"...my cabaret will be the finest in all of Novigrad. No! The entire country, I dare say! For, of course, no poetry and music can ever compare to my infamous ballads. And we will have honeyed wine and the most succulent meat you have ever tasted. We spare no expense!"
Dandelion had been prattling on about his upcoming performance nonstop since he, Yennefer, and Ciri had left the racetrack. There was an obvious excitement in his voice and features now that Ciri had not seen in him for a long time.
"I thought you were broke," she pointed out. "How can you afford to spare no expenses?"
"It's just phrasing, Ciri," Dandelion huffed, appearing annoyed that she had called him out on his choice of words. "The point is, it will be spectacular. And the people of Novigrad deserve nothing less, of course. After everything they have been through."
Ciri snorted. "Nothing, you mean?"
The threat of The Hunt had been there, certainly, but the people of Novigrad had faired exceptionally well compared to those in Oxenfurt.
Dandelion looked even sourer and some small part of Ciri enjoyed that she'd had the power to rip the enthusiasm from the bard so easily.
"Nonetheless," he continued after a short reprieve, "the city needs me."
Like a hole in the head.
Ciri arched an eyebrow in Yennefer's direction, expecting the sorceress to feel quite the same way as she did about this whole ordeal.
Unlike their arrival, the ride back to Novigrad had been taken slowly, leaving them room to appreciate the scenery and given Yennefer time to think.
She'd been most grateful that the ugly event at the race track hadn't escalated, and that they'd been able to leave without anyone else getting hurt or some kind of new fire starting.
It had been close, though, and Yennefer could only admit to herself how terrified she'd been.
Just how many messes would Geralt be able to clean up after them?
"I've never been opposed to wine," Yennefer added finally, delaying the conversation only marginally. "I also wouldn't mind more dancing."
Yennefer removed the money pouch she'd collected as her winnings from the race manager, snapping her fingers to gain the troubadour's attention before tossing him the small coin bag.
"It might help lighten those expenses."
Dandelion gasped as he felt the hefty weight of the pouch in his hand. "Yennefer! You know I don't accept charity!" he said while smoothly stashing the bag away in his doublet. He shot the sorceress a conspiratory wink that had Ciri curious.
The two of them had never gotten along well. What had changed now?
Ciri was about to ask when the sound of galloping horse hooves thundered from behind them. She turned in her saddle to look over her shoulder, squinting at the cloud of dust that was rising and steadily nearing.
"I smell trouble," Ciri murmured to herself.
Her point was proven when the horsemen came close enough to see clearly. There were four of them, all burly males with a scruffy appearance and weapons drawn.
"Give us your coin!" one of them demanded, the four horses and their riders circling Yennefer, Ciri, and Dandelion.
"What?" the bard squeaked, more outraged than frightened, his hand automatically falling to his pocket.
But the men's gazes were focused on Yennefer. "Give us your coin, wench!"
Yennefer expelled a sound of annoyance. Her gaze automatically shifting to Ciri, settling on her face in a 'let me handle this' kind of manner. She didn't want her bloodthirsty girl getting her jollies.
Another time she'd have challenged the men, turned them into toads or worse, but for right now, she wanted them gone as quickly as possible.
She undid the pouch attached to her belt, yanked the last strings free with a stiff hand and tossed it at the demanding figure. The coins inside jingled slightly as it flew.
"We bid you a good day, gentlemen," Yennefer said, directing a look at Dandelion, gesturing for him to start moving again, to make for the gap between their horses. She did the same to Ciri.
She also did it in such a way that she hoped neither would argue.
"What are you doing?" Ciri asked Yennefer accusingly.
Why on earth would the powerful sorceress simply give in to the measly bandits when she knew she could incapacitate them all without even breaking a sweat.
"It doesn't matter, Ciri," Dandelion urged. "Let's go."
"No," Ciri argued, drawing her sword and urging Kelpie forward.
The man sneered, pocketing the bag Yennefer had thrown them and raised his weapons again. "Look at that, boys!" he called gleefully. "Little lass got a sword. Adorable. Do you even know which way to stick that thing, girl?"
"Give us the rest!" one of the other men called, looking between Dandelion and Ciri. "We know there's more. Fine folk always carry more than they can protect."
"Right you are," Ciri confirmed, her eyes gleaming with emerald fury. "Come and claim it."
Yennefer tensed as Ciri withdrew her sword, spitting on what Yennefer was trying to do, giving into that ingrained bloodlust that had caused the issue with the bank as she freed her sword.
