An Ode to Uncertainty Ch. 02

They arrived Eldor in the last day of Wintersend which the southerners called Ildursmonth. Jarl spent most nights with either Mirja or Irese and every night Sigrid was there, watching intently. After the first few times Jarl ignored her and enjoyed the woman he was with. Fairly often they stayed the night and Jarl learned interesting things about the Kelivese in the east from Mirja. He had never known that there was no clear eastern border of Keliva but rather a loose set of villages that became more and more barbaric the further east you went. Irese was not as talkative but enjoyable nonetheless, and Sigrid was extremely fascinated with the blonde woman's large breasts. Once Jarl had almost thought that Sigrid would touch the other woman when he was taking Irese just next to her, but the Sister stopped herself and just watched.

The Longrunner slid quietly over the outskirts of Eldor. Jarl was standing at the bow and could not help but gape at the view in front of him. The twelve hills of Eldor were visible in the distance and already now the land below them was packed with houses. Thousands and thousands of houses, streets, squares and large roads. It was like nothing he had seen before. He had of course read about it in the texts, but he had never actually believed that it could be true.

"The Imperial Castle," captain Martens said who was standing next to him.

He pointed towards one of the larger hills were several narrow spires were twisting up towards the sky.

"And the College of Uncertain Arts," he said pointing to the hill two hills to the right of the castle.

Jarl's eyes locked on the hill. Then he blinked. And blinked again. Two large red domes emanated out from the hill that Martens had indicated. Beneath them he could see several large buildings with towers sticking up in a seemingly haphazardly fashion.

"What are the red things?" Jarl said pointing towards the College.

Martens looked in the direction he was pointing. Then he raised an eyebrow.

"Red, my prince?"

Jarl looked at the man and saw the confusion in his eyes.

"Never mind," Jarl said shaking his head.

They pulled in towards the dock that was located on Merchants Hill. The airmen cast out the gangway and it set into place on the dock.

"Best of luck, my prince," captain Martens said as they debarked.

Jarl nodded at the captain and put his bag over his shoulder and headed over the gangway. Mirja and Irese followed right after.

"Come find me at this address, prince," Irese said pushing a piece of paper into Jarl's hands and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

As the blonde woman left, Mirja took a step closer.

"Should we go then?" she said.

Jarl raised an eyebrow.

"You're going to the College as well, aren't you?"

Jarl opened his mouth but did not know what to say.

"Are you going to be a student there as well?" Sigrid asked saving him the embarrassment.

Mirja nodded smiling. Jarl shook himself to life again and smiled back at Mirja.

"Let's go then," he said leading the way.

It turned out that he had no idea how to navigate the humongous city and it did not take half a bell until they were completely lost. From time to time he could see the College and the strange red domes that covered it but then they turned two corners and the next time he saw it; it was at their backs.

"We need to find someone to ask the way," Mirja said the fourth time they had turned around completely.

Sigrid nodded but did not say anything.

"Do you speak Imperial?" Jarl asked.

Mirja was fluent in Nordheimr as well as Kelivese so it wouldn't have surprised him if she could speak Imperial as well.

"Don't you?" she said leaning her head to one side.

Jarl had taken a few classes in Imperial, but he could barely say hello. Languages had never been his strength, and the teacher had been an extremely boring old git. Thinking about it, it would have made sense to learn a little more before going here. He shrugged. Next to him Sigrid let out a long sigh.

"What?" Jarl said raising both hands.

"You do know that all classes at the College are in Imperial, right?" Mirja said looking at him sideways.

"I wasn't really planning to go to that many classes."

Jarl had no idea why he told the truth, but it felt pretty good doing so. Sigrid murmured something and Jarl thought he could hear fucking waste of time, somewhere in there. Mirja just shook her head and flagged down a merchant heading up the street. She exchanged a few phrases in Imperial. At least Jarl could hear that it was Imperial, that much he had learned from his old tutor. Mirja put her hands together in the imperial fashion and the merchant reciprocated the gesture and left.

"We just follow this ring road until we hit a square with a large statue of some emperor holding a spear. There we turn left and follow that street," Mirja said already heading off.

