Author's Note:
I am so sorry this took so long. Depression is a bitch. I'm going to aim to update once a week though, as I already have 10 & 11 done as well. I'm either at 0 or 100 apparently, there's no in between.

IX.

"Try it now."

The young woman immediately took a step backward. "It's your turn," Triss insisted, refusing to continue on like a guinea pig in Philippa's experiments unless the other woman planned to step up to the plate as well. Triss might be her apprentice, but that didn't mean she had to be the one taking all the risk. Philippa's brow rose at the refusal, but Triss did not back down nor shy away. Instead she kept eye contact and smiled sweetly. "I insist, Mistress."

"I bet you do."

Triss' smile only widened in faux innocence, and Philippa exhaled a small sigh as she resigned herself to her fate without question. Before, Triss would have been surprised about that, but the longer she resided in Montecalvo, the more she realized that Philippa did not think of her as someone she owned, and that Triss was not expected to do anything that she did not want to do. Philippa respected her wishes and her boundaries, and Triss appreciated that more than she could express.

The young sorceress watched as the other woman approached the megascope, the collections of crystals at both the tip and the base glinting from the sunlight that came through the arched window at the north end of the observatory. The sheer volume of them was most likely unnecessary – as even the most advanced megascopes had only three crystals – but as Philippa was trying to improve both teleportation and communication using a megascope as a conduit, she believed the more power she had, the wider her coverage area would be. Her ultimate goal was to be able to communicate with someone clear across the Continent in moments, whether through the megascope or in person, as currently the distance between calls was limited, and teleportation even more so.

Thus far however, Philippa was having a difficult time just getting it to power on correctly, let alone do anything else.

A hiss of pain and frustration ripped past the older woman's lips as the megascope sparked and shocked her once she attempted to pull magic from Triss in order to cast a more powerful spell. Triss pursed her lips, keeping her thoughts to herself. Despite their varying levels of experience, the results had not deviated from when she had pulled magic from Philippa not moments prior. As far as Triss was concerned though, this was Philippa's project, and she did not want to butt in where she may not be welcome. However, it only took one glance at her apprentice for the other woman to know that she had something to say.

"If you have an idea, share it," Philippa instructed, momentarily stepping away from the megascope. "As pretty as you are, you make a better sorceress than a statue."

Triss lashes fell at the compliment, yet her cheeks did not flare up as they had so many times before. Instead, she just shyly smiled before looking back over at her mistress, glad to be considered something of worth to the other woman. "We're overloading it," she hypothesized. "I know how far you wish the signal to go, but I think we need to focus on accuracy first, and then gradually build up the power to send it to greater lengths."

Philippa murmured in acknowledgment, but did not communicate her thoughts further. That was alright though, as Triss had more to say anyhow.

"Besides, you and I don't need this many crystals," Triss continued, approaching the megascope. Her fingertips gently danced over the tip of the crystals before she gently plucked a particular one from its confines, placing it in her pocket. "Other people will eventually, should you want to share your designs, but together, we already have twice the power of anyone else. If we rely on our own magic more than the stored energy in the crystals, I believe we'll have better results."

"The crystals act as a conduit for a reason, pet," Philippa reminded her. "I understand where you are coming from, but even if we rely on our shared power, if we do not have a place to channel it, it could have hazardous consequences. Teleportation in particular can become incredibly messy if not done correctly, and I do not wish to part from any of my limbs any time soon."

Triss pursed her lips, her thoughts turning over in her head. "Can we only use them as a conduit then? Remove the ones that we powered up already, and start fresh. Or perhaps we could just use our own magic, instead of pulling from one another."

"Even without consciously pulling from one another, we're still intertwined, and thus too powerful. I believe you may be right though – we must be overloading them. We could start fresh, but it's a temporary solution as it will only benefit us for as long as we are linked. I need something stable and long-term, which was why I was trying to store power in the crystals."

"That's tomorrow's problem though," Triss reminded her. Sometimes Philippa focused too much on the destination, making the path towards it become obscured. She was brilliant and she had a great many ideas, but Triss noticed that at times her execution left a lot to be desired. It was nice though – realizing Philippa had a flaw. It made her feel more relatable. More human. "First, shouldn't we just do it however we're able? We can think about the future of the design later. Right now, we don't even know if it can be done."

"Perhaps you're right; I have been thinking too far ahead," Philippa conceded. The pit of Triss' stomach swelled, the feeling of being heard unparalleled. Despite how difficult it could be sometimes, Triss was truly glad she had come here. Studying with Philippa was doing wonders for her self-confidence, and Triss was immensely thankful for that.

Philippa paused for a moment, assessing the situation before she instructed, "Alright. Remove the crystals. Fetch me some fresh ones— four, no, five… and please be certain to check for imperfections in the stones; the last thing we need is for our magic to not be properly channeled through them."

