Eislyn inhaled deeply and the stress flowed from her shoulders. It was such a beautiful day, and she was determined to spend some of it outdoors. She needed some time to herself after being immersed in the evils of the world for the last month. As alone as she could be with a guard following her around. She should be used to it. At least he wasn't slinking about trying to hide but having someone openly follow her was still annoying. She had wanted to go into the city, but Rayden had forbidden it. She was the Emporer's wife and Mercel was Nilfgaardian. Two prime targets for abduction and death. So, she settled on some shooting instead. She raised her bow, aimed, and fired. The arrow hit the target…too far right. As usual. She sighed and grabbed another arrow.
"Hmmm…" said a deep, masculine voice nearby.
"Something on your mind?" Eislyn quipped at her bodyguard. He walked toward her.
"My Lady, if I may…" he said but didn't wait for an answer. He pulled her shoulders back, adjusted the grip on her bow and tapped her feet into a different position. Then he stood behind her, covered her hands with his and aimed.
"Uh…" Eislyn stammered. Mercel released her.
"Chin up. Now shoot." Eislyn fired a perfect bullseye.
"Huh?" She stood slack jawed.
"Your stance was wrong. I corrected it."
"Really…" Eislyn narrowed her eyes at him.
"My presence annoys you, My Lady?" He asked with perfect congeniality.
"Yes! No! It…just…Uhg!" She tipped her head back and groaned at the sky. "I don't know. Okay? I've spent my whole life having someone follow me around. I thought maybe…"
"My Lady…" Mercel began but Eislyn interrupted him.
"Please stop with the 'My Lady' stuff. It makes me feel like my mother. Call me Eislyn." Eislyn looked over at him. He was an incredibly good-looking man with perfect posture, diction and patience. How the hell can he be so calm all the time? She fumed silently.
"Eislyn. Do you know why I was chosen for your personal guard?" It was a serious question. One she did not know the answer to. She had grown up around the servants and had an admiration for their hard work. Never had she snubbed someone because of their status but made an effort to get to know them as a person. In the time they had been in Redania, she had not once made an effort to talk to the man who had been chosen to protect her.
"No," She finally answered, feeling ashamed of herself.
"I am noble-born. As such, the Captain felt I would be best suited to guide your adjustment into Nilfgaard."
"Oh." More shame. She had been feeling sorry for herself, yet others had been thinking only of her comfort.
"Also, since I am a master marksman and you have an affinity for the bow, it was proposed that I continue your training. Combat is completely different from hunting."
"Of course." Eislyn said, embarrassed. Mercel had been nothing but attentive, kind, and polite. Maybe it was time she corrected her mistake. She sat on a nearby bale of straw and gestured for him to join her. Mercel leaned against a barrel facing her. "So, you said you were noble-born?"
"I am. Second son in one of the lesser houses. I took military service as my occupation. Not uncommon for the spare. I was good with a bow and became a scout. When Patrick made Captain, I volunteered to serve under him. Not many were willing to serve under such a young captain, but I had faith in him."
"Now you're an imperial guard. I bet your family is proud of you."
"Not always, but yes, they are now. I'm sure you understand the pitfalls of noble pride."
"Yes, I do. How did you anger your family?"
"I married a woman my parents did not approve of. The daughter of a bookseller. I was cast out for my choice."
"I'm so sorry." Eislyn truly understood. If she had married Rayden as merely a witcher's apprentice, she would have been cast out too. Mercel shrugged.
"My father died five years ago, and my brother brought me back into the fold kicking and screaming. He was always a great comfort and never turned his back on me. Came to my wedding and visited when my son was born."
"You have a son? How old is he?"
"Amis is nine. Old enough to learn to page. I was thinking of asking Patrick to take him on. He would also love to learn to swing a blade, though my tutelage would be of a basic nature. I'm competent with a sword, though not great."
"I'm sure Rayden would love to teach him. He's been carrying a sword around since he could walk!" Eislyn laughed.
"You think he would?"
"Oh, yes. And he would love every minute of it. He has nephews and nieces that he dotes on when the opportunity presents itself. Tell me about your wife." She said, changing the subject.
"Cateline…" His face became wistful as he spoke her name. "Beautiful and generous to a fault. She loved me when she thought I was but a poor soldier and she still loved me when she found out I was nobility. She is my breath, my heart, my life." Mercel's eyes cleared and he moved from the barrel to sit beside Eislyn on the bale of straw. "So you see, if you were to ask around, there are those that would say that is why I was chosen for you. My 'insane devotion' to Cateline ensures that you are completely safe with me." Eislyn laughed at his sly grin.
