"NOW THE FUN PART." ADRIA SAYS LOOKING AT THE LINE OF CARTS AND WAGONS WAITING AT THE WESTERN GATE OF THE CAPITAL. IN THE DISTANCE A GROUP OF OPPORTUNITY MERCHANTS WALKED ALONG THE TRAIL OFFERING FRUITS AND CUPS OF WATER. "AL, DON’T MAKE EYE CONTACT OR THEY WILL LATCH ON."

"GOOD TIP." GAB SAYS WITH A NOD. "BUT THOSE PEARS LOOK AMAZING."

"YOU KNOW THEY WILL COST HALF AS MUCH ONCE WE’RE INSIDE THE CITY." TROY SMIRKS SHOVING AN ELBOW INTO HER RIB.

"I KNOW…" GAB WHINES BITING HER LIP AND WATCHING THE CART GET CLOSER.

"RIGHT, AL." ADRIA TURNS TO AL WHO SIMPLY LOOKED AROUND THE AREA CAREFULLY. "THIS IS A NORMAL EVENT WHEN ENTERING THE CAPITAL. GUARDS INSPECT CARTS AND WAGONS SO INEVITABLY A LINE FORMS."

"AND VULTURES TRY TO SELL YOU OVERPRICED STUFF YOU CAN GET FOR HALF AS MUCH IN TOWN." TROY ADDS WITH A NOD TOWARDS ONE OF THE NEARBY CHILDREN WHO HELD SHELL NECKLACES.

"IT’S NOT ALL BAD THOUGH SOMETIMES YOU CAN FIND A BUYER FOR GOODS BEFORE YOU EVEN ENTER TOWN. WHENEVER WE RAN THE MERCHANT CARAVANS IT SEEMED LIKE HALF THE STUFF WAS SOLD BEFORE WE EVEN STEPPED THROUGH THE GATE."

"RIGHT, GAB YOU WANNA TALK TO SOME OF THE OTHER MERCHANTS AND SEE WHAT THEY’LL PAY FOR THE OATS?"

"AH, I SHOULD HAVE KEPT QUIET." GAB WHINES, JUMPING OFF THE SIDE OF THE WAGON AND LOOKING AROUND FOR WEALTHIER MERCHANTS.

"AH.. THANKS." ADRIA SHOUTS TO GAB AS SHE MEANDERS THROUGH THE CROWD. "YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY BEEN A HUGE HELP."

"THAT’S RIGHT KEEP US IN MIND FOR ANY OF YOUR RESEARCH NEEDS." TROY SMIRKS WITH A NOD TO AL.

"YEAH… WE’LL SEE I GUESS." ADRIA REPLIES HALFHEARTEDLY WITH A SHAKE OF HER HEAD.

THE LINE WINDING DOWN THE ROAD CREEPED ALONG SLOWLY. THE GROUP WAS ONLY MOMENTARILY HASSLED BY THE MERCHANTS, LUCKILY GAB WAS OFF GETTING OFFERS SO SHE WASN’T PERSUADED TO BUY EXPENSIVE FRUIT. AL WAS AMAZED BY THE VARIETY OF FOODS AND FRUITS THAT WERE BEING OFFERED SO DEEPLY INTO WINTER.

"YOU SHOULD TRY A PEAR ONCE WE GET INTO TOWN. YOU’VE NEVER HAD ONE, HUH?"

"I’D LIKE TO." AL NODS GLANCING ONCE MORE AT THE MAN HOLDING A TRAY COVERED IN BRUISED PEARS.

"ANY PLAN FOR A PLACE TO STAY TONIGHT?" TROY ASKED AS THEY ONCE AGAIN INCHED THE CART FORWARD AS THE LINE MOVED.

"WE DON’T REALLY HAVE PLANS, I’D LIKE TO GET IN CONTACT WITH MY FRIEND DIANNA BUT SHE’S ALL THE WAY IN CENTRAL SO WE PROBABLY WON’T MAKE IT THERE WITH IT BEING THIS LATE."

TROY NODS RUBBING HIS CHIN. "I’VE NEVER BEEN THROUGH THE GATES OF CENTRAL BUT I KNOW IT'S A GOOD FOUR HOURS ON A HIGH TRAFFIC DAY."

"YEAH, LIVING IN THE CENTER I NEVER REALLY REALIZED HOW BIG THE CITY WAS." ADRIA SAYS WITH A STRETCH. "I WAS THINKING MAYBE ONE NIGHT IN AN INN, MAYBE AROUND DOWNTOWN, WOULD MAKE IT EASY FOR TOMORROW UNTIL WE FIND A PERMANENT PLACE TO STAY."

