No particular business

[Gabriel]

It was still morning and the sun was already blazing hot outside the city. Gabriel had slept in that morning and missed out on the cooler airs of dawn. It had been a fair ride from Grultz End, and the man was as usual, in no particular hurry. He had camped the last night not far from Meerin, choosing to stay one more night in his tent with a fire instead of looking for an inn in the middle of the night.

Along the way from one big city to the next, Gabriel had set camp many times. He enjoyed the trip and often found companions to share the fires with him. The good foods and drinks he brought with him from Grultz End and offered to share with those around his fire had ensured there was scarcely a dull night. Along the long road, Gabriel enjoyed stories and jokes, drinking games and drunken bouts, and even on occasion a drunken maid.

There were few others at the city gates when Gabriel arrived, and the guards didn’t seem terribly firm. They took attention when Gabriel rode up though, in full armour atop his very large horse, Byfrost. Not far from the gate, he dismounted in full stride and walked next to the horse up to the guards. They seemed to size him up briefly, and also seemed taken by the size of his horse whose shoulders rose well above the man’s head. “What’s your name?” Asked the guard on Gabriel’s left.

“What’s your business in Meeren?” The other guard spoke unsurely, and at the same time as the other.

Gabriel glanced from one to the other before saying anything. “My name’s Gabriel, and I’ve no particular business here. Just looking for somewhere new and exciting.”

“You’re a well armed man.” One guard spoke as they both eyed him up again.

“It’s a dangerous world,” Gabriel responded calmly, holding the reins of his horse. “and I like to be prepared.”

It seemed Meeren was a fairly open city, and there was no reason to deny the man. Both guards nodded and stepped aside, then took a couple extra steps back in anticipation of the huge horse passing between them. "Hope the stables are big enough.” One of the guards commented as Gabriel and Byfrost walked through the gate.

“I’ll tie him in a barn if they’re not.” Gabriel responded loudly to reach the man behind him without turning.

The road within the gate was wide and it seemed sensible for it to lead somewhere practical where he could find the stables, a tavern, and an inn. He needed a place to stay and for the most part, the other travelers only seemed to recall one tavern called the Phantom, which had rooms they said, but he wondered what else was there.

[Morgan]

The day had started like most any other day would. It began with breakfast and a quick clean up and then off to the office for a meeting with her “at home” staff. She browsed through the numbers and then looked over the itemized sales reports and then talked a bit about what was needed for the caravans to send off to the trading posts. Over all it wasn't a bad morning, boring certainly, but not bad.

She chose to wear a plain dress for the day, nothing of any note; just tan in color with a few laces to tie up the front and light in material due to the warmer weather. She stepped out into the street and began to simply walk down the street humming a tune.

She had gone by a few stalls and bought a few food items and some soap and then took a turn towards the gates where she stopped a young boy in rags and smiling, she handed him everything she'd just purchased.

“Thanks for the other day Thomas.” She told the boy with a wink and a genuine grin on her lips.

The boy laughed and then looked up at her, “No problem Morgan, always glad to do a days work for you.” He replied, returning her wink and then thanked her for the payment and slipped into a near by ally and disappeared.

Often times a good practical joke takes the help of others and Morgan wasn't above paying her lackeys for help when she had a good plan. Her lackeys were almost always street kids, or street rats as the local people liked to dub them. They worked for grub and sometimes small bits of coin and always knew they'd get a laugh in the end. Over all it was a great way to optimize her “service” to the communities dull problem.

Morgan started walking again and when she turned a corner she near ran into a man leading a huge horse beside him. Her feet halted quick enough and she nimbly took a sideways step to his right to avoid contact.

“Hi.” She offered. “New here aren't you.” She stated the obvious more so than asked. “Need help finding the stable and an Inn?” She finished as she had already taken a quick two-step to gain ground to stay in step with as he walked on.