Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the characters related to the Witcher Books or Games. I've done this for entertainment purposes only and not for profit. The rest of the story as well as the other characters are mine.

I didn't want to write just 'the usual' story from the typical Witcher Universe (well, partially at least), but rather a sort of 'science fiction/fantasy' story intertwined somehow with the Witcher World and with many of the characters from either the Witcher Books or Games. However the majority of the story takes place in the Northern Realms and relies heavily on Sapkowski's books. In case you're not fond of both genres you might not find it appealing, nevertheless I hope you'll enjoy the story.

The main characters are the elves & my OC – nope, sorry, not another Geralt & Ciri story...

PS: Apologies for any mistakes in grammar or wording – English is not my native language and this is my first fanfic ever published in a foreign language. Although I'm trying to check the text every time before I publish it, I'll welcome any reviews/inputs on how to improve my writing skills.

* The text in italic is to express the thoughts of a person at the given moment.

On April 2nd 1268 the peace treaty was signed. It finally ended the 2nd war between Nilfgaard and the Northern Kingdoms. The Peace of Cintra provided Temeria with more lands. And Dol Blathanna became a free and autonomous land. Judging by the views of the living survivors, this was the only positive outcome.

Nilfgaard has lost the majority of the army and the previously conquered territories. Kovir had huge financial losses after supporting the Redanians, who – together with the Kaedwenis – haven't received anything as reparation. And Kaedwen had to pay Kind Demawend for Upper Aedirn. Aedirn suffered the most territorial losses.

And all the elven officers from the Vrihedd brigade, who have fought for Nilfgaard, were to be extradited to the North. Supposedly to receive fair trials with benign judgements. Or even amnesty.

Supposedly…

It took them long to retreat together with the remnants of the Nilfgaardian army. The elves felt safe. Until Hamilcar Danza – the Nilfgaardian officer who has so much campaigned for the commanders of the Scoia'tael to be recruited into the Nilfgaardian Imperial army – has managed to gather them all in one spot. Surrounded by soldiers and crossbowmen. He read aloud the conditions of the peace treaty. All the time accompanied by shouts and curses from the surrounded elven officers of the Vrihedd brigade.

They've put them in shackles and loaded them onto a ship. September 1269 just began as the ship set sail towards Dillingen.

The four individuals standing in the small meeting room halfway across the galaxy and debating already for more than an hour didn't know that last bit. Winter was nearing its end, the air was getting warmer each day. The first leaves appeared on the trees in the park outside in front of the building.

„Are you kidding me?!" she asked with disbelief in her voice and raised an eyebrow. Her gaze was jumping between the four elves in the room looking for any hint of a joke in their faces. But they were quiet and their looks serious.
„Keaira, we can't send there anyone else..." Elanhar broke the silence finally, his icy blue eyes staring back at her almost apologizing for their request.
„Oh, you mean in fact – 'not an elf'!" She leaned back on her chair and continued with obvious irony in her voice, her arms folded on her chest: „So let's send the human – nobody will care if she breaks the law, just as long as she'll do the dirty work..."

Ariven – the tall blond green-eyed one leaning against the wall across the room - slightly frowned, but quickly looked out through the window on the side. He knew she's right – it was forbidden to intervene on worlds that have not yet reached the industrial age - and that world was now somewhere in its Middle Ages. But they had no choice this time.

After another while she broke the silence with disgust in her voice: "You've made me work twice as hard as anyone else to pass the Academy, you did everything to frustrate and disgust me, to make me give up... And when despite of all the obstacles I've passed the final tests, accepting your rules, your way to live, swearing an oath on the Codex you hammered into my head for years, then the first task I get assigned by the Federation is this? Really?!"

