In The Spider's Web
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A small oasis near Rabat, Morocco...
"Gentlemen, shall we proceed?" I asked, the air suddenly feeling quite heavy in my lungs.
Both men nodded in agreement. Complete agreement, as though it had been chiseled in
stone by the ancients. We would proceed, despite the fact that every fiber of my body
demanded that I scream out:
No! No! You can not do this!
Yet, honor and chivalry demanded my silence. Mother of God, How had we arrived at this
point?
Earlier, the previous evening -- a sequestered garden of a luxurious hotel, luxurious, and quite
discreet. 
"A simple favor, Alfonso, that is all," he began slowly. Simple, he said -- I would soon learn
that it was the worst and most difficult task that my Master, Eduardo, had ever assigned me,
and there was nothing simple about it, not at all. [Eduardo on the left, Alfonso, right.] 
"Of course, my Lord, simply say the word. I do trust that it shall involve wine, women, and song."
"Heh, heh, no, not this time, old friend. But, would you care for another glass of claret?"
"Cómo no, allow me," I rose to fetch the decanter. "Hmm, a claret... yes, I believe it is the proper
spirit to serve when humbly asking old friends to bestow a favor," I chuckled.
--o00o--
Old friends, yes, at least fifteen years now since we had first met in that old rundown cantina
in Andalusia. Some of the worst Vino Rioja I have ever drunk -- no, it was indeed the worst
Vino Rioja I have ever drunk now that I recall it. But the company, the night sky, las guitarras,
and las mujeres. Ahh, true perfection.
"Ven aca, Alfonso, I must teach you to dance the Fandango! Come!" Eduardo shouted joyously
over the guitars and the driving beat of the castanets.
"Ten cuidado, señor. Be careful, or the Spider will draw you into his web!" the women teased,
and laughed, and clutched at my sleeves to spin me around and to-and-fro to the rhythm of
the music. I'm afraid it was already too late, as I was deeply and completely en-snarled in
Eduardo's web. I raised my arms, clapped my hands, and spun and twirled pulling that old
web snugly around me.
So, it has been for the last fifteen years. We have been nearly inseparable, touring the
lands of El Cid and Don Quixote together with hardly a care or worry in the world. Occasionally,
we accepted employment as guards or mercenaries, and now and then as spies or even
assassins. It was in those endeavors that I learned the true meaning of Eduardo's nickname,
the Spider.
He certainly had his charms and endearing ways (and surely most spiders must be charming
arachnids once one comes to know them.) But it was his cunning, deception, and cleverness
with sword and pistol that earned him the name Spider. The traps he set for his enemies
were often so devious and well-concealed that few realized they had fallen into the Spider's
web until it was too late.
--o00o--
Safely returned from my little expedition into the days of Vino Rioja and dancing the
Fandango, and with our glasses refreshed, I returned to the question at hand, "What is
this simple favor, Master?" 
"I want you to oversee my murder."
I was stunned, frozen, and nearly dropped my glass to the floor. It wasn't uncommon for
Eduardo to tease and play little tricks with his friends, but not with a subject as serious as
death -- his own death.
"Oh come now, Alfonso, don't look so shocked. You see, I came upon Diego at the Rabat
Souk Market yesterday. He's staying at the L'Alcazar Hotel." 
"Diego! Diego is here?" I asked incredulously.
"Yes, yes, do try to keep up, old boy," Eduardo teased. "We talked and both agreed that it is
time that we finished this thing, put an end to it once and for all.
--o00o--
In fifteen years Eduardo had never spoken of Diego to me, not directly. The time of Diego
had occurred several years before I met Eduardo, but through various acquaintances and
contacts, I was able to piece together the most salient facts of their history.
I knew little of Diego, although I had met him once in the Pyrenees. It must have been five
years ago, Eduardo and I were serving as mercenaries for one of two competing war chiefs.
Diego served the other. Eduardo chose not to confront Diego at that time explaining that
their personal feud had no place in the war that was being fought.