"You miss her a lot then."
"Oh, yes. I've spent far too much time away from her this past year. Something I would like to rectify upon our return, with your permission." He bowed his head in her direction.
"Of course! You know, it might be more expedient if you brought your family to live in the palace…" Esilyn tapped her chin, deep in thought. "I'm sure something could be worked out since you spend half your time there anyway and if Amis becomes a page…Hmmmm."
"You are serious?" Mercel asked her softly, startling her out of her planning.
"Huh? Why wouldn't I be?" She saw the surprise in his eyes. "Growing up, I felt the cook and gardener and the stable boy were more my family than my own parents. I also realize that Rayden is going to be very busy and I am going to have to cultivate a whole new life for myself." She sighed and her voice turned sad. "I'm afraid I owe you an apology. I never once thought of you as a person or gave you enough respect to ask about you before. That is something I have always made a great effort to do but with you I failed. I am sorry." Mercel was taken aback but he could see it meant a great deal to her.
"I accept your apology, though there really is no need. You barely had time to get used to being married before duty was thrust on you. Your character could be easily seen as you tended those girls. I've never seen a noble woman stoop to such work."
"I'm no stranger to work. Nobility I am but rich, not so much. My mother kept the barest of servants to keep up appearances, but I did a great deal of the work. Our housekeeper was also our cook and was getting on in years. I couldn't leave her to do all the work alone. Like I said, they were my family and my friends. I now find I need to make new friends. Meeting your wife might be a good start. At any rate she deserves to know who her husband has pledged to die for though I hope it never comes to that."
"Neither do I, and as long as I train you properly, it shouldn't." He shifted his gaze to his feet and lowered his voice. "And I'm sure Cateline would be honored. She has lived a somewhat isolated life because of me."
"Well, this isn't getting it done, is it?" She bounded to her feet and picked up her bow. Mercel stood and gave her small bow.
"As you wish," he said with a smile.
Tomas straightened the paperwork and books on the desk for what felt like the millionth time. The two gentlemen guests were beginning to fidget as they waited though they were being as polite as possible. One did not demand the Emperor to show. It was the correct time to arrive whenever he decided to do so. He caught sight of Patrick and quietly summoned him from the door of the study.
"Do you happen to know where the Emperor is?" He asked timidly. He would not refer to him as Rayden even though he knew that His Eminence and his personal guard had an oddly familiar relationship.
"No." Patrick huffed. "Rayden has disappeared on me. Again. The fool."
"Yes, well…we should find him. I have a pair of good candidates here for the governorship and they need to be approved. It is time for us to return to Nilfgaard."
"Excuse me," a servant girl passing by stopped and bowed her head.
"What is it?" Patrick replied roughly.
"I…it's just I saw His Eminence upstairs." Her face blushed a deep red. "He pulled Her Ladyship into their room about an hour ago." She bobbed a curtsey and scurried away. Patrick sighed and went upstairs to position himself in the hall across from the door. Within twenty minutes, the door opened, and Rayden emerged slightly disheveled, his sword in his hand. He stopped short seeing Patrick leaning on the wall, arms crossed.
"You need to let me know where you are going." Patrick said bluntly.
"So, you want me to tell you every time I carry my wife off to…" Patrick stopped Rayden midsentence.
"I don't need details. Just say you're heading to your room. At least I know what to tell everybody looking for you. They come to me you know." Patrick frowned. Rayden slapped a hand on his shoulder and laughed. His good mood was not going to be dampened just then.
"Sorry, sorry. I'll try to be better about it. I just figured Mercel would have told you I gave him a reprieve." Rayden said with a gleam in his eye.
"Haven't seen him. Tomas needs you downstairs. Governor candidates." Patrick gestured forward and the pair jogged down the stairs to the study. As Rayden entered the room, the two men stood quickly, their eyes going wide at the partially untucked shirt. Rayden ignored them.
"What's up, Tomas?" He said grabbing a few nuts from the bowl on Tomas' desk and planting himself on the credenza, feet swinging slightly. He popped the nuts in his mouth and chewed.
"Your Eminence," Tomas began with a bow. "These gentlemen are here as potential replacement for Davor Voorhis. Ah, this is Alnoth Lamar…" The elegantly dressed man bowed formally to the informal Emperor as Rayden took a bite out of an apple from a bowl beside him.
