He entered out into the daylight just as everyone else scattered ahead of him to prepare for the hunt. The fighter figured he’d do the same; his breastplate must have been repaired by now, so the first stop was the local smithy. He parted through the thick crowds of varying races, at one point knocking his knee against a gnome, altercating in an exchange of flustered expressions on the shorter man’s part before he scurried away, flapping his arms above him in the air and muttering unpleasantries. Alarei shrugged it off with a chuckle as he finally found his way to the smithy. 

“John, how did the breastplate come along?” he entered the shop rather clumsily, hitting his head off of one of the horseshoes hanging from a tethered rope to the ceiling. “Rather dangerous, don’t ya think?” he joked as he shook the smith’s hand. “Aye, your plate’s good, not a ding in sight!” John replied, admiring his handiwork and presenting it to Alarei. “Very nice, friend,” the fighter beamed “Would you mind…?” he motioned to the straps on the plate as he began to fit it back on, the blacksmith obliged, tightening the straps accordingly. 

Having paid in advance of the work, Alarei concluded business with the blacksmith and walked back into the busy streets of Titania. He pondered what to do next, he didn’t have a schedule to keep and he was already outfitted and supplied for the Goblin raid. The fighter finally decided to take it easy, using what remained of the afternoon to relax and unwind, as he rarely had the chance to do just that.

Alarei arrived at the gates ahead of everyone else, a few saddled horses being sold caught his attention and he approached. “Good man, how much for one of your stallions?” The merchant smiled a toothy smile as he raised his hand in front of Alarei’s face, four fingers outstretched. “Four gold coins?” the fighter smoothed his face with his gloved hand, pondering for a moment as he stared at a sheer black horse, with strong hind legs. 

[url=http://orokos.com/roll/161613]“Perhaps we could do barter, friend. What say you?”[/url] Alarei offered a gentle smile.

“Feeeck off, four gold or nothing!” the merchant hollered, closing his fist and shaking it. Alarei shook his head and began to thumb the coins into the merchant’s hands. “You drive a hard bargain; this horse had better be worth it.” 

Unhitching the horse and mounting his supplies upon its back, he began leading the horse by bridle back to the city gate, and awaited the rest of the party. He stroked the beast’s mane; the horse whinnied moving its face closer to his hand. “I should find a name for you, ‘Horse’ just won’t do.”