[table][row][i][b][color=a0410d]Trace Retloth[/color][/b]
Garleton Plaza[/i][/row][cell]
Trace heard nothing of value.  The only noise that drew his attention at all was a brief altercation between gamblers.  The winner left, unharmed and still cocky, while the loser was restrained by the others at the table.  It was an odd scene but not terribly important.  The most valuable things he learned during his meal had to do with the lack of quality in the drink, the lack of knowledge among the patrons, the lack of any rumors from the battlefront, and the fact that good music was so out of place here that it managed to cut through the din of the tavern even at some distance.

He paid his bill and left the unfortunate inn behind as he followed his ears.  It didn't take him long to find the source of the music.  The lively tune was unfamiliar and the dancer was exotic as well as lovely.  He took a moment to watch before he remembered the feel of the lance haft in his hand and turned his attention to the crowd.  They were entranced.  Many of them gaped openly at the spectacle.  For all the dancer's looks and grace, she couldn't hold Trace's gaze for long.  Such forms of beauty just reminded him of his mother.

However, there was one figure in the back of the crowd that drew his eye more firmly.  Dressed in striking black robes and carrying a book, the young woman stood out from most of the drab and rough crowd.  She actually might be about his own age, though he wouldn't ask unless it became important.  She seemed... magical.  It had been a long time since Trace had practiced magic but he could still recognize those who did often enough.  It was a skill that had earned him a bit of coin in the past since mages were often in need of fighting hands to keep their enemies at a tidy distance.  Furthermore, they could usually bring down foes that his spear had trouble with.  The combination simply worked well.

This one didn't seem like she was a mercenary but she also didn't look like she was waiting for anyone.  If she was looking to travel alone... she might find more trouble than she could handle.  If he hadn't already signed up to join the prince's army as a mercenary he would simply offer his services straight away.  But, in this situation, as attractive as the idea of having a mage at his back was... he couldn't think of a way to convince her if she already had other plans.

Then again... he saw a shift in the crowd.  It was a small shape, lurking in the alley shadows near the young mage.  Trace began moving quietly through the crowd.  He was careful to not disturb the front row of people watching the show but he also avoided exiting the crowd entirely.  He needed the cover to get close enough.  It took a couple minutes but he eventually got close enough to get a better look at the situation.  It was a thief, a small knife flickered briefly in the light before being pulled under a tattered cloak.  From the physique, the thief seemed quite young and thin.

Trace took a deep breath as he stepped out of the dense portion of the crowd, acting like a man just looking for fresh air.  The thief twitched, moving toward the mage's book and purse while hugging the wall in an attempt to avoid being noticed.  Trace's spear twirled with a momentary rush of air before the butt end thumped into the thief's gut.  The thief dropped to the ground and dropped the knife before quickly stumbling away into the shadows while gasping for breath.

He wasn't the hero type and he didn't like talking much but this was a situation that called for all his charm and social wit.  So, Trace mustered his social muscles, nodded blandly as though nothing had happened, kicked the tiny knife away from where the kids in the crowd might find it, and spoke gloriously.

[color=a36209]"Good day, miss."[/color]  The words were calm and flat, neither warm nor cold.  In fact, they were almost irritatingly without flavor.  But, they were accompanied by him taking a place against the same wall, his eyes casually flitting over the crowd.  It actually looked like he was her bodyguard and he had just shown up to work.

[/cell]







[cell][img]https://i.imgur.com/QzyCrZx.jpg[/img]
[center]_________________________
Status: [color=lawngreen]Alive & Well[/color]
[/center][u]Class[/u]: Recruit
[u]Inventory[/u]:[list]
[*]Iron Lance
[*]Vulnerary[/list][/cell][/table]