She finished her meal as the plan formed in her mind, and by the time she ate her last bite and thanked Karlin's wife for the meal and Karlin for the drink, her hands were chilled and slick with sweat.

I'm really going to do this, aren't I? She swallowed hard and steeled herself. Nothing would change if she didn't act boldly. She needed to be bold, but she had to be careful that it didn't become recklessness.

She turned her feet in the direction of the travelers' table before she could change her mind. The men saw her approaching and gave her irritated stares.

"We're just drinking. We're not ordering more," said the taller one. He clearly thought she was a serving girl of some kind.

She smiled kindly despite his tone. "Oh, no, good sirs. I'm simply traveling through this county with my family, but thought you seemed like travelers yourselves. We are thinking about heading to the Rithan Duchy, and I wondered if you had been there and could let us know how things are there for those looking to do business? It's good to know things about the local lords in the area, don't you agree?" She tried to put a bit of an accent into her words, and it seemed that her story worked.

"Rithan?" The shorter one scoffed. "It's better not to waste your time. It seems they don't want good business there. Quite a few restrictions too." Lianna nodded along as if she agreed, encouraging them to talk more.

"With a closed minded lord like Duke Rithan, he'll see his duchy's economy fall, mark my words!" The tall took a sip of his drink and brought it down so hard that it sloshed. "But he'll be sorry once we take our business to Duke Brendwald. Brendwald seems to be kind to those who've been wronged by Duke Rithan. I'd say your family would be better off heading to the Brendwald Duchy rather than wasting your time with Rithan."

"I see. I greatly appreciate you sharing your advice. I'll be sure to pass it along to my father and brother." She quickly made up a merchant father and older brother in her mind. "But why do you think Duke Brendwald is so helpful to those who've been wronged by the Rithan Duchy? Or is he that helpful to most people who have difficulty elsewhere too?" She made a big show of pondering this question, frowning as if it were truly puzzling.

"Goodness, child!" said the shorter one. "Your family must not do business near the capital at all if you haven't heard of the conflict between Rithan and Brendwald. It's said in the capital that an enemy of Rithan is a friend of Brendwald, and we're definitely glad for it."

"That is news to us! I'm glad I asked you gentlemen for advice. We certainly don't want to involve ourselves in a conflict between dukedoms. It might just be best to avoid it altogether." She nodded as if that were the best course of action she could think of.

"Ah, but then you wouldn't get the reward–ow!" The tall one started to speak but then it seemed the shorter man kicked his companion underneath the table. "Anyway," he began again, coughing to cover his outburst, "If you're small-time business people, then perhaps you're right."

The men had begun to eye her with irritation again. It seemed that her conversation with them had come to an end. The shorter one squinted at her and said, "What did you say your name was again?"

"Ah, well…." Thankfully, Lianna saw Reggie step into the pub out of the corner of her eye. "Oh, there's my father. I'll have to be going now. Thank you ever so much for the advice, gentlemen. Best of luck in Brendwald."

She hurried over to Reggie and took hold of his arm as if she were his daughter and turned him around so the men wouldn't see Reggie's look of surprise. "What do you mean best of luck in Brendwald?" he asked in a whisper, having caught the last bit of her conversation.

"Oh, that's nothing, father." She tried to signal to Reggie that she was pretending for a reason, and he narrowed his eyes at her but seemed to finally catch on

"Right, well, let's be going." He walked her back to the cart, and they quickly set off.