In the middle of a snowstorm, the king sends the saxon on a mission to London to retrieve a coffer. The king's mind is wandering, and the alchemist seems to be in a hurry to find the changelings who are tormenting the king. He wonders why his brothers in London have not been able to find them, and wonders if they are plotting against all Christians. The alchemist asks the king if the changeling he saw in the snow was a woman, and he replies that she must be "the most peaceful soul in all creation" . He tells the king that he has hired all the priests he can think of to pray for the girl, and that she is the most beautiful soul in the world. The man who has been sent to fetch the coffer is a changeling, he says, and it seems that the king is trying to find him. He asks the man why he has been plucking his eyes instead of his own, and she replies that the man is plotting against "all christians." The alchemist tells the man that he is a woman and that he does not want to be arrested because he is not Danish. He says that he had to go to the king and ask him to unmask changelings, but that time is not on his side. He wants to go check on the alchemist, who claims to be an envoy from the Pope. He claims that he will do everything in his power to get rid of the alchemist. He goes off to see the edra island.