Anna heads to the bureau.

Snaking her way through the crowded street Anna was getting nervous. She wasn't expecting to do this so soon. Deepcleft was famous for being quite resistant to new residents; the Duke and Duchess wanted to keep everyone in their control. But, with the paper clutched in her hand, she felt more confident that this was going to work.

The bureau was in High Town, where the spires of the city's official buildings and temples dominated the view. The palace of the Duke and Duchess was only rivaled in size by a large temple. The temple had to be a recent addition, as Anna couldn't remember it from her childhood memories. It was stern and modern, with great stained glass windows and statues of women in long robes adorning the sides. A sign highlighted the temple to be dedicated to Innocata, the Goddess of Purity and Devotion. It made Anna raise an eyebrow to see such a massive building for a minor god, especially one who was dedicated to purity, the city was about as far from pure as possible.

Hastily passing by the imposing arches of the temple Anna came to the citizens bureau, an austere building with pale stone walls which contrasted the dark stone of most of the rest of the city. Climbing the stone steps Anna approached the heavy wood and iron main door. It looked locked and closed. A man in administrative looking robes bustled past her and opened a smaller door set into the two large ornate doors.

Following the man Anna entered a busy room. Clerks of various ranks bustled around and orderly though everything seemed there was a strong sense that everyone had more to do than they could manage.

Anna approached the central circular desk. A stern female secretary sat pouring over paperwork. She didn't look up.

"Er excuse me." Anna said tentatively.

"You are excused." Came the woman's curt reply.

Anna waited for her to continue but when she clearly wasn't going to say anything further said, "Maam I'm hear to make an application to be a citizen here, I am a refugee from the Orc clan's assaults and have papers proving my family connections to the city."

The woman offer her hand and Anna passed over the papers. She read them slowly, pausing on every detail. Anna shifted her weight from one foot to the other nervously.

Almost as though she was dissapointed by the fact the woman said, "That all seems to be in order. Here, head to this office, the clerk there will progress your claim," She scrawled directions onto a piece of paper.

With a sigh of relief Anna thanked the woman and headed out of the room into the dimly lit windowless corridors of the citizen's bureau. The directions took her up a set of stairs to the second floor and round a corner until she came to a door with the words 'Assistant Resident Clerk James T. Morgan'. Anna knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Came the voice from inside.

Anna opened the door to reveal a cramped office and a plump, middle aged clerk with a fading hair line.

"Well hello my darling, what gives me the pleasure of meeting you?"

"Hello sir, I'm here to make an application of residence." She repeated the explanation she'd given to the receptionist.

"Oh you poor thing. Leta see those papers shall we." Anna handed him the papers, which he barely glanced at. "My name is James, here, I'm afraid there are a number of forms you need to fill in." He said, placing a stack of papers in front of Anna.

The next hour or so was spent filling out the forms. James was cheerful and eager to listen to her stories. Anna couldn't help but notice how his eyes lingered on her cleavage. Still he was helpful enough and finally she signed the last page and put down the quill.

"Wonderful, now this should take about 4 to 5 working weeks to be processed and you should be a citizen."

Anna's anxiety rose. She hadn't thought it would take that long. She only had a month to prove to the guards that she was allowed to be in the city.

"Is there no way at all to speed up the process?"

"I'm afraid not my darling."

Frustrated Anna thanked the man and left the office. She would have to do something, she needed a plan.