Fics like I am afraid of all I have built (how can I face you now?)

Whit's Inn. Safe. Welcoming. Home. Perhaps nowhere in all of Odyssey existed such a beloved stop. Even in distant lands, travelers who had discovered refuge under the Inn’s roof spread its praise. But as the medieval land of Odyssey faces plague, famine, and corruption, no place can be too safe. Or, “—Eugene!” He exclaimed, eyes growing wide. Immediately, he was taken back by the appearance of his brilliant young apprentice, bursting in from the back alleyway. What happened?” The wiry teen—always well-kept and self-assured—was dirty, disheveled, bleeding, and bruised. Removing his cracked spectacles to rub at his eyes, Eugene scorned his uncharacteristic display of vulnerability, bravely clearing his throat and tightly squeezed his eyes shut. “It’s Mr. Riley…” He swallowed. “They took Tom Riley.” Or, The medieval Odyssey AU that literally nobody asked for but that you're getting anyways.