A Royal Ryde

Compliments of the stranger

As with most towns in the west, this one followed the usual protocol. Women in long dusty skirts moved around, baskets and children clutched in their arms as they took care of their shopping at the local mercantile. Horses were tied to the rail outside the Sink'em Saloon. The name was fitting considering how many men lost all of their money and then some in that fine establishment. Pounding could be heard from the three- walled building towards the edge of town, as a man of muscle pounded steel to fit his will.

Nothing much seemed to be out of place in this small usual-like town. Just another day, thought the giant of a man who was leaning against the roof beam outside the mercantile. He didn't smile, didn't greet anybody as they passed. He simply stood, taking in the surroundings and people from beneath his dark, dusty Stetson. He studied everything with careful calculating eyes. After several long minutes, he decided that the saloon would be the best place to start. It shouldn't be too difficult. Find a man who seemed to know about the town, if he wasn't drunk already, buy him some drinks. The rest should take care of itself. The man had done this often enough. It was really much too easy. Maybe he should find a new line of business. It wasn't like he was attached to this one, and it was getting much too routine. Of course, if he did beg out and run off he will have made a vengeful enemy. Not to mention a powerful one. No, it would be better to just carry this assignment out to completion then he would leave.

As with the rest of the town, the saloon was just the normal kind that every small town and city had. Nothing marked it as special, not even the drunks parked at a table throwing away their money. Several of them had a girl either on his lap or leaning over his shoulder. The man leaned against the bar and called out to the tender. " I need a whiskey, and not the watered- down stuff."

This statement caused several heads to turn to him. Sets of blood-shot eyes gauged the giant stranger as the bar tender made his way over. It wasn't even three and this place was filled with a bunch of wasted men.

" You got the cash to pay fer the good stuff, son? " the bartender asked as he too eyed the stranger.

The man flipped a single gold coin onto the counter. "That enough?"

The bartenders eyes widened slightly as he eyed the strange cowbody with renewed interest. "Sure enough." He said as he grabbed one of his unwatered whiskey bottles.

The man at the bar eyed the other men sitting on the rough stools that were nailed to the floor. His eyes landed on a younger man, he looked rather lost in this place. Target found.

Standing straight, the man gestured to the barkeep. "Get that lad some of the good stuff too." He said.

The lad's eyes widened in surprise as the bartender slid him a shot glass. "Compliments of the stranger." He said before turning away.

The boy gulped down the drink, trying not to sputter as the strong liquid burned down his throat and through his blood to end up in his liver. He turned and walked down to the stranger, 'cause his God-fearing mama had raised him to be polite. "Thank ya fer the drink." He said as he leaned against the counter trying to act as if he did this everyday.

The big man turned to him. "Name's Dom." He said before he drained his glass.

"Ya new in town?" The kid asked trying to be polite although he was just curious because he had never seen such a man in town before. If he had ever seen such a large man he would have surely remembered him, drunk or not. Dom stood at six foot six. Every inch of his body was hard trained muscle. The dark hat shaded his face giving him a mysterious look. All in all the man screamed danger. And here he was talkin' to a kid just barely of age who had yet to prove himself.

"Been here since last night." The stranger answered as he gestured for more drinks. "You from around here?"

The kid nodded as he reached for his glass. "Lived here most my life. 'Cept when I didn't."