Ch. 3 The Reunion
The Prancing Pony was as busy as ever. The hustle and bustle in the bar area could even be heard in the room of the blonde man. He was sitting at his small table peering over a few maps and the hastily drawn note of Bernard. He had been running around on his horse the whole morning surveying the land.
With his quill he was writing down notes, arrows and crosses on the maps, a determined look in his eyes. Sometimes his eyes drifted off to the corner of his room where some item lay on the floor wrapped in a rough, brown cloth.
Finally satisfied with his notes he sat straight up, put the quill down and let out a deep breath. “So this is it. Two days in this forsaken town and I already made my enemies.” He grinned, “as usual” he added in a softer tone.
A knock sounded, coming from the door. “Who is it?” he asked, “Bernard” the man behind the door replied. “Enter, my friend.”. Bernard came in all out of breath. “They going to hang him, in front of the town hall!” The blonde man stood up “When?”. The Bree-lander lifted his shoulders “they said in two hours, but it might as well be earlier. Britt said they want it done as fast as possible to make sure the brigands won’t try a rescue.” The stranger nodded. “Have you heard something from your wife?” he asked. Bernard shook his head “No, sir, she doesn’t want to speak with me.” The disappointed look on his face was hard to misread.
“I suppose you have her address, right?” he asked whilst moving towards the saddlebags he had taken up to his room. “Yessir, I do.” Bernard replied. “Good then it is time, that perhaps I visit her. I may persuade her. Write her address down Bernard, there’s a quill and paper on the desk over there.”
Picking up one of his saddlebags he threw it on his bed, from it he took a small item wrapped in the same brown cloth as the long thing on the floor. Carefully folding it open an ornate circlet appeared. A saddened smile came on his face. “It seems the time has arrived to honour you properly, cousin.” With utmost precision he placed the circlet on his head, he wrapped his cloak around him and took the note out of Bernard’s hands who already stood ready to hand it over. “Meet me in an hour at the Town Hall Bernard, and hope your wife may listen to what I have to say.” The man nodded and the stranger left the room.
Galloping through the streets of Bree he suddenly halted his horse. With the grace of an experienced horse rider he jumped of the dark coloured mare and walked up to the house. Checking his note first he then knocked at the door, it only took a few seconds before somebody was at the door. “Ulloo?” the woman asked peering through a small opening in the door. “My lady, I come bearing very important news, concerning your farm…your husband…your daughter.” He added being very polite and serious. “I’ ave no husband, no more, sir!” she replied abruptly. “Miss, please hear what I have to say and if your judgement is still the same after I am done, I shall leave you in peace. Please, I ask you.” The woman behind the door seemed reluctant and after looking a few times at the stranger she finally opened the door. “Alright you have my attention, but if I don’t like what I hear, this door is closed before you blink.” The man smiled “Fair enough, my lady.”
The stranger then started his story, telling of his meeting with Bernard and explaining about the brigand they caught. The woman being entirely not interested in the beginning began to tears in her eyes. “…and therefore I want to ask you, my lady, to accompany me to the Town jail to see the man responsible for your daughter’s death. Your husband can be blamed to be naïve in his dealings but he sought to do well for his family, do not forget who are truly to blame.” The woman was sobbing by now, the man handing her a handkerchief, she nodded. After a short whistle the dark coloured mare walked up towards the man “May I give you an escort, my lady? She’s a well trained horse and will take you to the Town jail easily.” The woman walked down and the stranger helping her on the horse took the reins and led it towards the Town jail.
“You bastard! You killed my daughter!” the woman yelled at the brigand tied in chains. In her fury she started to hit the man all over. “get this wrench of me!” he yelled, neither the stranger nor the guards moved. Stricken by grief her last hit landed on the brigand’s torso “murderer..” she barely managed to get out. The stranger noticing this, moved towards the woman and took her arm, she turned around and found the comfort of his arms. “This murderer will get what is coming for him within an hour, my lady. Perhaps it is time to see your husband…Perhaps it is time that you both can share your grief…together, for it is well overdue.” She nodded and slowly the stranger escorted her outside, where across the street Bernard stood waiting. The woman ran across the street and fell in his arms. The couple crying, apologised to each other endlessly until she finally kissed her husband.
Shortly after the brigand was let outside to be hanged, his crimes announced, the crowd roaring with anger. Then the sound of the wooden pane shooting from underneath his feet signalled his demise.
The stranger standing from a distance overlooked the spectacle, patting his horse regularly.
A man walked up towards him, it was Britt. The guardsman looked over at Bernard who held his wife close to him. “A fine job you did, sir. A shame they are not the only one who suffered or continue to suffer from these criminals.” The stranger looked at him. “Perhaps not, but we can deliver a fatal blow to them, if only we had the men for it.” Britt looked at him “You planning something, sir?”. The blonde man had a sudden grin on his face “That depends, are you interested?” he asked. Britt nodded “Aye, sir, you’ve helped ol’ Bernard there, I believe your intentions are pure. And I’m sure I may find a few more guards who are willing to help out,sir.” The stranger looked at him “Fine, guardsman Britt, assemble all the men you feel are trustworthy and able to fight, for tonight those brigands will feel what it is like to be on the receiving end. Meet me in my room at the pony when the sun has gone downWe’ll talk more there.”
Britt nodded and walked away, the stranger led his horse towards the Pony when suddenly a man took his arm, it was Bernard. “thank you, stranger, thank you. Even though you have been true to your word till now, it feels somehow strange that I still do not know your name.” The blonde man looked at Bernard “I promise you Bernard, when my part of the deal is over, you shall know my name, but for now I can’t say.” The Bree-lander nodded “I saw you talking to Britt, sir. And with the maps and notes in your room earlier, I can’t help but think you are up to something tonight. Let me help you, sir.” The stranger smiled “No, Bernard, you are not a fighter, you are a farmer, you are a husband, you belong at the side of your wife now, so that you both may finally find comfort for your terrible loss. For that, mylady, Bernard, my condoleances.” Bernard nodded slightly, indicating a thank you, his wife, Mary, said to the stranger “Thank you sir, for making me come down here, thank you for helping us.”. The blonde man took her hand and gave a kiss on it “Think nothing of it, my lady, always remember that there are still good people in this world.”
With those words he departed towards the Pony to get himself battle ready for the dangerous night to come.