"Lamar…Lamar…" he muttered as he chewed. "That's one of the lesser houses of Nilgaardian nobility."
"Yes, Your Eminence!" He bowed again, so pleased that the Emperor knew of his family he seemed ready to jump right out of his skin.
"Yeah…" Rayden shifted his gaze to the other man. "You are…?" Tomas made the introduction.
"This gentleman is Keary Hanak. He is a very well respected Redanian Merchant and councilman." The man, also dressed extravagantly, also bowed though less obsequiously.
"Your Eminence." Hanak said simply, without emotion.
"Hmmmmm." Rayden said and took two bites of the apple, letting the juice run down his chin. From the corner of his eye, he saw both men look fleetingly at one another then return their attention back to Rayden.
"Your Eminence?" Tomas prompted nervously. Rayden eyed his clerk then tossed the apple core into a trash basket, wiped his chin with his sleeve and leaned forward on the credenza.
"Nope."
"Sir?" Tomas paled.
"Look, fellas…" Rayden addressed to two men. "Let's be real. Lamar, you're a Nilfgaardian. No way in hell am I putting another noble in charge here. Besides, I don't think the people would like that very much considering what happened with Davor."
"But Your Eminence! I would be absolutely loyal to the Throne!" Lamar pleaded.
"Meh. There are plenty of those. I need people loyal to me. Hanak, you can run a business, but can you run a country? People are a lot trickier than money in my experience.
No, what we need is a Redanian that knows how to manage people, money, and…knows me." Rayden sat perfectly still for a brief moment then hopped down from the credenza and grabbed his sword. He headed toward the door. "Thank you, gentlemen, but you're not exactly what I'm looking for." Suddenly he stopped and made an abrupt about face. "Scratch that. Stay here. Patrick!" He called and left the room.
"Right behind you." They left the palace on horseback and headed out the way they came in, ending their brief journey at the city guard quarters. Rayden hopped down and called into the open door of the office. Several guards stood around watching nervously. The Captain finally emerged and bowed with a smile.
"What brings you here? Looking for more bounties?" he teased.
"Not this time. I came looking for you."
"Don't know if I should be flattered or worried. The last man you went looking for lost his head."
"Be flattered. I want you to be the new governor of Redania."
"What?" the captain was shocked. Rayden squared his shoulders in preparation for a formal declaration.
"Captain Jaromir Toth, I want you to serve your people as Governor." Rayden waited for a response, but Captain Toth seemed too shocked to speak. "You have the basic skills to do this. With the right advisors to navigate the high finance and the political aspects, you'll be fine. You know me…where I come from. If I could return Redania's sovereignty I would but that would plunge this country back into relentless war for the throne. So, I will retain the throne, but the day-to-day care should come from one of their own. I believe that should be you." Captain Toth nodded and managed to find his voice.
"Who are the advisors?"
"Alnoth Lamar and Keary Hanak."
"I know them both. Lamar is a bit obsequious, but he's a good man…for a Nilfgaardian. So is Hanak. Why didn't you choose one of them?"
"You're asking that after Davor? Lamar can guide you through the intricacies of court life and all the politics of it all. Hanak can manage the numbers. You understand what the people need to live and how to secure their safety. So how about it?" Captain Toth stared at his feet. He was a content man, not looking to raise himself up above his circumstances. He and his family had what they needed. He was able to provide his children with an education. But what about their futures? That had plagued him. This opportunity would allow him to provide a future for all of Redania, in time. Maybe even groom his youngest son as his successor. He was a good level-headed boy.
"Do it, Captain!" Many of the men had gathered around, curious at the arrival of the Emperor and overheard the proposal. The others nodded in agreement and encouragement.
"Alright. I'll do it."
Rayden stretched before touching the ornate mirror and said the incantation. When the housekeeper had cleaned and prepared a room for him and Eislyn, this mirror had been found. It was initially put in the private changing room, but Rayden removed it immediately. Apparently, he was the only one who knew what it was.
Tomas looked up from his work to watch as the image in the glass shimmered and changed from Rayden to the completely bare back of a raven-haired sorceress. The old man blushed and looked quickly back to his work.
"Damn it!" Rayden swore loudly. The image in the mirror turned and scowled darkly, a towel fortunately covering her front.
"Like what you see?" Yennifer said harshly, her expression angry.
