Notes for this chapter:
Muiren llinge (Aen Muire language) translation:
daen'dos = thank you
phiall'syn = short version of 'my pleasure' as a reply to 'thank you'
Lasrunea = strongest Aen Muire alcoholic drink with 86% alcohol, 'special' mushrooms and herbs/plants; name freely translates to 'A wild night's dream' (yes, the name is a hint for the drink's effects...)
Hen llinge (Elder Speech) translation:
Thaess aep! = Shut up!
dh'oine = human (mostly used as a derogatory term by the elves)
Lammas = 7th month in the elven calendar (1st Aug - 22nd Sep)
She was quietly moaning, sitting on his lap, slowly riding his cock. Wrapped in Neach's arms and the furs he was holding as they covered her naked back. Gently kissing her face, neck and shoulders, he was groaning as he felt her tight pussy squeezing him more and more. Kea was breathing in his scent, caressing his hair and his ears, making him shudder as her hard nipples moved over his chest.
When they've returned to their empty house from the Rhundurin Square after Iorveth's speech, they were almost ripping each other's clothes off the moment they've closed the door behind them. Leaving a trail of discarded boots, pants and shirts on their way upstairs.
Once the biggest hunger was sated and Keaira had a sore throat from screaming her orgasms into a pillow, they've cuddled together sitting on the bed, with Neach leaning against the wall. Enjoying the warmth of each other's body, taking it passionately slow.
His grip grew stronger as he noticed her breath getting quicker, coming in short bursts. Kissing her lips softly, he was observing her face with her eyes closed and mouth open as she neared another orgasm. Sweat covering her body, her fingers digging into the muscles on his arms as she bent backwards, hips bucking in a fast rhythm. She looked so gorgeous to him.
"I love you."
It was just a barely audible whisper in her ear, but she stopped and opened her eyes. The expression on the elf's face, the depth of his feelings visible in his own eyes were speaking for themselves. He didn't have to say it, she could clearly see it. She already knew. Yet it was the first time he spoke those words aloud.
Kea slowly exhaled with a shaking breath, gliding with her fingertips across his lips as she studied his face before kissing him deeply. Breaking the kiss to whisper back to him:
"I love you too."
They were for a while just silently staring at each other, their foreheads touching, their fingers roaming across the other one's face, soaking up the intimacy of the moment.
She kissed him again – hard - and resumed moving her hips across his crotch, massaging his cock embedded deep inside of her pussy with every fast movement.
He groaned and moved his palms to her hips, holding her firmly as he started moving his groin upwards at an even faster pace than hers. Watching her as her head fell back and her lips formed a silent O, feeling her body shaking. Her pussy twitching and squeezing his cock almost painfully as she came, the silent O disappearing and her mouth hanging open in a hoarse scream. He squeezed his eyes shut, enveloping her in his arms, clutching her in a tight grip as his hips jerked a couple times and he came, stifling a roar against her neck.
Their ragged and uneven breaths were for some time the only sound in the silent room, while his arms were shifting across her back, as if trying to find a better, firmer hold on her. As if he was trying to absorb her into his being. Trying to show how much she really meant to him. Because he wasn't sure he'd be ever able to find the right words to describe it.
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, showering his jaw with light kisses, returning the deep affection.
It took some time for them to calm down. Neach smoothed her unruly hair behind her ears and kissed her tenderly when they heard the door downstairs open and close.
"I need to meet with some of the commanders..." he spoke quietly in an apologetic tone, caressing her cheek with his thumb.
Kea gave him a warm smile and a small peck on the tip of his nose: "I know."
The elf smiled back, then left their bed looking for the washcloth to quickly clean himself. She watched him with an amused grin as he wiped his still half-hard cock clean and squeezed himself into new pants and clothing. There was barely any light coming in through the window, it was getting dark quickly at this time of the year in the late afternoon.
He lit a few candles before giving her another gentle kiss. Leaving the room she could hear him talking downstairs to Deagan and Ciaran before she heard the front door again and the house remained silent.
She closed her eyes for a moment, picturing Neach's happy face in front of her, almost drifting off still wrapped in the warm furs. But then heard steps on the stairs and a knock on the door of the room.
"Yes?" she asked unsure who this is as the door squeaked.
Deag's face appeared with a wide grin:
"I've picked up some clothes downstairs. Boots that were haphazardly strewn across the floor. Forming a fantastic tripping opportunity. Pants, that looked like they could fit a dwarf. Which would surprise me – knowing Neach... Shirts and socks..."
Kea was laughing as he entered the room and placed all her and Neach's previously discarded clothing on a nearby chair with a chuckle, the boots in the corner.
"Daen'dos." she changed into Muiren llinge unexpectedly, awaiting his reaction.
The elf was turned with his back towards her, but replied immediately and without really thinking:
"Phiall'syn."
His hands froze in mid-air, then he turned around to look at her with a smug smile, still continuing in Muiren llinge:
"I done my homework."
"I've..." she corrected him, but nodded appreciatively. Then switched back into Elder Speech:
"You're learning fast. I have some time this evening. Do you want to continue with another language lesson?"
"I'll have to check on the unit before the night, so if you don't mind we could start later. After dinner?"
Kea nodded, watching him go. He took the full responsibility for Neach's former unit already a week or two back, relieving him of this duty and allowing him to focus on coordinating all the elves in Vergen. Whether Scoia'tael or not.