"SEEMS LIKE A GOOD PLAN." TROY NODS REMOVING THE HAND FROM HIS CHIN TO WAVE AWAY A YOUNG GIRL HOLDING SMALL FOLDED PAPER ANIMALS.

"AND YOU GUYS? GOING TO HIT THE GUILD BARRACKS RIGHT AWAY?" ADRIA COUNTERS HANDING THE GIRL A PENNY AND TAKING A MONKEY SHAPED ORIGAMI WITH A SMILE. SHE QUICKLY HANDS THE MONKEY TO AL WHO PROCEEDS TO INSPECT IT AT EVERY ANGLE.

TROY SNORTS A LAUGH AS THE GIRL HAPPILY RAN BACK TOWARDS THE GATE. "EH WE AREN’T SURE. GAB WANTS TO SIGN UP AT THE DOWNTOWN BRANCH, WHILE ME AND ROUIN WOULD BE FINE WITH ANY GATE BRANCH."

"BUT THE DOWNTOWN BRANCH IS SO MUCH MORE GLAMOROUS." GAB SHOUTS OVERHEARING THE CONVERSATION FROM A FEW PACES AWAY. BESIDE HER STOOD A WELL DRESSED MAN HOLDING HIS HAT IN ONE HAND. BEHIND HIM STOOD TWO BURLY MEN SEEMINGLY WAITING FOR AN ORDER.

"UM GAB?" TROY ASKS GLANCING AT THE MEN.

"RIGHT," GAB SAYS WITH A WAVE TOWARDS THE MAN. "THIS IS…"

"DUNCAN LYON OF TIRISH TRADE CO." THE MAN QUICKLY ADDS WITH A NOD OF HIS OWN.

"RIGHT, HE SAYS HE WANTS THE STUFF." GAB EXPLAINS WITH A FLUFF OF HER HAIR. SHE PRACTICALLY SEEPED THE WORDS ‘PRAISE ME‘.

"YOU HAVE BARLEY? I HEAR IT IS QUIET A BIT? COULD I KNOW…" DUNCAN BEGINS TO ASK GLANCING AROUND THE WAGON FOR THE BAGS OF OATS.

"IT WAS HARVESTED THIS FALL SO ITS STILL REAL FRESH. IT SHOULDN’T HAVE FROZEN ON THE TRIP EITHER SO I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE ITS QUALITY." ADRIA QUICKLY QUIPS PULLING A NUMBER OF BLANKETS OFF THE BACK OF THE WAGON.

"PERFECT." THE MAN SAYS WITH A SIGH. "HOW IS 4, NO 5 PER LB?"

"CAN’T DO 6?" ADRIA ASKS MOVING TO REPLACE THE BLANKETS ON THE BAGS OF BARLEY.

"AH…" THE MAN STARTS, ALMOST STUMBLING TOWARDS THE CART. "THAT’S JUST TOO MUCH. HOW ABOUT 6 FOR THE FIRST HUNDRED AND 5 FOR THE REST?"

ADRIA WEIGHTS HER OPTIONS. AS IT IS THAT WOULD BE MORE THAN DOUBLING THE COST. ALTHOUGH FOR SOME REASON SHE FELT LIKE SHE COULD GET MORE FROM HIM. SHE PUT A HAND TO HER CHIN TO SHOW RELUCTANCE TOWARDS MAKING THE DEAL. AL AS WELL MAINTAINS A STONE-FACE EXPRESSION HELPING TO SELL THE ILLUSION.

"HOW ABOUT A FAVOR AS WELL." THE MAN SAYS ALMOST LIGHTING UP WITH SUDDEN REALIZATION AFTER GLANCING AT THE TWO.

"HMM?" ADRIA ASKS HONESTLY CURIOUS ABOUT HIS PROPOSAL.

"I CAN GET YOU IN THE CITY RIGHT AWAY." THE MAN EXPLAINS WITH A GRIN. "SO HOW ABOUT IT? WANT TO KEEP WAITING IN THE LINE?"

ADRIA WAS A BIT SKEPTICAL BUT IT WAS ALSO HARD TO TURN DOWN THE OFFER. AS IS, IT WOULD LIKELY TAKE MANY HOURS TO WIND THROUGH THE LINE. ITS POSSIBLE THE GATE MIGHT EVEN CLOSE BEFORE THEIR TURN CAME UP.

"FINE. ITS A DEAL." ADRIA SAYS WITH A NOD. REMOVING THE BLANKET ONCE MORE.

