"This looks nothing like me!"
"Philippa please, be reasonable."
"Don't tell me to be reasonable Witcher! This-this caricature is just that!"
A wanted poster. A wanted poster of Philippa to be precise. They had found several posted to fences along the road they were traveling to Midcopse. Despite her objections, the poster resembled her greatly. It seemed Radovid was pushing outside the borders of his expanded empire to find Philippa.
"How many women do you think have covered eyes and feathers in their hair, Philippa?" Geralt sighed. Philippa frowned deeply, but didn't answer. "Maybe if you keep frowning, your face will wrinkle and then the wanted poster won't look like you"
This time she responded by sending a stinging hex to the side of Geralt's neck.
"Look." Geralt tried. "We're so close to our next lead here. Last thing we need is to lose any more time or ground on the off chance someone recognizes you."
Philippa folded her hands over her chest and looked away impetuously. She didn't want to admit Geralt was right. In fact, she outright refused to say the words. But he had a point. She couldn't risk being recognized. Truth be told, she was just growing re-accustomed to not having to hide her true appearance after moments of hiding and paranoia.
"Fine." She grumbled, before morphing into 'Tomira'. "Happy?"
"I'm happy if you're happy." Geralt said with a smirk. "Though nothing compares to your natural beauty of course."
"Kiss my ass, Witcher." Philippa said, narrowing her new formed eyes at Geralt.
"Promises, promises." Geralt said, letting his eyes fall down to her widened hips.
"Keep it up, and I'll strike you blind." Philippa threatened, though it lacked any real venom.
They were only about an hour out from Midcopse, and aside from the discovery of the wanted poster, their spirits were higher than they'd been in days. Another lead was just over the hillside. Hopefully this 'witch' wouldn't be too hard to find or disagreeable.
Misdcopse was a bustling little village - it was almost refreshing to see in Velen. People went about their business, chatted and lived their little lives. As Geralt and Philippa rode into town, they got the suspicious glares they've grown accustomed to over the last several days.
"Anyone here look particularly 'witchy' to you?." Philippa asked, looking around at the villagers.
"Doubt this witch would've lasted so long if she let herself be known so openly" Geralt said. "I'm sure you could relate."
The pair tied off Roach, and went on foot. There was a pair of women spinning yarn, both literally and figuratively, in a yard. They were as good of a place as any to start. The duo walked over to them. The two women seemed startled by their presence, stopping their work and conversation as they got close.
"Good morning ladies." Geralt greeted politely.
"Morn." The women greeted back flatly.
"We were wondering if you could help us with something. Tell us about a witch of this village." Geralt queried. The women looked at each other nervously.
"Witch? Erm, we've heard nothing of a witch." One woman said.
"Yes, heard nothing at all." The other woman agreed. Geralt raised an eyebrow at them. The two weren't exactly expert liars.
"You sure? We just-"
"We really must get back to this work. This yarn won't spin itself."
The women went back to spinning their yarn in silence, doing their best to look anywhere but Geralt and Philippa's direction. Geralt looked at Philippa, who just shrugged her shoulders. The two let the women be, walking up the road.
"Strange reaction." Philippa commented.
"Hm." Geralt grunted in agreement. "Let's try someone else.
They went to a man feeding some chickens.
"Witch? Nay, nothing like that round here. Just simple folk and simple things."
Then to a woman drying some clothes on a line.
"Witch? Oh, uhm, no. Perhaps you're thinking of another village? Maybe in Benek?"
Then a man sitting looking grumpy in his front yard
"Why you buggin me? Leave me be. Only witch here is me wife - put a curse on me the moment I married her.
These people seemed to have no interest in talking to either of them about a supposed witch. In fact they seemed very set on getting them out of the village as quickly as they could.
"Something has these people spooked." Geralt said.
"Maybe this Witch isn't as benevolent as we've been led to believe." Philippa hypothesized.
Suddenly, Geralt twitched, and moved before Philippa realized what happened. The back of his hand went directly in front of her face. Stopping her.