As they walked Jarl realized that all the streets were constantly curving around the large hills. No wonder he had got lost. Walking one street would eventually get you back to the place you started. It took them no more than half a bell until the red domes curved up gently before them.

"What are those?" Jarl said pointing up at the shimmering domes.

Mirja and Sigrid turned towards him. Then they looked at each other.

"Which those?"

"The huge red shiny things," Jarl said exasperated.

The women looked at where he was pointing and then shared another look. Sigrid shrugged.

"Are you ok?" Mirja asked.

"Never mind," Jarl said continuing down the street.

As they got closer and closer to the shimmering red wall it was evident that no-one else in the street could see it. Jarl walked slower and stopped just in front of the wall. It looked like one of the kaleidoscopes that his father had shown him once, just only in red. But he could still see perfectly through it as long as he did not focus on the surface itself. He reached out a hand and touched it. It tingled slightly.

"Are you coming?" Mirja asked from the other side of the wall.

Sigrid was standing next to her and stomping her foot. Jarl took a breath and then walked through. It just tickled a little but then there was nothing. The light inside was the same color as normal even though the wall was still looking red. He had seen the Wise Men doing some minor magic once or twice, but this was on a different scale. It felt ... daunting. He turned his back and followed Mirja and Sigrid.

"Registration is tomorrow," Mirja said translating what the guide had told her. "We can pick up our room keys at the student housing office.

Jarl nodded and they headed over to pick up their keys. Jarl did his best not to gape at the huge stone buildings. Each and every one of them could easily swallow the royal palace in Nordheim. All buildings had writing on them. Imperial. And to the look of it, classic Imperial. Even worse. It would really have been a good idea to learn some. They entered one of the large buildings. A long line of people stood waiting. Jarl walked up to the table where a bespectacled woman sat looking down at a paper. Before he knew it, a huge blue clad guard had grabbed his collar and was dragging him back to the end of the line. Scattered laughs rang in the room and Jarl felt how his cheeks burned. He tried reaching for his sword but there was nothing there. A dark-haired young man that could not have been more than eighteen stepped out of line and looked back at Jarl and said something that gathered even more laughs.

"Just stand still," Sigrid said at his ear.

"We have to wait in line like everyone else," Mirja said.

The dark-haired man said something else Jarl could not understand. Jarl answered with a rude gesture that broke all language barriers. The other man's jaw fell. The he shook himself and got back in line. Well, that shut him up at least. Jarl fumed. He had not had to stand in line a single time in his life so far. And the experience was just as mind-numbingly dull as could be expected.

"You're just like a bull in a pottery shop, aren't you?" Mirja said smirking.

Jarl raised an eyebrow. Mirja talked some more as they were standing there in line and time passed quicker than expected. As they got to the front of the line Mirja helped him answer all the required questions and he was handed a large ornate key with a seven on it.

"Well, I guess I am going to be disappointed," Mirja said looking down at her own little black key. "Come. I'll show you your place first before I find my room," Mirja said dragging him along with Sigrid right after.

They walked past a couple of the buildings before they got to one with a golden Ɵ sign on it. The huge door swung open and let them in. Mirja let out a whistle. All the walls were covered in huge portraits of men and women wearing robes. They walked up a large stair and headed to the right until they came to number seven. As Jarl stood looking at door Sigrid grabbed the key from his hand and opened the door. She swung the door open and headed in before him.

"Wow," Mirja said as she entered the room.

Jarl headed in. On the wall opposite there was a huge portrait of a man that looked very much like his grandfather. He walked up to it. Tordgrim, 14th son of Gudmund, it said in Nordheimr underneath. This must be his great, great, uncle. He had never met him, but he had heard of him. He was pretty sure that his tutor had told him something about Tordgrim, but as usual he could not be bothered to remember it. Well, at least the accommodations were acceptable.

"Well, at least I can be certain to be disappointed with my own room now," Mirja said with a laugh.

Jarl took a step towards her and grabbed her waist.

"You're welcome to visit whenever you want," he said leaning in for a kiss.

Mirja kissed him back and he could feel her hand roaming down to his stiffening member.

"I'm not wearing anything under my dress," Mirja whispered into his ear.

