"Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream! Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily—" Shepard sang as her and Geralt sailed through the Skellige Isles.
"Mm… Are you going to do that the whole way there?"
"What? But, I just started!"
"My point exactly."
"Fine. How about we talk about something on our way there."
"What about?"
"Enlighten me, if Ciri is the Emperor's daughter, how did you end up raising her?"
"She was a child of surprise."
Shepard's brow furrowed in confusion. "You mean like a birthday present or something?"
Geralt sighed. "Long story short, I saved Emhyr's life. Sometimes, witchers invoke a deal known as "The Law of Surprise" when they save a life. I told him to give me something he had, yet did not know of. Turned out his wife was pregnant, and I ended up with CIri."
"So, you just take people's kids for funsies? You didn't think it was a bad idea to just start raising a kid?"
"Not necessarily anything I'd call fun. Funny thing is, it might've been fate. Years later, saved the life of a merchant, asked for the same thing. Unbeknownst to him, his wife took in Ciri as an orphan."
"Hm. That really is something."
The boat began to sway slightly as Geralt and Shepard noticed that the firefly took a turn.
"Looks like it's showtime." Shepard began to paddle faster and Geralt followed suit.
They followed the firefly towards a group of rocks sticking out of the water, concealed by fog. They sailed around the rocks, taking a sharp left, then a right, and eventually came to a dock enveloped in mist.
"Looks like the place. Ready Geralt?"
"No turning back now."
They followed the firefly to the door of a cabin where it suddenly disappeared.
"Think she's in here?"
"Don't know. Guess we'll find out." Geralt banged on the door. "Hello? Anyone in there?"
"Who are ye and whaddaya want?"
"The name's Geralt."
"And Shepard! I'm here, too!"
"Geralt, ye say? Ye the one they be writin the ballads about?"
"Ye, how'd it go again…"
"Hey, whoever's in there we're a little too pressed for time to be singing ballads. Can you let us in? We just want to talk."
"Let ya in? I think we can hear ye just fine from in here."
"Fine. We're looking for a girl—"
Whispering was heard between the occupants of the cabin before one of them decided to reply.
"Look for someone, are ye? Say, how's bout a favor for a favor? Tell ye what, we just got into a shipwreck, we did. Lost a few of our mates on the way. If you can find 'em, be more 'en happy to answer any of your questions."
Shepard and Geralt exchanged glances of irritation.
"Fine," Geralt replied. "Who are they and how do we find them?"
"There're three of em: Ivo, Gaspard, and Ferenc. If ye wanna find Ivo, he said somethin bout looking round the cave. Garspard said something bout climbin the highest peak to look for a lantern out at sea to look for ships. And Ferenc said something about fixin up a ship. Damn handy, he is."
"Alright, we'll go look for them."
Shepard and Geralt travelled the length of the island in search of the dwarves.
"Shepard, think it'd be faster if we split up. You check the caves and I'll look for the highest peak. We'll meet back up at the lighthouse at the end of the Isle.
"Got it. Good luck."
"You, too."
Shepard, armed with nothing but a shitty sword and Wild Hunt armor, started toward the cave. On the way there, she encountered a few drowners. Even though she wasn't very handy or experienced with a sword, they still proved easy prey for her. She took them down quickly and found the entrance of her destination. The body of a dwarf laid face down on the ground at the mouth of it.
"Damn. That's one lead out."
Geralt, travelling the other way, wouldn't have been completely sure of where to look if he hadn't heard the shouting of a dwarf.
"Hey, ye, down there!"
"You one of the dwarves that got shipwrecked?"
"Yeah, ye seen any of the others?"
"They're all held up in a cabin on the other side of the Isle. Come down and I'll take you back."
"Alright. Comin down. Ye know, I've one regret that—" As he attempted to climb down he lost his footing, falling to his death.
"Damn it."
Around a half an hour later, Shepard met up with Geralt at the lighthouse in search of Gaspard.
"Ready to go up?"
"Sure am."
At the top of the lighthouse, they found a dwarf leaning against a chest fast asleep and mumbling something. Shepard kicked him to wake him up.
"Achh I-I'm awake. Who're ye?"
"I'm Shepard. This is Geralt. You one of the dwarves that got shipwrecked."
He yawned. "Yeah, one of them. Came here in search of some treasure an—"
"Any chance you've seen an ashen haired woman around here," Geralt interrupted.
"Mmph, no. But a lot passes me by on account of me sleepin'."
"Alright, let's get back to your friends."
As they exited the lighthouse and began their trek back to the cabin, Gaspard fell asleep on the side of the road.
Shepard let out a frustrated groan. "I don't have time for this shit." She scooped him up and tossed him over her shoulder "Let's get the hell out of here."
Once they were back at the cabin, Geralt knocked on the door.
"Whaddya want?"
"We found your friends. One of them was found dead at the mouth of the cave, the other fell from a rock as soon as I found him. One of them is still alive." Geralt gestured toward Shepard. She responded by throwing Gaspard on the ground, knocking him awake.
"I-I-I-I'm awake!"