"Geralt, what in the devil are you-"
Philippa was silenced when Geralt showed her his open palm. In it was a mid-sized rock. Someone had thrown a rock at them. Geralt looked at his hand, and then straight ahead from whence the rock came. Several yards away, off the side of the road, was a very shocked and guilty looking boy. Geralt narrowed his eyes at him, and that was enough to set him off running into the woods. Geralt was about to chase after him, but Philippa simply waved her hand in the air. Suddenly, the boy tripped over some invisible force, landing hard on his stomach. Geralt gave Philippa a slightly disapproving look, before they went over to the boy. Geralt grabbed him by the color before he could scamper away, and lifted him off the ground. The boy kicked at Geralt childishly - which he was; he couldn't have been older than 9.
"Lemme go!" The boy struggled.
"You threw a rock at my companion. Why?" Geralt asked, holding the boy up with one arm.
"You twose don't belong here!" The boy said with a scowl.
"Not the first time I've heard that, so you're gonna need to be a little more specific." Geralt drawled.
"Yer here for our witch. You been asking everyone in the village!" The boy yelled. "You can't have her! She done nothin' wrong. She helped me sister and my mum feel better. She helps loads of people."
Philippa arched an eyebrow at the boy and then looked at Geralt, who looked equally confused.
"What exactly do you think we want with your witch?" Philippa asked, leaning forward to look the boy in his eyes. This seemed to unnerve the boy a bit, who's demeanor changed.
"Y-yer Witch Hunters. You take witches far far away." The boy said sheepishly.
Well, that explained their cold reception.
The villagers thought they were witch hunters, there to do harm to their precious witch. Philippa almost found it inspiring that the simple people of the village were doing what they could to defend their witch from persecution. Something very rare in these times.
"Set the boy down Geralt." Philippa said softly. The Witcher compiled after a moment, making sure to give the boy a glare warning him not to try anything else. "We're not Witch Hunters"
"Yer not?" The boy asked, rather shocked. Philippa shook her head.
"No. In fact, my companion here wants to see the witch himself." Philippa explained.
"What's wrong with im'?"
"Uhm, he has a rather nasty rash."
Gerlat narrowed her eyes at the sorceress, wondering why he had to be the punchline of her little white lie.
"Oh, the witch has treated tons of rashes. I had one right on me-"
"Yes, yes, we really must hurry. Wouldn't want it to spread. Where is your witch located."
"She's down the road a bit." The boy said. "There's a big ol rock that shows yer close. Go round' that into the woods, and you'll be there in no time."
"Thanks. And word of advice-" Philippa said, lowering herself again to be on eye level with the boy. "Next time you throw something, make sure you hit your target. Otherwise they might throw something even more unpleasant back."
The boy gulped at Philippas thinly veiled threat and nodded quickly. Philippa tilted her head telling the boy to be on his way. He quickly scampered back to the center of the village.
"Well, let's go get you a remedy." Philippa smirked.
The pair followed the boys instructions, walking up the road until they found the aforementioned rock. They weren't far as Geralt could hear a group of people not far out. Soon they came upon a dozen or so people standing outside a shack, all talking over each other. Looks as if they found their witch
"Heal me foot! I been walking with a limp for 3 days-"
"My stomach been acting wrong! I can't go an hour without needing a sh-"
"Me husband's pecker stopped workin-"
" Please everyone, please!" A woman's voice called out from in front of the crowd. Geralt and Philippa couldn't quite see her from where they were standing. "One at a time. Branson, please speak."
"Miss... Cow's a-wheezin', won't rise from the barn floor. Pus streams from her snout." Branson said.
"Do I look like a dairy maid to you?" The witch said, sounding annoyed.
"No, miss, but you know things. 'Tis our last cow, none other left in the village…" Branson's wife interjected.
"Rest died of hunger, or soldiers lead 'em off. Oh...we're as good as dead without her." Branson finished explaining. The witch sighed.
