Carlotta in Chains

[Coagula]

Ahoy Matey,
Taking the advice of Sparticus, I aim to publish "The Coagula Diaries" as a graphic novel. My rewrite avoids connections to SMP.

The tale of Coagula unfolds three ways. What happens to him in the present; what happens in his collection of 'Captains, Logs' ; what happens when/as his victims memory is narrated.
Carlotta is first introduced in the Log of Thanatos, (Isthmus chap) the pie fight made a lasting impression on her. In "King and Crown' she fires at Coagula, is captured and, at the conclusion of lots of action, freed.

Now we discover what happened after the pie fight and before the carronade is fired.( Insert this right after 'Hall of MIRRORS' and before "Cat Mad'.)

Captain Coagula Diaries - Chapter (4) King and Crown Page 6B
At SEA -
I enter my cabin and dismiss the escorts. Carlotta is chained where the painting of me at Maracaibo used to hang. She wears the gown with the deep décolletage, bodice altered by Marta. '' I did not expect such behavior from a guest"
'' Guest ? HA ! I am a prisoner."
"And what would you prefer ?"
"To be your slave." she whispers, pandering, head bowed.
My finger to her chin lifts her head to face me "A slave obeys... Do you understand ?"
" Yes." Her eyes dart, avoiding mine.
"Yes ? That's all ?'' I slap her. "Yes ?"
Her eyes water. She searches for my meaning, "Yes master." She smiles through tears.
" I know ALL about you Carlotta.'' So helpless she is, in chains, so charming, so totally in my power. ''How is your husband, Thanatos ?"
My question transforms her. Her eyes glaze. Her breathing quickens. She rattles and strains against the chains. I am attracted to the speeding pulse of her neck. I turn to leave. At the door she pleads to me. "Free me!" Her writhing becomes lascivious. "Please free me." She bangs her head to the wall. " Please free me, master."
I pretend to climb the stairs, but wait, hidden, at the landing amused by her frustration. I reenter the cabin. She looks up. I stride directly to her, tower over her, bring my lips close to her neck. Her breath comes as short gasps. I moisten the pulsing jugular with my tongue before I sink my fangs. Her blood conjures songs of memory.

Released from captivity by Thanatos, she relives their last moments together; the pie fight. She sails upriver to Gran Granada with her father, Governor Peligrosso. As the ship enters the lake the white canvas startles birds. The birds return to a three branched gibbet etched against the sky. Perched on their prey, ferocious birds are mangling a hanged man, each driving like a tool his filthy beak through the rot. The eyes are holes, and from the ruined gut the heavy bowels drape to his thighs. Peck by peck his butchers strip him of his sex. Beneath his feet prowl a pack of four-legged brutes snarling over fleshy bits and pieces. She feels bitter rise of bile. She holds her puke down.
The hanged man is Peligrossos' grim warning to pirates; a warning to Thanatos who has promised to return. Her pirate lover expects tribute but the city has prepared a hostile welcome. Father and daughter angrily debate. The merits of a ''Morgan solution" emerges as a compromise. Perhaps Thanatos can be persuaded to become a "protector", a pirate hunter.
A lonely sentinel, she stands on the unfinished ramparts. Workers sweat to complete the fortress walls; strain hauling cannons, pointing them seaward. She paces the beach, the waves echo the monotony of her days.
She sits in a warm room that like a hothouse stifles; surrounded by gilt fabrics, flasks of scent and wine, rich furniture, white marble, her robe swirled into sumptuous folds. Her gaze looks at nothing, a hypnotic stare. Her guilty joys, feasts of strange delight, full of infernal kisses, figures lithe and frisky flex like angry snakes sting her bored senses. Her hollow eyes yearn for the subtleties of bliss. Her nights are filled with pain and groans. Potent kisses fill her dreams while her lover roams the world. A flood of tears has poured into the sea as she watches for his ship night and day. In a voluptuous trance she views the dim horizon with weary eyes.
How long have I feasted at her neck? Time slowed. extended, paused; I lost track. How long would I continue drawing blood? I see myself from a distance, carried by her intense passion, sensations flow beyond the familiar. I must let her rest. I withdraw my fangs. The taste of her lingers on my tongue. I return later.
I watch her escort, Confetti, hand feed Carlotta, still chained to the cabin wall. Kolera cleans the dried blood that trails down to Carlotta's' breast, then tips a goblet of wine to her lips. I wave them away. They exit with a basin of her wastes.
She trembles as I stand before her. Her eyes are bright. I put my hand to the side of her face. She turns her head to kiss it. I brush her hair from her neck baring where I would pierce it. I lean against her briefly. Desire binds her to me. She watches my fangs emerge, she twists her neck to them, strains it toward me. Her heart pounds. She displays her neck to my hunger.
" Feed Master." She begs, and whimpers as I enter. "Feed, Master." she sobs.
It seems as if her blood flows like a rhythmic spurting fountain . I hear it, a murmuring wound, whispering fragments of memory; pouring golden dreams while stupendous schemes bloom like strange flowers oozing living nectar.

