Commandant
Alessa had avoided Roche for a week now. She was furious with him, and knocked down every attempt he made to approach. She still trained with his men when she could, but always left if he watched. He must've not told his men. They didn't treat her any different, and she knew how much some of them hated elves. She couldn't look at him. She tried to reason his reaction, it made sense. He was trained to hunt them, suspect anyone, use any means necessary to find out and eliminate threats. But her reason did not outweigh her emotion. Maybe she should've told him, but he had to understand the risk she would face if anyone knew what she was.
She was in the tavern with Dandelion when Ves tapped her on the shoulder.
"Can we speak?"
"Speak"
"Alone"
Alessa rolled her eyes and stood to follow her.
"We should go to your room"
"Usually I get a drink bought first"
Ves didn't respond but continued to Alessa's room. When the door was closed, they took a seat.
"We have plans for Commandant Loredo. The commander informed me-"
"So he couldn't ask me himself?"
"He has tried to approach you. I don't know what happened between you two but-"
"You want my help?"
"We want the layout. Guard routines. Loredo's usuals"
"Pay?"
"Will be agreed upon after the mission"
"Base pay"
"One fifty"
"Make it two"
Ves twitched her lips.
"Done. See the commander in the barracks. I'm sure you can be professional for a few hours"
"Professional?!" She chuckled.
"This is our chance to dispose of him for good. You want that"
Alessa reasoned back and forth in her mind a moment,
"Okay. Tomorrow"
"He wants you now"
"Tell him no. I need to draw up the plans. Ask the girls. Write things down. He can have me on my terms. Can I ask why you don't just ask them yourself?"
"They don't trust us. They have a lot to lose with Loredo and the big guy trusts your word. You been there before?"
"He trusts my word does he? Ha…. I've been a few times yeah. Treating him or his mother"
"Fine. When you're ready, see him" Ves stood to leave.
"Tell him if he sees me before I see him, we have no deal"
Ves nodded and left without another word.
Alessa was not a half hearted woman. She could draw out the plans, but a copy of them would be preferable and she wasn't afraid of a challenge. She spent the evening quizzing the girls on the commandant and headed to the 'barracks'.
She took a deep breath as she prepared to enter.
She swung open the door with purpose and landed the papers on his desk rather dramatically.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Finally"
"The plans, the guard routes, his habits, everything as you asked"
"Good" He stood and examined the plans.
"Can I get my coin so I can leave?"
"I'd like you to stay, help me formulate a plan. I know we aren't exactly on good terms-"
"Course we're not. My bruises have barely faded"
"And my nose is barely healed!" He barked back, making his men shift uncomfortably, "Let us… grit our teeth, shall we? You hate me, I understand. But do you not hate him more? You told me about Hattie, how he-"
"I don't need reminding... Fine. I'll help… I wont ask for more coin, but I would ask a favour"
"Are you not compensated enough? What is it?" He sighed.
"We can discuss that in… private" She smiled. She could hear the chuckles and nudges from his men behind her, saw his gaze tell them off briefly. She couldn't help but tease him a little. She deserved that much.
"Fine" he lowered his brow, and gave her a stare. An unreadable look.
She spent the next few hours talking it over with him before Geralt showed up.
"Right, well I'll take my leave" Alessa nodded but Roche stood.
"Stay, would you. I think I have something"
Alessa nodded and stood where she was while Roche gestured for his men to come close.
"Listen very carefully, I'm not going to repeat this. We have two targets. The first is a Kaedweni spy, Arnolt Mallinger. I want him alive. The other is Bernard Loredo, the trading post's commander and traitor to Temeria. We dont let his kind live" he emphasised the last sentence conveying his hatred, "Arnolt almost never leaves the residence so we need to strike there. To get inside we will use Ves' unusual talents and Bernard's habits"
"Stop calling him by his first name" Geralt interrupted, "Rubs me the wrong way"
"Whatever you wish. Loredo's house. The first floor contains guest quarters, regular patrols. Second floor, bodyguard quarters. They think they're the toughest warriors this side of the Yaruga, but really they're lame downers dressed in colourful gamebesons. Third floor, the lions den. Here, Loredo stores his plundered valuables. It's where he sleeps, shits and wanks off whole staring at the statuette of a she-elf" a few chuckles escaped the lips of his men, and Alessa too. Always a way with words.
"Only the following are allowed to enter: Arnolt Mallinger, loredo's mother, is cousin and… whores"
"Not sure I still have that frock"
"Guess that's where I come in?" Alessa nodded.
"Your help is welcomed. I trust you can get Ves in no problem?"
"Aye, not like the lasses are jumping for that spot" Alessa confirmed.