With Ailill at his side Deagan grew into the role quickly, even though the unit was now one of the largest in town aside from Iorveth's. Having new members from a couple of other former small commandos who've lost their leaders in the Ravine of the Hydra.
Sometimes watching the interaction between Deag and the rest of the unit, she had to chuckle, realizing how much Neach rubbed off on him.
Keaira finally moved out of the furs on the bed, washing herself briefly and dressing in new clothes.
On her way out she checked on Ciaran downstairs, then made a beeline for the house where Niall and a few hunters have lived. He promised her earlier a surprise dinner and she wasn't disappointed.
She almost started to eat the delicious venison steaks with mushroom sauce and vegetables already on her way back to their house, grinning from ear to ear.
Later that evening Neach joined her and both aep Easnillen brothers at the table by the fireplace, learning more of the Muiren llinge she was teaching them.
The next morning was unusually cold in Oudewater.
Isengrim Faoiltiarna thanked the innkeeper for everything, knowing already a few Haak words. He saddled up his mare, bowed politely and left the small town through the northern gate with enough provisions to last him a week or two on the road.
With his new armor, clothes and a thick winter cloak the elf was ready to move again with Ebeltoft on his mind.
Keaira was up very early that day. Even earlier than Neach or Deag and Ciaran, which was very uncommon. She moved quietly through the room and woke Coinneach with a soft kiss before she was ready to leave the house, going to organize some breakfast for them.
Exiting the house, she stretched her arms and took a deep breath of the chilly morning air. The city was still silent, most people only now waking up, when the first snowflake landed on the ground in front of her. She looked up into the grey sky heavy with thick clouds, watching more snowflakes drift slowly towards her.
Time's up. We need to hurry.
Another house door opened not far away from her and she was greeted with the sight of Iorveth, stretching his limbs outside just like she did a moment ago. Holding a spare bandana in his hands, the short dark brown hair moving in the chilly breeze. The elf looked well-rested, obviously having had a bath last night. Wearing just a simple button-up shirt underneath a light armor jacket, plain leather pants and high boots. His usual heavy armor probably still being cleaned.
He noticed her, studying her for a while wordlessly with an unreadable expression, then nodded politely to greet her, put on his bandana and left. Kea responded with the same respectful gesture and watched his back until he rounded a corner and disappeared out of sight.
For now she was unsure how he's going to react to what she's about to tell him. But whether he agreed or not, she was already determined to leave the town as soon as possible and make sure she'll get to Faoiltiarna fast. She had a plan. A crazy idea in fact...
Their breakfast finished, they've left Ciaran at the house and crossed the city towards the Castle of the Three Fathers. The heavy snowfall since the early morning has already covered the ground in a thick layer of snow, crunching underneath their feet as they walked. The large meeting room was completely full, most of the elves being those that have not yet been told about her offer. On one side of the big round table she spotted Iorveth sitting, with Yaevinn right next to him. Behind them she's seen Ele'yas and about half of Iorveth's unit. Also many of the new arrivals from Aedirn, Temeria, Lyria and Rivia standing in the room, leaning against the walls. Males and females alike.
Ciaran aep Dearbh, Treasach, Toruviel and Liadan with Bradach at her side were sitting at the table as well, leaving three chairs unoccupied. Kea sat down together with Neach and Deagan next to her, thanking Ailill quietly. He remained standing behind their backs as Meallan closed the door from the outside, guarding it, and silence fell upon the room.
Neach cleared his throat first before anyone else could speak, turning towards Iorveth and proclaiming unceremoniously:
"We've wasted enough time in this town waiting for you, so I'll make it short. We're all leaving."
"All?" Yaevinn interrupted him with a sarcastic side note as he looked somewhat condescendingly at Coinneach.
"Thaess aep!" Iorveth's angry bark made the slightly younger black-haired elf avert his eyes and focus on the table's stone surface.
Most of the elves didn't move a muscle on their faces witnessing the scene, but Kea noticed Toruviel's corner of the mouth twitch imperceptibly and she bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to avoid grinning openly.
"You mean you want to leave Vergen?" asked Iorveth. She thought she heard mild disappointment in the one-eyed elf's voice.
Neach was just staring back with a hard unflinching gaze without a reply.
"Aedirn?" The dismay in Iorveth's voice was now clearly heard by everyone.
A few of the elves in the room started to mumble displeased, but Iorveth continued, intrigued when he still got no answer from Coinneach:
"This side of the continent? I heard Isengrim seemingly did the same..."
"No." That one word was uttered by Neach in a tone that made Iorveth raise his one visible eyebrow.
"This world."
At first they heard Yaevinn starting to laugh, but as he noticed the serious faces of the commanders sitting at the table, his laughter slowly died.
"You cannot be serious!" he looked around as if trying to find an ally that would support him, but nobody paid attention to him, their eyes fixed on Iorveth's face.
"I suppose this has something to do with you, Keaira Ther'eyllis from another world." Iorveth glanced at her briefly, remembering clearly how she introduced herself to Philippa Eilhart.
She nodded, took a breath and explained it all with Deagan's and Treasach's support. Including the events that happened since the officers of the Vrihedd brigade have been brought to Dillingen. It took quite some time.
The one-eyed elf didn't look at her the entire time. Instead he was staring right into Neach's face, Dá Reo staring back unfazed.
When she finished the room was filled with elves asking her one question after another, so she calmed them down with a hand gesture:
"I will discuss this in more detail with Iorveth and Yaevinn. Then they can tell you more later." Kea looked back at the one-eyed elf, who was still focused on Neach's face.
