Emmaline snuggled into Amal's lap feeling the pleasurable warmth of the whiskey spreading through her body, tingling in her lips and fingertips. Concerns about the Sheriff and whatever game he was playing faded away in face of alcohol, a full belly and Amal's company. It was a strange sensation, having been hungry and on the run for so long that the simple normalcy of the moment was a little off putting.

"I'm from... I lived..." she began stumbling over the complicated subject.

"Well I was born in Morganstern, but I suppose I lived in Altdorf," she told him. Morganstern had once, long ago, been a village of its own, but over the years the Imperial capital had spread to engulf the hamlet as it had many others. Morganstern retained some of its original character as a poor borough of the great city. Emmaline's parents had been simple people, artisans, they had styled themselves as Von Morganstern's although that was an affectation, they had no noble blood that Emmaline knew of, but like many Altdorf natives, proximity to the center of Imperial power encouraged them to put airs. Like any minor townsmen who had been blessed with a pretty daughter whom they had raised with the intention of marrying to a rich burgher or perhaps a minor noble who didn't mind sluming it. Marrying a commoner was something of a scandal for a noble of course, though for widowers who already had sons set to inherit, the prospect wasn't unheard of. Their grandiose plans had been suddenly and completely derailed when her magical abilities had manifested and she had been packed of the College Magic with her first years dues and not so much as a good bye. The very least they could do and hold their heads high in Chapel.
  
"I suppose I still have family in Altdorf," she considered, "Though I don't really care to see them."

"Enemies... well, it wasn't like I was important enough to have enemies," she continued. Her old master probably thought she was dead, as did the rest of the College if they even remembered her existence.

"My master probably wants several years worth of dues out of me," she sniggered. At least he would if she knew she was alive, which she rather doubted. Few were spared by the pirates that haunted the Arabyian coasts and those they took as slaves fared little better than the corpses they tossed into the sea. She didn't doubt that Albrecht the Magnificent had long since found another apprentice or assistant to help him with his various cons. That wouldn't stop him demanding his gold if she found out she was alive of course. It was his legal right and Albrecht would dig through a sewer if it meant recovering a few gold coins.

"The real enemy..." she began, deliberately quieting her voice, "are Witch Hunters." In Araby wizards were ... well maybe not tolerated but at least feared and respected. The Empire, with its vast forests and proximity to the Chaos Wastes took a much more lethal view. Emmaline could certainly prove she was an accredited wizard if she could convince someone to take her to the College but such exhaustive legal process was the exception rather than the rule. Only the mightiest and most obviously official wizards travelled openly at any distance from the capital.

"So long as I am careful though, it shouldn't be a problem."