Thunder emerged an hour later and went in search of food. Shaynen wanted to ask about the papers but didn’t want to alert the guards or anyone else around that his papers were faked. He instead rounded up all the disposable things and took them to the compost bin. Taking a walk up the line to see how long it was. Then back to the camp where Thunder was eating a stew around the fire.

  “I don’t think it’ll be much longer.” Shaynen said as he sat down. “I took a walk up the line and it doesn’t seem that long.”

  “Good, I really hope that means we get in before the wedding.” Kilek laughed,

  “Don’t we know it!” Cried another camp. Kilek raised a waterskin to them and chuckled as he took another drink. Slowly the fires along the line died out and people trickled to bed.Jiit was the first to turn in, followed by Kilek. Mayhem and Shaynen past out by the fire and Thunder was the last to bed. The smell of new campfires and rustling of tents woke the party to the new day. New fires cooked breakfast and brewed coffee. Vendors began walking and crying their wares. Then a guard yelled that customs were opening and no less than an hour later the line was moving again.

  Inch by inch it moved and eventually Shaynen and crew made it to the front of the line.

  “Papers.” The guard said and everyone but Shaynen handed over their papers. The guard counted the papers then counted the people.

  “All of you together?” He said.

  “We are.” Jiit said. The guard nodded and looked through the papers.

  “Shaynen and Mayhem Feldspar?” The guard asked.

  “Adopted.” Shaynen and Mayhem said in unison. The guard looked at the two and narrowed his eyes.

  “Which one of you was adopted?” He asked. Shaynen raised a hand and the guard raised his eyebrow.

  “Our parents wanted a boy.” Mayhem said.

  “My parents died.” Shaynen said, trying to help. Mayhem choked and placed her hand on his shoulder.

  “Yup.” She said with a broad smile. “And then you came to live with us.”

  “Where?” The guard asked, and he stopped Mayhem from answering. “From him.”

  “Where what?” Shaynen asked. “Where I came from? I came from the Temple of Dreams.”

  “No wh- wait, you were adopted from The Temple of Dreams?” He asked. Shaynen nodded and turned to show his dreamcatcher. “By the gods you did! My mother had a sister who ended up there.” Shaynen looked at the guard a little closer.

  “Wait! You don’t mean Sister Ysabel?” He asked and the guard lit up.

  “You know her?” He asked.

  “Do I! She’s the one who found me after the forest fire.” Shaynen said. “I didn’t know she had a sister!”

  “How is she? My mother will die if I don’t ask.” The guard said.

  “Wonderful! Before I left she just returned from a mission and decided to be a permanent teacher in the infant ward.” Shaynen said.

  “No kidding!” The guard laughed. He then lowered the papers. “Well that all checks out. So, what is the reason for your visit?”

  “That seems like a silly question.” Jiit said.

  “I know, but it is a policy.” The guard nodded.

  “We’re here for the wedding.” Jiit said.

  “Specifically?”

  “It’s a huge once in a lifetime event and we wanted to see our friends in the city.” Kilek said with glee.

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  “You have contacts in the city?” Asked the guard.

  “Yeah, I know a bard in Performer’s Alley.” Mayhem said. “Ratscratch.”

  “Oh damn, you know old Rat? That old seadog?” The guard said with a laugh.

  “I am very old friends with a professor in the University.” Kilek said, “The herbalist.”

  “Is that so?” The guard said. “I’ve never been to the school. Way to rich for my blood.” Kilek let out a rich laugh.

  “You don’t know the half of it!” He laughed.

  “Well I don’t see anything out of place here.” The guard said, and he handed back the papers to Thunder who divided them back up and returned them. “Please turn in your weapons in the armory just inside the gate.”

  “Thank you,” Kilek said and the party walked inside the city gates.

  “Weapon check! Please turn in your weapons!” A guard called. He caught sight of the party and waved them over.

  “I hate having to turn in my weapons.” Thunder growled.

  “No comfort in the reason why?” Jiit asked.

  “None.” She responded.

