[JonPop]

When Sir JonPop arrived back at Niki's, he was surprised to see only a handfull of soldiers milling around and two posted on either side of the door. One of the soldiers took the reins of Sir JonPop's horse and tied him to the rail. Sir JonPop saw that Sir Stud's horse was still tied where he had been all morning and told the soldier, sternly, "Get this horse fed and watered, find him a stall for the night." The solder said, "Yes sir." and untied Sir Studs horse and led him away.

When he entered, he saw the Knights had pulled their chairs in a semicircle around King Arthur and were in deep discussion.

King Arthur said, "Sir JonPop, I apologize that you made that ride for nothing, I had dispatched a rider here to Nikki's to inform all of the Knights that I was bringing soldiers. The Knights have informed me that the messenger never arrived."
He added, "I have sent a company of soldiers to the hamlet to block off the exits and secure the town.
There had been a sighting of the wagon containing Sir Stud, entering the hamlet but the man that saw this, was leaving town and lost sight of the wagon. We must assume that Sir Stud is being held there."
Sir JonPop said, "That's why I didn't see you on the road, as I was riding to the castle, you took the fork to the hamlet of Holster." King Arthur said, "Yes, I wanted to secure the hamlet before coming to Nikki's to meet with the Knights." Sir JonPop added, "And no news of what happened to the messenger?" King Arthur said, "No, he has just disappeared."