"Why should we trust a dh'oine and believe this nonsense?!" sounded from one corner of the room.
"Because she's speaking the truth." it was Iorveth's calm reply that shocked the room into complete silence again. His gaze locked with Dá Reo's in a voiceless dialogue the entire time.
"How can you be so sure?" Yaevinn dared to ask, but with a much milder tone than before.
Iorveth's hand on the table moved and his index finger pointed towards Coinneach:
"Because I trust his judgement. Until this day I haven't met anyone else who could recognize even the hint of a lie like he can."
She could still hear some hushed mumbling from the elves in the room, but for now they seemed to be satisfied with this information.
Kea stood up and asked them with a respectful bow:
"I'd like to ask everyone to leave the room, please. Thank you."
"You're not giving the orders here, human." It was unsurprisingly Yaevinn again, openly opposing her.
The corners of Neach's mouth moved upwards as he watched the majority of the elves wordlessly vacate the room, ignoring Yaevinn's remark. Leaving only the commanders sitting at the table, surrounded by their adjutants.
Just before lunchtime Isengrim noticed a cart moving on the road in front of him. From afar he could see two people sitting on the cart's bench, so he slowed his horse and approached them in a light trot. He realized it's a man and a woman as he got closer.
Once they both turned their heads hearing him behind themselves, he waved, showing his empty hands, trying not to look too threatening.
The man stopped the cart on the road's side and prepared his bow, but hasn't pointed it towards the elf yet. Faoiltiarna slowed the horse down to a walk and held his hands up as he reached the cart. He bowed politely towards the pair, only now seeing that the woman was very pregnant, her big belly showing underneath her cloak.
The man carefully studied the elf's swords and bow, then looked him over from head to toe. His sight lingering on the pointed ears, trying not to stare at his scarred face. Isengrim didn't move his hands yet, not wanting to unnecessarily aggravate these people. Even if he might not understand them, it would be nice to have at least some company for a portion of the road ahead.
"Elf?" the man asked in Common Speech, surprising Isengrim, but also making him wary.
"Wolf Isen." he bowed politely again, using his alias this time as he introduced himself.
"Niklaas Linden." replied the man, putting away his bow and pointing towards the woman:
"Wife. Sanne." She smiled as she stretched her hand towards him and he quickly removed his glove to shake hands with the pair.
Both the man and the woman looked to be in their thirties, the cart loaded with a few belongings and some merchandise.
"You can speak Common?" Isengrim asked, trying to figure out if the pair might not recognize him. After all, he was still wanted in the Northern Realms and the price on his head wasn't small...
"A bit." Niklaas nodded, then added to explain: "Trader. Sell silk to west."
He pointed in the western direction towards the Realms far away in the distance. Faoiltiarna nodded in understanding:
"I'm going to Ebeltoft, looking for other elves."
"Very far." Sanne chimed in and only confirmed what he understood as well from the merchants in Oudewater. He had still a long way to go if he wanted to find more of his kind.
"We go to Naarden. Maybe together?" Niklaas asked him with a careful smile before adding in his somewhat broken Common:
"Naarden on the way to Ebeltoft. Travel together better than alone."
The scarred elf smiled back, being glad to have someone to talk to after such a long time.
Sanne said something to her husband in Haak and Niklaas translated:
"Wife is hungry. We stop for lunch behind hill. Can talk more then." and he pointed to a small hill in front of them, about an hour's ride away.
Faoiltiarna nodded to them both, then turned in his saddle looking for something in one of his saddlebags. The pair was watching him with unease at first, but then Sanne's face lit up with a bright smile as the elf turned back, holding an apple in his hand and offering it to her as a quick snack. She thanked him, wrapped herself tightly in her warm cloak and ate the apple with a happy expression on her face.
Niklaas has bowed respectfully towards him and clicking with his tongue he urged their horse towing the cart to move. It was at a slower pace than Isengrim would have liked, but he didn't feel any need to hurry.
For now he was simply enjoying the company of the pair as they've talked to him about Haakland.
Meallan closed the door again once most of the elves left the meeting room in the Castle of the Three Fathers. Ailill with Bradach had a few bottles of vodka and mead brought in from the tavern along with cups for them all, some additional chairs and everyone sat down.
"What's your problem, Yaevinn?" Kea turned towards the black-haired elf, continuing with a sarcastic undertone:
"Yesterday you wanted me to 'resolve the mystery'. Now I have. And yet you still continue to bark at me."
"I'd prefer to bite. Were it up to me I'd cut your throat and use your corpse as a warning for all new arrivals in Vergen."
She noticed a couple of angry faces looking back at Yaevinn, with both Neach and Iorveth taking a breath at that moment. Kea expected another 'Thaess aep' from Iorveth and something far more threatening from Neach.
She stopped them with a raised hand, determined to speak for herself:
"Well, feel free to try. A fair warning though - I'm not a disabled patient in a field hospital tent, who doesn't fight back..."
"Spoken like a true dh'oine. Only your ego is probably bigger than your mouth."
"At least I'm the one of us two who actually has balls."
The elf's eyebrows were by now knitted into a furious scowl, his hands on the table curled into fists, knuckles white.
Keaira was staring back at him hard, not trying to hide the anger in her voice, but speaking deliberately slow:
"You do realize that killing those weak patients in the hospital tent was a factor, that contributed to a large degree to the harsh sentences the officers of the Vrihedd Brigade received, right?!
Be sure I'm not talking about the officially promised amnesties and mild punishments...