  “Ready to check in your weapons?” The guard asked.

  “Indeed,” Kilek said. “How are you organizing them? Is there a security measure against someone taking what isn’t theirs?”

  “We do our best to make sure the descriptions of the people match the descriptions of the weapons they take.” The guard said as he led them toward the dungeon.

  “Why are we heading for the dungeon?” Jiit asked.

  “It’s where we’ve made space to hold your weapons neatly and safely.” The guard said. Leading them into the dungeon and down the steps. Other guards led different guests back from the dungeon to check their weapons as well.

  “Seen a lot of action leading up to the wedding?” Kilek asked. “Bet it’s a real snooze.”

  “I wish it was, but there’s so many cases of theft and with so many people brawls break out fairly often. There’s a break in or two usually due to drunkenness or some type of illegal substance.” The guard said. “Other than that, there’s nothing but preparations for the big day.”

  “Do we know who the suitor is yet?” Mayhema asked. “Has he been sighted?”

  “Not yet, he’ll arrive the night before and then the first time we see him will be at the wedding itself. If you’re lucky enough to get a seat in attending. I doubt most people will what with how many people have shown up.” The guard said with a shrug. “I think it’s all a little crazy, getting married to a man you met only a few months prior? I wouldn’t let my daughter do it.”

  “Nor mine.” Kilek said with a stiff upper lip. They came to the cell where every available space had weapon racks. Even the walls had them nailed into the grout.

  “You’ll take 7b, please show me your weapons before you put them on the rack so I can describe them and add them to your file.” The guard said and pointed to a rack with 7b carved into the side.Mayhem took her trident off her back and held it for the guard to examine. Once he nodded, she placed it gingerly into the rack. Noting the other very interesting weapons on the other racks.

  Thunder took her rapier out and showed it before putting it away as well, Then Jiit with his crossbow and bolts and Kilek last with his dagger. The guard looked at Shaynen and he shrugged.

  “Sorry, I don't carry any weapons. We don’t believe in them. Only the might of our own strength and speed.” He said. The guard looked him up and down and then nodded.

  “Yeah you look like you would be.” He muttered. Mayhem threw an arm over his shoulders to stop him from saying anything.

  “Are we good to go?” She asked instead.

  “One more thing. For those with fangs, claws, and monks. Please keep all natural weapons to yourself. Any resistance or if natural weapons are used in any capacity within the w’alls until the end of the month, those natural weapons will be forcibly removed.” The guard read off a piece paper.

  “Forcibly removed? What does that mean?” Shaynen asked holding his hands close.

  “Claws will be clipped, muzzles will contain fangs, hands will be shackled.” The guard said.

  “Oh, you made it sound like you'd just cut hands off or pull out teeth.” Shaynen said with a sigh of relief.

  “We don't want to do anything permanent, but our security must be tight.” The guard said. “You understand.”

  “Right, of course, “ Kilek said.

  “Okay, we need to step aside and let the others log their gear.” The guard took the party to a blank wall where another group was leaving. “Now when I state your weapon, step forward with your name and I'll make a note of your description.”

  “The trident in iron?”

  “Mine, names Mayhem Feldspar.” Mayhem said, she stepped forward and posed.

  “Very good,” the guard said, hastily scrawling something. “Next, the rapier with the green charm hilt?”

  “I am Thu’undra Sha’haska.” Thunder said as she took Mayhem's place.

  “Right,” the guard nodded. Not breaking pen from paper. “And the crossbows with the strange gears?”

  “Me,” Jiit said. “I am N’jiit Lirvansh.”

  “Okay, got that and lastly the dagger with the inlaid copper?” The guard asked.

  “That would be mine. Kilek Kilack.” Kilek said. The guard stopped writing and looked at him as if he was going to say he was only kidding. But Kilek stayed firm and the guard slowly began writing again.

  “Okay, well. If you will follow me I shall lead you back to the street and you will be free to continue about your business.” The guard said and logged the paper in a envelope and put it in a slot that said 7b and led the party back up.