Despite their better efforts to stop time and stretch their night to last longer, the next day relentlessly came to greet them, bringing with it all the problems they had put a pin in.
"I promised Yen I'd go to the Passiflora today to listen to their plan for the coup, or whatever they're calling it. I want you to come with me," he said while donning a fresh shirt.
"You fear I'll run off while you're away?"
"No, but I don't like the fact that you need Dijkstra's men to accompany you around Novigrad. I promise I'll deal with Bedlam soon, but until I do, I want to know you're safe and there's no better way to do that than to keep you in my sights."
"This reminds me, I promised Dijkstra I'd meet him at the Vilmerius Hospital," she said and Geralt raised a curious eyebrow at her.
"What does he want with you?"
"A cure for his leg. Unless you're opposed to it. After all, he said you're the one who caused his disability. I could always say the injury is beyond my capabilities as a healer."
"No, do whatever you think is right. I have no grudges against him, regardless of how many faults he has, he was one of the few who didn't seek vengeance."
They broke their fast alongside their friends, each of them preoccupied with their own agenda for the day. Dandelion and Zoltan were due to meet with a local representative about renewing a licence for the tavern, Ciri intended to pay a visit to some friends who helped her last time she was in Novigrad, while Yen, Triss and Margarita were planning another secretive mission.
"Don't forget you're to be at the Passiflora at dusk," Yen said, standing up to leave.
"You're not coming to the meeting?" Geralt asked.
"She'll meet you there later," Triss replied instead. "Until then, we have a related matter to take care of."
They drew their hoods closer to their faces and made their way through the near-empty tavern.
"Some things never change," he said with a shake of his head.
"Meaning?" Ciri asked, also standing up.
"She's still secretive about everything. Perhaps if she'd trust me enough to let me in on her plans instead of sharing crumbs, I'd have an easier time deciding to help her."
"Being so tight-lipped is her defence mechanism," Ciri said with a smile. He raised an eyebrow at her, goading her to continue her thought, so she did. "In case you haven't noticed, she's not big on asking for help. She might take it if it's offered, but she'll hardly ever ask for it. Not when you're free to deny it. She'd rather blackball you into doing her bidding than hear 'no' from anyone."
"And here I thought you had her up on a pedestal."
"I do. Right next to you. But that doesn't mean I'm blind to either of your faults."
He sighed and shook his head. "Alright, kid. Enough psychoanalysing before you make my faults a matter of common knowledge. Go meet your friends. We'll see you back here tonight after we sort this mess at the Passiflora."
"Sure, dad," she said with a grin and Geralt smiled back. Although he knew that's what he was to her, she rarely ever called him that. "But if you care to hear my opinion before I leave, I think mother is right this time. Radovid is a problem I'll have to deal with sooner or later, and I could really use your help with it."
"You'd agree to murder?" he asked with a deep frown.
"If it ends the war and spares the blood that will be shed by both sides, then yes." For a moment, she had the posture and visage of a ruler faced with tough decisions, but then she softened and looked at both him and Criss with her usual carefree smile. "I'm off. Take care, the both of you. Don't want to hear you've landed yourself in a dungeon for the second day in a row." With that said, she left them to their meal.
"I can't believe how grown up she is," Geralt said with a sigh.
"She needs to be. So much weighs on her shoulders and she's doing her best to shoulder the responsibility," Criss replied. "And while we're on this topic, there is something I need to tell you."
He bored into her eyes, wary of her foreboding tone. "It doesn't sound good."
"It's not necessarily bad. Just complicated. I promised to tell you where I kept disappearing to. Well, I was researching the history of those like Ciri."
"And what have you come to find?"
"Not as much as I would have liked, but there is one thing I know for sure: once Ciri comes of age, she'll have a hand in the next Conjunction."
"A new Conjunction is due to happen?" he asked. His mind was already running through the consequences of such an event. It could bring new monsters to the Continent, not to mention other races.
"Yes, once she was born, the worlds were set on a course to collide, attracted like a magnet to her."
"How do we stop it?"
"We don't. We can't. All we can do is help guide her through it. I'm not sure how it all works, but there are old legends of various Conjunctions. Some were failures and those resulted in both the devastation of those worlds and the death of the one who led them. There are old tomes that hold all the information she needs to get through it and survive, but..."
"But what?"
"But to gain access to them, I have to strike a deal with Tezzi and what he demands is... difficult."
