The young man approached the rendezvous point undetected. Although quite formidable in raw numbers the security around the make-shift fortress was lax. The guards at the gates admitted him without further question. His results as a bounty were well known. The fear and the deference in the guards' faces amused him. The dried up blood on his clothes or the many scars on his face and hands were just convenient accessories. The battle injuries added to his lure. All he had to do was state his name.
Gareth
His contact had taken over an abandoned town and rebuilt it into an impressive estate. The acres of greenery were a rare sight on the battle worn planet. The magnificent color of the flora growing in the lush gardens was in direct opposition to what was inside their proprietor's heart. The bounty hunter examined the walls of the fortress. The light was scarce. Gareth moved gingerly through the corridors. He saw old and damaged art along the walls. Smaller scale hunters more than likely recovered the art from the fallen castle in the capital city.
He saw light ahead and the presence of more guards standing outside of a room.
"I am Gareth. He is expecting me." The young man announced before he was confronted by the sentries.
Without uttering a single word, the men opened the large doors and allowed Gareth entry. He explored his surroundings which had a feel of a make shift throne room.
"Shall we get started?"
Gareth looked to the throne and saw no one.
"I want them alive."
"Let's talk compensation." Gareth responded finally spotting Phillip at a large window partly concealed by dark drapes.
"Is that how you address your king?"
Gareth laughed. "I serve many kings but honor is my god"
King Phillip walked over to his throne and took a seat. In Gareth's opinion the throne, created solely from gold and diamonds was grotesquely overstated. But he would expect nothing less from such a narcissist.
"Bring them to me, alive."
Gareth clenched his jaw. "I do not take kindly to your offensive insinuations."
"I have no concern over your damaged feelings. I thought you to be a bounty hunter and not a young maiden who would bellow over something so trivial."
"My people were trapped in the middle of the galaxy with failing engines on that cruise liner! It took us seven years to get home! Do you think we wanted to do what we did?" Gareth cried.
Phillip fixed his gaze onto the hunter. The silence clouding the room convicted Gareth.
"In light of my history I guess I should feel enormously grateful that even the profession of bounty hunting would have me."
"I cannot speak for your peers but how they include you amongst their ranks I will never comprehend. I can imagine that even amongst hunters trust is a word one does not just toss around. Tell me, do any of your associates fancy your pallor?"
Phillip's laughter rained down on him. Gareth stormed for the door. He would not be insulted.
"I will give you oversight of my most thriving outposts. It will be yours to rule should you prevail with my task."
Gareth stopped before he exited the room.
"It is not riches or fame that you desire but legitimacy."
"And what of it?"
"You and your family tried to reenter society after you were rescued from that liner but all of you were shunned when the story of your survival traveled around the galaxy. Odd that your family were the only survivors"
"We did what we had to do!" Gareth exclaimed with a tear in his eye.
"There are actions more honorable than surviving."
"Go to hell coward. If you were any sort of king you would find King Richard yourself."
"Lad, Do not let your pride or your hatred of me keep you from doing what you know is right."
"Ironic."
"Is it?"
Gareth approached the throne.
"You convict me for using any means to preserve my family yet here you are, Your Highness motivated by hate and greed to end the lives of your own family."
"Those people are not my family!" King Phillip roared.
Gareth shook his head. "You are talking about murdering your young nephew and niece. The princess Judith is barely two years old!"
"Curse the day I would ever meet a bounty hunter who believed in honor. My real family forsake me. My mother and father told me I was dead to them and stripped me of what was rightfully mine by birth. What I did was out of love and strength. Put your feelings aside. I am offering you legitimacy, something that was stolen from me. Your family will not have to hide any longer. Your good fortune will rain down on your descendants for generations."
The bounty hunter thought about his family subsisting on the planet of an abandoned manufacturing colony. Although his parents and brother were well he knew their life expectancies would be cut in half if he did not get them off of the planet.
"I will leave in a few hours. Provide me readouts on King Richard's last known location, trajectories, and possible destinations. I need a list of his adversaries and existent alliances." Gareth relented.
King Phillip smirked. Oh how he enjoyed holding all of the cards.