means he was probably taken to Ursan forcibly.
"..."
Sunzar noticed the prince wearing a melancholic expression. So unlike how he usually presents himself in Novrada. This Prince looked like he was accustomed to sadness and pushing through it.
Sunzar felt at ease with this version of the prince. As the other men probably did.
This one didn't feel as distant.
Sunzar then remembered what the prince said earlier:
"Once upon a time? We all knew each other".
Lord Isetzar probably means in his past lives.
And Sunzar couldn't help but wonder in what way?
Actually, he couldn't help but wonder what he was to Lord Isetzar too.
He wanted to ask so many questions…
This was the first time he's ever served anyone whom he actually wanted to get to know. Ever since he entered the employ of the Sasan lordling, he's been meeting interesting people. Prince Valri is now looking to be one of them.
Still, considering everything? He now considers himself lucky. Men like Kairm went through far worse.
And Sunzar feels himself drawn to such unfortunates…
"Sir Sunzar?" asked the prince. "Is there something wrong?"
Sunzar shook his head and waved away the prince's worries. He then joined the prince as they watched the sea and sky.
Sunzar began to reminisce as he stared into the morning horizon.
....
When Isetzar found him? He was basically just a guard dog for an Ursan lord's favorite mistress. And she treated him like one.
Her name was Tatzira Di-Falara.
A beautiful minor noblewoman who actually once served as a minor maiden in the Temple of Mille-Sezanse.
That vile woman was the one who had his tongue cut out.
She claimed to her lordly paramour that it was because he talked back and needed to learn manners.
In truth, it was because he saw her entertain the favors of another Ursan lord in secret.
Well, actually more than just one…
Her luck ran out when one of them included Lord Isetzar.
His lord, whom he initially pegged as another hapless lordling parading his name and shamelessness everywhere he went, repeatedly seduced and took to bed the shared mistress of what might as well be a third of the Capital's noblemen.
He saw it all happen. To the point of nausea.
Everything they did in bed looked disgusting to him in hindsight.
His former mistress initially believed herself to be the dominant partner in their thrysts–a seasoned noblewoman leading and guiding an impetuous young acolyte to her own cult of flesh.
Only to have the tables turned when she found herself so enamored with the youth's stamina and domineering persona–one who seemed so much older than herself at times–as well as his own nigh-insatiable lust that she'd agree to be his eyes and ears on the Ursan court and to provide him with a monthly stipend–
–and him, Sunzar. With a contract officiating an exchange of ownership.
The young lord Sasan claimed he had taken a liking to for his discretion.
As soon as Isetzar got him? He used him. He introduced him to Polnaz and later helped him acquire Kairm. Isetzar had him retrained as a man of House Sasan.
And through the following weeks and months, Sunzar helped his new lord to pinpoint exactly who among the Ursan nobility was to be trusted or not, as well as to confirm who exactly he saw had relations with Lady Tatzira–checking whether or not his former lady was a reliable spy during their monthly meetings.
And Sunzar? Answered honestly: She wasn't.
Though he himself couldn't talk? Given a chance to explain himself through other means: Sunzar, alone, by himself, could give a clearer picture of everything that was going on among the Ursan nobility and serve as a better spy. His former mistress' interests are too compromised and her relationships and supposed loyalties too mixed and personally messy to be reliable.
"Well, that was a bust…I had to endure her horrendous body odor for nothing then."
Sunzar laughs when he remembers it.
Isetzar stopped meeting with her after half a year of testing out her value as an ally, and stopped when she utterly failed. When he stopped coming to her bed? She contacted him. Pleading with him. Reminding him that she's his ally. Offering him more money and servants. Then she starts threatening him.
Isetzar knew. What could she do?
They've been entangled together to the point that any attempt to expose him would expose her to her other lovers. He's also younger, unmarried, and is the ungifted member of the House of Sasan. He's got little to lose. And she seems to have had an overinflated opinion of her own influence and importance making her misjudge the true scope of her actual power.
Had she just been honest with him? He would have kept visiting her.
She wasn't the only noblewoman his lord had that deal with in the city.
But then? Lady Tatzira got "smart."
And figured out that since the Maiden of Mille-Sesanze was Isetzar's sister, even if they didn't get along, she'd take her vengeance on her.
Spreading rumors about the Maiden allowing different men into her temple's hallowed chambers. It was baseless, but then again, she was shameless. Touching into old ideas about mage-women being sensual witches and performers of archaic fertility rituals.
Lord Isetzar? Overheard one such rumor in the palace halls once.
And when he asked around and discovered her to be the source of them?
Lord Isetzar agreed to embrace her…one last time.
And he asked Sunzar to watch.
On bed, naked, and after being spent?
Isetzar put his arms around her once more, he put his lips on her neck–
–And he bit.
Hard.
She screamed as she bled–only to fall into silence once she saw him drink her, his tongue darting in and out and lapping up the red.
A red mist of her blood swirled and tainted her room as they all formed around his lord and his hands. Tatzira became paler and paler as she saw her life leaving her body and when she finally passed out…
He stopped.
Isetzar immediately dressed up and left with Sunzar. Never to return to her place.
Things were quiet for two days.
When Tatzira woke up and recovered she immediately ran for help…
And told everyone she met that Isetzar Li-Sasan was a blood-drinking monster with all the sincerity and honesty she failed to display before.
And she looked like a deranged fool for it.
To this day, she still tries her best to convince people of the truth.
But all she does is add to the mystique his lord tries to cultivate around himself.
One that allows him to keep all his enemies at bay.
One…that allows men like Sunzar? A way to extract red justice.