Triss did as instructed and after a short while the megascope was reconstructed to their new standards. "Let me try," Triss offered, feeling that at the very least they should alternate attempts. Philippa gently inclined her head, granting permission as she took a step back.

The young sorceress approached the megascope, her eyes fixated on the cluster of fresh crystals in the center of the device. Triss carefully focused her power as she began to pull from Philippa, keeping the flow at a steady rate so as not to overwhelm the megascope. It was more difficult than she imagined, trying to keep their shared power even and tempered, and Triss exhaled a hard breath through her nose before she concentrated all of her energy and pulled open a portal. Philippa hissed in approval behind her and stepped behind Triss, placing an approving hand on the young woman's bicep.

"Where does it go?"

"Beauclair," Triss responded in a strained voice as she tried to keep the portal open. Philippa looked impressed, but the expression did not last as Triss quickly amended her answer, not wishing Philippa to believe she had accomplished something she may not have. "…I think."

"You think?"

"Well it's very hard to accurately navigate towards a destination whilst casting a teleportation spell of this caliber!" Triss exclaimed. At the moment, most of her concentration and her energy was dedicated to just keeping the portal open.

"I suppose there is only one way to find out then," Philippa resigned, and just… stepped right through it. Triss nearly fell over in shock, as they hadn't even been able to test the stability of it yet. It could have been dangerous, it could have ended up severely injuring her, and yet Philippa walked straight through it as though none of that even mattered to her.

That was why it wasn't difficult for Triss to follow.

She was concerned for Philippa's wellbeing of course, but truth be told, there was already a part of Triss that believed her portal was stable just because Philippa believed it to be. And she was right; the portal was stable, it was safe, and it got them to a destination that was a considerable distance from Montecalvo. However, instead of the beautiful colors and warmth of the south, Triss was greeted by a wet marshland that immediately soaked the base of her dress. She exhaled loudly in disgust, quickly hiking her clothing up out of the water.

"Well. This is most certainly not Toussaint."

Philippa's observation was overshadowed by a small shriek as Triss felt something slither around her ankle. Unfortunately, she backed up so quickly that she did not realize that her mentor was behind her, nor that the force of her practically tripping into Philippa would send them both sprawling into the water.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Triss immediately apologized after they had tumbled into the dank water, horribly embarrassed by the sheer volume of her own miscalculations today. She tried to help Philippa to her feet, but in the end it was more Philippa's efforts that allowed them both to stand. Triss hung her head in shame, her hair sticking to her neck and dripping with swamp. She was humiliated, wet, and miserable, and Triss couldn't believe how quickly she could fall from her high.

"I'm growing tired of having to remind you not to needlessly apologize, Triss."

"Not all apologies are needless!" Triss exclaimed, because while she appreciated Philippa's encouragement to never apologize for who she is or the things she has done, Triss also found it incredibly rude to just never apologize ever. She had clearly made a mistake and wished to apologize for it. She should be allowed to. "I teleported us into a bloody swamp; I would think that warrants a courtesy apology, at the very least!"

"You did, yes, " Philippa confirmed, somehow still looking dignified with swamp in her hair. It was absolutely infuriating. "However considering there are no marshlands anywhere near Redania, I will consider this a victory. No one expected perfection – merely progress, which is what you have achieved."

Triss parted her lips to retort, yet found she had nothing to say. Her mouth closed.

"Come, let us find dry land and perhaps a clue as to where we've ended up before we attempt to return."

Triss, eager to do something helpful after her unfortunate mishap, dried them both off with a quick and simple enchantment. Philippa returned the favor by creating a thin, waterproof barrier between them and the swamp in order to their feet dry during the rest of their trek through the marshlands. Triss hadn't realize that she couldn't feel her toes until then, and the sudden rush of pins and needles prodded at her flesh as the sting of the cold water disappeared.

However, that was not the only enchantment Philippa found she needed to cast upon them whilst they traveled, and while the first was merely a convenience, the second turned out to become a survival necessity.

Philippa was the first to hear it. Before Triss could exhale her surprise, the older woman stopped mid-stride and threw a barrier around them. Instinctively, Triss' grip wrapped around her mentor's cloak as she pressed herself against Philippa's back, irrationally fearing that, should she not practically meld into her companion, the barrier would not work and she would be seen. Triss did not move; she dared not even to breathe.

The swamp gently sloshed around a monster that seemed to have come from the depths of its very waters as it lumbered out from the shadows. It was bigger than they were – taller than a house with large membranous wings that stretched out from its frighteningly thin body. It paused, the dark bulbous form that looked to be its head suddenly parting completely in half, a hissing sound spraying out between two layers of sharp teeth. It almost sounded as though it was laughing at them, and Triss' blood ran cold. She couldn't tell if it was looking at them or not, and it took a few moments for Triss to realize that was because the creature had no eyes, and that Philippa's barrier wasn't meant to shroud them from sight at all.