It seems that Diego and my Master grew up in the same town, Seville, and had been rivals
from an early age onward. Each trying to best the other in feats of skill or in grand adventures
undertaken for the local nobles, well-paying grand adventures, I might add. That level of
rivalry could have and should have continued for many years without major incident or
cause for concern. In fact the rivalry became the "talk of the town" in the pubs and even
found its way to the society gossip pages of the newspaper from time to time.
And so, it continued for several years until Eduardo killed Diego's wife, or was it Diego who
struck the first blow killing Eduardo's brother. It wasn't clear to the informants that I
interviewed who had struck first. And it really didn't matter, as the cause célèbre had then
become a blood feud. A wife and a brother had been killed, and vengeance was demanded.
--o00o--
"I see, so it is not your murder that you wish me to arrange, but rather a duel, correct?" 
"Yes, I suppose so... but murder sounds much more melodramatic, whereas a duel is
practically medieval," Eduardo quipped and twirled his mustache for good measure.
"A duel, Eduardo? What are you thinking? Diego is nearly as good with pistol as you. You
both will fall dead to the ground long before the echo of the gun shots has cleared the
morning air. Hardly a duel, Master. More of a public execution." 
"Yes, a public execution, I like that. Perhaps that is a better name for it. After all, we are
both murderers no matter who struck the first blow. We can leave it to the newspapers to
call it what they wish; and create some fanciful story about it. They always do anyway."
"Fifteen years, and finally we are discussing, the most formative events in your life," I let the
disdain drip from my voice and hopefully express my true feelings. Truthfully, I did feel
cheated that he had never shared this part of his life with me.
"Well, it is a sensitive subject and should be approached slowly and delicately, wouldn't you
agree, Alfonso."
"Fifteen years, Eduardo, and murder is hardly a delicate subject." 
"Very well, point stipulated, but surely you would agree that the murder of one's brother is
the more heinous of the two."
"I don't know. I could easily argue for or against either type of murder and debate its evilness
passionately, but please enlighten me as to why the murder of one's brother is the more
vile and treacherous act." 
"Isn't it obvious, my dear Alfonso? A brother is steadfast, constant, reliable and with you
through all things from the day of your birth until death. A strong right arm. And what is a
woman, but a brief companion with her own self-centered wishes and desires that so
often supersede your own. And as often as not, she will side with others, not with you, in
arguments and disputes.
"Perhaps, Eduardo, perhaps. Ah, but it would be most difficult to write a Love Sonnet to
your brother."
"Sir, the Love Sonnets are highly over-rated," was his quick response, although I knew for
certain that he had read every sonnet that Shakespeare had ever written.
I suppose I did have a puzzled look as I now pondered the question: why did you kill her? 
"Hah, that pathetic look on your face tells me that you want the details. Very well, you
shall have them. It was actually quite stupid on my part, a terrible blunder. I was assigned
a job to execute a minor, but rising nobleman, one who had offended the wrong person." 
"I had chosen the town square, where I could easily hide among the crowd for my entrance
and exit. And a bow-shot for stealth and silence. I had a clear shot on my target, as I took aim
from behind a cypress, and would have slain him easily had Margarita not stepped into the
path of the arrow at the last moment. An unfortunate accident, but murder nonetheless.
Stupid, I had become over confident in my abilities and had not planned the execution well.
It was not a good location."
"Yes, most unfortunate," I agreed.
"I was stunned to say the least, and added yet another blunder to my folly. Standing there,
dumbfounded for an instant, I was seen. I retreated from the square, although it was
obviously too late to conceal my crime, and went into hiding to think. Diego would soon
know who had killed his wife, so the question was: How would he come for me?" 
"Then I suddenly realized, that he wouldn't. I was too difficult a target for him, so most likely,
he would be satisfied with trading his Queen for my Knight. I rushed to Nicolas' rooms as
quickly as I could, but... the crowd gathered outside my brother's lodging told me that I was
too late. Diego's revenge had been swift and brutal."
"And you chose, wisely I think, to bide your time to take your revenge -- a dish best served
cold."
"Of course, but I didn't expect it to go on for this long. The odd thing about Margarita's death
is that I actually did Diego a favor. She was a terrible woman, Alfonso -- ruthless, conniving,
and unfaithful. Eventually, she would have been his ruin."
