[center][b]Feuertanz, Schwarzenburg Gate[/b][/center]
Once more, if only Feuertanz could hear the dragon's thoughts! He would have pounced at the chance for such discourse; but perhaps this is exactly why the notion was never put to voice! The quilava smiled at Alina, when he's finished with his prayer, and took his first step out onto the drawbridge. 

Of course, Feuertanz was well aware that the rapier was the preferred weapon of nobility. He wasn't surprised - there were more folk who fancied the rapier than there were with the money to take classes - it was "in", and it made one look well-to-do! ...It was perhaps, though, surprising for a knight to carry one. Although knights were typically not drawn from lowborn stock, they also rarely chose a weapon so uniquely suited to single combat as the rapier. But he did not question this. Feuertanz was trusting, but consciously so: He saw inconsistencies and chose not to observe them, with a habit to take people at their word simply because it wasn't any of his business whether the whole truth was told. 

Now, over the last few years, the small city beyond had become familiar to him; the castle depended on the city for sustenance as much as the city depended on the castle for defense. They bore the same name, the same history - it was a little strange, the city named "black castle", but one look up the hill dispelled any notions of confusion! Over the last two hundred years, of course, the sun has bleached the proud ebony walls of the castle; it's more of a dark smokey color now, in most places.

Nothing eventful likely happens in that city, though - it's a simple matter of following Mainstreet - the broad avenue that stretches from the southern end of the city to the northern, patrolled by guardsmen and regarded as a very safe part of town. Mostly. An hour's walk, perhaps two. It was admittedly wise to stick to the sides if one wasn't fond of being run down by carriages... But there would be a second gate, smaller, and beyond that the open road... the low slope of the valley beyond, which joined the forest a few miles away...