A sigh that was all too familiar to Philippa.
"I shall give you herbs. Mix them with water drawn from the spring at midnight, then make the cow drink them." The witch instructed. "But first you must clean out your barn. Thoroughly, is that clear?"
It couldn't be, Philippa thought.
"Thank you, miss! A thousand thanks!" The woman thanked graciously. She moved forward, grasping the witch's hand with both of hers, shaking it adamantly. The witch snatched it away, and made a minor sound of disgust. Something that both Geralt and Philippa heard before.
"Well I'll be damned." Geralt chuckled. "It's-"
"Keira." Philippa gasped. The Carrerain sorceress. But it wasn't Keira as Philippa last saw her. The blonde sorceress was a high-class urbanite through and through, always in the latest fashion and jewelry. Yet here was Keira in the countryside of Velen, In a simple tank dress with a riding hood tied around her waist. She looked tanner, as if she worked in the sun all day, and on her waist was a small ritualistic knife. She wore strange looking arm bands and bracelets and a crown of flowers and twigs in her hair. This was Keira alright, but also a countryside witch.
Philippa hadn't known what happened to Keira after Loc Muinne. She knew she wasn't apart of the immediate casualties as Keira was handling local matters in Temaria after King Foltest's death, but with the witch hunts and war, she could've fallen victim to any number of calamities over the last several months. Philippa felt her chest tighten, from both relief and anxiety at seeing the young sorceress. When she heard no responses to her attempts at contacting members of the Lodge, deep down she assumed the worst outcomes.
But seeing Keira there…well it gave her some hope that the others were alright. Hope was a dangerous thing in Philippa's experience.
Geralt took notice of Philippa's reaction - she realized she must have been staring hard.
"Philippa." He said gently. "Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine." She lied.
"Your face says otherwise." Geralt stated. Philippa's face was scrunched awkwardly, as if she was trying to hold back tears - if she had the ability to cry anymore that is. "It's okay to be happy to see her. You know."
"I don't need you to tell me how I feel." snapped Philippa. Geralt knew better than to push the issue. By now Keira looked in their direction and had noticed them. She looked surprised to see Geralt, and confused to see a woman she didn't recognize.
"Enough! I've had my fill for the day - go home!" Keira boomed to the crowd. The villagers quickly dispersed, not wanting to anger their witch. Once the villagers were gone, Keira looked at Geralt and Philippa expectantly.
"Well, are you two just going to stand there, or are you going to come inside?" She said, before turning and entering her hut. Geralt looked at Philippa who was already in mid stride towards Keira's hut. Geralt followed quickly behind. They entered the shack, and Philippa was reminded of how she lived for the last few months - ingredients and small concoctions everywhere. It was a little more spacious than her accommodations, but she didn't care about that at the moment.
Keira stood there, leaning against a desk, a small smile on her face.
"Geralt of Rivia." She said dryly. "You certainly have a habit of showing up when people least expect it. What's it been, 4 years?"
"Five." He corrected, knowing that Keira knew what. Keira was always a hard read for Geralt. He found the woman easy to talk to, but did not trust her very much. She wasn't someone who'd outright lie to you, rather trail you along in little games of hers. They were generally harmless. Generally.
"And who's your friend here?" She asked, looking over at 'Tomira.' Philippa didn't trust the emotion not to escape from her voice, so she just stood there silently, looking. "Does Yennefer know you have yourself a little friend? Must say she's a bit more on the homely side."
Again, Philippa stood there, trying to maintain her stoicism.
"Well don't be rude?" Keira huffed to Philippa. "Introduce yourself."
Keira walked forward, and offered her hand.
'Oh to hell with stoicism.' Philippa thought.
She dispelled her disguise. Keira's eyes widened.
"Phili-PA!"
Keira was only able to get out half her name before Philippa stepped forward and enveloped the young sorceress into a hug. It took Keira a second to register what had happened, before she wrapped her own arms around Philippa, and pulled her in tight. Geralt smiled a bit at the reunion. He'd give Philippa an "I told you so." later. For now he'd let them have their moment.
