The Great Northern Gambit: The First Push
Chapter 3: The Bloody Baron
Narrator: After their contract went wrong in Oxenfurt, Dominik and Ciri both were taken before their old friend Queen Adda of Redania. The now sole ruler of Redania, and the Northern Realms, gave the two young Witcher's a new contract. One that will not only line their pockets but help them win Queen Adda the War with Nilfgaard in Velen and open up the path for the Queen to retake her old home of Vizima in Temaria. She tasked Dominik and Ciri first with convincing their old friend The Bloody Baron to join the Queen's struggle against Nilfgaard. After this, they were tasked with seeking out Vernon Roche, commander of the last remnants of Temarian Blue Stripes, and together they will find Iorveth, the last active commander of the Scoia'tael in the North. After reuniting and convincing the old enemies to work together, Dominik and Ciri then were tasked with locating the missing Temarian general John Natalis, and Siegfried of Denesle, who have with them the heir to Temaria, Adda's sister Princess Anais and return them all to Adda. The task may seem impossible, but luckily Dominik and Ciri are both no stranger to impossible tasks….
"I don't like the sound of this," Yennefer complained, her image shimmering in the megascope. "Not one bit. Too many things can go wrong, the risk is too great!"
"Exactly what I said…" Dominik muttered, looking at Ciri who rolled her eyes at all of them.
"Please, all of you need to stop worrying. I'll be fine," She said, looking over now to Geralt's shimmering image. "Geralt, please tell them both they're overreacting."
Geralt sighed, looking at them both. "I… gotta admit, this does seem like a bit much."
"Geralt!" Ciri complained. "Don't worry them even more, besides, we already agreed. I know Dominik wants to do this as well, he's just being paranoid. We're more than capable!"
Or you're just not paranoid enough,Dominik thought. He hated the part of himself that wanted to complete this job. However, the moment they said yes, getting Adda's seal to present in her name, learning the specifics of who to go and who to talk too, it was a boyhood fantasy for him, one Ciri was letting him indulge it.
Naturally, they had wanted to get Geralt and Yennefer's opinion on the matter. He had managed to make sure Ciri didn't strangle Kiera, they got their weapons back, collected their things from their rooms, and went to the Sorceresses chambers onboard Adda's ship. She had let them both use their megascope to contact Yen's, and both her and Geralt readily answered.
After they explained the contract, as he expected Yen had the same worries as he did. Ciri however, was determined to let him indulge in this boyhood fantasy. He was thankful for the most part, but the nagging part of his brain was still horrified.
Geralt's image shimmered in the megascope, he shook his head. "Not saying you're not capable. Would never doubt that about you two, especially together. But I know both Iorveth and Roche, odds of them working together are about as high as Dominik becoming a Nilfgaardian aristocrat."
"So non-existent?" Dominik said.
Geralt shook his head. "Well, maybe that metaphor was too severe. Not saying you can't… you may just not be able to do it. Also don't like the fact Visegard's there one bit, remember he tried to kill me and Dandelion. That was even after I told him we were looking for you both."
"We'll handle Visegard, don't worry," Ciri said, a finality to her tone. She crossed her arms and smiled next to him. "We'll get this done, come out 20,000 richer, we'll have freed part of the North, and be on our way to Kovir within the next two weeks!"
Yen sighed and looked to Geralt. "This is your fault you know."
"What?" Geralt demanded. "How the hell is this my fault?"
"You were the one they inherited the habit of always finding themselves in trouble from," She said, turning back to them both. "If you're both going to do this please proceed with caution. Don't expose yourselves. The last thing you each need is more attention from Emhyr."
Ciri nodded, threading her arm through his. "We'll be careful, we promise."
Geralt sighed, "Well, be sure to tell Roche and Iorveth I send my regards," He looked over to Dominik now. "Be careful, Iorveth has tendency to shoot first ask questions later."
"Wonderful…" Dominik muttered, before sighing and looking at both Geralt and Yen. "How's Kaer Morhen? Ciri and I are heading to Kovir after this, but after we're done, we wanted to head there before we came back for Fiona."
"In Lambert's eloquent words," Yen said pointedly. "It's like a fucking ice cube."
Ciri snorted a laugh. "Ha, at least it's almost spring. How're the two new apprentices shaping up?"
Geralt shrugged. "As good as you could expect from new recruits. Even got a third that just showed up yesterday. A dwarf."
"A dwarven Witcher," Dominik said, managing a laugh. "Now I've seen it all. Looks like Fiona will have some competition there."
"I think she'll be up to the challenge!" Ciri said proudly. "Will you two still be there do you think when we arrive?"
"I'm actually not sure," Yen said, arms crossed. "I've been in contact with Triss, she's trying to secure the two of us a lovely spot in the mountains, where some of the snows don't get too high."
"All very quaint," Geralt said, smiling as he looked and nodded at them both. "We'll talk about it more later. Gotta get below and help Vesemir with this next lesson."
"Yes, and I need to call Triss," Yen said, her smile as usual making the worry slip away from him. She looked between Ciri and he. "Again, please be careful, the both of you. After this is through, contact us again."
"Yeah, and remember what I said," Geralt warned. "Roche and Iorveth are stubborn. You just gotta be even more stubborn than them."
Easier said than done…. Dominik thought. However, he knew if he could, it would do a massive amount for non-humans on the Continent. Scoia'tael and Blue Stripes working together and beating Nilfgaard? Adda was nothing if not shrewd, taking every advantage she could. If it worked, she would send a message, and one that would help them continue to beat the Black Ones.
"We'll contact you we promise," Ciri said, nodding and looking up at Dominik now. "And you don't need to worry about us. We're incredibly persistent as you both know."
"Yeah," Dominik said, unable to not smile at Ciri. "We inherited that from you both. We'll see you both soon at Kaer Morhen."
He watched Yen end the call from her end, and the figure of her and Geralt disappeared, and he sighed with his head in his hands. Geralt's words rang in his head. How did he even begin to make two people who tried to kill each other for years, suddenly join sides, even if they both hated the same enemy? Adda had assured him that Roche would be cooperative, but how would that promise hold up if Iorveth and his men started shooting the minute they found him like Geralt seemed to think they would? And would the Scoia'tael even be interested in lands of their own like Adda promised? How far could their hatred of Nilfgaard drive them?
It's driving me to do this, and Ciri to agree to it, he thought. What the hell do I even say to them?
"We had better get moving," Ciri said, coming up behind him, and blissfully digging her hands into his shoulders. "People to find, monsters to kill. If we leave now, we can be at Crow's Perch in the morning!"
Dominik sighed again, relishing the relaxing feeling of her fingers kneading into his shoulders. She always knew exactly what ached him.
His dream from the previous morning came to him. He only ever had dreams of Ciri like that when she was in danger. For eight years, they never had been bad ones, they were always memories. Yennefer had enchanted the swallow pendant from her to give him blissfully peaceful dreams. While Geralt and he had been searching for Ciri, the enchantment wore off, and he began having dreams of all that had happened to her, and what would.
Those ghosts with the golden glow in the middle. It didn't take much thinking for him to guess who they were supposed to be. He didn't like putting too much stock in dreams. Sometimes they showed things that could happen, sometimes they were simply warnings.
He'd take this one as a warning, but despite him explaining to Ciri what happened, she wasn't deterred.
"You know, I love your optimism," He said, turning to her. "But I wish you'd be a little bit more worried right now."