"Why is it that every time I know he has his hand in something, I get a bad feeling about it? Is there no other way?"
"Trust me, I've tried and there isn't. Not in a reasonable amount of time."
He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "What does he want from you?"
"I'm supposed to host a titan's soul so he can use it for a sacrifice. Problem is, I'm not sure it won't overpower me. But I'm working on a solution."
"Can we barter for something different? Is there really no one else who could help? Can't your other wizard friend, Ila, help?"
"She's not nearly as old or experienced as he is. Few are. He's the only one I know with access to what I need."
"Fuck. So it's either risk your life to save Ciri's or go in blind and risk Ciri's and everyone else's."
Her fingers curled around his hand and squeezed it gently.
"Not if I prepare well, which I will. As much as I care for Ciri, I'm not planning on becoming a martyr for the cause. I'll use all my knowledge and all the time I have to make sure I'm up to the task."
"When do you have to do this?" he asked.
"Not for a while. Maybe in a few years. Ciri is still young and there's no rush. Plus, we need to get rid of Eredin before we can even think about anything else."
He ran his fingers through his hair and stared at the ceiling for a moment before holding her gaze. He couldn't think for a single moment that he could lose her. A heart-wrenching pain twisted inside him at the mere thought, so he did what he knew best. He compartmentalized. This was a problem for the future and it could be put aside for now.
"Alright. For now, we'll deal with what we can." He sighed. "Meaning regicide."
They finished their meal, and he accompanied her to Vilmerius Hospital. He spotted one of Dijkstra's goons creeping around, so he asked her to wait for him while he told the man to fetch his boss.
"Faster this way," he told her. "So we won't have to wait around all day for him to show up."
She smiled and curled an arm around his waist to nudge him towards the building. Von Gratz was already at work, doing the rounds, checking on his patients when they walked inside.
"Ah, I see you two have found each other," he said with a wave. "Come share a drink with me."
"Are we celebrating something?" Geralt asked.
"Indeed, we are. The hospital has received a generous donation from an anonymous benefactor."
"Anonymous?"
"Yes, the letter only stated that they were thankful for the services we provided and wished to reward us for our hard work. I'd say it comes from one of our recently cured patients, but it's hard to say which one. There have been so many lately. Either way, this will allow me to bring in another doctor and expand the hospital, not to mention that paying for supplies will no longer be a problem."
"In that case, I guess congratulations are in order," Criss said, taking the glass of wine the doctor offered. She raised it in honour of Von Gratz, then discretely drew a circle over the rim before sipping from it. Geralt stifled a smile and drank while the doctor explained to them how he wanted the wards rearranged.
He had gotten to telling them he had posted notices for an experienced medic when the door to the doctor's office opened. Dijkstra's tall frame almost blocked it completely.
"Good day," he said, looking them over. "Glad to see you back, Geralt. Your eye is as keen as ever to spot my men."
"Good to see you too, Dijkstra. Seems I need to thank you for taking care of my… friend while I was away," he said. The word "lover" lodged in his throat before he replaced it with "friend", unsure of what Dijkstra knew or what Criss wanted to be called in front of company.
Dijkstra grinned. "My pleasure. You were always one to have the more interesting... friends."
Criss stood from her seat, leaving her glass behind. "Come to one of the treatment rooms," she said before Geralt had a chance to reply with a little sarcasm of his own. He bit his tongue and followed behind them, his hand resting on her lower back. Judging from his tone, Dijkstra already knew they were more than friends.
She led them to a room and Geralt noticed immediately that it was much cleaner than he remembered. In fact, the entire hospital was airier than he had last seen it.
"Is it me, or did this place considerably improve since I was last here?" Dijkstra asked, mirroring his thoughts.
"I made a few suggestions regarding the hygiene and the good doctor took to all of them."
She pointed to a bed sheathed with a roll of cloth covered with a wax film. "Lay down."
Dijkstra conformed, and she unstrapped the contraption holding his leg in place. She rolled his trouser leg to his knee and gave his ankle and shin a once-over look.
"When you'll leave today, you'll be right as rain, but..." She pinned him with a shrewd gaze. "I need something from you in return."
"Should have known better than to think this would be for nought," he said with a dark chuckle. "There are two things you witches all have in common: you never do anything for free and you all bed the White Wolf. I'm starting to suspect it's like a rite of passage to get railed by the witcher."