"Don't take that attitude with me! If all you sorceresses would put your mirrors somewhere besides your bedroom, we wouldn't have this problem!" Rayden crossed his arms and refused to back down under her withering glare. Yen moved out of sight and returned, fully dressed.
Better, Your Eminence?" She said sarcastically.
"Yes! Can we get to business, please?"
"Where are you, by the way? Still in Tretogor? Your ship returned weeks ago."
"Yeah. Found a mirror stashed upstairs. I moved it to the study." Yen narrowed her eyes at Rayden as he said this. "Anyway, we are ready to go home. The Rat King's horses have been returned, I found a new Governor and the girls have all been sorted out here."
"What's going to happen to them?" Yen's concern for them was palpable even over this distance.
"The ones that have families to return to will go home. The ones that don't have been employed. Most here. Davor was running this place with three servants, working them to the bone. There were a number of girls that died here. Some through Davor's abuse. Others starved themselves to death. I've never seen anything like this, and I've seen some serious shit on The Path…" Rayden trailed off, shaking his head to rid himself of the images of the ones that had been on the verge of death when they arrived; literally skin and bones with fear shining bright in their hollow eyes. Eislyn had managed to save some, but others where too far gone and were physically unable to swallow any nourishment. She sat up many nights holding the hands of the dying so they wouldn't be alone. She had quickly earned the respect of the soldiers and servants as she worked diligently beside them, never refusing even the meanest of tasks. When she had a rare break, she would sob into Rayden's chest at the evil wrought but after a bath, nap and a meal, she was back at it, her head held high and shoulders square. Rayden marveled at her courage.
"I never dreamed it was this bad. At least some were saved." Yen's voice was heavy with sadness, but she shifted gears quickly. "House Voorhis has been sending a representative to the palace almost daily since the news that you personally executed one of their own reached Nilfgaard. I haven't been able to determine if they are angry or not.
That aside, we still have the issue of your assassin roaming about. Someone came after me. Unfortunately, there was nothing left of them to question so Davor was not at the root of it. I think we may have been manipulated to throw us off their trail. Whoever it is, knew we would not overlook something of that magnitude in Redania."
"Damn. Be careful, Yen. Plan on two days from now. I'll tie up loose ends here." Rayden watched as the mirror shimmered and his own visage came into view once more.
"Sounds bad." Governor Toth said from his seat at the side of the desk.
"Yeah. But if I can face down chorts, I can handle this."
"Yes, but it is easier to fight the enemy you see."
"True. Don't worry about me, Governor. I'll be fine. I have an ace up my sleeve." Rayden replied cheerfully. I hope.
"Well, you have certainly made a friend of Redania. The guards returning the girls to their families have reported back that whole villages are grateful to you now. They are merely working-class people, not nobility. That you would go so far out of your way to help them is nothing less than astonishing." Captain Toth told him. Rayden blushed and cleared his throat, trying to brush off the praise. "Even the families that received death notices are grateful for the closure. You may think otherwise, but Davor's public execution was very good for you."
"I never revel in having to kill someone."
"And that is what makes you great."
The small group stood in the courtyard, awaiting their transport home. Rayden was running through a mental list, making sure everything had been attended to, but nothing was left undone. He had even taught the Governor the incantation for the mirror. Governor Toth and the guard stood by at attention, seeing off their Emperor. Off to the side, two familiar faces stood patiently. Rayden approached them slowly.
"Aleksandra, Pola." The two girls curtsied and bowed their head demurely. "Why have you not gone home?" He asked.
"Because there is nothing left to go home to." Aleksandra replied without ceremony.
"What will you do? Stay here?"
"Yes." Aleksandra smiled and it lit up her face. Rayden felt his heart ease at the sight. Her spirit had not been crushed. "I will be training with Marge and will replace her when the time comes. Pola could have gone to another family but wished to stay here, near her brother. She will be my assistant."
"I am pleased that you are happy now. I am sorry that you ever had to go through something like that to begin with."
"You cannot apologize for another's sins, only your own. But thank you." They curtsied again and Rayden headed over to Toth. The guard around him stood straighter.
"Well, Captain…or rather Governor. I leave it in your hands. Under your guidance, I believe Redania will prosper." He held out his hand and the new governor accepted the familiar gesture. Behind him, a portal opened. Rayden headed down the steps toward the wavering blue and headed home. He would just have to see what awaited him there.