"Philippa!" The straw haired woman squealed, rocking with Philippa in her arms. "You're okay!"
"I've missed you Kerry." Philippa said earnestly.
"You haven't called me Kerrry in years, and you were NEVER much of a hugger." Keira snorted.
"And you were never a country girl." Philippa commented. "What the blazes do you have on?"
"Oh this?" Keira said, looking down at her rustic clothing. "I think it helps me blend in. Rally adds to the rural wise woman veneer. Lots of old magic in these hills, and how does the saying go? 'When in Velen-'"
She pulled back and beamed at Philippa before looking at Geralt. "How did you get here? Why?"
"It's…a long story." Philippa said.
"Then let's get started on it." Keira smiled. "But not here. I don't want some villager walking in on us."
"There another room here?" Geralt asked, looking around.
"Geralt, still as simple as ever." She said, finally letting go of Philippa. She walked across her shack, to a shelf hosting a skull. It had strange rune marks carved into it.
"Friend of yours?" Geralt asked.
"Something like that?" She said. The sorceress simply touched the skull with her index finger, and instantaneously a portal opened in the corner.
"Come along." Keira said, walking over and then through the portal.
"Hrm." Geralt grunted, looking at it suspiciously.
"Right, you and portals." Philippa noted.
"We don't even know where it goes."
"Well wherever it goes, I'll be." She stated, before quickly making her way through. Geralt hesitated a moment, before sighing and walking through the portal himself.
He came out on the other side, running into Philippa's back. He wondered why she had stopped, until he realized where they were. They were inside a cavern of some sort, but instead of stone and rock, there was a lush forest complete with deer, rabbits and birds sipping around.
"You did this?" Philippa asked, looking at Keira.
"Don't sound so surprised. I've had a lot of time on my hands." Keira huffed.
"But how? A generated space of this size would require instruments of the finest quality."
"Quite, I had to stop at several lodge safehouses to get enough precious stones to pull this off."
"You did WHAT?" Philippa snapped.
"Oh calm down. It's not as if anyone was using them." Keira dismissed offhandedly.
Philippa had missed Keira, but she didn't miss her glib, nonchalant attitude. Keira rarely took things seriously, or at least she rarely showed it. Philippa was angry because those jewels could've been needed by other members of the Lodge. Further, she was angry that SHE didn't think of it herself.
"Come now, let's not fight." Keira sighed. "We haven't seen each other in ages."
Philippa pursed her lips together, before nodding. "You're right. You thought fast, and did what you had to."
"Learned it from the best." Keira remarked slyly. "Now if you don't mind, I need a bath. I feel like a farm animal. This way."
The three walked towards a flight of stairs that led to an elevated platform where a large bath was installed. Hot water was already waiting for Keira when she got to the top.
Philippa REALLY wished she had thought of this.
As if Philippa and Geralt weren't there, Keira started stripping, taking off all her accessories and peeling her dress down her shoulders. Geralt raised an eyebrow, and Philippa crossed her arms over her chest. Keira was always provocative in nature, she thought. Philippa caught Geralt appraising her muscled bottom and had to stop herself from slinging a hex the Witcher's way. Keira climbed into the water, sighing in relief as it came into contact with her skin.
"Self heating." She said as she settled comfortably in the bath. Philippa thought she was just rubbing it in at that point. "So now that we're all comfortable, mind telling me what you're both doing here in Velen?"
"That question is more appropriate for you." Geralt said. "I thought you hated the countryside."
"I assure you, I still do." She answered as she gingerly washed herself. "Now more than ever. But I can say friendly faces being here now makes it halfway bearable."
She gave Geralt a saucy smile as one of her hands washed over her breasts. This time Philippa had to stop herself from raising the temperature of the water to a boil.
