What Lies Beyond the Ocean

Chapter 18

All of us treaded down to the minuscule cliff slide village. There were primarily businesses and few actual houses. Perhaps the businesses were also home to their owners, such as Alyard's and Geri's butchery back in Allience. 

It was peacefully quiet; with the distant laughter of children playing games and scrambling about. The slight breeze promoted sounds of rustling leaves emerging from the trees.

We all decided to head down to the local inn, called Krenlaw's Inn, a local family. The prince with Prince Scott in Deaila's Inn lurked in the back of my mind. I prayed to God that we did not have to go through such hell again. 

We all sat down at a table and ordered dinner and ale (mead for Alyard). I helped myself to a hearty vegetable stew, accompanied by a chunk of dry, crusty bread. Though it was universes away from royal standards, it met mine due to my grueling stomach. The Inn's food escorted me back to home.

"Okay, team," Edouard said, while gnawing his way through his bread. 

"We are going to rest tonight, but tomorrow we are going to first head to the Alchemist's,  to see if the local alchemist has any recollection of the event a few weeks prior. We also should make the effort to ask other locals, perhaps starting with the innkeeper."

Uli signaled for the innkeeper with a gesture of his burly hands. The innkeeper was quite short, around my height or a tad shorter, with a blinding complexion waddled his way towards the table, smiling politely. 

"Hello," he greeted, his voice as gruff as a wolf's growl. "How may I be of service, my gentlemen and lady?"

"I am General Uli, the general of the Zalfan army-" he stopped as the innkeeper gave a courteous bow. Uli seemed to set aside this gesture of respect, as he does not perceive himself as a higher being.

"I am accompanied with a knight of mine, Edouard, the daughter of a previous knight, Erline, and her lover, Alyard."

Alyard flushed at the word "lover", but nodded.

The innkeeper once again gave us a bow, and smiled. 

"It is a delight to meet you all," he blew a piece of long greying-black hair from his face. "I am Joseph Krenlaw, owner of this inn."

"We are actually here in search for a vanished knight, Erline's father," Edouard spoke at this, shoving his bread down his throat, which made me reminisce of Feralo. "I saw a man who strikingly resembled him when I was here visiting my ill mother a few weeks prior. I was at the alchemist's in search of a remedy, and that is when I encountered this gentleman."

Joseph nodded politely, acknowledging that he was indeed listening. "I'd be willing to lend any help I can! Could you describe what this gentleman looks like, or perhaps have a sketch of some sort?"

"Well, Erline shares a multitude of his features," Uli smiled widely and nodded in my direction. He also got out that folder he has been carrying with him. He slid out an old sketch, with the visage of man who seemed vaguely familiar. "It's rather old,  but it is necessary to get a sketch of a knight, in case of a situation like this."

Joseph gingerly took the yellowing paper from Uli's fingertips, as it might have dissolved into tatters. He analyzed the paper up and down, left to right. After a few minutes of awkward silence, his light brown eyes lit up with recognition. He then looked between the sketch and I, possibly comparing the similarities.

"Ah, yes, yes, yes!" he exclaimed, handing the paper back to Uli. "I believe I have seen this gentleman that lingers here every now and then! He often comes in by often himself, for the occasional drink. Last time I saw him was two days, sometime in the early evening."