Jarl growled back and turned her around and grabbed her breasts from behind. With Mirja's help he got his stiff member out of his pants. He quickly lifted her skirt and slid into her wetness. Mirja moaned loudly as he started thrusting into her. He grabbed her hips and thrust harder. Mirja had to grab hold of an antique sofa to not fall over. Jarl looked up and saw Sigrid standing in the opening into one of the other rooms. As always, she watched intently without moving. Jarl kept eye contact with her for a little while as he pounded into Mirja. The dark-haired girl said a something in her own language that made him even harder and not ten thrusts later he emptied himself into her.

"Thank you," she said turning around and gave him a kiss.

"You're welcome."

"And I may take you up on your offer to come visit," she said straightening her dress. "I have to go now. Meet me at ten bells tomorrow outside the registration office. You do know where it is, don't you?"

Jarl nodded and Mirja headed off. He turned to Sigrid who was still watching him. He looked down and remembered that his dick was still hanging out. Sighing he thought of Tilda and then located the cleaning basin.

"A copper for your thoughts," Jarl said to Sigrid as they headed down the stairs the next morning.

She threw him a glance. Then shook her head.

"What? Nothing to say at all? I had heard you Sisters were silent, but this is starting to become ridiculous."

Sigrid stopped mid step and turned towards him. She glared up at him.

"I studied with the Elders for twenty years. I have fought the Old White and won. I brought the Seven the Ring of Ages. And now I am here. Watching over a lecherous idiot who cannot even be bothered to learn the language in the place he is going to spend the next decade. And I must pick up any shit that comes his way. Is that worth a copper?"

Jarl opened his mouth, then closed it again. Sigrid glared at him some more before moving on.

"A decade?" he said slowly.

Sigrid froze. Then slowly turned towards him.

"Do not tell me that you do not know how long the education at the College is," every word was heavy as a lodestone.

Jarl looked at her and decided that it was probably best if he stayed silent. At least if he wanted to keep his guts dagger free. They walked in silence down to the Registration Office. There was a large crowd gathered outside. He recognized a few of the people from the Housing Office yesterday. Including the dark-haired idiot. He stood talking to a few of his friends. Long dark hair was slick over his head. It was a fashion that Jarl had seen in the streets outside when he and Sigrid went for dinner last night. It made him look even more of an idiot than otherwise. The idiot looked his way and Jarl repeated the gesture from yesterday, then added another one for good show. The idiot froze and looked at him for several seconds. Then he shook his head and went back to talking to his friends.

"Making more friends?" Mirja said next to him.

"No. Just cementing some old ones," Jarl said turning towards her. "Do you know who he is?"

"No idea," Mirja said shaking her head. "It's my second day as well, remember?"

Jarl nodded.

"So, what do we do now?"

Mirja looked up at him with lips pressed together. Then she just shook her head and smiled.

"We register."

Jarl nodded. Even though he had no idea what she was talking about. He was also not going to ask again about the red domes that enveloped them. He was not going to be the idiot that Sigrid thought he was. Not today. He followed Mirja over to one of the tables and grabbed the same sheet as she did.

"I was planning on majoring in Matrimancy, it lies in the family. And a minor in Elemancy. Probably Geomancy and Aeromancy," Mirja said as she headed over to the table where they kept the quills and ink.

Jarl nodded again. He had absolutely no clue what she was talking about but nodding seemed to do the trick. He glanced over at the boxes that Mirja ticked. The best course of action was just to copy her, that would mean that they would be in the same place and he could ask her to translate if needed. As he was not planning to go to any classes anyway it shouldn't make any difference, but it was a good back-up. Smiling he handed over his paper to the registrar. The old woman quickly looked over the document. Then she looked up at him with eyebrows raised. Jarl smile widely and nodded. It did the trick. The woman put her signature at the bottom and filed the paper in the pile behind her.

As they came back to the room there was a letter waiting for him with the royal seal. Well this was interesting. The letter must have been waiting for him. The next Longrunner from Nordheim was in a fortnight. Jarl cracked the seal open and read.

Dear son.

I hope that you are doing well in the Imperial capital.

