Rather than going to sleep, I spent the night talking to Zoe in the commonspace of the hotel. The two of us connected on a lot of things. Although there are a few key differences. In her world, astrologers aren’t so common, but herbalists are.

The husbands, Ove and Felix, welcomed Emerys into their house. Emerys paused, her stomach clenching from the nerves. Ove had a broad frame, a tall stature, and a blond beard which was long, but well-kempt at the same time. Meanwhile, Felix barely matched Emerys in height. The two men had a polite disposition about them as Emerys stepped inside.

“Listen,” Emerys said. “I can make another meal for hire, but I kind of had some other questions in mind all the same. About Sir Erlen and Sir Kellan, and I was wondering if either of you would have any leads.”

“Is this about the competition?” Ove asked.

“We should have warned you,” Felix said. He gave Emerys a sympathetic look.

“I actually feel like I scammed them,” Emerys said. “Although I’m certain the truth is far more sinister than that.”

“Listen, the hall is no place for a meeting,” Ove said. “Perhaps we can treat you to some tea before you tell us the full story?”

Once she sat down, she grabbed a tin cup full of birch tea. Upon grabbing the small cup in both hands, she realized the trembling within her fingers and arms. She looked up at Ove, gave a quiet thank you, and then took a long draft of tea before she told her story.

“I know it sounds odd,” Emerys said. “But my stomach won’t stop gnawing at me. Not until I at least try to resolve this. And I want to know what you know, so that I can report them to the authorities.”

“And how do you plan to do that?” Ove asked. “Our next assembly is in two days, so you’re not too far off.”

“I don’t want to call for a fraudulent trial, no,” Emerys said. “But if there are any illegal activities going on, chances are they wouldn’t be paying the government. Because if there’s one thing that goes with earning money illegally, it’s hoarding all of it for yourself. What sort of day job do they claim to have?”

A long pause lingered between the group as both Ove and Felix cast long glances at each other. Between the twinkle in each others’ eyes, and then the serious expression a moment later, Emerys found herself guessing what they had been talking about.

“Lady Darosi, is it?” Ove asked. “Everyone in the city knows Sir Erlen and Sir Kellan to be fraudulent. But there’s a lot of money behind it, and not a lot of proof.”

“Are there any places where you can at least report suspicion?” Emerys turned back to her tea, dreading the answer.

“The local Valjar might have something,” Felix said. “He lives just up the street from here. Just make sure you make a proper, well thought-out claim.”

Emerys gave a brief nod. “Thank you for your time. I think that, for right now, I need to keep going.”

“I think there’s something else you should know,” Felix said. “You are heading up to the king to apply for citizenship, are you not? Because that’s something we will warn you about.”

“What’s going on?” Emerys finished off her tea.

“There’s a group of political vigilantes looking to rob people for personal gain,” Felix said. “As a way of discouraging people from meeting the real king. In other words, there have been quite a few efforts to cut off the king’s supplies and communications. Nevertheless. Although there are chances it will be dangerous as well, there’s another path which is much, much longer. But it’s less traveled because the terrain, and the travel is more complicated–especially when you will find yourself in one of the neighboring kingdoms.”

“For you, you have a chance of finding your way to the neighboring kingdom, especially if you are from another world and promise to meet with their universities,” Ove said. “At least, those are the rumors from some of the merchants in my shipyard. Someone who bought a ship last week brought such a message in when they stopped at the local tavern.”

“Thank you,” Emerys said. “I suppose I should talk to my group mates, offer to at least try and make one or two other meals for the two of you should you have the money for it, and work with another contestant to try and get a solid testimony to the Valjar.”

When she found the Inn commonspace once more, Zoe waited on one of the couches. She gave a flippant wave. “You’re back finally.”

“I have a lot of news,” Emerys said. “Although it’s likely rather late for the two of them.”

“Oh, they went to bed a while ago.”

“Well, that just leaves the two of us, then.”

The two women compared notes with each other from their long day of work. Zoe, although she had looked into the local legal systems, had yet to find too much. But what she had found came from a young family. And according to her, their son was likely no older than two.

When Zoe finished her stories, Emery relayed the information she’d found, finishing with a somewhat bitter comment. “It would be interesting to go to a university once more. I suppose I might need to learn a new language, then?”

“Last I checked, I don’t think so,” Zoe said. “All of the major universities, at least from what I hear, have pushed for a treaty so that they can research the issues relating to the disappearances and reappearances of the average common person. Furthermore, and this is how I came here many years ago, but when the universities are researching something–be it political, scientific, or otherwise, there often ways into a country surrounding such options.”

“I hope that makes things somewhat easier, then,” Emerys said.

Emerys sat back, spending a long moment in silence. The flickering fire had reduced to embers a while ago, although an occasional crackle broke the monotonous patterns. She wanted to find some mead, but at that point, she had made a note to herself to conserve her money instead.

I did not part with my money so easily tonight. But I think I have such a way to try and find Jarl’s son as well. If anyone will have a clue as to where to start looking for him, hopefully it will be the university offices.