[Coagula]

Captain Coagula Diaries - Chapter (4) King and Crown Page 6c

See - a ship, his ship; Thanatos returns to Gran Granada encircled, defended by stone and cannon. She watches the ship sail closer while church bells signal soldiers to the cannons. A longboat, flying the white flag of truce, brings Thanatos to shore. I sweep aside images of Carlotta's enthusiastic reception and their nocturnal adventures. I sweep aside her fathers objections. Thanatos accepts the appointment - ''Lord Protector of Gran Granada and the Miskito Coast." His men are incorporated into the militia but wear distinctive uniforms. The extensive forests supply timber for a fleet of shallow draft war canoes modeled after Mediterranean xebecs. These speed easily down river to scour the coast, eliminate pirate marauders. Carlotta accompanies these missions and together with Confetti and Kolera become an efficient gun crew. I share her joy as she aims and fires her cannon. Captured pirates are given the choice to join Thanatos or face the gallows. Soon his unit has more men than the locals. Unused to their new authority these men swagger in town, preening, bullying men and molesting women.
I knew what is coming. Thanatos wrote of it in his Log. Matamoros and I shared a laugh about it at the isthmus. Over the objections of her father, Carlotta insists - and marries Thanatos. The images of the ceremony form rapidly, powerfully obliterating other memories. I sense her disappointment as I ignore the details of this extravaganza for they are irrelevant here. Carlotta faints. My fangs slip out as her body, suspended by the chains, sags.
Tenderly, her escorts revive her. They wipe the blood from her bosom and exit at my signal, but stare at me, fearfully, hostilely. I march to her neck without hesitating. She responds to my bite with a submissive sigh.
See - Peligrosso share governance with Carlotta and Thanatos. The citizens complain of outrages by pirates. To separate their new 'protectors' from the town a sea-side ghetto is created. Two, even three story structures are built on barges. Connected by walkways, these contain barracks, a variety of eateries, numerous bars and bordellos; gambling dens for cards and dice. Professionals of all races, of every pleasure assemble to this floating world. First to arrive were from Gran Granada itself. These women consider themselves an elite, superior to the 'foreigners' who flood in as the reputation of this new Sodom spreads. Big boned Juanita de Xenxa (see Chapter (1)Page 7) much admired for her lack of morals is their ringleader. While she is ready to take on all comers, her special 'friend' is the albino, Mickey the Finn, an officer in the new militia.
Her husband, a tailor from Panama, has made a recent fortune supplying uniforms. Even before the first visit of Thanatos sly smiles have been cast his way. After that sacking the smiles stopped; smirking and gestures of cuckoldry began. His attempts to extract Juanita from the tavern and the company of her cronies are pitiful..
I tease the tale from her neck, drop by drop, word by word. Carlotta with Thanatos, frequent this demimonde and have witnessed this;
" Come home now..., Juanita, please?"
''I am my own woman, Wilfredo. I have not finished my drink." and some streams from the mug as it slams down. All at the table laugh!
"Please Juanita.... ....Senor Finn, tell her to leave."
Mickey raises his red eyes, and invites him to sit, " Look, Governor Thanatos is here , and his wife, we can talk business," he winks to them.
Room is made for him, he chooses a chair, " With your permission."
One of Juanita's friends leans to whisper, and cups his ear. Her real purpose is to make the sign of a cuckold, the 'horns', two fingers raised , with her other hand behind his head. She keeps this arm there.
''How are you , little Willy my friend," greets Carlotta, " I have a special request; make a uniform, a Captain of the Guards, for me." She inhales deeply, expanding her chest. " Can you fit me ?''
" A Captain, certainly Senora, immediately, I'll come to the palace tomorrow."
" I want one too." - " Me also." - "And me." - the harlots at the table drunkenly conspire to form an auxiliary guard unit.
The woman on his right leans into him, lifts her hand with a 'horned' sign behind his head, joining the first.
''Make the coats short, like jackets."
''To show off our asses." - " And tight breeches" - " I don't want britches." - " A skirt ?" - "A short skirt, like a kilt !" - "And high boots, cavalier boots."
Ours will be fancier. " Confetti mutters and glares at the women.
Kolera whispers back " 'Tis britches for us."
'' 'Tis britches for all." Announces Carlotta imperiously.
The waitress comes and waits for Wilfredo to order. She jabs the two fingers behind his head. He sees them all suppressing smiles and senses insult. He rises, " I must go, please excuse me. Thank you, Senora, I'll see you tomorrow." He walks away.
"Wilfredo, wait for me." Juanita goes to him. After a few steps she grabs his hat and dangles it above the water. He reaches for it. She clutches his britches at the rear (a wedgee) and hoists him over the railing. She calls out, " Make me a General !"
He flounders to the shore. Not for the first time does Wilfredo swear revenge.

