Only minutes before, the wizard had dropped his backpack at his feet.  From it, he unfolded a large cloth handkerchief onto the stone bench just to his left.  Next to it was a small glass bottle rilled with a rich, sweet smelling red wine, and a dark stone goblet.  In it was a small sourdough loaf, a fat roll of pork sausage, and a small wheel of Eldeliar cheese.<br/><br/>Brock had been peeling away small bites of the loaf, and cutting away thing slices of the meat and cheese to set into it.  He would then place the makeshift hors d'oeuvre into his mouth, and savored it.  Every so often, he would pull a bite of the bread free, and toss it to the goose, who deftly cached it in midair with his beak.<br/><br/>He sized up the man approaching him.  This was not a typical guardsman from the south, but likely a well paid elite soldier.  Still, one could never be too careful.  Brock removed his hat,  revealing his reddish hair streaked with gray.  He stood, and bowed slightly to the clean shaven man.<br/><br/>"I bid you a good morning sir..."  he murmured formally.  He stood back to his full height, and looked at the guardsman directly. "My name is Halaster of Brockterghast, and I have been asked to escort a guest from this gate, to the court of his grace, the count of Vlaira."<br/><br/>He then brushed a stray sourdough crumb from the front of his robe.  Brock then gasped, and quickly moved to stand in between the clean shaven man, and a rather angry, honking, fluttering goose.   "...Please nevermind my companion, he is always a bit fussy in the mornings."<br/><br/>The goose known as Frank hissed in annoyance, trying to get around Brock, to nip at the gaurd's armored feet.<br/><br/>Brock stamped his boots into the ground, making Frank flinch away.  The wizard then shooed the angry fowl back to his side of the road, and his make shift nest.<br/>The goose hissed again, and fluttered his tail in rage.<br/><br/>The wizard puffed out his chest, pointed at it, and then back at the irate goose.  Brock then mouthed the<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bfbfbf">words </span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#0080ff"><i><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#bfbfbf">"Me, and you, birdbrain..."</span></i></span>silently, with angry eyes.  Frank hissed in aggravation, and turned his back to the magician, ignoring him.<br/><br/>Brock then turned to face the gaurd, the scowl miraculously gone and replaced with a pleasant smile.  " If I may kindly ask to see the invitation his grace has sent to your lord or lady?"