I wish you would have been there with me in Dillingen, Yaevinn. In that ugly small shed not far away from the port. Dusty. Dirty. Creepy. Disgusting. The floor covered in large pools of blood. Mixed with the usual urine and stool or vomit that a dying body releases. I'm sure, you've seen plenty of those...
But try to imagine also the smell engulfing the scene, hovering in the air above the two bloated decaying bodies still lying there. Stabbed and strangled to death. Left to rot in the shed for a few days in the warm weather at the end of Lammas when I've found them. To make them look as bad as possible before they'd have disposed of them. Like dead rats.
Those were the bodies of Angus and Riordain. That was how their amnesty looked like..."
"I've found blood spatters even on the high ceiling when examining the place. And the flies were everywhere. Oh, the flies... Hundreds of them.
Considering how the wounds on their bodies looked like, I was actually relieved that I wasn't there when it happened. It must have been a really slow death. Painful. And not exactly quiet. But I've been told that Faoiltiarna had to witness it all. Before he managed to barely escape with his own life.
When you get the chance, I suggest you ask him what it felt like watching them die. Having to listen to all that... I've stopped counting the stab wounds on Bri Cri's body alone when I've seen more than forty.
I've seen, smelled and heard my fair share of death even during my short human life. Believe me, I have a very strong stomach, Yaevinn. But even I couldn't eat on the next day.
And if that isn't enough for you, then ask Neach or Deag what the bottom of the Ravine of the Hydra looked like when we were there."
There was a muffled sob in the deathly quiet room and she glanced over to see Lia's face covered in tears. Keaira hated having to do this. To all of them. But there was too much at stake if both Iorveth and Yaevinn would decline her offer merely because she was a human, not believing her. Many of the Scoia'tael could then decide to remain here and refuse to leave. She couldn't afford that.
Her sight moved back to Yaevinn and she watched him gulp heavily a couple of times. Then opening his mouth, but just looking at her – speechless – before he closed it and gulped again.
"Hate me as much as you want to. I won't take it personally. As long as you're willing to listen to what I'm saying and think about it.
I'm offering you all a chance for a new life. A normal life. Without hunger, pain, constant battles and never-ending funerals. On an elven world. Or any other civilized world of your choice." she emphasized the word 'civilized' towards the black-haired elf.
"Forget for a moment my rounded ears. Instead of me an elf could be sitting here telling you exactly the same. You should pay more attention to the message, instead of the messenger."
The silence dragged on for a long time once she stopped speaking. Interrupted only by the sounds of opening bottles as everyone in the room tried to wash away with a strong drink the picture she just painted in their minds.
It was Iorveth who spoke first after he emptied the second or third cup of vodka in a row, turning towards Kea:
"You have your own way of making people shut up, I admit that."
"And too often I hate to do it this way." she replied quietly before gulping down a full cup of the offered Mahakaman mead.
"You've never told me what it looked like in Dillingen..." Neach was hypnotizing the contents of his own cup, trying not to look at her.
"If I'd have described this to you in detail back then at that time, when we were talking about it, you'd have killed me on the spot just for being a human."
Neach snorted at that idea and finally tore his eyes away from his mead, glancing at her. She could see the pain in his gaze.
"A short break?" Ciaran aep Dearbh looked around and seeing most of the elves nod, he stood up and walked out of the meeting room, leaving the door open.
They all needed some fresh air.
"Please, take a seat." El was motioning towards the comfortable armchair in his office once he greeted Ari.
The muscled blond elf was covered in sweat, coming to El's office straight from the Academy's training facility as he was being called away by a corporal due to 'an emergency'. He was still wiping his face with the towel draped across his shoulders when he sat down and nodded thankfully for the large glass of mineral water offered by Elanhar.
"Did you have the time already to read the latest report from Kea?" the black-haired elf asked right away.
"No, not yet. I wanted to read it at home in the evening. Some of the students still need extra training hours and I didn't want to be distracted."
"Hmm..." El made a weird sound, but for now Ari decided to ignore it, waiting for him to continue.
"So you do read them all?"
"Of course! We're both in charge, aren't we?" the elf's emerald eyes sparkled with annoyance and El was almost sure the following conversation will not end nicely. Friends or not, this topic had to be discussed.
"Then why are you never talking to her or replying to her written reports?"
Silence. An averted gaze. Tense shoulders. Quick sideways glance at the trees outside the window. All of it took mere seconds, but it was telling enough for Elanhar.
"I believe you're the one reporting everything regarding this mission directly to the Academy Senate. Well, more or less everything." There was a biting sarcastic undertone in Ari's voice.
"What does that have to do with Keaira?"
"What do you want from me, El?!"
"I want to know why you're avoiding any contact with her."
"I believe we discussed this at length a few years ago!"
"But now she isn't your student anymore..."
"What's it to you?!"
"It's impacting your work! If you have such a problem to work through your feelings for her on your own, then I suggest you talk to someone. Quickly."
"Dear El – fuck off!" the blond elf barked sardonically with a mocking grin, stood up and placed the empty glass back on the coffee table, ready to leave.
"Or maybe you should have actually talked to her before she left..."
Ariven was almost at the door when he stopped, turned around and studied his old friend's face.
"What's going on, El? Why did you really call me here?"
The black-haired elf unlocked a hidden cupboard, took out a bottle of Lasrunea and sighed as he poured two glasses. Ari approached the table, studying with suspicion Elanhar's face.
