Having took a look at the crowd gathered at the entrance of the castle, Brand had decided to slip inside through the servants entrance, nodding to the guards posted there.  It wasn't that he was opposed to dealing with the fame associated with being a Hero, and sometimes he would mingle with the populace when not pre-occupied with an important task, but he had just recently underwent a trip through the Bowerstone sewer system and judging by the way the guards tried to not crinkle their noses in disgust, Brand was smelling a bit ripe.  The request to retrieve a lost child from some Hobbs had been rather last minute, and taking the time to take a shower and retrieve a fresh pair of clothing would have made him late for the meeting.  As such, Brand hoped that Hobson would be able to provide him with some rose water or perfume to freshen him up a bit, to make him more bearable during the meeting.  It was either that or stand in a corner of the room, far away from the others.<br/><br/>Oh, that and a new pair of boots.  Foul things were crusted onto the ones he was wearing and he hadn't been able to scrape everything off.<br/><br/>Making his way through the castle, careful not to leave any tracks and being guided by the staff (at a respectable distance), Brand made his way into the entrance, peeking outside to see the crowd again.  It may have been his imagination but it seemed to be bigger.  Turning to Hobson, Brand smiled and nodded respectfully.<br/>"Hobson, I'd shake your hand except I know where it's been.  If you could provide me with a way to quickly freshen myself so that I no longer smell like the sum total of urban living, that would be most appreciated."