[Coagula]

Captain Coagula Diaries - Chapter (4) King and Crown Page 6D

Sail a short distance south to Isla del Muerto (Its' real name - now a Parque National) Island of Death, of the dead. Mothers frighten children with tales of it.
See - Juanita and Mickey Finn sail to explore... What follows is their sworn testimony, seeking a fair determination, before Pelegrosso, Carlotta, and Thanatos.

A wind gust, sudden and strong capsized the little boat. We cling to it drifting. Holding the stern we kicked and propelled the upside down boat toward an island. Beaching - exhausted - waking - disoriented - boat - waiting for the tide to steal her from the sheltered cove. Secure the boat up the strand - the beach, a miniscule arc of sand, wavelets lapp the shore, palms and jungle border the sandy curve.
Indians emerge from the palms walking to Juanita de Xenxa and Mickey Finn. We push the boat to the water. The Indians help us. Their skin is golden. Black patterns - paint? tattoos? - adorn the gold warriors. The boat is in thigh high water, and ready to board. The Indians do not let us. They pry us from the boat and allow it to drift away. We are dragged through the water, over the sand, beyond the jungle, up a plateau, into a grotto that opens at a vast clearing. A ring of connected structures, the tribes houses, encircle the open ground. As at an amphitheater golden indians sit in front of these stone buildings and on their roofs.. In the center of the clearing a Gold Indian Chief stands by a platform laden with food.
''We were expecting you! feast now, honored ones."
Our bewilderment is matched by our hunger. As primitive royalty. we feast while indians play drums and pan pipes. We attack the food with gusto, sampling every exotic serving.
While they eat the chief explains, ''We were expecting you! The God Babaloo promised us a sacrifice. You are her deliverer."
With the Finns unusually pale skin, blond almost white hair and bright red eyes, he seems like a visitor from another dimension. 'Tho his mouth is full, he responds, "You cannot have her."
"That you would refuse is in the prophesy. I will buy her from you for this! " He extends a headdress, iridescent feathers bobbing. "It will make you invisible."
Finn chocks on his food, nodding a vigorous negative.
"No? Take this cape", beautiful applique, with a tinkling multitude of gold birdlike beads, " it grants the gift of flight."
Finn drinks from a coconut cup. Liquid streams from the corners of his mouth, "The lady is not for sale."
" No? Again you refuse, this too is in the prophesy. He displays a weapon, a knife. a long blade of glassy black obsidian, the edges refined razor sharp. This blade emerges from a handle encrusted with emeralds.
The emeralds have real value, and Mickey is from a nation of knife carriers. He feels undressed with less than five. He carries a stone to sharpen them and would extract them from his pocket or boot, or waistband, one is in his hat or other unexpected , hidden locations and stroke the stone against them tirelessly.