She scoffed. "And have you become even more of a grump? Of course, I have worries, but if I acted that way, you'd only worry more, and I don't like it when you worry. Besides, it's as I've been saying, you want this. I'm here for it, and for you."
"There you go again… always being right," He said, the thoughts returning to his mind.
What if he could get Iorveth and Roche to work together? What if he could find Natalis and Denesle, would they really be enough to help Adda drive Nilfgaard from Velen? She seemed incredibly sure of her victory if he and Ciri completed the contract.
It would also be one step closer to maybe one day, freeing Cintra if Adda could do it.
But that's not your home anymore, he thought, looking at the woman in his arms. She is your home, wherever she is….
But, that tingling boyhood excitement at the base of his skull was still there. He assumed it was at the base of Ciri's as well.
They wanted revenge, they wanted to get back at Emhyr in even a small way for Cintra.
"As I said before, it's a habit of mine," She said cheekily, smiling up at him. "If it helps think about the reward! Not only do we get to screw over Emhyr, but we won't have to work for at least a month on top of it if we don't want too."
"I thought doing nothing didn't really suit our style?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes. "After what me and you went through, I'd say for a least a while I could stomach it. Either way this will be successful. You'll convince Roche and Iorveth to play nice, we'll find who we need to find, and I'll be right there with you to help as always."
Dominik's chest got warm, he smiled and kissed her. She responded eagerly, kissing him back and for a few moments Kiera's chambers became their own.
"What did I do to deserve you?" He said, as her lips pulled back from his and she stood staring at him with a smirk. "Honestly, how did I manage it?"
"Fighting the Wild Hunt for me was a good start," She said sarcastically. "I have extremely high standards! But in the end, it was the sex that did it for me."
They both laughed, the beautiful glow of the sunset coming in through the window. After all they had sacrificed, he was beginning to enjoy moments like this more and more. The two of them just being with one another, being next to each other. She looked gorgeous in front of him. After telling Adda they'd agreed to her contract, they'd been given back their things, they'd bathed in their room back at the inn, before going to have dinner with Freya.
After eating their fill and learning more about the 'cannons' that Freya was still developing, they'd come to use Kiera's megascope before heading out with the sunset. Dominik had the urge to sleep under the sky that night and Ciri didn't mind. They'd outlined their plan and route before they left the inn, after the bungled contract the day before, they weren't doing anything on a whim.
Ciri finished laughing, before reaching and snaking her arms around his neck to hug him.
"You did so much more then you'll ever know…" She said, her mouth pressed near his ear, her soft voice comforting his nerves. "We're going to do this. I love you."
"I love you too," He said, kissing her again, before they reluctantly pulled back from one another. He looked down and saw her smiling. She reached and picked up both his swords, handing them over to him, before reaching for her own.
He looked down at both the long weapons thoughtfully before slinging them over his back. He quickly checked his belt, he had bombs, his crossbow and vials of oil in case he needed extra power against a certain monster. Ciri strapped her owns swords to her back, still adjusting to the weight of two of them. However, after they were attached, she looked at him, untangled the medallion and ring from around her neck and nodded.
"Ready when you are," She said. "Shall we?"
"We shall," He said, turning to the door. "And pray that this wasn't a mistake…"
Before he could go to leave, someone knocked at the door. He turned to Ciri who's face twisted to a scowl. She no doubt thought that it was Kiera coming back to her chambers, but a much deeper voice came through the door after that.
"I hope I'm no interrupting…" Anton's voice came, amused behind the door, and Ciri excitedly ran to the door.
"Anton!" Ciri pulled the door open, revealing the tall, old knight from when they were children in Cintra.
Father's right-hand man… the last true knight of Cintra, Dominik thought, remembering the day he and Ciri met the man again after all the years. If not for him, he and Ciri never would have saved Fiona, their Child Surprise would be trapped, and they wouldn't have been able to do anything without him and his knights. Then, at the Battle of Undvik, he'd saved Bella, and them again, his force being invaluable in the fighting.
Now he was Adda's general. If she does go to retake Cintra… it's fitting Anton would be by her side.
"I must admit, I've worried about the two of you," Anton said, hugging Ciri and smirking over at Dominik. "But I then I remind myself, you aren't the same little children who I followed around the castle back in Cintra."
"Followed much to closely for that matter," Dominik said, managing a smile as Anton reached and clasped his hand. "We wouldn't have done anything, we were kids!"
Anton laughed. "Ha! The way you two looked at each other. Please, given another few month we would have found you both in much more precarious position then we already had!"
Ciri blushed, and so did he for a moment, before rolling his eyes. "And apparently it would have made me King, as much as I would've hated it."
"Aye… aye it would have," Anton said, a fond smile on his face as he looked at them both. "Gods… if Gregory and Cali could see you both now."
"I wish they could…" Dominik said, sighing as he could remember his father's face. "You think he'd be proud I'm finally fighting Nilfgaard?"
Anton scoffed. "I think he'd be proud of the man you've grown to be," he looked to Ciri, "and the woman you've grown to be. So, you two accepted the mission from the Queen then?"
Dominik wanted to answer, but his stomach twisted in knots as the details of the mission came back to him. Ciri however, was quick to answer.
"We did, took some convincing," She said, poking Dominik's stomach and smiling back at Anton. "But we're heading out soon."
Dominik met Anton's eyes. "Have you seen Adda's informant? It's fucking Visegard."
At the mention of his former comrade, turned traitor, turned informant now, Anton wrinkled his nose, a disgusted look growing on his face.
"I did…. I do not agree with the Queen's decision, not one bit. Even back in Cintra, Visegard would steal from a beggar to gain even the slightest bit of power," He said, before sighing and looking at them both. "But the Queen has not steered me wrong yet. She assures me she has it under control. I make for Skellige soon, but the both of you… be careful with him here."
Dominik's skin blistered again, bubbling like an overflowing pot of stew. He wanted to find the former traitor and cut him in half now. However, he hadn't seen the man since they had been in Adda's chamber, and the Queen had promised them they wouldn't have to deal with him.
I just have to trust Adda…remember, she's never given you reason not to. But was her trusting of Visegard enough? Despite all the risk of her plan, Adda had seemed so sure of her victory, if Dominik and Ciri could just find Natalis and Anais and convince Roche and Iorveth to work together. How was she so sure? What was she hiding from them all to make her so sure? While she hadn't shown any dis-honesty, Dominik couldn't forget what Geralt had told him of the Queen when he first met her. Adda had colluded with the Salamandra in Vizima, only months before the war with Nilfgaard. He didn't want to believe it, but he hadn't ruled out the possibility of this all being some elaborate ruse by the Queen.
A ruse, which could get him killed and Ciri delivered to Emhyr. What if Adda wanted to secretly use Ciri to bargain with the Emperor? Ciri seemed to not be worried about the idea. However, he knew that she did know the risks, and was simply doing this for him.
Because no matter how many problems he saw with this plan, his want to fight Nilfgaard, to do something to help the North was simply too great. Nilfgaard, Emhyr, they had been his first mortal enemy. Before the Wild Hunt, before Eredin and Avallac'h, Emhyr and the Black Ones had been the boogeyman Dominik wished to one day slay.
He had killed Eredin, one day he'd kill Avallac'h, but today, a chance to strike back against the Black Ones was there. He only hoped his desire didn't get both he and Ciri killed.
"We'll be alright, no need to worry Anton," Ciri said, grabbing onto his arm. "We'll be careful. Much tougher beings then Visegard have tried to kill us."
