Read Online D& D - Greyhawk - Night Watch by Robin Wayne Bailey - Free Book Online
Authors: Robin Wayne Bailey
Ads: Link
two shifted on a rooftop veranda. A small carriage, drawn by a single horse, approached and passed him. He listened to the sound of hoofbeats until they faded in the distance. The other parts of Greyhawk sometimes ran like a circus with no closing hour, but the High Quarter was usually quiet.
A couple of off-duty guards leaned against the wall to the jail. They nodded toward Garett as he walked across the High Market Square. He responded with a curt wave and went straight to the entrance to the Citadel. Two of the four sentries there, however, moved suddenly and blocked his way with their lances.
“Soldiers!” Garett snapped, stepping back and peering at the men.
One of the soldiers saluted crisply. “Begging Captain’s pardon, sir,” he said with a straight face. “Where’s our apple, tonight, sir?”
Garett realized these were the same men who had stood duty at the entrance last night, and he hid a grin. After all, he appreciated a sense of humor, as well as a man with courage enough to use it on his superior officer. Still . . .
Garett put his face close to the face of the soldier who had spoken. “Are you asking for a bribe, man?” he accused in his sternest voice. “I give you something, and you let me in? Is that it?”
The soldier paled a bit and shook his head vigorously. “No, sir! That wasn’t . . . !”
Garett turned toward the others. “Are any of you taking bribes? Speak up!”
All four shook their heads as they shot nervous glances at each other. The two who had crossed their lances to bar the captain’s path snapped to attention, bringing their weapons to their sides, opening the way for him.
“That’s good,” Garett growled as he peered at each of them in turn. “I’d hate to think ill of any member of Greyhawk’s constabulary.” He made a face and drew his thumb slowly across his throat before he went inside.
He grabbed the first man he encountered in the hallway, a young lieutenant whose name he didn’t remember. “Go to the barracks at once,” he ordered the man. “Get four apples from the kitchen and give them to the guards outside.” The lieutenant sputtered as he adjusted the weight of an armload of papers. “Sir, I hardly think . . . ,”
“I’m sure that’s right,” Garett interrupted. “Don’t argue. Just do it.”
“But, sir,” the lieutenant persisted. “The cook will be asleep!”
Garett caught the young man by his arm, pulled him close, and pressed one finger to his lips. “Shhhh,” he whispered conspiratorially. “Don’t alert the cook or anybody,” he said. “You take care of it personally. Sneak in. Be quiet. Can you handle it?”
The lieutenant drew himself erect. “Of course I can handle it,” he said, suddenly cooperative and eager to prove himself.
“Then go!” Garett turned him around and pointed him to the door.
Halfway there, the lieutenant turned and called back in a loud whisper. “Sir, is it all right if I take one for myself?”
Garett grinned and nodded, then headed for the stairs that would take him to his second-level office. Even from down the hall he saw the fine line of light that seeped under the edge of his door, and he drew a breath and let it out, knowing that his friends were already waiting for him.
He pushed open the door, spying Burge at once. The half-elf was sprawled atop his desk, propped up on one elbow, with one knee bent. Garett pointed a finger at him. “Don’t give me a hard time,” he ordered, hoping to defuse any criticism.
Burge, of course, ignored him. “See?” he said to Blossom, who leaned against the wall to his right. “I told you he’d be here on time. The sun just sets a little slower in the River Quarter, that’s all.”
Blossom said nothing. She merely frowned and turned blue eyes, heavy with boredom, on Garett.
“Welcome home, Captain,” Rudi said patiently from where he sat in the chair right behind the door. “I took the liberty of refilling your oil lamps,
A couple of off-duty guards leaned against the wall to the jail. They nodded toward Garett as he walked across the High Market Square. He responded with a curt wave and went straight to the entrance to the Citadel. Two of the four sentries there, however, moved suddenly and blocked his way with their lances.
“Soldiers!” Garett snapped, stepping back and peering at the men.
One of the soldiers saluted crisply. “Begging Captain’s pardon, sir,” he said with a straight face. “Where’s our apple, tonight, sir?”
Garett realized these were the same men who had stood duty at the entrance last night, and he hid a grin. After all, he appreciated a sense of humor, as well as a man with courage enough to use it on his superior officer. Still . . .
Garett put his face close to the face of the soldier who had spoken. “Are you asking for a bribe, man?” he accused in his sternest voice. “I give you something, and you let me in? Is that it?”
The soldier paled a bit and shook his head vigorously. “No, sir! That wasn’t . . . !”
Garett turned toward the others. “Are any of you taking bribes? Speak up!”
All four shook their heads as they shot nervous glances at each other. The two who had crossed their lances to bar the captain’s path snapped to attention, bringing their weapons to their sides, opening the way for him.
“That’s good,” Garett growled as he peered at each of them in turn. “I’d hate to think ill of any member of Greyhawk’s constabulary.” He made a face and drew his thumb slowly across his throat before he went inside.
He grabbed the first man he encountered in the hallway, a young lieutenant whose name he didn’t remember. “Go to the barracks at once,” he ordered the man. “Get four apples from the kitchen and give them to the guards outside.” The lieutenant sputtered as he adjusted the weight of an armload of papers. “Sir, I hardly think . . . ,”
“I’m sure that’s right,” Garett interrupted. “Don’t argue. Just do it.”
“But, sir,” the lieutenant persisted. “The cook will be asleep!”
Garett caught the young man by his arm, pulled him close, and pressed one finger to his lips. “Shhhh,” he whispered conspiratorially. “Don’t alert the cook or anybody,” he said. “You take care of it personally. Sneak in. Be quiet. Can you handle it?”
The lieutenant drew himself erect. “Of course I can handle it,” he said, suddenly cooperative and eager to prove himself.
“Then go!” Garett turned him around and pointed him to the door.
Halfway there, the lieutenant turned and called back in a loud whisper. “Sir, is it all right if I take one for myself?”
Garett grinned and nodded, then headed for the stairs that would take him to his second-level office. Even from down the hall he saw the fine line of light that seeped under the edge of his door, and he drew a breath and let it out, knowing that his friends were already waiting for him.
He pushed open the door, spying Burge at once. The half-elf was sprawled atop his desk, propped up on one elbow, with one knee bent. Garett pointed a finger at him. “Don’t give me a hard time,” he ordered, hoping to defuse any criticism.
Burge, of course, ignored him. “See?” he said to Blossom, who leaned against the wall to his right. “I told you he’d be here on time. The sun just sets a little slower in the River Quarter, that’s all.”
Blossom said nothing. She merely frowned and turned blue eyes, heavy with boredom, on Garett.
“Welcome home, Captain,” Rudi said patiently from where he sat in the chair right behind the door. “I took the liberty of refilling your oil lamps,
Similar Books