"Watch your mouth or I'll break your other leg to match," Geralt threatened, taking a step forward.
"There's no need for violence." Criss threw him a look that warned him not to escalate things, then turned back to Dijkstra. "What I mean to ask shouldn't be too difficult for the former head of Redanian Intelligence. I simply wish to know why Bedlam's men are after me. So, is this something you could help me with?"
He measured her with a distrustful gaze. "That's all? No 'get me a diamond the size of my fist'? Or some other absurd demand?"
"No, just information. And I'm not forcing you. This is just a request. After all, you'll leave here healed and with nothing binding you to your promise except your honour. Are you an honourable man, Dijkstra?"
He gave it a moment's thought, then nodded. "Alright. I'll find out what he wants from you."
"Thank you," she said with a wry smile. "Now sleep," she commanded, and the giant fell under in a second.
"You don't trust me to solve the problem with Bedlam?" Geralt asked as soon as Dijkstra was out.
"It's not a matter of trust. You have a lot on your plate and I thought I might as well make use of the goodwill I've gathered."
She made short work of healing Dijkstra's leg while he stood by her side, watching.
"That's it," she said when she was done. "He'll be awake in a few minutes." She turned to Geralt with a sly smile. "Is it true what he said about you bedding all the sorceresses you meet?"
He scratched his jaw while he thought of how to answer. "Not all."
She laughed. "But most?"
"Yes, most. Fuck, that makes me sound like a skirt-chasing cad."
"More like a sorceress-chasing cad," she quipped.
To his relief, Dijkstra stirred, and he was given an excuse to wiggle his way out of the conversation.
With a shake of his head, the Redanian master spy woke and sat up.
"You could have warned me," he said, holding on to his temple. "I wasn't expecting to be put out like that."
"Precisely why I didn't warn you. It makes it easier for me if you don't see it coming." She pointed towards his leg. "Now try standing and moving around. Tell me if you feel any discomfort."
He did as she asked and paced the room, at first with careful steps, then more boldly. A wide grin spread over his face by the end.
"Hah! Feels brand new. Better than the other one with all its creaky joints." He took a few more steps under their watchful eyes. "It'll be a pleasure walking to the Passiflora."
Geralt couldn't help but let out a laugh. "You get your leg back and the first place you walk to is a brothel?"
"Don't be daft, Geralt. I won't be going whoring and I expect neither will you. Assuming a certain raven-haired sorceress managed to sway you to join us tonight."
"Should have known you'd be involved," Geralt said, shaking his head. "Who else is part of this treasonous band?"
"A few other familiar faces. You'll see soon enough."
"Should have figured you'd be tight-lipped."
"And for good reason. It's a risky business we've involved ourselves in."
She convinced Geralt to stick around the Vilmerius until the afternoon while she helped Von Gratz. Knowing there was a possibility they could up and leave soon, she had to arrange for him to have sufficient supplies until she could come back.
"I can use a part of the donation towards medical supplies. I just need to know what to order. Perhaps if you had a list," Von Gratz said.
"Of course, I'll provide you with the recipes for everything I use and, if you wish, you can use the herbalist down Glory Lane. He's as trustworthy as they come. The potions themselves have a moderate effect even by themselves, so they'll be useful with or without my help."
"But you'll return, won't you?"
"I can't be sure of anything. For now, I'm not going anywhere, but the situation can change at the drop of a dime. It's better to be prepared."
Once she had arranged for everything, she left with Geralt and headed for the northern part of town.
"The higher up you go in this city, the cleaner the streets and the inhabitants," she said as they climbed the slope leading up to the Passiflora.
"The wealthier Redanians take up residence here, but it doesn't hurt that Dijkstra's bathhouse is right under us."
"Certainly that has something to do with it, but it's a strange thing that this is something common to the cities back home."
"What? Bathhouses? I thought you had spas instead, and every house has its own bath."
"No, Geralt," she said, slapping his arm with a grin. "I meant that the north part of the city is the wealthiest part of town."
"And has the best brothel," he joked.
She slapped his arm again and shook her head. "Can't believe we're going to have dinner there. I'd hardly expect such a place to be one of fine dining. Come to think about it, I didn't expect it to be a hub for conspiracies either."
"You should expect it to be all of that and much more. It's the perfect place for an inconspicuous meeting. All frequent it without exception, men, women, guards, thieves, clergy. If you can name it, then you can find it there and no one would think twice about it."
