CHAPTER 16:

MANY REUNIONS

"…Yen?" Geralt rasped in surprise. "But how?"

"She's probably working with the Nilfgaardians, and may have gotten a report already," Harry said, his eyes narrowing at the Sorceress. "You've been in White Orchard since yesterday, Geralt, more than enough time to get a report and ride on down. Have I got that right?"

Yennefer looked to him, peering at him anew with her violet eyes. "More or less. Who are you?"

"Harry Potter, a mage you haven't heard of, I'm sure. Long story. I was looking for these two in particular, with important business to discuss. I didn't expect to run into you as well," Harry said.

Yennefer scrutinised him for a moment longer, before she returned her gaze to Geralt, with said gaze softening, along with her expression. "Well, you know that patience is not one of my particular virtues." A smile touched her lips. "It's really good to see you, Geralt. I'd embrace you, but you're covered in blood."

"Griffin's blood," Geralt remarked. "Potter there handled the drunkards in there without killing them. Sorry, this…wasn't how I imagined we met, and I'm sure the feeling's mutual. Then again, you've come along with a Nilfgaardian escort."

Vesemir nodded. "Indeed. It is good to see you again, Yennefer, it really is, but I believe you owe us an explanation."

"Does that include this mage?" Yennefer asked, indicating Harry.

Vesemir and Geralt looked at each other, before Vesemir said, "He helped us fell that Griffin, and he has given us good tidings…tidings that you doubtlessly want to hear. Away from…" He indicated the Nilfgaardian soldiers with his eyes.

Yennefer peered at them, and then at Harry. She then approached Geralt, and whispered to him. He whispered something right back, and her eyes widened, before turning to Harry, staring at him. She then turned to the man in charge of the Nilfgaardians. "I need to speak with them in private briefly. Once we are done, we ride to Vizima."

"My lady," the officer said with a thickly-accented voice, "we cannot delay this…"

"We can. I do not intend to keep our employer waiting for long, rest assured." After gaining a reluctant nod of assent, Yennefer bustled the two Witchers and Harry away, behind the inn. Harry, after a moment, erected Privacy Charms. And just in time, as Yennefer rounded on him. "Geralt told me that Ciri is in Kaer Morhen. Is that true?" she hissed in a quiet but urgent tone.

"I have an enchanted mirror that acts like…what did Ciri tell me it's called? A Megascope? Like that," Harry said. "I could show you if you wanted, but…"

"…No. Unless he has been bewitched by you, I'll trust his judgement," Yennefer said. "Listen, I have been tasked by Emperor Emhyr var Emreis with finding Ciri."

"…The same father whom she hates, who tried to wed her, his own daughter?" Harry snarled quietly.

"I know, I know…I do not intend to tell him just yet, as dangerous an action as that may be," Yennefer said, holding up her hands in a placating manner. "But the Wild Hunt pursues her, something you should know by now if you've known her for any length of time. How long have you known her, anyway?"

"Around a month, almost as soon as I was dumped on this world," Harry said. "And if you betray her to Emhyr…"

"I am more concerned with her safety, Potter, and protecting her from Eredin's forces takes priority over telling Emhyr!" she hissed back. "But we will have to tell Emhyr something sooner or later." After a moment, she said, "Geralt, the Emperor wanted to retain your services in tracking down Ciri. For now, we will conceal knowledge of her whereabouts from him. We need to discuss this with Ciri first. I don't like the idea of deceiving Emhyr, but knowledge of Ciri's whereabouts is an important bargaining chip, and Ciri herself deserves a say."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Geralt rasped, crossing his arms. Merlin, he sounded like someone who had smoked and drank from infancy had taken sandpaper to his larynx.

Vesemir cleared his throat. "Then it seems that I should head back to Kaer Morhen for now, with Mr Potter here. But how will Geralt get back? I doubt he will leave Roach behind when Yennefer uses a portal."