"Haha! Gaspard! Stand back, I'm openin the door!"
The door opened to reveal four other dwarves, who all came out to greet their friend.
"Gaspard! You seem a bit muddled!"
"Muddled? A bit drowsy, is all."
"Listen here, dwarves," Shepard started. "I know you're happy to be back together and all, but we're looking for our snow white."
"Ashen hair, green eyes. Seen her?"
"Oh, dreadful sorry."
"What do you mean?"
"She's cold. Spirit's left her."
"Must've passed shortly before we found her."
"Come, friends, let's wait by the boat."
As the dwarves made their exit, Geralt suddenly gained a sullen expression.
"You okay," Shepard asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.
Without responding or looking at Shepard, he slowly opened the door. At the far end of the room, he could see Ciri, laying on the bed, facing away from him. He took careful steps closer to where she lay, Shepard being sure to give him a wide berth as she trailed him. He put a hand on her shoulder, turning her over gently. She flopped, the life seemingly gone from her. He sat beside her, wanting to cry, yet finding himself unable to. He held her in his arms, rocking her back and forth as if she were a small child. As soon as Shepard was to open her mouth to call his name, a warm hand grazed his back. She was alive, and Geralt was once again reunited with his ward.
Geralt and Ciri sat together by the fire as Shepard sat further from them, leaning against a wall drinking some spirit the dwarves had left behind, nursing a black eye that Ciri had given her as soon as she'd woken up.
"I'm really glad we got that whole thing cleared up. For a second there I thought you were riding with the hunt, again." She faced Shepard. "I truly am sorry for that, by the way."
Shepard waved it off. "It's fine. This isn't the first black eye I've gotten."
"Geralt, I never knew you one to travel with a partner," Ciri started, grinding her blade against a whetstone.
"Yeah. Funny thing, that is."
"Funny indeed. Who are you, anyway?"
"Commander Shepard, *hic* reporting for duty. Systems Alliance Marine, raging alcoholic, destroyer of worlds, N7, spectre, and a hardcore renegade." She lifted the bottle in the air. "Who's like us?"
They both stared at her blankly, so she answered the question herself in someone else's voice.
"Damn few, and they're all dead!" She chugged the bottle.
Ciri laughed in amusement and Geralt shook his head.
"Your scar seems to be healing quite nicely."
"Mhm. Avallac'h prepared some special potions for me. But, that was before the curse gripped him. Wonder where he is now."
"We lifted the curse. He's back at Kaer Morhen, waiting for you."
"Are you serious? You must be. You'd not jest about that… A nice thing to wake up to!"
Even though she realized the time sensitivity of the situation, Shepard allowed the two of them to continue enjoying their long-awaited reunion. Shepard ended up falling asleep, only waking up an hour later when Geralt tapped her on the shoulder.
"Ready to go?"
She wiped the drool off of her face with the back of her hand and stood up. "Yeah, yeah. Let me just—"
Ciri aided her in her attempt to stand to her feet.
"Thanks. I think I'm ready now."
They all headed outside just in time to watch the dwarves escaping with the boat.
"Dammit. What now?"
As Geralt spoke he noticed that his breath produced condensation in the air. They all looked out into the distance and saw a Wild Hunt ship approaching.
"Ciri, take us out of here."
"But they'll know how to find me!"
"They already do. Ciri, Take us home."
She grabbed both their hands and closed her eyes. In a split second, they all disappeared in a green mist.
Everyone at Kaer Morhen continued business as usual oblivious of what was to happen next. Yennefer and Miranda were posted overlooking the wall as they conversed and giggled to each other. Traynor and Lambert sat by the dummies playing Gwent, and Vesemir was grooming the horses. Suddenly, they began to appear agitated and he tried to calm them down. Then, out of a green mist, Geralt, Shepard, and Ciri appeared.
Ciri took a minute to take in her surroundings, noticing that nothing had changed since she was last there.
Vesemir turned to greet her, and she ran toward him, leaping into his arms.
"CIIIIIIRIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" Yennefer ran down from the wall and Miranda followed behind her, but not moving as swiftly.
Yennefer ran into Ciri, embracing her, coddling her face in her hands.
"My, you've grown… beautiful!"
Seemingly out of nowhere, Triss appeared as well.
"Little sis…" They hugged.
Ciri observed all of her friends in front of her.
"You've all not changed a bit!"
"Miranda," Shepard asked. "Is everything in order? Did you find everyone?"
"We did, and then some."
"And then some? What do you mean?"
She led Shepard away from everyone else to allow Ciri more time with her friends.
"I took the liberty of seeking help from a few other friends. People who enjoy putting themselves in danger as much as you." She opened the doors of Kaer Morhen, and, low and behold…
"Greetings, Commander," Ashley saluted.
All of the Normandy's crew, sans Joker, Edi, and Grunt, were available and at their service, clad in medieval armor, bearing swords and crossbows.
James greeted her with a heavy slap on the back.
"Jefe, you ready for this shit?"
Shepard looked around at her crew, proudly. She smiled.
"Looks like we're as ready as we'll ever be."