Dominik scoffed, her touch soothing him. "If that isn't the truth…"
Anton chuckled. "Ha… that is, I've seen it. Just keep your wits and be careful. I'll return from Skellige hopefully in time for Adda's assault on the Velen camp."
Dominik nodded. "It'll be good to have you here. When you see Cerys, Hjalmar, and Faram, give them all our best. We'll see them all soon."
"Yeah," Ciri said, smirking wildly at them both. "And all the while, we're going to teach Emhyr a lesson he won't soon forget…. Let's go get the bastard."
Dominik smiled at her confidence; it was contagious as always for him.
He'd never forget that day in Cintra. Dominik had achieved a great many things since then. He'd found the woman he loved and would be spending the rest of his life with her. He'd become a hero of song and legend for his own accomplishments, not just for being 'Geralt of Rivia's son', killed the King of the Wild Hunt, and beasts he'd used to have nightmares off as a child.
But one thing he never had gotten to do, was truly make Nilfgaard pay. The Battle of Brenna had ended up being worthless for him. The North won yes, but signed a treaty only a few months later, and he hadn't found Ciri in Cintra like he'd hoped after the battle.
Now however, he would have a real chance. One he would grab with both hands, and with Ciri now, he didn't think they stood a chance.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
The night sky was beautiful, and Ciri found herself unable to stop looking at the stars. Her and Dominik's fire crackled, a rabbit roasting on the makeshift spit they'd made. Dominik sniped the little creature with expert crossbow precision. Ciri found it odd he was so good with the weapon, considering how dreadful they both were with a bow. Either way, it got them food most nights they camped out, so she didn't mind. It also had helped him kill Eredin, so it made the sill even more invaluable.
I wonder what's keeping him, she thought as she poked the fire with a stick. He went for wood ages ago.
She had taken off her corset, the cool night air hitting against her mid-drift. She wore the top which went down past her breasts, and she'd unbuttoned her trousers, just waiting for Dominik to get back so they could eat and crawl into their tent. At first, they'd started out with one sleeping bag. However, they quickly learned on the road, that even on nights they didn't have sex they both moved quite a bit. So now they had a smaller tent, with two sleeping bags laid out, with a few comfy pillows. It wasn't a room in an inn, but so long as she was with him, Ciri found it quite comfortable. She adored these nights under the stars with him, nights she'd yearned years for.
Over near the trees, Kelpie and Clop knickered eating the grass, relieved of carrying their gear for the night. The fire was large, Dominik having lit it himself with Igni. He'd been in remarkably higher spirits since they'd left Oxenfurt and headed towards Crow's Perch. Being out on the road always seemed to do that for him. It did it for Ciri too, being in the outdoors felt freeing, and reminded them both of the life they now had, the life they'd both wanted since they met one another back in Cintra.
Ciri sighed and sucked in the cool air, smiling up at the stars, throwing more sticks onto the fire and leaning back against the log they'd found. Her mind drifted with thoughts of their current contract, but she found that after beating the Wild Hunt, most problems seemed minuscule now. Of course, she was worried about Emhyr finding out she was alive, and the possibility she could be taken back.
However, so long as she and Dominik were together, they'd beat whatever was in their way, just like they always had. They'd both beaten the eight-year journey alone to get back to one another. She'd beaten the Rats, Bonhart, the Aen Elle, Vilgefortz, the Wild Hunt. Dominik had fought in the Battle of Brenna, walked the Witcher's Path alone and unmutated at sixteen, spent years alone hungry and starving, all while never giving up his search for her. He'd survived learning his sister had been brainwashed by the Wild Hunt, the Wild Hunt itself, killed Eredin. All of that they'd done to get to the point they were at now together.
A stubborn Vernon Roche, and Iorveth were like ants in comparison, a simple missing person's contract was child's play.
She'd just decided to say damn waiting and cut the rabbit up herself, when she heard the leaves move behind her. Her instincts kicked in, she grabbed her knife which was still attached at her hip and yanked it free, standing and spinning around to face the pile of bushes that rustled.
"Woah easy there princess," Dominik's voice came, his form walking from the treeline, his hands up in mock surrender, a wicked grin on his face. "I surrender, no need for violence!"
"Damn you!" She said, scoffing and putting away her knife. He laughed and came towards her, his hands behind her back, and Ciri rolled her eyes at him. "You scared me half to death! Where've you been, I'm starving, and I was beginning to worry."
"Sorry to worry you milady," he said, sitting down on the log next to her, still smiling like a madman. "But I saw something that I thought milady would like and couldn't resist myself."
From behind his back, he produced a large bundle of white daises. They were gorgeous, and Ciri laughed as Dominik made a gesture of getting to one of his knees and handing them to her.
"For you Princess," He said, as Ciri smiled and took them from him. "I hope milady enjoys."
"Oh, I enjoy very much milord!" She said, both laughing now. Ciri held her bare hand up to his cheek admiring his handsome face in the firelight, his green eyes sparkling particularly bright that night. "Thanks, handsome…"
She leaned forward and kissed him. He responded eagerly, holding her hand to his face as they kissed. He moved up next to her on the log before he pulled away winking at her.
"My pleasure princess," He said, holding out his hands. "Want a crown? I'll make myself one too, maybe we can see what it would have been like had we been King and Queen!"
She scoffed a laugh and nodded, handing the flowers to him again. "I must admit, I'm quite curious myself. Have it at, meanwhile, I'm starving."
He smiled wickedly and took the flowers back, his hands working quickly to start bending and weaving them. She had watched him do it before of course, but his skill at it always amazed her, along with the gesture of course being incredibly sweet.
Sofia certainly taught him well, she smiled, watching his hands expertly move and start to turn the flowers into what resembled small crowns. A small, childlike excitement bubbled up in her, she'd been thinking about what would have happened had Cintra not been sacked, had her grandmother really been able to go through with her plan of marrying her and Dominik together.
Ciri wouldn't have cared of course because even at eleven when she'd met him, she had an enormous crush on him. Dominik felt the same from the start as well, but they had both just been too embarrassed, or nervous to tell the other. The more she thought of it, the more her grandmothers plan made sense. Dominik's father Sir Gregory was the head of her grandmother's armies, effectively only below Queen Calanthe herself in command. His family had held the position for decades, and then his mother, while being of common birth, had been one of her grandmother's top agents in special forces until she had Dominik.
She'd learned that before Dominik's father had met Sofia, Ciri's own mother Pavetta and he had been together secretly as children, before Queen Calanthe and Sir Ryland, Dominik's grandfather put an end to it.
Sir Gregory and Dominik's family weren't royalty but were one of the most respected families in Cintra, and indeed much of the North. Marrying Ciri to Dominik, would have assured no other Kingdom was taking advantage and taking power away from Queen Calanthe's family, not to mention that it would have given Ciri an incredibly happy life, her as Queen, Dominik as King. Other Kings and Queens of the North would have been agitated, but in the end, it would have benefited Cintra. Ciri wondered often after hearing he revelation from her Grandmother's spirit in the Cave of Life, what it could have been like with her and Dominik on the throne.
Of course, she never thought long about it, because she wouldn't have traded the life, she had with him now for anything. She didn't need a throne, or anymore power then she already had. They had each other, and it was all they needed.
"So, what's your take on the missing troops in the south," He asked her. Ciri had moved to take the rabbit from the spit and started cutting chunks off for them both. "Gotta be something big if it can conceal that many men."
"Would a Foglet trap people like that?" She asked, slicing her knife through the meat. "It seems like the obvious answer."
