The hefty man steps off a recently arrived boat in the docks. His chainmail jingles as he puts his hands on his hips and looks up at the city buildings seemingly in wonder. He takes a moment to look around at the people walking by before striding off without purpose, perhaps in search for a tavern or a notice board.

Luca was hesitant, he didn't knew how he would explain to the woman what he needed, but this was his only plan and he had to protect his son at all cost. "Good morning Madame, my name is Luca, you don't know me, but I hope that you are the one who can help, I've money to pay for your help, this was the first play I thought I could hide him. Please you need to help him." As Luca finished pleading for help from he lady he unveiled a small asleep baby from his cloak.

@Suaiedail

Rose comes from behind the folding screen, as she ties a colourful and exotic robe. She looks at Luca, intrigued. "Why do you need to hide a baby? Did you steal it? Did you kill the mother?" She takes a step to the side, not approaching Lucas. "And why do you think a brothel, my brothel, of all things, is a good place to hide a baby?" Rose peers at the sleeping baby.

"No, I didn't do any of those things, the baby is mine, his name is Ember, and I thought of this place because they knew my wife was pregnant, and they'll come to check on him, so I need to hide him. And this place came to my mind because they'll never know if one of your girls was expecting a baby, and more than that, they will not come here looking for mine either."

As Luca finished explaining himself to the woman, Ember let out a soft and muted yawn as he opened his crimson eyes and smiled at his father. For Ember everything was peaceful, nobody was coming for him, the mother he never met had not died, and his father wasn't trying to hide him from the Mage-Hunters.

Velta found her stroll was a pleasant one as she trailed Sir Obirrin and the young Silver Shield. Either the thugs knew she was not one to be trifled with or they had already scurried away at the sight of the reputed old knight and his armed companion. The two continued north along the main road with Velta shortly behind, they carried on past the Siren's Pride and into the streets of the Delucian district lined with tall, rich buildings. From here they turned to go down the eastward road from the Delucian district square towards the rich residential area of the city. It was almost without any doubt that the two were headed straight for Castle Sauvage.

History tells that Castle Sauvage, once upon a time known as Castle Aveliere after the great Empress, was originally built north-east of the oldest parts of Averine city, but growth and expansion have since caused the two to join. The castle boasts of the largest fortresses in the Empire, once the seat of Empress Aveliere and her military might. It has since become the home of one of the most influential and famous, or perhaps infamous, of the great noble Battlemage houses and is one of the only two houses who maintain a strong presence within the capital.



Having grown accustomed to the smell of sea air, the first thing Arnlaug is greeted by as he makes his way towards the streets bordering the wharf is squawking of seagulls overhead and the heavy smell of fish in the air. Children play, some of the townspeople, be it stevedores, sailors, merchants and the like occasionally glance at him as he passes by as if sizing him up. The wharf is lined with rows and rows of buildings, mostly warehouses and shops and the outside of these buildings are themselves lined with stalls, barrels and crates.

Eventually, after a few minutes of walking he finds himself at an Inn called the Rugged Fish. Just as he is approaching the front door he is accosted by an urchin who had been staring at him. The young girl has a dirty face, ragged clothes, bare feet and raggedy blonde hair which resembles a birds nest runs over and asks in the telltale accent of one who was born and raised inside the city "I can buff and shine your armour for just a few shards, monsieur! Sword-... Uh, axe as well if it needs doing."

"Oh no no no no, fuck no!" Rose wide opens her eyes as she sees the baby's. She quickly starts going around the room, closing all the curtains. "How dare you?!" She asks in a low tone voice, holding herself to not ask this yelling. "All the money in the world won't pay attaching my head back on my shoulders if they find out! And what do you plan on doing once the kid's powers start showing and he burns down the Garden?" These were all rhetorical questions.
The Madame, runs her right fingers over her forehead and hair, while her hand rests on her hips as she moves back and forth looking at Luca and the baby as she thinks. Would Luca try to speak she would shush him with a gesture saying "Let me think." while she keeps moving back and forth.
"It's not like I can call them now. They would close the Garden and probably take me in for questioning as well." She talks to herself.
Rose stops and turns to Luca "One week. And not one more day. Then you are gone and that red eyed baby with you." She pauses before adding "and since you will no be coming back to the city, I'll be taking your house as payment."

