In my former letter, I wrote of Crustis the Reef Giant and his introduction at court. In this I speak of Nan Fung Lee Mai and her retinue and all that they suffered before the King of the Reef People. It is a tale I heard from reliable sources and I wrote it almost immediately after the events that transpired.
When Fung Lee Mai Nan returned to her court and her prisoner, she was forced to allow that some fisherman who came ashore in her province had, in fact, ensnared the giants child and treated it roughly. These same men had sold the deceased to a grostequerie. She had recovered the body and prepared it for travel and wanted to see it returned to the Sea King.
The prisoner, Crustis, asked, "You would return as my prisoner?"
The Nan replied, "I will return with explanation and the hope of staying your lord's anger."
The court erupted then, and all her ladyship's advisors spoke at once. None of them recommended such a course of action. I offered to go along with her, but she refused, counting only her longtime friends among her traveling companions. It was a week later before I would hear what transpired. The following account is what I have gathered from the survivors.
When the Nan and her companions came to the Court of the Reef King, they came in the company of Crustis the giant, who despite his murderous rampage was allowed to live and to return to the sea unfettered. They came also with the body of the deceased princeling, so that it might be entrusted according to the customs of that people. When the Sea King heard what Crustis had done in his fit of rage, and saw that the nan had come personally, he knew that diplomatically he had no choice but to give the Nan a patient audience.
But when the Nan took that time to plead innocence and ignorance, the Sea King acted from his own simmering rage. For it was his get that had been captured by the fishermen, and slain, and sold as a curiosity.
"My people have a way of seeing the truth of such things," the watery liege thundered. "Will you submit to our test?"
Without hesitation, the Nan agreed.
The court of the Sea King murmured excitedly and their lord held up his hand to silence all.
"You will face the Cephalhoda in combat, you and these companions of yours. If you are able to prevail, we will know the truth of your claims, but if you don't then justice will be served for your deeds and your falsehood together."
Now Trial by Combat is unheard of in the Three Dynasties. It is a barbarous practice and still shocks people to hear of it. But in Westrun, apparently, it is still widely used. Surrounded as she is by Westerners and foreigners of all stripes, it came as no surprise to many in her company. Though, I am told that the color ran from the Nan's cheeks.
The Cephalhoda lived in the deep center of a ring atoll. Dozens of the Reef People gathered on those sharp stones to see the trial conducted. The accused would be forced to descend hundreds of fathoms into the deep to do battle with what was described as a giant squid.
"Here you will meet your death," the Reef King called. "For none have yet survived who were meant to die."
"Then give us a moment," the Nan called back, "To prepare ourselves to meet our doom."
And the King relented so the Nan's companions, among whom there were great workers of magic, began their strange mutterings and prayers. I cannot say which effect these had, but Crustis claims that as the party passed from sight, they appeared to grow in size. I leave the reader to determine the truth of such claims.
At the King's command, the gathered giants stirred the water with their tridents, creating a giant whirlpool. This pulled the party deep into the ocean's heart until they passed from sight.When the whirlpool ceased and the deep had swallowed them whole, the assembled Reef People waited a moment or two and then broke into applause. It was assumed among them that the justice had been done.
The King of the Sea People then gave an address, declaring the land of the Nan to be forfeit and pledging to each of his loyal servants a portion of it. Each declaration of his was met with great cheers. But then, the cheering stopped. For one of the companions of the Nan, broke the surface of the water and declared that the Cephalodi had been killed. His companions, were still below, he claimed and needed rescue -- not from the squid, but from the crushing weight of the deep.
The King's fury peaked. Instead of coming to aid the Nan, he turned his back and strode off. One by one, the Reef Lord's retinue followed. All save one. Crustis, the giant who had been emissary and who had been treated mercifully in the Nan's court, dove into the water and descended as only a giant can. With great speed, he returned the party to the surface.
Such an act is not without danger, for the depths hate to give up their claim. Long after a body has escaped the water, it is said that the deep can squeeze the life from those who were in it. The Nan's party was no different. Noses bleeding, eyes bulging, the company collapsed and writhed in paroxysms of pain. Were it not for the magical elixirs they carried, they all would surely have died.
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