forest that flanked the northern road. His perch afforded him a great view of the valley, and he never took his eyes from Lord Lokton’s wagon after he had caught sight of it. A pair of sturdy, bearded men stood on platforms on the wagon’s side and a driver followed Senator Bracken’s gaudy white and purple carriage from the forest road to the paved stone road through the valley that led to the gates of Drakai Glazei.
He was too far away to see Lord Lokton of course, but he still felt as though he could sense his master’s sadness as the heavy, iron plated wagon lurched on the road behind eight powerful draft horses. The great wheels were even covered with iron. Even if Al had not offered an alternative plan to rescue Lord Lokton, Braun knew there would be no way for a single man to break a prisoner from that wagon. It would take a small army to hack their way inside, and that was to say nothing of the complimentary military escort.
Braun waited not only until the wagon had disappeared behind the gargantuan iron gates of Drakai Glazei, but also until the sun began to set before he descended the tree and started on his way to the city. The sky was ablaze with purple and pink clouds above the city’s black granite walls. His horse trotted along the paved valley road with a perfectly rhythmic clippity-clop, clippity-clop .
He passed a couple of local farmers who were driving their carts in the opposite direction, obviously going home for the day. Braun would wave if they waved first, but he didn’t slow his pace. Even when one of the farmers called out with cheap bread and vegetables, Braun pushed on.
A trio of guards raised their hands and asked for Braun to bring his horse to them before they allowed him to enter.
Braun pulled back on the reins and swung his leg over the side of the horse as he slid off and greeted the guards.
“Name and business in Drakai Glazei,” one of the guards demanded.
“I am Braun Gerble,” he said. “Sergeant-at-arms for House Lokton.”
The guards looked to each other for a moment. One of them offered a crooked smile. “You aren’t planning on busting your employer out of prison are you?” he inquired with a chuckle.
Braun shrugged. “If I was here for that, then I think I am a little ill-prepared, don’t you?” He watched the guard’s smile straighten and sour for a moment.
“I should warn you that he is heavily guarded, and we will not tolerate troublemakers in Drakai Glazei,” one of the other guards said.
Braun scratched the left side of his face and brushed a hair from under his nose . He was unimpressed. “I doubt the city needs to worry about one man armed with only a single sword and a hunting knife,” Braun commented. “I am here to uphold House Lokton’s honor, nothing more, nothing less.”
“They won’t let you in the trial,” the third guard stated. He stepped closer to Braun and raised a hunk of jerky to his mouth, taking a big, tough bite while he sized Braun up. “Still, if your nobleman demands you follow him all the way to the gallows, who are we to stop you?”
The other two guards looked to the third. “Shall I check his sword?” one of them asked.
“Nah,” the third said just before he swallowed the half-chewed bite. “Just let him in. If he is fool enough to raise trouble, then that’s his problem.”
Braun smirked and offered a hand. “May I have the pleasure of your name?” he asked.
The third guard scoffed. “No, you can’t.” He took another bite and walked away.
“Alright, sign or make your mark here in the log,” the first guard said as he produced a thick book with creaky, breaking binding.
Braun took the quill from the middle of the book and placed his name at the bottom of a long list of names. “Do I sign upon departure as well?” Braun asked.
“Yes, you will see a guard house on the inside of the gates. That is where you will stop before departing Drakai Glazei.” The first guard took the log book back,
He was too far away to see Lord Lokton of course, but he still felt as though he could sense his master’s sadness as the heavy, iron plated wagon lurched on the road behind eight powerful draft horses. The great wheels were even covered with iron. Even if Al had not offered an alternative plan to rescue Lord Lokton, Braun knew there would be no way for a single man to break a prisoner from that wagon. It would take a small army to hack their way inside, and that was to say nothing of the complimentary military escort.
Braun waited not only until the wagon had disappeared behind the gargantuan iron gates of Drakai Glazei, but also until the sun began to set before he descended the tree and started on his way to the city. The sky was ablaze with purple and pink clouds above the city’s black granite walls. His horse trotted along the paved valley road with a perfectly rhythmic clippity-clop, clippity-clop .
He passed a couple of local farmers who were driving their carts in the opposite direction, obviously going home for the day. Braun would wave if they waved first, but he didn’t slow his pace. Even when one of the farmers called out with cheap bread and vegetables, Braun pushed on.
A trio of guards raised their hands and asked for Braun to bring his horse to them before they allowed him to enter.
Braun pulled back on the reins and swung his leg over the side of the horse as he slid off and greeted the guards.
“Name and business in Drakai Glazei,” one of the guards demanded.
“I am Braun Gerble,” he said. “Sergeant-at-arms for House Lokton.”
The guards looked to each other for a moment. One of them offered a crooked smile. “You aren’t planning on busting your employer out of prison are you?” he inquired with a chuckle.
Braun shrugged. “If I was here for that, then I think I am a little ill-prepared, don’t you?” He watched the guard’s smile straighten and sour for a moment.
“I should warn you that he is heavily guarded, and we will not tolerate troublemakers in Drakai Glazei,” one of the other guards said.
Braun scratched the left side of his face and brushed a hair from under his nose . He was unimpressed. “I doubt the city needs to worry about one man armed with only a single sword and a hunting knife,” Braun commented. “I am here to uphold House Lokton’s honor, nothing more, nothing less.”
“They won’t let you in the trial,” the third guard stated. He stepped closer to Braun and raised a hunk of jerky to his mouth, taking a big, tough bite while he sized Braun up. “Still, if your nobleman demands you follow him all the way to the gallows, who are we to stop you?”
The other two guards looked to the third. “Shall I check his sword?” one of them asked.
“Nah,” the third said just before he swallowed the half-chewed bite. “Just let him in. If he is fool enough to raise trouble, then that’s his problem.”
Braun smirked and offered a hand. “May I have the pleasure of your name?” he asked.
The third guard scoffed. “No, you can’t.” He took another bite and walked away.
“Alright, sign or make your mark here in the log,” the first guard said as he produced a thick book with creaky, breaking binding.
Braun took the quill from the middle of the book and placed his name at the bottom of a long list of names. “Do I sign upon departure as well?” Braun asked.
“Yes, you will see a guard house on the inside of the gates. That is where you will stop before departing Drakai Glazei.” The first guard took the log book back,
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