"Here. And drink it all before I tell you anything." Blue eyes almost begging him.
He was still hesitating, but he realized now, that all El was trying to do was to warn him before he's going to read that report. Whatever was in it, it'll probably not be easy to digest.
Ari looked briefly at the very full glass, then gulped everything down, twisting his face into a grimace from the strong taste, watching El do the same.
"You remember regulation number 39 of the Academy's Mission protocols?"
The question was unnecessary - El knew it - but he still tried to make Ari understand without having to say out loud what he knew will hurt him.
The blond elf quirked an eyebrow as he opened his mouth and subconsciously started to recite the respective rule:
"Any personal involvement with a target subject has to be reported..."
He stopped immediately, his gaze hard, nostrils flaring.
"She's with Dá Reo." the black-haired elf stated calmly, answering the question in Ari's eyes.
The green-eyed elf's face froze.
He slowly reached out for the bottle on the table and poured himself another glass. For a moment he held both the bottle and the glass in his hands, his gaze jumping from one to another. Then he carefully placed only the full glass back on El's office table, turned away and crossed the room towards the door.
"Thank you." his voice sounded strangely cold before he took a swig directly from the bottle and the door automatically closed behind the elf's back as he exited the room.
They've decided to continue their meeting while having lunch, so now the commanders and their right-hand elves were gathered back in the Castle of the Three Fathers, eating in the large meeting room. Drinking on empty stomachs would have been quite counterproductive in their serious talk.
It was again Neach who started to speak first when they all sat down:
"As it's only us here now, I'll be asking you straight. Why did you lie to the people in the market square and the dwarven alderman?"
It wasn't uttered in an accusing tone, Coinneach was simply stating what he previously observed and was genuinely curious. It was also clearly understood that way by Iorveth.
"This has to stay between us." he pointed with his fork towards all the others around the table, waiting for their affirmative nods.
"Do you want me to leave?" Kea asked the one-eyed elf calmly.
"No. I believe this is important also for you." Iorveth proclaimed before he cut off a piece of the mutton leg on his plate and started to chew on it.
She nodded thankfully and turned her attention towards her own plate. A couple of minutes passed in silence as they've all enjoyed their meals. Then Iorveth took a few sips from his vodka and took a deep breath:
"Where do I even start... I lied that Saskia did not return with me because of the failed negotiations. She's late because she was injured."
He earned a couple of surprised looks and Kea quickly finished everything on her plate to solely focus on the elf with the bandana.
"The truth is, Saskia is the dragon that attacked the peace summit."
Neach stopped eating, staring at Iorveth with a blank expression.
"She contacted me a few months back. It was shortly after I escaped the group escorted to the Ravine of the Hydra and when I've reached Flotsam. Explained to me what she plans. Told me who she was. She was just as tired like us of watching the oppression of anyone non-human. And even though her agenda was a bit different than ours, I came to understand, that this might be a chance for us to have a place, where we can finally live in peace."
He looked briefly at Neach and it was the first time Kea has seen the deep pain the elf's one healthy eye:
"I'm tired, Neach. We're losing too much. If we continue to fight in the same way, we're going to lose everything in the end. When you've told me Is has left the Northern Kingdoms for good, I knew he reached the same conclusion. Only where I still had some hope left, he's already lost it. Now you're telling me you're leaving too and it only confirms to me, that you don't see any future here as well."
Treasach wanted to say something, but Iorveth stopped him with a raised hand and continued his story:
"We've made a deal with Saskia. I'll keep quiet about who she is and support her with the Scoia'tael in establishing the Pontar Valley as an independent state with her at it's head. We created a story of her killing a dragon, so that people respect her, trust her. In return she'd let us settle down here once we've won the fight."
"And we did, but both me and the Witcher noticed something's off as she vanished with Eilhart. We've found proof, that the sorceress has put her under a spell and so we rushed to Loc Muinne to prevent Eilhart from taking completely over. The Witcher had to fight against Saskia in her dragon form when she attacked all the gathered kings and emissaries during the summit. They flew away and crashed down in the woods, she was impaled on a tree. It allowed him to free her from the spell then. He had to use an enchanted dagger for it. But she needs time to heal her injuries before she returns to Vergen. I couldn't of course tell that to the town's inhabitants. Not even the dwarves. Knowing she's not really a human, but a dragon, they'd treat her like a freak. We would have lost all we've worked for..."
He poured himself another large cup of vodka and Kea noticed Ailill has refilled hers and Neach's cup with mead. Thanking him quietly she took a few sips, paying attention again to Iorveth.
"As for the negotiations – it was utter madness. It wasn't just Eilhart trying to take over a new realm. All the sorceresses had conspired against the kings, using Letho. To wreak havoc and chaos. He was another witcher, who killed Demavend of Aedirn. My unit then helped him kill Foltest of Temeria. And it turned out he used us. Used us all – even the sorceresses. Letho worked the entire time for Nilfgaard. He used the Scoia'tael to have the perfect scapegoats if something should go wrong. Only I've realized that too late."
"Ciaran told us the same." Neach nodded, briefly interrupting Iorveth, but then motioning for him to continue.
"Once Saskia flew away with the Witcher from Loc Muinne, Radovid ordered all the sorceresses and mages to be killed." His nose wrinkled and upper lip pulled up in an expression of sheer disgust as he remembered what he's seen in the ruins of Loc Muinne.
