A young man standing in front of the hearth in a reputable Inn frowned towards the ruckus created by a group of slightly intoxicated soldiers. He pulled his semi-dry cloak away from the warm fire and headed toward a secluded spot in the common room. His eyes scanned the room for any possible dangers, but aside from tipsy guardsmen, everything seemed as it should.

Ayden smiled at the serving woman who gave him his dinner and collected his money rather brusquely. 'Ah well, it's a busy night.' In fact, in all the times he'd visited the Traveler's Way he'd never seen it so crowded. It was a small, out of the way Inn. It was most well known for its ale, and it was clean and relatively cheap. This made it quite popular with the working class populous of Mírk City, but not this popular.

Tugging his plate closer to him, he tucked into the hot stew. He kept his ears open for news though. He wasn't disappointed.

After polishing off his second bowl of stew he was rewarded for his patience. The rowdy soldiers finally moved on to whatever homes they possessed, and two merchants entered the room. Since the only free table was in Ayden's own undesirable corner they made a straight line to it. Though they weren't talking too loudly, the table was only feet away and, by necessity, they had to speak up to be heard over the minstrel in the opposite corner.

"Well, I say! Good for them!" The speaker was a middle aged woman with the device of the Textile Guild spoke to an older man who wore the device of the Dyer's Guild. 'Partners, then,' he mused. "Those Mental's deserve to get more coming to them than simple removal of their gods forsaken "gifts." Can you actually believe that's what they call it?"

"Now, Meera," her companion began, "you know it's not their fault they're born with it." He made it sound like was a disease.

Ayden frowned down at his hands folded neatly on the table. Although he was well aware of people's opinion on Mind magic - it hadn't changed in the last five hundred years or so. Derision and insults were well ingrained in the populace's mind. For example, the term 'Mental' was used as a word for those who could do magic with their mind, with no outside influence like Straight magic. The term was also synonymous with the insane. Some one who was 'mental' was crazy.

"Don't, 'Now, Meera,' me, Jack!" She exclaimed, her voice rising with her temper. "I feel bad enough as it is without you patronisation!" it's very annoying to have all these mages sniffing where their noses don't belong. Why, just yesterday they came in and took all my apprentices away! I lost a whole day's work so those damn mages could take my pupils to that school of theirs for testing." Her voice grew shrill as her companion tried to get her to shut up.

The young man let his black hair fall forward to hide his smile. It would serve her right if a mage heard her comments and decided to turn her into something nasty. 'Deserve to get more coming to them' indeed! Mental's suffered more than enough as it was. He was jolted out of his vengeful thoughts by the front door banging open, driven by the hungry wind. Another merchant, this one in the Textile Guild as well, fought to close the door. Once that was accomplished he made his way to the other merchants. He dropped his saddle bags on the ground and sat down with as much care as he had shown his well-worn gear.

He spoke with a groan, "Well now. What's got this city in an uproar, and what's got your skirt in a bunch, Meera?"

'Good question,' Ayden thought, 'and I'd like to know the answer more than you.'

"Well, dear," the woman said in a motherly sort of voice, "you know last month that Mental they caught got away before the removed her gift right? Well, it turns out that she specialised in illusions, that's how she got out. They gave up looking for the little wench a few weeks ago, but the dean of the University was mad. To make up for it they're scouring the land for any new Mentals they can find."

The new arrival 'ah-ed' and started to describe his journeys to his companions at their urging. They didn't talk about the city gossip anymore, but they'd already given him plenty to think about.

'Escaped last week? She could be anywhere! And the mages a cracking down on finding Mentals. That's just great!' It explained a lot of things though, like how busy everything was, the increased guards patrolling the city gates this morning when he rode through, and why the city was crawling with mages. Granted, with the largest University for training mages in the city there were always mages around, but today was ridiculous!

He got up with a sigh and headed up the narrow stairs to his room. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.