A small orphan girl brought her water in a dented metal cup.

"Thank you," said Els sweetly.

The little girl curtsied and stepped back. Els was the only one who was seated, Arthur was still standing by the door looking as if he couldn't decide whether or not he should storm out the door. His sister had left them alone in the main hall.

"So you have a sister," said Els breaking the silence.

"And a mother and a father, like most people," replied Arthur.

Els sunk back into her chair happy to be off her feet. Marianne pushed through the door, "Sit down Arthur, your making me anxious."

Arthur grunted shrugged the bag off his back to lean on the wall.

"Still as stubborn as ever," said Marianne as she sat down opposite Els. "I can believe someone so pleasant would willingly follow Arthur anywhere. Are you a bodyguard again brother."

"In a way," said Arthur.

"He's helping me with a task," said Els.

"A task," said Marianne with a raised eyebrow.

Arthurs' sister was wearing a long black gown with a tight white hood. Els thought it a pity if she was anything like her brother she would have thick blond hair, she imagined it would looked good paired with her shining green eyes.

"So you need somewhere to stay again then," asked Marianne

"Yes," said Arthur.

Els saw the side of her mouth twitch, threatening to form a smile. "And will you be able to pay this time?"

"I will," said Arthur.

Els sipped on the water trying to dislodge the solid lump of tension in her throat.

I've had a strained relationship with my family for years but it was never this openly hostile

Arthur's fits were in tight balls as he glared at his sister. And she laughed.

"No need to look so strained brother, I've never turned you down before and I don't plan on starting now, your friend can have her own quarters but you will be in the common room," said Marianne. She turned to Els and took her hand as she stood, "Come with me dear I'll take you to your room, carry her bag will you Arthur," she smiled as they walked arm and arm through the stone corridors of the Maven orphanage.

They walked passed crowds of fleeing children being chased by stern governesses. Els heard Arthur muttering curses under his breath as he carried both their bags through the tight hallways.

"Here we are," said Marianne throwing open a thick wooden door.

Els peered into the small room and cringed at the thin lumpy mattress.

Better than the ground at least she thought untangling herself from Arthurs' sister and sitting on the bed. A small window let some sunlight into the dusty room.

"Does the window open," asked Els looking at her fingers, black from the dust.

"No," said Marianne. "Come now brother time to get to your usual spot with the children."

"You stay in the same room with children," laughed Els.

"It's the only place I'll let him stay, they all get a kick out of his stories," said Marianne as she stalked off.

"We'll talk later," said Arthur before disappearing after her, closing the door as he left.

Els pulled her boots off and massaged her feet, How do people march like this every day for weeks?

She was gingerly touching her painful blisters and her mind drifted back to the books. Arthur hadn't let her pack any from the collection she had packed for the capitol. Els reached into her doublet and pulled out a handful of folded pages. They were the only pages that went into detail about the theorised powers of the old natives. The scholars thought that because of the impossible engineering they must have been able to transmute solid rock into liquid and allow it to flow into complex shapes before converting it back to rock. Els felt fresh disappointment as nothing in the pages came close to the idea of creating giant monsters. Her sword and pistol were resting on a chest of drawers, Els picked up the flintlock and checked it wasn't loaded. She lifted it to her eye and pointed it around the room. The weight felt good in her hand as she pulled back the hammer and pulled the trigger.

"Boom," said Els imagining a possessed exploding in front of her.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Have you ever fired one of those," asked Arthur.

She nearly dropped the pistol in shock. "Arthur, back so soon."

"I thought we needed to talk about what happens next."

Els sat back down on her bed. "Well, we need to get into the University and speak directly to the people who wrote those books."

"Of course, but they don't just let anyone into those places."

"I'm a Weimaer they will have to let me in," said Els.

"Have you forgotten we are on the run from your Father, any word of a Weimaer in Maven and the local guard will have us in irons and send us back off to your father," said Arthur.

"Alright then we need a different way to get in. We can bribe them," said Els.

"I doubt we have enough money for that."

"Then we sneak in."

"Those places tend to be well guarded."

"Well maybe instead of shutting down my ideas maybe come up with a few of your own," spat Els rolling to lie down on her back.

"I think we should go to the university, watch it for the day and see what happens," said Arthur.

"Loiter around the most famous University in the Southlands, that hardly sounds like a plan."

"It isn't but knowing more about the place will only make planning easier."

Els couldn't argue with the logic but felt impatient, We don't have time for this, more of those things could be bearing down on us right now.

"For something like this, we need to be patient."

"And I think we need to be more worried about giant monsters tearing us to pieces."

Arthur shook his head, "We won't decide anything tonight, think about it Els and we'll talk again when you've seen sense." He closed the door a little bit too hard when he left.

