The sound of trotting hooves had all but ingrained itself in the young man's mind. It'd been a long journey from the west coast, a constant trek that had halted only briefly for occasional meals and rest, but it finally seemed that the traveler had reached his destination. Halyn leaned forward in the saddle as the shadow of Geltreis began to materialize in the distance. The nostalgia of seeing his old home almost brought a smile to the rider's face, but the memories associated with the city held back such a gesture. Still, he had finally arrived, a fact he was thankful for. Halyn looked down at the shaggy grey mane below him. He'd been lucky to find such a reliable mount. The creature was larger than the average horse, and it's thick fur suggested it had been bred for mountain life. It's large, sturdy frame had made carrying supplies a simple task, and even the long journey didn't seem to have worn on the horse's constitution at all. The former mercenary patted the animal gently on the side of it's neck. "We made it, Franc." With a brisk flick of the reins, the horse increased it's gait, quickly closing the distance between their current location and the city gates.


  The sound of hooves against cobblestone told the traveler that his journey was finished. As he passed into the city, Halyn paused for a moment to take in the all-too-familiar sights around him. The streets were bustling as always, and the sound of hundreds of voices ringing together served as a tribute to the importance of the city's business. Halyn slowed his horse's pace to a crawl, carefully maneuvering his way through the streets towards the market. He got the occasional odd look, which he attributed to his current appearance and the blatantly visible sword hanging from his back. He brought a gloved hand to the brooch at his neck, his fingers caressing the silver. He doubted anyone would recognize him merely from his appearance, after all, he'd changed quite a bit over the years, but the prospect of someone noticing the crest on the brooch occurred to him. Even so, he wasn't terribly worried. Even if his family wasn't popular, he doubted such a thing was enough to prompt a response.



   Halyn led his horse to a nearby stable, carefully cutting his way through the crowded bazaar. He paid the stablemaster for a hearty bag of oats, a reward to his new companion for his efforts, and set off into the market. The black clad man stood out a bit from the merchants and buyers that created the whirlwind of commerce around him. He pulled his cloak around him, cutting through the crowd. For a moment, Halyn's vision drifted to the castle looming over the market, bringing the slightest frown to his face. That's right, he couldn't lose track of what he was here to accomplish. He had no time to waste, or at least that's what he told himself, but he hadn't the slightest idea of where to begin his crusade. He meandered through the crowd, his good eye scouring his surroundings. He'd heard stories of the current state of affairs, but he knew how stories tended to get twisted around. Before anything, he'd need to find a reliable source of information, a guide to tell him what exactly had taken place in his homeland since his absence.