Knight by Richard Jesse

Author:Richard Jesse [Jesse, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781467066693
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Published: 2012-01-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 49

Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.

~ Alexander Pope

“Mr. Gibbens Sir, I need to speak with you, it could be important.” Nick urged from the entrance to the throne room.

Barney sighed, already bored with the conversation before it had even began.

“Nick, do you really feel you need to bother me with all of the little bullshit details.” Barney growled, his nonexistent patience somehow managing to slip even lower. He continued to speak, getting more irate with every word. “Isn’t that what I got you for Nick? To take care of all the bullshit, so I don’t have to. IF I HAVE TO LOOK AFTER SHIT MYSELF, WHY DO I EVEN BOTHER KEEPING YOU AROUND?”

Nick was well used to Mr. Gibbens unpredictable outbursts, and knew quite well how to deal with them, which was to ignore anything directed at him personally. People didn’t get their feelings hurt around Mr. Gibbens, they got dead!

“Yes sir, of course sir. I just thought you might be interested in peculiar trend that has recently come to light.” Nick replied calmly, and then waited for some indication that he was to proceed.

Barney rolled his hands quickly, using the universal gesture meaning, hurry up and get on with it!

“Yes sir. It seems there are an alarming number of patrols gone missing. And only the patrols we have sent to the northeast. I believe there can only be one of three reasons for this. The first is that there could be a possible rival gang at work in the area. The second could be that some sort of government is being reformed, and are clamping down on lawlessness. The final reason, which I believe to be the most likely, is that some of the men are beginning to desert from your army sir.”

Barney sat silently for a moment, mulling over all that Nick had just suggested. If indeed it were as Nick suggested, and men were in fact deserting, then he would have to do something about it. Not because Barney needed those few cowards that felt the need to quit. He had to do something because it showed a real lack of respect towards him personally. If the rest of the men thought it were OK to just go ahead and leave whenever they felt like it, Barney would lose a lot of respect.

In prison, it had all been about respect.

“Nick! Assemble the men outside! NOW! I’ll be down in fifteen minutes!”

“Of course sir, I’ll see to it right away.” Nick replied, relieved and glad the meeting had gone so well. Any meeting he was able to walk away from was a good one!

Thirty minutes later Barney made his appearance outside in the courtyard. He was fifteen minutes overdue, but not because he was a tardy individual. He was purposely late, wanting to make the men sweat in fear of what might be about to occur. You see, Barney’s infrequent appearances usually coincided with somebody’s death. There was not one person in the nervously milling crowd that wanted to experience a death by Barney.

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