After relaying the information I learned from Felix and Ove, both Gudrun and Jarl seem hesitant. Over the time between my meeting with Felix and Ove, and the audience with the Valjar, I have cooked dinner for one family. Thanks to Gudrun and Jarl, I was able to learn how to make a more traditional dish to the north here, known as Fårikål. To make fårikål, one need the following:

Lamb

Cabbage

Salt

Peppercorns

Potatoes

Because of this dish, and the size, the couple gave me twelve coins. Therefore, I now have sixty coins.

Emerys would have thought the recipe for fårikål to be quite simplistic, scoffing at it when she first arrived. But then she found the revelation that the dish had seen excess popularity in the winter. Plus, the simplicity of the dish wasn’t lost on her either. Although she could only imagine what a true winter would be like. Of which, she found herself making note of. 

We are nearing the end of the seventh month, and the discussions on winter have made their way to my ears. I have been warned quite a bit, although I am struggling to understand the true intensity as both Jarl and Gudrun do. Traveling in winter, at least according to them, is a massive mistake.

She would think of the rest of the implications for winter later, though, noting the expressions of her companions when she mentioned the thieves.

“I think we need to discuss this with the Valjar,” Gudrun said. “I am not saying such a situation is unrealistic, but I am saying that we do need to be careful, because the mountainous passes are quite intense, even for early August. You have not seen a cold like you would in the mountains.”

“I think we should focus on this trial,” Jarl said. “You have your evidence, right?”

Emerys had, with Zoe’s help, compiled a fair amount of evidence. As it turned out, Zoe was able to discover that a new round of contestants had fought the brothers. When Zoe tracked the contenders afterward, she had reported that they had been charged double, losing at least five hundred copper coins to the brothers. Upon hearing their evidence, the two contestants had agreed to help them testify in court.

The morning before, though, Emerys would find herself face to face with the Valjar himself. The man had a kind smile, brown hair with streaks of grey growing deeper into his hair, and a weary expression in his eyes. Emerys gave a polite greeting, remaining standing in the Valjar’s hall.

“This is no place for a reunion, especially the night before, is it?” the Valjar asked.

“I just wanted to bring a case to your attention before it goes to the assembly,” Emerys suggested.

“Intimidating me into giving what you want is a bad idea, though,” Valjar said.

“You see, I suppose there’s something else I might ask for,” Emerys said.

“I might go to the assembly to prepare,” Valjar said. “I just want to remind you you are still an outsider here. Sir Erlen and Sir Kellan have been in this city for ten years now, and they do draw interest into this city. If you are going to try to prove your case, good luck.”

Emerys left in a huff, feeling anticipatory when she stepped into the assembly. Only this time, such an assembly would be held outside. According to Gudrun, this was to mimic old traditions seen in centuries long past.

This assembly was much bigger than the previous one. Emerys, Zoe, Gudrun and Jarl sat on one side of the clearing. All around the center, people found stones to sit on, while the Valjar blew an ancient horn. The sound echoed through the landscape, reverberating off the distant hills.

It took several disputes between various farmers before the room reached Emerys and her party. Emerys stood, then she gave a long exhale. She had not given a public speech in so long, and it was such to the point where she imagined she were in her siblings’ shoes. Or maybe she could remember an old friend of hers, who had gone into law.

Emerys gripped both sides of the podium tightly. “I am honored to have been a part of this village for the past week, but throughout it, I found myself entwined in a local matter, which does seem to have a stranglehold on visitors who come here.”

Emerys then presented her evidence against him, contesting the fact that the place had not allowed for witnesses. Additionally, she also mentioned the comparison of her archery skills to the results, and the report she had received from the other victims.

“Sir Kellan won the archery competition with thirty points over three shots,” Emerys said. “Although human error is a factor, it should not have been to where I had won like that.”

“And what are you suggesting?” The Valjar asked.

“I am suggesting the fact that we should look into the finances of these brothers,” Emerys said. “How often do they report their earnings from these competitions?”

“I have heard but three five years ago,” Valjar said. “They had been giving their clients money back then.”

Emerys then took a note. “According to my sources, they took five hundred copper coins from these customers.”

The Valjar turned to the brothers. “And what is your defense against such an accusations?”

Sir Erlen gave a scoff. “We helped her, and this is the thanks we got? Pathetic. She’s just desperate to make stories, so that she can win more money from us.”

“I do not want to win more money from the situation,” Emerys said. “I just want to make sure those who had been hurt by such a situation would see some compensation. You see, when I took part in the competition, the detail which lead me to believe such things were a scam was the fact that up until then, there was no disclosure stating that Sir Kellan would be taking part in such a competition. The competition is not advertised to be for those who are of a professional archer’s level, but that of an amateur. I would not have such an issue with these things if it had been advertised as if we were competing against Sir Kellan.” 

“We will move this case forward,” the Valjar said. “While you do make such important claims, I would like to see your ability with archery for myself, and then I would like to see Sir Kellan’s abilities. Both of you will take ten shots with an arrow, for the sake of a rematch. Additionally, we are going look into the brothers’ bank records after the meeting, and the report on the verdict will be sent individually in a letter.”

This time, as Emerys shot her arrows, her progress was decent, but it was still mediocre. With fifty-eight points, she released a long breath. When she finished, she sat down next to Jarl, who gave off no expression. Neither did Gudrun, for that matter.

“Now, Sir Kellan,” the Valjar said. “I would like you to shoot ten rounds.”

Sir Kellan, at first, made to aim for the outer rings, but with the distractions, he moved to the center. At the end, he had fifty-nine points.

“See, it was an even amount of scoring,” he said gruffly.”

The Valjar gave Sir Kellan a harsh look. “Although you could certainly make such a claim, your form was still far more deliberate than hers. Especially with the scoring reports from the other day, you have proved Lady Darosi’s point.”

Although there was a sting of satisfaction, Emerys tried to hide it. She had proven her side of the case. But for what? She wanted justice, yes. But was it really enough?”

Hours later, Emerys and Zoe waited with each other, keeping up their long conversations when a letter came to them. At this point, Emerys trembled as she read it, and then passed it onto Zoe.