[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/xbSVQ8u.png[/img][/center]

[h3][center][color=Silver]~Laurencia Beaumont~[/color][/center][/h3]
[center][Malgrave Castle, departure][/center]

[color=silver]"I will be fine, Willem."[/color] Cia replied to the well dressed man next to her, adorned in the usual colors of the Beaumonts. A dark, gold colored robe with emerald green trimmings over a well made light suit, along with comfortable pants and slippers. [color=silver]"I have my training and I'm a grown woman. I can handle myself."[/color] She looked up at the cloud filled sky, shivering slightly as a cold wind blew. In the southern lands, winter tended to hit hard, and around Malgrave Castle that was especially true. Nothing she couldn't handle though. She pulled her cloak tighter around her, the thin metal armor she was wearing doing little to keep out the cold by itself.

[b]"I'm not saying you're not, Cia, but...just be careful."[/b] The man, Willem said with a sigh, holding a hand to his head, slightly disturbing the dark colored hair. [b]"Normally the things we hunt are easy enough to deal with. A lone rogue wizard...some beast or something that has found its way into town, but recently...well. You've heard."[/b] Cia sighed. His concern was touching, but not needed. It was their job - their mission to take care of things like this, and as the only one of age this year it was her sole responsibility.

The older Nobles were all off doing other things, and cleaning up the dark elsewhere.

[color=silver]"Willem, we have been friends since I was little. I am more than capable of handling myself. Be they orc or demonspawn, I shall handle myself with the grace expected of one of our kind."[/color] The gate to the castle began to open, the old wooden and iron construct creaking with age as it was raised off the ground. [color=silver]"So please, do not concern yourself. You have your own tasks, and you must see them through to the end."[/color]

[b]"I...of course. I just..."[/b]

[color=silver]"Willem, hush."[/color] She said, mounting the horse that had been given to her for her departure. The steed gave a small whinny of complaint, but it was well trained and did nothing more. [color=silver]"I will return, and then I shall have some stories to tell you instead of you always telling me about your accomplishments."[/color] She offered him a small smile, to which he laughed.

[b]"Ahah, I should hope! You've been saying you'll one up me as soon as you left those gates."[/b]

[color=silver]"That's a promise I intend to keep,"[/color] After making sure she had her equipment with her, she turned her head from him to the gate. [color=silver]"Try and keep up, hm?"[/color] She joked, before spurring the horse onwards. Willem simply watched, shaking his head with a small sigh. Well, she was right. He had his own work to do. With that, he watched as the gates to the castle close once more before heading back up the steps from the courtyard and into the castle.

[hr]

The travel was...much less glamorous than she had imagined, and she definitely wasn't even expecting much to begin with. The travel further north was easy enough, but the weather wasn't exactly optimal conditions for traveling. Winter was hitting them hard this year, it seemed. Normally she'd be warm and comfortable within the castle, or at least outside training or among the walls near a brazier that was kept alive. Fitting in with refugees as she traveled proved somewhat difficult as well. Mostly due to her mannerisms and appearance, but as long as she kept her head down most overlooked her. Her cloak helped hide her well enough anyways, and most refugees didn't want any trouble so they said nothing.

About a week, she had finally managed to make it to the city. Getting in was simple enough. A small group of refugees she had saved from some dark creature was more than happy to help her. She thanked them of course, with what little money she had and managed to make her way into the city.

It was, well, a first for her and she felt slightly overwhelmed. She had never seen this many people in one place before, and while that made the young noble somewhat uneasy, it made for blending in with the crowd that much easier. Well, the human crowd at least. In her few days there, she had mostly avoided interacting with those of the Orcish, goblin, and other races like theirs. While she was far cry from racist, she simply did not consider them to be very...good conversationalists or partners.

...wait, that was a bit racist, wasn't it? She sighed. Life outside of Malgrave wasn't as simple as she had thought it would. She knew she might face some...rumors and discrimination herself, but learned habits were a bit hard to get rid of. Thankfully, the few days she was there she didn't get into any trouble, and managed to avoid making trouble. She had come here to do something, after all. After having listening to rumors and finding a flyer asking for someone to travel and find the source of darkness, she knew what she was here for.

grabbing the flyer, she rolled the paper up and headed for the Tavern.

The Southern Gate Tap was...interesting to say the least. Several patrons were not human, and there was even an orc. While she made a note not to look at them for too long for fear of offending one, it was clear she was at least not comfortable around them. The smell of cheap alcohol wasn't helping in the slightest either. She wasn't one to avoid drink, but a fine Wine was what she was more into rather than cheap ale. In all, it was not a place she would have normally found herself, but she was willing to make compromises. If it was to find the source of these beasts, then it was what she would have to do.

Her eyes then landed on a girl, a few years younger than she and an orc and overhead what he was saying to her.

[i][color=black]"I'm Gun'tar Molokoi of the Morash tribe , son of Galtosh Molokai and Mareea the shaman. I heard you want to travel east" [/color][/i]

Normally it would have been rude to interrupt, but this girl must have also been the one she was looking for to travel East. She quietly walked over, boots barely making any noise on the floor as she approached. 

[color=silver]"Pardon me miss,"[/color] She said, lowering the hood covering her head as she did so. [color=silver]"But I couldn't help but overhear the Orc. Are you heading East? If it would not be too much trouble, perhaps I could take this free seat and we can discuss travel plans."[/color]