Instead, it deafened them.

"What is it?" Triss breathed, a tremor within her words. Her grip on Philippa tightened as she looked over the other woman's shoulder at the massive monster that still looked as though it knew they were there, however had yet to pinpoint their exact position due to Philippa's enchantment.

"A vampyrode," Philippa answered, her voice still soft despite the barrier. She did not take her eyes off the creature and her voice was oddly calm despite the terrifying situation. "It is blind, but it senses its prey in other ways. You need to listen to me; I may have made it unable to hear us, but it can still smell you. Our pheromones are heightened when we are afraid. You need to calm down. You need to calm down or it will kill you, do you understand what I'm telling you?"

Triss' heart clenched in her chest and, frankly, that made her even more terrified. The kind of pressure that put on her made Triss' breathing uneven as her mind began to race. She was trying to think of something, anything that would help her calm down so that she wouldn't end up dying a brutal, horrifying death, but suddenly the monster was moving towards them, and now it was Philippa's turn to clutch her as she reached behind her, grabbing Triss' hand. Her grip was bruising and desperate.

"Triss."

Philippa was afraid. Not of the creature, but afraid for Triss. She was afraid that Triss would not be able to calm down in time, but fear was fear, and the vampyrode could smell hers as well now. It grew closer, its mouth hanging open with drool spilling out between its razored teeth. Its wings retracted back into its body and it suddenly stood taller, casting a terrible shadow over the two women who clutched to one another. Triss could not think, she could not breathe. However, neither of those things stopped her from reacting instinctively the moment the monster began to descend upon them.

When Triss had enrolled in Aretuza, one of the first spells she learned was one for concentration so that she could focus on her studies. In time she had trained herself to study without an aid, and thus she had no need of it for quite some time. Yet even still, it was that very spell that Triss' body cast instinctively, and as the younger woman willed herself to focus on controlling her emotions she placed her hands on either side of Philippa's head as she transferred her emotions to the woman bonded to her without even wondering for a second if she could.

The vampyrode stopped. Triss exhaled, but not because she was aware of the creature's movements. Her eyes fell closed as she counted her breaths, her focus clear and unwavering. She could feel Philippa all around her, but this time was different than all the others. It was like Triss was inside her, which normally would have either overwhelmed or frightened the younger woman, but she did not have a moment to think twice about it. Breathe, Triss gently reminded her mentor as she flooded her tranquility and stillness.

Philippa did as encouraged.

The swamp water sloshed as the vampyrode lost the scent of its prey and disappeared back from whence it came. The two women did not move for a long time however, keeping up their barrier and the concentration spell long enough to make certain they were finally alone. Finally, Triss released her hands from Philippa's head, though her own was still gently bowed against the back of the woman's skull. Their empathetic connection faded as they both let go of it simultaneously, yet neither woman moved, still gently leaning against one another.

"We must leave this place."

Triss could not agree more. The problem was that they had no idea where they were, and that made traveling by portal dangerous. Philippa, however, did not seem to care. She created a portal, grabbed Triss' hand, and forced them both through it before Triss could squawk in protest. She realized rather quickly, however, what Philippa was attempting to do once they exited in another part of the swampland: she was merely trying to move them forwards, not to a specific place. One cannot reach a destination without first knowing their original location, as portalling required a very clear idea of distance and direction for it to work properly. That was why Philippa was making short-distance portals, which were less dangerous but depleted her magic more quickly as she had to cast them over and over.

"Let me—"

"No."

Philippa did not want help. The more portals she cast the paler she got, but she kept them moving forwards. They passed monsters of all kinds as they traveled, yet in the blink of an eye the two women were gone, vanishing before the creatures had a chance to catch their scent. Eventually their feet reached dry land and it was only then that Philippa finally allowed herself a breath, a rest. She nearly collapsed in the dirt after her final portal, but Triss grabbed a hold of her, keeping Philippa steady as she allowed the woman to lean on her.

"You could have let me help you," Triss chastised, thankful to be out of danger yet now terribly frustrated at the state of her mentor. There was no need for that! They could have equally shared the burden and they would have gotten out of there all the same— and in better condition.

"Just get us to that village," Philippa instructed, nodding her head towards a small cluster of houses near the top of the hill. "We need to know where we are so we can find our way home. If you so desire, you may continue to chastise me there, although I'm sure you've recognized by now it will do no good."

Triss pursed her lips, irritated at the dismissal of her concerns. She did as instructed however and helped Philippa to the village, at least wanting the woman to be sitting down before she laid into her about how she wasn't some kind of damsel that needed saving. She could have helped. She wasn't weak and she wasn't useless – and Triss was pretty certain she proved that when it was she who ended up having to get them out of that mess in the first place!