WITH THAT THE DEAL WAS STRUCK AND THE MONEY WAS HANDED OVER. ALL TWENTY SIX GOLD. THE MAN INSTRUCTED HIS WORKERS TO UNLOAD THE WAGON AND THEY BEGAN MOVING THEM TWO AT A TIME TOWARDS THE DIRECTION OF THE MERCHANTS WAGON.

"AND NOW HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET IN?" ADRIA ASKS AS THE MAN SEALS HIS POUCH WITH SEVERAL KNOTS.

"AH RIGHT." DUNCAN SAYS LOOKING AROUND THE LINE. HE QUICKLY SPOTS WHAT HE IS LOOKING FOR AND WAVES A HAND TOWARDS THE ARMORED MAN.

THE GUARD NOTICES AND BEGINS STEPPING TOWARDS THE GROUP. ADRIA WAS INSTANTLY SURE HER FORMER IDENTITY WAS DISCOVERED, SHE THOUGHT ABOUT TRYING TO ESCAPE BUT THE MAN’S WORDS SURPRISE HER.

"I HAVE BUSINESS IN THE CITY WITH THIS MAN." DUNCAN SAYS POINT TOWARDS AL. "AS YOU CAN SEE HE IS A COURT RESEARCHER SO OUR BUSINESS IS TIME SENSITIVE. WOULD YOU MIND…"

"OF COURSE." THE MAN SAYS WITH A QUICK POLITE BOW TO AL. "YOU SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED YOU WERE A COURT RESEARCHER. MY APOLOGIES."

IMMEDIATELY A PATH WAS OPENED FOR THEIR WAGON TO SCOOT AROUND THE LINE. ADRIA FELT A BIT EMBARRASSED THAT SHE HADN’T THOUGHT OF THAT BUT NONETHELESS SHE SNAPS THE REIGNS AND PASSES THE GROUP OF ENVIOUS MERCHANTS.

"I FORGOT ABOUT THAT." TROY SAYS WITH A SHEEPISH GRIN. "I SUPPOSE HE GOT THE BEST OF US."

"SHUT UP TROY." GAB SAYS SHOVING AN ELBOW INTO TROY’S GUT.

THE REST OF THE WAY TO THE GATE WAS RODE IN SILENCE. THEY WERE FOLLOWED AFTER SEVERAL FEET BY A LARGER CARRIAGE CONTROLLED BY DUNCAN. HE HAD A SATISFIED SMILE AS HE WAVED AT SEVERAL BITTER MERCHANTS.

THEY REACHED THE GATE AND A GUARD NODDED ONCE HE SPOTTED AL’S PIN. THEY ONLY HAD A SHORT INSPECTION, A GLANCE INTO THE CART FOR CERTAIN FORBIDDEN ITEMS BUT NO INTRUSIVE BAG CHECK OR BODY CAVITY SEARCH LIKE NORMALLY.

"THAT WAS SURPRISINGLY PAINLESS." TROY SAYS WITH A SMILE AS HE PATS HIS POCKETS AFTER BEING ALLOWED THROUGH THE GATE. GAB FOLLOWS HIM WITH A SIMILAR EXPRESSION AND LAST ROUIN AND THE MERCHANTS PARTY STEP THROUGH THE GATE INTO THE BUSTLING TOWN.

"WOULD YOU ALL MIND COMING DOWN TO OUR BRANCH OFFICE?" DUNCAN ASKS AS HE PULLS HIS CART UP BESIDE AL AND ADRIA’S

"WHY? WANT TO PULL MORE WOOL OVER OUR EYES?" ADRIA GROWLS WITH A GLARE.

"NO, NO." DUNCAN SAYS WITH A LAUGH. "I AM SORRY ABOUT THAT. IT WAS JUST TOO PERFECT THOUGH. I WILL MAKE IT UP TO YOU, I SWEAR."

"OH? HOW SO?" ADRIA ASKS MAINTAINING THE GLARE.

"WELL YOU’LL BE NEEDING A PLACE TO STAY TONIGHT RIGHT? AND PERHAPS HE NEEDS A RESEARCH LAB TO RENT WHILE IN TOWN?" DUNCAN ASKS LOOKING AT AL AGAIN. "HOW ABOUT IT? WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST PROPERTIES IN TIRISH."

ADRIA ATTEMPTS TO FIND AN EXCUSE BUT SHE CAN THINK OF NONE.

"I WILL GIVE YOU THE BEST DEAL I CAN. WE COULD EVEN TAKE THE WAGON AND GOLEMS AS COLLATERAL ON A LOAN IF NEED BE." DUNCAN AGAIN OFFERS SNAPPING THE REIGNS ON HIS HORSE GOLEMS. "COME ON. FOLLOW US."