"You've been hiding her as a witch." Philippa said. "I preferred a herbalist myself"
"Is that what that form of yours was? And here I thought polymorphing into an owl was impressive enough. You had a whole woman in there as well."
"I've found it always helps to have something your enemies know you for - makes it easier then to do the opposite."
"Secrets on top of secrets. But you still didn't answer my question. What are the BOTH of you doing in Velen? Didn't think you two could even stand each other."
"I've had worse company." Geralt commented. "I once traveled with a doppler that kept trying to run off with my identity."
"I'm sure he would've added to your reputation." Philippa commented dryly.
Keira watched the two of them. This was certainly not how she expected them to interact. To say their paths and interests conflicted would've been an understatement - at the present they seemed almost 'chummy'.. She stood from her bath, unabashed that her sex was showing. Geralt had the decency to look away before Philippa struck him blind. With a wave of her hand, Keira was dry and dressed, not in her rural attire, but in an elegant blue dress with yellow accents.
"It's just that I expected you to be in the company of another sorceress." Keira stated.
"Speaking of, have you heard from anyone else? Anything at all?" Philippa interjected. Keira just smiled sadly at her.
"Not a whisper." She said, "Perhaps it's best that way - can't know too much about each other these days. Safer in case one of us get's-"
Keira let her words taper off. Philippa frowned at the thought of one of her sisters in the hands of witch hunters. A cruel lot who now had state power. She wouldn't wish their company even on her enemies, vast as that list might've been.
"Us being in the same place as each other is a risk in itself." She continued. "Not that I'm not ecstatic to see you, but you especially being here compromises things."
Philippa wanted to argue, but she knew Keira was right. She saw the wanted poster earlier, and the price on her head. She was public enemy number one as far as Redania and Radovid were concerned.
"We were looking for a witch who had a run-in with someone we're tracking." Geralt offered. "We didn't know that witch would be you."
"What kind of run-in?" Keira questioned.
"Not the pleasant kind."
"Well then I can't help you there. The girls around here are to stupid to quarrel with me."
"She's not from here."
"You're up to something, Geralt. If I'm to help you, you must tell me what's going on. Who are you looking for?"
"Keira-" Philippa said seriously. "It's Cirilla."
Keira's eyes widened in genuine shock.
"Ciri?" Keira whispered. " Well...now I understand the secrecy, not to mention the brooding, the furled brow. And you say she had some sort of problem with a witch?"
"Not you as it turns out." Geralt said in a frustrated sigh. Two steps forward-
"And you think she's been through Velen?" Keira pushed.
"We know she has." Philippa said.
"And you're looking for her…together?" Keira asked skeptically. "Gerlat, and no offense Philippa, but are you certain that Philippa doesn't have you under some sort of mind spell."
Philippa would've been offended if it weren't a fair question.
"I'm immune." Geralt said.
"Besides, if I were to mind control someone, I could do better than him." Philippa said snappily. Geralt just rolled his eyes.
"Circumstance put us together on this journey." Geralt said simply. "One we thought would move forward once we found a witch. Looks like we were wrong."
"Now hold on a minute. I may not have been fortunate to run into Ciri herself, but you've given context to something strange that happened a few weeks ago. Follow me."
Keira led the pair down the stairs towards the opposite side of the cavern. There she had a small elegant looking house, something else to make Philippa jealous. The inside was enchanted to be bigger as well, decorated elegantly much to Keira's style.
"Here, in my lab." Keira said, pointing to a set of stairs leading to a basement. The trio walked down the stairs to see Kiera's set up. There was an alchemy station, against the wall next to a shelf full of magical texts - which she also got from the Lodge safehouses no doubt. There was a desk littered with papers and notes as well; Keira had been busy for a simple country witch. She walked to the table, and rummaged around, looking for something. "I know I left it - ah, here it is!"
In her hands was a small booklet, much like Geralt's Journal. She flipped through it until she got to her desired page."
"What are you trying to show us?" Philippa asked.
