Reg opened the door to the room at the end of the corridor on the second floor and let Logan in.

“Who are you?” Anatoli demanded. He stood, sword in hand.

“That woman stole my sword,” Logan said, pointing to Ingirid whimpering in the corner of the room.

“This is not my half-brother,” Anatoli growled.

“I am sorry, my love,” Ingirid pleaded. “He was with the elf at the table when I arrived at the Whole Hog.”

“The elf? You wanted the sword of the guy who is with the elf?” Logan asked.

“There is only one elf at the Whole Hog?” Anatoli said, turning to face Logan.

“As far as I know,” Logan said. “I just want my sword back.”

“He didn’t pay for last night,” whimpered Ingirid.

“I didn’t know I had to pay for last night.”

“Here.” Anatoli placed the sword into Logan’s hand. “I will deduct last night from her salary.”

“You can’t do that!” Ingirid said. She stood on the bed and stepped towards Anatoli and Logan.

“I give the orders here!” Anatoli shouted and backhanded Ingirid.

Ingirid fell back onto the bed with a loud slap of flesh hitting flesh.

“I will be going now,” Logan said.

“I am sorry for the mix-up.”

Logan turned and stepped out the door.

Reg closed the door behind him.

Logan walked quickly down the corridor and made his way out of the brothel. At the door, he turned back to Reg.

“How do you work for that guy?” Logan asked.

“He pays well, and this is the first time I have seen him mad,” Reg said.

“That sounded like a lover’s quarrel.”

Reg smiled. “It did at that.”

“I would not want to be on his bad side,” Logan said as he stepped out of the brothel.

***

Anatoli sat on the desk chair and looked at the unconscious Ingirid on the bed. What have I done? I have hurt her … she didn’t get the right sword … she slept with that guy … What am I becoming?

Ingirid stirred, and he made his way to the bedside.

He took her hand and helped her up. A purple bruise was forming on her right cheek to match the black one over her left eye.

She stood and walked out of the room.

“The deduction still stands,” Anatoli said.

“Very good,” she muttered as she closed the door behind her.

***

A tear streaked down Ingirid’s face and she walked back down the corridor, entering the second door. The room was festooned with a red silk drapery around the room. In the centre of the room was a large, neatly made bed. She closed the door and went to the corner of the room where she pushed aside the silk drapery. Behind was a small desk with a couple of framed pictures of Ingirid and a younger girl. They were both dressed in matching shirts and knee-length skirts and the younger girl was smiling.

She sat on the chair and picked up the picture. Tears came to her eyes and she let them fall. She shivered with cold and wiped the tears away and stood. Beside the desk was a small set of three drawers. She pulled open the middle one and pulled out a blue dressing gown. She put it on and tied it tight.

***

Logan arrived at the Whole Hog; his sword now safely attached to his hip. His stomach growled, as he stepped into the tavern. He spotted Aquillia sitting at a table with three other people—one a woman and two men. She has a lot of friends, it’s any wonder that woman got mistaken. I wonder which man’s sword he wanted.

Aquillia spotted Logan walking into the tavern and waved him over. He walked across the common room and stood next to Aquillia.

“Guys, this is my friend Logan,” Aquillia introduced.

“Nice to meet you,” Metilia said, extending her hand to Logan.

“Get a drink,” Gazali invited.

“Tunio,” Tunio said, extending his hand.

Logan grasped his hand.

“That is Metilia and Gazali,” Tunio completed the introductions.

Aquillia giggled, “Sorry, I forgot to tell you who they were.”

“She can’t hold her drink,” Logan said, letting go of Tunio’s hand and pulling another chair to the table.

“I guess not,” Tunio smiled.

“As I was saying,” Aquillia said. “there was this huge troll at least two metres tall. Wielding these huge swords.”

“Mother, you have told this story before,” Metilia complained.

“I did?” she giggled. “Did I tell you how it ended?”

“Yeah, a big dragon told them to go play nice.” Metilia smiled.

“A dragon?” asked Tunio. “Dad told me a story about a dragon. He said that he spoke to it.”

“Pfft. Your father got to have all the fun,” complained Aquillia.

“To father,” Tunio said and raised his drink. The others raised their drinks.

