Neidr bite down on a wooden spatula and clenched his fists as Palder put his rudimentary stitching skills to use. Neidr laid down on the cleared kitchen table and did his best to stifle his anguish, not wanting to wake up anybody else in the house. Palder's face was pale and frightful, and not at all comforting for Neidr to look at. Instead, Neidr closed his eyes and began to think. Wasn't Arrieta's reaction a little extreme? Why would she try to poison him with sleeping gas just for entering the tournament. Yes, it could have made her jealous, but for her to act so extreme... Neidr's thoughts were interrupted by Palder accidentally putting the need in too shallowly and bringing up a whole line of flesh as he tightened the thread. Neidr bit down so hard on the spatula that it snapped in half, sending wood chips in all directions. Neidr glared at Palder, causing the man to whimper. Neidr cursed in his mind and looked away. He really missed Arrieta's medical care, she hadn't even been gone for a day. This medical session, reminded him more of Azalea, except Neidr was pretty sure she made it painful on purpose. Just as Palder put in the last stitch, he wiped his brow and said,

"There, I helped you." Neidr leaned up and almost growled as he said, 

"Thanks." With some sarcasm, but he continued, 

"You're not done yet, I need to get out of the city. As A former guard, I imagine you have some methods." Palder quickly shook his head and said with some fear in his voice,

"The whole academy wants to kill you, there's no way I can help you do this, they'll take my head." Neidr smiled good naturedly and said, 

"They won't take your head if they don't find out. I, on the other hand, will kill you for certain if you don't help me." Neidr put his arm around Palder's shoulders and pulled him in close.

"I also shouldn't have to mention that if Mr. Master of Ceremonies betrays me on my way out that our little secret won't be so secret anymore." Palder nodded quickly, and whispered,

"Fine! Fine! I'll help you!" Neidr smiled and patted Palder shoulder, 

"Good man, ah... Mr. Palder, do you know anything about the guards patrolling the city? Are they generally very good at their jobs?" Palder crooked his head to the side and said,

"I don't know... Internal guards are militiamen, there really isn't much of a point to have many full time guards when the city is so fortified, is there? Neidr felt his mind go blank for a moment, he closed his eyes and asked,

"Then, how do they deal with internal crime?"  Palder furrowed his eyebrows and said, 

"The external guards come to deal with it when there's a report, but who would commit crime in a city so closely connected to a prestigious magic institution? You never know if a passerby is actually a mage in training, if you stole from them, you'd surely be dead." Neidr pursed his lips, and said,

"That seems a little lax, isn't this city managed by the royal family?" Palder nodded, with some pride in his eyes, but then trepidation and sorrow set in, he whispered, 

"It was, but our liege... doesn't really interfere." Neidr raised his eyebrows as the image of a goofy crybaby entered his mind and asked,

"The third prince?" Palder nodded, Neidr let out a groan and said, 

"I see..." Everyone who supported the third prince wanted a weak monarchy, so they could increase their own power. It was likely this city was rife with embezzlement and corruption. Neidr hadn't gone out to it very often, and he didn't pay it much attention, overall though, this was a good thing for him. Regardless, though, he didn't want to chalk up his recent success to corruption, it would be better to be cautious. Neidr got up and asked,

"The city is surrounded by a plain, so any escape would have to be at night. Do you have any way to sneak me through the walls?" Palder looked away and said,

"There's a caravan leaving the city tonight going towards the northern territories to pick up some mana crystals." Hearing this, Neidr felt a little hurt. Did they not even care to shut down trade to capture him? 

'Dammit! I killed a prince and escaped a magic school! At least shut down outside travel! What the fuck? Am I so unimportant?' Seeing Neidr's gaze darkening, Palder hastily explained, 

"The first prince ordered the city to shut down all outside travel until the culprit was found, but the city leaders claimed that the third prince was their leader and they wouldn't make any moves until he explicitly came out to speak on the matter. Trade is of vital importance to Rotham afterall." 

This made Neidr frown even more, he directed his frustration towards Palder,

"What did the third prince say?" Palder shrugged his shoulders,

"They sent the letter to the capital, but the prince has locked himself in his palace recently and hasn't come out." Neidr wanted to facepalm, even if that letter reached the capital, the prince couldn't respond. Amber probably pretended to hole herself up in the castle to avoid suspicion when she disappeared. Neidr let out a long sigh and said,

"I've finally gotten some luck." He looked over to Palder and asked, 

"I don't suppose you can get me on that caravan?" Palder nodded with some uncertainty, 

"Yes, my trainer still has a positive view of me, and he is running the inspection." Neidr looked up at the ceiling, feeling a little anxious and depressed.

'Things are not supposed to go this well.' He let out a sigh feeling lost, then he frowned seriousness crossing his face.

'No, the universe is trying to lull me into a false sense of security, something is definitely going to go wrong.' Neidr started to caress his knife to calm his nerves.