The chief recounts the struggles of his tribe, their enslavement, forced to work in mines, the treacherous efforts of Peligrosso to exterminate them. The FInn wonders about the gold tinting his skin; the source of it.. Maidens clear the feast table, brushing purposely against them. Their skins tingles. Intoxicant ingredients in the food begin to affect them. Powerful feelings of sexual arousal accompany clapping by the audience on the roofs. They do not resist as the maidens remove their garments. Inspired by god-like delusions they mount the table. Conch horns blow as they embrace. The maidens circle, dancing. Shamefaced they describe, to the judgement panel, the Fertility ceremony enacted on the table top as it was paraded around the clearing. Exhausted, dazed, stumbling, they are led by the maidens to the chief who waits at the center. He stands at the base of the table. The tabletop, now removed, concealed a stairway carved into the earth!
" The prophesy has been fulfilled, Babaloo is pleased." He shouts for all to hear. He extends the obsidian blade saying, '' You have delivered our sacrifice. Thank you." He gestures to the stairwell, " Enter messenger, go in peace."
Here their accounts diverge. Finn emphatically claims the weapon was presented to HIM and as he takes to the steps Juanita rushes past him, speeding ahead downward. Juanita insists that SHE wrests the weapon from the Indian, asks " Is THIS in the prophesy too?" plunges the blade into his chest, then pulls Finn to the stairs. Their accounts agree concerning the details of the descent. It spirals forever. Torches illuminate it. Below each torch is an alcove. They take gold statuettes, icons of bizarre pagan gods from the alcoves; as many as can be carried. The chamber they pause at is lined with monumental idols sheathed with beaten gold. Its floor is a wall to wall shallow pool of liquid gold which clings to their calves as thet wade through. The exit is visible. But here their testimony conflicts radically. The Finn confronts a caiman of jade. The tail of this crocodilian sweeps dangerously. Juanita slinks out behind it. The jaws snap at Mickey's head. The tail knocks him down. He rises, half golden, and lunges as the monster rears and exposes its jade armored belly. It bursts as the obsidian blade enters. Jade scales tumble, splashing into the pool. The caiman appears to have been a hollow automaton. Finn runs, splashing gold, outside and joins Juanita.
'No no!" Interrupts the woman, "It wasn't that way at all !" I carried the weapon in MY fist and when a gold skeleton barred the exit with his waving Kris blade we dueled until I lopped off his skull. Then I exited to find Mickey waiting."
Their hallucinogenic nightmare continues as they flee from the reassembled caiman and skeleton. The stairway down the plateau was a miraculous shortcut to the cove and the little boat had not escaped its embrace but floated listlessly, governed by the tides ebb and flow. Now it rested, bow nudging the beach, waiting for its masters. Throwing the few icons they carried aboard it was launched. The monsters pursuing, see their quarry escape. Stalled on the beach they turned on each other, battling, sending fragments of broken gold bone and shattered jade flying, splashing into the water, littering the shore.

