Daniel Breaton

The guards ignored the man's blatant offense as they quickly turned around. The doors to the Coin Guard closed with a loud slam behind them, but Adrian had already turned to the man in pain before they even began to move. The man turned his gaze to Adrian. Then, as if he was trying to assure him, the man gave Adrian a quick grin.

"It was nothing, don't worry about it," the man sighed. He straightened his posture, but quickly winced before he leaned forward once more, "Damnit! Those stairs are more lethal than they look."

"I think you should sit down," Adrian chuckled as he turned to the stairs. The man nodded, then slowly planted himself onto the stairs he had just been thrown onto. As the man made himself comfortable- which seemed to prove a challenge- Adrian looked to the closed doors of the Coin Guard, "Did something happen?"

"No, it's nothing that serious. Are you here to join the Coin Guard?" The man asked. Adrian slowly nodded, which caused a laugh of amusement from the man, "I would be careful. This branch won't accept anybody who can't fight. I don't make that list, unfortunately. My people are expert tinkerers, not fighters. When I realized that they wouldn't let me in, I threw a fit, that's all."

"They kicked you out because you can't fight?" Adrian wondered with disbelief. He looked to Amber, who then turned back to the man.

"Tinkerers?" Amber questioned. The man pointed to his suit.

"It is the custom of the Breaton family- my people- to dress this way. Our home is in the center of Solarum, where craftsmen are appreciated and welcomed. There, you'll find many people dressing in the same way, so it isn't unusual. This border city doesn't have that same appreciation, as scummy as it is," The man explained. He pointed his thumb to the door behind him, "I wouldn't try my luck if I were you. They'll just deny you, as well."

The man slowly stood up, wincing as he did so, then turned back to Adrian. He held out his hand and Adrian clasped it.

'Greeting of a warrior, my ass,' Adrian thought to himself as he remembered the Chieftain from the day prior, 'The handshake is universal.'

"My name is Daniel Breaton," The man said with a smile as the handshake between the two of them relaxed. Adrian nodded as he brought his hand back to his hip, then turned to Amber.

"This is Amber. I am Adrian," he introduced. Amber nodded as her name was mentioned, but didn't otherwise give her greetings, "We were hoping to join the Coin Guard today, but what you've said has made me nervous."

"Well, nothing is stopping you from trying to join," Daniel said as he put his hands to his hips, "but you'd have more luck if you moved closer to the capital. Just because one branch denies you doesn't mean you aren't allowed into another."

"Thank you for the advice, Daniel," Adrian replied. Daniel nodded, then began to walk away. He only managed to take two steps before he froze and turned back to Adrian.

"In the next few days, I will be traveling out of the city- toward the capital- with the rest of my group's caravan. If you are interested in coming with me, you can find me at the Blue Mimic until I leave. I will be sure to keep a couple of spots in the caravan open to you. Consider it my repayment for your kind behavior to me. Most people would have only stared in disgust while I pulled myself away from the dirt," Daniel said. Then, he bowed his head, "Farewell."

A few minutes after Adrian and Amber entered the Coin Guard Headquarters, they walked to the offices for recruits. There, they were faced with almost a dozen desks each located behind a small cubicle facing one of the walls. There were four receptionists on each wall except for the one which held the door- for there were two there. 

The office was surprisingly empty. Almost all of the cubicles were empty save for three located along the wall opposite them. Adrian and Amber quickly walked up to the only open cubicle and then waited patiently.

The receptionist, an elderly lady with a sagging frown noticed them instantly. She gave what could only be described as a sneer before she turned her chair to face Adrian directly.

"Do you wish to join the Coin Guard? If so, what experience do you have?" The elderly lady asked. She pulled two sheets of paper from a compartment near her hands, then began to lay them flat against the desk.

"Uh, we're both level one," Adrian answered. The woman immediately froze, then sighed and looked up at Adrian.

"You and your... sister... are both too weak. We do not tolerate weakness at this branch," The elderly lady growled, "yet, you have still chosen to waste my time. Leave and return when you've grown a pair of balls."

As Daniel had told them, the Coin Guard immediately denied them the moment they realized both Adrian and Amber hadn't even reached level two. The rejection didn't come as a shock thanks to the dark-skinned man, but it still wasn't easy to swallow.

"That only leaves one option," Amber muttered as she sat down. The two of them were back in the Blue Mimic, but they were now in Adrian's room. Amber was seated on the bed while Adrian paced around the room, "We'll have to hunt monsters in the forest, then sell their carcasses to anybody who needs them. Alchemists, mages, or even whackjobs with a stuffed head collection."

Adrian continued to pace back and forth as he remained silent. His mind was once again working for a solution, but he was scarily out of options. Their go-to occupation had denied them, leaving only the occupation of a hunter. It was dangerous work- more so because Adrian and Amber were completely unprepared. Not only did neither of them have any armor or weapons- but they hadn't even learned how to cast spells yet.

"We'll have to become hunters," Amber sighed. Adrian froze, then turned to Amber.

'Have to?' Adrian thought to himself. His memory of their conversation with the Captain flashed through his mind. He began to pace through the room once more- but this time his attention was focused elsewhere, 'Out of necessity.'

"No, we won't be," Adrian declared. He turned to Amber and stopped his pacing, "Daniel offered us a passenger seat in his caravan. Our plan to join the Coin Guard doesn't necessarily need to change. We only have to travel with Daniel, to a city that would accept us despite our low level."

"He leaves in three days. We don't even have enough to pay for the room's rent tonight. Once the sun sets, we'll have to find another way to spend the night," Amber wondered. For a moment, she appeared lost in thought. Instantly, she looked back at Adrian, "Out of necessity?"

"Out of necessity," Adrian nodded.