Els closed her eyes and drifted off into a fitful sleep.

Els found herself sitting at a long dinner table surrounded by screaming children. The morning light had roused Els from her sleep and Marianne had banged on her door shouting at her that breakfast was served. Els picked the seat closest at sat down rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She looked around for Arthur but couldn't see him anywhere until she heard a collective scream from the children.

"Arthur!"

She turned to see Arthur standing with children hanging off his every limb. He moved stiffly with giggling children trying to pull him to a stop.

"Arthur! Arthur! Did I get stronger," shouted one young boy.

"I got taller Arthur," shouted another.

"You've all grown now let me sit down," he roared and gently shook all the children into a pile on the floor.

Marianne came in and had stern words with both Arthur and the children who all sat down quietly. "You're popular with the children," said Els.

"I stayed here a lot back when I was a mercenary," said Arthur between mouthfuls.

"More than that Arthur brought most of these orphans here," said Marianne from the head of the table.

"Really," asked Els looking at Arthur.

"War leaves widows and orphans in abundance."

"And my brother scoops them up and brings them here, always the soft touch," Marianne smiled at Arthur who glared back at her.

"Lets hurry up Els we have somewhere we need to be."

"Oh and where would that be?" Asked Marianne.

"Nowhere interesting," said Els.

"Hmmm. You better not be doing anything improper with the nice Lady Arthur,"

The older children giggled.

Arthur stood up and rubbed his face with a cloth. Els followed suit and they both left the laughing Marianne behind.

"Ignore my sister, she has always revelled in causing me trouble," said Arthur.

"I remember bickering with my own sister in the same way," said Els.

Arthur nodded and pulled his sword belt on. "Get your things and let's go."

The inner city of Maven was much more refreshing than the old town. At the centre of the city was the famous Maven Harbour. It was the largest in the High Kingdom and one of the largest in the world. A huge rectangle had been dug into the city with a large circle dug on top before being filled with water. The bulk of the High Prince's navy was docked in the ring, massive industries had been built around supplying these ships with cannon and powder. Occasionally Els could smell the tang of chemicals and the ringing of hammers on iron. Arthur stopped abruptly, Els slammed into his back.

"What's wrong Arthur," she asked.

"Over there look behind the pillars," Arthur nodded his head in the direction of a large white marble building.

Els spotted three men standing on the steps their chin jutted forward scanning the crowds.

"They're looking for someone," said Els.

"And that someone might be us," said Arthur.

"There will be more of them, all over the city, we need disguises cloaks with hoods," said Els.

"No that's too noticeable."

"Come on then let's find something." Els pulled him away from the busy street and into a local market.

Shop fronts extended out into the square, small wooden stalls had been erected in the centre. Els stopped at the largest shop front and looked through the assorted clothes left in piles on wooden tables.

"Nothing too richly decorated it makes us stand out," said Arthur.

"And we can't afford it,"

Els picked up a short half cape. "How about this," she said pulling it around her shoulders.

"We need something to cover our faces," said Arthur fingering some festival masks.

"I think these would be better for that," said Els pulling a pair of large floppy hats off a pile.

Els left the market wearing a hat which covered her hair and obscured her face, with a half cape which covered the left side of her body and hid her pistol and sword from view. Arthur had chosen a smaller-brimmed hat with a large feather extending from the side. They looked like night and day with Els wrapped in light colours and Arthur covered head to toe in black.

"Hopefully less conspicuous now," said Els.

They took the longest route to get to Farset university, Arthur said it was for the best to avoid the main roads. Els could see why these were not popular routes through the city, the gutters overflowed with human waste. Rats scuttled into drains at every corner and unidentifiable bones lay in scattered piles. She looked up and saw a massive building tower above them. It was built in a modern style with dominating towers watched over by statues of mythical creatures.

"This is it," said Arthur.

"Where's the front gate," asked Els.

"This way."

They skirted around a high wall topped with iron spikes.

"Well defended, what are they afraid of," Els wondered as they walked.

"Vicious students maybe," said Arthur.

They arrived at the wide courtyard which sat in front of the thick iron gates of the university's' entrance. They saw crowds gathered in front of the gates. A bell rang from within the University and from within the ground dozens of black cloaks marched solemnly by. Arthur and Els pushed their way to the front of the crowd.

"You there what's happening in there," Els asked one of the people stood looking through the gate.

"The University's' in mourning, the Chancellor Rigny has died".

"What are they doing in the courtyard."

"Voting on his replacement, the result should come in tomorrow, there be a feast out here for the city in his honour."

Els raised her eye, "Arthur I might have found us a way in."