That's a bad habit a' yours

“So, that piece of parchment… what is it again?” I asked in a hushed voice, as Alice and I made our way down the central street of the commercial district. Alice was once again wearing a cloak that hid her face and characteristic Edelweiss hair.

“I looked it over it only briefly befor, but it appeared to be a bill of sale for a grate number of slaves. þree hundred, in fact.”

“Right, I think you said that when we was there. But tha’s a lotta people to move all at once. How can they deliver that many? That’s a logistical nightmare, innit?”

“One would ekspect so, þough þere are ways þat such a number of people may be moved at once. þe bill of sale may give a clue as to þe delivery meþod, þough þis be’þ not þe plase to see. I will keep it hidden until þe eve, when we may retreat someware away from prying yse.”

“Yeah, that’s prob'ly for the best.”

The whole town seemed to be on high alert after yesterday. Even on the busy streets of the commercial district, there was an element of fear in the expressions of those around us. No one trusted anyone. They knew the murderers were likely among them somewhere. It was the absolute worst conditions to be doing something suspicious like reading over stolen paperwork in public.

Though we gave it a wide berth, we walked past the church on our way round the town. The priest from before was out front, talking to a group of commoners by the looks of it. Unfortunately, we weren’t close enough to actually hear what he was saying.

“Blast, we cannot carry out Eleanor’s rekwest from þis distanse,” Alice whispered in frustration. “I will attempt to get clos-“

“Wait,” I stopped her. “They’re gonna be on the lookout for suspicious people. A lone lady in a big 'ood like that is gonna ring alarm bells, and we can’t risk ‘em seein’ that hair a’ yours. 'ang around somewhere less suspicious, I’ll do the listening in, yeah?”

“Bu-“

“No buts. You’re the one at the most risk here, and the one we can least afford to lose. Please, just lemme handle this, alright?”

She seemed hesitant to accept my terms, though

I had expected that. Her quest for independence seemed to have made her want to carry every burden herself, not completely relying on others unless she had no other choice. I just hoped she realised that this was one of those instances.

“I… shall relent. But please, keep þyself safe. An oþerworlder such as þee is shure to be seen as a suspishos person if cautt eavesdropping. I wish not to see þee troubled at my behest.”

“That’s a bad habit a’ yours, y’know. Assuming everyfin's your fault. I’m volunteerin’ meself ‘cause it’s the best option for what I want, nuffin’ else to it. Just trust me on this one, wi' ya?”

“…I trust þee, of course. I will keep myself out of þy way.”

We continued a little further down the street before splitting off. Alice turned left, away from the church, and down a secluded side alley that was devoid of other people. I turned right down a wider side street, passing shops along the way. I then turned right down a narrower area, bringing my closer to the church while remaining out of sight.

“-ese are þe names we yet have reason to suspect for involvement in þis plot,” came the voice of the priest. He then listed a few names I had never heard, primarily family and friends of Alces, before he finally mentioned a name that caught my attention. “We also have reason to believe þat one Eleanor Azalea, of Azalea smiþy, may haþ motive. She and one of þe sinners, Elis Amaranþus, are noen to be good frends from childhood. Furþermor, her smiþy was reportedly closed for much of yesterday wiþ little eksplanæshon.”

“Be it so suspishous to close on a Sunday, faþer?” Asked one of the voices surrounding the priest.

“Ye wouldst be ryte to ask. Aye, ‘tis þe word of þe Gods þat sunday be'þ a day of rest, but patrons of Azalea smiþy have clamed þat it rarely closes at all. Of course, þis tenet is one not enforced by church or state, but blatant disregard for þe words of þe Scripts is reason enuff alone to find suspishon in her. Her personal connekshon to þe insident only furþer proves she may have been involved.”

“Well, what can be ekspected from a woman in a man’s trade. She must alreddy haþ a sickness in her brane.”

“Aye, for a woman to act as a man, perhaps she too has vyle proclivities as þose of þe escapees. She be'þ a person of suspicion, no doutt.”

I felt a pit in my stomach. Eleanor had said she was somewhat worried about being implicated, but this was worse than I had anticipated.

“þe smiþ be'þ þe easiest to fynd amongst þe names, it appeareþ þat she rarely leaveþ her smiþy when possible. Hers will be þe first ‘visit’ we shall conduct,” the priest said, and my stomach dropped even further. Only to be worsened immediately by his next words: “þe last name on þe list is þat of þe lady Alice Elizabeþ Edelweiss.”

My blood ran cold. They were suspecting Alice, too? The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind, but now it was terrifyingly real.

“þe young lady Edelweiss? I had herd she perished after a street skirmish,” said one of the men.

“She was gravely wounded, no dautt. But no corpse was ever seen, nor a deaþ confirmed. We’ve as much reason to suspect her alyve as we have to believe she be'þ dead. And wiþ þis ridiculous crusade she haþ apparently embarked upon, þis attack would fit her modus operandi. If þe lady remaineþ alyve, I’ve little dautt þese deaþs were orkestrated by her.”

I was mortified. This bastard priest… it’s like he’d seen through it all. He suspected Arthur instantly, now he correctly guessed Eleanor’s involvement and even the survival of Alice. Things were about to go tits up if I couldn’t think of a solution.

“Wiþ þat, every suspect haþ been named. Let us prepare ourselves, we will reconvene here in ten minutes and conduct our kweschening of Ms Azalea. For þe moment, ye art dismissed.”

Ten minutes. That’s all the headstart I was gonna get.

I had to fix this.