"He had Eilhart's eyes gouged out... If you ask me the bitch deserved it a long time ago. The remaining kings all moved out of Loc Muinne the moment the dragon – Saskia – attacked. Leaving Nilfgaard behind who 'remained neutral'."
Iorveth spoke the last bit with a lot of sarcasm in his voice and Kea noticed not just Neach's face harden at the repeated mention of the southern empire.
"Their soldiers attacked me and Geralt as we were trying to leave. I suspect they've recognized me. Or they didn't want to leave any witnesses to what Radovid did to all the mages..."
By now everyone finished their meals and Keaira has watched Niall and a few other elves from various commandos enter the room to clean the table, bringing in more drinks and fresh water. She noticed the respectful thankful gestures from the commanders before they've been left alone again.
"Once we've dealt with them, Geralt told me he had a chance to talk to Saskia when he released her from the spell. And he wanted me to know a few things."
Iorveth's visible eye narrowed dangerously speaking the next words:
"She called me a terrorist. On the other hand she also mentioned that the Scoia'tael are still welcomed in the free Pontar Valley. It was a nice contradiction. Not wanting to have me around really because of my reputation, but hoping the rest of the elves will stay because they'd be useful as defenders should the need arise again. It surprised me she failed to understand, that they'd leave if I would have left... I've said not so long ago to that bastard Vernon Roche that I'll make sure no-one will ever use the Scoia'tael again. And then it comes back just to bite me in the ass – first Letho, then Saskia."
He gulped down another full cup of his vodka and stared hard at Kea:
"Now I'm having the feeling you're asking for the same. You want to use us for what your Aen Muire desire. I honestly don't see much difference here to Nilfgaard. Or Letho, or Saskia... But I'm torn, because the last thing the Witcher has told me, was that Nilfgaard has probably crossed the Yaruga already. Again."
Keaira heard the shocked swearing from all the elves around her when Iorveth revealed that last bit. This definitely did change the entire situation on this world. Another war with Nilfgaard was coming and the Northern Realms at this time were too weak to oppose the Emperor for long. The mages and the sorceresses have helped immensely during the previous war, but after what Radovid did to them at Loc Muinne, nobody could count on their aid.
She thought for a moment about her next steps, then decided to use Iorveth's information to her advantage:
"So Letho was killing northern kings based on Nilfgaard's orders. To soften up the North and make it more vulnerable before their next invasion. Saskia effectively and unintentionally weakened Aedirn by creating a peasant army. They're at each others throats with the nobles. Demavend is dead, killed by Letho. His son Stennis who'd have been the rightful heir, is dead too. Saskia is now missing. Who's going to rule? Dol Blathanna already sits in Aedirn as a duchy. Yes, established by Nilfgaard, but after the last war it's a question of time when it'll become a thorn in the eye of the next ruler of Aedirn. Or Nilfgaard for that matter. If the Pontar valley now creates the same independence, it won't be tolerated. It's not a question of if, but when it'll be attacked by Aedirn. Or by Henselt again. Or being overrun by Nilfgaard when they reach Vergen's gates. Even with Temeria losing their king Foltest, this region right here is in reality at the moment the weakest in the entire North."
"You've basically said the Northern Kingdoms started a witch hunt with Radovid's actions at Loc Muinne. Even the common folk will soon enough turn against the mages and sorceresses, I expect nothing else from the humans. What do you think - when they're done with them - who will be next? It won't be long until they turn their attention towards anything unusual in general. The non-humans. Gnomes, dwarves, elves... You might have helped Vergen as much as you possibly could, but you're still not welcomed here. Look at the open defiance of the humans, listen to the silent mumbling of the dwarves... I've spend some time in the alderman's house. The dwarf expressed his views on the Scoia'tael living in Vergen very clearly.
I understand your reasons for being here. At least I believe I do. But think about what you've said yourself before. In spite of all your efforts you can see for yourself, that neither Vergen, nor the Pontar Valley as such will be a long-term solution for the Scoia'tael. What do you think will happen when Saskia returns to the city?"
"You're sitting in a town without a ruler where you're not exactly welcomed with open arms. One madman will be soon enough burning and destroying everything non-human and 'different' in the North. The other one is probably already marching in from the south for another war. What would you do if you'd remain here, on this world? You can't stay in Vergen, nor in Upper Aedirn, that much is clear. You can't go back to Temeria, Kaedwen or Redania as well. And Dol Blathanna or Nilfgaard are out of the question. If you try to cross the Elskerdeg pass at this time of the year, you'll all die. Should you try later, you'd still have the Korath desert to cross. And I doubt many of you would survive that. Do you want to just go back to hiding and living in the woods? That is a bleak outlook for the proud Aen Seidhe."
Kea tried to speak in a very neutral tone, looking into his healthy green eye.
"Another person with harsh words. You sound a lot like the Witcher. A shame you two haven't had the chance to talk." Iorveth sighed tiredly, indirectly acknowledging the truth in what she said.
"Iorveth, you're saying that what I'm offering is just to use the Scoia'tael for someone else's goals again and you don't see any benefits in it. But what have you gained by siding with Nilfgaard? The answer is lying at the bottom of the Ravine of the Hydra. What have you gained by siding with Letho? Try to ask Ciaran for an answer. What have you gained by fighting for Saskia now? A couple of you are dead, the dwarves grind their teeth at the mere sight of elves in their city and she probably wishes secretly you wouldn't really want to stay here, just help out when it suits her... The benefit in what I'm offering is a change not just for the Scoia'tael. It's important for the Aen Seidhe as a whole.
