Amdir's Request
Jon and his father recently had a terrible falling out. Jon believed that a member of the garrison, Calder Cob, was in league with brigands. Before I came to you, I witnessed Cob and Eogan discussing a raid on Archet. Jon’s suspicions are correct, and his father must be warned.
Captain Brackenbrook, unlike his son, distrusts Rangers, and will not heed anything I have to say. Perhaps, if the news comes from you, he will listen. He commands the garrison from The Mad Badger, the inn behind us here. Please speak with him about this."
Roborn stood up, and dusted off his leggings. Looking down at the Ranger, whose face had grown ashen again with such a long speech, he nodded. "I will do ask you ask. These good townsfolk need to know what we have seen."
Smiling a greeting at Celandine, and leaving her to continue to fuss over Amdir, Roborn stepped around the couple and climbed the steps of the Mad Badger. Opening the door, he could immediately tell that the Inn was no longer an Inn. Militiamen were standing around in small groups, and a few were practicing sword moves against straw dummies near one end of what used to be the common room.
Near the fire, an older man, with short, white hair, watched over the room with a possessive air. He looked Roborn over and gave a curt nod.
"You are the one that brought the Ranger back to Archet? My son was foolish enough to befriend him and dared accuse one of my finest guards of betrayal."
He scowled, looking directly into Roborn’s eyes. "If you are here to tell me the same tale, I say be off with you. Calder Cob personally apprehended Otto, the leader of the Blackwolds. He is in the stocks now if you would like to see him. In the last week, he has captured two more brigands, so I will hear no more of this ‘traitor’ nonsense."
He looked away, and pointed at the militia. "If you wish to aid Archet, take up arms and make your way to the sheep-farm to the south and west, and help Dirk Mudbrick against the wolves that plague the farmers! And tell that Ranger friend of yours to mind his own concerns."
With that, the Captain pointedly turned away, signaling an end of the conversation. Roborn left, wondering at the hardheadedness of some people. Even though he had heard rumors about the Rangers, everything Amdir had said and done had demonstrated nothing but a desire to protect the inhabitants of Bree-land.
He returned to Amdir, and repeated what the Captain had said. Amdir shook his head.
"I had feared this may happen. Captain Brackenbrook is a good man, but set in his ways. Calder Cob has done his job too well. We will need to find another way to expose his treachery."
He paused to think.