“To Akuchi,” Aquillia said. They toasted Akuchi until late into the night.

***

30thday of the 7th month 610th year of the 8th era

Tunio woke to the morning rays of the sun streaming through the slates in the shuttered window. He groaned as his head pounded. Sitting up, he cradled his head in his hands. The pounding dulled as his hands blocked out the sunlight.

He took a deep breath and stood. He looked around, pulled on his trousers, and then stumbled out the door, gently closing it behind him. He careened down the corridor. He knocked on Aquillia’s door and, bleary-eyed, she opened her eyes. She let him in, closed the door, and went back to bed, pulling the sheets over her head.

Tunio fell into the spare chair.

“I don’t want to share with your new friend,” he moaned.

“Don’t yell,” she replied. “What?”

“I don’t want to share the prize money with what’s his name.”

“Logan,” she said.

“Yes.”

“Why not?”

“I want all the money for myself.”

“What about me?”

“I was hoping you wouldn’t want any money.”

“I worked hard for that money. I deserve a share.”

Tunio sighed.

“You have a job that you can earn money from and I have nothing.”

“You could get a job.”

“Apart from farming I know nothing. What would I do?”

“I don’t know. You are a clever boy; you could have found something to do.”

“I know that the money is enough to live comfortably for one person. Is it enough for two?”

“Ten thousand folia?”

Tunio leaned his head back against the chair and looked at the roof. “I am not sure what I could do with all that money.”

“The room you have is really cheap, even this room for a year would not be more than one folia,” Aquillia said.

“If I gave the tavern owner one folia, how long could I stay in this room?” Tunio waved his hand around.

“You could stay in this room and eat for the whole year. Drinks would be another issue.”

“I still don’t want to share the money.”

“At the moment we don’t have the money.”

Tunio stood and opened the door.

“I am not sure we can continue today,” he said.

Aquillia pulled her head out from under the sheets. “Why not? Ow.” She cupped her head and rubbed her forehead.

“I think we all feel the same way.”

“The hangover.” Aquillia threw back the sheets and stood. “Pass me my skirt please.”

Tunio grabbed the skirt from the chair next to him and tossed it to her.

She caught it and stepped into it. Stepping into her shoes, she ushered Tunio out of her room.

“Get your boots and meet me in the tavern.”

Tunio walked to his room, stepped into his boots, and then descended the stairs to the tavern. In the tavern he found Aquillia sitting at the table with Logan, Metilia and Gazali, all nursing hangovers.

“Let me show you what to do when you drink too much the night before,” Aquillia smiled.

“Please keep it down,” Logan grumbled.

Tunio sighed and took the empty seat between Aquillia and Logan.

A barmaid smiled at them sympathetically and joined them at the table.

“Five breakfasts, and your best hangover cures,” Aquillia ordered.

“We have just the thing,” the barmaid lilted.

“She is way too happy,” grumbled Metilia. “I must kill her.”

The barmaid laughed. Everyone groaned at the sound and covered their faces. The barmaid walked away, smiling. They all sat in silence until she returned with their hangover cures.

Tunio sniffed it. His stomach revolted. “What is it?”

“It’s a blend of herbs, milk, and water,” she sang.

Metilia turned to Gazali, “Please make her stop, she sounds too happy.”

The barmaid laughed again and walked away. They all started to drink the hangover cure. Tunio started to feel the headache ease and his stomach stopped wanting to do somersaults.

Once the cures were consumed the barmaid brought their breakfasts—a large plate each of hot meat and eggs with a side of toast. They all started to eat.

“What do we have planned for today?” Metilia asked around a mouthful of breakfast.

“Well,” started Aquillia, “we have been looking for the Belt of Veritas.”

“Is that the riddle the king put up three days ago?”

“Yeah,” agreed Tunio.

“We made some progress, though we have hit a roadblock,” added Logan.

“The clue we have now seems to be splitting off in different directions,” Aquillia added.

“What seems to be the problem?” asked Gazali.

“Well, the first clue we got was only found in one copy of a book we are not even meant to have,” Aquillia explained.

"The clue took us to a statue that seemed to be even more curious,” continued Tunio. “It seemed to point to two places: either the courthouse or the first school of Peace Landing.”

