The Central Plaza

Her age was hard to determine, Joseph realized as he watched his elven friend erupt with boundless energy into a series of hops and jumps through every puddle visible on the street, splashing water to her heart's content and laughing with joy. Like a child she was, though a little to tall to fit in seamlessly with the group of local youngsters coming on to join her happy dance. The priest smiled softly as he called out to her from a distance brought them by Wild's swift movements chasing down puddles. "Having fun?"

His expression widened as he found that somehow he'd tapped into a subject worth listening to while he spoke of the city and its many offers. The look on her face suggested that the curious little elf was listening to him intently when he told her about the Academy of Magic, particularly. "Indeed there is," he answered her question. "There's a school somewhere for every subject you can imagine being taught to eager students by wise mentors or teachers - why would there not be a school specializing in teaching magic?"

Joseph looked at the child, eyebrows crooked and eyes shining with pure delight upon what he took as Wild's scholarly desire to visit the Academy as the very first thing she would see during her stay here in the White City. "Then you wish to become a student?" he asked, his face starting to feel numb from all the smiling he did. If she truly were going to enroll into the student body, there was the thrilling image on his mind that he might run into her again when he would come searching for reading material to compliment his own courses.

As the girl gestured toward her dirty clothes being the most obvious reason why she was going to look for a tavern, Joseph could do little more than nod. It was easy to see how the girl was suffering from some sort of predicament; and he'd made it his guess already that she didn't have much money to afford tending to her most basic needs. At least not until someone offered her a job.
Alas, the vicar himself was in no position to do so; and so he was merely left addressing an higher power on her behalf; praying to it that Wild would be granted a favorable opportunity. "If you won't mind me coming along for the tavern later, I will cover the cost for us both. No, really I am only doing myself a favor as I haven't had such lively company for weeks."

"Yes, there's a lot of choices, indeed," Joseph agreed. "I am going to pay the Academy a visit myself, as I hope to find some books relating to subjects I have studied for a few years already. First I will visit a temple, however - I always remind myself to thank the gods for any good fortune I had during my journey. Besides it's always a great thing to familiarize oneself with the local deities, gaining their favor, as well as that of their people."

Another smile lit up his face when his young companion spoke of the treasure buried by the rainbow's end.
As a child Joseph had also been told such tales, although he had never once found this treasure - or even just the end of the rainbow itself. Yes, he had tried searching for it many times while growing up, but every time the rainbow taunted him with unspoken promises, only to dissolve when he came too close.
Even so, the happiness written in bold letters upon Wild's eager face was enough reason to convince him to engage in a small adventure like this - after all the worst thing that could happen to them was that they would get to see so much more of the wonderful marbled city. "Of course I will! So, which way is it then?" he replied, allowing her to assume the leading role of their little game.