Maddon stood too and readjusted his sack on his back. They strode through the tavern and out the front door. They went to the hitch posts and untied their mounts. The man put out his hand to Maddon, and Maddon took it, shaking. “Name’s Jedd, Jedd Porter. I’m a Bounty Hunter.”
“For the king?”
“No, private.” He swung up into the saddle and they started off. “I like having the freedom to take the jobs I want. I do some work for Alban occasionally. He’s tried many times to enlist me in his guard, but that life ain’t for me. Although, things have been tight lately, and the jobs are scarce. I may just have to take him up on his offer one of these days if things don’t get better. Fallon is bad for local business.”
“He’s not good for any business, local or otherwise, and he’s getting worse. The news I bring is not pleasant.”
“I reckon. Not if you rode all this way. Can you tell me who sent you?”
Maddon looked at the man and decided that who sent him was not pertinent enough information either. “Alekzander Morgan.”
“Alek? How’s that ole dog anyway?”
“He’s got a lot of responsibilities on his hands. He helped evacuate Amaris and then sent me here with the message. He needed to get back to the king.”
“Yes, I reckon the king will have quite a few problems to deal with soon.”
“He already does, and it’s only going to get worse.”
“Well let’s not tarry then.” He rubbed his chin again, this time with a gloved hand. “Did Alek give you admittance guarantee?”
“Yes, I have a way to ensure that I am who I say and who sent me. It’s a code that only Alban and Alek know.”
“He never misses a trick that one. I’ve known Alek a long time.”
They rode on for another twenty minutes, the stars visible in only patches of clear sky. The heavy clouds had been building for days. The cold night air caused Maddon to shiver under his thin cloak, and his fingers were numb from the ride. The spiced ale had helped to warm his insides for only a short while, but the cold winter air was starting to seep in again. It was a strange cold, not quite wintery with its common blustery winds and snow. It was more eerie, like a darkness and cold you could feel more in your soul than on your skin.
He remembered reading about dark times such as these, with strange happenings that could not be explained and people cowering from it. He didn’t think he would ever see such bizarre happenings in his lifetime, but here it was just the same.
They rode on and finally found their way on a more traveled road, with wagon ruts imbedded in the dirt and the trampled down mud of many horses coming and going. They picked up their pace, and, as they neared the gate, they could hear the shouts of the sentries on the wall as they announced the approaching visitors.
The two gate guards closed the gap in front of the gate, the portcullis locked down for night. Visitors at this time of day was a rarity; the guards were more wary than normal. When they were close enough, Jedd sat up straighter in his saddle and looked down on the guard closest to him.
“Evening friend. The young man here asked me to escort him to you. He needs to see Alban.”
The guard looked up at Maddon who only stared down at him. “Is that so? You got a tongue boy or do you need the Bounty Hunter to speak for you.”
“I need no one to speak for me. I have been dispatched here all the way from Amaris to bring General Thorne an important message.”
“What message? You give it to me, and I’ll pass it along.”
“I may be young, but I’m not stupid. You may work for him, but unless your rank is general, my message remains with me.”
The guard humphed in surprise at Maddon’s sass. “Well, I see no dispatch in your hand, and there could not be anything hidden inside that thin cloak of yours.”
Maddon tapped his temple with a frozen finger. “It’s all up here, friend. Now I come here with message from King Dainard’s Royal Advisor, and I will deliver it to General Thorne. You can rouse him, or I can just run you through with my sword. I’ll get through the gate by force. What will it be?”
The guard looked at Maddon for a long time, staring at him. Maddon just stared back, his hand resting lightly on his sword. The guard looked back up at Jedd and scowled. Jedd was smiling, obviously impressed by Maddon’s moxy.
“I’d do what he says. He rode all this way from Amaris alone and has seen more action than you boys have in several years. Let Alban decide if the message is worth bothering him for.”
The guard looked at Maddon again and then turned and nodded to the guard on the other side of the gate. “Open it and let them through.”