"Maybe. It's not something Foglets normally do," He said, pulling the stem of one of the flowers tight. "But I've encountered monsters who act strange before. Who knows, it could be a succubus, or some kind of vampire."
Ciri shivered as she bit a chunk off her knife. "After that Katakan, I want to avoid vampire for the foreseeable future."
"Vampires are always tough, no matter what. Wait until we find one that can talk, think more for itself," He said with a grimace. "Those are the worst. It's hard to kill something that walks and talks like a human sometimes. Remember Geralt told us, there's some kinds of vampires, that even he would never take a contract on, ones that are basically invincible."
She chewed and watched with amazement, that he was already done both crowns. One was a bit bigger for himself, and he smiled as he handed her the smaller one.
"For you milady, a gift," He said with a mock bow. "Never have I seen a more ravishing woman eat her dinner off a knife!"
She rolled her eyes and threw the chunk of rabbit at him, which to her annoyance he caught. He laughed, and soon Ciri joined him, unable to not smile at his handsome face, and infectious laugh. She took the crown and gently placed it over her head, the perfect size as always.
"A gift very well received my love!" She said, dramatically picking up the larger crown and bringing it near his head. "By the power vested in me by… some ancestor hundreds of years ago that probably just had a better sword then everyone else, I Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, name you Dominik the first, King of Cintra! Do you accept the position?"
"Do I get to marry the Queen?" He asked, smirking at her in the firelight.
Ciri pretended to think for a moment. "Mhm… I think that can be arranged. The Queen happens to find you quite handsome."
"That's all I need then!" He said in mock triumph, his eyes growing soft as they rested on her. "I happen to find the Queen to be, the most brilliant woman I've ever seen in my entire life."
She felt her face get red, before laughing and playfully shoving his arm. "Ha… you suck up. Go on, let's eat, we should get some rest soon, we have a big day tomorrow."
"Agreed…" He said, before looking and smiling over at their tent. "Hopefully not… to soon?"
"If you're lucky," She teased, winking at him and biting into her half of the rabbit again.
He laughed and nodded, biting down into his own food. He didn't wear his armor, only a long-sleeved top, which was tighter around his body, and unbuttoned down the middle. His chest was large, covered in sweat which was reflected from the fire. Two long scars made their way across it, underneath his medallion and the swallow she had given him what felt like ages ago. One across his torso from a general of the Wild Hunt, and one diagonally across his chest.
That one he had gotten in Rivia, when they could have originally seen each other again first. She'd never forget that day, not as long as she lived, or the years of mental agony she suffered after it.
They had finally sat down, and talked about what happened, not just during their war with the Hunt, but the entire eight years they'd been apart. Some of the things Ciri heard that Dominik had done, or had to do, shocked her, made her ashamed, made her cry, but in the end, he'd made it to her. He had similar reactions, hearing all the details of what had happened to her. After those, few days of simply telling each other what happened… she'd felt closer to him then she'd ever had.
And appreciated nights like this even more.
Although some nights, like that night, questions and what ifs popped into her mind.
"Dominik," She said, looking up next to him as she poured water from their canteen into her mouth and handed it over to him. "Can… I ask you something?"
He scoffed a laugh, adjusting his flower crown, and taking the water after finished his portion of rabbit.
"Oo, sounds serious," he joked, smiling as he drank. "What's up princess?"
She bit her lip, they'd told each other that they could ask questions about anything that happened, whenever they wanted, but she still felt nervous bringing the topic up.
"Do… you ever wonder," She said, meeting his eyes over the firelight, "what would have happened if Geralt was able to find you? You know… before he came looking for me."
Dominik had been about to drink from the canteen but stopped and turned back to her. Ciri could see goosebumps running up his arms and felt them after laying her hand on his arm to hold.
She felt guilty right away. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I was just thinking about Cintra, what would have happened if Nilfgaard hadn't invaded, and I started thinking about other what ifs and-."
"No… no it's alright, you can ask," He said, smiling at her, but Ciri could see it was a little forced. Sighing he put the canteen down and looked over the fire. "I think about it all the time. If… if I hadn't been a little brat and blamed Geralt well… I would have already been with him."
"He forgave you," She reminded him, squeezing onto his arm. "You know that."
"Doesn't mean I still don't feel bad about it," He said shaking his head. Sighing again he managed to look over at her. "It actually may have been good that I didn't go with him. I… don't think I would have gotten along well with his group of friends. His hansa."
She shook her head. "I only met a few for a few minutes but… I think you would've liked most of them. Except well… obviously not… well him."
"Cahir," Dominik said, spitting the name out. "I regret every day what happened to Declan at Kaer Morhen, but that doesn't change how I felt about his cousin. I would have killed him the minute he showed his face. If he told me about his dreams well, that only would've spurred me on. I thought Bella was dead, he killed her, he killed my mother… I'll never understand why Geralt let him come but well… he saved you, so I'm glad he did in a way. Won't change how I feel about him."
"I know," Ciri said with a nod. "Doesn't change how I felt about him either. Bastard…"
Declan, Cahir's cousin, had been a friend, fighting and dying at Kaer Morhen to help them beat back the Hunt, but Dominik was right, it didn't change what Cahir did. Ciri sparred his life on Thanedd because she wasn't ready to kill yet. However, after Stygga Castle, hearing of the man's perverted dreams of her she felt… neutral on him. She wouldn't look past the fact he fought Bonhart so she could escape, but it didn't change what he had done. He was still a bastard.
Of course, many people had claimed they loved her, most of them quite older than her. It was foul, it disgusted her, it would have even if she didn't love Dominik, it was something she would never had wished on any young woman.
"But after that well… nothing would have stopped me," Dominik said, his nerves calming, and a smile forming on his lips as he looked at her. "I would have gotten into that castle, and I don't care who was there. Vilgefortz, Bonhart, nothing would have stopped me from getting you out of there."
Ciri felt her heart flutter. She'd never forget frantically looking for Dominik among the carnage after the battle that day. Despite being back with Yen and Geralt, he had been the one she said she'd go to see first, that was the first thing she said she wanted to do, to find him. Naturally, Geralt and Yen did just that. And after she forced her way out of the meeting with the Lodge, she thought years of suffering and missing him would finally cease at Rivia.
Of course, that hadn't been the case.
"What about you?" He asked, as she looked up at him. "What would you have done if I was there, what would you have wanted to do?"
Ciri laughed breathlessly. He had gone from nervous to smiling again in moments, and his smile always had that effect on her. She pressed her hand against his cheek, rubbing against the scar Eredin had given him.
"I would have taken the both of us, and well… went far away," She said, her thumb trailing along his cheek. "Maybe we'd have gone with Yen and Geralt a bit. We would've told off the Lodge and went away. Maybe another world, maybe Kaer Morhen."
"So basically," He said, smirking as he held her hand over his cheek. "What we're doing right now?"
She scoffed, scotting herself closer. "Yes… exactly what we're doing right now. I wouldn't trade this for anything, I don't need a crown, just you."
"I love you…" He said, leaning his forehead against hers. "But I gotta admit, a crown does look awfully good on you."
She laughed again and kissed him, a long, sweet, tender one which sent shockwaves down her chest. His arms snaked around her waist, and she laughed again, shocked when he pulled her legs across his and she settled into his lap. She sighed, enjoying the feeling of being held, and rested her head on his shoulder. She reached up and kissed the side of his neck, and smirked when he shivered.
"So, before we get to bed," She said, a yawn escaping her. "Let's lay out the plan for tomorrow. We should only be a few hours from Crow's Perch, right?"