But perhaps that was the problem. Her fear for Triss' safety did not sit well with Philippa; Triss could feel it when they became empathetically linked. Philippa had always had the good sense to put her own well-being above that of others – to prioritize herself and her own interests, whatever the cost. Yet this time she allowed her concern for Triss' safety put herself in danger, and that bothered her. Even without their connection, Triss could read it in the lines etched between the woman's brow. Philippa did not like that her concern for another weakened her, and she certainly did not like that it was Triss' actions that allowed them to escape the vampyrode.

No doubt that was why Philippa was so insistent on being the one to get them out of there. She didn't want to 'owe' Triss anything, on top of everything else. But that was stupid, as Triss wouldn't have even known what to do if not for her, so it wasn't like their escape wasn't collaborative to begin with. Regardless of Philippa's motivations though, one thing was very clear: this trip had caused her a fair amount of discomfort for reasons that caused Triss to wonder if, perhaps, there wasn't more to their relationship after all.

Was Philippa actually beginning to view her as a friend? Or, perhaps even…

"You, barkeep. What town is this?"

The two women had arrived at the nearest inn, the comfort of finally being indoors unparalleled. They sat at the bar top in neighboring seats, the old wood creaking beneath their weight as a stout man in his late forties approached them with interest, placing a glass in front of each women.

"Why this be Riedbrune, miss. Ye' lost? We don't get many folks lookin' like yous two 'round here."

That was probably true. Despite their mildly disheveled appearance, Philippa and herself were dressed rather well. The rest of the customers seemed to favor cloth and linen, weathered and dirtied by their outdoor chores. They'd take good care not to get robbed while they were there, Triss realized. Some patrons were already eying them with more interest than she was comfortable with, and Triss made certain not to turn her back to them.

"No, merely sidetracked. Some bread, if you'd please. Cheese if you have it," Philippa requested, knowing that she needed to get their strength up before they returned. "Riedbrune," she mused after the barkeep turned away. She finally met Triss' gaze, a hint of a proud smile gracing the corners of her lips. "Sodden. Well done."

Triss' expression leveled. Yes, Sodden was quite a ways south, but not south enough. She did not wish to be praised for her mistakes, so she corrected, "Still not Toussaint, and still in a swamp."

"The Dank Wilderness, actually. We were lucky to have only met a vampyrode. It could have been far worse."

"I'm sorry." Philippa shot her a look, but Triss reiterated her apology. "I'm sorry. I know you don't like it, but I am. I might have achieved something no one else has before, but my failure to do it correctly put us in danger."

"You got us out of it well enough," Philippa responded before taking a small sip of the water that the barkeep had poured for her. She side-eyed her as she placed the glass back down on the table. "How did you know you were able to do that; project your emotions into me?"

"I didn't."

Philippa's brow rose.

"It was… instinctual, almost? I don't know how to describe it. I didn't think – I just reacted. I couldn't… I couldn't let you die because of me," Triss finished softly, her gaze falling to her lap. She didn't know if she should bring it up, but regardless of the reasons behind Philippa's reaction, Triss still felt guilty and ashamed. "Because you were afraid for me. You were fine until I began to panic."

"I was," Philippa agreed softly, but did not elaborate any further. Triss' gaze met Philippa's, her chest tightening with emotion. She wanted to say something to her, anything, but words wouldn't form on her tongue. She wanted to know why, she wanted to know if that meant anything or if she was just reading too much into it, because things felt like they were changing between them, but because there was a part of Triss that feared it was nothing more than her own wishful thinking, she stayed silent.

The moment was lost when the barkeep returned with the bread and cheese, and Triss tore her eyes away from her mentor to grab a slice. She suddenly felt a little self-conscious but could not pin point why. She nibbled on the bread, yet could feel Philippa's eyes still upon her.

"I'm proud of you, Triss."

Triss nearly choked on her food. The sincerity in Philippa's voice startled her, and she quickly turned her head to meet the woman's gaze once more. Her eyes were wide, and the expression on her face seemed to amuse Philippa, as she cracked a smile.

"You don't have to look so surprised. I know you like to dwell on your failures, pet, but you achieved something big today. It may not have gone the way you wanted or expected, but perfection does not come from talent – it comes from practice. One day I know you will be able to bring me to Beauclair and when you do, I will take you out wine tasting and dancing, and we will celebrate your success. Does that sound agreeable?"

Triss blinked. "You… want to—?" But she couldn't ask if Philippa meant it as a date, because what if she hadn't? Either way though, Triss would love to spend more time with Philippa, so she quickly amended with, "I mean, yeah… yes. Yes, I would love that."

She had to get that megascope working now — and fast. A night out on the town with Philippa in Beauclair of all places sounded… wonderful. Triss was already mentally planning what she would wear when Philippa spoke, and said something that both terrified and thrilled her all at once.

"Good. It's a date then."

TBC…