"Good. After making his round of the trading post, Loredo always orders two ladies" He looked to Alessa for confirmation and she nodded in return, "Ves will act as one of them. The house is a bloody fortress but Loredo had it enlarged. The witcher will enter through the extension. Ves will open a window for you" he pointed to the map for reference, "Once in you'll have to improvise Geralt. But you have the element of surprise, Ves can hold her own too. Zenin and Rykard will provide cover from vantage points, if things get hot, lure those whoresons near the windows. I'll be in the courtyard with the rest ready to enter in the extreme. I repeat, in the extreme. Alessa?"
"Captain"
"I want you on hand in case of casualties. Consider it another favour"
"Sure" Alessa could see it in his eyes, he meant business, and she was not about to be in his way. Besides, it brought her pleasure to know Loredo would suffer.
"That's all. Any questions? No? Let's get to work. We wait for nightfall"
Geralt nodded and headed out, and Alessa rocked on her heels as she watched him, a little out of place.
"That favour" he growled, catching her attention, "Do you wish to discuss it now?" He took a few steps towards the stairs leading to his room, "I'm not about to whore myself to you though, if that's what you think"
Alessa laughed out loud,
"No, no it can wait. And don't worry I wasn't expecting you to. I'll cash them in when I need it"
"Well it best be soon. We won't be staying long. Go get your supplies, prime Ves, and return here to prepare" he said in no uncertain terms.
Without saying another word, Alessa left, followed by Ves.
"Dana and Helen were to be sent to the big guy tonight, so you'll be replacing one of them, I'll have something for you to wear somewhere, but you should wait there till they send you out"
"Of course"
The night came quickly enough and Alessa spent her time brewing her poultices waiting for Roche to return from an excursion he wouldn't disclose. Before long it was time to set off and she waited with his men as the plan began to take form. Ves had been taken up, and Geralt had jumped the fence. They waited for any indication of the plan's progress. It was too quiet.
"I hope Ves is okay" She muttered as she stood.
"She is" Roche's familiar voice came up behind her.
"Where the hell were you?"
"Doesn't matter. However they have been a while, I worry perhaps Geralt ran into trouble"
Their discussion was interrupted by the bellow from a man coming from the fort, after bursting through the door. He screamed of attack, and Loredo's men drew their swords.
"Don't move" He spoke to her, before drawing his weapon, "Fall in!"
On his words his men poured into the courtyard and battle raged. Alessa could do nothing but watch as the blue stripes fought their way through. Suddenly Geralt burst through the door too,
"Ves needs help! Alessa?" He found her eyes through the crowd and she nodded.
She took a deep breath and formed a portal, quickly passing through it and Into Loredo's house. She heard the screams from his room. She stepped over the bodies littered around, stumbling on Loredo's head as she passed into the backroom where Ves stood over a screaming elven woman.
"Alessa! Quick, I dont think it's coming" Ves began to panic and couldn't move from the elf's vice grip on her, "I've got everything…"
Alessa rolled her sleeves up and used magic to clean her hands.
"Push" she spoke in elven.
"I am!" The woman screamed.
Alessa reached forward to get a feel for the situation. She wasn't far from crowning, but she wasn't dilated enough.
"Listen..." Alessa asked Ves a silent question.
"Morill"
"Morill. I'm going to have to cut you-"
"Just get it out!"
"Right, take this" Alessa gave a small flask to Ves to give to Morill, and she drank it readily, "For the pain"
Alessa took her scalpel out and began, it was never a pretty thing but it had happened more than once. With the extra room the baby came out without problem. In one quick motion, Alessa wrapped the baby up and gave it to Ves. She quickly healed Morill rather than stitching her and it worked without issue. She wasn't sure if it was the impromptu of the birth or that she just wasn't used to using so much magic, but she felt a little drained to say the least.
She breathed a sigh of relief as she set her scalpel onto the table and wiped the blood from her hands. Ves went outside to tell the others as Alessa turned away.
"I'm just going to get some water Morill" She nodded and headed out.
As she returned, she heard Ves scream. Alessa pushed through the blue stripes to find the woman dead, Ves crying. She's slit her wrists with Alessa's knife.
"Do something!" Ves shouted, and Alessa shoved the water into Roche's hands and knelt to Morill.
"It's too late" Alessa almost stuttered as the shock hit her, she had missed it by minutes.
Shorty tried to comfort Ves as she began to shake, but she shoved him off, storming away.
Alessa scooped up the child, trying to hush him.
"Now what? It's not coming with us. You taking in this half breed?" Roche pointed at Alessa.
"No-"
"Seherim" Geralt interrupted, "He'll take him in"
"Then I will make sure he gets there" Alessa agreed.
"Good. We leave first thing. Natalis is en route to the post as we speak" Roche turned to leave and his men followed.
"Lobindon. You know his house?" Geralt made sure.
"Aye. Don't worry, he'll get there"
Seherim took the baby in, and Alessa relayed the events for him. As she walked the streets home she began to think. Think on her life in this hole. Think on how she hated it. Think on how she enjoyed working for him, despite everything. The thrill of collecting information, of seeing it come to something. She walked until she found herself at the barracks' front door.
She wanted a purpose. She wanted to cash in her favour.