The jailer eyes me with clear suspicion. Kym had suggested a haircut and a shave to avoid recognition, but I worry it may not have been enough. The chubby man sitting at the desk looks from me to the papers sitting before him. His eyes move over the words, darting back up to me for a second and then moving on to the next paragraph. For a moment, he peers into the bag of coin on the table, his finger moving some of the gold pieces around to get a better count.
"You're paying Gottschalk's fines and bounties?" he finally asks, nasally and dumbfounded. "Gottschalk? The nut? The conspiracy theorist?"
"Please and thank you," I answer with a small smirk.
His eyes squint at me longer than I like, but soon he shrugs, cinches the bag shut, and stamps the paper. He jots something down on a smaller scrap of paper and hands it to me.
"The inmate known as Gottschalk Diefenbach is hereby relieved of his duty to complete his prison sentence," the jailer announces, bland from years of repetition. "He shall be released within the hour, unless there are any violent or otherwise illegal or prohibited instances. Thank you for your generosity, and have a pleasant day."
The air of Hemwood breathes cleaner. The sun shines brighter. The people are cheerier. Music plays somewhere in the streets and fills the city. My heart feels light, my soul at peace. A good day for a good deed for a good, if not sometimes batty, man. I hop onto the carriage with Kym and Max and give my girl a sweet peck on the cheek. Above the city and from within the forest, birds sing.
YOU ARE READING
The Rokkoh Adventures
FantasiaFrom growing up as an orphan to becoming a mighty paladin, Rokkoh has gone through many things in his life. He has witnessed magical wonders, the depths of human depravity, and the strength of love throughout trials and time. Follow along in these f...