"That's right," He said, his voice soft, happy, a contrast from how he'd been in Oxenfurt. He twirled a loose strand of her hair gently in his fingers, as they looked into the fire together. "We'll talk to the Baron, should only take a few hours. After that, Adda said Roche should be waiting near Blackbough for us.
"And she said in the southeast forest is where Siegfried went missing," Ciri said, remembering the layout of Velen's map. "That's a lot of marsh and bog. If we don't hurry and find Iorveth after we get Roche, rain will more than likely wipe away any tracks, there hasn't been a storm in weeks, one's bound to come doon."
"Yay… more fucking rain," He complained, sighing and looking up at the sky.
She rolled her eyes at him. "Stop being a baby. The hard part will be finding Iorveth. Won't even get to try and convince him to join our side if we can't."
"You're right," Dominik said. "We just gotta hope Roche has some leads. If not well… I've found more with less the last few years. No way a group of Scoia'tael doesn't leave tracks we can follow."
"Yes sir, master Witcher! I'm but your humble apprentice!" She mocked, and tossed her head back laughing when he glared at her. During their eight years apart, Dominik had been a Witcher despite having no mutations and no idea about his powers. She knew she was a Witcher as well, she shared most of the knowledge he did, however with his experience he often knew smaller tricks Ciri didn't.
She didn't mind of course, but naturally she teased him when he talked about the years of experience, he had over her.
"Very funny…" He muttered as she finished laughing. Still in his lap, he moved his hand down her leg, grabbed hold and stood up with her in his arms.
"Hahaha easy!" She said, her hands around his neck to steady herself. She leaned forward and kissed him, deeper, hungrier this time, and he stiffened when she did for a moment, before eagerly responding with the same kind of hunger for her as she had for him.
She pulled back and nodded. "So, we'll head to Crow's Perch. Talk to the Baron, then find Roche. After that, we'll track down Iorveth, convince him to join up with us. Then we'll find Natalis, Siegfried and Anais, and get them back to Oxenfurt!"
"And then, me and you will be on our way to Kovir," He said, a sound of longing in his voice as he held her. "For a real proper vacation."
"You know, technically those few weeks after Undvik were our vacation," She said, her lips a few inches from his again.
He shook his head. "Wasn't long enough for me. How about you?"
"Nope, not at all," She said, giving him another soft kiss before pulling back and meeting his eyes again. "You're sure you're alright to do this? You're…. mood has improved since we left Oxenfurt."
He shrugged and still smiled. "Honestly, I'm starting to dislike larger cities. I guess being out here alone with you improves my mood you could say."
She blushed but shook her head. "As sweet as that is… you're sure?"
"I'm sure. Still worried about it all but," He sighed and nodded. "As long as you're with me, we're unstoppable, just ask the Hunt. We'll deal with Visegard when he tries something. We'll help the North beat Nilfgaard and net ourselves enough for a nice vacation for our efforts."
Ciri smiled and kissed him again. He was right. Geralt, Yen, all their friends had always said that the two of them were unstoppable together. They'd showed it multiple times even before they gained better control of their powers. At Undvik, Eredin had separated them on purpose, thinking it would be easier to defeat them both. Of course, it had backfired when Dominik and Bella killed him.
And if what Bella said in her letter was true, that there was someone who could teach them both to further learn more about their powers… nobody would ever threaten them again.
"Sounds wonderful," She said, kissing him again, her hand moving down his chest as he held her. "Now come on, let's get ourselves to bed, big day tomorrow!"
He shakily sighed, that goofy smile he always got when she kissed him ever present. Biting his lip, he looked at her and she winked, and his red face only made her laugh more.
"You know…" He said, letting her to the ground, the two of them moving towards the tent, "I think we're going to have to get Fiona her own tent when we go for her."
She stopped and tuned, innocently smiling at him. "Oh? Why do you say that? I think our tent is big enough, she could easily sleep in there with us!"
"She's thirteen," He said, his face beat red. "I just think she'd want to have her own! Children need their privacy after all."
"Oh… is that really why Dominik?" She asked, hands on her hips as she smirked.
"Well, um… also because well… um… we… um-." He fumbled over his words and Ciri through her head back to laugh.
"Ahaha… alright, I think we can get her a tent of her own," She smirked, reaching out and grabbing his hand. Embarrassed but smiling he let her pull him to their tent. "Come on, as I said, we have a big day tomorrow!"
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Crow's Perch hadn't changed a bit from when Dominik had last been there. It had more men garrisoned, more merchants in the outer bailey, and the barn which had nearly crushed him when he saved Gretka-which felt like ages ago- was rebuilt. However, the air of tension he felt when he first arrived at Crow's Perch with Geralt was still ever present. You wouldn't have guessed it however if you looked at Ciri, who like always was smiling and waving to the guards as they passed. Some of them recognized her and were eager to see her again. He knew she had spent a few days there but had no idea she'd be remembered so many months later.
Well, Ciri does have that effect on people… he thought, smiling fondly at her as the gate to the inner bailey and the castle itself closed behind them. The guards had given them no problem entering, and a soldier had run to fetch the Baron, and his wife.
"I can't believe it actually worked!" Ciri said excitedly, the two of them waiting beneath the large tree in the center of the courtyard. "She's cured Dominik, can you believe it?"
"Well, we do damn good work, of course I can!" He said jokingly, a warm feeling washing over him as he leaned against the tree, Ciri a step next to him. "But… it does feel good to have done something."
He had the theory back when Ciri, Geralt and he went after the three Crones, that if he and Ciri could kill them, the Baron's wife's madness could go away, that it was the best chance the woman had.
Ciri and he of course did kill the Crones, all three of them and now at least according to the guards, Anna had recovered. He hadn't thought about that since Ciri and he had fought the Crones, what with the Hunt needing their attention, but it was still something he could be proud of.
A life saved, a family restored, he and Ciri still alive. That was why he loved being a Witcher, and why all the what if's he could think of didn't matter.
But here I am now… fighting Nilfgaard, my biggest what if. What would have happened had me and Ciri become King and Queen, and we had to fight them then?
He pushed the thoughts away. After the wonderful night Ciri and he had the night before, he wasn't going to let himself fall into a stupor now. He had told himself after they left Oxenfurt, he'd stay on alert, and not forget about his worries, but he'd throw everything he had into this contract. It was a rule in he and Ciri's own Witcher's code, that once a contract was agreed to, you'd give it everything, no reservations. If they managed to do everything that Adda asked, they could stop the rest of the North from falling slave to Nilfgaard.
"Now, we just have to hope they're grateful enough to consider Adda's offer," Ciri said. She'd bought herself an apple from a vendor in the outer bailey and bit into it. "I don't think it'll take much to be honest. If he really fought for the North as much as he said, I think he'd love to fight for Foltest's daughter."
"That's what I'm hoping," Dominik said, taking the apple when she offered and biting it himself. It was hot that morning, the sun was blistering so the apple was particularly good as he chewed. "But either way, we need to get this done somewhat quick. We don't know how much time Adda will have until she attacks the Velen camp. She said this wasn't a requirement, that finding the others was most important."
"And I'd not like to give Roche more time to think about working with Iorveth," Ciri noted, taking the apple back. "But you'd have to think Adda won't attack the camp without us getting those men back and her heir."
Dominik shrugged. "I don't think anyone has any idea what Adda's going to do except Adda, and maybe Elise."
That woman may be too smart for her own good.