“I heard about that one,” said Metilia. “It is meant to be the best school in the whole city.”

“Yeah,” agreed Logan. “I was only able to retrieve the clue from there because I have friends in the guards.”

“What is your occupation?” Gazali asked.

“I am a guard,” answered Logan. “I normally work trade ships. I also do a lot of personal security. I was lucky enough to have an easy contract when this bounty came up.”

“We should discuss how to split the reward,” Aquillia said. “In case we get it.”

“I didn’t even want to share with you,” Tunio muttered.

“I know. You said,” Aquillia said forcefully.

“We are happy to not take anything,” Gazali said.

“We are?” Metilia asked.

“Yes, my mother’s family is rich enough, we don’t need the money,” Gazali defended.

“That’s good for you; what about me?” Metilia asked.

“I will take care of you,” Gazali said.

Metilia smiled and mouthed her assent to Gazali.

“Your family is rich?” asked Tunio.

“My mother is the heiress to a lot of land and several titles back in Crece.”

“Great,” smiled Tunio.

“So, we split it three ways?” asked Logan.

“I can agree to that,” Aquillia said.

“I want to be the one that gets the fame then,” Tunio demanded.

Aquillia and Logan looked at each other.

“I want to be the one that meets the king when we get our prize money,” Tunio pushed.

“Fine,” Aquillia and Logan said together.

“I mean,” Tunio explained, “Logan, being famous might not help you in your work, and, Aquillia, being famous might hamper your efforts to find your brother. People could give you the wrong information and pusuing the wrong information could take years.

“You have a point,” Aquillia said. “At the moment finding leads is hard enough.”

“I agree,” Logan said. “Being famous will have its drawbacks for my business. However, with even three thousand folia I wouldn’t have to work for many years.”

Aquillia and Logan chuckled.

“I know it sounds strange, but a life of luxury does get boring,” Gazali said. “Why do you think that even the nobles find employment?”

Logan and Tunio both laughed.

“So, what is our next step?” Tunio asked.

“The two clues we have point into two different directions,” Aquillia said.

“That’s right. The clue at the school said, History is worth fighting for. Learning can elevate,” Logan supplied.

“While the courthouse said, Truth frees a man,” Tunio said.

They all sat in silence.

“I got nothing,” Tunio said. “I am going for a walk; it helps me to think. I will meet you here for dinner.”

The others nodded in response.

***

Anatoli paced across the room. Ingirid sat on the bed in the corner, her knees up under her chin.

“I want that sword,” he stated.

“You tried twice to get it.”

“I know,” he growled. “I sent the boys and you.”

“At least I came back with a sword.”

“The wrong sword,” he cursed.

“I am still sorry for that.”

“I am sorry for hitting you.”

A tear streaked down her face.

“I want that sword,” he said still pacing the room.

“Why don’t you go get it?” she suggested. “That way you won’t get the wrong sword.”

“Good idea,” he smiled at her.

Her heart fluttered.

“What would be my play?” Anatoli asked.

“What do you mean?”

“How would I get the sword from him?”

“A direct approach didn’t work with the boys.”

“Charm worked on his friend.”

“Could it work on your brother?” she asked.

“It might.”

“What did Reg say he was doing in the city?”

“He said he was looking at statues.”

“Why would he be looking at statues?” she asked.

“I think he is trying to solve the king’s riddle and find the Belt of Veritas,” Anatoli said.

“Could you find it and offer a swap?” she asked.

“What? The belt for the sword?” he asked.

“It could work,” she said.

“He has a three-day headstart on me. I doubt I could beat him to it.”

“Maybe you should get him to tell you what he has discovered.”

“With ten thousand folia in the offering as a reward, I am sure he is keeping whatever progress he has made close to his heart.”

“Ten thousand …” she whispered.

“I know. It’s a lot of money.”

“More than I could make in a whole lifetime whoring.”

“More than this whole brothel could make.”

“So why don’t we go after it and just keep the money?”

“Because I want the sword.”

“If you had that sort of money you could buy the sword.”

“Would he sell it?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “Apparently I have never met him. Everyone has their price.”

“That’s true,” he agreed. “Is ten thousand folia enough for him to give up his father’s sword?”