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bought up all of the outstanding debts of the Melcene girl's family
and began applying pressure upon them for repayment. When the
family was sufficiently desperate, Taur Urgas, acting through his
agents, presented his proposal. The girl was to encourage 'Zakath's
attentions and to lure him into marriage by whatever means
necessary She was then to exert all her influence upon the young man to
prevent his ever considering adventures in the west, and failing that,
a Nyissan poison was provided and the girl was to be instructed to
kill her husband.
The failure of the plan was largely the result of a basic Murgo
inability to understand the complexities of Mallorean intrigue.
Murgos appear to automatically assume that everyone they bribe
will remain bribed. In Mallorea, however, such integrity is the
exception rather than the rule. Thus, a relatively minor participant in
Taur Urgas's scheme soon found an opportunity to sell the
information to certain officials in the government of Emperor 'Zakath. When
the entire matter was placed before the Emperor, the young man, in
a sudden fit of outrage, ordered that all participants in the intrigue
be rounded up and immediately be put to death. Certain evidence
emerged after the order was carried out which suggested strongly
that the Melcene girl (for whom 'Zakath appeared to have a genuine
affection) was not only innocent of any participation in the Murgo
scheme, but may even have been totally unaware of it. When this
tragic information was conveyed to the young Emperor, he very
nearly went mad with grief, and when he finally recovered, his
personality was so altered that even his own family could not
recognize him as the same man. The previously open and gregarious
young man is now quite often surreptitiously referred to as 'the man
of ice'.
'Zakath's first act upon his recovery was to direct the
now-famous letter of remonstrance to Taur Urgas. The letter read as
follows:
To His Majesty, Taur Urgas of Murgodom,
I was unamused by your recent attempt to influence Mallorean
internal affairs, your Majesty. Were it not for current world
conditions which require that there be no apparent rupture between the
two major Angarak powers, I would bring the entire weight of the
Mallorean Empire down upon you and chastise you beyond your
imagining for your offense.
To insure that there will be no recurrence of this affair, I have taken
all Murgos within my boundaries into custody to serve as hostage to
your continued good behavior. I am advised that several of these
internees are closely related to you. Should you instigate further
adventures in my realm, I shall return your kinsmen to you - piece by
piece.
In the past, your madness has filled your world with imagined
enemies. Rejoice, Taur Urgas, and put aside your insanity, for you
now have a real foe, far more deadly than any of the phantoms of your
lunacy. You may be assured that as soon as world conditions permit, I
will descend upon you and the stinking wasteland you call your
Kingdom. It is my firm intention to destroy you and the vile race you
rule. When.I am done, the name 'Murgo'will be forgotten.
Keep a watchful eye over your shoulder, Taur Urgas, for as surely
as the sun rises tomorrow, one day I will be there.
With My most heartfelt contempt,
'Zakath,
Emperor of Mallorea