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“Who is missing?” I asked, quieter than before.
“First, a couple of the stable boys, but I just thought maybe they skipped their duties, until I heard Klaus is also missing. It’s the Bruralians. It has to be! You know Klaus, he’d never miss work. Even if he was on his deathbed,” he finished, getting more agitated the more he spoke.
I tried to calm him before the healer came and kicked me out for upsetting him. That was a serious accusation, but he was right. Klaus would never miss work or skip it. The royal horses were his pride and joy.
“Okay, I believe you. What do you want me to do?”
“Find out as much information as you can and tell Captain Marcus. He’ll know what to do.”
Grabbing a cool rag from the bedside table, I gently wiped his skin. His hair was damp and sticking to his forehead, and he seemed to be tiring fast. Looking at him in that state reminded me of when we were kids and he’d fallen ill. I’d always cared for him alongside his mother, then when she died, I took on the responsibility.
Epione appeared beside me then, and gently moved me aside to take over his care. I watched her hands as they tenderly tended to my cousin, and he drifted off to sleep again.
“Don’t worry, sleep is good for him right now. His body needs to rest and heal,” she offered, reading my worry for him accurately. Will was my family and I loved him fiercely. I’d do whatever I needed to keep him safe.
I relented, grateful that he was in good hands. Just like his mother’s. My gaze followed Epione’s movements while I mulled over what Will told me.
“You know, there is someone who might be able to help you…” Epione offered, almost too quietly for me to hear.
“Pardon?”
“Keep your voice down,” she warned, and I glanced at her, confused. “I have a… friend, who knows quite a bit about the Bruralians and may be able to offer some insight.”
I grew more alarmed with every word she spoke, forgetting to forewarn my face not to show it.
“You didn’t talk very quietly,” she explained, unapologetically.
“What kind of insight could they offer?” I asked, warily.
“The kind that could save your life.”
The alleyway was cramped and smelled strongly of urine. I covered my nose with my cloak to help alleviate the stench so I wouldn’t gag, but the further I trekked, the stronger the smell became. Silently, I cursed Epione for sending me here. I should have asked more questions, but the thought of learning more about the Bruralians made me reckless.
Epione's instructions were to find her grandson, John, once I did, I could ask him questions and he’d enlighten me. I’d thrown on my cloak and left the castle immediately, giving strict instructions that no one was to see Will, not without me there. She’d agreed and promised not to leave him alone either.
The Bruralians were the reason he was in that state. I just had to prove it. I was sure by now they’d either noticed their hastily buried body was missing, or they’d heard of how I’d dragged my cousin's lifeless body five miles. Soldiers gossiped. It wouldn’t take a genius Bruralian to realize that the two incidents were related. Now I needed to get ahead of them, figure out what they were planning, protect Will, and everyone else.
Epione’s grandson hadn’t been home, but a neighbor told me I could find him at a tavern east of the main gate. The area was where the poorer people lived, and judging by the conditions, no one bothered to clean the streets or alleyways. I made a mental note to mention these conditions to someone. Surely the King cared about all of his subjects and would remedy it immediately.
The Pig’s Toe was a dirty tavern that sold watered down beer, served mushy vegetable stew, and smelled almost as wretched as the alley out front. I kept the hood of my cloak up, doing my best to hide my unique hair color. Anyone sober would know I was a woman out of her element, but not knowing my hair color would make identifying me more difficult.
I picked the cleanest table to sit at and ordered some stew. While the barmaid went to fulfill my order, I looked around at the room, trying to pinpoint who could be Epione’s grandson. The room was mostly empty, not many people went to taverns in the early afternoon, and those that did, either worked there or were drunk from the previous night.
“Excuse me. I’m looking for a man named John,” I asked when the barmaid delivered my severely overcooked stew.
“Going to have to be more specific, love,” she responded coolly, wiping her hands on her badly stained canvas apron.
“Uh, his grandmother sent me,” I replied, as a means of explanation.
“There’s six men in here named John.” She glanced around at the patrons.
“She’s a healer.” I didn’t want to give too much away because someone could easily follow my steps and end up here.
“Aye, you mean Little John, he's out back, sleeping off last night.” Her grin revealed a missing tooth before she gestured to the back of the building, and presumably, where I would find this Little John.
I took my time eating the stew, and managed to stomach most of it, but mushy vegetables weren't something I liked normally. I’d been spoiled by castle food. After being pointed in the right direction, the least I could do was eat the food I’d ordered. Once I had sat there for a normal amount of time, I threw down some coins, more than enough for the slop and information. Standing, I made a show of adjusting my cloak around me before I headed for the door.
Once outside, I breathed a sigh of relief then instantly regretted it. The cooling day didn’t diminish the wretched scent. My hand covered my face again, and I made my way around the building, pausing every so often to make sure I wasn’t being followed. No one did, and I felt a bit silly for being so paranoid, but the situation was dangerous. A bit of paranoia never hurt anyone.
