Chapter 116: Precious Cargo

•••-The Next Day—

The group got moving again at dawn and a few hours later, they were pulling through a considerably narrow path.

Jonas' eyes darted around on high alert. The mountain was a treacherous terrain and was home to creatures that had adapted to it. They'd have the Home-ground advantage and any lapse in vigilance could be costly.

Of course, the possible animal attacks were the least of Jonas' worries. More important were the people who had subjugated the Mountainous wildlife and 'ruled' within the peaks.

"There they are," Al said suddenly and Jonas looked forward to see about five men standing many feet away from them.

"My, you never get used to seeing their ugly mugs, do you?" Eli said with a smile playing at his lips while his hand stroked the handle of his weapon that he had hidden away under a tarp.

"'Ugly mug' from you is rich, Eli," Al said with a chuckle,

"Have you seen your face?"

"Shut up!" Eli said with a grunt.

Jonas would have pointed out that they both looked quite similar so an insult to one was an insult to the other but he was much more focused on the additional numbers that were starting to show up.

Two men joined the Five up ahead and, up on the mountain peaks that bordered the path on each side, more were showing up with Arrows drawn.

An entire operation, almost seamless in its organization.

With the mountains being a non-avoidable terrain to traverse on the way to and from the Northern States, the Bandit group (or groups because there were likely more than one) had had many marks to hone their skills on over their years of activity. They were now experts at their craft.

The Bandit at the middle of the checkpoint was a large man standing well past six feet and he had a large curved sword whose tip he pressed into the ground while he rested his hands on the handle as he eyed the approaching Carriage with a smile.

"Friends," he said, "That's far enough."

The Carriage pulled to a stop and Jonas also urged his horse to halt while he frowned at the Bandits at the checkpoint.

He was familiar with the coming shakedown and was sure this very same Bandit group had collected a toll from him on his way through the Mountain path when he was heading toward Saint Claret but of course, he could not be bothered to remember faces.

He, Al, and Eli had gotten through quickly before and they planned to get through quickly again.

Jonas reached into his Saddlebag and pulled out a pouch that jingled with coin. He tossed it on the ground right in front of the Bandit in the middle.

"Oh?" The Bandit said impressed by the protectiveness. He gestured to one of the others by his side who bent low and picked up the pouch to pull it open and ascertain the contents were gold and all gold.

The Bandit in the middle nodded,

"It's acceptable offering," he said.

"Acceptable?" Al said, sounding insulted.

The Bandit stared at him, his smile unchanged,

"Yes," he said, "Acceptable."

"May we pass now?" Jonas asked, ready to get this all over with.

"Wait," the Bandit said and then gestured at what was carted on the carriage,

"What's in the cage?"

"Nothing important," Jonas said calmly.

The Bandit eyed him for a while before gesturing with his head at yet another Bandit by his side,

"Go check!"

The Ordered bandit looked eager to obey and walked forward, unworried, past Jonas and to the Carriage. He looked through the cage's barred window and saw Henry seated in the middle-cross-legged with his eyes closed in meditation.

Henry's brow twitched like he sensed a presence observing him and he opened his eyes and looked to the window before raising his hand in a wave,

"Hello."

The Ordered bandit raised a brow in surprise at the wave and the greeting before pulling back as he called out to the large Bandit,

"Roran, there's someone in here."

"Oh, there is?" Roran asked with a grin as his eyes returned to Jonas,

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"Someone unimportant," Jonas said.

The Ordered bandit called out almost immediately,

"Roran, he says he's someone very important. He says he serves Lord Maude Aleric of Saint Claret. Says this lot kidnapped him for ransom."

Roran stroked his jaw,

"Maude Aleric… Who's that?" He asked.

Henry blinked in his cage.

'Did I overestimate how well-known Maude Aleric is?' He asked himself and then secretly shook his head,

'No. Now's not the time to waver. I crafted a story and I must stick with it.'

"Maude Aleric is a powerful Wizard in the City of Saint Claret. Lord of the Black Manor!" Henry said in a grandiose voice that carried past the Bandit that had been delivering his words and hit Roran's ears.

Roran's eyes lit up,

"Oh, I've heard of the Black Manor!" he said in a loud voice.

Henry let out a breath of relief. How the Bandit knew of the Black Manor and not its Lord was worthy of note but Henry could hardly be bothered. Maude Aleric was the most powerful name he knew and he had tried his shot. Now that he seemed to have gotten a hit, he needed to press.

Adopting his grandest tone ever, he said,

"You should know, these three plan to extort hundreds of thousands of gold from My Lord. So I just think it's only fair they pay a toll to match such potential massive gains."

"Henry shut up!" Jonas yelled while the duo of Al and Eli were glaring at the cage.

"Oh don't try to shut me up now," Henry said and he almost sounded sullen,

"I'm sure you already gave this fine gentlemen bags and bags of gold for safe passage."

"No. No, they didn't," Roran said in a musing tone and he looked at the pouch Jonas had given. The already just acceptable offering was starting to look far too little. Especially when Hundreds of thousands of gold were on the line.

"He's lying!" Jonas yelled, "He's very unimportant. We're just transporting him."

Henry let a few seconds pass. He had attempted deception many times in his career as a gunslinger and the occasional dabble into being a charlatan so he knew when there was a need to pause for effect.

Eventually, he let out a sigh,

"Roran, is it?" He asked,

"Ask yourself which is more likely;

Three men transporting a totally unimportant man that they have locked in a cage.

Or

Three men transporting very precious Cargo that they just can't wait to throw you fine folks a measly bit of gold so they can be on their merry way and bide their time for their bigger gains."

As someone who had spent years in a career of crime and knew what it was like to always want to come out on top —To never feel cheated—, Henry knew it didn't matter which of his two scenarios made the most sense.

What mattered to the Bandits was that they could earn more gold and their marks were reluctant to cough it up.

Roran spent a minute glaring and then his hand tightened around the handle of his curved sword as he said in a loud voice,

"Open the Cage.

I want to see the face of this precious Cargo of yours."