The hand thrust into his chest snapped him out of his thoughts....
“OI! And just where do you fink you are goin’?”....The epitomy of stupid he thought as he looked down at the offending hand, looking up he saw the face justified his initial opinion. Before him was the very smart armour of the Prince of Morthond special guardsman....It was struggling to contain the gatekeepers ample girth, the red face contrasting sharply against the shining pot of a helmet balanced precariously on his head, the scene completed with the Prince’s feather sprouting out the top .
“Delivering this” he answered nodding his head down to the Pig, happily sniffing the ground around the feet of the gatekeeper with just enough rope to circle them several times.
“well...not wivout some of this will you?” said the gatekeeper rubbing his fingers against his thumb, the universal sign of the taxman throughout history.
With an exaggerated movements he opened his money pouch in full view of the gatekeeper before exclaiming in disbelieving tones “I am sure I had picked up the money!!!”...he raised his hands to the sky in despair pulling the rope a little tighter.
The whole armour seemed to dance around his body, with the pot almost jumping off his head as he laughed at the misfortune before him “Well........SONNY!.....no market day for you then”...and motioned back down the road.
Shrugging and dropping his head in true thespian dramatic pose......”This Pig is for the barracks sir, not the market...special rush order bacause the cook is running low on meat, I am sure tomorrow when I return with the coin will be fine....I am sure the cook has enough of those salted beef for you he prepared over winter”....The pig oblivious to his fate had found plenty of food remains in the straw the guard stood in.
“Ahem....don’t be hasty lad...i’m a reasonable man, you go and deliver that pig and we say no more about the toll this time” Motioning over his shoulder with A sideways movement of his head....It truly was a remarkable balancing act that pot was performing up there.
Walking quickly into town shouting his gratitude without looking back, he imagined the dance the guard and pig were doing as he felt the rope jumping in his hand.....several moments later the pig had resumed it’s obedient walk beside him.
The square was full as he entered, Sarn Erech market day always drew large crowds.
“This is where we part company my loyal companion of the road”..... Standing in the centre of the market was George the Pig Breeder, His eyes lit up as he saw I arrived. “ah....my sows will be pleased” he commented to himself as he took the rope from me and thrust the payment into my hand.
Turning away thinking it has been a good start to the day, Mugendo discreetly dropped the coins into the full money pouch he kept out of sight.
