Post by DM Hawk on Apr 29, 2009 21:01:13 GMT -5
The knight drove the charger on at a steady gait as he approached the circle of riders. He could hear their low voices speculating on the next turn of events as he approached and reined the war horse to a halt. Ghost snorted and the knight dismounted to ease the horse of its burden. Like its rider, the steed was past its prime.
The knight glanced around the ring of riders, offering a salutation, "Good eve, gentlemen."
Most of the men nodded. One spoke, "Sir Kelric."
The circle of riders turned their mounts to face the new arrival. One man towards the rear of the gathering guided his horse forward slowly. The knight turned to face the rider as he advanced.
The rider was lean and sat easily in the saddle. His skin was weathered and he wore plain, dusty leathers.
"Master Cardea," the knight said, "thank you for coming."
"You're welcome Sir. I'm sorry I didn't find your man the last time."
Striding to meet Cardea as he rode up, the knight reached up to grip the man's hand in greeting, "It worked out. He came into Cormyr while you were looking for him."
"All the same, I let you down. I won't take coin for this ride."
"Just means more for the rest of us then," chuckled a young rider offering a toothy grin. He had big, yellow teeth.
Kelric turned his head and looked at the youth.
"War's a profitable business, " said another rider, short and wiry, stooped low in the saddle.
"For some, " The knight said, "perhaps this time some of you will join us on the field after your errand is through." He glanced around, looking several of the riders in the eye.
Most of the men were silent at that. One chuckled quietly. Another snorted.
"I would Sir," it was Cardea who spoke, "but my sword arm never mended right after it was broken. I'd just get killed....or get someone else killed."
The knight was silent.
"Sir, you know I would. I--"
"I know," Kelric nodded and looked away from the emotion in Cardea's eyes. Then he turned and removed a weathered satchel of leather from one of Ghost's saddle bags. From the satchel he produced ten sealed missives, each matched by a weighty pouch of gold.
A saddle creaked as one of the riders shfited to get a better look. The slouched rider and the youth exchanged knowing looks, a glint of avarice in their eyes.
One by one the knight approached each rider, handing over both a missive and a clinking pouch of gold in tandem while speaking quietly the name of each individual's quarry.
"Yours will be hardest to find, Cardea. There're a few extra lions for the effort in there, " Kelric said handing over the coin and the missive.
"An honor, Sir Kelric, " he said, "but I cannot take the gold. Not after last time."
"I insist old fellow, " said the knight, "You're the best, after all. And the ride won't be easy."
Cardea lowered his head and nodded, his resistance fading away rapidly. He needed the gold.
The knight turned to the last two riders, who looked at him with beady eyes.
"Yours is the least," he told Bucktooth, to which Slouch snorted. "You can point your horse right back to Suzail and ride to the barracks. You're for Lord Sthavar"
Bucktooth looked at the small pouch of gold in his hand, the glint fading from his eye. Then the youth glanced at the rider to his left, "Want to trade?"
"No."
"And you," the knight addressed Slouch, tossing a heavy pouch, "get the most." Kelric raised a bundle of missives bound by a string. "Ride hard. You're going to cover most of the kingdom before you rest a full night again."
Kelric looked over the gathering of riders once more. They looked at him silently.
"Off now, with Shaundakul's wind at your back. Ride!"
He struck the haunch of Slouch's mount, sending the horse off in a speedy trot.
"Begone! Ride!" the knight cursed.
They rode.
* * *
The knight glanced around the ring of riders, offering a salutation, "Good eve, gentlemen."
Most of the men nodded. One spoke, "Sir Kelric."
The circle of riders turned their mounts to face the new arrival. One man towards the rear of the gathering guided his horse forward slowly. The knight turned to face the rider as he advanced.
The rider was lean and sat easily in the saddle. His skin was weathered and he wore plain, dusty leathers.
"Master Cardea," the knight said, "thank you for coming."
"You're welcome Sir. I'm sorry I didn't find your man the last time."
Striding to meet Cardea as he rode up, the knight reached up to grip the man's hand in greeting, "It worked out. He came into Cormyr while you were looking for him."
"All the same, I let you down. I won't take coin for this ride."
"Just means more for the rest of us then," chuckled a young rider offering a toothy grin. He had big, yellow teeth.
Kelric turned his head and looked at the youth.
"War's a profitable business, " said another rider, short and wiry, stooped low in the saddle.
"For some, " The knight said, "perhaps this time some of you will join us on the field after your errand is through." He glanced around, looking several of the riders in the eye.
Most of the men were silent at that. One chuckled quietly. Another snorted.
"I would Sir," it was Cardea who spoke, "but my sword arm never mended right after it was broken. I'd just get killed....or get someone else killed."
The knight was silent.
"Sir, you know I would. I--"
"I know," Kelric nodded and looked away from the emotion in Cardea's eyes. Then he turned and removed a weathered satchel of leather from one of Ghost's saddle bags. From the satchel he produced ten sealed missives, each matched by a weighty pouch of gold.
A saddle creaked as one of the riders shfited to get a better look. The slouched rider and the youth exchanged knowing looks, a glint of avarice in their eyes.
One by one the knight approached each rider, handing over both a missive and a clinking pouch of gold in tandem while speaking quietly the name of each individual's quarry.
"Yours will be hardest to find, Cardea. There're a few extra lions for the effort in there, " Kelric said handing over the coin and the missive.
"An honor, Sir Kelric, " he said, "but I cannot take the gold. Not after last time."
"I insist old fellow, " said the knight, "You're the best, after all. And the ride won't be easy."
Cardea lowered his head and nodded, his resistance fading away rapidly. He needed the gold.
The knight turned to the last two riders, who looked at him with beady eyes.
"Yours is the least," he told Bucktooth, to which Slouch snorted. "You can point your horse right back to Suzail and ride to the barracks. You're for Lord Sthavar"
Bucktooth looked at the small pouch of gold in his hand, the glint fading from his eye. Then the youth glanced at the rider to his left, "Want to trade?"
"No."
"And you," the knight addressed Slouch, tossing a heavy pouch, "get the most." Kelric raised a bundle of missives bound by a string. "Ride hard. You're going to cover most of the kingdom before you rest a full night again."
Kelric looked over the gathering of riders once more. They looked at him silently.
"Off now, with Shaundakul's wind at your back. Ride!"
He struck the haunch of Slouch's mount, sending the horse off in a speedy trot.
"Begone! Ride!" the knight cursed.
They rode.
* * *