The third older male in the profusely decorated jacket standing with his back to the room in front of the large window, spoke now in a low calm tone:
„We're standing at the precipice of war and the situation is very fragile. We need to prepare and need every advantage if the negotiations fail."
„Governor Lhoril, with all due respect, but I can't imagine, that this is really necessary. How can a few medieval savages help..." she started to argue, well aware of her inappropriate tone and choice of words in order to express her objections, yet couldn't finish as she was bluntly interrupted by the fourth male:

„Watch your tongue little Dh'oine!" his fists clenched at his sides, his green eyes piercing her with open hatred.
„Charming! Who are you anyway?" Keaira stared back at him defiantly, her mood on the freezing point already from the whole previous discussion. This one was a stranger. She has never seen him here before, nobody bothered to introduce him when she entered the room, and the whole time while Elanhar was explaining to her the reason and the details of her assignment, this stranger was glaring at her in a condescending manner making her only more angry.

„That's Eredin Bréacc Glas, he's..." Elanhar started to explain, but this time she interrupted him:
"I see... no need to explain further El, I know very well who he is – his ill fame is hardly a secret."
"Please, we all need to work together here!" the governor tried to intervene before the situation gets out of hand, but the small woman and the black haired elf had already narrowed pupils, clenched teeth and the air quickly thickened with tension as they were trying to kill each other just with their gaze.
"You little disgusting worm with no respect!"
"Says the man who committed regicide on his own king!"
"How dare you! In my world those like you are nothing more than pitiful slaves!"
She leapt to her feet, her face red, the chair behind her tipping over and falling to the ground: "And in mine the elves exist only in fairy tales!"
They all visibly winced. Including her. She remembered something again...

The governor broke the following silence with an inconspicuous cough, looked at Eredin, making a graceful gesture towards the door:
"May I propose a short break and invite you for a drink?"
They walked out of the room while Keaira was staring at the opposite wall on purpose, ignoring the angry face of the Aen Elle.

Ariven looked at Elanhar and slightly nodded. El stood up and quickly left the room as well. When the door behind him closed, Ari sighed:
"Kea..." his tone was soft.
"I know, I'm sorry, I was just... angry..." she continued to stare at the wall trying to avoid his look.
He came closer, leaned against the table in front of her and tilted towards her, so that he could look directly into the eyes of the short woman. He could smell her pleasant scent of red poppy with a touch of cinnamon, but kept his self-control.
"You know everything about that world, you know the history, the current situation. You speak the local languages and the Elder Speech almost perfectly. You know, we must send a human as an elf would have no chance to move that freely around as you can on that world."
She looked back at him with squeezed lips and he continued:
"You will have no possibility to use any modern medication or firearms and you'll be completely on your own. And that's the reason why we're sending you and nobody else..." he gulped and then silently added: "...because you're one of the best I've ever trained..."
Suddenly he straightened his back, looked to the side and a second later he walked out of the room without looking back. He had to do it before his eyes would betray him, before he would say more than he wanted to reveal...
She was left standing there in the empty room, without any movement, her lips still squeezed, staring at the place where his eyes were just a moment ago...

The horse was galloping through the night at an insane pace, the road's dust whirling with each of the horses' steps, leaving an opaque dust cloud behind them. She was literally pinned to his neck. The small redanian unit escorting Coinneach Dá Reo to Drakenborg has already long ago entered Redania and was still several hours ahead of her. She needed to reach them before they'll get to the fortress.

In her mind she was cursing at El anyway – he took so long with the preparations, that now it was almost too late. She was shocked about what is happening when she arrived.

A few weeks ago she's found in Dillingen Angus and Riordain already dead – stabbed and strangled to death in a small shed near the port. At least Isengrim managed to escape the same fate according to a local fisherman who saw it all happen. She would have to find him later, for now he seemed to be alive and more or less safe.

Nobody heard anything about Iorveth – but there were rumors, that he has managed to escape the group escorting the others towards the Ravine of the Hydra. If these were true, then she had enough time to find him later as well. If not, then she couldn't help him anyway – the troops escorting the rest of the captured Scoia'tael commanders were too large to deal with on her own.

Coinneach Dá Reo was for now the only one from her list about whom she knew where he is and who's life she had the greatest chance to still save.