Ciri scoffed a laugh. "Ha, you're right about that. Elise may be the only one. Do you think they're together? Surely you've seen the looks they give each other."
Dominik choked on the apple. Ciri laughed as he coughed, and she proceeded to slap him on the back. He coughed up the apple and looked at Ciri incredulously.
"No!" He said, Ciri as she still laughed like a madwoman. "Elise just lost her fiancée a few months ago. Adda's running a Kingdom, doesn't seem like a good time for a fling."
"I think that makes it the perfect time, relieves the stress of it all," Ciri said, smirking the entire time. "I know after long, stressful days we both certainly like too-."
"Okay, okay no need to tell the entire castle about that," Dominik cut her off, making her laugh even harder. He rolled his eyes at her and shook his head. "Besides, I don't think it's any of our business if they are or not. We should just let them play it out, and not interfere. It's impolite."
She scoffed at him, the sun casting a beautiful glow over her. Sometimes he simply enjoyed just sitting and looking at her, admiring her. It was a privilege he'd have for the rest of his life.
"Oh please, don't tell me you won't try with everything you have to make sure Bella and Freya see each other again," She said, smirking at him. "The both of us are going to 'interfere' to make sure they end up together. Especially after seeing the way Bella looked at her, and how concerned Freya was."
He did see, and it delighted him to no end. Even after thinking his sister was dead and not seeing her for elven years, Dominik liked to think he knew her better than anyone. He had no reservations that in the week Freya spent keeping Bella alive after Undvik, his sister had fallen head over heels. Freya too was one of his best-friends, he thought he loved her at one point, almost went off with her, so he liked to think he knew her feelings rather good as well and could say especially after seeing her reaction that Bella was indeed okay, Freya had similar feelings as well.
Of course, with what Bella said in her note about her… condition, still fighting Baelen on the inside since Undvik, it would be hard. He still wished sometimes his sister had come with he and Ciri, he knew he could have helped her, but Bella was adamant she needed to go herself.
"Yes, I noticed, but they're my sister and one of my best-friends," He reasoned, readjusting both his swords. "I know them better. I actually think we should try and get Bella to come to Hjalmar's coronation in a few months."
"I was thinking the same," Ciri said, her eyes fluttering with excitement. "We can have them both meet up again, it'll be lovely! Oh, and we'll have Fiona so that'll-."
"Ahhh do my eyes deceive me!" A deeper voice cut Ciri off. "We're hosting legends here today Annie!"
Dominik moved off the tree and smiled when he saw the glee that appeared on Ciri's face. The Baron made for them with his wife indeed in tow, and Dominik found it a relief. She moved normally, her grey hair was neatly combed, her dress was expertly patched. All evidence of her imprisonment by the Crones seemed to be gone, as she smiled walking next to the Baron as the man reached them both.
The Baron himself seemed slimmer, and Dominik couldn't smell alcohol on the man for the first time he could remember. He still wore the red coat and a sword at his side, but there was much heartier spring to the man's step then Dominik remembered.
"I wouldn't call us legends," Ciri said, stepping up before he could. "But feel free to bow!"
"Aha!" The Baron laughed, reaching to shake Ciri's hand. "You'll both still be the young ones who bumbled into my castle searching for one another! It's good to see you both!"
Dominik smiled and stepped next to Ciri, shaking the man's hand as well. "And you. We got a lot to thank you for, we wouldn't be here if you hadn't helped us."
"As much as I would have liked, I didn't kill the King of the Wild Hunt!" The Baron laughed, shaking Dominik's hand and almost pulled Dominik to the ground he pulled so hard. He then looked at Ciri. "And I also didn't save our world from certain doom! I must say, when the guards said you'd returned I didn't right away believe them, but it's good to see you alright my dear."
"And I'm glad to be alright," Ciri said, smiling like a madwoman, before she bit her lip and shook her head. "We'd… prefer to keep it that way if you or the men didn't mind."
"She's right, we… might have influenced the song's outcome," Dominik said meeting looking at Ciri and then back to the Baron. "We don't exactly want too many people to know Ciri survived. Don't want anyone to try and come after her."
The Baron scoffed. "After what I hear in that song, I can believe that. You have my own word, none outside Crow's Perch will speak the name."
"Thank you," Ciri said with a small bow, her face awash with relief. "One day hopefully soon I won't have to hide, but for now we aren't taking any chances."
"After what you both did for me," The Baron said, shaking his head smiling over at Anna who stood next to him. "You need but ask, and if it's within my power, I'll see it done."
Dominik looked at Anna, remembering when he and Geralt first walked into Crookback Bog and saw the woman.
I was a little brat then. Geralt was right, I didn't know how to control my temper, he thought, but soon found himself smiling. That feels like ages ago, but in reality, it was only a few months… a lot has changed, a lot for the better.
He'd been able to make up for it in the end. Thanks to Ciri, thanks to many.
"We appreciate it, we really do," Dominik said, looking to the woman and bowing his head. "Anna it's… good to meet you, well… again in my case."
"And me as well," Ciri said eagerly. "It's good to know you're alright."
Anna smiled and nodded. "Aye, and it seems that according to your song, I have you both to thank for it. I… I don't remember much from that time, but I'm thankful it's over. I also hear that I have you to thank for my daughter being alive."
Dominik paled at the mention of Tamara, the Baron's daughter. He had remembered saving he girl of course from the Fiend in Crookback Bog. However, he also remembered the girl had gone to the Witch Hunters for aid in getting to the Bog. The Witch Hunters weren't exactly fond of him, even less so of Adda, who had disbanded the units in Redania, and banished them from all lands she controlled.
"And…. How is Tamara?" Dominik asked carefully, looking to the Baron again. "Is she still her with her… new friends?"
The Baron laughed. "Ha, no need to worry on that lad! After Annie came back, Tamara did the same not soon after. Left those blasted Witch Hunters!"
Dominik let out the breath he'd been holding, and Ciri asked his next question.
"And where is she now?" Ciri asked. "I didn't get the chance to meet her when I was here last."
"Out with some of the soldiers patrolling," Anna said, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. "She's been taking more of an active role in their deployment and the responsibilities of the castle."
The Baron smiled wickedly and looked at he and Ciri both. "Aye, been doing wonderfully she has! Going to be leaving her in charge of the castle when we all head to join up with Queen Adda! One last battle to push those Nilfgaardian pompiers out of my new land!"
Dominik's jaw dropped unable to form words. He looked to Ciri, wondering if maybe she'd said something about why they were there, and he hadn't heard. However, she was just as puzzled as him. For a moment they stood in stunned silence, the soldiers and workers moving rapidly in the courtyard around them.
The Baron and his wife looked at each other confused as well. Finally after a moment of awkward silence the Baron shook his head.
"That… is what the both of you came to discuss isn't it?" The man asked, his one hand going to rest on his sword.
Dominik looked down at Ciri and she shrugged. Still dumbfounded, Dominik looked back at the Baron.
"Well… we wanted to catch up as well of course but… yes," He said. "How did you already know that? You said you were surprised to see Ciri."
"I was! That's because I was told only, you'd be here," The Baron said, pointing to Dominik. "I heard nothing about Ciri. Just that you'd be here as an envoy of Queen Adda. Your colleague saved you a long speech. Told me what the Queen would be offering, told me I simply needed to wait for you with the official paperwork and the Queen's seal."
"What colleague?" Ciri said, asking the question for him. "Adda sent us alone, we told her we always work better that way."