The sorceress spurred her horse into action, positioning herself between them, cutting them off from having to directly deal with each other and acting like what she hoped was a bridge.
Only one would care if she got hurt in the process.
Thankfully, Ciri hadn't whisked around in her emerald shine and decapitated anyone yet, but experience told Yennefer that it was close and only a matter of the right provocation and calculation.
"There is no need for bloodshed and shows of bravado. I have given you your coin without as much as a hints resistance. Take it and go, or live the rest of your life feeding off the surroundings lands like the gluttonous rats that you are."
The obsidian star at her throat warbled, unseen, her eyes threatening and narrowed as they glowed with the promise of violent retribution.
The man who appeared to be in charge of the group eyed the star nervously, his jaw working as he made his decision.
"What you gave us is not nearly enough. You owe more," he declared, sitting up a little straighter in his saddle, rousing his men.
"Owe?" Dandelion gawked. "That's quite the statement, my good-" he gave the man a once-over, struggling to find the right title to address him with, "-man."
"Who do you work for?" Ciri asked shrewdly.
"Ain't none of your business!" one of the other men called.
"I feel like making it my business," she retorted, sliding off Kelpie's back so she could sidestep Yennefer and her steed.
"Ciri, no!" Dandelion's heart was racing, equally fearful for the girl's safety and the horrendous consequences of her potential actions. "Here! Have the bloody thing!" He'd removed the coin purse of Yennefer's winnings and violently threw it at the leader. Another gasp left the poet when the purse collided with the man's forehead and knocked him off the horse.
Dandelion looked horrified.
Ciri burst out laughing, stalling her progress to eye her earlier target with glee as he groaned and struggled to recover from the mud.
Yennefer couldn't bring herself to laugh like Ciri. The action might have been unintentional, but a man's pride like that could only take so much of a beating from an artist and a girl.
"Take your leader and go," Yennefer demanded, moving to rise up on her saddle, one hand fixed on the reins to keep her balanced, the other twisting in such a way that if you knew her, it was clear what she was doing.
The bag of gold that had knocked man in question off his horse collided with his head again, rocketing at his nose as if it were a fist, ricocheting to the next nearest bandit with the same brutal force. The two howled in sporadic unison, blood gushing from one's nose.
The lethal bag had stopped short of the third bandit, his hands already up to shield his face, cowering as if he expected it to lash out with teeth bared and take something important.
"GO! NOW!"
Ciri couldn't help but laugh with childlike glee as the bandit-leader took off running, forgoing his horse. The others quickly followed, casting wary glances over their shoulders at Yennefer as they took off galloping.
"Oh, that was priceless," Ciri said once she'd caught her breath, slipping her sword back into its scabbard. "Why on earth would you give up your coin, though?" She looked between Yennefer and Dandelion. "You know we could have easily bested them."
"Sometimes it's not worth it," Dandelion declared solemnly, still a bit shaken from the whole ordeal.
"Sometimes they also don't get it all," Yennefer added.
The coin purse Dandelion had used to save the day, twisted away from the man's retreating back, returned to the troubadour with a near graceful flourish. It hovered in front of Dandelion's face, patiently waiting to be claimed again.
Yennefer lowered herself down onto her saddle when their attackers were out of sight.
"Let's start riding before they decide to come back."
Yennefer tapped her heels to the horse's flanks, sending it into a gentle trot until Ciri was back on Kelpie and then lead the way back to Novigrad.
"You're not curious to know what that was all about?" Ciri asked after a few moments of silence. "They weren't lying in wait. They were following us from the race track."
"Why waste time on a transparent mystery? They saw us racing, saw my win, and decided to help themselves to our winnings. That or they were hired by someone insulted."
Yennefer glanced at Dandelion and then at Ciri.
"Not that it much matters. They're gone and hopefully, the remaining stretch to Novigrad will be without any more unnecessary drama."
"Oh, but they might visit us later," Ciri smiled. "If they were hired, their job is not completed."
Dandelion shuddered noticeably. "If so, hopefully, Geralt will be back in time to handle them."
Ciri frowned. "Because Yennefer and I can't?"
"That's not what I am saying, Ciri," the poet sighed wearily, looking to Yennefer for support. "But the mere sight of a witcher may be enough to frighten them off."
"They won't be back and nor will they catch up," Yennefer said. "They met us on the road for a reason. Their leader will surely need a physician as well. A broken nose is no laughing matter."