@Kaesus

Velta Burr - Delucian district:

Velta slowed her steps, even from here she could glimps the Castle in the distance. She had seen it up close, of course, but never been in it. Somehow it seemed to loome in the distance, making her act as if she was feeling uneasy. However in this richer district she didn't stand out as much in her fashionable cape, and she reached to grab a passing Curier boy, easily spotted thanks to his bright blue uniform.

"This is to be delievered to house Sauvage, to Gareth Nolani. You are to wait for a reply and return the answer to Burr house in the docks. You know the one with the slaves? "

She fished out two fat and heavy coins, much more than the usual fee, and waved them infront of the childs face. " Repeat?"

Arnlaug eyes the urchin for a lingering moment, before exhaling a gruff scoff. He speaks with a thick eastern accent.

"No, little girl."

He looks around, into the various alleys around the inn, before hoisting up his chainnmail to retrieve a coin pouch. He opens it and seems to eye the contents as he keeps speaking.

"Even if I did give you money, how much of it would you go to you?"

Luca, was not overall happy with the offer Madame Rose gave him, but what choice did he have after all? One week, given the situation that was a big gesture. But taking his house as payment? Wasn't that too much? If after that week he had to run away from the city he would lose the house anyway. So that was it, he had one week to make it work.

"You are very kind Madame, but what if I manage to stay in the city? It's not like it will be easy, but what if it happens? I can give you my house if I have to run, I have no problem with that. But if I manage to stay in the city, could I pay you any other way?"

Luca did not know her, but he hoped that she would understand his point of view.

@Suaiedail

The courier in his blue uniform was already carrying a letter, no doubt one he was on his way to deliver as Velta stopped him. With only one letter to deliver she could be certain that her letter would reach castle Sauvage very soon.

As she reached out to grab the boy, the two guards who're stood lazily guarding the gate which seperates the Delucian and Residential districts stare, frown and push off the walls as if to approach the slaver woman and the courier, though they are discouraged when the young courier boy seems entirely unscathed, and happily replies in a cheery tone. He looks up, smiles and nodds at Velta. "Why of course, miss, I know Mr. Nolani! I'll take this straight to castle Sauvage and make sure he knows you want a letter back as soon as possible, how's that?"



The little girl looks sheepishly at Arnlaug, following his eyes as he looks down alleyways and streets. The alleyways aren't as busy as the main streets, and though there's no merchants or fishmongers calling their catches down them, they are most certainly in use. Sailors and stevedores stand in groups and talk to one another out of the rain, there are children, paupers and brutes both male and female keeping mostly to themselves. Arnlaug can't see anyone who is acting suspiciously and the young girl doesn't seem to look at anyone in particular.

Her eyes sparkle and she cracks a toothy, childish grin as she spots his coin purse but her grin turns serious again as he asks his question. She doesn't answer for a moment and stutters when she finally does "Well... Uh, monsieur, it's my job you see. I get to keep what I earn." after which she nods and smiles again, awaiting a positive response from the man.

Arnlaug smiles a crooked smile, before nodding a little.

"Alright. Can't say no to that smile, I s'pose. No shine or buff needed."

He fetches a few shards from the purse, and stuffs it securely back under the chainmail before holding the shards out to the girl. Again he casts a few looks around him before setting his eyes back on the girl, intending to see if she runs off after getting the payment. If she does he'll try to make sure he sees where she goes off to.

"After a week I expect you to -not- be in the city. It's not safe for the child, it's not safe for you, and it is absolutely not safe for whoever is helping you." Rose was not going to leave any room for bargain on this subject.

"I'm going to get a room ready at the end of the corridor. Keep it locked at all times."

After a pause, she looks at the child again and folds her arms. "How are you going to feed him?"

@Kaesus

Luca looked at the woman surprised about that question, he had not think about that earlier, but suddenly something came to his mind.

"Your girls, none of them his with child or has had recently? I'm sure one of them can feed him"

@Suaiedail