"I see," she said, smiling. "And witchers make no exception, I suppose?"
"Yes, but I didn't always go there for the reason you imagine. Sometimes I just wanted a good game of cards and they have the best Gwent tournament in all the northern kingdoms."
"Mhm... sometimes... But most times I bet you just went there for what all the other customers sought – a good lay. I'd wager good money that you even had a favourite girl."
"I... um... Damn," he cursed with a sigh. "You'd win that wager." He squeezed her hip and her eyes darted to his. "You know that's in the past, right? I mean, what Yen said and then Dijkstra... I'd never..."
"Relax Geralt, I'm just teasing. I'm not expecting a hundred-year-old man to be a virgin."
He grinned and shook his head. "One of these days, you'll be the end of me."
The Passiflora was just as luxurious on the inside as it was on the outside. Placed in a lovely courtyard lined with flowers and lanterns, it sat three storeys high amid the rest of the buildings. Half-dressed beautiful women and men mingled among the customers, smiling and flattering as they went. Some of their outfits could give her own a run for their money and she took note of all the details she liked. It never hurt to expand her lingerie collection.
She walked alongside Geralt, almost forgetting why they were there in the first place until the hand he had wrapped around her waist tightened to keep her from walking off. She shook her head, trying to pull herself together. Just as in Hierarch Square she felt the pain of those who perished there, here she felt the echoes of the good times the many customers of the establishment had. A middle-aged woman approached them with a honeyed smile.
"Geralt, welcome back. Are you here for cards or pleasure?"
"For now, we're here for dinner. Although I doubt I'll have the time, I wouldn't mind a game of cards."
"I'll have my girls find a table for you and see to your needs." The woman leaned closer to Geralt and whispered, but Criss still heard every word she said. "And if you and your lady-friend change your mind about the latter part, Viola is free for the evening and can see to whatever else the both of you require."
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," he answered curtly, but keeping a polite tone.
Soon, a pretty brunette led them to a booth in the dining area of the brothel. They sat next to each other and ordered roasted chicken with an assortment of veggies plus a helping of chocolate cake for dessert.
She cuddled into his side as they ate and she skimmed the room with curiosity since it was her first visit to a brothel. Most patrons were enjoying their dinner as they would in any other normal venue, and it would have looked like a normal restaurant if the girls serving wouldn't have had their corsets unlaced with their breasts almost spilling over them and their skirts barely covered their behinds. At a table across the room, one server sat next to a customer who gave her a handful of crowns with a grin, only for her to disappear under the table. She couldn't see what the server was doing, but she had a good guess based on the satisfied way the man threw his head back. Criss elbowed Geralt and pointed in their direction.
"He's getting a blowjob with his dessert," he said with a grin as the woman's head bobbed up and down in the man's lap. Geralt leaned into her until his lips were next to her ear. "I hate to point out the obvious, but this is a brothel, and everything and everyone you see around you is on the menu."
"Still, I wasn't expecting to get a free show with our meal."
He kissed under her ear and breathed her in for a moment before speaking again. "This is the kind of place where I could sit you on top of the table and eat you out and no one would bat an eye."
"Don't tempt me," she joked with a wicked smile.
"If we weren't here on business, I'd do more than just tempt," he replied in a low voice.
"If we weren't here on business, I might consider one of those desserts," she said, tilting her head towards the girls moving from table to table in their skimpy outfits.
"You would?" he asked with raised eyebrows. "Are you just trying to rattle me, or are you serious?"
"Guess you'll never know," she said with a tilt of her head and a smirk.
"By all the gods, woman, and you say I'm awful." He shook his head, exasperated. "I think it's high time I got you out of this room," he said, getting up and extending a hand to her. "Shall we?"
She grabbed a hold of his arm and they walked out of the dining area, back to the main hall. They had gotten no further than the threshold when Geralt spotted someone familiar. He gave her a small nudge to get her attention and nodded towards the stairs at the back of the room. A brown-haired inconspicuous man accompanied by a pretty short-haired blonde was ascending to the next floor. Just as they reached the top, the woman threw a casual look over her shoulder and although she didn't as much as frown, there was something in her eyes that made Criss raise her guard.
"I'd put money on them being in on whatever plan was hatched by our… allies," Geralt said while they crossed the room to reach the bottom of the stairs.
"You know them?"
"Mhm. We had a few run-ins."