I was satisfied in knowing, that after all these years, he had finally confided in me his deepest,
darkest secret. Satisfaction was probably not the emotion I felt, but I did feel relieved in
finally knowing the truth. So, we talked no more of it. Concerning the duel, his mind was firm.
Try as I might, there was no argument I could make that would change his intentions. In his
mind, the duel was justice being served and their deaths a punishment that befitted the crimes. 
After another glass, I bid him adieu and left to make the arrangements with Diego.
-o00o-- 
When I returned, I found Eduardo on a pier gazing seaward as the first few streaks of dawn
broke through the clouds. I decided not to interrupt him, since, in all likelihood, this would
be the last sunrise that he would ever see.
I waited a few minutes, and then remarked, "A beautiful sight." 
"Yes, God seemed to have known what he was doing. Shall we go?" Eduardo turned to leave,
then stopped abruptly, "Alfonso?"
"Yes?"
He grabbed me suddenly and held me tight to his breast, "Thank you, my friend. Thank you,
for being there for me all these years. Like the brother that I have missed for so long." 
I was completely speechless, but I suppose the unabashed flow of tears from my eyes
said everything that my lips could not.
--o00o--
An hour later at a nearby oasis. 
"Gentlemen, shall we proceed?"
Both men nodded in agreement.
"Gentlemen, you will walk ten paces by my count in opposite directions. Then stop, turn,
and fire on your opponent. Let us begin." 
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten."
The two men stopped, turned, and one shot rang out. [This is the point where Cliff Hanger usually shows up, but not today.] 
An instant later, I realized what had happened. Smoke was pouring out of the barrel of
Diego's pistol and fifty feet in the other direction lay the body of my master, Eduardo, dead.
"No, no," I shrieked and ran to Eduardo. It was pointless, of course, Diego's shot had been
true -- straight to the heart. 
"Why, Alfonso, why?" Diego asked. "He didn't even aim or pull the trigger."
Why indeed? I thought for a moment trying to put the pieces together:
Eduardo had initially called this murder, his murder;
but no, had corrected that to a public execution;
it would be the appropriate punishment he said;
but killing a brother to him was far worse than killing a wife;
and finally Eduardo was the Spider, after all.
The answer was there hidden in these clues. What trap would he lay, what would be his final
web? 
I rose and held Diego's gaze firmly. "Eduardo believed that both of you are guilty of murder --"
"Yes, yes, of course."
"He also believed that the punishment should fit the severity of the crime. Murdering his
brother was far worse in his mind than murdering your wife." I held up my hand to silence
his objections for the moment.
In Eduardo's view, the love of one's wife could never equal the love of one's brother, hence
your crime was the greater evil."
"Why, that's preposterous," Diego protested.
"Perhaps, but Eduardo has paid for his crime now -- once and for all. He is absolved." 
"But you, Diego, will remember this day each and every day for the rest of your life. It will
haunt you constantly. You see, you are now trapped in the Spider's web of guilt for a crime
that can no longer be absolved. You can no longer pay for your crime. There is no atonement,
no forgiveness for you. That is your punishment."
-- The End --
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52 comments
And thank you for taking the time to go back and have a look at my old postings. Very kind of you.
And, the narrative? Interesting, one man's views on honor, chivalry, killing/murder, brothers, women and Hell-on-Earth. The Spider caught me in his web.
The story and the moral of it is great
Thanks a lot for best entertainment
I didn´t knew for this new location ... looks promisisng. I have to check the news for FO4
It's on Spectacle Island. I flattened the island, removed the trees and built a beach resort there. That garden alcove is a recent addition. Lots of room to add and expand on the island.
I got a trip to Magreb for sure! I even remembered Boggie and Casablanca!
Good show Laird!
Funny detail, I am in Spain at the moment so the timing for reading this was perfect also.
Thanks very much. Pat mentioned Poe also. Well, I guess it's time for me to retire, 'cause it ain't gonna get any better than that.
Happy Easter to you too!
Thank you. Glad you liked it.
Thanks.