The Wrong Boy

Writers: Chelle, Miriah, Paula
Date Posted: 19th September 2012

Characters: Sarban, Zandan, Humar, Raquer, Dasoliro
Description: A bounty hunter makes a near fatal mistake
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 9, day 22 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: Jenackt

For once, Zandan was working in his office. Usually he was rarely sitting at
his desk, preferring to do something else beside hidework, anything else but
the hidework. Alas, he couldn't escape it, it came with the rank. So now and
then he actually used his office.

With him was his "page-boy", youngster who wanted to be a guard but was
still too young. He run errands, and let in people, like now.

Zandan watched the incomers. Two man, no, man and a boy. The boy's hands
were tied together, and he sported set of fresh bruises and bloody nose. He
was tall and thin, with mop of blond hair. His clothes were torn and
stained. Zandan felt surge of hope, but his voice was gruff when he said:
"Yes? What is it?"

The tall man stepped forward, dragging the resisting boy with him and
then shoved him forward. "Name's Humar, Captain." The man smiled,

flashing a mouth full of crooked, overly large teeth. "Found that boy
you've been looking for. Was trying to wander around a nearby cothold.
Put up quite a struggle too. I'm wanting the bounty on him."

"I'm not that boy!" the smaller male declared easily. "I'm a holder. My Da
is over at Green Valley and he's prolly looking for me." His tone was
plaintive. He wanted released and now. His father would deal with the
stupid Humar later, he was sure.

Zandan took a closer look at the boy. Beneath the dirt and holes was good
quality, fine weaved cloth. His boots were good wherhide, not the cheaper
herdbeast-hide-stuff. He was thin but didn't look starved. The hope dwindled
and died. Zandan turned to his helper-boy and sent him to fetch Sarban. He
wanted the Steward to be present to sort his out. "Sit, both of you," he growled.

Humar calmly smacked the boy in the back of the head to quiet him.
"Shut up, brat. You were caught trying to sneak into a shed. And
that makes you a holdless thief." He took a seat, dragging the boy
with him. "And that's just what this here Guard Captain is looking
for, isn't it?" His smile grew wider.

**I wasn't sneaking, idiot. I was going to get buckets. Really, Humar is a
dimglow in the first degree.** The boy's sour expression remained as he
wished he could rub his head.

It didn't take long for Sarban to show up and the steward was hoping perhaps
they had finally gotten their man. Walking inside, he spotted Humar first
then the boy. That kid couldn't be the one that Jeyme had seen.
A look of confusion crossed his face. "What's this about Zandan?"

"Stop that," Zandan told Humar. "The only person allowed to hit people in
this room is me."

Zandan gave the Steward a brief summary of the situation.

Humar grumped sourly, and muttered under his breath before glaring at the
boy. He wanted his bounty and he wanted to leave. Shouldn't they be grateful?
After all, he'd caught the thief they had all wanted so badly. "He wasn't
anywhere near Green Valley. Caught him near here."

"Humar-I'm going to say something before we go any further here. If you are
found to be lying in any way, shape, or form the guard captain here will be
locking you up and putting you on work detail for knowingly submitting a
false report." Sarban's look was stern as the boy started to look hopeful.

"That's because I came here to get some buckets of feed from the
beastcrafters for Da." They had to let him go-right? At the least, he'd send
a message to his father and get himself released.

"What's your name, lad? And your father's name? Do you have any relatives or
friends living here in the main hold who could identify you?" Zandan asked
the boy. He was leaning towards believing him. He just didn't have the air of being
holdless.

"I'm Raquer and my Da is Morearo. My Auntie, Dasoliro, is here in a cothold
on the west side of the Hold. She's a laundry maid," he explained.

"Fetch her, she probably working at this time of the day," Zandan commanded
his page boy to the task.

Humar made a sound of protest. "What about my bounty? I got the boy and even
if it's not him, I need some reward for my effort and time don't I?"

Sarban spoke up then, realizing just what was going on here and knowing he
would not be made a fool of. "The reward was for information leading to the
arrest or capture of the holdless thief. This boy is neither and you have yet to
provide us any useful information. So I don't think you'll be receiving a reward today."

"He's lying!" Humar objected. "I didn't do all this work for nuthin'! It
wasn't easy getting him here you, know."

Zandan just growled at him.

"He is not lyin'!" Dasoliro arrived on the scene, incensed to find her
nephew tied up like some porcine. Her eyes rounded on Humar, daring him to
say otherwise. She'd box his ears.

Humar scowled even further and sunk back into his chair, his eyes narrowed.
It then occurred to him that perhaps he might be in a bit of trouble with
the Steward and the Guard Captain, so his manner quickly changed becoming
apologetic. He glanced quickly at the boy, then at Zandan. "My apologies...
I was simply trying to aid the Hold..."

Zandan gave him a warning look. Getting up from his chair, he walked around
the table and pulled out his knife. He cut off the boy's bindings. "You're
free to go Raquer. I suggest you stop by at the infirmary to have your injuries checked
out. Tell the healer I want report of them. And if your father wants to press
charges about kidnapping and an assault, he can just send a word to Sarban."

The boy went to his Aunt immediately who led him out, giving Humar another
dirty look as they went. Oh they were going to get even all right.

That left Humar. Sarban looked at him quietly for some time. Preferring to
let Zandan handle this one, he shook his head. "I hope you've learned your
lesson, you greedy git." With that, the steward made to go.

Humar sat disbelieving as they instructed the boy and he was insulted.
Fuming, he burst out. "I'll let everyone know about this! No one will want
to help you find that boy now! "

"About Humar..." Zandan placed his big hand on the man's shoulder, to
prevent him leaving. " Can I just kill him?" he gave Sarban an appealing
look, "Pretty please?"

"Give him a few sevendays of work detail over in the settlement Corowal
wants to get ready to reopen again. One of the riverboat folk is interested
in making it a go." Sarban thought that would shut him up. And if it didn't,
he'd be far enough away from the rest of them that there would be no one
to listen.

Humar eyes widened with terror before he started shaking his head wildly.
"No! no no...not necessary, I promise! I'll just be on my way and not
bother anyone! I swear! I have a family!"

"But I want to kill somebody," Zandan was doing his best petulant
Corolia-imitation.

"I do too but he's a young holdless pain-in-my-side. Focus on him." And with
that, Sarban left.

Humar did something completely unexpected.... He fainted.

Last updated on the November 17th 2012

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The Wrong Boy