As you know, I have had my doubts about you. Therefore, I have made your inheritance contingent on you passing your studies at the College.

Best of luck,

Your beloved Father.

Jarl blinked. Then he re-read the letter. And again.

"That goat-fucking old fart," he said throwing the letter on the table.

Sigrid picked the letter up and read it. Jarl was pacing the room cursing his father to the seventh.

"What in the seventh am I going to do now? I cannot possibly pass whatever crap they teach here? My last tutor preferred the pits at Eldfall over continuing to teach me," he said throwing his hands up.

He looked over at Sigrid who put the letter down on the table. He gestured at her. She hesitated. Jarl waited.

"You could find a private tutor in Imperial. Study hard every night and pay Mirja to take notes for you."

Jarl stared at the Sister. She met his gaze levelly. Then he let out a ringing laugh that echoed in the large room.

"Good one," he said after the worst of the laughter had passed. "But you've got something there. I can probably pay someone. I just have to figure out who."

He tapped the tip of his nose and continued to pace the room. Sigrid let out a deep sigh and went into the other room.

Jarl had sent Sigrid out to find an inn that would deliver food to his room when he wanted and was laying in one of the soft bed-like things that stood against he walls when there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Mirja," came Mirja's voice from outside.

"It's open," Jarl said sitting up.

The door opened and Mirja entered. She was wearing the same black dress as she had been yesterday. Come to think of it he wasn't sure if he had seen her in any other clothes. She closed the door behind her and before she had crossed the room she had completely undressed, throwing the dress to one side. Jarl smiled at her. Her long dark hair hung down over her shoulders and hid her breasts but the rest of her was for him to enjoy. She pushed him down on his back and before he knew she had pulled his pants down and straddled him, guiding him into her. She sighed deeply as his full length pushed into her.

"Where's Sigrid?" Mirja asked as she rode him.

"I sent her out for some food," Jarl said using his hands to explore her body. "She should be back soon."

"Good."

Jarl raised an eyebrow. Mirja leaned forward and kissed him.

"What classes did you pick?" she said as she broke the kiss off.

"Same as you."

She sat up and stopped moving. He grabbed her hips and ground into her. She was still looking down at him.

"You're kidding right?" she said smiling down at him.

He shook his head.

"I didn't know what was what. Now at least you can help me out. You will help me out right?"

She looked down at him. Then she laughed.

"Well. This will be something for the texts. You silly boy," she said leaning forward and kissing him again and resumed her movement.

Jarl kissed her hard and thrust into her until his seed flowed into her. She shivered and said something in her language before she collapsed on top of him. She rolled off him and looked over at him.

"You have no idea what you have done right?"

Jarl shook his head. Mirja laughed and kissed him again.

Mirja met him by the entrance to one of the large buildings that she had pointed out to him yesterday evening. There was something written in large golden letters over the door.

"This is the faculty of Matrimancy," Mirja said and gestured up to the building.

Jarl nodded. He looked around. There were mostly girls around. Come to think of it he could not see any men close to the building. A few of the women gave him strange looks as he entered the building. Sigrid was three steps behind, and he was sure he heard her curse. The bell struck ten and they entered a large amphitheater like room. They sat down in the middle of the room. Sigrid took a place at the back by the door. The following drops the room filled with young women. Only young women. Jarl looked to be sure but no, he was the only male there. Well, he had never not enjoyed the company of young women so this should probably go just fine. An older woman entered the room from another door and stood at the center of the theatre. She started talking. In Imperial. Jarl sighed and leaned back. He closed his eyes. He was jolted to life when Mirja poked his side. He sat up. The woman below looked straight at him and said something. Mirja answered. The older woman shook her head. Then she moved her right hand quickly and Jarl was certain he saw light coming from the woman's mouth.

"So. We have a prankster with us today, do we?" the woman said looking at him.

Jarl sat up straight. She spoke perfect Nordheimr.

"What? No. Absolutely not," Jarl said shaking his head. "I am here to study."

The woman looked at him for a long while. She had fiery red hair that flowed over her shoulders and her green eyes seemed to penetrate his skull. Jarl forced himself to meet the woman's gaze.

"You do know that this is the introductory course in Matrimancy?"