Yennefer slowed, guiding her horse back so they could all ride side by side.
"If it hadn't been for your quick thinking though, Dandelion…"
"I didn't do it on purpose!" Dandelion exclaimed. "I was aiming for his lap."
Ciri snorted with renewed mirth.
Yennefer knew that. The throw itself had been too clumsy, but uncharacteristic laughter spilt from her lips anyway, wiping away the tension that had been coiled up so tightly inside.
"If Geralt and Kain have not returned by the time we reach the inn, we're going to them," Ciri said, looking between the sorceress and poet for any signs of defiance. "Right?"
Yennefer gave a short shake of her head. "No need. They said they'd be back toward the evening. Dandelion still has decorating to do of the inn and I've previously promised him some help."
Ciri rolled her eyes, dismayed.
"Right you are," Dandelion chimed in. "Lots of preparations still to be made. You know, my audience expects nothing less than perfection from me."
Yennefer's lips twitched at the corners of her mouth, a hint of a smile threatening to break out on her face at their contrasting responses.
"I'm sure decorating will be far more entertaining than searching for maps in a stuffy library."
"And far more useless," Ciri commented dryly. "We should be out searching with them instead of putting on a show. It's ridiculous."
Dandelion frowned. "It's my livelihood, Ciri."
"But it's not important, is it?" the girl pointed out snidely. "It's a luxury. But people don't need your work to survive."
The poet looked wounded and found nothing to say.
"Although you make a valid enough argument," Yennefer said. "Let's not wholly discount the joys that music and a little tomfoolery can bring people who are saturated in hopelessness. It provides them a temporary escape to help them through the tough times and bolsters the strength they need to focus on their survival."
Yennefer felt sorry for Dandelion. He took pride in his work and there was a time Ciri wouldn't have dreamed of talking to him in such a belittling manner. She wished Ciri hadn't.
"There is no escape. There is no hiding," Ciri said. "And we'll only find salvation in the blood of our enemies."
Dandelion cleared his throat, discomfort shining through the neutral expression he was attempting to put up. "Well, as lovely as that sentiment is, I do believe my way is better. You'll see come evening."
He spurred his horse on, expecting his companions to follow.
Yennefer didn't like Ciri's grim romanticism but chose to say nothing, tap-tapping at her horse's flanks to keep up with Dandelion. She was almost eager to get back Novigrad.
How long would it be before Geralt joined them again? Had he found what he was looking for?
Shani wiped a thick layer of dust off one of the jars with her fingers and gasped softly, scrutinizing something resembling a foetus inside.
"Do you realize the implications of this?" she asked, stepping slowly along the shelves.
"They played gods," said Geralt, sweeping an impassive gaze over the tall, dusty shelves along the walls. "Much like a group of mages I knew. Nothing surprising."
"I don't know about the mages," Shani retorted, "but these..." She gestured to the jars, something akin to a mix of wariness and admiration splashing in her eyes. "They don't look like failed experiments. It seems they knew what they were doing. Oh, we could learn so much-"
"It's hardly wise to learn from Aen Elle in what concerns producing new species of anything," Geralt stated, recalling Vilgefortz and his goals.
"It's always wise to learn the things someone else discovered," argued Shani. "We're silly children playing in sandboxes compared to not just elves, but even those wizards you've mentioned. We, humans, need to learn and learn faster."
"Unless there are any notes left that anyone can read, there's not much to learn, exactly," Kain reasoned, strolling slowly through the ancient laboratory, probing the air with his senses.
Shani looked around, slightly taken aback. There were tables, covered in even, thick and undisturbed layers of dust upon their surfaces, but no scrolls or parchments could be seen. Disappointment sank its claws in her, she turned to Kain.
"You think they've destroyed everything?"
He glanced at the shelves and the tables, pondering a moment, then shrugged. "If they left, they took their science with them. They don't like to leave their legacy behind for any unworthy races like us."
"I believe we should focus on why we're here," Geralt called from across the room.
They looked; he pointed at another stony arch in the wall.
"They certainly didn't plan on letting the unworthy move around," he remarked. "I can't activate it."
Shani and Kain approached. The Witcher and the medic watched as Kain reluctantly skimmed a hand across the stone within the arch and jerked it back the moment the arch turned into a swirl of magic and light. It was a mesmerizing sight, and Shani thought she could lose all sense of time if she let herself stare any longer. She blinked and averted her eyes to look between the witchers.