"A while ago I was visited by an elf." Keira informed her. "It was an elf - this individual asking about Cirilla. No flea-bitten Scoia'tael slob, either, but an elven mage."
"An elven mage?" Philippa scoffed derisively.
"Didn't know you were prejudiced." Geralt said, looking at her."
"I'm not, I'm just realistic." Philippa dismissed. "An elven mage is near unheard of. Why would one be in Velen?"
"Evidently the same reason a Witcher and a wanted Sorceress." Keira commented. "And skepticisms granted, I could feel the magic radiating off of him."
"He say what his name was?" Geralt questioned.
"He didn't. And he wore a mask. Very secretive all around, but...I liked him. He was intelligent and composed. Here."
Keira showed them the book, where she had sketched out a picture of her visitor. From the rough sketch the elf seemed to be an elegant man, well dressed. Neither recognized the man.
"So now someone else is after Ciri too." Geralt said. "Just what I needed."
"It may not count for much, but I don't think the elf intends to harm Ciri." Keira stated.
"Yeah, well that's how it always starts, isn't it." Geralt grumbled.
"Cirilla is a special girl." Keira reminded him. "Consider you may not be the only one who cares about her."
As Geralt and Keira spoke, Philippa let herself wander closer to Keria's desk. The Sorceress obviously had a superior set up over these last few months, so Philippa's curiosity got the best of her - maybe the Carrerain got up to something interesting. A quick scan of the papers and notes on the table revealed a common pattern, the Catriona plague - a little import from Nilfgaard. Seems Keira was interested in the plague that was ravaging the North. Mages were immune to most serious diseases, so Philippa didn't worry about it too much personally, but she had several people during her stay in White Orchard come to her, hoping she had some special cure, some treatment to the infliction. Philippa could do nothing for them besides try and give them something for the pain and fever. They never came back for a follow up.
She scanned the desk some more, until something caught her eye.
Something that looked familiar. She picked it up, and looked at it
"Elven ruins huh?" Geralt said. "What do you think Philippa?"
Philippa didn't answer, she just continued to look at the paper.
"Philippa?" Geralt tried again, looking at her curiously. Philippa again didn't respond, in fact she wasn't even looking at him, rather staring intently at Keira.
"Phil, have you suddenly been struck deaf? What are you-" Keira began, until she saw what Philippa held in her hand. She visibly stiffened. "Oh."
Geralt looked between the two women. He didn't understand what was happening, but it was clear that the mood in the room changed drastically. Philippa's face didn't look angry, her lips were pressed in a straight line, and her brow only slightly knitted downward. But Geralt could almost feel the waves of negativity rolling off of her.
"Geralt." Philippa said after a moment. "Would you give us the room please?"
Philippa's voice was calm, but it was pure ice. Geralt didn't know what would happen if he left the two.
"I don't think-"
"It's alright Geralt." Keira interrupted. "It's alright. Let the girls catch up for a minute."
Geralt thought about arguing, but decided against it.
"I'll be right outside." He said, before descending up the stairs.
The women fell silent again, Philippa somehow boring holes into the other woman even without eyes. Keira looked contrite, but stood her ground in front of Philippa.
"Phil-" Keira began, only to be interrupted by the deadly iciness of Philippa's voice.
"You heartless little bitch." Philippa seethed, her voice low.
"Phil, there's no need for that." Keira tried.
"No need- NO NEED?!" Philippa said, voice beginning to rise. Her magic crackled against her skin, and some papers around her began to levitate. "You got my letter - you got them and you IGNORED them."
She threw the paper on the table, revealing Philippa's coded any one else, it'd be gibberish, but to Lodge members it was clear as common speech. Philippa had sent out messages to all the Lodge members, to their last known location, trying to track their magical signature. She never heard back from anyone. She had figured they had failed to reach their targets. But here were her words, her pleas, sitting on Keira's desk like some discarded note.
Keira didn't bother to try and deny it. She simply nodded her head and said "Yes."
"Why?" Philippa said, voice pained and demanding. She was hurt, she was livid. Worst yet, she was confused.