"Actually, just finished talking to him before you arrived," The Baron said, looking past them both into the courtyard before pointing. "Ah there's the man now! Said he knew you from years back…. Should I order him held at the gate?"
Dominik followed the man's point, and his stomach lurched when he saw the man. Ciri stiffened next to him grabbing his arm.
"Dominik…" She whispered; her eyes trained on the man as well. "Did he know where we were going? Adda wouldn't have told him!"
Visegard was trying to look inconspicuous as he walked towards the gates, and Dominik could only stare at him. Half the old man's face was black, his nose crooked from where Dominik had punched him. He didn't notice he and Ciri in the center of the courtyard, but he seemed in a hurry to leave.
"Stop him at the gate now!" Dominik said, his eyes not leaving the man. His hand twitched to go to his crossbow, to shoot the man then and there, but a hundred questions ran through his head.
Did Adda send him to follow us? Make sure we got the job done? Could she really trust him that much?
A horrible thought ran through his head, that this was all some elaborate ruse, and Adda was trying to get Ciri caught by Nilfgaard. That maybe, she wanted them to get her, so she could give Emhyr terms thanks to her giving Ciri to him.
No… not a chance Freya wouldn't have at least heard something about that. Freya had found a new purpose with Adda, and seemed like she enjoyed her new job, had some degree of loyalty to the Queen. However, Dominik knew she'd never betray he and Ciri that way, they'd been through too much.
"Sergeant!" The Baron yelled to his man at the gate, stopping Visegard in his tracks. "Hold the gate! Nobody leaves until me or Dominik here gives the word!"
The soldier at the top of the gate saluted, and Visegard finally turned, his eyes falling on Dominik, and Ciri who had come next to him. The old traitor knight paled for a moment, and sighed, crossing his arms and looking at the gate, his hands twitching near his sword.
"Let me go talk to him…" Ciri said, her voice seething. "I'll figure out exactly what he's doing here."
"No," Dominik said, holding his hand out to stop her. He looked and met Ciri's gaze. "I'll do it. I've been waiting to get this bastard for years…."
"So have I!" Ciri protested, looking to him then back at Visegard who stared at them both. "What should we do? Take him out now?"
Dominik wanted to scream yes. He wanted to shoot the man with his crossbow, before retiring with the Baron and his wife for a much-needed drink before continuing on with the rest of the contract. Visegard's presence was truly the one thing that had him so apprehensive about the job. He could remember the man walking through the halls of Cintra, pompous and sure of his superiority. He had fought Dominik's father on several decisions, and the whole time Dominik's father still vouched for him.
He shook his head. "Not yet…" he reached into his back pocket, pulling out the folded papers that Adda had given them with her seal. "Ciri, why don't you take the Baron and Anna back inside, explain to them again what Adda's offering, show them the papers."
"The man dangerous?" The Baron asked. "He said he was an ally of the Queen."
"I honestly don't know…" Dominik said, looking to Ciri. "Keep them in there, I'll be right back. Be ready to bolt, don't know if he's called his friends."
Ciri looked for a minute like she was going to try and argue with him, but after a minute she nodded. The two of them both had an understanding, one that didn't need words. He loved having a person like that, someone he could just nod at, smile a certain way and they knew what he was trying to say. Geralt used to tease that he and Ciri could read each other's minds.
However, he was starting to think they really could with the ability they had to understand each other. He had dreams of her, most of if not all nights. That's what he assumed happened when you were linked to a person by destiny.
She nodded and turned over to the Baron. "Come on, I'll show you the letters from the Queen and we can catch up."
He didn't hear them as they moved back towards the keep, because Dominik had already started moving towards Visegard. A few of the soldiers looked at him, seeming to finally recognize him as the one who had come with the Witcher those months ago. The gate as the Baron instructed remained closed, and Visegard finally moved when he saw Dominik coming towards him.
The man's thinning grey hair fall down the sides of his head, and his mustache was covered in dried blood. He didn't wear the armor of a Nilfgaardian commander, but Dominik knew that didn't matter. The man had gone to the side of Emhyr, without a second thought, and each step he took he had to stop himself from pulling his sword off his back. Here was a man he'd hated for years, for nearly his entire life. Even when he was a child, Visegard was a bastard, always questioning and trying to challenge his father.
He hated the man, and his hand twitched towards his crossbow again when he was only five steps away from the man.
No… don't let yourself get consumed, he thought to himself. Hatred that means nothing anymore… could he really have turned over a new leaf? Could he really be trying to help?
He had learned many things during his journey with Ciri to defeat the Wild Hunt. It was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. Particularly the earlier weeks, traveling and searching for Ciri with Geralt were hard, being so close, but her just being out of reach.
The hardest thing however, perhaps even more then his final battle with Eredin however, was the Cave of Life. He'd learned many things in the Cave, facing his greatest fears, and one lesson he learned, was that if he kept holding onto past hatreds, they would eat at you, consume you.
He'd never forgive Visegard, but if it meant getting his job done, and if Ciri was safe, he'd try to let go of hatred that didn't matter anymore. Just like he had done in the cave.
Visegard finally stopped looking at his boots when Dominik was two steps away. The man wore a leather tunic and long coat, his sword poking out the back. Dominik remembered while not as good as his father, Visegard had always been a master of the weapon. Dominik tried to keep his composure, but he couldn't help but glower at the man, burning building and streets in his vision.
The old knight sighed and crossed his arms. "Dominik… I see you and Cirilla move faster then-."
"What are you doing here?" He said, trying to keep his tone level. "Did Adda tell you about our mission!?"
Visegard showed no sign of being afraid of his tone. "No, she did not. If you must know, I came to this castle on be-half of the Empire officially."
He opened his coat, and Dominik saw the golden sun of Nilfgaard. Annoyance shot through Dominik's chest, as he snapped his eyes back to the man.
"What are you playing at? No games, or bullshit," He said. "Tell me, what your aim is Visegard, and remember, Adda isn't here to order me not to kill you this time."
"Of this I am painfully aware," The man said, wincing as he ran a hand over his bruised cheek. "You have the ability now, you've grown strong, skilled… apparently enough so to kill the King of the Wild Hunt. That Witcher trained your well."
"The Witcher you tried to hang when he was looking for Ciri," Dominik said, crossing his arms and trying to control his tone. "He told me about that. You were Emhyr's lapdog."
Visegard cringed again. "People make mistakes boy, as I'm sure you know. People also can try and atone for those mistakes. It's what I do now, believe or do not, it matters not to me. I deserved the beating you and Cirilla gave me, I probably deserved more."
"You did… I would have killed you there is Elise hadn't grabbed me."
"Exactly my point," Visegard said, shaking his head again and eyeing Dominik now. "Believe that I have changed, or don't, it matters not. I'm doing what I can to atone for my past sins, and to be quite honest, you and Cirilla are the last people I want to impress, the first is myself."
"That's good, because I couldn't give less of a damn if you're trying to atone," Dominik said. "I want to kill you for what you did, and I probably should."
Visegard held out his arms. "Here I am. I'm old, not half as good as I used to be with a blade. We both know you'd defeat me, probably with relative ease. If you hate me so, why am I still standing?"
Dominik gritted his teeth. "Because… I'll never stop hating you, but if you really are trying to change, I won't kill someone who's trying to. Besides… you mean nothing to me anymore unless you're a threat to Ciri. That's why I almost shot you on my way over here."
The man laughed and shook his head. "Haha, I know you're not stupid boy. If I wanted to, I could tell the Emperor Cirilla was here, and Queen Adda would have the entirety of the Empire to fight. They'd be here within a day, and you'd be helpless to stop them. If I had sent word, you'd have seen the army kicking up dust from here already."