"Are we going?"
Geralt winced; Kain gave a shrug. "We still haven't found what we're came looking for. I can go on my own, however. I'm sure there is a way out in the end."
"Never be sure in anything that belongs to Aen Elle," Geralt warned.
They went in, Kain closing the line.
It was a labyrinth of smaller rooms carved within the stone. There was nothing about the walls and floors that resembled those of a cave with its wet smell of rocks and moss. The ornaments and beautiful faces adorned the walls around them among the shelves, and there was colorful mosaic beneath their feet.
The ceiling was also layered out with randomly shaped pieces of different kinds of stone with carved patterns and ornaments. Some semi-transparent crystals that reminded Geralt of raspberries seemed to be growing from a few spots on each room's ceiling.
Kain's hands came together, moving slowly as if gliding over a sphere neither Shani nor Geralt could see. The Witcher's sensitive eyes caught the glow of energy before Kain threw it up at one of the crystals.
The 'raspberry' flashed with a faint blue, then green, flickered, dimmed, and finally brightened up with a mild yellowish glow that lit the room.
"How beautiful," admired Shani, then went to examine the tables and shelves now that she could see them better.
Kain charged the other crystals and gave the room a quick survey.
"Nothing here," he told Geralt quietly. "I will search the other rooms and you should keep an eye on her."
"I don't think it's prudent to part in this place."
"It should be here somewhere, I sense it better. In one of these rooms. I don't think there are any more portals between us and that anchor. And... you feel it?"
Geralt paused and nodded. "Yes. It's colder here."
"Look at all those instruments!" Shani carefully picked up some fine sticks and needles and mirrors from one of the huge marble caskets lined on a table. "Such a fine work... What metal is this? Like silver, but so light... Oh, if only we had these back at war."
She scrutinized something that looked like a compact bone saw. It probably was one, Geralt thought.
"It has no rust on it!" she marveled. "No smell, no rust... and so light. But so sharp!"
She looked at the witchers, and both had the same thought that she would hug the saw to her chest. There was pleading mixed with wariness in her face.
"You think... can I? ... Could we..."
"I don't see why not," Kain responded. "They're not here to claim it."
"Ooohh," she sighed with awe and looked at the marble caskets like an eager child gawking at a pile of wrapped gifts.
She put the saw down and tried to move a casket. It was too heavy for her to pick up, and she cast a desperate glance at Geralt, then opened the boxes and began to rummage there carefully, plucking out instruments. She shrugged off her jacket, lay it out on the table and started to collect the instruments in it.
Kain left Geralt with her and went further through the rooms.
As they neared the gate to Novigrad, Dandelion turned in his saddle to look back at Ciri who had halted Kelpie before they could step onto the bridge.
"Ciri?" he called softly. "Come on. We're almost home."
Ciri shook her head, a small stubborn smile adorning her mouth. "I'm going to Oxenfurt."
The poet gaped before shooting a look at Yennefer. "But... Geralt and Kain may be back already. You should come to the inn and see for yourself."
"They're not back," Ciri replied without hesitation. She was certain of that. Every viable instinct she possessed told her otherwise.
"But..." Dandelion tried again, his voice a little meeker this time. "The cabaret!"
Ciri had to laugh. "You go tend to your work. I shall tend to mine." She looked at Yennefer. "You coming?"
Yennefer promised Dandelion she'd help him finish setting up for his floorshow, and yet she couldn't bring herself to let Ciri go to Oxenfurt alone.
What if Ciri ran into trouble on the way? What if she got waylaid by someone else or something else? Ciri was so unpredictable lately that there was no other choice to make.
Yennefer's gaze connected with the troubadours and relayed an unspoken apology.
"With any luck, we'll be back before the spectacle begins," Yennefer said, tugging at her mare's reins, tapping at her flanks to get the horse moving in Oxenfurt's direction.
Dandelion looked on in disappointment, but he didn't comment and urged his horse into a trot towards the city.
Ciri and Yennefer took off in the opposite direction, and as soon as they had passed the small gathering of houses along the road, galloped towards Oxenfurt. It took them a while to pass some travelers before they could use Ciri's talent and spare time.
"They went to the Academy?" Ciri asked once they neared the city.
"Probably the library," Yennefer stated once they'd slowed and started through the familiar gates. "I know for a fact some maps are kept there as well."
"Then that is where we go," Ciri said, her face set in determination.