"What would you have had me done Philippa?" Keira said wearily, sitting down at the table. "I couldn't even guarantee you were on the other side of those letters."
"Don't give me that horsehit." Philippa seethed. "My code was unbreakable. Tell me you couldn't feel my magic off of it."
Keira frowned, but didn't deny Philippa points. That only served to make her angrier.
"I reached out-" She continued. "I reached out to anyone who might have listened, anyone who could've been there. Do you know how many nights I spent thinking I might've been the only one of us left, the only one of us not in Radovid's clutches? Do you know how that weighed on me. I was stranded and alone, and you were but a few days' ride away, living in comfort.
"You think any of this has been easy for me?" Keira asked, her own voice rising.
:Oh yes, you've done just horribly for yourself." Philippa spat, gesturing wildly to the room.
"That's always been your problem Philippa, you could never see past your perspective - your line of reason." Keira shot back, standing again. "You think I'm happy here? You think any of this stuff means anything? I have to play witch doctor to ingrates and yokels. I had to watch my home get burned by Witch Hunters, watched as people who were my neighbors cheered."
"We could've helped each other." Philippa pushed, taking a step forward. "We could've pooled our resources, planned. Together we could've found the other members of the Lodge, and out plans-"
"Plans, plans - you and your fucking plans and schemes." Keira barked, pointing at Philippa. "That's the reason we're all in this situation in the first place."
Philippa was caught off-guard by that, and frowned miserably. "You can't blame me for this."
"Can't I?" Keira laughed humorlessly. "You started the Lodge. The assassinations were your brainchild."
"You weren't complaining at the time. You never voiced objections."
"Would you have listened? Would my objections have mattered in the grand scheme of things. Would my objections kept you from killing your king? Kept Radovid's wrath from falling upon all of us, because of YOUR fucking plans."
"You believed as much as any of us-" Philippa said, the fire from her voice dying as the implications of Keira's words sank in. "That what we did was for the good of all magic
"I did." Keira said sadly. Her voice was weary again" But that doesn't change the fact that all of this, what's happening to magic users is simple cause and effect. It's on you. It's on us. As I watched my house burn, the men laughing, saying how much easier it would've been if I was inside as the flames engulfed it. I hated them, I hated Radovid, and I hated YOU."
Guilt washed over Philippa like a wave. She didn't think she ever saw Keira like this, so sad, so downtrodden.
"I hated what you brought down on us." Keira continued. "I hated that I followed you. Hated that I didn't know if any of my friends were alive. I - I couldn't respond to your letters. It just couldn't. I wanted nothing to do with you-"
If Philippa could cry, she'd be bawling. Keira's words rang true. She knew Radovid's wrath was directed at her, that all those suffering across the North were because Radovid couldn't have her. She wasn't free of that guilt, she just became good at masking it."
"-But then I saw you." Keira whispered. "You were before me here, and when you wrapped your arms around me, all that hate melted away. I was so relieved, like a dark cloud above me was banished. You're okay, and that means the others might be okay too."
Keira's voice was wavering, and full of emotion. Philippa hadn't even noticed she took another two steps forward before she wrapped her arms around the straw-haired woman again. This embrace wasn't frantic and excited as their reunion. It was slow and comforting. Their foreheads rested against each other, and neither said a word for a long time.
"Two hugs in less than an hour." Keira commented softly. "That's likely more than you've given in a decade."
"Don't ruin this moment." Philippa said gently.
"I'm sorry, you know I can't help myself." Keira said with a smile. "I am glad you're here, Philippa, everything that happened and all."
"I- none of this was supposed to happen this way." Philippa replied softly.
"I know." Keira said as the two women disentangled from each other. She looked at Philippa, more specifically at the wrap around her eyes. "I had heard about what happened, what Radovid did. I assumed the stories were…exaggerated.
"The king made sure to be thorough," Philippa replied bitterly.
"Does…does it hurt?"