"That's what a Portkey is for," Harry said, taking a rope out of his coat pocket and enchanting it. "This rope is now a Portkey. When you're ready to leave for Kaer Morhen, preferably out of sight of the Nilfgaardians, activate this. Make sure Roach is holding onto it. Ciri and Triss told me Roach was your horse, right? Get Roach to bite onto it or something. When you're ready, speak these words, 'Mischief Managed', while holding onto it. It'll be very rough, bluntly, and I'm sure you'll find them as hateful as portals, but it'll get you to Kaer Morhen quickly."

After looking at the rope like it was a venomous snake, Geralt reluctantly took it from him. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

Harry merely gave him a smirk. "Hopefully not. You'll be seeing Ciri again soon. Look, I get that it's a bit much to ask you guys to trust me, but…"

"Look, if Ciri really is at Kaer Morhen, then it's the best news I've heard for a long time," Geralt said. "No, the best news we have heard for a long time. Whatever deal Yen made with the Nilfs, it was out of desperation to help Ciri. That's the only reason she would work at all willingly with the likes of Emhyr. I'll go with her, and then…well, I'll use this Portkey thing to get back. Hopefully, they won't confiscate it when I have my audience with him."

"I agree," Yennefer said. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now, Harry Potter, but know that I will be taking a more direct route to Kaer Morhen. If I discover any deceit…"

"Look, about the only thing I haven't said is that there is someone at Kaer Morhen that you may not like. Ciri trusts him as an ally, so give her that much. I honestly don't trust him myself. Anything else is because we're pressed for time, and I want to wait until as many of you are gathered at Kaer Morhen as possible so I don't repeat myself," Harry said.

"I'll use that when you get back, Geralt," Vesemir said significantly. Whatever he meant, Geralt nodded in acknowledgement.

"Right. See you soon, probably tomorrow or not long after, depending on how this audience works out…"

The next day, Geralt was far from happy. On the way from White Orchard to Vizima, they were ambushed by the Wild Hunt, their escort slain. Then, his weapons and armour were confiscated on arrival at the palace in Vizima (he remembered being here often at the court of King Foltest not so long ago, before Foltest fell to Letho's blade: Foltest would be turning in his grave to see Emhyr based here), and he was shaved and forced into a rather uncomfortable doublet and trousers. Then, he had to make nice with Emhyr, or as much as the bastard could even be remotely nice.

After the audience, Geralt had to suppress a smile at that snooty chamberlain saying the chamberlain would be punished because Geralt refused to bow. That condescending little prat looked down on him just because he was an 'uncivilised Nordling', at least in the Nilfgaardian's eyes. For all that Emhyr was an arrogant monster, he was at least a pragmatist, most of the time.

Once he had gotten into the chambers Yennefer had waited for him in, and they'd exchanged some banter about his current clothing, she cast a spell discreetly. "A ward against eavesdropping," she said. "We need to be quick, I'm sure Ambassador var Attre will get suspicious of the lack of noise."

"You mean talking, or do you mean any other activity? You did mention you still had the stuffed Unicorn," Geralt remarked, not being unable to resist the quip.

"What do you think?" Yennefer asked with a sigh of irritation. "There'll be plenty of time for that later. This…Harry Potter…what do you make of him?"

Geralt frowned, considering his observations of the young man. "…Earnest, probably too much for his own good," he decided. "It could be an act, but I'm not sure. And that did look like Ciri in the mirror, all grown up." He looked at a sketch on her table, and nodded. "And that sketch almost exactly resembles her. And he felled a Royal Griffin, with magic, and not particularly flashy magic too, just skilfully used. I'm hoping he's exactly what he says he is, an ally. He claims to be from another world. If he's ensorcelled the three of us somehow, it's pretty damn subtle, as we have suspicions and doubts. I honestly think he's still going to be trouble, but not because he's our enemy. I know the type, impulsive and quixotic. Still, he subdued those thugs in the inn pretty quickly, and non-lethally, and he ensured the innkeeper, who was being attacked, was all right. If it is an act, it was a pretty good one. What worries me is his reaction and Ciri's to some guy I met in White Orchard, Gaunter O'Dimm. They're scared of him, Yen, about as much if not more so than the Wild Hunt."