Why are you so stubbornly clinging to this world? Admittedly your kind has spend millenia here, but this isn't really your world. You've just arrived here sooner that the humans. Even the gnomes and the dwarves were here long before the elves. Haven't you shed enough blood for a world that never truly was, nor ever will be elven?"
The broody elf watched her for some time before he answered in an openly defeated tone:
"I can see reason in your words, even if they are hard to listen to."
Faoiltiarna helped the pair to make a small camp, offering them for lunch some of his provisions. There'll be enough time later to hunt for some fresh meat. Both thanked the elf and they ate in silence before Niklaas brew strong coffee for all of them, chatting a bit before they'll continue on the road.
"Don't want to pry, but why leave home? Why go so far to Haakland?" the man looked at Isengrim with sincere interest.
The scarred elf sighed heavily, his gaze fixing a point somewhere in the distance when he replied with a lot of bitterness to the pair:
"The elves don't have a good life in the west. Everyone I've ever known is dead by now. There was nothing left for me there, so I've decided to try my luck here."
A sad smile crossed his features when he looked back at them. He couldn't have known how wrong he was about the fate of his closest friends.
"I'd like to settle down in Ebeltoft, because I heard there's other elves there too. I do not wish to stay alone."
His sight lingered for a second on the pregnant woman's belly and the pair understood.
The group of elves sitting in Vergen in the meeting room had another short break and Kea quietly asked Iorveth to speak privately. The one-eyed elf nodded and led her not far away to what have been the private quarters of prince Stennis before he died.
There he leaned against the table, waiting for her to close the door and turn towards him.
"Iorveth, there are three people who have a specific addendum to their contracts. To the Aen Muire's offer." she explained, noticing his surprised look.
"Those three are you, Neach and Faoiltiarna. Each one of you has a different additional offer on top of what we've already discussed."
The one-eyed elf grinned briefly looking at her with amusement: "I wonder what Neach's was..."
Kea had to chuckle, thankful for the good mood he seemed to have in spite of their previous uneasy discussion. Then she pulled out her communicator and activated it, making sure not to startle the elf in front of her too much. She noticed him wincing a bit, but he remained calm, studying the now visible screen with interest.
For a while she flipped through the images stored on the device, then stopped at one and observed it before she stepped aside, allowing Iorveth to see the full picture.
The elf's bottom lip quivered as he stared in disbelief at his own image with his face still intact. He quickly looked away, blinking a couple of times.
She asked him carefully because she needed the official confirmation:
"Iorveth, is your real full name Dubhán Aen Iarraidh?"
His one visible eye wide in shock, he only nodded slowly to her in complete silence, his gaze wandering back to the screen.
"Then the additional offer for you from the Aen Muire is an offer to restore as best as they can your face. Including an artificial eye. It might or might not work like a normal eye – it all depends on the nerve damage behind your scar, which will have to be examined first. But it will look exactly like your own eye. Even if it shouldn't work properly, on the outside the people will not notice. Restorative medicine is very advanced in the Federation and the offer you've got is from the best clinic we have. I've seen a couple of the results from operations they did and you'd never knew the person had any injuries before..."
The elf pulled the chair out from underneath the small table and sat down, still hypnotizing the image on the screen, his voice contemplative:
"So they're trying to bribe the three of us with special offers, hoping this'll result in a lower resistance from our side."
"This is not a bribe, Iorveth. This'll only be done as a reward for your service. And it should be viewed rather as a sign of respect and honor towards you."
He remained silent, mulling over her words.
"You don't have to reply to me immediately. I only wanted you to know the true full extent of the offer. I am bound by a confidentiality agreement, so you don't have to fear that anyone will hear about this. Not unless you decide to tell someone."
Kea moved back to her communicator and deactivated it, hiding it back in the buckle on her belt.
Iorveth stood up, still deeply in thought and surprisingly held the room's door open for her before they've returned to the large meeting chamber.
Entering the meeting room Kea noticed Toruviel and Ciaran aep Dearbh engaged in a lively dialogue with Yaevinn. Neach, Deag and Treasach looking at Iorveth with expectation the moment everyone sat down again.
The one-eyed elf cleared his throat, speaking to Keaira:
"I'll think about your proposal. Obviously you've convinced already more than half of my unit and almost anybody else." his good mood seemed to have returned listening to the subtle humorous undertone in his voice.
"I understand there isn't much time left, so let me sleep on it and talk to my people before I give you a final answer."
She nodded thankfully before Iorveth turned towards Neach:
"You've truly decided for good?"
"I can only ask you the same as Kea. What other options do we have here? Does any of those cross your mind as a particularly pleasant one?"
"Would you be willing to speak to me alone once this meeting is over?"
Neach's face widened in a grin: "Do you really have to ask this way?"
The two raised their cups and drank, the atmosphere in the room being more relaxed now.
"There's this tiny detail we haven't mentioned yet to you." All eyes turned towards Deagan who was casually sipping on his mead.
It was the agreed cue for Kea to present them with her plan, so she cleared her throat. Iorveth tilted his head and motioned for her to speak.
"As you know I've managed to get a map from Philippa Eilhart when we were trying to locate Isengrim. Treasach was the one to find the same spot on the Haakland maps I have."
"We know exactly where he is now." Treasach Ath-Eagaraich added with a smile.
Iorveth placed his cup on the table and stared at them with open surprise, thinking fast:
"Could you reach him quickly?"
"By traditional means? Impossible." Kea shook her head.