"It did at first - some days were unbearable before they 'healed'." Philippa told the other woman. "Now they just ache sometimes."
"Gods, you were injured, and helpless." Keira began, guilt seeping into her voice.
"I was NOT, not will I ever be helpless, and I-" Philippa shot back adamantly. "And don't feel guilty now. It won't do either of us any good."
"Sorry, momentary insanity." Keira said with a small smile. "...So are you gonna tell me how you came to be in the company of Geralt. You two never got along really."
Despite herself, Philippa cheeks pinkened, much to Keira's interest.
"He…saved my life." Philippa admitted. "Multiple times now. He saved me from a mob in White Orchard. He saved me from the Emperor-"
"The Emperor?" Keira said in surprise. "Of Nilfgaard?"
"I'll…explain later." Philippa dismissed. Keira didn't look satisfied with that answer but didn't push the topic. "Yennefer's back, got a lead on where Ciri might be, but the Wild Hunt is after them both, and Yennefer can't risk leading them to Ciri.
"So that's where you and Geralt come in." Keira surmised.
"Yes. We've been traveling through this hell hole of a countryside after leads, and now we're here, chasing another."
Keira appraised Philippa as she processed what she's been told, but something on her face was skeptical.
"What?" Philippa asked.
"You're leaving something out." Keira accused. "Something in regards to our intrepid Witcher"
"I don't know what you mean." Face going even more scarlet.
"Come now. We've just reunited, and the secrets begin again."
"I-"
"Phil…"
"Fine." Philippa sighed. "We…might have slept together…Several times"
Keira's eyebrows shot to her hairline a moment.
And then she laughed, LOUDLY.
"Oh fuck me." Keira laughed, holding her sides.
"Alright-" Philippa said, annoyed sneer on her face.
"I didn't even think you liked men."
"I don't! It's just - I. This is different and-"
Philippa internally chastised herself as she babbled like a maid.
"Oh relax." Keira said, getting her laughter under control. "Fucking Geralt is like a rite of passage for sorceresses on the continent. Hells, I might've myself if he ever had come back for me on Thanedd."
Philippa frowned at that, much to Keira's amusement.
"No need to get territorial." Keira said, putting her hands up in mock surrender. "Just surprised there's a man capable of maintaining your…attention.
"It's…been a complicated time." Philippa said, folding her arms over her chest.
"Is he as good as they say in bed?"
"If I admit that he is, will you please allow us to get on with finding Cirilla?
"Fine, fine. Be no fun" Keira acquiesce. "We can get Geralt and get ready."
"Alright, just…give me a moment to get myself together." Philippa requested. These last few moments had been emotional and enlightening. She didn't need the Witcher seeing her wear her heart on her sleeve. Keira just smiled knowingly and gave Philippa her space. After a few minutes, Philippa took a deep breath, and the woman climbed the stairs.
Geralt was waiting outside, casually feeding a deer. When the sorceresses walked out of the house the deer ran off, and Geralt turned to them, eying them both.
"Everything alright?" He asked.
"Never better." Keira said. He looked to Philippa for confirmation. She just nodded.
"So these ruins, they nearby?" Geralt asked.
"Only on the edge of town." Keira said. "If we go now we'll get there before the sun even moves to set."
"Well, let's go then."
"Before we leave, Geralt come here for a moment." Philippa said. Geralt obeyed without really thinking about it, used to Philippa's bossiness.
"Ye-"
Geralt wasn't able to finish his word, as Philippa grabbed him by his collar, and pulled him down into an open mouth kiss, much to both his and Keira's surprise. She held her mouth to his for a long while, as he made no move to pull back, even opening his mouth for hers.
Philippa just wanted to make sure that Keira understood the nature of their relationship.
After a while longer, Philippa let go of the Witcher, slight trail of saliva between them as he pulled back.
"I, erm-" Geralt began, caught off guard for the first time in a while.
"Come now you two." Philippa said with a smirk. "We've an elf to find."