"Alright, you lot, everybody up, you're all to see the Magistrate."
The Guard's loud voice woke the women, including myself, and he led us to the courtroom.
"More unregistered performers?" said the Magistrate with a sigh, as the list of charges was read out.
"Right, Anthella Corrandi and Corran Sandarson - you are responsible for this group?"
"With the exception of the centaur and the tall blonde over there," replied a man on the other side of the room.
"Master Sandarson, were you aware that you had broken a law?"
I frowned, surely they're not just going to take his word for it, then I noticed an aura of magic in the room.
"No, your eminence, this is the time of year when our company travels between the smaller towns."
"Very good, if you are set free will you register with the Guild office?"
"We didn't plan to stop, your eminence, we merely stopped for a meal."
"Then you would leave the city?"
"As soon as our possesions were returned."
"So be it, the company of Corran Sandarson is free to go, next case."
There was a momentery lull in the proceedings as the Troupe were led out.
"Next case is; Karlina of the Plains, charged with being an unregistered Centaur, entering the city without a permit."
Unregistered Centaur? Since when does a Centaur have to be registered?
"Do you wish to speak, Madame Centaur?"
"Thank you, your eminence," said Karlina politely, "I was not aware that I was required to be registered, in fact I am only here looking for a friend."
"Friend?"
"My betrothed, in fact, I believe he has been travelling with Lora," she pointed to me, "she is a musician, and he performs illusions."
"Mistress Lora, was it?"
"Yes your eminence," I replied politely.
"Do you know this womans betrothed?"
"If he is a centaur named Sallan who performs illusions, but I do not know where he is."
"Madame Centaur, you are free to go on the condition that you leave the city, the clerk will issue you a temporary camping permit if you wish to wait and see if Master Sallan turns up here."
"Thank you, your eminence."
"Now, miss, I'm told that you refused to give your full name?"
"But I did give it your eminence, I have no family name."
"I see, and do you know what you have been charged with?"
"Yes, your eminence."
"How do you respond?"
"Well, I wasn't camping as I told the gentleman who arrested me, my friend and I were resting after he was injured. I was unaware that we were required to register our intention to perform and I did not lie to the guard about having a companion."
"Very well, you are free to go, if you wish to perform in the city you must register before nightfall, if you wish to wait outside for your travelling companion, the clerk will give you a temporary permit."
"Thank you, your eminence."
"And if your companion is arrested, for being unregistered, he will be sent along his way, this time."
"My thanks again," I replied sincerely, as the Guard led me out of the courtroom.
I collected my posessions and a temporary camping permit, before being escorted to the city gates by a guard. Outside the gates, Anthella and the troupe were sharing a midmorning breakfast.
"Come join us," she invited me, "you just missed the centaur, she found her friend."
"Sallan?" I exclaimed.
"Yes that's him."
"Where did they go?"
"Off that way, somewhere," she replied, pointing vaguely, "ground's damp you can follow easily."
"Thank you," I said, walking in the direction she had pointed out until I came across Sallan's distinctive hoof mark, joined by another, and followed them to the nearby river.
"...looking for you. Why didn't you wait?"
I heard Karlina speaking as i drew nearer and hesitated.
"what do you mean by that?" Sallan growled back at her. "You didn't want to come with me?"
"who told you that?" protested Karlina. "I sent you a message, telling you that my mother told me what happened and that I wanted to go with you."
"I recieved no such message, who did you give it to?"
"Darandarjan."
"What? But he's the one who told me you no longer wished to be betrothed to me!"
"What?"
"It seems that he betrayed us both," concluded Sallan angrily, I decided this was the best moment to announce my presence and stepped deliberately on a dead stick.
"who's there?" demanded Karlina.
"It's Lora," I replied, stepping out of the bushes.
"Lora, where were you?" exclaimed Sallan.
"I was arrested, where were you?" I snapped back, he looked slightly affronted.
"I went to the river to bathe, I thought you'd left because you wanted to avoid the discussion you promised me!"
"Silly ass," I muttered, " I was hardly going to leave an injured man -"
"Centaur."
"whatever! On his own, no matter what awkward questions he was and is going to ask me."
"Defintely is going to ask you, but not right away, this is Karlina by the way."
"We met in town," Karlina told him, "that's how I found out you were nearby."
"Serendipity," said Sallan, Karlina nodded in agreement. "And now that I'm found, will you travel with me?"
"Of course, you fool, that's why I've been looking for you!" she agreed emphatically.
"Do you object, Lora?" he asked me, I smiled at them.
"Do you love her?"
"Yes," he exclaimed.
"Does she love you?"
"Yes!" she agreed.
"Then I don't object, welcome Karlina."
"Thank you, Lora. So what is it that you and Sallan are going to talk about?" she asked me curiously, I was about to answer - as soon as I thought of one - but Sallan interupted.
"I think we should get away from the town first, before we get arrested."
"Again," agreed Karlina, "very well, if Sallan, who appears to be dying of curiousity, can wait, I certainly can."
"I think we should head south a bit," I suggested. " No guild offices south of this city for about 3 weeks."
"I agree," said Sallan, taking his pack from me and putting it on, he held out a hand to me. "Ride?"
"Please," I agreed, taking his hand and climbing onto his back.
"Race you," he challenged Karlina as he took off along the road.