I drive my mare hard to make it in time, but the sun has already set and the moon shines as the only source of light as I approach the town gate.
By its side, two guards stand watch, humans, of course, obviously bored, probably already on duty for a while, leaning on their pikes, dressed in old, dented breast plates over their civilian clothes.
"Halt!"
One of them - the one with sightly less rusty armour, a little bigger than his watch partner - shouts at me as I approach.
"The gate is closed at dusk by order of the magistrate! No one is allowed to enter."
I have to suppress a snicker. Nothing more dangerous than wolves or the occasional bear roam these woods since the Ogre War and those would never get this close to a human settlement unless they are starving. Which they aren't at this time of year. But these two -- and the magistrate - seem to take the threat to the town Very seriously.
"Of course, very reasonable. But I am just a harmless young woman, travailing alone. I have spent the day on the road and was... "
I pause with a smile, thinking back to today's roadside entertainment.
"...delayed unexpectedly. Surely there can be no harm to make an exception and let me in?"
"No can do!"
I frown. Are they serious?
"You mean to turn a away a helpless woman, travelling alone? At this time of day. You would want me to spend the night out here?"
The bigger one smirks.
"Just following orders here, Ma'am!"
Ma'am? He's barely older than me - if at all, actually they are both quite green for watchmen, but I guess that's why they got the night-shift in this gods-forsaken place. Nothing more interesting than me is going to happen all night long.
"Would you want your sister to spend the night out here alone, good Sir?"
"Don't have a sister."
"And My sister wouldn't ride around out here in the middle of the night alone, because she's a decent woman."
The smaller one says something for the first time -- using his first words to insult me.
"I would think an indecent woman has a lot more to do in there than out here. Especially if her brother is wasting his time out here bullying strangers instead of watching over her."
He opens his mouth, but can't come up with a retort, seemingly unable to decide if I just insulted him, his sister or both or none. I get off my horse - apparently talking to them from above is not working
"What does a decent or indecent woman have to do to make you bend the rules a little and let me pass, good Sirs?"
I squint my eyes in a good attempt to look sultry - I think - and raise my eyebrow suggestively.
"Huh?"