Yennefer tapped a finger delicately to her necklace, leading the way to the building and focused her mind on the enchantment she'd gifted Geralt to make it easier on him to call her for help.
'Where are you?' she sent forth telepathically, waiting a beat, trying to cut down their search a bit. 'We've come to Oxenfurt.'
They left the horses in the care of a man outside of the Academy and made their way inside. The halls were busy with students who were eagerly discussing scholarly subjects with one another on the way to their next lecture. Not a one of them paid attention to two women as they sought out someone who knew the place better than they did.
In the end, Ciri caught a random professor by the arm. "We're looking for two witchers. Are they here?"
She knew this was not the correct and polite way to address a stranger, but she didn't care.
The professor, a little taken aback by her approach, hesitated. Then his gaze fell on Yennefer and his eyes widened in appreciation. "I'm sorry... What was the question?"
"My daughter asked if you could point us in the direction of the Witchers."
The professor's cheeks warmed with colour and he nodded, reconsidering before he'd shaken his head as if he remembered something. "Yes— no, they're in the basement."
"The basement?" Yennefer asked.
"Beneath the library," the Professor confirmed.
"Thank you," Yennefer said, tipping her head in polite gesture, and started off in direction of the library without any other formalities.
"What's in the catacombs?" Ciri mused on their way. "Archives? Some sort of ancient burial site?"
"I never went down there before. I suppose we'll find out."
They descended a set of stone stairs in a downward spiral, the sound of their boots on the floor echoing off the walls.
Soon they stood in a dark and drafty hallway, a faint breeze making Ciri's hair lightly dance as she advanced.
"Well, this is underwhelming."
Ciri had expected the cellars to look something like the library upstairs, only with bookcases carrying raunchy and scandalous texts. But there was nothing of the sorts here. Only cold and darkness.
"Why would they come down here? Are you seeing something I am not?"
Ciri looked back over her shoulder at Yennefer's silhouette while still progressing through the darkness. "I thought you said they were searching for a map?"
"That's what I was told."
Despite the lanterns in the corners of the basement, none were lit and Yennefer suspected that they were without the necessary oils to do so. She also assumed that the professors and other academy students seldom found it necessary to come down into the basement, apart from those elected to take care of the vermin and keep them from heading up into the library to eat their special books.
She motioned a hand and the lanterns began to glow, to weakly steal away the shadows and open up more of the space for them to see where they were going.
There were crates, barrels, shelves with old rolled up parchments, and what looked like wine, but no Witchers.
Ciri blinked when the light rose, allowing her eyes to adjust before she approached the crates and shelves to peer at their contents. None of it seemed to be of any interest currently. And judging by the thick layer of dust that covered their surfaces, they had not been disturbed for quite some time.
"Maybe they lied," Ciri mused as she headed deeper into the tunnels with Yennefer in tow, dragging her fingertips along the rough texture of the stone walls. "Maybe they are not here at all."
An image of Fealinn briefly flashed before Ciri's inner eye, and her stomach contracted with white-hot jealousy.
She tried to shake it, to focus on searching for Geralt's essence. Or Kain's. Whichever she could get a hold of first.
"Where else would they be? And why would the academy help them lie?" Yennefer asked, feeling as much as sensing the change in emotion coming from Ciri.
"Men help each other lie. They cover up the truth and play us for fools," Ciri murmured, waiting for Yennefer to light the lanterns up ahead so they could continue their search. Neither woman had the privilege of enhanced night vision.
"That they do. However, in this instance, I feel that they're innocent. That we're judging them a little too harshly."
By we Yennefer meant Ciri.
Yennefer lit the next set of lights and scanned the walls, the flames flickering unsteadily as if suspended in a breeze. It didn't take them to long to find out why. One of the walls had a gaping hole. Rubble crunched beneath Yennefer's heels as she approached the space.
"What do you think? Bad architecture or from our recent battle here?"
Ciri surveyed the scene, tilting her head to one side. "No," she drawled. "This is what Geralt does when he can't find doors."
She braced her arms on the opening of the crack and stepped inside, careful to not kick the fallen rocks and broken bricks.
"We should bring one of those torches." She gestured for Yennefer to hand her one.
Yennefer found herself smiling, unable to contain the humour that had washed through her at the thought of Geralt going about buildings caving in walls to make his own doors.
Yennefer grabbed first one torch from its hook, handing it to Ciri so she could start in ahead before grabbing another and following behind her.