The staircase looked empty, so without much preamble, they followed up the pair's trail. Just as they were climbing the last few steps, the blonde came from around the corner, pointing a loaded crossbow at Geralt. Without warning, she let the bolt fly.
Seeing both Roche and Ves was unsurprising and if he thought about it, them attacking him was equally expected. Geralt had proved to be a disappointment to the commander of the Temerian special forces. Each time they met, Geralt refused to help Roche. Not because he didn't think it was right, but each time something more important got in the way.
Both his Quen and Criss's shield flashed at the same time and the bolt ricochet off them. Before Ves could reload, Geralt hit her with an Aard, knocking her back on her ass. Roche reached for the knife hidden under his tunic, but never got to it as a spell from Criss pinned him to the wall.
"Ah, Geralt, you bastard!" Roche cursed.
"I'd agree with you most days, but this time you're the one who tried to kill me. And this time I don't see why. If I'm not mistaken, we're both here for the same reason, which should make us allies, not enemies."
"No one was trying to kill you. I was aiming for your shoulder," Ves replied instead. "The commander didn't wish you dead, just out of the way..."
"She's not lying," Criss said with a frown. For the first time in a long while, he watched her scour someone's mind for information. "They both fear you'll turn on them as you did after Foltest's death."
"Can't say I blame them. Haven't given them many reasons to trust me, but siding with Radovid is something I'd never do. No matter what's discussed tonight, even if I don't agree with your plans for him, at least you can rest assured that I won't hinder either. You have my word on that." His hand rested on her lower back. "You can release him."
The spell that kept Roche in place subsided, and he landed on the floor.
"Your word's worth sheit," Roche spat.
"Too bad, because that's all I can offer. So it'll have to do if this is to go anywhere. Or do we need to fight it out here and now?"
In the silence that followed, the two men stared each other down, looking for weakness and neither wanted to back down. He registered out of the corner of his eye that Ves and Criss were left to exchange uneasy glances.
Thankfully, the tense exchange was interrupted by the door opening at the end of the corridor.
"When you two are done measuring your manhoods, feel free to grace us with your presence," Yen said, standing in the door frame, then turned to the women with a disapproving look. "Ves, Criss, can you really not control your men?"
"Who says I'd want to?" Criss quipped. "I like him a little rough and wild," she said as she interlaced her fingers with his, pulling him towards the room and taking the opportunity to defuse the situation.
He gave her a wry smile and followed her, putting aside his worries about Roche. It was unlikely the Temerian would make a second attempt on his life while Yen watched. Footsteps echoed as Ves and Roche walked behind them.
Inside one of the lavish bedrooms of the Passiflora, the cream of the kingdom's intelligence office had gathered: Dijkstra, Thaler and Roche. Yen acted as a representative for the Lodge's interests.
"Good of you to make it on time. Please take a seat," Dijkstra said.
"Well, I'll be buggered! If it ain't Geralt of fuckin' Rivia," Thaler said with a grin.
"Now only dear Phil is missing," Dijkstra said, ignoring Thaler's interruption.
"Actually," Yen cut in, "she is otherwise occupied and left me to advocate on her part."
"What could she possibly deem more important than attending this meeting? Her lack of interest makes me question her commitment to our common cause," the former master of Redanian intelligence scoffed.
"Oh, I assure you, she's quite committed and even as we speak, she's searching for the last piece of this very important puzzle we're building."
"This all sounds like you've already decided on how we should proceed," Roche said. "Don't you think you sorceresses are getting ahead of yourselves? Who says we're to agree? Perhaps we have our own plan."
"Do you now?" Yen asked with a derisive smile and a raised eyebrow. "Fine. Let's hear it then."
"I say we find a way onto his boat under the cover of darkness. He can't have more than a four dozen men on it. We have the troops, it's just a matter of getting the Blue Stripes in the right place. If we could..."
"Let me stop you right there," Geralt said. "Your first mistake is not getting your facts straight. Radovid is currently at the Church of Eternal Fire, surrounded by a few hundred soldiers and witch hunters. Looks like he's taken permanent residence there. There's no silently sneaking in."
Roche listened to him with narrowed eyes. "You seem very informed of the king's whereabouts. Suspiciously so."
"You'd be too if you had spent the previous day in the dungeons below the Church."
"That only makes me wonder how you got out."
"With a lashed back and a threat of more if I don't produce Philippa in dimeritium cuffs. If you're insinuating anything else, you're a fool," Geralt said between gritted teeth.