Yennefer nodded, considering what he said. "…Then once we've finished the more public parts of this discussion, we'll both head to Kaer Morhen in our respective ways. However, to get our stories straight, I will be heading to Ard Skellig to investigate a magical explosion that may have been caused by Ciri, while you will be heading to Velen and Novigrad to check on the more concrete sightings of her in the area. I'll be taking down the ward soon. Act naturally, Geralt. We do have some other things we need to discuss that var Attre can overhear."

Geralt sighed, knowing that one of those topics would probably end up being Triss and the admittedly-unwitting affair he had with her while he had lost his memories. That was a whole can of worms that was going to be opened, he just knew it. Still, at least one thing was, potentially, going right…

"Ciri, I know I should have expected it from your stories and Dandelion's, but your parents are pretty bloody scary."

The white-haired young woman laughed at Harry's blunt assessment of Geralt and Yennefer. She'd spent much of the past day catching up with Vesemir after he had arrived, and while he had some pointed questions about Avallac'h and Harry, the old Witcher had taken things in his stride. Then again, he was well over a century old at the bare minimum, if not two.

The three of them were currently waiting in the training yard of Kaer Morhen, hoping to greet Yennefer and Geralt on arrival. Harry had to admit to being anxious, if only to work on dispelling their wariness. Ciri was anxious too, but for a different, more positive reason.

Then again, she was perturbed to learn of Yennefer's current employer, as well as where Geralt and Yennefer currently were. Only Vesemir and Harry's assurances helped her remain calm. Harry didn't want to interfere in this reunion, and he guessed Vesemir and Geralt knew Yennefer well enough to know where her true allegiances lay.

Vesemir merely chuckled good-naturedly. "You'll get used to them, Harry. Geralt is a man of few words, but his deeds speak far louder. As for Yennefer…well, she is somewhat tempestuous, but there are few Sorceresses I would have watching my back. She and Triss are two of them. Now, it goes without saying that you still have to earn some more of our trust, but I'm confident you'll manage. Honestly, I'd be more worried about you being reckless than malevolent. Still, that…Apparition…most unpleasant. I'm glad you forewarned me so I could use Axii to calm my horse down. And your wizards use that method of travel all the time?"

"Amongst others, most quite uncomfortable," Harry snarked. "Don't ask me why, wizards back home were run by inbred idiots, that's all I can think of."

Before either Ciri or Vesemir could answer that, a swirling orange vortex appeared in front of them, and Yennefer walked through…well, more strutted through. But upon seeing Ciri, there was no mistaking the expression of delighted surprise on her face. Yennefer, after a moment, decided to abandon her elegant airs and graces, and her caution, and simply charged forward, embracing Ciri. "Ciri…you've grown so beautiful," she said.

Ciri returned the embrace, despite her disquiet about Yennefer working for her birth father. And soon, Yennefer broke off the embrace. "Ciri…I know Vesemir, at least, would have told you whom I am currently working for. I know how you feel about Emhyr, heaven knows I despise working with him, but we'll work out a plan. The main problem is the Wild Hunt and Eredin, not Emhyr."

"On that much, we agree," Ciri said, before smiling. "It's good to see you again, Yen. The last time I saw you, it was after I rescued you from the Rivian Pogrom."

"And for that, I'm eternally grateful, Ciri. You saved me and Geralt. That is why I am not going to simply hand you over to Emhyr without a fight. I accepted his offer because…well, I know this is hard to believe, but your welfare is perhaps the only thing he, Geralt and I can agree on."

Ciri's face twisted in disgust, but she nodded, conceding the point. "But why now?"

Yennefer looked over at Harry and Vesemir, before sighing. "The war isn't going so well for Emhyr as his propaganda would have people believe. Radovid's proven himself to be a military genius, even if he's also a ruthless and insane monster. True, Emhyr is successfully pushing north, but not as much as he wants to, and the vultures are circling. He's not sure who is plotting, but his spy network knows that there are plots afoot. He wants to secure the throne, and to those ends, he wants an heir."

