"Same here." 

Speaking of which, the rest of her Circle is missing. They probably didn't get thrown into the same woods, or even the same world, but there's no way she could know. Due diligence: a thing she should do.

"I know I'm asking a lot of favours here, but when I got lost in the woods, I got separated from my friends. If you see, hmm,  a blonde doctor, a black haired girl with a metal belt, a drunk monk, or someone who looks like my sister, would you be able to direct them Wellington-wards? I don't think they'll pass through here, but they might."

"I can put the word out, but I also don't think they'll pass through here. Scattering friends to the four winds seems... More Wild Magic-y than taking them all to the same place?" He shakes his head. "I just know farm things. And not even so many of them. I mean, I know how to read 'cause books are interesting and stuff, but I'd probably just die somehow if I was picked up and put somewhere else by magic. You must have the most exciting adventures, you're... So calm and collected."

"Still, I'd feel very silly if they ended up passing through here and they didn't know I had. I'm not even sure the rest of them got scattered--"

Calm and collected. He thinks she is calm and collected. ...score one for acting skill?

"I wouldn't say you get used to the adventures, but you learn how to deal with them."

He stops the cart for a minute to write down her friends' descriptions, muttering the words as he writes.

Then, "I couldn't work up the nerve to run off to London and join the army or anything. I tried once. Got to Bristol and turned back for home."

There's a war on? Well, thats another thing it would be nice to ask about directly. Here's hoping that indirectly works.

But first, some buttering up.

"It was brave of you to even start the journey. And I'm sure you had good reason to turn around."

"Everything I heard about the demons sounded terrifying. And it's mostly only witches that can actually kill them apparently." He shivers.

Demons. Okay. Demons are probably a thing she can deal with. She could deal with them better if they could be intimidated or manipulated, but she could deal with them physically. Probably.

She nods. "That's a good reason. No point picking a fight you can't win. And we can handle it."

She's going to have to find out more about witches if she's going to keep pretending to be one, but that's a problem for later.

"I pray to the army, the witches, the King, and God all four that they will be defeated. Amen."

And what does praying even do? Everyone prays probably. I know I should trust in God but... I should try to join the army again. Try to do something. Fretting and not rising up is cowardly. The war has been going for years and the news is worse every season... Surely the witches need food, weapons, and housing. Perhaps I should ask if there's a less dangerous way to help.

He's in a more morose mood now and would be happy to just walk along quietly thinking if Marena doesn't have anything else to say.

Here's hoping repeating "Amen," is the correct response to praying!

Marena would like to cheer morose people-- but she doesn't have anything to say. Not anything sensible, anyway. She sits quietly.

George has several questions but suspects it would be rude to ask questions constantly.

They can just go along the road quietly for a while, then.

They pass the outskirts of another village, receiving stares and whispers. One group of gossipers chuckles and asks, "No chaperone for the lady, George?"

He blushes and urges his horse to go faster.

Oh, this is a chaperone sort of place. She likes chaperone sort of places. Well, flouting the conventions of them.

She leans over towards George, and speaks softly. "I hope I'm not doing anything too terrible to your reputation."

The blushing continues! Maybe even intensifies!

"Er- More your reputation than mine. Though, witches have it different anyway."

"I'm not that worried about my reputation, I'm only passing through. And anyway. I am a witch." Whatever that is! Though it is nice to know that propriety is looser for witches. She's never been one for propriety, unless it is absolutely necessary.

"They're only needling me, I'm sure." He clears his throat. "I'm not married and those fine people are well-known gabbers, so my reputation will survive."

"No one has caught your eye?"

"Oh, there's a girl I'm thinking of courting. Annabel. It's just - I was going to go off and join the army, and it'd be incredibly unfair to court and marry and then run off immediately, and even now I still might not stay in Clatworthy..."

"That's one of the perils of war, isn't it? You delay and delay, and then you might come back home dead, or with someone else married to your sweetheart."

"I suppose it is. But I wonder how much of a loss that would be? If I saw and did wonderful things while I was away, not pursuing marriage might be the lesser loss than not traveling."

His riotous blush is finally receding. "...And to be honest, my humility is not the best and I don't want to be a farmer. Herding and simple craft doesn't appeal either. It's just so - it's not stupid work, but it's simple work. Honestly, if you'll bear my complaining, ma'am, farming is boring. I want to find engineers. Schools. If I'm good enough for places like that."

So, they have schools and engineers. That's a slightly higher tech level than she expected.

(If they've got First Age level tech, she is going to kick herself. And then Misho, when she finds him.)

"It's a trade off. I chose adventure- but I didn't get much of a choice. Still, it was worth it.

I don't mind complaining. 'Farming is boring' is a pretty reasonable complaint! Even if you don't get in, I imagine trying to get into a school would be far more entertaining than farming."

"Hmph. Well, maybe I will go up to Bristol and beg someone to teach me science!"

So, she's probably given this poor sod terrible advice. And he took it. But hey, many great heroes and scholar came from people who were given terrible advice and took it.

"It's going to be more of an adventure than farming, so why not?"

"Why not? Bristol's not that far away. I can always come back here if there's no teachers and no work. M-Maybe I could even accompany you there, or find you there later."

(George, he tells himself, she's clearly a witch - or at least rich - and beautiful besides, and you're just a farm boy, do not get your hopes up.)

"We're both going the same way. I don't see any need to split up."

Oh that's, um, good. "Well, I didn't pack. But I have my coins, going to the market and all, it'll probably be fine."

"We'll work out something."