'What could they possibly be looking for down here?'
"Might have been smarter had we asked one of the professors what they were doing down here."
"As if anyone upstairs knows what Geralt and Kain were truly up to," Ciri retorted dryly, attempting to imitate Geralt's voice. "Sorry, we're just gonna have a rummage in your cellars, maybe knock down a few walls, steal some things. You don't mind, right?" She turned to regard Yennefer in the orange light of the torch. "They probably lied."
"Possible."
Yennefer wondered if it was because of the fact that what they needed to help with Ciri was down here. If it were thought, wouldn't he have told her that before he left?
"How far do you think these tunnels are going to go?" Yennefer asked from behind Ciri.
"Only one way to find out."
Ciri progressed on nimble feet, making sure to illuminate each hollow in the stone walls to make sure they weren't missing something.
Though the further they walked, the more obvious it became there wasn't exactly much space to hide anything. Soon enough, Ciri was forced to turn sideways to inch further through the narrow passage, rocks scraping along the back of her armor.
"Are you alright?"
She was worried Yennefer would get stuck due to the size of her bosom. Though the imagery was highly amusing.
They'd been forced into a line and Yennefer could no longer see over Ciri's shoulder, being forced to train on Ciri's feet, taking it nice and easy so she didn't just end up sliding down the small incline. What if it dipped even lower? What if dropped all the way down and neither saw it coming? The walls were beginning to narrow in on them even further and Yennefer was beginning to feel a little claustrophobic. She shouldn't, but, she wasn't too sure about the way out or what might meet them on the other side. The only saving grace being that it was suspected that both Kain and Geralt had already been through the narrow corridors and cleared the way of anything dangerous.
If they'd even been here.
"It's getting a little tight. What's it looking like up ahead? Are we getting close to an end?"
"Why? Are you scared?" Ciri found herself smiling, enjoying that thought.
The longer the narrow tunnel continued, the more she was forced to focus on not smothering the shrinking flame of the torch. She had no way of knowing what lay on the other side, but she believed they would benefit from the light she was carrying.
A theory that was proven wrong once Ciri finally slipped from between the rocks and emerged into a cavernous space. Up ahead was a solid wall with an arch of marble.
A portal. Ciri recognised the design from her travels with Avallac'h. Usually, he had been the one to decipher how to activate the portals and if they should bother with it in the first place.
This time Ciri was the one to step forward and lightly touched the sheen of glistening energy over the marble. The portal sprang into life, carrying a golden swirling vortex, rippling like water and inviting in its magical splendour.
"Guess we know where the witchers went," Ciri mused, lowering the torch. "Question is, where did they end up? I can't feel either of them."
Yennefer was able to breathe easier now that they'd cleared the narrow corridors. With her free hand, she absently swiped dirt from her shoulders and outfit, her eyes fixed on the portal.
"Guess we'll find out."
Yennefer tossed her torch to the ground next to the arch as she approached it, raising her hands, trying to get a read on the magic that had been used to create the portal.
Magic always had a signature and this was resilient – familiar.
Elven.
"Shall we?"
Yennefer glanced at Ciri, extending a hand for her to take. She didn't want to enter without Ciri, especially since they weren't sure of its function and what would happen if they were to enter separately. They could end up in different places. They could merely go to the other side of the cavernous wall. Yennefer didn't want to take any chances.
Ciri wasn't certain holding hands would ensure they ended up in the same place. She's heard tales of people being ripped apart that way. But the risk was part of the fun. Thrilling.
So the girl took the sorceress' hand and stepped through the portal.
~ WRITERS' NOTE: Hey, guys! Long time, hasn't it been? We missed you.
Our computer is still out there, so we struggle and can't promise you a chapter next week. We hope to manage, but can't promise. Although, given it's Christmas, we shall do our utmost and best. We swear. We love you very much and each comment you leave for us is the biggest joy, like a Christmas come early each time! The best gifts are your comments and the chance to talk to you. We enjoy every time you invite us for a chat. Thank you all who takes time to drop us a message, we appreciate it immensely.
This year hasn't been easy for anyone, and for some even harder, but here's to holy hope this new year that's coming shall bring us all a reprieve and more joys and freedom. We hope to share it all with you since our journey with the Witcher and his family continues into the next year. What a great ride it's been! We love this adventure and are happy to still be living it with all of you who travel with us.
Thank you all for sharing this amazing year with us! You make our day with every word you send us.
Love you, guys! Stay safe! ~