Neach quirked an eyebrow at her: "So how do you want to reach him? He's weeks - if not months - ahead of us."
"Can the Aen Muire help us? They did send you additional maps and information..." Treasach wondered.
"Unfortunately, no. That would be the easiest solution, of course. And I'd have loved to have this option considering all the complications we've faced and the distances we had to cross. However I've been clearly told, that 'for safety reasons' there is only one drop off and one pick up for me on this mission. If I organize a pick up now, then that's it – we'd have to leave without Faoiltiarna."
"It's not like your people never break any rules..." Deagan spoke in a mocking tone and Kea had to smirk.
"Yes, you're correct on that account, Deag. Only this time the decision is not made by my superiors, but depends solely on the ship's captain. It would be his neck on the line if anything went wrong and someone got wind of it. I've already contacted him to see if we can agree on a suitable pick up spot, considering the size of the large group that we are by now. Hoping that I might try to convince him to help us out. Realizing who's in charge - I'm telling you - there's no chance for this one to break any rules. He's having the reputation of a hard-ass. I doubt the word compromise even exists in his vocabulary."
"What if you pull rank?" Neach looked at her.
"Yeah, sure. Once and then never again..." Kea chuckled darkly, shaking her head.
"Then how?" Lia asked.
"Teleporting. Eilhart advised against it, but she didn't say it would be impossible for a mage to teleport a handful of people that far."
"That bitch is hopefully far away and won't return so quickly, otherwise I'll kill her on the spot." Iorveth growled with understandable anger.
"She wouldn't probably help anyway. Or better said - I wouldn't risk asking her to do it." Kea replied before she drank from her cup.
"It's a long trip to Spalla if you want to reach Eltibald." Ciaran aep Dearbh wondered.
"Eltibald?" Iorveth asked.
Treasach quickly explained: "Boreas Mun - the tracker we've questioned and who met Is on the Elskerdeg pass - mentioned being teleported from Spalla to Ceann Treise by this mage."
"I won't trust a madman either, who's killing young women just for being born on the wrong day of the year during an eclipse..." Kea snorted, vehemently rejecting that idea.
The elves in the room now stared at her with questioning looks when Neach asked:
"Who else is there then?"
"Enid an Gleanna..."
Kea's reply had the same effect as if she'd just thrown a bomb into the room.
The commanders started arguing loudly, first with her, then with each other. Yaevinn standing up and angrily pacing back and forth, while telling Iorveth to stop listening to a mad dh'oine. Neach asking her why she hasn't told him her plan upfront. Bradach trying to calm down Lia as she was shouting, that she'll kill Francesca Findabair the moment she's in reach of her arrows for how she sold out the Vrihedd brigade officers and the Scoia'tael.
Toruviel and Ailill yelling at each other. Why – Kea didn't know – it became unintelligible pretty quickly...
Ciaran aep Dearbh staring at her totally offended how she can even think about such an option. The remaining elves all telling her their opinions about the pros and cons of such an idea in a cacophony of voices.
Only Deagan was leaning back in his chair nonchalantly, watching it all with a wicked smile and then trying to shout over the noise in the room towards Keaira:
"I've told you so..."
He was the only one who knew what will come.
She sighed, then slowly stood up and putting two fingers in her mouth whistled really loudly. In the wide stone room with a high ceiling her whistle bounced off of the walls, growing in volume fast and the elves all winced, holding their ears.
Once it was dead silent and she had their attention back, Keaira calmly talked again:
"I was aware you're not going to like the idea. I'm not asking you all to accompany me to meet her. Trust me - if I could do this alone, I would. But I'll need a few of you to come with me if we want to convince Faoiltiarna to leave with us."
Her gaze moved from Neach to Treasach, then stopped on Iorveth's face.
"I don't trust that old hag." he muttered annoyed.
"Regardless of you being Scoia'tael or not, you're still elves. You're still Aen Seidhe just like her. She may have officially denounced you, but I firmly believe she will not want to harm her own people if we ask her for help. She cannot afford that. You're already too few as it is... As an Aen Saevherne she's the only one skilled, experienced and powerful enough to do this. I'm afraid we have no other option if we don't want to leave Faoiltiarna behind. If anyone here has a better idea, then I'll gladly listen to it of course."
Kea sat down, poured a large cup of mead and gulped it down, waiting if someone comes up with a better plan.
The room remained silent for a long time until Neach spoke:
"I think we should all take a break overnight. Let's meet again here tomorrow for lunch and decide what to do."
She looked back at him, telling him quietly:
"Let me talk to the alderman in the meantime."
Then bowing respectfully to everyone before leaving the room, she exited the Castle of the Three Fathers and walked through the snow-covered streets straight towards the stables. She needed to get out of the town for a while to clear her head and decided to just go for a short ride with Lanaer before nightfall. Postponing her visit at Cecil Burdon's house after dinner.
When the door closed on the meeting room after all the elves left and only Iorveth and Neach remained sitting at the table, the one-eyed elf removed his bandana, throwing it at the table and poured them both full cups of vodka and mead.
"Your woman's crazy..." he chuckled as he raised his cup to a toast, drinking it all.
"And yours is a dragon..." Neach replied, watching Iorveth's face freeze briefly before they both started laughing heartily.
"It's damn good to see you." Iorveth smirked, pouring another cup of vodka for himself.
Neach drank his mead, then pushed his empty cup aside and simply grabbed the whole bottle, taking a gulp directly from it:
"High time we had a drink together."