Roche stood, looking like he was ready for a fight. "The only foolish thing I did was not kill you when you were in my dungeon."
Yennefer cleared her throat. "As much as I'd love to watch a fight between you two, it would be better saved for after our task is complete." She turned to Roche. "For what's worth, Geralt isn't here under false pretence. Beyond the thoughts I can read so clearly... and loudly, he has a stake in this game that makes it impossible for him to be aligned with Radovid even if his life depended on it. I trust that my assurance is enough to ease your worries."
Roche nodded and sat back down.
"Good, now if there are no further... plans," she threw the word as if it were an insult to the concept. "I'll tell you what we have devised."
"Why the fuck not? Couldn't care less who comes up with it, as long as it gets the job done," Thaler said, leaning forward to rest his elbows over his knees.
Dijkstra agreed with a generous wave of his hand while the rest kept quiet.
"First of all, we need to thin out the guards around Radovid and for that, we need an important distraction – the reemergence of Philippa Eilhart. This is where Geralt comes in. Since he's the one the king contracted to track her down, he's going to make good on his promise to deliver her to him."
"Wait," Dijkstra cut in. "Phil agreed to this?"
"It was her idea. Now, if you could kindly not interrupt me."
"Fine, continue."
"Geralt is going to go to the king and reveal her whereabouts in a hut on the outskirts of the city, in a secluded area. He'll get him to send out a large part of his troops, both regular soldiers and witch hunters, leaving his position vulnerable. By that time, your Temerian soldiers would have made their way through the tunnels below the city and taken their positions around the Church."
"Sounds like your plan means you puppeteering all of us and our resources without any of you getting your hands dirty. And beyond that, there are holes in your plan that leave things unaccounted for. For one, what happens if Geralt can't convince him to move his troops to catch Philippa?" Dijkstra asked.
"In case he has any doubts, Philippa will make sure she stirs up trouble at roughly the same time. She can make it obvious enough that it's her doing without giving away her hideout."
"Hmm, but she'd better make sure it's enough to make him move his troops. If he doesn't or if he sends but a few... It could leave us outnumbered at Radovid's mercy," Roche added.
"That's why we chose a location close to Novigrad. So the closest and largest garrison is the one guarding him. He won't dare move troops from the bridge for fear of a Nilfgaardian attack."
"That front has been quiet recently, so you might be wrong. He could send exactly that force," Roche said.
"We've considered that too." Yennefer turned to Thaler. "We know you've been parlaying with the Nilfgaardians. Perhaps you could arrange for them to make a brief foray into Redanian lands to keep their eyes on the border."
"Mhm, your sources are bloody enviable," Thaler said with a nod. "Yeah, I could have something laid out for them. Something appetizing that'll draw Radovid's eyes like a fresh-faced whore in a seedy brothel."
"Still, what if the troops remaining inside the Church are still too great?" Roche asked. "None of us can predict how many he has or how many he'll send. Some magical assistance would help tip the scales in our favour and would reassure everyone that you're not just setting us up."
"Very well. If that helps ease your mind, I'll join you, along with Triss and Margarita." She turned to Criss. "Perhaps you'd like to contribute as well since Geralt brought you along."
Criss sighed audibly and shot a glance at Geralt. "If Geralt agrees to help, then I'll be there as well."
"Geralt?"
All eyes turned to him in expectation.
"As long as no one expects me to be the one to kill the king, and telling him about Philippa's hideout is all I have to do, I can put on a good act for him," Geralt said.
"Then it's settled." Dijkstra clapped his hands and grinned. "It'll be like the battle of Sodden all over again. Mages and soldiers working together."
"Only this time, we'll be the invading force, not the defenders."
"When do you plan to set everything in motion?" Roche asked. "Both Thaler and I need to make arrangements."
"As soon as Philippa returns. I don't expect she'll be longer than two or three days. That should give you sufficient time to position your troops without drawing eyes to them. One of us will send word as soon as we're ready."
A/N: The plans are laid out for regicide and you're free to place your bets on how things will go with the coup. Obviously, I'm not using the game plot, but I hope I'll manage to write a satisfying conspiracy.
I have one more chapter fully drafted, and the rest of the story is in the outline stage, so updates might slow down depending on how much time I have available for writing. Right now I have a lot going on, both personally and at work, so I can't promise anything more than I'll post when I consider a chapter done.