[Coagula]

Captain Coagula Diaries - Chapter (4) King and Crown Page 6E

See - Carlotta, she reads;
HONORED SENORA,
MY LIFE RESTS ON UTMOST SECRECY. I AM SHELTERED BY MY SEAMSTRESS. SHE WILL GUIDE YOU TO ME. ALL WILL BE REVEALED.
WILFREDO DE XENXA
P.S. YOUR UNIFORM IS FINISHED.
P.P.S. THE GOLD ICONS ARE NOT WHERE THEY BURIED THEM
P.P.P.S. I MUST HAVE REVENGE
ADMISSION OF INFIDELITY CANNOT BE IGNORED
SENORA PLEASE HELP ME GET REVENGE
She follows the woman to her house. They find it has been ransacked; her mother murdered. The head and neck of a chicken extrudes from the mouth of Wilfredo de Xenxa, an emerald encrusted knife handle protrudes from his body. The knife that is the center of the dispute? The reason for the hearing? Oh my... But here is the uniform. "Help me try it on"
Did they mention the gold icons? I don't think so. "Put my dress on the chair."
Juanita is guilty... It could be the Finn.... Maybe together.... no, they're not good friends now, " Are the britches baggy. No? Good, I want them tight."
The secret gold... that's what this fight is really about. "O, this feels a perfect fit, a 'shell' jacket you call it?"
That chicken head ?..... Indians?..... could be.... "The hat ! It's so silly ! The panache, yes, that long feather, it's darling, so daring, so dashing. Deliver my dress to the palace, I'll wear this !"

" What do you think of these , my dear ?" Thanatos has made a line of little gold statuettes, bizarre indian artifacts.
" Melt... them... down." she replies..

The judges confer. Carlotta, no longer amused, sides with the woman Thanatos, believes booty, any booty is a pirates by right of possession. Pelegrosso wants to delay judgement until the investigation of the death of Senor de Xenxa is concluded..
Thanatos mocks them and scorns and ignores their opinions. Now Carlotta understands the degree of his power, total; comprehends his ambition; boundless.

Few people have succeeded in looting a cities treasury on so grand a scale. Thanatos has lost all conception of where state moneys end and his own begin. The finance official discovers allocations made from funds already expended, reports filled with falsified figures, bribery is rampant.
Not a hoarder; he is a generous, even elegant embezzler. He invites the aristocracy to frequent banquets, has a succession of secret mistresses and is building a lavish palace that Carlotta designed. Its' garden is embellished with fanciful fountains, exotic plants, and secluded bowers where amorous adventures are concluded.
His machinations are caught and confronted; his mistresses exposed. Raging Carlotta is restrained by her father who spews accusations and invectives over her shoulder.
Not one to take offense lightly, Thanatos has them both immediately imprisoned. His victory is complete. His power is not contested by the local militia for they are greatly outnumbered by battle hardened myrmidons.
Carlotta, betrayed, mourns her loss but engineers, with "knock out drops' supplied by Mickey Finn, an escape. With her fathers most loyal friends they board the unguarded "Arachne", the original ship of Thanatos. The xebecs give chase across the lake and down the river. Carlotta at the stern-chaser cannon scores several lucky hits and they reach the coast unhindered.
Upon completing his report regarding lost Gran Granada and the apparently well coordinated blockades and attacks on shipping, bringing trade to a standstill, Carlotta witnesses her father commissioned " Viceroy of Land and Sea'' by the King of Spain.
As I retract my fangs I see a last, fading image; myself at sea, sitting on the taffrail. Carlotta, in her uniform, fires a carronade in my direction.

My finger to her chin lifts her head to face me "You must obeys... Do you understand ?"
" Yes." Her eyes dart, avoiding mine.
"Yes ? That's all ?'' I wag a warning finger, "Yes ?"
She cringes. Her eyes water. "Yes master." She smiles through tears.
"Not master, - Captain! Obedience earns a reward.''
She listens, calculates, her eyes narrow, her lashes a spiked, black labyrinth.
"To encourage your obedience you may choose a reward. What shall it be ?"
Chewing her lip, Carlotta cautiously responds, " I...Cannon... Captain... Let me fire cannons, Captain !"
I should have guessed it. "Very well, the reward for your best behavior shall be a carronade to fire." I undid the bolts at the wall. Carlotta sinks to her knees and expresses her gratitude.

[sparticus]