Author's note: I feel that every story needs comedic relief, so hello Mr. Sheriff! Please R&R
"Are you the sheriff?"
"Aye, that would be me. What do ye need?"
"My colleague and I wish to have a word with you. In private." Gunther looked down at this short, country bumpkin and wondered how it was that he managed to be sheriff of even the smallest of towns.
"And why would Ah do that?" Gunther flashed open his cloak just wide enough for is crest to poke through. "Come with me." The sheriff led them to a cramped room, filled with beds, weapons, and abandoned dice games.
Gunther started to explain. "I am Sir Gunther Breech, this is my fellow knight Lady Jane D'Ark the dragon rider, and our companion is Jethro Jr., the castle smith. The King sent us to discover who was behind a recent increase in bone weapons."
"Bone weapons?"
"Made of human bone. We have traced this crime back to Pal the merchant, at which point I went in masquerading as a prospective buyer. He not only showed me the proof of his guilt, but he sold me a dagger." Gunther threw the knife at the sheriff for emphasis, but the sheriff nearly injured himself on the weapon. "We require twenty of your best men to help us bring him in to custody."
"Why should Ah believe you?"
"Well, you could trust us, send your men, we capture Pal, and your name is attached to his capture, or we go back to the castle, bring back the men we need, and the glory stays within the king's knights."
The sheriff tried hard to look like he was deciding which course of action to take, but of course he was gleeful on the inside. He would be famous, he knew, and maybe then his wife would respect him. Why he married that woman he had no idea…
This train of thought continued for a few moments, before the sheriff happily agreed. As Gunther, Smithy, and Jane left, they tried to hide their amusement at the ineptitude of the sheriff. They were less successful than he was.
OoOoO
"In the name of the King, open the door!" Jane and Gunther were no longer smiling at his stupidity. He had just lost them surprise. Gunther pushed the sheriff aside and forced down the door. He swiftly moved to the place behind the desk where earlier that day Pal had stood and pushed his way into the back storeroom. He proceeded immediately to the location of Pal's hiding place. the trapdoor swung open, and Jane saw the eyes of the murderer (or at least someone who worked with murderers) and saw contempt. As Gunther moved into the small amount of the space visible from below, Pal began stuttering.
"Y-You! This man is as guilty as I am! He bought a weapon!" The local law enforcement went down and grabbed the guilty man, dragging him up the steep ladder.
"You are not as good at telling what sort of person you are dealing with as you thought you were. Everyone can tell the difference between a brigand and a knight."
OoOoO
Gunther felt good. They were leaving for home in the morning, and while it had only been a few days, he found that a lot had happened. The most obvious thing being that he had captured Pal, who was being held with the sheriff until the morning when they rode for the castle, but Gunther realized that something else had occurred. He no longer loved Jane. He still felt drawn to her, but not as fiercely as before. He wasn't sure what exactly had done it, but he knew that his passion was gone. He could move on now, maybe, though their friendship would be rocky at best after his boorish behavior. Gunther was really quite excited, for he felt that a chapter had closed on his life, starting another, though he wasn't sure what the next would be like, but he still couldn't sleep. He wanted to go home.