Dominik froze, his skin prickling. That had been his biggest worry, that an Imperial Army, even larger than the one at the Velen camp, was already on its way. That Visegard already sent word of Ciri's survival.
He must have seen Dominik's confusion, because the man laughed again. "Ha. Did you really believe a song saying she perished would be enough boy? You're a fool if you believe the Emperor doesn't know of Cirilla's survival."
Panic shot through his throat. "If you had anything to do with it, I swear I'll-."
"We've already established I did not," Visegard said with a wave of his hand. "You should both be safe so long as you stay in the North, and so long as Queen Adda is victorious. He has many problems he's facing now, you should be fine, but I'd watch out for assassins."
"He's tried three times on me now," Dominik said, shaking his head. "All three failed. I've heard he's terribly busy and having Ciri… would solve all his problems. The one who delivers her to him will probably be richly rewarded."
Visegard laughed again. "Ahaha, if you're implying that I am after such a reward, you'd be mistaken. I happen to know that Cirilla would sooner slit her own throat before being taken to the Emperor. Even if I did somehow detain her, she'd simply leap off a cliff before I could bring her, or before he could be summoned."
"Then why are you doing this!?" Dominik said, unable to keep his voice down now. "You expect me to really believe it's all because you feel bad!? What if I believe you're just trying to switch up and get in good with whatever side's winning? That You're just waiting to see what side can give you a better deal before jumping onto it?"
"You can believe whatever you wish," The man said with a wave of his hand. "I know what I am doing, and that is helping Queen Adda drive the Empire from Velen."
"You just told me you were here for Nilfgaard!" Dominik said, his brain abuzz. "But you told the Baron about Adda's plans, apparently convinced him. You've shown me you're playing both sides, what are you up too Visegard!"
The old knight finally seemed to grow annoyed. Despite the fact Dominik was younger, in much better shape, and could probably kill him then and there within seconds, the man walked right up to him as if he weren't the same height. He looked down to Dominik and glared, his crooked nose burnt from the sun.
"I've told you what I'm up too boy. I swear, you've inherited much more than just Gregory's looks…." He said, disgust laced in his voice. "I was tasked by the rest of the war council at the Velen camp to come make sure the Baron honored his agreement. I've used these assignments as excuses to go to Oxenfurt and meet the Queen. I knew she'd more than likely send you and Cirilla to try and gain the Baron's allegiance, so I saved you the trouble.
"The man was easy to persuade. And now, you've already completed part of your contract. I didn't even mention Cirilla as a courtesy to you both, since I did not know you already knew the man. I assume now you'll go and do whatever else the Queen has assigned. Do whatever you want, I care not. I must return to the camp lest I come under suspicion now, and it is my hope, that you also inherited Gregory's sense of honor and would not kill a man in cold blood who has not drawn a weapon."
"You'd be surprised…" Dominik said slowly, remembering that day at the tower, crossbow bolts entering Avallach's body. "When I really don't like someone, I tend to act rash."
"What would Cirilla think if she saw you strike down a man who has shown you no aggression? If you killed in cold blood?"
It was Dominik's turn to laugh. "HA, you're lucky you got me instead of her. I'd be a lot more afraid of her then me if I were you."
"To me you'll both always be the children attached at the hip, who ran around causing trouble in the castle," The man said, still not in the least bit afraid. He eyed Dominik and shrugged. "Well? This will more than likely be the last we see of each other. Can you order the gate raised?"
"What will you do if I let you go?" Dominik said. "Go back to the camp, tell them of Adda's plans?"
Visegard rolled his eyes. "Her fake plans yes. As I said, I care not if you believe me. Either way, a battle is soon coming. I know not what will happen, but I do know, that right now, command in the camp knows that they outnumber the Queen. They will soon plan an all-out invasion, pushing to Oxenfurt, Novigrad, they'll look and burn everything in their path to get to the Queen. Unless I deliver a report that exaggerates the Northern numbers, this attack will happen."
Dominik could see it again, Cintra. He could see the city burning, his friends and neighbors slaughtered, others clamped in chains to be made slaves in Nilfgaard. He tried to imagine every single village in Velen meeting that fate.
Oxenfurt… Freya, Novigrad, Dandelion, Priscilla, Zoltan… and even Fiona in Claywitch.
He met Visegard's eyes. "And if I choose not to let you leave?"
Visegard sighed and placed a hand on his sword. "Then I draw my weapon. You will more than likely kill me before it is even drawn. Or perhaps, I do draw it, and we fight. I would not last long, how could I against the man who killed the King of the Wild Hunt?"
"I didn't do it alone…" Dominik muttered, not loud enough for the man to hear.
Visegard went on. "Perhaps I'd last a few minutes, but eventually I'd be slain. And after I fail to report in at the camp, they'll assume I'm compromised, and launch their attack."
"And if I really don't believe your story? That Ciri would be safer if I kill you now?"
The old knight shrugged. "Even if you don't believe me. It's as I said… if I don't report in, whether I'm on your side or not, the attack is launched. So… what will it be Dominik? Will you kill me, and fulfill your vengeance against me, possibly dooming Velen… or will you let me go? And risk being either right or wrong about me."
Dominik chewed at his lip, twirling the swallow around his neck. He turned back for a moment, and on the steps up into the Crow's Perch castle, he saw Ciri standing, looking out at him. He met her eyes for a moment, and their unspoken bond worked again. She knew exactly what he was trying to decide. She didn't know the details, but she could see even from that distance it was troubling him. She nudged her head towards him, telling him to go with his gut.
Sighing, Dominik squeezed the swallow. She wouldn't risk the lives… but if I let him go, am I risking hers?
He turned back to Visegard, then looked up to the sergeant, whistling to get his attention.
"Let the gate up sergeant," Dominik said, loud enough for him to hear. He turned and walked away, without even looking at Visegard, and muttered under his breath. "And pray I just made the right choice…."
A/N: And here we are ladies and gentlemen! Three chapters down, and we already have some stunning developments. Now, I don't expect this story to be as epic in scale as Through the Worlds, or even the next three DLCs, this story was originally going to only be a short two chapter story, however, too many plot lines and ideas came to me, and now we have a whole sequel!
So in this chapter, we have a small talk with Dominik, Ciri, Yennefer and Geralt, before we get some sweet, Dominik and Ciri alone time. We're going to have a few of those in this story, and future ones of course. I love writing the two of them simply talking, and discussing what's happened, being sweet with one another. After everything that happened with them both, they deserve moments like these, simple, sweet, and loving moments with one another. What other 'what ifs' should we see discussed?
Finally, we get to Crow's Perch, and the mission to convince the Baron is already done thanks to some interference from Visegard. I loved using Visegard as a way to show the growth of Dominik from book one to two. Book 1 Dominik, would have cut Visegard in half without even a second thought, especially if he thought he was a threat to Ciri. However, now, Dominik has Ciri back, and together they can take on any sort of challenge, so his thinking has changed. The bond between the two, and how deep it runs is something else I can't wait to show more of!
Before I end the note, as always everyone if you haven't followed the Instagram for this story, which has Fanart,exceprts and writing updates, please go and follow it! I have even more art then just the story cover!
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Once again that's dominik_of_cintra !
That is going to be it for this AN! As usual everyone, go follow the Instagram for more updates, favorite and follow here for updates in your emails, and as usual, review if you can and have an awesome day!