"He is already wed to that impostor version of me, last I heard," Ciri said with a scowl. "Haven't they had any children?"

"None so far," Yennefer said. "I don't know whether that is because of either of them being infertile, or else someone working to prevent them from having offspring. Either of those wouldn't surprise me, given Nilfgaardian politics. Given that he caught wind of you reappearing in this world, he felt that, if he got you back, he could get some of the plotters to back off. In fact, they might show themselves more in trying to either curry your favour, or else go after you. And keep in mind, I think Emhyr is actually quite serious about this. I think he genuinely intends to abdicate the throne in your favour, once he is done preparing you for the role. Of course, you and I know that being an Empress is…well, not what you desire. You have the sense of duty for it, to say nothing of a sharp mind, but…I know being shackled to a throne would be hard on you, so you understand my desperation in accepting his offer."

"The sad thing is, he's looking to be the lesser of two evils," Ciri said. "I don't know whether you've heard of the situation in Novigrad and Oxenfurt, Yennefer, but…I've seen it for myself. Radovid may not actually rule Novigrad officially, but his influence is everywhere through his support of the Church of the Eternal Flame. The worst kind of xenophobia and fanaticism permeates that city. And my sperm-donor is better than Radovid in that he is at least sane and pragmatic. Just cruel and ruthless. In any case, we'll discuss this matter in greater detail once Geralt is here."

"He'll be proud to see you, Ciri," Vesemir said. "Though I have to ask, what is taking him so long?"

"I suggested he talk with Ambassador var Attre to get a better sense of the situation in the area, at least to sell the cover story that we're still searching for Ciri," Yennefer said. "And there's also getting his equipment back and donning that, heading out of Vizima on Roach, before using this…Portkey thing? Hopefully, we won't have to wait too much longer."

They spent the next little while engaging in small talk, before suddenly, they heard a bizarre combined scream and whinny. Eventually, skidding to a halt in the yard was a horse, and tumbling along the ground, before managing to roll to his feet, was none other than Geralt. He swayed a little, before shooting Harry a glare.

"Well?" Harry asked.

"…I hate Portkeys," Geralt rasped in irritation, before gagging slightly. He then approached his panicked horse, a triangular symbol briefly flaring into existence near his outstretched fingers as he gestured. The Axii Sign, Harry recognised from Vesemir's prior usage on his own horse. "Whoa, Roach…easy there." After the horse calmed down, Geralt turned to them. He saw Ciri, and smiled, though then, his face hardened, and he looked to Vesemir, who spoke something in a harsh and yet poetic-sounding language, similar to the words Avallac'h spoke at times.

Ciri, however, recognised it, and sighed. "Geralt, I know Harry would be suspicious, but a duress code in Elder Speech? Really?"

"Ciri, I just wanted to make sure. A Witcher can't be too careful," Geralt said, his expression softening again, before advancing and giving Ciri a hug. No words needed to be said between them.

"Yes, well, there's someone even more suspicious than Potter here in Kaer Morhen," Vesemir said after a few moments. "I think we should discuss this somewhere a little more comfortable, though."

"I agree," Yennefer said. "We need to know the full story of what's happening here…"

CHAPTER 16 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Ciri's family has been reunited, for the most part. What else needs to be said?

Plus, this entire fic has pretty much been building up to Geralt saying "I hate Portkeys". It's all downhill from here. :P

This will be the last chapter for a while. I hope you enjoyed it so far, aside from the more vocal naysayers…

Review-answering time! Dragon Man 180: Harry's not subtle, and while that is possible, I personally think Harry would rather humiliate Emhyr Marauders-style.

WhiteElfElder: She turns up like that in the game proper. She basically received a report from White Orchard and came to retrieve Geralt. And you mean incontinence, of course. Harry was in more of a hurry to get out of there.

BookmarkedLife: NO. This website is the only place I post my stories.

No numbered annotations this time.